Page 371 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

332 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

this remarkable scion of Mohammedanism, of
which, however, except in Sale’s preliminary

discourse, affixed to his translation of the
Koran, I am not aware we have any previous

information ; I shall merely notice their pe­
culiar interpretation of that famous passage
where it is said that God and his angels pray

unto Mohammed. “ O ye who believe, pray
unto, and salute him with salutations.” Now

Mohammed being a servant of God, how, con­
sistently, can He be said to pray to him ?

Their writers, finding this a somewhat em­
barrassing question, meet it by a rather in­

genious evasion. They assert that the words
refer to a common expression of all Moham­
medans, when speaking of their Prophet, viz.,

“ The blessing and peace of God be upon
him,” and addressed by men to God, not to

the Prophet. The phrase, “ pray unto him,”
meaning in reality, pray with respect to him.
In like manner is the same prayer addressed

by angels to God in his behalf, just as they en­
treat him to grant pardon and forgiveness to all

Moslems : that Mohammed was in a remark­
able manner the deputy of God, being privi­

leged to communicate with him by articu­