The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1 · Richard Francis Burton translation

Note 387
TALE OF NUR AL-DIN AND HIS SON.

Anonymous

i.e. he was a "Háfiz," one who commits to memory the whole of the Koran. It is a serious task and must be begun early. I learnt by rote the last "Juzw" (or thirtieth part) and found that quite enough. This is the vulgar use of "Hafiz": technically and theologically it means the third order of Traditionists (the total being five) who know by heart 300,000 traditions of the Prophet with their ascriptions. A curious "spiritualist" book calls itself "Hafed, Prince of Persia," proving by the very title that the Spirits are equally ignorant of Arabic and Persian.

ITS PLACE IN THE BOOK

…n politeness and good manners. So the tutor made the boy read and retain all varieties of useful knowledge, after he had spent some years in learning the Koran by heart; [FN#387] and he ceased not to grow in beauty and stature and symmetry, even as saith the poet:—

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Note 387TALE OF NUR AL-DIN AND HIS SON.

Note 387
TALE OF NUR AL-DIN AND HIS SON.