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114

SPRENGERS SOURCES

classical manuscripts, to make way for more recent compositions; and many valuable works have thus been lost to us. 

The traditions which ascribe to Mahomet a prejudice against writing, appear to have no good foundation. They originated, no doubt, in the circumstance that he himself had little,, if any, knowledge of the art. It was the pious fashion to follow his example and practice, to the minutest particular; hence Ibn Masûd, Abu Horeira, and others of the more scrupulous believers, hesitated to commit the Prophet's sayings to writing, and the report of his having forbidden the practice thus gained currency. On the other hand, we have evidence which makes it highly probable that even during the lifetime of Mahomet there were persons who kept up memoranda of his utterances. At any rate, there is frequent notice of the custom shortly after his death. Thus we find mention of the son of Abbâs (the uncle of Mahomet) having left behind him a camel load of manuscripts, from which both Ikrima and Ibn Ocba made copious extracts. Aly copied out certain precepts of the Prophet regarding the ransom of prisoners, etc.; and, in order to have them constantly at hand, tied the roll round the handle of his sword. Another hero made use of his boot as a receptacle for the same purpose. It is related of an early Collector of tradition, that he carried about with him a portfolio filled with pages of leather; and the famous Zohri, when other material failed, made notes of what was told him upon his yellow boots, and copied them out in order afterwards. The practice increased so rapidly, that towards the end of the first century, Omar II. (with a view analogous to that which induced Abu Bekr to direct the collection of the Coran) issued orders for a complete compilation of all recorded traditions; but he died before the work was accomplished. According to the strict canon of the Sunna, the object of written collections was not to supersede, but only to assist, the memoriter preservation of tradition; for oral repetition was still the inexorable rule. Indeed, the prejudice against recorded collections even yet ran so high, that instances are given of Collectors committing their treasures to the flames (not without regret when the loss was found irreparable), or leaving instructions to their executors to destroy them after 

           

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