The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-14
FATMA ZAIDA'S KORAN.

IOTL1fUU2S Society, WnlCn uhS DuDllSn6u n new
translation, in French, of the -AUt0ran or
Koran. 1t is the work of pious Mussulman,
Fatma Zaida. His object, he tells, is to cor
rect the serious errors which have got abroad
from the little respect Christians have for that
precept, put forth in the holy book "Do
not speak without knowing that which you
speak about" Neglecting this, it has been
untruly reported that Mahomet performed
Miracles and even cut the moon in halves
with his finger" His important work Zaida
dedicates to Mehemet Abel, a memorable and
honored chief or dervise of Constantinople
He takes upon himself to repel the calum-
nies which have been directed against Islam
ism, to confound falsehood, and demonstrate
the truth.
Before undertaking this task he had care
fully examined French, Italian, and other
translations, and found they were not only
not conformable to the original, but were
actually at variance with each other He
guarantees the correctness of what he offers.
Fatma Zaida wishes it to be distinctly un-
derstood the Koran is not the book of Ma
homet A copy of it in his handwriting is
preserved in q mosque at Mecca, but it is
composed of revelations made to him by
Allah-the Most High. ''The Persians, he
adds, shave q Koran, sal 4 to have been
written by Ally, the son-in-law of the Prophets
but that is proved to be false, for as Ally often
wrote under the direction of Mahomet, he
could not have composed book which in
parts contradicts the revelations set forth in
some of the S0tTdteS dictated to his father
in law"
Zaida complains, in his dedication, that it
had been reported in France, Mussulmans
cursed or deemed cursed, all who were not
of their religion. This is most untrue
they never despise the virtuous to whatever
sect they may belong. In the very first
s0urate, or chapter, however, they are taught
to pray that they ''may not become Christians,
adorers of fire, or worshippers of the SUM-.
The prophet, having fallen asleep in a
grotto, we read, "a celestial parsonage ap-
pears to him, who tells that he is the angel
Namous or Gabriel, and that he, Mahomet,
is the chosen prophet of God, of the master
of the rising and setting sun, of summer and
winter. In q subsequent S0urdte the Deity
himself speaks; al in reply to the awful
question 'What is God 2" tells, ''I am a
divine essence which has not been created.
That is a mystery, which every one is bound
to accept, though unable to comprehend it;
that is the only mystery; the great, the true
miracle. have created everything, nothing
has created me. Prostrate yourself before
me and adore"
Many passages borrowed from the Bible
are correctly rendered, but some are
strangely varied. OF David, Allah is made
to tell:-"He prayed and hoped in me,
confirmed his empire, and gave him wisdom
and power. He coveted the odalisk or
handmade of Uriah. / sent two angels to
him in the form of pleaders, or disputants.
They appeared before him; David was
filled with terror:-'Fear not, they said, we
are adversaries hear us and decide between
us which has right on his side One of them
proceede to say, This is my brother, he has
ninety-n,ne sheep, I have but one; he has
taken my sheep from me. Do justice, o
King!" David replied, He has committed an
outrage in taking your sheep to add to the
number of his own The angels then said to
him, THY harem contains thousand slaves
Uriah had but one. David understood the
parallel; he proStrated himself before the an
gels, and repented.
avery precise directions are given as to the
treatment of women. A father must only
kiss daughter on the forehead. brother
must only kiss sisters hand. No other re-
lations may kiss woman; they may only
press her hand. A woman may only kiss her
fathers hand, and press that of her brother.
She is not to press that of any other relation
or stranger Sons must be accustomed to
treat females with respect. Allah pronounces
them to be his most beautiful work, and tells
that in heaven women are twenty times more
numerous than men.
The children of believers, if infidels, will
not rejoin their parents in heaven. Abra-
ham said he would pray to Allah for his
father. Allah told him he was permitted to
implore mercy for his father up to the mo
ment of his death; but if the parent died
an infidel, prayer for him would be of no
avail '"When Abraham appeared before
my tribunal" Allah proceeds, she wished
again to open his mouth in prayer for his
father Just then, hideous lizard ap
preached him. He gave it kick, and il
fell into La Gehenna, the place of punish
ment. That lizard was Abraham's father
metamorphosed. Thus Abraham had &C
complished the DEGREES of the Eternal, an(
had not failed in filial piety o believers
say, Lord, we confde in Thee; we are
Thine ~
The good Mussulman may have man.
wives but he must honorably purchase them
Paying too little for n wife shows little re
gard for her. Passionately sought in tn
first instance, she is not to be subsequent,
disdained. Then follows the solemn ad
monition:-''O believers. who contract mar
riages with strangers, be careful to teacl
them the true faith; and when they hav
embraced it, endow them from your mean
as largely as possible. l have said, bewar
of insulting woman by paying too little TO
her."
The awful consequences of taking womel
without purchase is then set forth: -
''Karoun was possessed of immense wealth
The gates of his palace were formed of mas
sive gold. His white mule was covered wit
cloth of gold, bordered with jewelry. He ha
always in his train four thousand men, splen
didly mounted and magnifcently dressed. IL
caused Israelitish females to be seized; b
possessed himself of them unlawfully, for
would not buy them. Then | ordered a