[556] Koran, chap VII. v. 165. [557] Allusion to the twelve Imáms. See their names, pp. 367. 368, note 1. [558] Allusion to the twelfth Imám, named Mahdi. See hereafter a further explanation. [559] The word _Akhbarín_ is frequently employed to designate “the transmitters of historical traditions,” in opposition to مُحدثين _muhad-disin_, “transmitters of traditions relative to the prophet;” but above it is employed as the name of a distinct sect. I shall translate it by “dogmatical traditionists.” It is taken in a much wider sense by the author of the Dabistán, who does not fix the precise epoch of the origin of this sect, but only says that it was in after times called _ghaibet sari_; of which name an explanation will be given hereafter. [560] _Amin_, “faithful,” is a title given to many Imáms, Shaikhs, and Mullas. _Asterabad_ is the capital of the province of Georgia; some Oriental geographers place the town in that of Tabaristan, and others in that of Mazendaran, as these three provinces, which together formed the ancient Hyrcania, were often united under one denomination. Herbelot mentions two authors with the surname _Asterabadi_, both commentators of the Arabic Grammar Cafiah, which seems to have no connection with the religion above mentioned. [561] See note, p. 327, note 1. [562] _Ma sha yín_, may be deduced from مشى _máshí_, “walking, going,” and alludes to the peripatetic philosophers, who were followers of Aristotle, and were wont to discuss walking up and down in the Lyceum of Athens. Referred to مشايهء _mashíyi-at_ (from مشيئ _mas’hiyí_), “willing, wishing, desiring,” the word may signify knowledge-desiring philosophers; مشايع _musháíâ_, means “a follower, adherent, companion.” [563] The Orientals give to Aristotle the surname of _Ilahíyún_, “the divine.” They attribute to him more than one hundred treatises upon different matters. The greatest part of his works, such as we have them, have all been translated into Syriac and Arabic; it was through this medium, that the great philosopher became first known in Europe. [564] The Orientals attribute more than sixty-five treatises to Plato. They relate that, being asked what he thought of this world, he answered: “I entered into it by necessity; I dwelt in it with admiration; and I leave it with contempt.” Al Ghazali (before-mentioned, see p. 349, n. 2), among other distinguished Orientals, wrote a book, called _Monketh_, upon Greek philosophy, not without condemning several of its dogmas.