X I N T R O D U C T O R Y
(winch exceeds the power of the finger of diligence) by force
qf reafon and Study, impracticable!—Salutations innumerable
are alfo to be preferited at the tribune, of HIM who is Skated
on the eleCt throne, to follow whofe infallible institutes is a
certain means of attaining the Divine favour, and whofe
world-illuminating Lamp of. L aw derives its facred light
from the morning beams of the Day of Judgment. — All
honour and bleffing upon him, and upon his holy family,
and his worthy Companions! — Upon the tablets of the
hearts of thofe who adorn the exordium of the book of
knowledge and wifdom, and upon the minds of thofe who
expound the collected myfteries of the creation, it is im-
preffed,—that, from the day that the delightful region of
BENGAL was cheered by the rays of Government of the
Nawdb Governor-General, Mr. W arren Hastings, the
whole of his Wife and prudent' attention was occupied and
directed to this point,—that the care and protection of the
country, and the administration of public afFairs, lhould be
placed on fuch a footing, that the community, being Sheltered
from the fcorctiing heat of the fun of violence and tyranny,
might find the gates clofed againft injustice and opprelfion;
and that the range of {edition in thofe who deviate from the
.road of truth might be limited and Shortened:—and Since this
hope muft be fulfilled through the influence of the holy L aw
of the Prophet, and the injunctions and inhibitions of the
chofen feCt,—this denizen of the kingdom of humility and
3 folitude,
■ Nr-
A D D R E S S . XI
folitude, named -Gholam Y ehee, was therefore inftruCted
and empowered, together with Molla T aj-addeen, Meer
Mohammed Hossein, and Molla Sharreeat Oolla, to
translate from the Arabic language into the Persian idiom
certain treatifes upon the L aw, but particularly that excellent
work the H E DATA , (which, from its great fubtilty, and the
clofenefs of its Stile, is a fpecies of miracle,)—rto which, accordingly,
with their affiftance, applying his attention, the
Arabic text was, as -much as it would admit, reduced into a
, N
Perjian verfian; which they have entitled the H E D A T A
F A R S E E , [Perjian Guide,]— hoping that mankind may
thereby find their wants fupplied, and that profit and advantage
may thence accrue.
F rom thofe who travel in this fruitful garden let it not
be concealed, that where, in the courfe of their investigation,
the word Sheikhine [the two Elders] is mentioned, it Signifies
the two renowned Doctors Imam A boq Haneefa, and the
molt illuftrious of his difciples, Imam A boo Y oo saf:—
where the word Tirrafine [the two extremes]] is written, it
imports the fublime name of A boo Haneefa (on whom
be the peace of God) and Imam Mohammed, who Stands
next in rank to the two Elders',; and by the term Sahibine
[the