Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam[120] Note the suspicious additions of Hud, Salih and Shu`ayb (nn. 84-86,
above), none of whom are known to have predated Muhammad, and seem
to be original with him; cf. Nöldeke, "Qur'an," p. 9; Horovitz, Untersuch-
ungen, pp. 119, 123, 149 f; SEI, pp. 140, 499 f, 544.
[121] Cf. the Appendices D and E on the sources for the narratives and the
origins of the Biblical names in Arabic.
[122] Idolatry appears to have been practically non-existent among the
Jews in the first century AD.
[123] Tabari, History, vol. 6, p. 98.
[124] See references to Abraha's campaign against Mecca, p. 5. It is
thought that Meccan persecution of the Muslims led Muhammad to change
his earlier sympathies for the Persians to the Abyssinians; Andrae,
Ursprung, pp. 22 f; Mohammed, p. 127; Buhl, Muhammeds, p. 173, n. 116.
[125] See p. 4, above.
[126] Guillaume, Muhammad, p. 152. This tradition also seems to be in
Yunus b. Bukayr's Ibn Ishaq recension; cf. New Light, p. 46.
[127] Nöldeke and Schwally, GQ, vol. 1, p. 130.
[128] Cf. Nöldeke, "Qur'an," pp. 21 f, for comments on Sprenger's
interpretation of these letters.
[129] See n. 92, above.
[130] The sequence of these blessings is not to be overlooked. John was to
have been blessed (have peace) on the days of his birth, death and
resurrection, and in the same order, he was born, died and resurrected (in
the afterlife). Jesus was also to be blessed (have peace) on the days of his
birth, death and resurrection, which indicates that at the time this passage
was composed, Muhammad may have believed Jesus had been crucified
and died (cf. Qur'an 3:48).
[131] Cf. The Gospel of the Book of Mary; Appendix D, p. 370.