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 APPENDIX 530 This book is mainly concerned with an accoiint of the false Sabians of Harran. It was in the 9th century a.d. that this spurious Sabianism was so named. The people of Harran, in order not to be accounted heathen })y their Abbasid lords, but that the^' might be reckoned among the unbelievers to whom a privi- leged position is granted by the Koran — Jews, Christians, and Sabians — as they could not pretend to be Christians or. Jews, professed Sabiauisrn, a faith to which no exact idea was attached. The religion, which thus assumed the Sabian name, was the native religion of the country, with Greek and Syrian elements super- imposed. It is to this spurious Sabianism, with its star-worship, that Gibbon's description applies. The true Sabianism sprang up in Babylonia in the 1st and 2nd centuries of the Christian era, and probabh' contains as its basis misunderstood gnostic doctrines. Its nature was first clearly explained by Peterniann, who travelled for the purpose of studj-ing it, and then re-edited the Sidra Rabba, which is written in a Semitic dialect known as Mandaean. There were two original piinciples : matter, and a creative mind (" the lord of glorj' "). This primal mental principle creates Hayya Kadmaya ("first life"), and then retires from the scene of operations; and the souls of very holy Sabians have the joy of once beholding the lord of glory, after death. The emanation Hayya Kadmaya is the deity who is worshipped ; from him other emanations proceed. (For the ceremonies and customs of modern Sabians see M. Siouffi's Etudes sur la religion des Soubbas, 1880. For a good account of the whole subject, Mr. Stanley Lane-Poole's Studies in a Mosque, c. viii. ) 19. TWO TREATIES OF MOHAMMAD— (P. 3GG, 372) The text of the treat}' of Hudaibiya between Mohammad and the Koreish in A.D. 028, is preserved hy WakidI, and is thus translated by Sir W. Muir (Life of Mahomet, p. 346-7) : — " In th}- name, O God ! These are the conditions of peace between Moham- mad, son of Abdallah, and Suhail, son of Amr [deputy of the KoreishJ. War shall be suspended for ten years. Whosoever wisheth to join Mohammad or enter into treaty with him, shall have liberty to do so ; and likewise whosoever wisheth to join the Koreish or enter into treat}' with them. If one goeth over to Moham- mad without the permission of his guardian, he shall l)e sent back to his guardian ; but should any of the followers of Mohamnvad return to the Koreish, they shall not be sent back. ^Mohammad shall retire this year without entering the City. In the coming year Mohammad may visit Mecca, he and his followers, for three days, during which the Koreish shall retire and leave the City to them. But they may not enter it with any weapons, save those of the traveller, namely to each a sheathed sword." This was signed by Abu Bekr, Omar, Abd ar-Rahman, and six other witnesses. As another example of the treaties of Mohammad, I take that which he con- cluded with the Christian prince of Aila, — the diploiiui sccuritutis, mentioned by Gibbon ; who refrains from pronouncing an opinion as to its authenticity. It too is preserved by Wakidi and there is no fair reason for suspecting it. Here again I borrow the translation of Sir W. Muir (]). 428) : — "In the name of God the Gracious and Merciful ! A comjiact of peace from God and from Mohammad the Prophet and Apostle of God, granted iiuto Yu- hanna [John], son of Rubah, and unto the people of Aila. For them who remain at home and for those that travel by sea and bv land there is the guarantee of God and of Mohammad, the Apostle of God, and for all that are with them, whether of Sj'ria or of Yemen or of the sea-coast. Whoso contra veneth this treaty, his wealth shall not save him ; it shall be the fair ])rize of him that taketh it. Now it shall not be lawful to hinder the men of Aila from any springs which they have been in the habit of frequenting, nor from any journey thej- desire to make, whether by sea or by land. The writing of Juhaim and Sharahbil by command of the Apostle of God."