Art. XVII.—On the Origin and Import of the names Muslim and Ḥanīf

D. S. Margoliouth

doi:10.1017/S0035869X00030744

Art. XVII.—On the Origin and Import of the names Muslim and Ḥanīf

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011

D. S. Margoliouth

Article contents

Extract
References

Get access

Rights & Permissions

Extract

Although the religion founded by Mohammed is called by strangers after his name, its followers designate it differently. There is indeed a name which rarely occurs, ḥammādūna, which is applied to them, and which indirectly, at least, is connected with the name of the Prophet. That word signifies “Those who utter the formula ‘Praise be to God,’” and this formula (al-ḥamdu lillāhi) has some connection with the Prophet's name, which was interpreted by his contemporaries as ‘the greatly to be praised.’

Type: Original Communications
Information: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , July 1903 , pp. 467 - 493

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00030744 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1903

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

^{page 467 note 1} Used by Imru'ul-Ḳais, xv, 1. 1; but the line can scarcely be genuine.

^{page 467 note 2} Hirschfeld, (Beiträge, p. 72) accepts itGoogle Scholar.

^{page 468 note 1} Sprenger, 2nd ed., i, 581.

^{page 468 note 2} lshtiḳāḳ, p. 6.

^{page 468 note 3} Diyarbekri, i, 470.

^{page 468 note 4} Mubarrad, , Kāmil (Cairo, 1309), i, 241Google Scholar.

^{page 468 note 5} Ibn Isḥāḳ, p. 553, 1. 4; p. 659, 1. 13; p. 1023, 1. 13.

^{page 468 note 6} Hamāsah, p. 378; Christian Arabic Poets, p. 758.

^{page 468 note 7} Ed. Boucher, p. 37.

^{page 468 note 8} Zaid's, AbuNawādir, p. 50Google Scholar; see alsoḲudāmah's, Naḳd, p. 87Google Scholar.

^{page 468 note 9} L.c.

^{page 469 note 1} p. 150.

^{page 469 note 2} lxi, 6. Fakhr al-din al-Rāzī (vol. vi, p. 286) shirks the question of the connection of this word with Paraclete, but shows remarkable acquaintance with the Gospel.

^{page 469 note 3} This word occurs with the sense ‘most praiseworthy’ in Al-Akhṭal, , p. 189:Google ScholarKāmil, i, 19.

^{page 472 note 1} This subject is well treated by Prokesch, O., Über die Blutrache bei den vorislamischen Arabern, Leipzig, 1899Google Scholar. Cf. Imru'ul-Ḥais, Ivi, 3; Aghāni, x, 27.

^{page 474 note 1} .

^{page 474 note 2} .

^{page 474 note 3} .

^{page 474 note 4} Mohammed's, contemporary, Ḥakīm son of Umayyah, says “face and tongue” (Ibn Isḥāḳ, p. 182)Google Scholar.

^{page 475 note 1} Compare the prayer in Bokhari, iv, 62, , where, however, it means “I commit my soul.”

^{page 475 note 2} .

^{page 476 note 1} In a verse of 'Abbās Ibn Mirdās (Ibn Isḥaḳ, p. 843) the Ghassan (who were then Christians?) are described as “the Muslims, servants of God.”

^{page 477 note 1} The discussion of the meaning of the word Muslim in Hirschfeld's New Researches is not affected by the present discussion, since his purpose is to find out its theological value.

^{page 478 note 1} Cf. Muir-Tisdall, , The Sources of Islam, p. 96Google Scholar.

^{page 478 note 2} i, 13. It is worth observing that an Arab pagan is called a ‘Greek’ by Evagrius; Wright, T., Christianity in Arabia, p. 144Google Scholar.

^{page 479 note 1} Maghreb el-Acksa.

^{page 479 note 2} Isaiah, § 304.

^{page 479 note 3} Genesis, § 48.

^{page 479 note 4} Who themselves are designated ‘the Hypocrites” in the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles; Supernatural Religion, 1902, p. 151.

^{page 480 note 1} ‘Arabi, Ibn, Musāmarāt, i, 55Google Scholar, says this book was revealed 700 years before the Law. Gastfreund, (Mohammed nach Talmud, etc., ii, 16) follows SprengerGoogle Scholar.

^{page 482 note 1} On the rest of the verses it is unnecessary to comment here, but they need explanation badly.

^{page 484 note 1} Kāmil, i, 229 (ed. Wright, 220, 12).

^{page 484 note 2} Supra, p. 484.

^{page 484 note 3} i, 385.

^{page 485 note 1} New Researches, p. 25, n. 30.

^{page 485 note 2} p. 200.

^{page 485 note 2} Copied by Al-Khāzin.

^{page 486 note 1} Cairo, 1287; ii, 244–246.

^{page 486 note 2} Cairo, 1306; ii, 191.

^{page 486 note 3} Wustenfeld, Geschichtschreiber, No. 55.

^{page 486 note 4} Ibn Ḥajar often cites it, e.g. iii, pp. 5, 6, 7, 18.

^{page 487 note 1} Wellhausen, , Skizzen, iv, 157 (Ibn Sa'd), etcGoogle Scholar. The inconsistency is observed by Ḥalabi.

^{page 488 note 1} ii, 175, 176.

^{page 489 note 1} Nayranj.

^{page 489 note 2} In agreement with Ibn Athīr.

^{page 489 note 3} Balādhuri, p. 90.

^{page 490 note 1} Modern writers on Arabic antiquities seem to reject this. But many religions exhibit traces of the deification of objects used in ceremonies.

^{page 490 note 2} And, indeed, the tribe attended the pagan festival at Mina (Ibn Isḥaḳ, p. 283).

Article contents

Art. XVII.—On the Origin and Import of the names Muslim and Ḥanīf

Extract

Access options

References

Save article to Kindle

Save article to Dropbox

Save article to Google Drive

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

You have entered the maximum number of contributors

Conflicting interests