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Sale, 1734

CHAP. CXIII.
Intitled, The Day-break; where it was revealed is disputed.


In the name of the most merciful God.
SAY, I fly for refuge unto the Lord of the day-break [a] , that he may deliver [508] me from the mischief of those things which he hath created [a] ; and from the mischief of the night, when it cometh on [b] ; and from the mischief of women blowing on knots [c] ; and from the mischief of the envious, when he envieth.

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[a] The day-break;] The original word properly signifies a cleaving, and denotes, says al Beidâwi, the production of all things in general, from the darkness of privation to the light of existence, and especially of those things which proceed from others, as springs, rain, plants, children, &c., and hence it is used more particularly to signify the breaking forth of the light from darkness, which is a most wonderful instance of the divine power.

[a] From the mischief of those things which he hath created;] From the mischiefs proceeding either from the perverseness and evil choice of those beings which have a power to choose, or the natural effects of necessary agents, as fire, poison, &c., the world being good in the whole, tho’ evils may follow from those two causes [1] .

[1] Al Beidawi.

[b] From the mischief of the night, when it cometh on;] Or, as the words may be rendered, From the mischief of the moon, when she is eclipsed.

[c] From the mischief of women blowing on knots;] That is, of witches, who used to tie knots in a cord, and to blow on them, uttering at the same time certain magical words over them, in order to work on or debilitate the person they had a mind to injure. This was a common practice in former days [2] : what they call in France Nouër l’eguillette, and the knots which the wizards in the northern parts tie, when they sell mariners a wind, (if the stories told of them be true,) are also relics of the same superstition. The commentators relate, that Lobeid, a Jew, with the assistance of his daughters, bewitched Mohammed, by tying eleven knots on a cord, which they hid in a well; whereupon Mohammed falling ill, God revealed this chapter and the following, and Gabriel acquainted him with the use he was to make of them, and of the place where the cord was hidden: according to whose directions the prophet sent Ali to fetch the cord, and the same being brought, he repeated the two chapters over it, and at every verse (for they consist of eleven) a knot was loosed, till on finishing the last words, he was entirely freed from the charm [3] , Jallal. [4]

[2] V. Virgil. in Pharmaceutria

[3] Al Beidawi.

[4]