4 Kor. c. 2, p. 13. 5 Ibid. c. 7 and 38. 1 Ibid. c. 2, p.
12. 2 See the notes, Ibid, p. 13.
3 Vide Hyde, Hist. Rel. Vet. Pers. p. 262. 4 Vide Ibid. p. 271,
and not. in Kor. p. 13. 5 Vide not. Ibid. p. 4. 6 Kor. c.
6, 13, and 86. The offices of these four angels are described almost in the
same manner in the apocryphal gospel of Barnabas, where it is said that
Gabriel reveals the secrets of GOD, Michael combats against his enemies,
Raphael receives the souls of those who die, and Uriel is to call every one to
judgment on the last day. See the Menagiana, tom. iv. p. 333.
7 Kor. c. 10. 8 Talmud Hieros. in Rosh hashan. 9
Vide Hyde, ubi sup. c. 19 and 20.
10 Gemar. in Hagig. and Bereshit rabbah, &c. Vide Psalm civ. 4. 11
Yalkut hadash. 12 Gemar. in Shebet, and Bava Bathra, &c.
13 Midrash, Yalkut Shemûni. 14 Gemar. Berachoth. 15
Vide Reland. de Rel. Moh. p. 189, &c. 16 Kor. c. 2. See also c.7,
38, &c.
Korân to believe an intermediate order of creatures, which they call Jin or
Genii, created also of fire,17 but of a grosser fabric than angels; since they
eat and drink, and propagate their species, and are subject to death.1 Some
of these are supposed to be good, and others bad, and capable of future
salvation or damnation, as men are; whence Mohammed pretended to be sent for
the conversion of genii as well as men.2 The orientals pretend that these
genii inhabited the world for many ages before Adam was created, under the
government of several successive princes, who all bore the common name of
Solomon; but falling at length into an almost general corruption, Eblîs was
sent to drive them into a remote part of the earth, there to be confined: that
some of that generation still remaining, were by Tahmûrath, one of the ancient
kings of Persia, who waged war against them, forced to retreat into the famous
mountains of Kâf. Of which successions and wars they have many fabulous and
romantic stories. They also make different ranks and degrees among these
beings (if they be not rather supposed to be of a different species), some
being called absolutely Jin, some Peri or fairies, some Div or giants, others
Tacwîns or fates.3
The Mohammedan notions concerning these genii agree almost exactly with
what the Jews write of a sort of demons, called Shedîm, whom some fancy to
have been begotten by two angels named Aza and Azaël, on Naamah the daughter
of Lamech, before the Flood.4 However, the Shedîm, they tell us, agree in
three things with the ministering angels; for that, like them, they have
wings, and fly from one end of the world to the other, and have some knowledge
of futurity; and in three things they agree with men, like whom they eat and
drink, are propagated, and die.5 They also say that some of them believe in
the law of Moses, and are consequently good, and that others of them are
infidels and reprobates.6
As to the scriptures, the Mohammedans are taught by the Korân that GOD, in
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