JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. V. 1856. 



On the origin of writing down historical records among the 

 Musalmans. — By Dr. A. Sprenger. 



(Concluded from page 329.) 



There is reason to believe that there existed Arabic books, more 

 particularly on religious subjects at and previous to the time of 

 Mohammad. 



All the most powerful tribes of Arabia had embraced Christianity^ 

 as the G-hassanites, whose chief was king of Petra, the Lakhmites 

 whose representative was king of Hyrah, the Taghlibes, the Taym 

 allat and most of the Arabs who were settled in towns and villages 

 in Najran and other districts of Taman. 



Only the wild sons of the Najd and of the depth of the desert 

 resisted the progress of civilization. Yet even among them we find 

 Christian priests and hermits, and numerous converts. The chief 

 of the T&J tribe — the celebrated iZatim Tayy — was a Christian and 

 he lived in the very heart of the Najd. Barrad, whom I mentioned 

 above, was equally a Christian, and we find Christians — apparently 

 missionaries — preaching in the fair of 'Okatz, we find Christian 

 chapels in Tamamah and BaArayn, (among the 'Abd Qays) and we 

 find professors of Christianity at Makkah and Madynah. 



We have the most positive evidence that there was a religious 

 literature, though probably very limited, among these Christian con- 

 gregations. When Khalid conquered iZyrah he found young men 

 No. LXXXIIL— New Series. Vol. XXV. 3 d 



