times led the way ') as Adam, Seth, Lot, Ifmael, Nun, Jofoua, &c.
and introduce fome of the niunder different names, as Enoch, Heber,
and Jethro, who are called in the Koran, Edrts, Hud, and Shoaib; but
feveral others whofe very names do not appear in fcripture (tho’ they
endeavour to find fome perfons there to fix them on) as, Saleh, Khedr,
Hhulkefl, &c. Several of their fabulous traditions concerning thefe
prophets, we fhall occafionally mention in the notes on the Koran.
As Mohammed acknowledged the divine authority of the Pentateuch,
Pfalms, and Gofpel, he often appeals to the confonancy of the Koran
with thofe writings, and to the prophecies which he pretended were
therein concerning himfelf, as proofs of his million; and he frequently
charges the Jews and Chrijlians with ftifling the paffages which
bear witnefs to him *. His followers alfo fail not fo produce feveral
texts even from our prefent copies of the Old and New Left ament, to
fupport their mafter’s caufe K
Of the The next article o f faith required by the Koran, is the belief of a
death**” general refurreCtion and a future judgment. But before we confider
the Mohammedan tenets in thofe points, it will be proper to mention
what they are taught to believe concerning the intermediate ftate,
both of the body and of the foul, after death.
Ofthebo- When a corps is laid in the grave, they fay he is received by an
th refuTangel> vvh° gives him notice of the coming of the two Examiners-,
reftion. which are two black livid angels, of a terrible appearance, named
Monker and Naktr. Thefe order the dead perfon to fit upright, and
examine him concerning his faith, as to the unity of G od,: and the
million of Mohammed: if he anfwer rightly, they fuffer the body to
reft in peace, and it is refrefhed by the air of paradife; but if not,
they beat him on the temples with iron maces, till he roars out for
anguifh fo loud, that he is heard by all from eaft to weft, except
men and genii. Then they prefs the earth on the .corps, which is
gnawed and flung till the refurreftion by ninety nine dragons with
feven heads each; or, as others fay, their fins will become venemous
beafts, the grievous ones flinging like dragons, the fmaller like fcor-
pions, and the others like ferpents: circumftances which fome under-
fland in a figurative fenfe *.
This examination of the fepulchre is not only founded on an ex-
prefs tradition of Mohammed, but is alfo plainly hinted at; tho’ not
1 Thus Heber is faid to have been a prophet by the Jews', (Seder Olam. p. 2.) And Adam by Epi-
pbaniusi (Adv. Hasref. p. 6.) $ee alfo Jofeph. Ant. 1. 1. c. 2. 2 Koran, c. 2. p. 6, 12, 18. c. 5.
Sec. ( 3 Some of thefe texts are produced by Dr. Prideaux at the end o f his life of Mahomet, and
iaore by M&rracci in Alcor. p.26, &c. 4 A1 Ghazali. V. Poc. not. in Port. Molis, p. 241, «fee.
dirediy
direiftly taught, in the Koran', as the commentators agree. It is
therefore believed by the orthodox Mohammedans in general, who take
care to have their graves made hollow, that they may fit up with
more eafe while they are examined by the angels *; but is utterly rejected
by the fe£t of the Motazalites, and perhaps by fome others.
Thefe notions Mohammed certainly borrowed from the Jews, among
whom they -were very anciently received *. They fay that the angel
of death coming and fitting on the grave, the foul immediately enters
the body and raifes it on its feet; that he then examines the departed
perfon, and ftrikes him with a chain half of iron and half of
fire; at thé firft blow all his limbs are loofened, at the fecond his
bones are fcattered, which are gathered together again by angels, and
the third ftroke reduces the body to duft and afhes, and it returns
into the grave. This rack or torture they call, Hibbüt hakkeber, or
the beating o f the fepulchre, and pretend that all men in general
muft undergo it, except only thofe who die on the evening o f the
fabbath, or have dwelt in the land of IfraeN.
I f it be objeded to the Mohammedans that the cry of the përfons -
under; fuch examination has been never heard; or if they be afked
how thofe can undergo it whofe bodies are burnt or devoured by
beafts or birds, or otherwife confumed without burial; they anfwer,
that it is-very poffible notwithftanding, fince men are not able to perceive
what is tranfaCtéd on the other fide the grave; and that it is-
fufficient to reftore to life any part of the body which is: capable of
underftandirtg the quellions put by the angels s.
As to the foul, they hold that when it is Separated from the .body the
by the angel o f death, who performs his office with eafe and gentle-
nefs towards the good, and with violence towards the wicked 6, it
enters into that ftate which they call al Berzakh7, or the interval
between death and the refurreCtion.. I f the departed perfon was a
believer, they fay two angels meet it, who convey it to heaven, that
its place there may be affigned, according to its merit and degree.
For they diftinguifh the fouls of the faithful into threé dalles, the
firft of prophets, whofe fouls-are-admitted into paradife immediately;
the fecond of martyrs, whofe fpirits, according to a tradition of Mohammed,
reft in the crops of green birds which eat of the fruits and
drink of the rivers, o f paradife; and thé third of other believers, .
concerning the ftate of whofe fouls before the refurreClion, there are
1 Cap 8, and 47, See: 2 Smith, de morib. & inftit. Turcar. Ép. 2. p. 57. 3 V. Hyde, in
notis ad Bobov, de Vifit. .aegrot. p. 19. 4 R. Elias, in Tilhbi. See alfo Buxtorf. Synag. Judaic:
& Lexic. Talmud. 1 V. Poc. übi fup. 6 Koran, c. 79., TheJ^Vjjw lay the lame, in Nijbmat
\hpym. f. 77. . 7 V* Kor. c. 23. and not. ib. .
various