The Prophet's way in correcting people's mistakes

Anas Ibn Malik  said: "Whilst we were in the Mosque with the Messenger of Allah  a Bedouin came and stood urinating in the Mosque. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah said, 'Stop it! Stop it!' and were about to attack him. But the Messenger of Allah  said, 'Do not interrupt him; leave him alone.' So they left him until he had finished urinating, then the Messenger of Allah  called him and said to him, 'In these Mosques it is not right to do anything like urinating or defecating; they are only for remembering Allah, praying and reading Qur'an,' or words to that effect. Then he commanded a man who was there to bring a bucket of water and throw it over the (urine), and he did so." (Muslim)
The principle which the Prophet  followed in dealing with this mistake was to treat the man gently, not to be harsh with him. 

The Prophet  was thinking of the likely consequences of the two options - stopping him or leaving him alone. If they tried to stop him, forcing a man to suppress his urination could do him harm, and if he was unable to stop but moved away because he was afraid of them, the impurity would be spread over a wider area of the Mosque and on the man's body and clothing. The Prophet  had the farsightedness to see that leaving the man alone until he had finished urinating was the lesser of two evils, especially since the man had already started doing it, and it was a problem that they would be able to do something about by cleaning it afterwards. So he told his companions to leave him alone and not to interrupt him. 

Ibn Hajar  mentioned in his commentary a number of things we learn from the hadith about the Bedouin, among which are the following:

- We should be gentle when dealing with one who is ignorant and teach him what he needs to know without rebuking him, so long as he is not acting out of stubbornness, especially if he is one who needs to be won over.

- The Prophet  was kind and he dealt nicely with him.

- The idea of taking precautions against impurity was established well in the minds of the Sahabah (Prophet's companions), which is why they hastened to denounce it in the presence of the Prophet  without first asking his permission. The idea of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil was also well established in their minds.

- We should also hasten to remove anything objectionable when there is nothing to stop us from doing so, because when the man had finished urinating, the Prophet  issued instructions that the place should be cleaned with water.

Explaining the seriousness of the mistake 

Ibn 'Umar, Muhammad Ibn Ka'b, Zayd Ibn Aslam and Qutadah  reported (the following is compiled from their reports) that during the campaign of Tabook, a man said, "We have never seen anyone who loves food and tells lies more than our rectors, or anyone who is more cowardly in the battlefield" - referring to the Messenger of Allah  and his Companions. 
Awf Ibn Malik said, 'You are lying! You are a hypocrite, and I am going to tell the Messenger of Allah . ' Awf went to the Messenger of Allah  to tell him, but found that Qur'an had already been revealed concerning it. That man came to the Prophet  who was riding his camel, and said, "O Messenger of Allah  we were only talking idly and joking, just to pass time in the journey." Ibn 'Umar  said, "It is as if I saw him hanging onto the reins of the Prophet's camel, with the stones hitting his feet, saying, "We were only talking idly and joking," whilst the Messenger of Allah  was reciting (what means):

”Say: ‘Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?’” (Qur'an 9: 65)We see that the prophet’s reply to these abominable remarks was by reciting some verses of the Qur’an by which this man was told that Allah and His Messenger are far above mocking. He  didn’t become enraged or order that the man should be punished severely. Any one else may do that, but the Prophet was sent as a mercy to all creation and to be an example of how people should behave. - islamweb.net

5 THINGS BRING INNER PEACE AND TRANQUILITY

As human beings, one of the greatest desires in life is the search for peace.

Many psychologists argue that the greatest human drive is the search for peace, that whatever humans do, they do so seeking peace and tranquility.

Similarly, one of the names of Paradise in the Quran is Dar As-Salam (House of Peace).  One of the names of God is As-Salam, the Perfect, the source of all peace.  The word Islam itself is related to the word "salam" which means peace.

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said that there is a Paradise on this earth, which one needs to enter, to enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.  This Paradise, he says, is the tranquility and contentment of the heart.

Contentment of the heart is a very difficult trait to have.  The world around us, and things that happen to us usually make us very troubled individuals.

The Road to Tranquility

However, like anything in Islam, the road to tranquility is not a state of being.  It is a path that has to be walked upon and deeds that need to be done in order for us to reach that station where we are at peace with ourselves.

Part of the desire to achieve tranquility has been embedded in ourselves.  God put inside of us an emptiness that can only be filled by God.  Imam Ibn al-Qayyim writes a profound paragraph on this.

"In the heart, there is a sense of untidiness which can only be gathered by turning to God.

And in the heart there is a sense of loneliness which can only be removed by coming closer to God.

And in the heart there is fear and anxiety, which only leaves by fleeing to God.

And in the heart there is a sense of regret, which can only be removed by being satisfied with God."

Tranquility and serenity can only arrive when we reach a position where we know the reality of our life, and the Majesty of God.  It is understanding the verse of Surah Ar-Rahman (Chapter 55) where God says:

"Everything on earth will perish.   But the face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor remains." (Quran 55:26-7)

Whatever is on earth will perish.  Whatever it is that makes us worried, will perish.  Whatever makes us sad, will go away.  Whatever makes us irritable and angry is transient.

Everything that is done without seeking the pleasure of God will just go, but that which is done seeking His pleasure and His Grace, will endure and live on.  This changes our perspective on life completely.

Death, loss, heartbreak, and detachment are no longer as painful as they used to be, because at the end of the day, expectations come down to zero.

When one expects nothing, everything they get is a source of pleasure, and everything they do not get is a not something that is that troublesome.

The focus in life becomes God, Master of the Universe, not how many likes one gets on Facebook, who likes their picture, who gave a compliment, etc.

Life seems much more than these petty issues.  One learns to forgive those who hurt them, cherish those who love them, and to subdue the ego, because what use is an ego for one who is going to be worm buffet six feet under the ground two days later?

Writer Jose Addison said that human beings need three things to be happy—something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.  All of these can be found in this verse of the Quran:

"And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the God-conscious." (Quran 3:133)

Something to do—hasten to forgiveness.

Something to love—forgiveness from your Lord.

Something to hope for—Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.

So, how is it that we attain tranquility?

We mentioned earlier that it is a process, and a process requires steps.  There are many, so this article will hope to help one understand the beginning.

1.  Understand the Majesty of God

Understand who God is, and how great He is.

One who understands the greatness of God will find peace knowing that everything else is petty and small.

2.  Understand the Reality of this Life

When we know that life is more than just the "bling bling" that we see, we understand that at all times our focus should be forward-thinking.  Understanding that the next life is everlasting helps us in keeping our focus and not losing our minds over the affairs of this world.

3.  Remembering God at all times helps us keep our focus.

Human beings are prone to forgetfulness and the constant remembrance of God reminds us of God at all times and places.  One of the advice of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was:

Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of God.[1]

God says:

"In the remembrance of God do hearts find rest." (Quran 13:28)

4.  Be Thankful

"If you are thankful, I will increase you." (Quran 14:7)

If we are thankful, God will give us more and more of everything that we have and even more.  He will keep increasing us, and it will also be in the form of our tranquility.

5.  Be Content with God’s Decree

One of the best roads to tranquility is being content with God.

It is in understanding that no matter what happens to us, God’s plan is best.  When we are content with God’s decree, we will work hard, we will do our best but be content with whatever result comes our way.

God’s decree is Divine, and not always understandable to us in the here and now.  Only when we look back do we understand how God’s plan was perfect.  God’s plan for us is the best for us, and knowing that makes life incredibly peaceful.

May God make us people who are tranquil in life, and tranquil in death.

May God make us among those who hear this call:

"O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing to Him.  Enter My Garden, Enter my Paradise." (Quran 89:26-30) -islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]At-Tirmidhi

Month of Shawwal and the Prophet Joseph

The continuity of genuine good practices will ensure that our challenges will end well. All of Prophet Joseph’s challenges concluded well.

The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr ends the month of Ramadan and begins the month of Shawwal with a strong message. Every year, Ramadan proves to us that we can increase our acts of worship for one straight month, even though the time for eating and sleeping has been reduced. Shawwal brings us a new month and a message that builds on our Ramadan performance: “Do good deeds in perpetuity.”

That message is illustrated in the Prophet Muhammad’s words:

Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a year. (Muslim)

Even though Ramadan is over, the Prophet Muhammad encouraged us to continue the act of fasting. The reward of those six days with Ramadan grants the fasting person the reward of fasting for a full year. The signal is clear. Good deeds should continue all year round.

The Prophet Joseph’s life is a fantastic example of doing good works in perpetuity and the pleasant results it produces. God encourages us to explore his biography and benefit from the valuable lessons in his life.

Certainly there were signs in Joseph and his brothers for those who ask. (Quran 12:7)

When we study the many challenges he faced in his life, we become riveted on one message: do good deeds in perpetuity. This article will examine the encounters he had with his stepbrothers.

His Stepbrothers

Prophet Joseph’s stepbrothers were envious of him and plotted to get rid of him. They could not stand their father’s immense love for him. With an initial plan for murder, the stepbrothers eventually settled on jettisoning him without taking his life. They decided to abandon him in a well and hoped he would ultimately be picked up by a caravan and taken far away.

Said a speaker among them, “Do not kill Joseph but throw him into the bottom of the well; some travelers will pick him up.” (Quran 12:10)

The stepbrothers did not expect, however, that Prophet Joseph would be picked up and sold off to a royal court.

Over the years, Prophet Joseph proved himself as trustworthy and skillful to the King. The King took advantage of his competences and appointed him as a Minister in the land. Prophet Joseph was in charge of storehouses of food and its ration. He had assumed authority and was able to travel wherever he wished:

And thus We established Joseph in the land to settle therein wherever he willed. (Quran12:56)

Social Grace

With the Quranic facts that we have about his life, we can safely assume that it would not have been difficult for Prophet Joseph to locate his father, the Prophet Jacob, where his stepbrothers lived, and exact retribution for the crime the stepbrothers committed against him.

Prophet Jacob was a known figure at the time, and the royal court could have ascertained his whereabouts with ease. Amazingly, though, the Prophet Joseph did not pursue his brothers. Instead, he left the matter to God.

And since he chose not to be revengeful, God took care of his affairs. God brought his brothers to him at his court one day, seeking ration.

During their visit, the King’s measuring cup went missing. Prophet Joseph’s younger brother was being accused, and the stepbrothers were ready to believe the accusation. They also disparaged Joseph in the process, not knowing that they were speaking to Prophet Joseph.

They said, ‘If he steals – a brother of his has stolen before.’ But Joseph kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them. (Quran 12:77)

What kind of response could we expect someone to give in this situation if they were in Joseph’s place? The stepbrothers had almost gotten Joseph killed in his youth, and many years later they were still vilifying him. Despite that, the Prophet Joseph dealt with them gracefully.

He said, ‘Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?’ (Quran 12:89)

He gave them an excuse for their behavior toward him: ignorance. He also gave them an opportunity to explain themselves. This was a fantastic display of social grace.

The brothers suspected that they were speaking to Joseph.

They said, ‘Are you indeed Joseph?’ He said ‘I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has certainly favored us. Indeed, if one fears God and is patient, surely God does not cause the reward of those who do good to go amiss.’ (Quran 12:90)

In this conversation, Prophet Joseph disclosed the secret to continuous good works: have certainty that “God does not cause the reward of those who do good to go amiss.” That reward certainty fuels perpetuity.

God elevated the status of Prophet Joseph from a servant at a royal court to a Minister of the land who was later able to reunite with his family honorably.

Then he raised his parents to the throne, and they all fell in prostration to Joseph, who then said, ‘O my dear father! This is the interpretation of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He was indeed good to me when He freed me from prison and brought you all from the desert after Satan had ignited a rivalry between my siblings and me. Indeed my Lord is subtle in fulfilling what He wills. Surely He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.’ (Quran 12:100)

Results of Perpetual Good

Doing good works in perpetuity may go unnoticed by humankind, but God sees every ounce of it.

An atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth is not hidden from Him nor anything smaller or larger than that, but is in a perfect Record. (Quran 34:3)

Because of Joseph’s good works, God taught him valuable skills:

And when he reached maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward the good-doers. (Quran 12:22)

Those skills, especially the ability to interpret dreams, got him the Ministry position in the kingdom. Perpetual good works only produce positive results in our lives.

The message of Shawwal is one of celebration. We celebrate the ability God gave us to fast, to be charitable, to be generous, to be hospitable, to forgive others, and to do many other good works.

The celebration, however, is not done on the last day of Ramadan, but in Shawwal because the outpour of good works should continue throughout the year.

The continuity of genuine good practices will ensure that our challenges will end well. All of Prophet Joseph’s challenges concluded well. It is for this reason God called his life story “the best of stories.”

Shakiel Humayun, a dad, a husband, and an entrepreneur, was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Business Administration. He then completed postgraduate studies at the Umm-ul-Qura University in Makkah al-Mukarramah receiving an Associate’s Degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies with honors. He continued his studies at the College of Shariah at Umm-ul-Qura University. During his stay in Makkah, he had the opportunity to benefit from many scholars.

He firmly believes in the importance of a strong community and as a result his non-profit endeavors include founding the Foundation for Knowledge and Development,Wellspring Elementary, the Hatebusters, and Masjid ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. He currently blogs at shakielhumayun.com. - aboutislam.net

Hari Raya Aidil Fitri or Eid al-Fitr 2019: Everything you need to know

Eid al-Fitr begins with the first sighting of the new moon]

As Muslims around the world bid Ramadan farewell, they also prepare for Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim holy month.

Since after having sighting of the moon last night, Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Eid celebrations has been fixed on Wednesday (June 5).

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr means "festival of breaking the fast" and marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Traditionally, Eid is celebrated for three days as an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries. However, the number of vacation days varies by country.

How is the start of Eid determined?

Like Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr begins with the first sighting of the new moon, so most of the time Muslims have to wait until the night before Eid to verify its date. 

If the new moon is not visible, the month lasts 30 days. 

The date changes annually on the Gregorian calendar and varies from country to country depending on geographical location.

To declare the start of Eid, Muslim-majority countries depend on the testimonies of local moon sighters. The Judicial High Court then decides if Eid has arrived.

When the sighting has been verified, Eid is declared on televisions, radio stations and at mosques.

How do Muslims celebrate Eid?

Muslims across the world begin Eid celebrations by partaking in prayers, followed by a short sermon soon after dawn. 

While in some countries the prayers take place in mosques or large halls, in many countries it is also held in the open.

People congratulate one another as they head home after Eid prayers. They spend the day visiting relatives and neighbours and accepting sweets as they move around from house to house.

This is preceded by the giving of alms to the poor, or zakat, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

It is common for the capitals of Muslim majority countries to decorate their cities with festive lights and hold carnivals to commemorate the end of the holy month, with children dressed in new clothes, offered gifts and money to celebrate the joyous occasion. 

Each country has traditional desserts and sweets that are prepared before Eid or on the morning of the first day. These foods range from special biscuits and bread to cakes and puddings.

On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, voluntary fasting is not allowed as Muslims are encouraged to feast and celebrate the completion of a month of worship and abstinence from food.

In some countries, families visit graveyards to offer their respects to family members who have departed.

In some Muslim countries, Eid prayers take place outside, while in others it is hosted in mosques or large halls [File

What are common Eid greetings?

The most popular greeting is "Eid Mubarak" (Blessed Eid) or "Eid sa'id" (Happy Eid).

Eid greetings also vary depending on the country and the language.

In Malaysia it is greeted as "Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin".

But in Indonesia, Eid is called Lebaran, so Indonesians would say, "Selamat Lebaran", which means Happy Eid. Other variations of Happy Eid are "Mutlu Bayramlar" in Turkish and "Barka da Sallah" in Hausa, a Nigerian language.

What are other traditions associated with Eid?

Each country has a set of customs associated with Eid. 

Generally, Muslims prepare for Eid prayer by taking a shower and dressing in new clothes.

With clothes being an important marker of Eid, some people wear traditional clothes from their culture, while others pick out something new to wear. 

Muslims are also encouraged to eat something sweet, usually dates, before heading to the Eid prayers.

On their way to the prayer, traditionally held in an open area, Muslims recite takbeerat, praising God by saying "Allahu Akbar", meaning God is great.

Following the prayer, family elders distribute cash or gifts to the children.

What do people eat for Eid? (SOURCE: AL JAZEERA)

Renewing Faith through Fear and Hope

Texts from the Quran:

• The hope of the believers which is accompanied with good deeds; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those hope (i.e., expect) the mercy of Allah.} [Quran, 2: 218] They believed, gave up their homes, migrated to strange countries, fought for the sake of Allah The Almighty, sacrificed, suffered the perils of war, and put up with the hunger, thirst and exhaustion that accompany Jihad (struggle). Such people can rightly hope for the mercy of Allah The Almighty and for His Paradise.

• Hope for the forgiveness of sins; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [i.e., by sinning] do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins [i.e., for those who repent and correct themselves].’} [Quran, 39: 53] Regardless of how many sins one has committed, minor or major, one should never despair of the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty.

• Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, “To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?” Say, “To Allah.” He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] do not believe.} [Quran, 6: 12] Imam ibn Jareer At-Tabari  commented on this verse saying, “Allah has decreed that He will be merciful with His slaves, but how was His mercy expressed? He did not punish them although they deserved it (due to their sins); rather He delayed and accepted their repentance, which made them have hope.”

• Hope even applies to worldly matters, like hoping for wealth, children, a wife, a job, finding what is lost, and so on. Prophet Ya’qoob  taught his children to have hope in finding their lost brother Yusuf : {O my sons, go and find out about Yoosuf and his brother and do not despair [i.e., lose hope] of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.} [Quran, 12: 87]

Texts from the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition):

• Anas bin Malik  reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allah the Exalted has said: `O son of Adam! I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, regardless of the sins you have committed. O son of Aadam! I do not care if your sins reach the height of the heaven; if you then ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Aadam! if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, but meet Me associating nothing with Me, I would match it with an earth load of forgiveness.'” [At-Tirmithi]

• On the deathbed, people have two different sensations, fear or hope. One must always train himself to have good expectations of his Lord, because Allah The Almighty will treat a person according to his expectations. The Prophet, sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, advised three days before his death: "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations of Allah." [Muslim] Thus, we are encouraged have hope at the time of our deaths. This is why some of our Salaf (righteous predecessors) would command their children to recite the verses from the Quran that mention the mercy of Allah The Almighty whilst they were on their deathbed, in order to have good expectations of their Lord before dying.

• The Prophet, sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “A believer will be brought close to his Lord on the Day of Resurrection and (He will) envelop him in His Mercy, He will make him confess to his sins saying: `Do you remember (doing) this sin and that sin?' He will reply, ‘My Lord, I remember.’ Then He will say: ‘I covered it up for you in the worldly life, and I forgive you for it today.’ Then the record of his good deeds will be handed to him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “He who loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah abhors to meet him.” [Muslim]

Thus, one should combine fear of and hope in Allah The Almighty. - islamweb.net

DESIGNED TO DISCOVER

"But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.  Would anyone trust in the convictions of a monkey's mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?"[1]

This is an excerpt from a letter written in 1881 by Charles Darwin.  What troubled him was the notion of trusting the human mind; if we evolved from lower life forms; if we can be reduced down to random, non-rational physical processes, how can our minds be rational?

Indeed, questions such as, "Can we trust our minds?", "Can we reason to the truth?", and, "Why and how have we acquired the ability to understand the universe?" have captured the minds of great thinkers throughout the ages.  Our minds are truly fascinating; we have mental faculties which outshine all other creatures, and we seem to have cognitive abilities which surpass the requirements of natural selection.

Natural selection is not concerned with truth value but rather survival value.  Both true, as well as false beliefs, can adequately result in survival.  Take this as an analogy: John and Mark are asked to run across a busy highway blindfolded.  John’s cognitive faculties are functioning perfectly; when he is asked to do this, he reasons to the conclusion that this would be extremely dangerous and declines the offer.  On the other hand, Mark’s cognitive faculties are impaired, which result in him believing that there is no traffic.  At the same time, he holds the belief that someone has just glued his feet to the ground, which results in him not running across the road.  This simple example illustrates that survival is not contingent on truth.

It isn't only our minds which are amazing, we also live in a rational universe.

Again, if everything was simply a by-product of non-rational, blind, random physical processes, how have we ended up with a rationally ineligible universe? A universe governed by distinctive laws and one which is mathematically coherent.  Many have been mesmerized by the rational nature and order of the universe; this is captured in the statement of Einstein, when he said, "What is inconceivable about the universe is that it is at all conceivable."[2]  We live in an ordered rational universe! Order does not come from disorder; we wouldn't expect scrabble pieces thrown into the air at random to land spelling a concise sentence.  Rationality does not come from non-rationality; believing such a thing would be absurd.  It would be the equivalent of claiming that something could arise from nothing.

As a race, humans have progressed in leaps and bounds in the sciences, yet the two fundamental requirements to do science—a rational mind and a rational universe—have gone unaccounted for.  Having one without the other would render science non-existent.  Both need to work uniquely together in a complementary way to make science possible.  An analogy which comes to mind is of a lock and a key: the rational mind being the key which has the potential to unlock the rational universe.

Here arises another problem for atheism: how is it that we have a mind which can comprehend the order and rationality of the universe? Keys do not just fit locks by chance, they are designed to fit.  This makes sense of God’s existence.  If rationality cannot come from non-rationality, and since we cannot trust our minds if they are just a result of blind, non-rational forces, then what best explains the fact that we do trust our minds and that rationality can only come from rationality? An All-Knowing and All-Wise being (God) that created the universe with the ability for sentient beings to have rational faculties is the best explanation for this.

In the Quran, seldom does God engage humanity in attempting to prove His existence.  Instead, He takes us from His existence, which is self-evidently true, to His worship.  One way God does this is by directing us towards His creation; encouraging us to look into creation wherein lie His signs.  It is through pondering and reflecting over these signs that we can appreciate His majesty and creative power, which naturally leads us to knowing and affirming that He deserves to be worshipped.

God says in the Quran, "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding." (Quran 3:190) We can draw a beautiful conclusion from this: God gave us a rational mind and a rational universe so we can reflect over this creation and through this, fulfil our purpose which is to worship God: the One who made us and gave us everything.  Indeed, the One who made everything and gave us everything deserves to be worshipped. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Darwin, C.  R.  to Graham, William.  3 July 1881.

[2]Santillana, Giorgio de and Hertha von Dechend.  Hamlet's Mill: an Essay on Myth and the Frame of Time.  Boston: Godine, 1977.