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The first prophet of the children of Israël was Moses; the last, Jesus: the first apostle, Adam; the last, Muhammad. Of books of divine revelation sent down from God, there have been 140; -fifty tablets to Sheth, thirty tablets to Enoch, ten to Abraham, and unto Moses the Law, containing ten tablets. Also, the following were divine revelations ;-the Law, the Gospel, the Psalms, the heaven-descended book of the Korán. Others say that God sent, as his prophets, first Idrís, then Noah, then Abraham, then Lot, then Húd, then Sáleh, then Shaih, then Moses and Aaron; Abraham being surnamed Al Khalíl (the Friend).

Between Adam and Noah intervened ten patriarchs and one thousand years: between Abraham and Moses, seven patriarchs; but the number of years not recorded: between Moses and Jesus 1500 years; and between Jesus and Muhammad 700 years. This last is the sum and end and chief of all. Again, from Adam to the building of Babel, elapsed 1718 years; and the whole duration of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar was 45 years; 19 of which passed before the destruction of the Holy Abode and the building of Babylon, and 21 after the death of Adam. Adam is said to have died at the age of one thousand years, or 1000-70 years, or 900 years. His tomb was in Abú Kabish ;

but, at the time of the flood, Noah took him out, and brought his coffin into the ship, and afterwards replaced it. Some say he replaced it in the Holy City, and that his tomb is there. Some say also that it was Shem son of Noah who took the coffin into the vessel, and afterwards buried it in the Valley of Mecca, near the Mosque Al Khaif. Adam, when he was first sent down upon earth, is said to have been so tall, that his head just brushed against the sky. He would prostrate himself, in worship, upon the Rock of the Baitu-lMukaddas. When his head was thereupon, the distance to his feet was thirteen miles. He first came down to earth in India. Also, (but this tradition is weakly supported,) on the day of judgment, the mark of his footsteps shall be rendered visible. Also, now that he is buried, his head is in the Rock, and his feet in Abraham's Mosque, between which is a space of thirteen miles. On the day of judgment God shall stand over his feet and say, O Adam! I call back to life thy offspring; but I will not resuscitate thee among those of thy people who are mine.

Again, Noah's ark is said to have hovered about Mecca one week; about Jerusalem another week ; and then rested upon Ararát. Abraham, also, when he came forward from Egypt, dwelt between Ramlah and Ælia. He remained in Palestine, and

did not die until he had sent Isaac unto Syria, and Jacob unto Canaan, and Ishmaël unto Jarham (Gomorrha), and Lot unto Sodom. These, by the decree and grant of Abraham, were all prophets. A commentator asserts that he saw in Syria, upon the Rock of the Holy City, the engraved jewel of the signet, just as it is described in the Law. Also, to quote from others' assertions, we find that Jacob was surnamed Israël because he was carried by night (Saray) unto the seventh Heaven. The children of Israël had ten prophets

Noah, Núd, Saleh, Lot, Sheth, Abraham, Ismaël, Isaac, Jacob, and Muhammad, (God's peace and blessing rest upon the whole !). As to Jacob, it is said that he, when he was journeying to the land of his uncle (for his father Isaac had enjoined him never to marry a wife from the Canaanites, but to marry a daughter of his uncle), whose dwelling was in the Sacred Land. Whilst, then, he was making his way thither, the night overtook him in a certain road. So he passed the night there, using a stone for his pillow; and, whilst sleeping, he saw a ladder, whose top was fixed upon one of the gates of Heaven, and the angels descending and ascending thereby. Then God revealed himself unto him thus: "I am thy God; the God of thy fathers, of Abraham and Isaac. To thee will I give, as an inheritance, this land-

this sacred land-unto thee, and unto thy sons after thee. I will bless thee and bless them, and make you blessings. Unto you will give the I Book, the distinguishing touchstone of right, the gift of prophecy. I am with thee: I will be thy guardian until I bring thee at last unto this place; and I will make in this place a House, wherein thou and thy seed shall serve me." From this it would seem that there were some doubts who founded the Baitu-l-Mukaddas; Jacob, or Shem, son of Noah. There is some variation and difference of opinion; but God knows.

Now, when Jacob drew near his end, he summoned his sons and his sons' sons, and enjoined them, and commanded them in his will, and enjoined also Joseph (peace be with him!) to preserve his body until they should finally fix it in its place of rest with his father Abraham and Isaac, in the Holy Land. Joseph, therefore, placed it in a waggon, and carried it in haste from the land of Egypt, until they arrived at the Holy Land, and placed it in the spot which Joseph had commanded. A commentator says, By God he and his brother Esau died on one day. Their age was 147 years.

It is also known by certain eminent divines, that God made Moses a saviour, an apostle, and a prophet, for he says, "We have brought him

nigh on the side of the mount-the right side. We have caused him to know our secret mysteries. Of our mercy we have summoned his brother Aaron to become a prophet. Then he said, Thee have I chosen to cause men to see my desire and my words. Receive, then, that which shall come unto thee, and be among the Pagans. Muhammad also said that Moses was a man of extreme bashfulness; so that no part of his skin could ever be seen, by reason of his exceeding bashfulness. Whence some of the sons of Israël said, He only conceals himself under this veil, on account of some defect in his skin; either leprosy, or hernia (rupture), or some mal-formation. God, however, was willing to rescue him from the scandal of their assertions. One day, he retired into a solitary spot, and, placing his clothes upon a stone, proceeded to bathe; which having finished, he went towards the stone to take them, when, lo! the stone marched off with them. Moses took his staff, and threw at the stone, and began to cry out, My clothes, you stone! my clothes, you stone! until it arrived, at last, right in the midst of the sons of Israël. So they saw him naked the most beautiful creature God ever made. Thus God defended him from their slanderous accusations. So the stone stood still, and he took the clothes, and dressed himself, and began to aim at

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