158 THE RELIGION OF THE CRESCENT.

not able to gain his information from written documents. Intentional alterations of the Jewish legends do, however, sometimes occur, and this was done in order to substantiate his assertion that Islam was the Religion of Abraham and virtually of all the Prophets. There are, as Rabbi Abraham Geiger has pointed out, a number of Aramaic 1 words in the Qur'an, which have much puzzled Arabic commentators, and which are another proof of Muhammad's indebtedness to Talmudic lore. Several of the less important doctrinal matters mentioned in the Qur'an are also borrowed, in whole or in part, from the same source. As

[Footnote continued from previous page]
may be found by reading the Qur'an. The erroneous forms of names, among other matters, seem best explained on this supposition. His informants doubtless had access to written documents, but rather to the Targums and Talmud than to the Hebrew Scriptures.
1 A few Hebrew words also occur, but we may class all together. E.g.,
Arabic Hebrew
تَابُوتٌ = תיבה ,תיבותא
تًوْرَاةٌ = תורה
حِبْرٌ = חבר
حَهَنَّمُ = גיהנום
جَنَّةُ عَدْن = גן עדן
(in the sense of teacher=separated from the common people in the Mishna);
Arabic Hebrew Aramaic/Syriac
طَاغُوتٌ = טעות
سَكِينَةٌ = שכינה
فُرْقَانٌ = פרקן
مَاعُونٌ = מעון
مَلَكُوتٌ = מלכות
The explanations of سَكِينَةٌ ,طَاعُونٌ ,فُرْقانٌ and مَلَكُوتٌ given by Muslim commentators agree far less aptly with the context than do the meanings of these words drawn from the Aramaic. (Geiger, op. cit., pp. 41-60.)
THE ORIGIN OF ISLAM. 159

examples1 we may mention the existence of seven heavens and seven hells,2 the fact that at the creation GOD'S throne moved in the air over the waters,3 the existence 4 of a "Prince of Hell," of Al A'raf or the wall between heaven5 and hell, the fact that the Resurrection will be ushered in by a great6 rain, that Hell 7 is never full, that evil

1 Geiger, ut sup., pp. 63, sqq.
2 Surah xvii. 46, 88: 
English ألسَّمَوَاتُ اْلسَّبْعُ = שִבְעה רקיעין הן
(Chagiga, ix. 2). Cf. Midrash at end of Ps. xi.: 
שבעה שבעה פתחין אנון and בתי דירות לרשעים בגיהנם לגיהנם
(Sohar ii., p. 150), with لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أبْوَابٍ (Surah xv. 44).
3 Surah xi. 9: كَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء =Rashi on Gen. i. 2.: 
בסא כבוד עמד נאויר ומרחף על פני המים

(cf. בִסא כבוד here with كَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء in Surah lxxxv.15).
4 Called by the Rabbins שר של גיהנם; by Muslims his name is said to be Malik (Mishkat, Bab Sifatu'n Nar wa Ahliha, sect. ii., &c.).
5 Surah vii. 44: وَبَيْنَهُمَأ حِجَابْ وَعَلَى الأَعْرَافِ رِجالْ‫.
Cf. Midrash to Ecc. vii. 14: כמה רוח ביניהם ؟ (Heaven and Hell)

רבי ירחנן אמר כתל רבי אחא אמר טפח ורבנן אמרי שתיהן שוות כדי שיהיו מציצות מזו לזו‫:
6 Tract Taanith, initio (Geiger, p. 80); Bereshith Rabbah; Pocock, "Not. in Port. Mosis," p. 117 and p. 255, quoted by Sale, "Prelim Disc.," sect. iv.
7 Surah l. 29[30]; cf. Othioth de Rabbi Aqiba, viii. 1 (Geiger, p. 69).