Mahound and Mahoun are variant forms of the name Muhammad, often found in Medieval and later European literature. The name has been used in the past by Christian writers to vilify Muhammad. It was especially connected to the depiction of a Muhammad as a god worshipped by pagans, or a demon who inspires a false religion. Annemarie Schimmel, ''Islam: An Introduction'', 1992. William Montgomery Watt,''Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman'', Oxford University Press, 1961, p. 229

Pejorative connotations

The perception that Muslims worshipped Muhammad was common in the Middle Ages. According to Bernard Lewis, the "development of the concept of Mahound started with considering Muhammad as a kind of demon or false god worshipped with

Apollyon The Hebrew term Abaddon ( he, אֲבַדּוֹן ''’Ăḇaddōn'', meaning "destruction", "doom"), and its Greek equivalent Apollyon ( grc-koi, Ἀπολλύων, ''Apollúōn'' meaning "Destroyer") appear in the Bible as both a place of de ...

and Termagant in an unholy trinity in '' The Song of Roland''. Finally, after the Reformation, Muhammad was seen as a cunning and self-seeking imposter."Bernard Lewis (2002), p. 45. A similar belief was the claim that the

Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

worshipped a god called Baphomet, also widely interpreted as a variant of the name "Mahommet".

In literature

The name appears in various medieval mystery plays, in which Mahound is sometimes portrayed as a generic "pagan" god worshipped by villains such as Herod and the Pharaoh of the Exodus. One play depicts both Herod the Great and his son

Herod Antipas Herod Antipas ( el, Ἡρῴδης Ἀντίπας, ''Hērǭdēs Antipas''; born before 20 BC – died after 39 AD), was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch ("ruler of a quarter") and is referred to as both "H ...

as worshipping Mahound,N-Town Cycle">N-Town Plays, N-Town Cycle
: The Death of Judas, and the Trials of Christ Before Pilate and Herod, line 165. while in another play Pharaoh encourages the Egyptians to pursue the Israelites into the Red Sea with the words: ''Heave up your hearts ay to Mahound''. In Scottish popular culture, the variant form "Mahoun" was also used as the name of the devil, who was called Old Mahoun. Robert Burns wrote:

The Deil cam fiddlin thro' the town,
And danc'd awa wi' th'Exciseman;
And ilka wife cries auld Mahoun,
I wish you luck o' the prize, man.

G. K. Chesterton Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Of his writing style, ''Time'' observed: "Wh ...

uses "Mahound" rather than "Mohammed" in his poem ''Lepanto''. More recently, Salman Rushdie, in his novel '' The Satanic Verses'', chose the name Mahound to refer to Muhammad as he appears in one character's dreams. In reference to the Burns' poem, the novel ''Child of the Moon'' features a character named "Mahoun" who is responsible for seducing others into satanic rituals.Valinora Troy's Review o
Child of the Moon
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References

{{reflist

External links

Companion to Medieval English Literature
Ethnic and religious slurs Given names Muhammad Islam in fiction

Pejorative connotations

In literature

See also

References

External links