nterest.

England, too, has been lately making some efforts which will be, it is
sincerely hoped, crowned with success. The lectures on modern Oriental
languages lately established by the Imperial Institute of the United
Kingdom, the Colonies, and India, in union with University College and
King's College, London, is full of promise of bringing forth good
fruit hereafter. So much is to be learnt from Oriental literature in
various ways that it is to be hoped the day may yet come when the
study of one or more Oriental languages will be taken up as a pastime
to fill the leisure hours of a future generation thirsting after
knowledge.

In addition to the above, a movement is also being made to attempt to
revive the old Oriental Translation Fund. It was originally started in
A.D. 1828, and did good work for fifty years, publishing translations
(see Appendix) from fifteen different Oriental languages, and then
collapsing from apathy, neglect, and want of funds. Unless well
supported, both by donations and annual subscriptions, it is useless to
attempt a fresh start. To succeed thoroughly it must be regarded as a
national institution, and sufficiently well-off to be able to afford to
bring out Texts and Indexes of

[Transcriber's note: Missing page in the source document.]

-cially An-Nadim's 'Fihrist,' a most valuable book of reference, ought
to be done into English without further delay. Private individuals can
hardly undertake the business, but a well-organized and permanent
Oriental Translation Fund, assisted by the English and Indian
Governments, could and would render extraordinary services in the
publication of texts, translations, and indexes of Oriental literature
generally.

For assistance in the preparation of this present volume my thanks are
due to the many authors whose works have been freely used and quoted,
and also to Mr. E. Rehatsek, of Bombay, whose knowledge of the Arabic
language and of Arabic literature is well known to all Oriental
scholars.

F.F. ARBUTHNOT.

18, Park Lane, W.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

HISTORICAL.

Arabia: its boundaries, divisions of districts, revenues, area,
population, and history.--Tribe of Koraish.--The Kaabah at
Mecca.--Muhammad.--His immediate successors: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman,
Ali.--The Omaiyides.--Fate of Hasan and Hussain, sons of Ali--Sunnis
and Shiahs.--Overthrow of the Omaiyides by the Abbasides.--The
Omaiyides in Spain; their conquests and govern