Page:The chronology of ancient nations (IA chronologyofanci00biru).djvu/36
- V. 'Abbâd ben
- Kala' ben
- VII. Ḥudhaifa.
They were all of them intercalators. The first of them who held this office was—
- VII. Ḥudhaifa ben
- 'Abd ben
- Fuḳaim ben
- X. 'Adiyy ben
- 'Âmir ben
- Tha'laba ben
- Mâlik ben
- XIV. Kinâna.
The last of them, who held it, was 'Abû-Thumâma. The poet, who celebrates them, describes him in the following terms:—
And he was one of the founders of their religion,
His word being obeyed, he being recognised as a chieftain."
And another poet says:
A celebrated man, of exalted rank.
In this way he spent his time."
Another poet says:
He adds together and sums it up,
Till it makes out a complete month."
He (i.e. Ḥudhaifa) had taken this system of intercalation from the Jews nearly 200 years before Islâm; the Jews, however, intercalated 9 months in 24 lunar years. In consequence their months were fixed, and came always in at their proper times, wandering in a uniform course through the year without retrograding and without advancing. This state of things remained till the Prophet made his Farewell pilgrimage, and the following verse was revealed to him: "Intercalation is only an increase of infidelity, by which the infidels lead astray (people), admitting it one year and prohibiting it in another." (Sûra ix. 37.) The Prophet delivered an address to the people, and said: "Time has come round as it was on the day of God's creating the heavens and the earth," and, continuing, he recited to them the (just mentioned) verse of the Goran on the prohibition of the Nasî', i.e. intercalation. Ever since they have neglected intercalation, so that their months have receded from their original places, and the names of the months are no longer in conformity with their original meanings.