In Hindiya, diamond is him. In Greek it is adhamis and admintun 68
Al-Kindi says the word means "unbreakable". In Syriac it is called
alamyas and kayfad almas, which means the diamond stone. Its principal
characteristic is that it cannot be broken by anything and that it can
break everything. Some people are inclined to believe that zarran is the
diamond. But this is not so. The word, zarran, is derived from zar which
means to break off. This is why zarran is called zarran. Zarran is the
water of the honed steel or steel itself. The beginning of the Book of
Joshua in the Old Testament alludes to the zarran in the sword. This
would amply demonstrate that the meaning of zarran cannot be diamond.
In the verses quoted below zarran has been used with za rnn'jmah ( ).
Imr' al-Qays says:
Gravel flies off from its hooves. Its ankles are hard and pilose. The
sound of the flying gravel is like the tingling of counterfeit dirhams
in 'Abqar.69
Abu al-Hasan al-Sanawbari says:
Its hooves were hurling gravel upon the bridge, while in the clouds
lightning was flashing.
Generally, diamond is transparent. It has a little of mercury (in much
the same way) as jasmine oil is designated duhn rasasi. Al-Kindi has
compared it to the pharaonic glass. It occurs in white, olivine yellow,
green, dusty and black colours.
It is examined in the following manner. One of its corners is pressed
well into wax. It is then put out in the sun. If first redness and then the
colours of the rainbow appear, the specimen would be a fine one. This
shine is possessed by the white and yellow kinds. The people of India
for this reason esteem these two varieties as the best. It is said that they
get blessings from it. If this is true, it is dominant over the other stones
of its own genus. Their book was read out to me and it was written
therein:
One should blow his breath over the diamond until it gets warmed,
then place in a basin of saline water in which silver has been washed.
If it appears white, it is of the finer kind. It is then used for the
adornment of swords, necklaces and all other jewellery that is used
to adorn the upper part of the body. If it appears red, it should be
suitable for the jewellery worn in the middle of the body. If exhibiting yellow colour, it is suitable for use in bracelets, rings, armlets,
etc. The black kind is suitable for ornaments of the feet.
The people of India also say:
If worn contrariwise to this arrangement and if these colours are employed for the adornment of other instruments and jewels, it will
shatter with the impact of lightning.
This statement strikes a strange note. It is true that sound does affect
