Part 70 (2/2)

[5] The year 622 A.D., in which the Hegira occurred, marks the beginning of the Mohammedan era. The Christian year 1917 A.D. nearly corresponds to the Mohammedan year 1336 A.H. (_Anno Hegirae_).

[6] Feasting during the nights of this month is allowable.

[7] See page 333.

[8] See page 219, 332.

[9] See page 54, note 1.

[10] See page 330.

[11] See page 245.

[12] Morocco, Algeria, and Tunis belong to France; Tripoli, to Italy.

[13] Gibraltar = _Gibal al Tarik_, ”the mountain of Tarik.”

[14] See pages 244-245.

[15] See page 306.

[16] For Charlemagne's Spanish conquests, see page 309.

[17] So called from a leading family of Mecca, to which Moawiya belonged.

[18] So called from Abbas, an uncle of Mohammed.

[19] This was at first known as the emirate of Cordova, but in 929 A.D. it became the caliphate of Cordova. See the map facing page 308.

[20] See page 333.

[21] See page 485. Descendants of the Abbasids subsequently took up their abode in Egypt. Through them the claim to the caliphate pa.s.sed in 1538 A.D. to the Ottoman Turks. The Sultan at Constantinople still calls himself caliph of the Moslem world. However, in 1916 A.D. the Grand Sherif of Mecca, a descendant of Mohammed, led a revolt against the Turks, captured Mecca and Medina, and proclaimed Arab independence. Should the European war end in favor of the Allies, the caliphate will undoubtedly go back to the Arabs.

[22] Popularly called the _Arabian Nights_.

[23] See page 126.

[24] The European names of some common articles reveal the Arabic sources from which they were first derived. Thus, _damask_ comes from Damascus, _muslin_ from Mosul, _gauze_ from Gaza, _cordovan_ (a kind of leather) from Cordova, and _morocco_ leather from North Africa.

[25] See page 133.

[26] See page 275.

[27] See page 131.

[28] Many words in European languages beginning with the prefix _al_ (the definite article in Arabic) show how indebted was Europe to the Arabs for scientific knowledge. In English these words include _alchemy_ (whence _chemistry_), _alcohol_, _alembic_, _algebra_, _alkali_, _almanac_, _Aldebaran_ (the star), etc.

[29] The translation of the _Rubaiyat_ by Edward Fitzgerald is almost an English cla.s.sic.

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