354 THE DECLINE AND FALL pentance, and conjured them to remember the ancient idolaters of Ad and Thamud, whom the divine justice had swept away from the face of the earth. ^^^ Is opposed by The people of Mecca was hardened in their unbelief by super- A.D.61J-622' stition and envy. The elders of the city, the uncles of the prophet, affected to despise the presumption of an orphan, the reformer of his country ; the pious orations of Mahomet in the Caaba were answered by the clamours of Abu Taleb.^^^^ "Citizens and pilgrims, listen not to the tempter, hearken not to his im- pious novelties. Stand fast in the worship of Al Lata and Al Uzzah." ^^^ Yet the son of Abdallah was ever dear to the aged chief; and he protected the fame and person of his nephew against the assaults of the Koreishites, who had long been jealous of the pre-eminence of the family of Hashem. Their malice was coloured with the pretence of religion ; in the age of Job, the crime of impiety was punished by the Arabian magistrate ; ^"^^ and Mahomet was guilty of deserting and denying the national deities. But so loose was the policy of Mecca that the leaders of the Koreish, instead of accusing a criminal, were compelled to employ the measures of persuasion or violence. They re- peatedly addressed Abu Taleb in the style of reproach and menace. " Thy nephew reviles our religion ; he accuses our wise forefathers of ignorance and folly ; silence him quickly, lest he kindle tumult and discord in the city. If he persevere, we shall draw our swords against him and his adherents, and thou wilt be responsible for the blood of thy fellow-citizens. The weight and moderation of Abu Taleb eluded the violence of Maracci and Sale. This character alone may generally decide the doubts of the learned, whether a chapter was revealed at Mecca or Medina. 123 See the Koran (passim, and especially c. 7, p. 123, 124, &c.) and the tradition of the Arabs (Pocock, Specimen, p. 35-37). The caverns of the tribe of Thamud. fit for men of the ordinary stature, were shewn in the midway between Medina and Damascus (Abulfed. Arabias Descript. p. 43, 44), and may be probably ascribed to the Troglodytes of the primitive world (Michaelis, ad Lowth de Poesi Hebraeor. p. 131-134. Recherches sur les Egyptiens, torn. ii. p. 48, &c.). 123a [Abu Lahab, another uncle of Mohammad, is meant.] 124 [Mohammad at one weak moment made a compromise with the Meccan elders. They asked him, as a test question, " What think you of Al-Lat and Al- Uzza, and of Manat the third with them?" The prophet acknowledged them by replying, "These are the sublime cranes whose intercession may be hoped " ; and the elders went away content. But Mohammad's weakness was speedily rebuked in a vision; and his acknowledgment of the false idols was retracted. See Sura S3.] 125 In the time of Job, the crime of impiety was punished by the Arabiari magistrate (c. 13, v. 26, 27, 28). I blush for a respectable prelate (de Poesi Hebrseorum, p. 650, 651, edict. Michaelis; and letter of a late professor in the university of Oxford, p. 15-53) who justifies and applauds this patriarchal inquisition.
