ffow  many  a  full  moon.^A  person  in  authority,  called  so
firom  his  loftiness  and  splendour,  ijjj  is  applied  to  various
sums  of  money ;  some  say  ten  thousand  dirhems,  some  seven
thousand  denars.  It  is  here  used  to  signify  a  large  sum  of
money,  such  as  would  bribe  a  man  in  power,  and  make  him  des-
cend firom  his  high  state  to  fulfil  the  seeker's  desire.
By  the  truth  of  the  Lord :  the  necessary  existence  by  His  awn
essence.
His  fear.—^  signifies  fear  of  God,  by  which  one  guards

one's  self  from  sin,  and  from  punishment  in  the  world  to  come.
Compare  Ta'rlffit,  p.  68 ;  also  Bayd&wi,  on  word  ^JJL^,  at  begin-
ning of  the  Second  Sura.
Its  power  is  supremc^-KMi  Zayd's  fear  of  irreverence  is
grounded  on  the  use  of  Jp-  to  signify  especially  the  greatness
of  the  Deity,  to  whom  this  word  is  generally  applied.    JIU^


NOTES.  299

means  the  supreme  greatness  and  majesty  of  God,  or  bis  abso-
lute independence.  Ab4  Zayd  asks  pardon  for  saying  that
money  is  Almighty,

The  honourable  performs  what  he  prorme8.—Tlhi%  saying  was
first  uttered  by  Al  Hftrith  ibn  *Amr  al  Eindi  to  Sakhr  ibn
Nahshal.  Hdrith  had  said  to  S^ikhr,  ''Shall  I  show  thee
booty,  on  the  condition  that  I  receive  the  fifth  part  of  it?"
''Yes/'  answered  Bakhr.  H&rith  had  then  directed  him  to  a
caravan  from  Yemen,  which  Sakhr  plundered.  H&rith  then
uttered  these  words,  which  passed  into  a  proverb.  The  legend
goes  on  to  relate  that  Sakhr's  tribe  desired  to  evade  payment  of
the  fifth,  until  he  seized  a  hill  by  which  they  must  pass,  and,
after  a  fight,  compelled  them  to  fulfil  his  agreement  with  Hdrith.
Prov.  Arab.  II.  747  and  I.  52.
