their usual occupations; Muhammed, as be | tion; and, as Johannes von Müller well obfore, spending his time in commercial pursuits | serves, “'this expectation which the Jews and military exercises ; and on account of his | still entertained of the future coming of a detall figure and graceful deportment, he was || liverer and prophet, operated powerfully on considered the finest and handsomest man in the mind and imagination of Muhammed.” Arabia. When he was twenty years of age, a || In the service of his mistress Muhammed feud broke out between the tribe of Coreish undertook other journeys to far more distant and the two tribes of Kenan (the Rechabites) countries throughout Arabia and the Persian. and Hawazan. Under the orders of Abu Taleb, Gulf'; crossed the Euphrates, and stood on Muhammed had the command of a small body | the ruins of Babylon; visited Mesopotamia of cavalry; and he distinguished himself so || and the frontier cities of Persia; but he no much by his courage and intrepidity, as well | longer travelled as a mere commercial agent, as by his judicious arrangements, that by but faithful to his imaginary high calling, hé the unanimous voice of his allies, as well as | tried to enrich his mind and intellect by vahis opponents, the victory was ascribed to rious sciences; wherever he came he tried to the valour of Muhammed. The victory was make himself acquainted with the state of the gained the battle won--and the war ended. country with the laws and character of the Abu Taleb and the house of Hasham were || natives, -and especially the different relimuch gratified with the military glory of || gions, and the never-ceasing divisions wherMuhammed ; there was no one in Mecca so || ever he came, were the chief object of his beautiful in figure, so lovely in words, so || attention, Burning with a desire of knowvaliant in battle, as the son of Abd Ullah, the || ledge, he associated with every one of whom nephew of Abu Taleb.

he believed he could learn something. SomeOther circumstances also combined to raise | times he frequented the company of Sabeans, the reputation of Muhammed. Long before the disciples of John the Baptist and of Zoroasthe time of Muhammed, the Caaba of Mecca ter; Christians, and Christian Gnostics; Mahad been constituted the great sanctuary of | ronites, Valentinians, Nestorians, Eutychians, Arabian worship. It was a simple chapel of Rechabites, Manichæans, and other heretics; pagan pilgrimage, which contained the black || but towards the Jews he felt at last a destone, the object of the religious devotion of || cided aversion; he considered them as the the Arabs from a very ancient period. The greatest enemies of the human race. Still idolatrous worship of such conical blocks of | amidst all his investigations, he forgot not stone was by no means unknown to the way. || the business for which he was sent; he enward genius of ancient polytheism. We meet || tered into commercial alliances in behalf of with a similar form of idolatry in the mytho Khadijah; and if Jannabee and Abulfeda are logy of the Hindoos, with regard to the stone to be credited, not only Euphrosyne and called Salkram, embellished by the peculiar || Thalia, but angels themselves, were continufancy of that people; and instances of a like | ally busy in bringing about the union of kind were to be found in the worship which this lovely pair, Muhammed and Khadijah. the neighbouring people of Syria paid to One day, as Khadijah was walking with her Belus. These stones, which are frequently || companions on the terrace of her house, she mentioned by ancient historians as having saw, to her great surprise, her lover returning fallen from heaven, may probably have given | from his journey, and a host of angels surrise to this peculiar species of idolatry. But rounding him, and sheltering his head from to return to the Caabă of Mecca. When the the heat of the sun with their wings. So Khatribe of Coreish began to rebuild this temple, || dijah sent one of her slave-girls after him, they were at a loss to know how the sacred || requesting him to become her husband ; and black stone should be fixed in the wall, and she bestowed her hand on him when his whole what hand should touch the consecrated ob property consisted of five camels, and an ject, when, unexpectedly, the lot fell to young Ethiopian maid-servant. A splendid feast Muhammed; for this reason we may well was given at the wedding, to which all the suppose that this ancient seat of Arabian wor inhabitants of Mecca were invited. Perfumes ship, the Caaba of Mecca, produced one of and frankincense of the most exquisite kinds those youthful impressions that determined from Oman and Aden spread their fragrance the future destiny of the Arabian Cromwell. | through the hall where the guests were seated, He received from this moment the name of the rarest fruits and grapes of Tayif sparkled Alameen, the trustworthy. Khadijah, a rich | on the table; Muhammed sat among the party widow, took him into her service: on behalf with stately dignity, and the young maidens of his mistress he returned to Syria, came of Khadijah, beautiful like the sun, and fair as again to Bosra, and renewed his acquaintance || the moon, danced while the guests were at with Baheera. Baheera, in unison with Ser- || table, to the sound of the timbrel and Arab gius, made him acquainted with the contents of tambour. Twenty-four years Muhammed ancient books; and Solomon the Jew spoke and Khadijah lived together contented and to him of the expectations of the Jewish na- ) happy, blessed with four sons and four daughters, but none of the sons lived inore than || absolved from his oath, but also permitted to one year : the daughters grew up; their names || punish his wife for having censured him. were, Fatima, Zaima, Rukaya, and Um Khal But to return to the history: Muhammed toon. He lived fifteen years pursuing his public | now, like Napoleon, began to think the pear functions with great conscientiousness, treat was ripe. He returned to Khadijah, and ing his subjects with great mildness, and was announced to her his first interview with Gaa tender husband-his morality without re- || briel. She at once declared herself his convert. proach, his outward conduct without blame. | Muhammed declared that Khadijah was one of

He continued for some time his commercial || the four perfect women of the world, viz. 1. pursuits, which led him to the sea-coast to the || Asia, Pharaoh's wife; 2. Mary, Muhammed's west of Arabia, when suddenly he lost at once || slave-girl ; 3. Khadijah, his wife; 4. Fatima, all desire to travel, loved retirement more || his daughter. Khadijah made known the apand more, tried to escape the tumult of so- || pointment of her husband as prophet to her ciety, and at last retired he during part of relations; first to her uncle Waraka, first a every year to a cave, distant three hours' jour Jew, and the first translator of the Bible into ney from Mecca, which is situated in the Arabic, afterwards a Christian, and then an mountain called Abok Beis, in order to give idolater. He became at once a proselyte of himself up to contemplation and converse Muhammed, and declared him to be he that with Ullah. In his fortieth year he spent six || was predicted by Moses (Deut. xviii.). Ali, months uninterruptedly in this cave; when || Abu Taleb's son, a boy of eleven years of he came forth, he declared himself, first of | age, also became a believer in the divine all to his faithful Khadijah and his children, || mission, for which Muhammed married him as the long-desired highest Apostle, pre to one of his favourite slave-girls; and a yet dicted on Sinai by Moses and the prophets, more important acquisition he had in the the Rasool Ullah.

accession of Abd Ullah, who afterwards reIt was in the night-time of the 23d and ceived the name of Abu Bekr, the father of the 24th of the month of Ramadan, called in the || virgin, as Muhammed married his daughter. Koran the night of the divine decree, that Abu Bekr, a man of great weight, thirtyMuhammed pretended he had heard a voice | four years of age, engaged other men of auupon the mountain of Abok Beis; when he || thority to embrace the new doctrines of Mudescended the mountain, a heavenly light sud- || hammed. However, the prophet confined himdenly illuminated the country around, and | self first of all to his nearest relations and the Koran, the only true and last revelation of acquaintance, to whom he preached someGod to men, perfect and complete descended times in eloquent prose, at others in enchantfrom heaven. The bearer was the angel Ga- || ing verses, the chief dogmas of his religion ; briel; but as Muhammed was not able to en and in three years he had made about forty dure the sight of his transcendent splendour, || converts, among whom were men of the highhe besought the angel in future to appear to est importance. him in the form of a common man, to which || The angel Gabriel was again called upon wish the angel acceded. Muhammed excused for his assistance; and he commanded him no himself (Sura 96) that he was not able to read ; || longer to preach merely in private, but pubbut the angel Gabriel taught him in an instant || licly, from the house-tops, to proclaim his so well, that he was able to read as fluently as doctrine and message to the whole nation. the most learned man in Arabia; and he was He made the attempt among his own tribe hailed by the angel as the highest prophet of of Hasham, whom he invited to a frugal dinGod. The angel took the Koran back with || ner; after the repast was over, he offered to him to heaven, but gare Muhammed the as them uninterrupted happiness in this life, as surance, that he would from time to time, as well as in eternity, by embracing his doctrine. the occasion arose, give him portions of it di- | The guests looked at him with much astonishvided into chapters..

ment, believing him to be mad. Muhammed · In this we see plainly the cunning of the threatened them with eternal hell-fire, which man; for whenever his self-interest required inflamed Abu Lahab, one of his uncles, with it, he ordered Gabriel to bring him a revela. such fury, that he cast a stone at him ; when tion, by which he always contrived to palli | Ali interfered, and declared that he would ate his most inconsistent conduct; for though knock out the teeth, tear out the eyes, tear he in the Koran had fixed the number of the entrails, and break the bones of every one wives to four at the same time, he himself of those who dared to resist the prophet. Muafter Khadijah's death was allowed by the angel hammed was so rejoiced at the emphatic con- · Gabriel, in the name of the Highest, to take fession of Ali, that he embraced him as a broseventeen wives, besides many slaves. And ther; but when he went so far as to nominate when his wife Hafza had convicted him of Ali, who at that time was fourteen, as his khaimproper conduct, for which he had sworn leef, whom every one was to obey, all the her satisfaction, the angel Gabriel brought I guests burst out into a fit of laughter. The bad him the 66th Sura, in which he was not only || success of this first attempt was far from dis

couraging Muhammed. Under the protec conspiracy was reported to Abu Taleb; Mution of Abu Taleb, who though not a convert | hammed and the family of Hasham were sent himself, still favoured his nephew's enterprise, || for; they immediately fortified themselves in Muhammed appeared as a prophet before the a country-house of Abu Taleb, two miles dispeople, and announced his doctrine by the tant froin Mecca. When the Coreish saw that name of Islaam, which conveys the idea of their conspiracy was discovered, they openly blind unconditional obedience to his dogmas. proscribed and excommunicated Muhammed The more resistance he encountered, the more and his whole family and followers. They he pressed forward. The noble tribe of Co | marched against him; but they were not able reish attempted to crush it in its infancy; but to succeed; he was already too powerful. They in vain. Muhammed, however, too weak to || attempted to starve him by cutting off the wells resist openly, advised his followers to fly from || and provisions; but he had already too many Mecca. Eighty-three of them with their friends; and it is interesting to know that the wives and children took shelter under the present Arabs try to expound the following pasAbyssinian king; but Muhammed remained sage of Isaiah xxi. 13-15 as a prediction of this at Mecca under the protection of his uncle. || flight of Muhammed: the passage runs thus : The principal men of the Coreish went to || “The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Abu Taleb and said, “Thy nephew reviles our | Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling compareligion and sage ancestors, accusing them of nies of Dedanim. The inhabitants of the land of ignorance and infidelity, makes dissensions Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, and preaches rebellion. Impose silence on they prevented with their bread him that Aed. him; if not, we take up the sword against him For they fled from the swords, from the drawn and his followers. The noble blood of citi- || sword, and from the bent bow, and from the zens shall flow, and be upon thy head.” Abu grievousness of war.” In his fortress he reTaleb sent for his nephew, and exhorted him ceived the following chapter of the Koran from to desist from his enterprise. Muhammed || the angel Gabriel ; it contains an anathema replied, “Even if they were to place the sun || against his uncle Abu Lahab: to my right hand, and the moon to the left, I « In the name of the most merciful God. they shall not bring me back from the road | “The hands of Abu Lahab shall perish, and I have taken." However, when the Coreish | he shall perish. His riches shall not profit made an attempt upon his life, he took an him, neither that which he has gained. He asylum in a fortified house upon the hill Zaffa, shall go down to be burned into Haming fire : near Mecca, defended by thirty-nine followers. and his wife also, bearing wood, having on her He scarcely had remained there one month, neck a cord of twisted fibres of a palm-tree.” when his party gained the important acquisi They fought for three years with mutual tion of two extraordinary men of high autho- | success and defeat; but during the four holy rity-that of Hamsa, the prophet's uncle, and months, when the Arabs were obliged to obthe heroic and highly respected Omar. Pro serve a strict armistice, and in which it was tected by these two men and their followers, not allowed to employ either sword or lance, Muhammed left his dwelling place upon Muhammed went forth from his fortress, and Zaffa, and with an armed escort he approached proclaimed himself to the people and to the the Caaba, and boldly preached his doctrine pilgrims journeying towards Mecca as the proin the open market-places of Mecca.

phet of God--and the Rasool Ullah--the amThe Coreish challenged him to perform a bassador of the Highest. The persecutions miracle. His answers were short; he replied, he underwent by his opponents gave to his on one occasion, “ that he was commissioned enthusiasm a higher flight. He spoke like to be a preacher only, and not a worker of mi- | one inspired from on high-every sentence racles. Verily, God will lead into error whom which he uttered fell upon the heads of he pleases, and will direct unto himself him his enemies like a clap of thunder-great who repenteth, and those who believe, and || mumbers were added to his party, among whose hearts rest securely in the meditation them the most distinguished citizens of Meof God !” At another time he replied, that dinah. In this emergency of the state --at God, out of his mercy, would not perform this critical moment, when the downfal and the miracles; for it would only redound to the total overthrow of the constitution of Mecca greater condemnation of the infidels, who, was to be apprehended — the Arabs chose after all, would not believe.

Habib, one of their mighty princes, who had The patience of the Coreish was exhausted : || 20,000 cavalry under his command, as arbiter they assembled at an appointed day in the between them and the Hashamites. Habib valley of Mina, in the plain of Muhazzib, in || was a venerable man, one hundred years of order to consult. The result of their consul age, a Jew in his youth, after this a Sabean, tation was, not to lay down their arms until || and then a Christian, but celebrated in Yemen they had exterminated the declared enemy of || for his love of justice and wisdom. He underthe state, with all his whole family, either by || took willingly the office of arbiter, and enthe sword, dagger, or poison. This mighty || camped with 3000 horse in the plain of Mu

اله الا الله ولا

hazzeb. Muhammed, though urged by his when Muhammed slept in the valley between uncle Abu Taleb, did not dare for a long while Saffa and Merva, suddenly he was disturbed to appear in the plain, until he was prevailed in his sleep by a voice-“ Man who sleepest, upon by Khadijah and Abu Bekr. He ap awake !” When he opened his eyes he saw peared before the judgment-seat of Habib; | Gabriel standing before him in his true figure, but here Muhammed knew how to state his enwrapped in rays of light, having round his case with such presence of mind, with such forehead a royal tiara, upon which were writeloquence, that he was honourably acquitted ten with flaming strokes the words: by Habib, and even taken under his powerful protection. Habib observed to those around

tog & bim, “ Nothing will be able to stem this mighty torrent: he shall succeed, and idola

“THERE IS GOD, AND NOTHING BUT GOD, try shall be crushed !” Tranquillity was re AND MUHAMMED THE PROPHET OF GOD!" stored thus at Mecca, but only for a short time. The angel announced to him that the High

Muhammed made use of the short period | est had called his Prophet to converse with of the armistice to get the sentence of ex him. A horse, saddled and bridled, called communication recalled, which had been pro Al-Barak (the Lightning-horse), stood near nounced by the Coreish against the Hasham- || the angel, which had the head of a horse, the ites, and which excommunication had been face of a man, two wings like an eagle, his deposited in the Caaba. He sent word to the colour grey mixed with white, but resplenfamily of Coreish, that God had revealed to | dent like the stars when illuminated with the him that a worm had been sent by Him into light of the sun. The horse kicked, and when the Caaba, in order to gnaw through the docu- | Gabriel reminded it that it stood before ment of excommunication, deposited in the Muhammed the prophet, it was of no use until ark, except that spot where the name of God Muhammed himself promised that a good was written. The family of Coreish examined stable in paradise should be provided for its the document; and, on finding this to be the comfort ; and then it was calm and resigned. case, they annulled it altogether.

Gabriel took hold of the bridle, and, with the But the tenth year of his mission was a time swiftness of human thought, they arrived at of mourning to Muhammed. His uncle Abu Jerusalem, where at the gate of the temple, Taleb and his wife Khadijah died; and the a multitude of patriarchs and prophets were

atest enemy of his family, Abu Suffian of standing, desiring his intercession and blessthe tribe of Ummia, succeeded to Abu Talebing, and wished him a happy journey. Barak in the government of Mecca; many of his was bound to a rock; and Muhammed ascendfollowers from fear left the prophet; so that led with Gabriel, upon a ladder, up towards he undertook, in the company of his faithful | heaven. For a few moments they stood before disciple Sayd, a journey to Tayef, thirty miles | the gates of the heavenly realm. The porter, eastward from Mecca, where he received but | on being informed that Gabriel and Mua cold reception, and was banished from the || hammed were outside, immediately opened city as a madman. Resistance and obstacles the gate; when an old man came to meet the incited the more the audacity and courage of prophet, bowed with deep humility, and reMuhammed. He returned again to Mecca; || commended himself to the prayer of Muhamand without taking the least notice of Abu med. That old man was none else but Adam, Suffian's threatenings, he preached from the | the father of the human race. house-tops to the swarm of pilgrims, and The journey went to the second, third, fourth, made hosts of proselytes, and gained over to fifth, and seventh heaven. The first was of his doctrine six of the most respectable citi- || silver lined with jewels, the second of gold, zens of Medinah, of the noble tribe of Khas | the third of transparent diamonds, another redj and Aus, allied with the Jewish tribe vaulted entirely with the odour of roses and of Keraidha and Nadir, who had the greatest flowers; but the seventh consisted of nothing influence in Medina, and throughout the Ara- || but splendour and divine light. He conbian republic. These six citizens swore alle versed with Abraham in the seventh heaven; giance to Muhammed, and bound themselves and there he observed two angels continually with an oath never to forsake him, and to bear occupied with writing the names of men, and witness of his divine message to the family of erasing others. In the seventh heaven the Aus, and before all the rest of the tribes. angel Gabriel left him; and he alone continued

The fanaticism of these six citizens laid the his journey to the throne of God. When he apfirst foundation of the worldly grandeur of proached his footstool, he read the inscription Muhammed ; and his supremacy gave to the -"God, and nothing but God.” God laid his history of the world a new direction.

hands upon Muhammed's breast and shoulder; Till now, Gabriel only was the person who God revealed to his prophet deep mysteries; initiated him as a prophet; but in the twelfth and he received a great many prerogatives year of his mission he claimed a higher call. On from God, the knowledge of languages, and the night of the 20th of the month of Rajab, || the privilege of retaining for his own private use the spoils in battle, and an order from “ Ullah ! God!" Muhammed replied. God to make his followers pray fifty times, They hid themselves in a cave in the mounwhich, however, at his instant intercession, || tain of Tur. The tribe of Coreish came near was reduced to five times a day. He return- | the cave, but did not observe them. After ed, accompanied by Gabriel, to Jerusalem ; || three days they left the cave. Abu Bekr he mounted his horse Al-Barak, and was in || procured two camels and a guide, whose name the twinkling of an eye again in the plain be was Abd Ullah, an idolater, and thus entered tween Saffa and Merva, one mile from Mecca. upon their journey to Medinah. But suddenly The whole journey, to which, according to the they were overtaken by Soraka, one of the Arab calculation, 11,000 years were required, Il Coreish cavalry, who ran with his lance upon he had accomplished in less than one hour. || them, when his horse took fright, and threw Gabriel then took leave of him, and Al-Barak || him off, which gave Muhammed and Abu Bekr the horse reminded Muhammed most humbly || time to escape, and they arrived safely at Meof his promise to provide a comfortable stable || dinah. for him in paradise. But even his friends | This flight, called the Hejra, 622 A.C., was begged him not to speak openly about his || the beginning of a new era. Had it not been journey to heaven, as he only would expose for that flight to Medinah, Muhammed would himself to ridiculé. However, Muhammed | have failed in his whole attempt, and the face openly proclaimed it; and Abu Bekr, his of the world would have been changed-the friend, confirmed it; but the family of Coreish | Koran would have been forgotten soon after again declared that he either must be mad or his death. an impostor ; but he was more successful at The nocturnal interview of the seventy-two Medinah, where that story was not only be- || ambassadors from Medinah, upon the heights lieved, but embellished by its inhabitants. of Akaba, prepared for Muhammed the cradle With the assistance of his disciple Mozab, the Il of his worldly power; but now he was not greater part of Medinah was converted to him. only invested with the prophetic office, but Seventy-two men and women were sent to also with the royal robe. He was not able to Mecca from Medinah to declare the submis resist the tempter, when he proposed to him sion of Medinah to Muhammed, and to pay || all the kingdoms of the earth. him homage, and promised Muhammed, after After a fatiguing journey of twelve days a secret conversation with him, to assist him || along the sea-coast, he at last arrived near in war, defensive and offensive. He nominated Medinah, and made, on a Friday, his solemn immediately twelve chiefs, whom he endowed | and pompous entrance, met by five hundred with ecclesiastical and temporal power. Before citizens, and all the fugitives who preceded they returned, the ambassadors asked hin,- || him. Muhammed sat upon a she-camel, and “After thy native place shall have acknow- || an umbrella of palm - leaves sheltered him ledged thy virtues and thy merits, wilt thou | against the sun. Abu Bekr rode at his side; then forsake us ?” “ All,” he said, in a smil 1) and before him Boreida, with a flag in his ing manner, “is now common among us; your hand. Thousands saluted the prophet in the blood is my blood ; your happiness my hap street, and from the windows of their houses. piness; your misfortune my misfortune. The He was received with shouts of jubilee and bonds of religion have united us together for joy. Thousands desired him to be their guest; ever; yea, the bonds of honour and general ll but Abu Tayeb, of the tribe of Aus, had the interest. I am your friend, and for ever the | honour of welcoming the prophet as his guest, enemy of your enemies !”

under his roof. They replied, “ If we should fall in thy A few days after his arrival he laid the service, what shall be our reward ?”.

foundation for a mosque and a house for himHe replied, “ Paradise !"

self and his family. Both buildings were built “ Muhammed! Shake hands !”

in less than eleven months; for paradise was He gave his hand as a pledge; and the union the reward promised to the builders. He now was made for ever. And from that time Islam || began to exercise the functions of high priest was the ruling and universal religion of the and king; heinstituted public prayers, preached inhabitants of Medinah.

daily under a palm-tree, appointed the times of This union produced general consternation fasts and ablutions—magi, idolators, Persians, among the tribe of Coreish. They determined || and Jews came daily to Medinah to pay hoto murder Muhammed, who had scattered || mage to the prophet-he made every reform he about his followers; but was saved by his | pleased in the state: as often as he wished to nephew Ali. Muhammed took shelter with promote his own interest, the angel Gabriel Abu Bekr. Both of them escaped. Abu Bekr | was to give him an express order for it. At was pressed down with gloomy thoughts. || last he held a public court, nominated civil

" Why art thou cast down?” Muhammed | and military officers, and ordered every Mua asked him; “ dost thou not know that we are sulman to take up the sword, or pay a contrinot alone ?"

bution for the expense of the war, at the first or Who is with us?” Abu Bekr asked. | summons of the apostle; and every war de