Volume 1

Rambles and recollections of an Indian official / [Sir William Henry Sleeman].

  • William Henry Sleeman
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Rambles and recollections of an Indian official / [Sir William Henry Sleeman]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    throne say, “ what did your cherisher order ? ” Then they are informed ; and so it is handed from one region to another, till the information reaches the people of the lowest region. Then the devils steal it, and carry it to their friends, (that is) magicians; and these stars are thrown at these devils ; not for the birth or death of any person. Then the things which the magicians tell, having heard from the devils, are true, but these magicians tell lies, and exaggerate in what they hear.” ’ Kutadah said, ‘ God has created stars for three uses ; one of them, as a cause of ornament of the regions; the second, to stone the devil with : the third, to direct people going through forests and on the sea. Therefore, whoever shall explain them otherwise, does wrong, and loses his time, and speaks from his own invention and embellishes.’^ Ibn Abbas. [‘The prophet said,] “ Whoever attains to the knowledge of astrology for any other explanation than the three afore-mentioned, then verily he has attained to a branch of magick. An astrologer is a magician, and a magician is a necromancer, and a necromancer is an infidel’ This work contains the precepts and sayings of Muhammad, as declared by his companions, who them- selves heard them, or by those who heard them immediately from those companions; and they are considered to be binding upon the faith and conduct of Musalmans, though not all delivered from inspiration. Everything that is written in the Koran itself is supposed to have been brought direct from God by the angel Gabriel.’^ ^ Mishkdt. Part iii of same chapter ; vol. ii, p. 386. ^ Ibid. p. 386. ® But the prying character of these devils is described in the Koran itself. According to Muhammadans, they had access to all the seven heavens till the time of Moses, who got them excluded from three. Christ got them excluded from three more ; and Muhammad managed to get them excluded from the seventh and last. “ M e have placed the twelve signs in the heavens, and have set them out tn various
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