l authorities
mentioned by him; on the contrary, he compromises himself by
condescending to quote from secondary and later authors. He writes in a
footnote without quoting his original authority:--

"The version given in the text is accredited by Jelalood-deen,
Yahia, Beizawi, and Zamakshari, &c." (Vol. III, page 163.)

These authors were neither biographers nor historians, and are therefore
no authorities at all. Zamakshari and Beizawi were commentators in the
sixth and seventh centuries respectively. They give two stories, one
regarding Maria and another to the effect that the oath or promise of
Mohammad had been to the effect that he would not again partake of a
species of strong-scented honey disliked by his wives. Jelal-ud-deen
Mahalli was a commentator of the ninth century of the Hejira. Yahia is
not known among the commentators. He may be one of the latest authors.

The commentators are generally no authority in the matter of traditional
literature. "To illustrate allusions in the Coran, they are always ready
with a story in point, but unfortunately there are almost always
different tales, all equally opposite to the same allusion. The
allusion, in fact, was often the father of the story. What was
originally, perhaps, a mere conjecture of supposed events that might
have given rise to an expression in the Coran, or was a single surmise
in explanation of some passage, by degrees assume the garb of fact. The
tradition and the facts which it professes to attest thus, no doubt,
often rest on no better authority than that of the verse or passage
itself."[366]

[Sidenote: The best commentators and traditionists refute the story.]

16. Those commentators who are well versed in the Science of Traditions,
as well as doctors in the traditional literature, have rejected the
story of Maria as the subject-matter of Sura LXVI, as apocryphal.

Baghvi, the author of _Misbah_ (the text of Mishkat), says that the Sura
was revealed on the subject of honey, and not in the case of Maria. The
latter story is neither in the _Sahihain_ (Bokhari and Muslim), nor has
it been narrated in any authentic way.

Hafiz Ishmael Ibn Kaseeral Qarashi, as quoted by Kustlanee (notes on
Bokhari, Vol. VII, page 313), says that the Sura was certainly in the
case of honey.

Imam Noavee, in his notes on Muslim, (Vol. I, page 463,) says:--"In fact
it was revealed in the case of the honey, and not in the case of Maria."

[Sidenote: The st