[48] Muhammed, according to his traditions, was born in the twentieth year of Nushirvan’s reign, which, as this king began to reign A. D. 531, would be in 551. This does not agree with the date of the prophet’s death in 632, at the age of sixty-three years, about which the best historians are unanimous. For the same reason, the date of his birth, as stated by Silvestre de Sacy, on the 20th April, 571, cannot be true. According to Weisi, Muhammed was born in the thirty-eighth year of Nushirvan’s reign, on the 1st of April, 569, which was a Monday, and it was on a Monday he was born and died (see _Gemäldesaal Mosl., Herrsher I^{ter} Band, Seite 22_, note). [49] متعه. [50] کہ لنک او حشک نشدی “ut membrum ejus nunquam siccum esset.” [51] See vol. I. p. 377. [52] ارادة _irádet_, “will” (upon this word see an explanation hereafter); it is one of the names of the first minister, or of the universal intelligence in the mystic language of the Druzes (see _Chrestom. Ar._, tome II. p. 243). This sect belongs to the Ismâilahs, who appear to have borrowed much from the Indian philosophy. [53] Amrál Kais, son of Hajr, king of the Arabs of the tribe of _Kendah_, according to Herbelot, of _Asad_, was, according to Sale, one of the greatest poets before Muhammedism, and one of the seven, whose compositions were suspended upon silken stuff in golden letters in the temple of Mecca, and therefore called _moallakat_, “suspended.” His poems, translated by Sir W. Jones (vol. X. of his Works), are amatory, and have nothing of religion which Muhammed could borrow. Amrálkaís was one of the adversaries of the prophet, and wrote satires and invectives against him, which were answered by _Labíd_, another of the seven poets, but who ranged himself on the side of Muhammed. The Arabian prophet certainly took many tenets and customs from former times and religions: thus he confirmed the holiness of the temple of Mecca and its environs, which were held in veneration long before him; thus he adopted from Judaism several laws relating to marriages, divorces, etc., etc.