Page:The Algebra of Mohammed Ben Musa (1831).djvu/191



The neglected state of the manuscript, in which most diacritical points are wanting, makes me very doubtful whether I have correctly understood the author’s meaning in several passages of his preface.

In the introductory lines, I have considered the words التي باداء ما افترض منها علي من يعبده من خلقه as an amplification of what might briefly have been expressed by التي بادائها “through the performance of which.” I conceive the author to mean, that God has prescribed to man certain duties, ان الله قد افترض علي الناس شيئا من المحامد, and that by performing these (&c. باداء ما افترض) we express our thankfulness (نقع اسم الشكر) &c.

Since my translation was made, I have had the advantage of consulting Mr. about this passage. He prefers to read تستوجب ,تقع and تومن instead of نستوجب ,نقع and نومن, and proposes to translate as follows: “Praise to God for his favours in that which is proper for him from among his laudable deeds, which in the performance of what he has rendered indis-