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considering that ‘Kaled’ is an Arabic (male) name, and that every Muslim ought tolearn Arabic because that is the language of the Qu’ran, which is deemed to be nolonger truly the Revelation of God once it has been translated out of its original form.This suggests the strong possibility that the foreign language was Arabic.Another puzzle for his servants is “Why [he] heard no music” (L 1.9.148). Music haslong been an issue of contention in Islam: many Islamic scholars have decided that itis forbidden by the Qu’ran’s injunction against idle pursuits. 366 Lara is not idle, butspends much of his time reading, as does Kaled, whose “sport [is] some foreign book”(L 1.26.548); it is particularly the singularity of the text which makes it most likely tobe a religious one, and so a very likely candidate for that book is, indeed, the Qu’ran.In his governance of his lands, when “That soil full many a wringing despot saw” (L2.8.159), Lara is marked by his philanthropy:For thence the wretched never unsoothed withdrew,For them, at least, his soul compassion knew.[…]beneath his roofThey found asylum oft, and ne’er reproof.[….]They but required a shelter, and ‘twas given.[…]With him old avarice found its hoard secure,With him contempt forbore to mock the poor[.] (L 2.8.182-3, 86-7, 199, 202-3).As is noted by Thornton, the Islamic requirement of zakat, charity, extended to theobligation of lords to commoners. 367 In The Giaour, this obligation is highlightedwith respect to Hassan’s death, in the loss to the poor of his provision for them. Thenarrator claims of Lara that “He raised the humble but to bend the proud” (L 2.9.253),366 Q.v. Sura 31:6, Sale p.400. See also Henley’s notes to Vathek, p.214:3.367 Thornton, 2.7.155-9.232