1854.] Some Remarks on the Origin of the Afghan people. 561 



At length, during the chieftainship of Abd-ur-Eashfd bin Kais al 

 Laik, an event happened which was the cause of shaking the world 

 to its very foundations* — the joyful tidings of the last and greatest 

 of the Prophets, resounded both in Arab and in Ajam, and Abd-ur- 

 Eashid became desirous of making a pilgrimage to Mekka for the 

 purpose of seeing him : — 



" Love ariseth not alone from seeing the object ;" 



" This wealth is often acquired by mere conversation." 



In company with several of his kinsmen and friends, he set out for 

 the Hedjaz, and having arrived at Mekka, performed his pilgrimage 

 according to the rites and tenets of the religion of his forefathers, 

 Israel, Issak, and Ibrahim. t He now set out for Medina, and on the 

 road fell in with the celebrated Khalid-ibn-Walid, " the sword of 

 God," — to whom he explained the object of his journey. They tra- 

 velled towards Medina in company, and on his arrival there, Abd- 

 ur-Eashid became a convert to Islam. Iu the numerous struggles of 

 that period, he became conspicuous for his intrepid bravery, which 

 made the Prophet bestow on him the surname of e)&* or cjUj + 

 (batan or patan) which in Arabic means the mast of a vessel, without 

 which it cannot sail, neither can the ship of war sail along without 

 the mast of battle. 



Abd-ur-Eashid having acquired great renown, at length obtained 

 his dismissal, and was allowed by the Prophet to return to his native 

 land, but was at the same time enjoined to publish and diffuse the 

 doctrines of Islamism amongst his countrymen. He departed from 

 Medina, and in due course reached his home in safety, after which 



* Allowance will of course be made for religious prejudice. 



f "The temple of Mecca was a place of worship, and in singular veneration with 

 the Arabs from great antiquity, and many centuries before Muhammad. Though 

 it was most probably dedicated at first to an idolatrous use, yet the Muhammadans 

 are generally persuaded that the Caaba is almost coeval with the world ; for they say 

 that Adam, after his expulsion from paradise, begged of God that he might erect 

 a building like that he had seen there, called Beit-al-Mamur, or the frequented 

 house, and al-Dorah, towards which he might direct his prayers and which he might 

 compass, as the angels do the celestial one." Sale's Introduction to the Koran 

 Page 83. 



X This word I cannot find in either Kamus, Burhan Kataoe, or Richardson. 



4 E 



