such as his family, his position in life, his dreams that, now and
again, disturbed his slumbers, and many other things. Finally, just as
the youth, after having taken leave of the saintly scholar, turned to
go away, the collar of his tunic yawned slightly and Bahira caught
sight of the "Seal of Prophecy," imprinted on the lad's back, below
the nape of the neck, on the exact spot indicated by the Sacred Texts.
Bahira's last doubts vanished--here, indeed, standing in his presence,
was the Prophet whose advent had been foretold. Therefore, the monk
went up to Abu Talib and spoke to him, saying: 'What relation is this
lad to thee?'--'He is my son.'--'No! He is no son of thine!'--'True
enough! He is not my son, but that of my brother.'--'What hath become
of thy brother?'--'He died while his wife was still pregnant with my
nephew.'--'Thou dost speak the truth. Mark then my words: lose no time
in returning to thy country with thy brother's son and watch over him
with constant vigilance. Above all, beware of Jews! If they saw him
and learnt what I have just learnt about him, by Allah! they would do
him harm, for this son of thy brother is chosen to play a great part
in the world!'
Abu Talib, much impressed by the warnings of a man whose scientific
reputation was universally recognised, made haste to finish his
business at Busra in Syria, and started back home to Makkah with his
nephew, where they arrived safe and sound.
Protected by Allah and guided by his uncle, who watched over him with
true paternal care, Mohammad grew up and became an accomplished young
man. He was extremely chaste. Abu Talib being busily engaged in
executing some repairs in the Zamzam well, several Quraish striplings,
among them being Mohammad, fetched and carried big stones fitted to
the work. So as to be more at their ease, they lifted up their _izars_
(a kind of tunic) in front, passing them over their head and rolling
them round the neck, thus protected from the sharp edges of the stones
carried on the shoulders; and all this was done without troubling
about the fact that they were showing their nakedness. Mohammad was
obliged to imitate them; but so soon as he felt his nakedness exposed
to every eye, he was seized with a fit of atrocious anguish; great
drops of sweat stood out on his brow; a shudder of shame shook his
entire frame and he fainted away.
Such innate modesty, and the protection granted by Allah to his Elect,
safeguarded the young man from the excesses in which lads often fall
at the period of puberty. Among all the youths of the same age, he was
the best-looking; the most generous; the most easygoing; the most
truth-telling; the most devoted friend; and the most devoid of
debauchery, to such an extent that his fellow-citizens called him
"Al-Amin," which means: "The Reliable Man."
[Sidenote: THE SECOND SYRIAN VOYAGE (_A.D. 594_)]
Like Abu Talib, most of the men of Makkah were obliged, to eke out a
living, to traffic with Syria and the Yaman.
Their town, situated in one of the most frightfully barren countries
of the world, offered no resources and its citizens only made both
ends meet by dint of trading with these two countries between which it
served as a link.
Its caravans crawled to the Yaman to procure raw materials from that
region, known as Arabia Felix; and also products brought from
overseas, imported from Ethiopia, India and even far China. The camels
came laden with fragrant spices, sweet-smelling incense, ivory, gold
dust, silks and many other articles of luxury. Arriving in the Hijaz,
they added dates from Yasrib or Taif. Then they wended their way into
Syria, to exchange these goods for agricultural produce, such as
grain, wheat, barley, rice, figs and raisins, as well as for imports
of Greek and Roman civilisation.
Even women carried on this kind of trade, confiding their goods to
those who organised caravans. These female traffickers sold the
merchandise in return for a share of the profits.
Khadijah bint Khuaild, a rich and noble widow, at the head of a
thriving enterprise of this kind, hearing that everybody was unanimous
in extolling Mohammad's well-merited reputation for prudence and
probity, thought it would be well to entrust him with the direction of
her commerce. She sent for him and, as a beginning, proposed that he
should take charge of a caravan she was despatching to Syria and
offered a salary twice as large as she was generally in the habit of
paying.
Mohammad accepted; but Abu Talib, calling to mind what the monk Bahira
had told him, grew uneasy when the camels were ready to start. He
spoke privately to each of the caravaneers, urging them to watch over
his nephew, and making them responsible for any harm that might come
to him. It was with Maisarah, a slave, Khadijah's right-hand man, that
Abu Talib was most solemn in his warnings. About to travel with
Mohammad, Maisarah, a good servant, simple-minded and devoted, already
greatly impressed by the confidential observations of such a prominent
citizen as Abu Talib, fell under the sway of the charm and influence
exercised by his young master over all who approached him. Maisarah
felt great liking and boundless admiration for Mohammad.
In every incident of the journey, Maisarah noted miraculous tokens,
proving the superhuman disposition of the man he served, and indeed,
certain events showed that the slave guessed aright. The road he had
so often travelled, knowing all its fatigue and danger; the
interminable tracks where the inexorable orb of day dried up the
water-skins and gave the mortals who went that way a foretaste of the
flames of Jahannam; the paths marked out by the bones of men and
animals that had succumbed to pitiless thirst, were passed as easily
as if they had been enchanted.
Every day, at the hour when the sun, rising high over the heads of the
travellers, threatened them with its deadly, blazing rays, light
clouds, like the feathers of a bird, floated in the azure sky. They
increased and met; then they were stretched out in long lines
resembling the beam-feathers of enormous wings, opened to protect
Mohammad beneath their shade. When the sun, losing its formidable
power, began to sink gradually below the horizon, the feathers of
these clouds dropped away one by one, vanishing in the last golden
rays that the incandescent orb threw out through space before
disappearing. The protecting wings, now useless, closed, making room
for the stars which sparkle nowhere in the world so brilliantly as
over deserts. Even the camels seemed overjoyed; they doubled the
stride of their great long legs and the path seems to fold itself
backwards as they advance. No dead body of any of them was added to
the sinister skeletons left behind by previous caravans.
Once only during the whole journey, a couple of Khadijah's camels
showed signs of exhaustion and lagged behind the convoy. Despite the
insults and blows showered on them, Maisarah failed to bring them in
line with the others. The two wretched beasts were completely bathed
in sweat, a certain sign that they would soon fall, never to rise
again. Maisarah, devoted to his mistress's interests, was extremely
perplexed. He did not want to forsake his tired camels; but on the
other hand, he had not forgotten Abu Talib's pressing recommendations
concerning the young man then leading the caravan, so the slave ran to
apprise him of what was taking place.
Mohammad halted and came back with Maisarah to see the pair of camels
who were lying down, uttering painful, pitiful groans each time an
effort was made to make them get up. He leant over them and, with his
blessed hands, touched their feet hacked by the sharp pebbles of the
Hammadah, and the poor beasts that had not even stirred under the
lash, suddenly rose to their feet and with enormous strides, grunting
joyously, caught up with the leaders of the caravan.
Good luck lasted when the caravan reached Busra, in Syria. Mohammad
sold out all the goods he brought with unexpected profit, and found,
at extraordinarily advantageous rates, what he had come to get,
without even having to undergo the horrors of never-ending haggling,
according to Oriental custom.
He awakened the sympathy and interest of everyone by his winning ways,
frankness and honesty; but above all, by that mysterious radiance
emanating from Predestinated Beings; which the old masters interpreted
by a golden aureola, called magnetism by the scientists of the present
day, because they lack the power of explaining its nature.
In this region, where enthusiasm for questions of religion ran high;
where every hill is topped by a monastery and where every stone calls
up the remembrance of a Prophet, this young traveller, before whom
Nature itself seemed to bow down, excited in the highest degree the
curiosity of all these monks. They were renowned for researches in
sacred texts and lived in hopes of the coming of a new Apostle of
Allah. All flocked to put questions to Maisarah, known to many among
them during previous journeys. They soon divined that he was
Mohammad's confidential slave; and a Nestorian monk, named Jordis,
predicted great things to the devoted serving-man, making the same
kind of recommendations as Bahira had made to Abu Talib.
All transactions being terminated, the caravan turned homewards, and
immediately the mysterious cloud, that seemed to be awaiting the
travellers, took its place over Mohammad's head and never ceased to
accompany him until the journey's end. On the outskirts of Makkah, at
the spot called Bathen Mou, Maisarah prevailed on Mohammad to go on
ahead of the convoy, so as to carry to Khadijah, without the least
delay, the good news of their return.
The widow was in the habit of going up with her servants to the top of
her house whence she could see the road to Syria, dipping, in a
north-easterly direction, into the ravine overlooked by the Jabal
Quayqwan. She certainly felt no anxiety concerning her goods, but
without confessing as much to herself as yet, she was fearful lest
anything harmful should happen to the man to whom she had confided
them: young Mohammad who, by his noble bearing and upright
disposition, had so deeply impressed her that his absence weighed her
down. It seemed to be never-ending.
One day, among all these weary weeks of waiting, when the sun at its
zenith was setting the town in a blaze, preventing the inhabitants
from stirring out in the streets or mounting to the housetops,
Khadijah lingered at her usual observatory. Her beautiful eyes, their
lids scorched by dint of staring searchingly into the depths of the
white-hot horizon, had just reluctantly closed, in despair at not
seeing the caravan so impatiently desired ... All of a sudden, the
house became filled with delicious, cool air; while the blinding
reverberation of sunlight on the white terraces and calcined rocks was
softened by a gauzy veil of sheltering violet shade ... Just then, the
door opened and Mohammad entered Khadijah's dwelling.
Doing his duty like a scrupulous manager, he turned in all the
accounts of his expedition, and enumerated the magnificent results
thereof. She thanked and complimented him warmly, but without being
very much astonished at his success, for she began to think he was
predestinated.
The coincidence of his arrival with that of the cloud which granted
such beneficent shade had not failed to strike her, and she divined
the obvious connection of the circumstances. 'Where is Maisarah?'
quoth she.--'With the caravan over which he watches.'--'Go back at
once and fetch him; increase the camels' speed, for great is my haste
to admire the riches thou dost bring me.'
Mohammad heard and obeyed; and the cloud, flying away from the house,
followed and accompanied him on the Syrian road. Henceforward,
Khadijah's doubts were dispelled, and her faithful slave Maisarah, who
soon arrived, confirmed her opinion. 'The cloud thou didst remark,' he
told her, 'accompanied us unceasingly from the day we left Makkah
until we returned. Ever since we went out of Busra, and enlightened by
the predictions of the learned monks of the Hauran, I am forced to
acknowledge that it was formed by the wings of two angels whose
mission was to protect my master from the sun's ardent rays.'
He then narrated all those incidents of the journey in which he could
make out miraculous tokens and Khadijah never grew tired of
questioning him.
[Illustration: _The Flocks_ 2 views]
[Sidenote: THE MARRIAGE OF MOHAMMAD AND KHADIJAH (_A.D. 595_)]
This noble, generous woman rewarded Mohammad by giving him double the
salary she had promised and thenceforward had but one idea: to get him
to take care of her entire wealth. The best way was to marry him, and
the dictates of her heart urged her to carry out her plan. There was
but one objection: the difference in their ages. Mohammad had only
just attained his twenty-fifth year, while she was close upon forty.
Nevertheless, Khadijah's age did not prevent her from being the most
marrigeable lady in all the town, not, as might be rightly thought, on
account of her riches (according to Arab customs, the husband brings
the dowry and has no right to his wife's property), but because of her
personal qualities, charming ways, distinguished manners, chastity and
aristocratic descent, Khadijah being the daughter of Khuaild bin Asad,
bin Abdul Ozza, bin Qusaiy, bin Kilab, bin Morra, bin Kab, bin Lawaiy,
bin Ghalib....
She was therefore the queen of a court of suitors trying to dazzle
her, some by the purity of their pedigrees; others by the extent of
their riches. But all in vain. Since the death of her second husband,
Abu Hala, it seemed as if she had made up her mind to end her days
without contracting a third alliance. When she met Mohammad and began
to appreciate his moral qualities, all her resolutions soon weakened
and the feelings that drew her towards him increased each day in
intensity. She determined to sound him.
Maisarah has said: "Two months and twenty days after our return from
Syria, my mistress sent me to my master and I questioned him thus: 'O
Mohammad! hast thou any reason for remaining a bachelor?'--'My hands
are empty. I do not possess the wherewithal to furnish the dowry of a
betrothed bride.'--'But if the small amount thou hast should be
considered enough by a rich, worthy and noble lady--what then?'--'To
whom dost thou allude?'--'I mean Khadijah!'--'Why joke with me? How,
with the trifle I could offer as a dowry, should I dare to seek her
presence and offer to take her in marriage?'--'Rest easy on that
score. I'll see to it.' My master's accents and looks sufficed for me
to become aware of his feelings towards my mistress. Without further
delay, I sought her out and told her what I thought. Beaming with joy,
she made all her arrangements for speedy nuptials."
At first, Khadijah had to obtain the consent of Khuaild, her father,
who so far had inexorably repulsed all suitors, as he never found any
rich or noble enough for his daughter. To gain her ends, she resorted
to trickery.
Coached by her, Mohammad made arrangements for a big feast, inviting
his uncles, Khuaild and a group of Quraish tribesmen of the highest
rank. Khuaild's weak point was a love of fermented beverages and, as
was his wont, he drank a little more than was reasonable. His daughter
seized the opportunity to speak to him thus: 'O my father? Mohammad
ben Abdullah asks me to marry him and I beg thee to bring about our
union.'
Khuaild, giddy with the fumes of wine, and seeing everything tinted
with a rosy hue, gave his consent without reflecting, and Khadijah,
immediately, following the custom prevailing at that epoch, bedewed
her betrothed with perfumes and threw a sumptuous mantle over his
shoulders.
Khuaild woke up out of his fit of drunkenness and interrogated his
daughter: 'What doth all this signify?'--'Thou knowest full well, O my
father! Thou hast just now settled my betrothal with Mohammad, son of
Abdullah.'--'Could I have done this thing: marry thee to the orphan
adopted by Abu Talib? Ah no! Never will I consent while I
live!'--'Dost desire then to dishonour thyself in the eyes of the
Quraish chiefs here this day, by confessing thou wert drunk just
now?'
She continued in this strain, until at last Khuaild, finding nothing
to say in response, was obliged to give his definite consent.
Thereupon Abu Talib made the following speech: 'Praise be to Allah who
created us, the Bani Hashem, descendants of Ibrahim (Abraham) and of
the seed of Ishmael, who did appoint us to be custodians of His House,
the Holy Ka'bah, and Administrators of His Sacred Territory; and who
made us as Lords over the Arabs. Here before ye standeth my brother's
son, Mohammad bin Abdullah; no man can be weighed in the balance with
him, for he is far above all others as regards nobility, merit,
generosity and wisdom. If he be not favoured by fortune, remember that
wealth is naught else than a passing, inconstant shadow; a loan to be
repaid eventually. Now the soul of Mohammad bin Abdullah leaneth
towards the noble dame Khadijah, whose soul eke leaneth towards him;
and he doth beg at this hour that thou, O Khuaild! in thy generosity,
should give her to him to be his wife. As dowry, he bringeth twenty
young female camels, and I call upon ye to be my witnesses, O my
Quraish brethren!'
The marriage took place, and so as to celebrate it duly, Khadijah had
her young and graceful slaves to dance to the sound of tabors, before
the company assembled; all unanimously overjoyed at this alliance
between two such noble families.
Khadijah was Mohammad's first wife. She never had a rival in her
husband's heart, and, until the day of her death, she was his sole,
beloved spouse. She gave him seven children; three sons: al-Qasim,
at-Tahir and at-Taiyib; and four daughters: Ruqaiyah, Fatimah, Zainab
and Ummu Kulsum.
After the birth of al-Qasim, the eldest boy, a familiar surname, "Abul
Qasim," that is to say, the Father of Qasim, was bestowed on Mohammad,
full of joy at the coming of a scion of his house. Unfortunately, the
poor child, greatly cherished by his father, was destined to die in
infancy. The same fate overtook his brothers, at-Tahir and at-Taiyib,
who passed away in like fashion in "The Days of Ignorance." Only
Mohammad's daughters witnessed the advent of Islam and were counted
among its first and most faithful servants.
[Sidenote: HOW THE TEMPLE OF THE KA'BAH WAS REBUILT (_A.D. 605_)]
After partial destruction by fire, the Ka'bah had been badly restored.
The roof fell in, and thieves took advantage of the breach to get into
the Sanctuary and carry off part of the treasure, constituted by
pilgrims' offerings.
Fresh repairs were urgently needed; but as bad luck would have it, the
walls were so dilapidated that they could no longer bear the least
weight. There was nothing to be done but to raze them to the ground.
If, however, the idea of rebuilding such a revered monument met with
no objection, its demolition seemed to be the most dangerous sacrilege
imaginable.
After much hesitation, finally dispelled by a series of obvious
miracles, the Quraish men came to the resolution of tearing down the
old walls of which the remains were in heaps on the ground. Then, as
the ancient foundations were formed of blocks of stone admirably
fitting one into the other, each clan of the Quraish tribe undertook
part of the task of rebuilding.
The workers, actuated by the zeal that always arises from rivality,
soon built up the walls to the height at which the famous Black Stone,
"al-Hajaru'l-Aswad," should be fixed. Who was to have the honour of
putting the precious relic back in its place? There was not the
slightest chance of coming to an agreement on this point, and, in
consequence of each party pleading the precedence of the purest noble
descent or the greatest merit, the discussion grew so heated that most
tragical results were to be feared. Under the influence of jealousy,
groups were formed and stood face to face. The Bani Abed-Dar, joining
the Bani Adiyy bin Kab, brought forth a bowl filled with blood,
plunging their hands therein, and swearing they would die sooner than
relinquish the privilege in anyone else's favour, because they thought
it devolved upon them by right.
For four days and four nights, the adversaries, with threatening mien,
remained on the look-out, absorbed in the task of vigilantly watching
each other. At last, Abu-Ummayah, their senior, spoke out, saying:
'There will come a time when all this must finish and this is what I
propose: name as umpire the first man who cometh into our midst, and
let him settle the dispute that destroyeth our union.'
The advice given was not displeasing to the stubborn rivals and they
finally agreed to follow it. It happened then, at that very moment,
that they saw coming towards them a young man about thirty years of
age. They recognised him as "Al-Amin" (The Reliable); in other words:
Mohammad. Nothing could have been more fortunate, and all being as of
one mind on this point, they accepted him as arbitrator at once,
submitting the cause of their conflict to his judgment. When they
terminated explaining the case, Mohammad, instead of hearkening to
their respective claims, only said: 'Bring a mantle and spread it out
on the ground.'
When they had obeyed his behest, he took the Black Stone in his hands
and placing it in the middle of the cloak, he went on: 'Let the most
influential person of each party take hold of the mantle by the corner
that is in front of him.' All did as they were told, and then he
turned towards those who held the corners of the mantle. 'Now, lift
the cloak,' he continued; 'all together, up to the height of the wall
which is being built.'
They obeyed and when the lifted cloak was level with the spot where
the Black Stone was to be built in, Mohammad took the Relic and with
his own hands, put it in its place.
Thanks to his presence of mind, all cause of discord disappeared. He
had given satisfaction to each of the rival groups, without favouring
one more than the other; and caused the proud Arabs to be reconciled
without bloodshed, for the first time in all their history; in short,
there was honour due to him which no one contested.
High above the Black Stone, the walls rose rapidly, carried up by the
workers toiling as friends. The ribs of a ship wrecked on the Jeddah
coast furnished a flat terrace-roof, and when the monument was
finished, it was entirely draped with a veil of the finest lawn, woven
by the Copts.
In later years, the veil consisted of striped Yaman cloth; and still
later, the Ka'bah was covered by Hajaj bin Yusef with the "Kiswah," or
garment of black silk, such as is still thrown over it at the present
day, being renewed yearly.
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _And provide for your journey; but the
best provision is the fear of Allah._]
[Illustration: (Ornamental page) CHAPTER THE THIRD]
[Illustration: _"At Takbir", or Glorification._]
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _Verily, we have caused It (the Qur'an)
to descend on the night of Power._]
CHAPTER THE THIRD
[Sidenote: DESERT RETIREMENT]
To him they called "Al-Amin," (the Reliable), his fellow-citizens were
ready to grant the highest and most coveted honours, with a post of
preponderance in their city.
But being of a disposition equally devoid of vanity or ambition, he
disdainfully refused to reply to their flattering advances, and his
fortuitous intervention in the dispute arising from the rebuilding of
the Ka'bah was the only time he was mixed up with public affairs
during a period of fifteen years, dating from his wedding-day.
How did he pass his time? Allah had inspired him with the love of
solitude, and Mohammad loved more than anything to wander all alone on
great empty plains stretching away farther than the eye could reach.
What were the causes of this liking? Doubtless, in the gloomy desert
surrounding Makkah, he conjured up over and over again the delightful
memories of his childhood, passed in the Badya; but his highly-gifted
soul found satisfaction of a more exalted kind. In the first place, he
was spared the sight of the moral and religious errors of the Arabs at
that period.
The Arabs were, in the highest degree, aristocratic, proud,
independent and courageous. Their generosity towards their guests was
exemplified in a refined manner that has never been surpassed; and,
among them, a certain Hatim Tay may be looked upon as the Prince of
Generous Hosts.