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4 March 1682

Arabic signature in England 1682

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Leilasadia
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This was entered on 4 March 1682 by the then Moroccan Ambassador, Mohammed bin Hadou, who had been sent to England by the Moroccan ruler Moulay Ismail ibn Sharif. Mohammed bin Hadou arrived In England on the 29 December 1681 and left on 23 July 1682, so was about half way through his diplomatic visit when he visited Lincoln's Inn. The image below shows the entry in the Golden Book and has been roughly translated as ‘Praise be to God alone! Written by the servant of the wise, the pilgrim to God, Muhammad the son of Muhammed the son of Haddu, belonging to Sus, the Bahamwani. May God be gracious unto him! Amen’.

Contemporary sources suggest that although bin Hadou was courteous, well received and popular, his English language abilities were not very good and he had to have a secretary and translator (who were one and the same person) with him for the duration of his visit. A second signature on the same page as bin Hadou’s, which does not correspond with the translation of the name given in the Arabic signature, certainly suggests he had his secretary and translator with him when he visited the Inn. A secretary and translator would have to be able to speak and write English so it is perhaps not surprising that his signature is written in Roman script as opposed to Arabic. It is not the clearest hand, but the name possibly reads as ‘Alhash Mahamad Lacos Abençerahe’.

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Sources and Attribution

Lincoln's Inn archives, 4th March 1682

March 2016 - The Moroccan Ambassador - Lincoln's Inn (lincolnsinn.org.uk)

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