George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)
many places, yet tolerably fruitful, particularly in dates, but more especially near the mountains, two of which, Ohod on the north, and Thabîr on the south, are about two leagues distant. Here lies Mohammed interred 1 in a magnificent building, covered with a cupola, and adjoining to the east side of the great temple, which is built in the midst of the city 2.
The province of Tehâma.
The province of Tehâma was so named from the vehement heat of its sandy soil, and is also called Gaur from its low situation; it is bounded on the west by the Red sea, and on the other sides by Hejâz and Yaman, extending almost from Mecca to Aden 3.
The province of Najd.
The province of Najd, which word signifies a rising country, lies between those of Yamâma, Yaman and Hejâz, and is bounded on the east by Irak 4.
The province of Yamâma.
The province of Yamâma, also called Arûd from its oblique situation, in respect of Yaman, is surrounded by the provinces of Najd, Tehâma, Bahrein, Omân, Shibr, Hadramaut, and Saba. The chief city is Yamâma, which gives name to the province: it was anciently called Jaw, and is particularly famous for being the residence of Mohammed’s competitor, the false prophet Moseilama 5.
The Arabs divided into two classes.
The Arabians, the inhabitants of this spacious country, which they have possessed from the most remote antiquity, are distinguished by their own writers into two classes, viz. the old lost Arabians, and the present.
The ancient Arabs.
The former were very numerous, and divided into several tribes, which are now all destroyed, or else lost and swallowed up among the other tribes, nor are any certain memoirs or records extant concerning them 6 tho’ the memory of some very remarkable events, and the catastrophe of some tribes have been preserved by tradition, and since confirmed by the authority of the Korân.
1 Tho’ the notion of Mohammed’s being buried at Mecca has been so long exploded, yet several modern writers, whether thro’ ignorance or negligence I will not determine, have fallen into it. I shall here take notice only of two; one is Dr. Smith, who having lived some time in Turkey, seems to be inexcusable: that gentleman in his Epistles de moribus ac inftitutis Turcarum, no less than thrice mentions the Mohammedans visiting the tomb of their prophet at Mecca, and once his being born at Medina, the reverse of which is true (See Ep. 1. pag. 22. Ep. 2. pag. 63 and 64.) The other, is the publisher of the last edition of Sir J. Mandevile’s travels, who on his author’s saying very truly (p. 50.) that the said tomb was at Methone (i.e. Medina), undertakes to correct the name of the town, which is something corrupted, by patting at the bottom of the page, Mecca. The Abbot de Vertot in his history of the order of Malta (vol. 1. p. 410. ed. 8vo.) seems also to have confounded these two cities together, tho’ he had before mentioned Mohammed’s sepulchre at Medina. However he is certainly mistaken, when he says that one point of the religion, both of the Christians and Mohammedans, was to visit, at least once in their lives, the tomb of the author of their respective faith. Whatever may be the opinion of some Christians, I am well assured the Mohammedans think themselves under no manner of obligation in that respect.
2 Gol. ad Alfragan. 97. Abulfeda. Descr. Arab. p. 40.
3 Gol. ubi sup. 95.
4 Ib. 94.
5 Ib. 95.
6 Abulfarag. p. 159.
