Note 127 — THE BOOK OF THE MESNEVĪ

Abū-Jahl was a surname given by Muhammed to one of his most inveterate enemies of the Quraysh, killed at Badr. The word means: “Father of Ignorance,” and here indicates fleshly pride. He had formerly borne the surname of Abū-’l-Hakem, which means: Father of the Arbitrator.