Inthetimeofignorance，theArabs，liketheJewsandEgyptians，abstainedfromthetasteofswine\'sflesh；^53theycircumcised^54theirchildrenattheageofpuberty:thesamecustoms，withoutthecensureorthepreceptoftheKoran，havebeensilentlytransmittedtotheirposterityandproselytes。Ithasbeensagaciouslyconjectured，thattheartfullegislatorindulgedthestubbornprejudicesofhiscountrymen。Itismoresimpletobelievethatheadheredtothehabitsandopinionsofhisyouth，withoutforeseeingthatapracticecongenialtotheclimateofMeccamightbecomeuselessorinconvenientonthebanksoftheDanubeortheVolga。
[Footnote44:WhatevercannowbeknownoftheidolatryoftheancientArabiansmaybefoundinPocock，Specimen，p。89—136，163，164。HisprofounderuditionismoreclearlyandconciselyinterpretedbySale，PreliminaryDiscourse，p。14—24；andAssemanniBibliot。Orienttom。iv。p。580—590hasaddedsomevaluableremarks。]
[Footnote45:Diodor。Sicul。tom。i。l。iii。p。211。Thecharacterandpositionaresocorrectlyapposite，thatIamsurprisedhowthiscuriouspassageshouldhavebeenreadwithoutnoticeorapplication。YetthisfamoustemplehadbeenoverlookedbyAgatharcides，deMariRubro，p。58，inHudson，tom。i。，whomDiodoruscopiesintherestofthedescription。WastheSicilianmoreknowingthantheEgyptian?OrwastheCaababuiltbetweentheyearsofRome650and746，thedatesoftheirrespectivehistories?Dodwell，inDissert。adtom。i。Hudson，p。72。
Fabricius，Bibliot。Graec。tom。ii。p。770。
Note:Mr。ForsterGeographyofArabia，vol。ii。p。118，etseq。hasraisedanobjection，asIthink，fataltothishypothesisofGibbon。Thetemple，situatedinthecountryoftheBanizomeneis，wasnotbetweentheThamuditesandtheSabaeans，buthigherupthanthecoastinhabitedbytheformer。Mr。
ForsterwouldplaceitasfarnorthasMoiiah。IamnotquitesatisfiedthatthiswillagreewiththewholedescriptionofDiodorus—M。1845。]
[Footnote46:Pocock，Specimen，p。60，61。FromthedeathofMahometweascendto68，fromhisbirthto129，yearsbeforetheChristianaera。Theveilorcurtain，whichisnowofsilkandgold，wasnomorethanapieceofEgyptianlinen，Abulfeda，inVit。Mohammed。c。6，p。14。]
[Footnote47:TheoriginalplanoftheCaabawhichisservilelycopiedinSale，theUniversalHistory，&c。wasaTurkishdraught，whichRelanddeReligioneMohammedica，p。113—123
hascorrectedandexplainedfromthebestauthorities。ForthedescriptionandlegendoftheCaaba，consultPocock，Specimen，p。115—122，theBibliothequeOrientaleofD\'Herbelot，Caaba，Hagir，Zemzem，&c。，andSalePreliminaryDiscourse，p。114—
122。]
[Footnote48:Cosa，thefifthancestorofMahomet，musthaveusurpedtheCaabaA。D。440；butthestoryisdifferentlytoldbyJannabi，Gagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。i。p。65—69，andbyAbulfeda，inVit。Moham。c。6，p。13。]
[Footnote49:Inthesecondcentury，MaximusofTyreattributestotheArabstheworshipofastone，Dissert。viii。tom。i。p。
142，edit。Reiske；andthereproachisfuriouslyreechoedbytheChristians，ClemensAlex。inProtreptico，p。40。ArnobiuscontraGentes，l。vi。p。246。YetthesestoneswerenootherthanofSyriaandGreece，sorenownedinsacredandprofaneantiquity，Euseb。Praep。Evangel。l。i。p。37。Marsham，Canon。
Chron。p。54—56。]
[Footnote50:ThetwohorridsubjectsareaccuratelydiscussedbythelearnedSirJohnMarsham，Canon。Chron。p。76—78，301—
304。SanchoniathoderivesthePhoeniciansacrificesfromtheexampleofChronus；butweareignorantwhetherChronuslivedbefore，orafter，Abraham，orindeedwhetherhelivedatall。]
[Footnote51:ThereproachofPorphyry；buthelikewiseimputestotheRomanthesamebarbarouscustom，which，A。U。C。657，hadbeenfinallyabolished。Dumaetha，DaumatalGendai，isnoticedbyPtolemyTabul。p。37，Arabia，p。9—29andAbulfeda，p。57，
andmaybefoundinD\'Anville\'smaps，inthemid—desertbetweenChaibarandTadmor。]
[Footnote52:Prcoopius，deBell。Persico，l。i。c。28，
Evagrius，l。vi。c。21，andPocock，Specimen，p。72，86，
attestthehumansacrificesoftheArabsinthevithcentury。
ThedangerandescapeofAbdallahisatraditionratherthanafact，Gagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。i。p。82—84。]
[Footnote53:Suilliscarnibusabstinent，saysSolinus，Polyhistor。c。33，whocopiesPlinyl。viii。c。68inthestrangesupposition，thathogscannotliveinArabia。TheEgyptianswereactuatedbyanaturalandsuperstitioushorrorforthatuncleanbeast，Marsham，Canon。p。205。TheoldArabianslikewisepractised，postcoitum，theriteofablution，Herodot。
l。i。c。80，whichissanctifiedbytheMahometanlaw，Reland，p。75，&c。，Chardin，orrathertheMollahofShahAbbas，tom。iv。
p。71，&c。]
[Footnote54:TheMahometandoctorsarenotfondofthesubject；
yettheyholdcircumcisionnecessarytosalvation，andevenpretendthatMahometwasmiraculouslybornwithoutaforeskin，Pocock，Specimen，p。319，320。Sale\'sPreliminaryDiscourse，p。
106，107。]
ChapterL:DescriptionOfArabiaAndItsInhabitants。
PartIII。
Arabiawasfree:theadjacentkingdomswereshakenbythestormsofconquestandtyranny，andthepersecutedsectsfledtothehappylandwheretheymightprofesswhattheythought，andpractisewhattheyprofessed。ThereligionsoftheSabiansandMagians，oftheJewsandChristians，weredisseminatedfromthePersianGulftotheRedSea。Inaremoteperiodofantiquity，SabianismwasdiffusedoverAsiabythescienceoftheChaldaeans^55andthearmsoftheAssyrians。Fromtheobservationsoftwothousandyears，thepriestsandastronomersofBabylon^56
deducedtheeternallawsofnatureandprovidence。Theyadoredthesevengodsorangels，whodirectedthecourseofthesevenplanets，andshedtheirirresistibleinfluenceontheearth。Theattributesofthesevenplanets，withthetwelvesignsofthezodiac，andthetwenty—fourconstellationsofthenorthernandsouthernhemisphere，wererepresentedbyimagesandtalismans；
thesevendaysoftheweekwerededicatedtotheirrespectivedeities；theSabiansprayedthriceeachday；andthetempleofthemoonatHaranwasthetermoftheirpilgrimage。^57Buttheflexiblegeniusoftheirfaithwasalwaysreadyeithertoteachortolearn:inthetraditionofthecreation，thedeluge，andthepatriarchs，theyheldasingularagreementwiththeirJewishcaptives；theyappealedtothesecretbooksofAdam，Seth，andEnoch；andaslightinfusionofthegospelhastransformedthelastremnantofthePolytheistsintotheChristiansofSt。John，intheterritoryofBassora。^58ThealtarsofBabylonwereoverturnedbytheMagians；buttheinjuriesoftheSabianswererevengedbytheswordofAlexander；Persiagroanedabovefivehundredyearsunderaforeignyoke；andthepurestdisciplesofZoroasterescapedfromthecontagionofidolatry，andbreathedwiththeiradversariesthefreedomofthedesert。^59SevenhundredyearsbeforethedeathofMahomet，theJewsweresettledinArabia；andafargreatermultitudewasexpelledfromtheHolyLandinthewarsofTitusandHadrian。Theindustriousexilesaspiredtolibertyandpower:theyerectedsynagoguesinthecities，andcastlesinthewilderness，andtheirGentileconvertswereconfoundedwiththechildrenofIsrael，whomtheyresembledintheoutwardmarkofcircumcision。TheChristianmissionarieswerestillmoreactiveandsuccessful:theCatholicsassertedtheiruniversalreign；thesectswhomtheyoppressed，successivelyretiredbeyondthelimitsoftheRomanempire；theMarcionitesandManichaeansdispersedtheirfantasticopinionsandapocryphalgospels；thechurchesofYemen，andtheprincesofHiraandGassan，wereinstructedinapurercreedbytheJacobiteandNestorianbishops。^60Thelibertyofchoicewaspresentedtothetribes:eachArabwasfreetoelectortocomposehisprivatereligion:andtherudesuperstitionofhishousewasmingledwiththesublimetheologyofsaintsandphilosophers。Afundamentalarticleoffaithwasinculcatedbytheconsentofthelearnedstrangers；theexistenceofonesupremeGodwhoisexaltedabovethepowersofheavenandearth，butwhohasoftenrevealedhimselftomankindbytheministryofhisangelsandprophets，andwhosegraceorjusticehasinterrupted，byseasonablemiracles，theorderofnature。ThemostrationaloftheArabsacknowledgedhispower，thoughtheyneglectedhisworship；^61
anditwashabitratherthanconvictionthatstillattachedthemtotherelicsofidolatry。TheJewsandChristianswerethepeopleoftheBook；theBiblewasalreadytranslatedintotheArabiclanguage，^62andthevolumeoftheOldTestamentwasacceptedbytheconcordoftheseimplacableenemies。InthestoryoftheHebrewpatriarchs，theArabswerepleasedtodiscoverthefathersoftheirnation。TheyapplaudedthebirthandpromisesofIsmael；reveredthefaithandvirtueofAbraham；
tracedhispedigreeandtheirowntothecreationofthefirstman，andimbibed，withequalcredulity，theprodigiesoftheholytext，andthedreamsandtraditionsoftheJewishrabbis。
[Footnote55:DiodorusSiculustom。i。l。ii。p。142—145hascastontheirreligionthecuriousbutsuperficialglanceofaGreek。Theirastronomywouldbefarmorevaluable:theyhadlookedthroughthetelescopeofreason，sincetheycoulddoubtwhetherthesunwereinthenumberoftheplanetsorofthefixedstars。]
[Footnote56:Simplicius，whoquotesPorphyry，deCoelo，l。ii。
com。xlvip。123，lin。18，apudMarsham，Canon。Chron。p。474，whodoubtsthefact，becauseitisadversetohissystems。TheearliestdateoftheChaldaeanobservationsistheyear2234
beforeChrist。AftertheconquestofBabylonbyAlexander，theywerecommunicatedattherequestofAristotle，totheastronomerHipparchus。Whatamomentintheannalsofscience!]
[Footnote57:Pocock，Specimen，p。138—146，Hottinger，Hist。
Orient。p。162—203，Hyde，deReligioneVet。Persarum，p。124，128，&c。，D\'Herbelot，Sabi，p。725，726，andSale，PreliminaryDiscourse，p。14，15，ratherexcitethangratifyourcuriosity；andthelastofthesewritersconfoundsSabianismwiththeprimitivereligionoftheArabs。]
[Footnote58:D\'Anvillel\'EuphrateetleTigre，p。130—137
willfixthepositionoftheseambiguousChristians；AssemannusBibliot。Oriental。tom。iv。p。607—614mayexplaintheirtenets。Butitisaslipperytasktoascertainthecreedofanignorantpeopleafraidandashamedtodisclosetheirsecrettraditions。
Note:TheCodexNasiraeus，theirsacredbook，hasbeenpublishedbyNorbergwhoseresearchescontainalmostallthatisknownofthissingularpeople。Buttheiroriginisalmostasobscureasever:ifancient，theircreedhasbeensocorruptedwithmysticismandMahometanism，thatitsnativelineamentsareveryindistinct。—M。]
[Footnote59:TheMagiwerefixedintheprovinceofBhrein，Gagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。iii。p。114，andmingledwiththeoldArabians，Pocock，Specimen，p。146—150。]
[Footnote60:ThestateoftheJewsandChristiansinArabiaisdescribedbyPocockfromSharestani，&c。，Specimen，p。60，134，&c。，Hottinger，Hist。Orient。p。212—238，D\'Herbelot，Bibliot。Orient。p。474—476，Basnage，Hist。desJuifs，tom。
vii。p。185，tom。viii。p。280，andSale，PreliminaryDiscourse，p。22，&c。，33，&c。]
[Footnote61:Intheirofferings，itwasamaximtodefraudGodfortheprofitoftheidol，notamorepotent，butamoreirritable，patron，Pocock，Specimen，p。108，109。]
[Footnote62:Ourversionsnowextant，whetherJewishorChristian，appearmorerecentthantheKoran；buttheexistenceofapriortranslationmaybefairlyinferred，—1。FromtheperpetualpracticeofthesynagogueofexpoundingtheHebrewlessonbyaparaphraseinthevulgartongueofthecountry；2。
FromtheanalogyoftheArmenian，Persian，Aethiopicversions，expresslyquotedbythefathersofthefifthcentury，whoassertthattheScripturesweretranslatedintoalltheBarbariclanguages，Walton，ProlegomenaadBibliaPolyglot，p。34，93—
97。Simon，Hist。CritiqueduV。etduN。Testament，tom。i。p。
180，181，282—286，293，305，306，tom。iv。p。206。]
ThebaseandplebeianoriginofMahometisanunskilfulcalumnyoftheChristians，^63whoexaltinsteadofdegradingthemeritoftheiradversary。HisdescentfromIsmaelwasanationalprivilegeorfable；butifthefirststepsofthepedigree^64
aredarkanddoubtful，hecouldproducemanygenerationsofpureandgenuinenobility:hesprungfromthetribeofKoreishandthefamilyofHashem，themostillustriousoftheArabs，theprincesofMecca，andthehereditaryguardiansoftheCaaba。ThegrandfatherofMahometwasAbdolMotalleb，thesonofHashem，awealthyandgenerouscitizen，whorelievedthedistressoffaminewiththesuppliesofcommerce。Mecca，whichhadbeenfedbytheliberalityofthefather，wassavedbythecourageoftheson。
ThekingdomofYemenwassubjecttotheChristianprincesofAbyssinia；theirvassalAbrahahwasprovokedbyaninsulttoavengethehonorofthecross；andtheholycitywasinvestedbyatrainofelephantsandanarmyofAfricans。Atreatywasproposed；and，inthefirstaudience，thegrandfatherofMahometdemandedtherestitutionofhiscattle。\"Andwhy，\"saidAbrahah，\"doyounotratherimploremyclemencyinfavorofyourtemple，whichIhavethreatenedtodestroy?\"\"Because，\"repliedtheintrepidchief，\"thecattleismyown；theCaababelongstothegods，andtheywilldefendtheirhousefrominjuryandsacrilege。\"Thewantofprovisions，orthevaloroftheKoreish，compelledtheAbyssinianstoadisgracefulretreat:theirdiscomfiturehasbeenadornedwithamiraculousflightofbirds，whoshowereddownstonesontheheadsoftheinfidels；andthedeliverancewaslongcommemoratedbytheaeraoftheelephant。
^65ThegloryofAbdolMotallebwascrownedwithdomestichappiness；hislifewasprolongedtotheageofonehundredandtenyears；andhebecamethefatherofsixdaughtersandthirteensons。HisbestbelovedAbdallahwasthemostbeautifulandmodestoftheArabianyouth；andinthefirstnight，whenheconsummatedhismarriagewithAmina，^!ofthenobleraceoftheZahrites，twohundredvirginsaresaidtohaveexpiredofjealousyanddespair。Mahomet，ormoreproperlyMohammed，theonlysonofAbdallahandAmina，wasbornatMecca，fouryearsafterthedeathofJustinian，andtwomonthsafterthedefeatoftheAbyssinians，^66whosevictorywouldhaveintroducedintotheCaabathereligionoftheChristians。Inhisearlyinfancy，hewasdeprivedofhisfather，hismother，andhisgrandfather；hisuncleswerestrongandnumerous；and，inthedivisionoftheinheritance，theorphan\'ssharewasreducedtofivecamelsandanAethiopianmaid—servant。Athomeandabroad，inpeaceandwar，AbuTaleb，themostrespectableofhisuncles，wastheguideandguardianofhisyouth；inhistwenty—fifthyear，heenteredintotheserviceofCadijah，arichandnoblewidowofMecca，whosoonrewardedhisfidelitywiththegiftofherhandandfortune。Themarriagecontract，inthesimplestyleofantiquity，recitesthemutualloveofMahometandCadijah；describeshimasthemostaccomplishedofthetribeofKoreish；andstipulatesadowryoftwelveouncesofgoldandtwentycamels，whichwassuppliedbytheliberalityofhisuncle。^67Bythisalliance，thesonofAbdallahwasrestoredtothestationofhisancestors；andthejudiciousmatronwascontentwithhisdomesticvirtues，till，inthefortiethyearofhisage，^68heassumedthetitleofaprophet，andproclaimedthereligionoftheKoran。
[Footnote63:Ineoconveniuntomnes，utplebeioviliquegenereortum，&c，Hottinger，Hist。Orient。p。136。YetTheophanes，themostancientoftheGreeks，andthefatherofmanyalie，confessesthatMahometwasoftheraceofIsmael，Chronograph。
p。277。]
[Footnote64:AbulfedainVit。Mohammed。c。1，2andGagnierViedeMahomet，p。25—97describethepopularandapprovedgenealogyoftheprophet。AtMecca，Iwouldnotdisputeitsauthenticity:atLausanne，Iwillventuretoobserve，1。ThatfromIsmaeltoMahomet，aperiodof2500years，theyreckonthirty，insteadofseventyfive，generations:2。ThatthemodernBedoweensareignorantoftheirhistory，andcarelessoftheirpedigree，VoyagedeD\'Arvieuxp。100，103。
Note:ThemostorthodoxMahometansonlyreckonbacktheancestryoftheprophetfortwentygenerations，toAdnan。Weil，MohammedderProphet，p。1。—M。1845。]
[Footnote65:Theseedofthishistory，orfable，iscontainedinthecvthchapteroftheKoran；andGagnierinPraefat。adVit。
Moham。p。18，&c。hastranslatedthehistoricalnarrativeofAbulfeda，whichmaybeillustratedfromD\'HerbelotBibliot。
Orientale，p。12andPocock，Specimen，p。64。PrideauxLifeofMahomet，p。48callsitalieofthecoinageofMahomet；butSale，Koran，p。501—503，whoishalfaMussulman，attackstheinconsistentfaithoftheDoctorforbelievingthemiraclesoftheDelphicApollo。MaracciAlcoran，tom。i。partii。p。14，tom。ii。p。823ascribesthemiracletothedevil，andextortsfromtheMahometanstheconfession，thatGodwouldnothavedefendedagainsttheChristianstheidolsoftheCaaba。
Note:Dr。Weilsaysthatthesmall—poxbrokeoutinthearmyofAbrahah，buthedoesnotgivehisauthority，p。10。—M。
1845。]
[Footnote!:Amina，orEmina，wasofJewishbirth。V。Hammer，GeschichtederAssass。p。10。—M。]
[Footnote66:ThesafestaerasofAbulfeda，inVit。c。i。p。2，
ofAlexander，ortheGreeks，882，ofBochtNaser，orNabonassar，1316，equallyleadustotheyear569。TheoldArabiancalendaristoodarkanduncertaintosupporttheBenedictines，Art。deVeriferlesDates，p。15，who，fromthedayofthemonthandweek，deduceanewmodeofcalculation，andremovethebirthofMahomettotheyearofChrist570，the10thofNovember。Yetthisdatewouldagreewiththeyear882oftheGreeks，whichisassignedbyElmacinHist。Saracen。p。5andAbulpharagius，Dynast。p。101，andErrata，Pocock\'sversion。Whilewerefineourchronology，itispossiblethattheilliterateprophetwasignorantofhisownage。
Note:ThedateofthebirthofMahometisnotyetfixedwithprecision。ItisonlyknownfromOrientalauthorsthathewasbornonaMonday，the10thReby1st，thethirdmonthoftheMahometanyear；theyear40or42ofChosroesNushirvan，kingofPersia；theyear881oftheSeleucidanaera；theyear1316oftheaeraofNabonassar。Thisleavesthepointundecidedbetweentheyears569，570，571，ofJ。C。SeetheMemoirofM。Silv。deSacy，ondiverseventsinthehistoryoftheArabsbeforeMahomet，Mem。Acad。desLoscript。vol。xlvii。p。527，531。St。