308 Origin and progress of writing down historical facts. [No. 4. 



" Sa'yd b. Jobayr relates, If we differed on a point, I wrote it 

 down with a view of asking the son of the Khalif 'Omar. But if 

 he had known that I have any notes with me, our friendship would 



have been at an end." 



■ 



HI. — Sayings and examples of Tobies (i. e. persons of the first 

 century who did not know Mohammad) ivho disapproved of writing. 



15. Ya'qrib b. 'Abd al-Ea^man states that his father related to 

 him, I was present when 'Obayd Allah b. 'Abd Allah paid a visit to 

 the Khalif 'Omar b. 'Abd al-'Azyz. The Khalif kept people in 

 readiness who took down [the Aadythes] he repeated. When he 

 was leaving, ' Omar said to him, We have done something. 'Obayd 

 Allah asked, What? 'Omar replied: We have written down all 

 that you related. He asked, Where are the writings ? and when 

 they were brought to him he tore them up. 



16. Mo7mmmad relates, I asked ' Abydah, Shall I write down what 

 I hear from you, and he answered : No. And then he said, I have 

 found a book, shall I read it ? and he answered : " No." In another 

 version there is, " If I should find a book shall I read it before you?" 

 instead "I have found a book, &c." 



Mohammad (the Shaykh of Ibn 'Awn) relates also, " I said to 

 'Oyaynah, Shall I write down what I hear?" 'Oyaynah answered, 

 " No." Then he said, I have found a book, shall I read it ? He replied, 

 "No." 



17. Idrys b. Idrys relates : My father asked me : " Do you write 

 down any of the Aadythes I tell you." I answered : " Yes." He 

 ordered me to show him my writings and tore them up. 



18. &*& ^JS\ iz*iS Jli **&\ji\ ^ \)^ ^ ^ir^ w* &J Uj^iow 



Ibrahym relates, " I used to write when I attended the lectures 

 of 'Abydah," and he said: "Do not make a book of them." 



The expression which is of interest to us in this 7«adyth, and 

 which proves that they made a wide distinction between notes and 

 a book is repeated in another faidyth, in which Ibrahym, imitat- 

 ing the example of his teacher, cautions his pupils against collecting 

 his Aadythes in a book : li^f JL* ^1*^1 ***~ ^J ^*=^ &'**?) 



19. Jlij <^J ^s^li tejJ^j &lxsu> ul j)j+*J dtf [ cjU^ ] Jtf 



