. The sword of Islam. title. And the Muhammadans seem to havesome scruple in making an actual distinction in theircopies, because the chief disagreement between theirseveral editions of the Quran consists in the divisionand number of the verses. Besides these unequal divisions of chapter andverse, the Muhammadans have also divided the bookinto sixty equal portions which they call AJtzab, eachagain subdivided into four equal parts; but theQuran is more usually apportioned into thirtysections, named Ajza, each of twice the length of theAhzab, and in the like manner subdivided into fourparts. The
. The sword of Islam. title. And the Muhammadans seem to havesome scruple in making an actual distinction in theircopies, because the chief disagreement between theirseveral editions of the Quran consists in the divisionand number of the verses. Besides these unequal divisions of chapter andverse, the Muhammadans have also divided the bookinto sixty equal portions which they call AJtzab, eachagain subdivided into four equal parts; but theQuran is more usually apportioned into thirtysections, named Ajza, each of twice the length of theAhzab, and in the like manner subdivided into fourparts. These divisions are for the use of the readersin the royal temples, or in the adjoining chapelswhere princes and great men are interred. Thereare thirty of these readers belonging to every chapel,and each reads his section, every day, so that thewhole work is read over once a day. Next after the title, at the head of every chapter,except only the ninth, is prefixed the followingsolemn form, by the Muhammadans called the. CHAP. X.] PURITY OF STYLE 253 Bismilla, In the name of the most merciful God ;which sentence they constantly place at the beginningof all their books and writings in general, as a peculiarmark or distinguishing characteristic of their religion,it being counted a sort of impiety to omit it. This dedicatory form, and also the titles of thechapters, are by the generality of the doctors andcommentators believed to be of divine origin, no lessthan the text itself; but the more moderate are ofopinion they are only human additions, and not thevery word of God. Twenty-nine chapters have this peculiarity, thatthey begin with certain letters of the alphabet, somewith a single one, others with more. These lettersthe Muhammadans believe to be the peculiar marksof the Quran, and to conceal several profoundmysteries, the certain understanding of which, themore intelligent confess, has not been commimicatedto any mortal, their Prophet only excepted. Not-withstanding which, some
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