870 Origin and progress of writing down historical facts. [No. 5, 



immured in monasteries, occupied in multiplying the scriptures. 

 He, like a practical man, gave them wives and made soldiers of them. 

 Waraqah, the uncle of Mohammad's first wife copied part of the 

 scriptures and Khadyjah herself had read them. From para. 24, we 

 learn that 'Omar transcribed a religious work. I mentioned in a 

 former article, p. 146 supra, that there seems to be internal evidence 

 that the book of Euoch was translated into Arabic before the time 

 of MoAammad. 



It seems there existed profane books as well as religious ones 

 among the Arabs. In the Kashshaf the story of Isfendyar in an 

 Arabic garb is mentioned. There is also reason to suppose that 

 the Jews had Arabic books written in the Hebrew character. 



From page 218 supra, it appears that books — no doubt such as 

 had existed a long time previously among Arabic Christians and 

 Jews — spread among the Moslims, but 'Omar put them down with 

 a strong hand. 



In order farther to illustrate this subject, I have to say a few 

 words on the Book of Daniel, which is mentioned in paras. 24 and 

 29 supra. 



The book of Daniel which is sometimes met with, and frequently 

 quoted, treats on Oneirocritics and is inscribed j*r}*^\ Vy Cl \ ^> 

 But we have no evidence that this work existed at the time of 

 Mohammad, and it is probable that it is not the one alluded to in 

 paras. 24 and 29. 



The book of Daniel which was extant in those early ages contained 

 prophecies and also an apocryphical history, and was known to 

 'Abd Allah b. Sallam. This man as it has been stated in p. 213 of 

 this volume was a friend of Mo7*ammad, and died thirty-three years 

 after him. He had a good knowledge of the scripture and also of 

 several apocrypha. Among the latter was a work which is called 

 in Hebrew A**- ^hA^> in Syriac J>^ o*&&. and in Greek chronicon, 

 and it contained an account of the festivals z\±?\ and a great deal 

 of historical information ^ jU^I j kt)}j* *¥ '■ a **+^ ** v^-^-J 

 %jX>S oUijilij *k%\ jL^I. Of this work Ibn Monajjim has pre- 

 served numerous extracts. 



'Abd Allah b. Sallam it seems recast the book of Daniel. D'Her- 

 belot (under Daniel, again under Odhmah and Abdalla), says: 



