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Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Hughes, Thomas Patrick
M. Geiger identifies the Ramaẓān with the fast of the tenth (Leviticus xxiii. 27); but it is probable that the fast of the Tenth is identical with the ʿĀshurāʾ, not only because the Hebrew Asūr, “ten,” is retained in the title of that Muḥammadan fast, but also because there is a Jewish tradition that creation began upon the Jewish fast of the Tenth, which coincides with the Muḥammadan day, ʿĀshurāʾ being regarded as the day of creation. Moreover, the Jewish Asūr and the Muslim ʿĀshurāʾ are both fasts and days of affliction. It is more probable that Muḥammad got his idea of a thirty days’ fast from the Christian Lent. The observance of Lent in the Eastern Church was exceedingly strict, both with regard to the nights as well as the days of that season of abstinence; but Muḥammad entirely relaxed the rules with regard to the night, and from sunset till the dawn of day the Muslim is permitted to indulge in any lawful pleasures, and to feast with his friends; consequently large evening dinner-parties are usual in the nights of the Ramaẓān amongst the better classes. This would be what Muḥammad meant when he said, “God would make the fast an ease and not a difficulty,” for, notwithstanding its rigour in the day-time, it must be an easier observance than the strict fast observed during Lent by the Eastern Christians of Muḥammad’s day.
The following sayings of Muḥammad regarding the fast of Ramaẓān are found in the Traditions (see Mishkāt, Arabic Ed., Kitābu ʾṣ-Ṣaum).
“The difference between our fast and that of the people of the book (i.e. Jews and Christians) is eating only before the first dawn of day (and not afterwards).”
“Keep not the fast till you see the new moon, and if the moon be hidden from you by clouds, count the days.” And in one tradition it is thus:—“A month is twenty-nine nights, then keep not the fast till you see the new moon, which, if she be hid from you by clouds, then complete thirty days.”
“When the darkness of the night advances from the west and the day departs from the east, and the sun sets, then the keeper of the fast may begin to eat.”
“There are eight doors in Paradise, and one is called Raiyān, by which only the keepers of the fast shall enter.”
“When the month Ramaẓān arrives the doors of Heaven are opened” (in another tradition it is said, the doors of Paradise are opened), “and the doors of hell are shut, and the devils are chained” (in one tradition it is said, the doors of God’s mercy are opened).
“The person who fasts in the month of Ramaẓān on account of belief in God and in obedience to His command, shall be pardoned of all his past sins, and the person who says the night prayers of the Ramaẓān shall be pardoned all his past sins, and the person who says the prayers on the Lailatu ʾl-Qadr with faith and the hope of reward shall be pardoned of all his past sins.”
“If a keeper of fast does not abandon lying, God cares not about his leaving off eating and drinking.”
“There are many keepers of fast who gain nothing by fasting but thirst, and there are many risers up at night and performers of prayers who gain nothing by their rising but wakefulness.”
RAMYU ʾL-JIMĀR (رمى الجمار). The throwing of pebbles at the pillars, or Jumrah, at Makkah. A religious ceremony during the Pilgrimage. [PILGRIMAGE.]
RAQABAH (رقبة). Lit. “The Neck”; pl. riqāb. A term used in the Qurʾān for a captive slave. Sūrah iv. 94: “Whosoever kills a believer by mistake, then let him free a believing neck.”
The word is used in India for an enclosed area of land. (See Wilson’s Glossary of Indian Terms.)
AR-RAQĪB (الــرقـيـب). “The Watcher over.” One of the ninety-nine names or attributes of the Almighty. The word occurs in the Qurʾān, e.g. Sūrah iv. 1: “Verily God doth watch over you.”
AR-RAQĪM (الرقيم). A word which occurs in the Qurʾān, Sūrah xviii. 8: “Hast thou reckoned that the Fellows of the cave and the Raqīm were a wonder amongst our signs?” The commentators are not agreed as to the meaning of this word. The Jalālān say, it was a brass plate or stone-table, on which the names of the Fellows of the Cave were written. The Kamālān say it was either the name of the dog which belonged to the young men, or of the valley in which the cave was situated.
AR-RASHĪD (الرشـيـد). “The Rightly Directing.” One of the ninety-nine names or attributes of God. The word occurs once in the Qurʾān, but it is not there used for the Almighty. See Sūrah xi. 80: “Is there not among you one who can rightly direct?”
RASM (رسم), pl. Rusūm. Lit. “That which is stamped or sealed.” According to the Qāmūs, it is a very ancient word used in Arabia before the days of the Prophet for custom and law, the ancient records of the people being entitled Rawāsīm (رواسيم). It is a word which is very common in Hindustan for the customs and usages of the people.
AR-RASS (الرس). A word which occurs twice in the Qurʾān, the meaning of which is uncertain.
Sūrah xxv. 40: “The people of ʿĀd, and S̤amūd, the people of the Rass.”
Sūrah l. 12: “Before them the people of Noah and the fellows of the Rass and S̤amūd and ʿĀd and Pharaoh, called the Apostles liars.”
According to the commentators al-Jalālān, it is the name of a well near Midian. Some take it to be the name of a town in Yamāmah.
RASŪL (رسول), pl. Rusul. “An Apostle.” A title specially applied to Muḥammad, but used also for all Prophets who brought inspired books. [PROPHET.]
RAT̤L, RIT̤L (رطل). (1) A certain thing which one weighs. A weight or measure. (See The Mug͟hrib of al-Mut̤arrizī, in loco.) (2) That which is chaste. (See the Tāju ʾl-ʿArūs, in loco).
(1) According to the standard of Bag͟hdād, a weight of 12 ounces, and as a measure of capacity, a pint. (Lane’s Arabic Dictionary.) Muḥammad used to give a rat̤l of silver as a marriage present, which has given rise to the expression, As-sunnatu fī ʾn-nikāḥi rit̤lun (السنة فى النكاح رطل). Professor Wilson says that at Bombay the ratal is equal to 36 Surat rupees, and in the Red Sea the rottolo, as it is corruptly called, varies from 10 to 20 ounces avoirdupois.
(2) A boy not having arrived at puberty.
(3) An aged man.
AR-RAʾUF (الروف). “The Kind.” One of the ninety-nine names or attributes of God. It occurs frequently in the Qurʾān, e.g. Sūrah ii. 138: “God is kind and merciful with mankind.”
AR-RAUẒAH (الروضة). Lit. “The Garden.” The garden in which is situated the tomb of Muḥammad at al-Madīnah. The name is also given to the tomb itself by some writers.
RAVEN. Arabic g͟hurāb (غراب). Heb. עֹרֵב ʿoreb. Mentioned once in the Qurʾān, Sūrah v. 34: “Am I too helpless to become like this raven and hide my brother’s shame.” The raven is not lawful food according to the Muslim law. (Durru ʾl-Muk͟htār, vol. iv. p. 523.)
RAWĀ (روا). A Persian word for that which is lawful. [LAW.]
AR-RAZZĀQ (الرزاق). “The Provider with Food.” One of the ninety-nine names or attributes of God. It occurs in the Qurʾān once. Sūrah li. 58: “Verily God; He is the Provider.”
REBEL. Arabic bāg͟hī (باغى), pl. bug͟hāt. A legal term for a person, or a body of people, who withdraw themselves from obedience to the rightful Imām. In case of rebellion, the Imām must first call the rebels to his allegiance and show them what is right, and if they refuse to obey, he must use force of arms. (Hidāyah, vol. ii. 248.)
RECORDING ANGELS, The. [KIRAMU ʾL-KATIBIN.]
RED SEA. Arabic al-Baḥru ʾl-Aḥmar (البحر الاحمر). Mentioned in the Qurʾān as al-Baḥr, “the Sea.”
Sūrah i. 47: “When we divided for you the sea, and saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people.”
Sūrah x. 90: “And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea.”
In Muḥammadan works it is known as the Baḥru ʾl-Qulzum, or Qalzam. Jalālu ʾd-Dīn, the commentator, says the town of Qulzum is the same as Ailah (the Elath of the Bible, Deut. ii. 8), a town at the head of the Arabian Gulf. The Αἴλανα of Strabo (xvi. p. 768). It is referred to in the Qurʾān, Sūrah vii. 163: “Ask them about the city which stood by the sea.” Elath was at one time a place of importance, but it has now become quite insignificant.
RELIGION. The religion of Muḥammadans is called Islām (اسلام), and the laws of God Sharīʿah (شريعة). There are three words used by Muslim writers for the word religion, namely, Dīn, Millah, and Maẕhab. In the Kitābu ʾt-Taʿrīfāt, the difference between these words is as follows:—
Dīn (دين) is used for religion as it stands in relation to God, e.g. Dīnu ʾllāh, “the religion of God.”
Millah (ملة), as it stands in relation to the Prophet or lawgiver, e.g. Millatu Ibrāhīm, “the religion of Abraham,” or Millatu ʾr-Rasūl, “the Prophet’s religion.”