happen to begin the chapter. Some chapters have two or more titles,
occafioned by the difference of the copies.
Some of the chapters having been revealed at Mecca, and others
at Medina, the noting this difference makes a part of the title: but
the reader will obferve that feveral of the chapters are faid to have
been revealed partly at Mecca, and partly at Medina, and as to others;
it is yet a difpute amoilg the commentators to which place of the-two
they belong.
Every chapter is fubdivided into fmaller portions, of very unequal
length alfo, which we cuftomarily call verfes-, but the Arabic word is
Ay at, the fame with the Hebrew Ototh, and fignifies fgns, or wonders;
fuch as are the fecrets of G od, his attributes, works, judgments,
and ordinances, delivered in thofe verfes; many of which have their
particular titles alfo, impofed in the fame manner as thofe of the
chapters.
Notwithftanding this fub-divifion is common, and well known, yet
I have never yet Teen any manufcript wherein the verfes are actually
numbred; tho’ in fome copies the number of verfes in each chapter is
let down after the title, which we have therefore added in the table o f the
chapters. And the Mohammedans feem to have fome fcruple in making an
adtual diftinfiion in their copies, becaufe the chief difagreement between
their feveral editions of the Koran, confifts in the divifion and
number of the verfes: and for this reafon I have not taken upon me
to make any fuch divifion.
Editions. Having mentioned the different editions of the Koran, it may not
be amifs here to acquaint the reader, that there are feven principal
editions, if I may fo call them, or ancient copies of that book; two
of which were publifhed and ufed at Medina, a third at Mecca, a
fourth at Cufa, a fifth at Bafra, a fixth in Syria, and a feventh called
the common or vulgar edition. O f thefe editions, the firft of
Medina makes the whole number of the verfes 6000; the fecond and
fifth, 6214; the third, 6219; the fourth, 6236; the fixth, 6226;
and the laft, 6225. But they are all faid to contain the fame number
of words, namely 77639 ‘ 5 and the fame number of letters, viz.
323015 J: for the Mohammedans have in this alfo imitated the Jews, that
they have fuperftitioufly numbered the very words and letters of their
law; nay, they have taken the pains tocompute, (how exactly I know not,)
1 Or as others"reckon them, 99464. Reland, de rel. Moh. p. 25. a Or according to another
computation, 330113. IbicLV. Gol. ubi Tup. p. 178. D’Herbelot, Bibl. Orient, p. 87.
the
the number of times each particular letter o f the alphabet is contained
in the Koran '. •
Befides thefe unequal divifions of chapter and verfe, the Mohammedans
have alfo divided their Koran into fixty equal portions, which
they call Ahzdb, in the Angular Hizb, each fubdivided into four equal
parts; which is alfo an imitation of the Jews, who have an ancient
divifion of their Mißna into fixty portions called Maßiäoth 2: but the
Koran is more ufually divided into thirty fedtions only, named A jzd,
from the Angular Joz, each of twice the length of the former, and
in the like manner fubdivided into four parts. Thefe divifions are
for the ufe of the readers of the Koran in the royal temples, or in
the adjoining chapels where the emperors and great men are interred.
There are thirty of thefe readers belonging to every chapel, and each
reads his fedlion every day, fo that the whole Koran is read over once
a day s. I have feen feveral copies divided in this manner, and bound
up in as many volumes; and have thought it proper to mark thefe
divifions in the margin of this tranflation by numeral letters.
Next after the title, at the head of every chapter, except only the Initial
ninth, is prefixed the following folemn form, by the Mohammedans [°r”rsand
called the Bifinillab, I n th e n am e of t h e m o st m e r c ifu l G od ; c
which form they conftantly place at the beginning o f all their books
and writings in general, as a peculiar mark or diftinguifhing charadte-
riftic of their religion, it being counted a fort of impiety to omit it.
The Jews for the fame purpofe make ufe of the form, In the name
o f the L ord, or, In the name o f the great G o d : and the eallern Chri-
flians that of, In the name of the Father, and o f the Son, and o f the
Holy Ghoß. But I am apt to believe Mohammed really took this form
as he did many other things, from the Perßan Magi, who ufed to begin
their books in thefe words, Bendm Tezdän bakhßdißgher dädär;
that is, In the name o f the moß merciful, ju fi G o D t
This aufpicatory form, and alfo the titles of the chapters are by the
generality of the dodtors and commentators believed to be o f divine
original, no lefs than the text itfelf; but the more moderate are of
opinion they are only human additions, and not the very word of
G o d .
There are twenty nine chapters'of the.Koran, which have this peculiarity,
that they begin with certain letters of the alphabet, fome
with a Angle one, others with more. Thefe letters the Mohammedans
1 V. Reland, de Relig. Moh. p. 2;. » V. Gol. ubi fup. p. 178: Maimon. praf. in Seder Ze-
«im, p, 57. 3 V. Smith, de moribus & inftit. Turcar. p. 58. * Hyde, Hill. rel. vet. Perl. p. 14.
i 2 be