is also proved by the respect paid to Friday or the day of Venus. Ibrahim (Abraham), the friend of God, pursued the same conduct; that is, he rejected the idols which were not of the planetary forms: and the reverence paid by him to the black stone, according to ancient tradition, seems to prove that point. _Isfendiar_, the son of king _Gushtasp_[275] conformed also to this practice; nay Socrates the Sage, in like manner, forbad the people to worship any other forms except those of the planets, and commanded the statues of the kings to be removed. Moreover, the holy temple of Jerusalem, or _Kundízh-húhkt_[276] was erected by Zohak, and Faridun[277] kindled in it the holy fire. But long before Zohak’s time, there were several idol and fire temples in that place. In the same manner, they say, that when Faridoon turned his attention to the overthrow of Zohak, during his journey his brethren having hurled a rock at him, this revered prince, who was skilled and mighty in all the extraordinary sciences, manifested a wonderous deed: he prayed to the Almighty that it might remain suspended in the air, so that the stone even to this day is known as _Kúds Khalíl_. They also say that in _Medina_,[278] the burial place of the prophet, there was formerly an image of the moon: the temple in which it was, they called _Mahdínah_, or the “Moon of Religion,” as religion is the moon of truth, from which the Arabs formed _Medinah_. They in like manner relate, that in the most noble _Najf_, where now is the shrine of Alí, the prince of the faithful, there was formerly a fire-temple called _Farógh pírái_ (the decoration of splendor), and also “_Nakaf_,” or _Na akaft_ (no injury), which is at present denominated _Najf_. Also at _Karbalá_, the place where the Imam Husain reposes, there was formerly a fire-temple called _Mahyársur ilm_[279] and _Kar bala_ (sublime agency), at present called _Karbela_.