IN ARABIA.
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ancient idol, the personification of Venus;[1] the same charge was alleged by the Carmathians, who carried it away among the plunder of Mecca during the khalifate of Mocktader,[2] and it has been again renewed by the Wahabites of the present day.[3] Thus the religion of Muhammed was established without altering the form of that which had preceded it, the worship of the Pagan Arabs was permitted to proceed in its usual course, the Koreish were still allowed the possession of the house of God, and continued to reap the same profit as usual from the devotees who came to visit the Kaaba, and drink of the sacred well of Zemzem, to which their devotion was increased by
- ↑ Διοτι επανω αυτουσιασε τῃ Αγαρ ὁ Αβραμ· αλλοι δε, ὁτι προσεδησεν αυτῳ την καμηλον, μελλων θυσαι τον Ισαακ.—ὁ δε ῥηθεις λιθος, κεφαλη της Αφροδιτης εστιν, ἡν παλαι προσεκυνουν οἱ Ισμαηλιται.—φερει γαρ μεχρι και νυν τοις ακριβως κατασκοπουσιν εκ γλυφιδος αποτυπωσιν κεφαλης. Euthymius Zingabenus, p. 14, ed. Sylburg.
- ↑ Les Carmathes, après avoir pillé la Mecque sous le khalifat de Moctader, enleverent cette pièrre, qu'ils disaient, avec assez de vraisemblance, être un aucien idole: on voulut leur donner cinq mille dinars d'or pour la racheter: mais ils les refuserent, et la retinrent pendant 22 ans, à sçavoir, depuis l'an 317 de l'Hegire, jusqu' au 339, qu'ils la rapporterent à Coufah, sous le khalifat de Mothî. D'Herbelot in Hagiar Alassouad.
- ↑ "The Wahabees have asserted that the veneration paid to the black stone was idolatrous; and disapproved of the ceremonies practised by the pilgrims at the stone of Abraham, which is placed near the well of Zemzem, and supposed to have on it the mark of the patriarch's foot, formed while he stood there to build the Caaba." Lord Valentia's Travels, vol. ii. p. 389.
