CHAP. XXXI.
Intitled, Lokman
[a]
; revealed at Mecca
[b]
.
In the name of the most merciful God.
[a] The chapter is so intitled from a person of this name mentioned therein, of whom more immediately.
[b] Some except the fourth verse, beginning at these words, Who observe the appointed times of prayer, and give alms, &c. And others three verses, beginning at these words, If all the trees in the earth were pens, &c.
[c] See the Prelim. Disc. §. III. p. 59, &c.
[d] A ludicrous story;] i.e. Vain and silly fables. The passage was revealed, it is said, on occasion of al Nodar Ebn al Hareth, who, having brought from Persia the romance of Rostam and Isfandiyar, the two heroes of that country, recited it in the assemblies of the Koreish, highly extolling the power and splendour of the ancient Persian kings, and preferring their stories to those of Ad and Thamud, David and Solomon, and the rest which are told in the Korân. Some say that al Nodar bought singing girls, and carried them to those who were inclined to become Moslems to divert them from their purpose by songs and tales [1] .
[1] Idem.
[e] He hath thrown on the earth mountains firmly rooted, &c.] See chap. 16. p. 215. A learned writer [2] , in his notes on this passage, says the original word rawâsiya, which the commentators in general will have to signify stable mountains, seems properly to express the Hebrew word mechonim, i.e. bases, or foundations; and therefore he thinks the Korân has here translated that passage of the Psalms, He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved for ever [3] . This is not the only instance which might be given that the Mohammedan doctors are not always the best interpreters of their own scriptures.
[2] Gol. in Append. ad Erpenii Gram. p. 187.
[3] Psal. civ; 5.
[f] Lokmân;] The Arab writers say, that Lokmân was the son of Baûra who was the son or grandson of a sister or aunt of Job; and that he lived several centuries, and to the time of David, with whom he was conversant in Palestine. According to the description they give of his person, he must have been deformed enough; for they say he was of a black complexion (whence some call him an Ethiopian), with thick lips and splay feet: but in return he received from God wisdom and eloquence in a great degree, which some pretend were given him in a vision, on his making choice of wisdom preferably to the gift of prophecy, either of which were offered him. The generality of the Mohammedans, therefore, hold him to have been no prophet, but only a wise man. As to his condition, they say he was a slave, but obtained his liberty on the following occasion: His master having one day given him a bitter melon to eat, he paid him such exact obedience as to eat it all; at which his master being surprised, asked him how he could eat so nauseous a fruit? To which he replied, it was no wonder that he should for once accept a bitter fruit from the same hand from which he had received so many favours [1] . The commentators mention several quick repartees of Lokmân, which, together with the circumstances above mentioned, agree so well with what Maximus Planudes has written of Esop, that from thence, and from the fables attributed to Lokmân by the orientals, the latter has been generally thought to have been no other than the Esop of the Greeks. However, that be (for I think the matter will bear a dispute), I am of opinion that Planudes borrowed great part of his life of Esop from the traditions he met with in the east concerning Lokmân, concluding them to have been the same person, because they were both slaves, and supposed to be the writers of those fables which go under their respective names, and bear a great resemblance to one another; for it has long since been observed by learned men that the greater part of that monk’s performance is an absurd romance, and supported by no evidence of the ancient writers [2] .
[1] Al Zamakh. Al Beidawi, &c. V. D’Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 516, & Marracc. in Alc. p. 547.
[2] V. la Vie d’Esope, par M. de Meziriac, & Bayle, Dict. Hist. Art. Esope. Rem. B.
[a] His son;] Whom some name Anám (which comes pretty near the Ennus of Planudes,) some Ashcam, and others Mathan.
[b] We have commanded man concerning his parents, &c.] The two verses which begin at these words, and end with the following, viz. And then will I declare unto you that which ye have done, are no part of Lokmân’s advice to his son, but are inserted by way of parenthesis, as very pertinent and proper to be repeated here, to shew the heinousness of idolatry; they are to be read (excepting some additions) in the twenty-ninth chapter, and were originally revealed on account of Saad Ebn Abi Wakkâs, as has been already observed [3] .
[3] See chap. 29. p. 325. and the notes thereon.
[c] Bear them company in this world in what shall be reasonable;] That is, shew them all deference and obedience, so far as may be consistent with thy duty towards God.
[d] Follow the way of him who sincerely turneth unto me;] The person particularly meant here was Abu Becr, at whose persuasion Saad had become a Moslem.
[a] The voice of asses;] To the braying of which animal the Arabs liken a loud and disagreeable voice.
[b] Both outwardly and inwardly;] i.e. All kinds of blessings, regarding as well the mind as the body.
[c] If whatever trees are in the earth were pens, &c.] This passage is said to have been revealed in answer to the Jews, who insisted that all knowledge was contained in the law [1] .
[1] Al Beidawi.
[d] As the creation and resuscitation of one soul;] God being able to produce a million of worlds by the single word Kun, i.e. Be, and to raise the dead in general by the single word Kum, i.e. Arise.
[a] The deceiver;] viz. The devil.
[b] In this passage five things are enumerated which are known to God alone, viz. The time of the day of judgment; the time of rain; what is forming in the womb, as whether it be male or female, &c.; what shall happen on the morrow; and where any person shall die. These the Arabs, according to a tradition of their prophet, call the five keys of secret knowledge. The passage, it is said, was occasioned by al Hareth Ebn Amru, who propounded questions of this nature to Mohammed. As to the last particular, al Beidâwi relates the following story: The angel of death passing once by Solomon in a visible shape, and looking at one who was sitting with him, the man asked who he was, and upon Solomon’s acquainting him that it was the angel of death, said, He seems to want me; wherefore order the wind to carry me from hence into India; which being accordingly done, the angel said to Solomon, I looked so earnestly at the man out of wonder; because I was commanded to take his soul in India, and found him with thee in Palestine.