the heavens are created, but G o d , with all his attributes, is eternal
and immutable. It is, however, recorded by Aboo Toofaf, that there
is no impropriety in this, (an opinion which has, been likewife
adopted by Aboo Lais,') becaufe it is related of the prophet that
he offered up a fimilar prayer to G o d . Our doctors, on the;other
hand, have urged that this tradition is uncertain; and that to abflain
from whatfoever is fufpcbled of being wrong is moft prudent and
advifeable.
I t is abominable to fay, in a prayer, “ I befeech thee, O G o d ,
“ by the right o f" (any particular perfon,) or “ by the right o f"
(any of the prophets;) becaufe none o f his creatures is poflefled of any
right with refpedt to the Creator.
Gam in g isdif- I t is an abomination to play at chefs, dice, or any other game;
for i f any thing be flaked it is gambling, which is exprefsly prohibited
in the K o r a n ; or if, on the other hand, nothing be hazarded, it is
ufelefs and vain. Befides, the prophet has declared all the entertainments
of a Mujfulman to be vain excepting three; the breaking in of
hishorfe; the drawing o f his bow j and the playing and amufing him-
felf with his wives. Several of the learned, however, deem the
game o f chefs to be allowed, as having a tendency to quicken the
underflanding; which opinion has alfo been afcribed to Shqfe'i.— Our
doctors have founded their judgment in this particular on a faying of
the prophet, “ Whofoever plays at chefs or dice does, as it were, plunge
“ his hand into the blood o f a hog." Moreover, plays of this nature
are apt to withhold men from the adoration and worfhip of G od at the
fet periods; and the prophet has laid, Whatfoever tends to relax men
“ in their duty to G o d is cohfdered in the fame light with the pra&ice
H o f gaming."— It is alfo proper to remark, that if a man playat chefs
for a flake, it deflroys the integrity of his charadter, and renders him
a Fafik, or reprobate; but if he do not play at it fo r a fa k e , the integrity
of his charadter is not affedted. Aboo Toofaf and Mohammed hold
it
it abominable to falute any perfon that is engaged in play; fince, in
thus refraining, our abhorrence of gaming may be expreffed. Haneefa,
on the contrary, holds it proper, as being the means of diverting the
parties from their game.
T here is no impropriety in a perfon receiving a prefent from a
Have who is a merchant; or in accepting from him an invitation to an
entertainment; or in borrowing his carriage: but it is abominable to
receive from him a prefent either of cloth or money.— What is here
advanced proceeds upon a favourable conflruftion of the law. Analogy
would fuggefl that there is no difference whatever between his
invitations and his prefents confifling of cloth or money;— in other
words, they are all equally abominable in the acceptance, as being all
gratuitous adls, to which a Have is not competent.— The reafon,
however, for a more favourable conflrudtion of the law, in this'particular,
is that the prophet accepted a prefent. from Soliman when he
was a Have, and from Bareerh,when fhe was a Mokdtiba. A number
of the companions, alfo, accepted an invitation from the freedman of
Aboo Rujfaid whilfl he Was yet a flave. There is, moreover, a fort
of neceffity which operates upon a mercantile flave, and obliges him
to give into thefe feveral cufloms.- Thus, for inflance, if a perfon,
having gone to his fhop with a view to purchafe warns, and having
requefled of him fomething to drink, fhould be refufed by him, in
that cafe he would confequently incur the imputation o f covetoufneis,
few people would frequent his fhop, and his trade would thereby be
ruined. Befides, when a flave is permitted to trade, he implicitly
poffefles all the power o f a merchant in its full extent. But he is
under no neceffity of clothing people, or of diflributing money to them;
and hence it is not allowed to him to perform fuch a£ls, in conformity
with what analogy fuggefls upon this fubjed.
R 2 Ik
Prefents (except
of cloth
or money) and
entertainments
may be
acceptedfrom
a mercantile
Have.