TALMUD

The traditional law of the Jews. From Heb. ‏לָמַד‎ lāmad , “to learn.” The learning of the Rabbis. Mr. Emanuel Deutsch says:— “It seems as if Muḥammad had breathed from his childhood almost the air of contemporary Judaism, as is found by us crystallized in the Talmud, the Targum and the Midrash. *   *   * “It is not merely parallelisms, reminiscences, allusions, technical terms, and the like of Judaism, its law and dogma and ceremony, its Halacha and its Haggadah (its law and legend), which we find in the Koran; but we think Islām neither more nor le than Judaism as adapted to Arabia—plus the Apostleship of Jesus and Muḥammad.” ( Literary Remains , p. 64.) How much Muḥammad was indebted to the Jewish Talmud for his doctrines, ethics, and ceremonial, is shown in an e ay by the Jewish Rabbi, Abraham Geiger, in answer to the question put by the University at Bonn: “ Inquiratur in fontes Alcorani seu leg is Mohammedicæ eos, qui ex Judæismo derivandi sunt, ” of which a German translation has appeared, Was hat Mohammed aus dem Judenthume auf genom men? (Bonn, 1833), and is treated of in the present work in the article on JUDAISM . The Talmud consists of two parts: The Mishna, or the text (what is called in Arabic the Matn ), and the Gemara, or Commentary (Arabic Sharḥ ). These two form the Talmud. The Mishna (from Shanah , to “repeat”) or the oral law of the Jews, was not committed to writing until about the year A.D . 190, by Rabbi Judah, although it is said it was first commenced by Rabbi Akibah, A.D . 130. The Gemara ( lit . “that which is perfect”) are two commentaries on the Mishna. The one compiled by Rabbi Jochonam at Jerusalem about the middle of the third century, and the other by Rabbi Ashe at Babylon, about the middle of the sixth. Canon Farrar ( Life of Christ , vol. ii. p. 348), says: “Anything more utterly unhistorical than the Talmud, cannot be conceived. It is probable that no human writings ever confounded names, dates, and facts, with more absolute indifference.” And doubtle it is this unsatisfactory feature in the Talmud of the Jews which, to a great extent, accounts for the equally unhistorical character of the Qurʾān. For information on the Talmud, the English reader can consult the following works: The Talmud , by Joseph Barklay, LL.D., Bishop of Jerusalem, 1878; A Talmudic Miscellany , by Paul Isaac Hershon, 1880; Selections from the Talmud , by H. Polono; The Talmud , an article in the Quarterly Review , October, 1867, by Emanuel Deutsch; The Talmud , a chapter in The Home and Synagogue of the Modern Jew (Religious Tract Society). A complete translation of the Talmud is being undertaken by Mr. P. I. Hershon. See Dr. Farrar’s Preface to the Talmudic Miscellany . TALQĪN ( تلقين‎ ). Lit . “Instructing.” An exhortation or instruction imparted by a religious teacher. It is specially used for the instruction given at the grave of a departed Muslim, at the close of the burial service, when one of the mourners draws near the middle of the grave, addre es the deceased, and says:— “O servant of God, and child of a female servant of God. “O son of such an one, remember the faith you profe ed on earth to the very last; this is your witne that there is no deity but God, and that certainly Muḥammad is His Apostle, and that Paradise and Hell and the Resurrection from the dead are real; that there will be a Day of Judgment; and say: ‘I confe that God is my Lord, Islām my religion, Muḥammad (on whom be the mercy and peace of God) my Prophet, the Qurʾān my guide, the Kaʿbah my Qiblah, and that Muslims are my brethren.’ O God, keep him (the deceased) firm in his faith, and widen his grave, and make his examination (by Munkar and Nakīr) easy, and exalt him and have mercy on him, O Thou most Merciful!” [ BURIAL .] T̤ĀLŪT ( طالوت‎ ). [ SAUL .] TAMATTUʿ ( تمتع‎ ). Lit . “Reaping advantage.” The act of performing the ʿUmrah until its completion, and then performing the Ḥajj as a separate ceremony, thus reaping the advantages of both. [ HAJJ , UMRAH .] TAMĪM ( تميم‎ ). An independent Arab tribe of Makkan origin who occupied the north-eastern desert of Najd. They fought by the side of Muḥammad at Makkah and Ḥuna in. TAMJĪD ( تمجيد‎ ). The expre ion, “ Lā ḥaula wa lā quwwata illā bi-ʾllāhi ʾl ʿalīyi ʾl-ʿaz̤īm ” ( لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله العلى العظيم‎ ), “There is no power and strength but in God, the High one, the Great.” ( Mishkāt , book x. ch. ii.) Abū Hurairah relates that the Prophet said, “Recite very frequently, ‘There is no power and strength but in God,’ for these words are one of the treasures of Paradise. For there is no escape from God but with God. And God will open for the reciter thereof seventy doors of escape from evil, the least of which is poverty.” TANĀSUK͟H ( تناسخ‎ ). (1) In Muḥammadan law, the death of one heir after another before the partition of an inheritance. (2) At-Tanāsuk͟h . The metempsychosis or Pythagorean system of the transmigration of souls, a doctrine held by the Hindus and Buddhists, but forming no part of the Muḥammadan system. TANFĪL ( تنفيل‎ ). “Plundering in religious warfare.” Commended in the Qurʾān, Sūrah viii. 1 : “They will question thee about the spoils. Say: The spoils are God’s and the Apostle’s.” TAQARRUB ( تقرب‎ ). Lit . “Seeking admittance or striving to draw near.” A term used to expre the desire of propitiating the Deity by prayer, almsgiving, or sacrifice. TAQDĪR ( تقدير‎ ). Lit . “To measure.” The doctrine of Fate or Predestination, al-Qadr . [ PREDESTINATION .] TAQĪYAH ( تقية‎ ). Lit . “Guarding oneself.” A Shīʿah doctrine. A pious fraud whereby the Shīʿah Muslim believes he is justified in either smoothing down or in denying the peculiarities of his religious belief, in order to save himself from religious persecution. A Shīʿah can, therefore, pa himself off as a Sunnī to escape persecution. The Shīʿah traditionists relate that certain persons inquired of the Imām Ṣādiq if the Prophet had ever practised taqīyah , or “religious di imulation,” and the Imām replied, “Not after this verse was sent down to the Prophet, namely, Sūrah v. 71 : ‘O thou Apostle! publish the whole of what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord; if thou do it not, thou hast not preached His me age, and God will not defend thee from wicked men; for God guides not the unbelieving people.’ When the Most High became surety for the Prophet against harm, then he no longer di imulated, although before this revelation appeared he had occasionally done so.” (The Ḥayātu ʾl-Qulūb , Merrick’s ed., p. 96.) [ SHIʿAH .] TAQLĪD ( تقليد‎ ). Lit . “Winding round.” (1) Putting a wreath round a victim destined to be slain at Makkah. (2) Girding with a sword, as a sign of investiture of a high dignitary. ( 3 ) A term used in Muḥammadan law for the following of a religious leader without due inquiry. TAQWĀ ( تقوى‎ ). [ ABSTINENCE .] TARĀWĪH ( تراويح‎ ). The plural of tarwīḥ , “Rest.” The prayers, of usually twenty rakʿahs, recited at night during the month of Ramaẓān; so called because the congregation sit down and rest after every fourth rakʿah and every second “ Salām .” [ RAMAZAN .] TARIKAH ( تركة‎ ). A legacy, a bequest, an inheritance. AT -T̤ĀRIQ ( الطارق‎ ). “The night-comer.” The title of the LXXXVI th Sūrah of the Qurʾān, beginning thus: “By the heaven, and by the night-comer ! But what shall teach thee What the night-comer is? ’Tis the star of piercing radiance . ” According to al-Wāḥidī, these words were revealed when Abū T̤ālib, at the time of the evening meal, was startled by a shooting star. Nöldeke, however, observes that the three verses seem rather to apply to a planet or a fixed star of particular brightne . T̤ARĪQAH ( طريقة‎ ). “A path.” A term used by the Sūfīs for the religious life. [ SUFI .] TARWIYAH ( تروية‎ ). Lit . “Satisfying thirst,” or, according to some, “giving attention.” The eighth day of the pilgrimage; so called either because the pilgrims give their camels water on this day, or because Abraham gave attention ( rawwa ) to the vision wherein he was instructed to sacrifice his son Ishmael (?) on this day. TAṢAWWUF ( تصوف‎ ). A word used to expre the doctrines of the Ṣūfīs or Muḥammadan mystics. Ṣūfīism. The word does not occur in the celebrated Arabic Dictionary, the Qāmūs , which was compiled A.H . 817, nor in the Ṣiḥāḥ , A.H . 393. [ SUFI .] TASBĪḤ ( تسبيح‎ ). (1) The ejaculation, “ Subḥāna ʾllāh! ” ( سبحان الله‎ ), “I extol the holine of God!” or “Holy God!” A most meritorious ejaculation, which, if recited one hundred times, night and morning, is said by the Prophet to atone for man’s sins, however many or great. ( Mishkāt , book x. ch. ii.) (2) A Rosary. [ ROSARY , ZIKR .] TASHAHHUD ( تشهد‎ ). Lit . “Testimony.” A declaration of the Muslim faith recited during the stated prayers, immediately after the Taḥīyah , in the same attitude, but with the first finger of the right hand extended, as a witne to the Unity of God. It is as follows: “I testify that there is no deity but God, and I testify that Muḥammad is the Me enger of God.” It is also used as an expre ion of faith upon a person becoming a Muḥammadan. ( Mishkāt , book iv. ch. xvi.) [ PRAYERS .] IMG:3048615538088815629_p628.png:Tashahhud. TASHRĪQ ( تشريق‎ ). Lit . “Drying flesh in the sun.” A name given to three days after the sacrifice at Makkah during the Pilgrimage, either because the flesh of the victim is then dried, or because they are not slain until sunrise. [ HAJJ .] TASLĪM ( تسليم‎ ). The benediction at the close of the usual form of prayer, “ As-salāmu ʿalaikum wa raḥmatu ʿllāh! ” ( السلام عليكم ورحمة الله‎ ), “The peace and mercy of God be with you.” [ PRAYERS .] IMG:3048615538088815629_p629.png:Taslīm. TASMĪʿ ( تسميع‎ ). The following ejaculation which is recited by the Imām in the daily prayers: “God hears him who praises Him.” [ PRAYERS .] TASMIYAH ( تسمية‎ ). Lit . “Giving a name.” (1) A title given to the Bismillāh , or the initial sentence, “In the name of God, the Compa ionate, the Merciful.” This occurs at the commencement of each chapter or Sūrah of the Qurʾān, with the exception of the IX th Sūrah. [ QURʾAN .] (2) Also used at the commencement of any religious act (except sacrifice), such as prayer, ablutions, . (3) The usual “grace before meat,” amongst Muslims. [ BISMILLAH .] TASNĪM ( تسنيم‎ ). Lit . “Anything convex and shelving at both sides.” The name of a fountain in Paradise mentioned in the Qurʾān, Sūrah lxxxiii. 28 : “Mingled therewith shall be the waters of Tasnīm .” TAS̤WĪB ( تثويب‎ ). Repeating the phrase, “ Aṣ-ṣalātu k͟hairun mina ʾn-nāum ” ( i.e . “Prayer is better than sleep”), in the Aẕān for the early morning prayer. [ AZAN , PRAYER .] TAT̤AWWUʿ ( تطوع‎ ). An act of supererogation. A term which includes both the sunnah and nafl actions of the Muslim ( q.v .). AT -TAT̤FĪF ( التطفيف‎ ). “Giving Short Measure.” The title of the LXXXIII rd Sūrah of the Qurʾān, beginning with the words: “Woe to those who stint the measure: Who when they take by measure from others, exact the full; But when they mete to them or weigh to them, minish— Have they no thought that they shall be raised again For a great day.” We learn from the Itqān that some commentators see in this pa age allusions to Madīnah circumstances, and consequently think that the Sūrah, or at least part of it, was revealed in that town. But in connection with such obviously Makkan verses, as 30 and following, where it is said: “The sinners, indeed, laugh the faithful to scorn, And when they pa by them, they wink at one another, And when they return to their own people, they return jesting, And when they see them, they say, ‘Verily these are the erring ones’ ”— it appears evident, that the pride and arrogance of the Makkans, founded on their ill-gotten wealth, is contrasted with the humble and precarious condition of the followers of Muḥammad, to convey at the same time a solemn warning, that the positions will be reversed on the Great Day of Reckoning. TAT̤HĪR ( تطهير‎ ). A purifying or cleansing of anything which is ceremonially unclean. For example, if a dog drinks from a ve el, it becomes najis , or “impure,” but it can be purified ( tat̤hīr ) by washing it seven times. A mosque which has been defiled can be cleansed with dry earth or water, and by recitals from the Qurʾān. If the boots on the feet have been defiled, they can be purified by rubbing them on dry earth. Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib says that Muḥammad taught that the micturation of an animal lawful for food does not render clothes ceremonially unclean. ( Mishkāt , book iii. ch. ix.) [ PURIFICATION .]