8

mand, dispensed with the evening and morning
prayer to Sahdh,l his wife, who was a prophetess,
and sent to the people as the reward of an excel-
lent genius: this was one of the suitable favors of
the Lord to Musaylima, who himself was a pro-
phet, and his mate, also a prophetess.

As to what is said, that God commanded Iblis to
adore Adam, and that, because he disobeyed, Iblis
was expelled from the celestial court2—this tale is
impious ; because God does not command prostra-
tion before another object, nor induce any body to
undue worship, as he did not create Iblis for the
purpose of throwing men into error. In the second

1 Thomas Erpenius, the translator of Elmacin, calls her Thegjazis
(Hist. Saracenica, p. 19); her true name was Sijah, the daughter of Haret,
of the tribe of the Tamimites, or Taalabites, according to Elmacin (/loco
citato). She declared herself a prophetess, and gained ascendancy in the
country of Bahrein, along the south-western shores of the Persian gulf,
and in almost the whole tract between Mecca and Bassora. She offered
herself as wife to the new prophet, in Yamama, who married her, but she
soon abandoned him.—(See Abulfeda, vol. I. pp. 208, 209.)

2 We find in the Koran, chap. II. v. 28, the following passage: ** When
thy Lord said unto the angels: I am going to place a substitute on earth,
they said: Wilt thou place there one that will do evil therein, and shed
blood? but we celebrate thy praise, and sanctify thee. God answered:
Verily, I know that which ye know not.—29. And he taught Adam the
names of all things, and then proposed them to the angels, and said :
Declare unto me the names of these things, if ye say truth.—30. They
answered: Praise be unto thee; we have no knowledge but what thou
teachest us, for thou art knowing and wise.—31. God said: 0,Adam! tell
them their names. God said: Did I not tell you that I know the secrets
of heaven and earth ; and know that what ye discover, and that which ye