Читать книгу A Dictionary of Islam. Being a cyclopedia of the doctrines, rites, ceremonies, and customs, together with the technical and theological terms, of the Muhammadan religion онлайн

13 страница из 560

“The occasion of their making this offering is thus related, according to the common tradition in the East. Each of them being born with a twin-sister, when they were grown up, Adam, by God’s direction, ordered Cain to marry Abel’s twin-sister, and Abel to marry Cain’s; (for it being the common opinion that marriages ought not to be had in the nearest degrees of consanguinity, since they must necessarily marry their sisters, it seemed reasonable to suppose they ought to take those of the remoter degree;) but this Cain refusing to agree to, because his own sister was the handsomest, Adam ordered them to make their offerings to God, thereby referring the dispute to His determination. The commentators say Cain’s offering was a sheaf of the very worst of his corn, but Abel’s a fat lamb of the best of his flock.”—Sale’s Koran, I., p. 122.

ʿĀBID (عابد‎). “A worshipper [of God].” A term generally used for a devout person. The word frequently occurs in the Qurʾān; e.g. Sūrah ii. 132: “The baptism (ṣibg͟hah) of God! And who is better than God at baptizing? We are the worshippers (ʿābidūn) of God.” The word ṣibg͟hah is translated by Professor Palmer “dye” and “dyeing,” but Sale, following the Muslim commentators, al-Baiẓāwī, Jalālu ʾd-dīn, and Ḥusainī, who say it refers to the Christian rite, translates it “baptism.” Others say that it means fit̤rah or dīn, the religion of God, with an adaptation to which mankind are created. See Lane’s Lexicon. [BAPTISM.]