The life and death of Mahumed, the author of the Turkish religion being an account of his tribe, parents, birth, name, education, marriages, filthiness of life, Alcoran, first proselytes, wars, doctrines, miracles, advancement, &c. / by L. Addison ... author of The present state of the Jews.

CHAP. IX. (Book 9)

Of the Alcoran: the circumstances of its Composure and Collection, &c.

THe Alcoran (saith Andraeas Maurus) signifies a Lesson, or Collection of Chapters or Songs; and those who respect the different times wherein it was composed, and the divers Papers, or Scrowls, wherein it was written, have given it the Name of Alforzan; that is, A collection of scattered verses. The Materials of this Book are very various; but it treateth especially of such things as respect that Sect, whereof Mahu∣med

was Founder. It cannot be denied but that many excellent Truths are therein con∣tained, as we shall see hereafter, when we lay down the principles of the Mahumedan Imposture.

This Alcoran was begun at Mecca, in the year of our Lord 630. which was about the fortieth year of Mahumeds age. The first Chapter thereof was that which the Angel Gabriel gave him in the Cave, which is cal∣led the Chapter of the Pen; and the last Chapter was composed at Medina, and is called the Chapter of Fate, or the Conquest. During the time he abode at Mecca, the Chapters writ there were called Asoar Mikia, or the Songs of Mecca; and the rest com∣posed at Medina, bare the title of Sore Al∣maedina; and both these being collected in∣to one Volume, are now generally known by the Name of Alcoran.

Mahumed, as was said, being wholly Illi∣terate, kept a Secretary, who wrote in Scrowls such Verses as he pretended were privately sent him from God by the Angel Gabriel. And when he had copied them, they were dispersed among the Moors; who when they had learned them by heart, de∣livered them back again to the Secretary, who put them into the Mensegina, or box of Embassie. But Mahumed taking a displea∣sure against his first Scribe, chose a new one

called Abdalla Celen, a Renegado Jew. This man continued with him ten years. And being well versed in the Law of the Hebrews (to which he still bore a great respect, not∣withstanding Temporal interest had moved him to renounce it) and finding that Mahu∣med did not make good his pretences of be∣ing the last Accomplisher of the Mosaical oeconomy, he was so curious to observe Mahumeds carriage, that at last he perceiv'd, and took notice, that all Mahumed dictated to him were meer Forgeries, and not sent from God. Yet lest Abdalla might impose upon himself in this particular, he resolved upon this trial; namely, that whensoever he was commanded to write such and such ver∣ses, he would turn the end of the verse to another meaning, changing the words and order, but not the Rime nor Consonance. So that when he was commanded to end the Verse with

—Alla hazizum haquimum,

that is, God is gracious and wise; he wrote,

—Alla Cemilum halimum,

that is, God is a Hearer and a Judge. And when he bid him write, God is Almighty and most high, he set down, God is merciful and gracious. And thus Abdalla for seven years continued changing the end of the Verses. And find∣ing that Mahumed did not perceive the

change, he concluded, that if he had receiv'd them from God, and that if God had inten∣ded them to be the immutable Rule of life, the palpable changes made by him would have been detected. Whereupon, Abdalla quitted his Office, and reconciled himself to his old Religion. And the fore-mentioned Author (Jo. Andraeas Maurus) tells us, out of a Book called Azzifa, that Mahumeds next Secretary renounced his employment upon the same reason. And, as the said Au∣thor observes, If Mahumed had been so great a Prophet as he pretended, and so deep∣ly inspired of God; he could not but have per∣ceived how grosly he was abused by the Jew. But to proceed.

In the composition of the Alcoran, many contrarieties and repugnancies being observ'd by the Moors, thereat they took no small offence. It being usual with this Impostor, one day to set down Verses commanding some, and forbidding other things; and another day he would dictate, and cause other Verses to be written, forbidding what he had before allowed and permitted them, making that lawful which he had before for∣bidden. And of these contrarieties, no less than 150 verses were observed by them. But to remove this scandal, he made a Law to revoke such verses as occasioned it, which he called Hacen and Mausoh. But that which

created Mahumed the greatest trouble, was, the Moors forgetfulness of those Verses he gave them to commit to Memory. For, for no less time than two years, did this course of learning the Verses by Heart continue among them; who when they had forgotten the Verses, and desired Mahumed to repeat them again, he could not remember them him∣self. But Mahumed excused this forgetful∣ness, confidently affirming, that it was from God. And being told, That if God inten∣ded them for his abiding word, he would not suffer him to forget them; or if he did, yet he would inspire them afresh: to reprove their petulancy (as he styled it) God (as he said) gave him a Verse, wherein it was said, That God doth not suffer any of the former Verses to be revoked or forgotten, save when he intends to give another like it, or one bet∣ter in its stead. By which cunning he cloaked his own failures, and kept up his credit with the Moors. And also altered and abolished such Texts (as he had before delivered) to comply with his affairs, and carry on his designs; giving authority to New Verses to revoke the Old, when they would not serve his purpose. And what was yet very remar∣kable, Mahumed would not suffer his Verses to be made an Alcoran, or be collected into a Body, and reduced to Books and Chapters, as now it is; but kept them in scrowls and

Papers in the Mesengina, or Box of the Em∣bassie: so that if he had lived to this day, he would still have altered his Law; and what we now call the Alcoran, would not have been finished, or reduced to any certain form. For while he kept it secret in the Shrine, he reserved unto himself a power to add, change, or retrench things as he pleased, and as was most agreeable to his concerns.

As to that Book which now bears the Name of Alcoran, it was collected by Hoz∣man, Mahumeds Son-in-law, who was next Caliph to Homar Alhatab, as he was next to Ʋbequar, who was the Immediate Successor of his Son-in-law Mahumed. This Hozman took the scrowls and papers out of the Box, and put them into order, and intituled the Chapters, and divided the whole System in∣to four Books.

The first Book consisteth of these five Cha∣pters.

• 1. The Chapter of the Cow.
• 2. The Chapter of the Lineage of Joachim, the Father of our Lady.
• 3. The Chapter of Women.
• 4. The Chapter of the Table.
• 5. The Chapter of Beasts.

The second Book consists of twelve Chapters.

• 1. Of the Wall.
• 2. Of Spoyls.
• ...

• 3. Of the Sword.
• 4. Of the Prophet Jonas.
• 5. Of Hud, who was one of Mahumeds New Prophets.
• 6. Of Joseph, the Son of Jacob. This Chapter I have seen in Ms. larger by four Verses than that in the common Alcoran.
• 7. Of Thrones.
• 8. Of Abraham.
• 9. Of Ahigere.
• 10. Of Flies.
• 11. Of the Voyage of Mahumed.
• 12. Of the Cave, and Seven Sleepers.

The third Book contains nineteen Chapters.

• 1. Of the Virgin Mary.
• 2. Of Taha.
• 3. Of the Prophets.
• 4. Of Earthquakes.
• 5. Of Believers.
• 6. Of the Light.
• 7. Of the Gibbet.
• 8. Of the Executioners.
• 9. Of the Pismire.
• 10. Of Cahaz.
• 11. Of Spiders.
• 12. Of Lucumen a Saint, and Davids friend.
• 13. Of Bowing.
• 14. Of the Romans.
• 15. Of the Creator.
• 16. Of the Sabbath.
• ...

• 17. Of Additions.
• 18. Of Man.
• 19. Of Angels.

The fourth Book contains 175 Chapters, to each of which he gave a particular Name: so that according to Hozmans division of the Alcoran, it contains 211 Chapters. But little above half this number are found in Du Ryers French Translation. And J. An∣draeas Maurus tells us, that Ozmans Col∣lection doth not contain all those Chapters, which were written by Mahumeds Secreta∣ries, and in his life-time used by the Moors. And the instance of this defalcation, is plac'd in the Chapter of Additions; which in Mahumeds time, was as big as the Chapter of the Cow, but is not now half so big. The like I have noted of the Chapter of Joseph. And besides these retrenchments, it is very probable, that whole scrowls of Mahumeds Doctrine were utterly lost, or become so imperfect, that they were never entered into Hozmans Collection. And this may more than conjecturally be concluded, from the condition wherein Ozman met with Mahu∣meds Notes; many whereof were found in the House of Axa, or Aijscha, one of his Wives; but so eaten with mice, and rent, and worn with ill usage, that Ozman could gather nothing out of them. Hereupon, he

had recourse to the most aged of the Moors, collecting from them what they remembred of Mahumeds Verses. Some told him, that they had forgotten many of them: others told him, That in such a Wall he should find such Verses in writing. And so amongst the old Walls, and the Moors weak Memories, he retrieved much of Mahumeds Doctrine. Yet he could never regain the Verse which commanded, That all married persons taken in Adultery, should be stoned. From all which, it may safely be inferred, that all those things taught by Mahumed in his life-time, are not now to be found in Ozmans Alcoran.