noted townsmen who were beginning to be moved by his arguments, that a
blind pauper, Ibn Umm Maktum, came forward, and humbly begged to be
granted a small share of the knowledge vouchsafed to the Prophet by
Allah. Engrossed in his discussion with the citizens whose conversion
he so ardently desired; fearing, too, to miss an opportunity which
might never occur again, Mohammad was seized with a fit of momentary
vexation and replied curtly to the blind man, who stumbled away
sorrowfully without having been enlightened.
Immediately afterwards, the Prophet fell a prey to remorse. Might not
that blind man, enlightened by faith, have been able to open the eyes
of other human beings imprisoned in the darkness of ignorance? And the
Revelation increased Mohammad's remorse by confirming his error:
"_He frowned, and he turned his back * Because the blind man came to
him ... * As to him who hath become wealthy * Him therefore thou didst
receive with honour * Yet it is not thy concern that he endeavours not
to be pure; * But as to him who cometh to thee in earnest, * And full
of fears, * Him dost thou neglect. * Do not so. Verily this surah is a
warning._" (THE QUR'AN, LXXX, 1-11.)
Ever since that day, the Prophet took great care to treat rich and
poor, slaves and nobles alike, with the same consideration. The
exasperation of the idolaters reached the highest pitch when they saw
their own slaves drawn towards Mohammad by his levelling doctrines;
and when the town rang with the Revelation of Surahs threatening the
rich and the sweaters of the people. "_The desire of increasing riches
occupieth you, * Till ye come to the grave. * Nay! but in the end ye
shall know * Nay! once more; in the end ye shall know your folly. *
Nay! would that ye knew it with knowledge of Certainty; * Then shall
ye surely on that day be taken to task concerning the pleasures of
this life._" (THE QUR'AN, CII, 1-8.)
Abu Jahal, meeting the Prophet at Safa, could not contain himself, and
forgetting the self-control befitting a man of his high social
position, he blurted out such a vulgar insult that the pen refuses to
write it. The Prophet answered not a word, as was his wont, but a
freed female slave of Abdullah ibn Jedhan had witnessed the scene,
while looking out of the back of her dwelling that was just on the
spot. As Hamzah, Mohammad's uncle, came by a few moments later, she
told him what she heard.
[Sidenote: HOW HAMZAH WAS CONVERTED. UTBAH'S PROPOSALS]
Hamzah's disposition was haughty and choleric. He felt his blood
boiling with rage when he heard of the affront offered to his nephew.
When returning from the chase--his favourite pastime--he generally
stopped to gossip with the folks he met on the road, but this time he
never halted, hurrying as fast as his legs would carry him towards the
Temple. When he caught sight of Abu Jahal, seated in a group of his
partisans, he went straight up to him, and brandishing his bow above
his head, he slashed the face of Mohammad's uncle by a stinging blow.
'So! thou dost insult my nephew,' he cried. 'Learn that I profess the
same religion as he. All he proclaimeth, do I proclaim likewise. Stop
me from doing so, if thou dost believe thou canst!'
All the assistants, belonging to the Banu Makhzum tribe of whom Abu
Jahal was a chieftain, rose up to avenge him. But Abu Jahal, ashamed
at having done a thing unworthy of a high-born lord, under the
influence of profound hatred, bid them stand back. 'Let Hamzah go in
peace,' he said to them, 'for verily, I did grievously offend my
brother's son.'
As for Hamzah, the blessing of Allah was upon him in his outburst of
rage and ennobled him by Islam of which he became one of the most
devoted and formidable defenders.
Utbah ibn Rabiyah, one of the most noted idol-worshippers, was greatly
shocked when his young son, Huzaifah, became a convert to Islam and
drew away from his father. Hoping to put an end to the discord
established by Mohammad's doctrines, not only in the Quraish tribe,
but even in the bosom of families, he planned to come forward as
mediator. Seeing Allah's Apostle seated, quite alone, near the Temple,
Utbah said to his partisans: 'Will ye authorise me to speak to him,
and discuss one or two proposals in your name? Perhaps he may accept
them and so leave us in peace.'
Under the influence of the consternation they felt at the conversion
of such an important personage as Hamzah--a conversion that had led
others to follow suit--and well knowing that it would be best to come
to some agreement, they replied: 'Aye, go to him and speak in our
name.' Thereupon, Utbah left them and went to sit by the side of the
Prophet. 'O son of my friend!' said Utbah in most affectionate tones;
'thou dost belong to us, although by insulting our religion and the
traditions of our fathers, thou hast embroiled us. Therefore I come to
thee to put an end to this great misfortune. Give an ear to my
proposals. Maybe they will find grace in thy sight.'--'Speak! I am
listening.'--'O son of my friend! If thou dost hope that thy
undertaking will make thee wealthy, each of us is willing to sacrifice
a part of his fortune, in order that thou shalt become the richest man
among us. If thou seekest honours, we will set thee up as lord over us
all and come to no decision without consulting thee. Dost dream of
royal privileges? We will make thee our king. If, on the contrary, the
thoughts that inspire thee arise from some malady which thou art
powerless to resist, we will have fetched at any cost and from any
country the most celebrated doctors, so that thou mayst be cured.
Choose therefore!'
The Prophet had listened unmoved. 'Hast thou no more to say?' he
answered Utbah. 'Now 'tis thy turn to hearken to my words.' He then
recited the Surah of "The Made Plain," in which Unbelievers are
menaced with the eternal torments of hell, and Believers comforted by
the promise of the inconceivable felicity of Paradise (THE QUR'AN,
XLI). Utbah, his hands clasped behind his back, stood hearkening to
the sentences, now imperative and then compassionate, that fell upon
his ears in rhythm and cadence totally new to him. Stupefied, he
remained stock-still, his attitude unchanged, although the Prophet had
ceased speaking some little time. Mohammad, after having prostrated
himself, his brow touching the earth, rose up and turned to Utbah,
saying: 'Thou hast heard me, O Utbah? Now, 'tis for thee to choose.'
Utbah, bewildered, went back to his companions. They all noticed his
troubled face, so different on his return from what it had been before
he left them. 'Come now, O Utbah! what aileth thee?' they queried.--'I
have just listened to extraordinary words,' he answered. 'By our Gods!
I've never heard anything like it before. 'Tis neither poetry, nor
sorcery, nor magic. O Quraish men assembled! believe me and let this
man fulfil his Mission among the Arabs, for his words are full of
surprising prophecies. If harm corrieth to him by the Arabs' fault, ye
will be freed from all anxiety. If, on the other hand, he succeedeth
and shall conquer the Arabs, his empire will be thy empire, seeing
that he is one of us, and thanks to him, ye will attain the highest
pinnacle of power.'
But what availed such prudent conclusions in the face of jealousy and
hatred? 'With his tongue he hath cast a spell over thee, as he hath
done to others,' his hearers replied; and Utbah, shrugging his
shoulders, went away, declaring: 'Such is my advice. Now do as ye
please.'
Nevertheless, Utbah's opinion impressed the idolaters. Next day, after
sunset, they foregathered, according to custom, in the precincts of
the Temple, and decided to speak to Mohammad in person. They sent for
him, and he came, hoping that their eyes were open to the light. But
they only wanted to renew the proposals of the day before. He refused
just as scornfully. 'Since thou dost set thyself up as a Prophet,'
they said, changing their arguments, 'take pity on thy country. There
is no land more hemmed-in by mountains, or more poor in its
water-supply; more difficult to live in. Therefore, ask Allah to put
aside the girdle of mountains, make the soil easier to till, and give
us rivers resembling those of Syria and Iraq. Or else, ask Him to
resuscitate one of our ancestors, Qusaiyy ibn Kilab, for instance, who
was a wise and truthful man, so that we may consult him concerning thy
pretensions and let us know if they are veracious or false. If he
giveth thee right and thou dost satisfy our demands, then will we
believe thee and have faith in thy mission as Allah's Apostle.'
'I have not been sent to thee for this,' was all the Prophet cared to
reply. 'I have told you what I was charged to do; and I tell you once
more that if you accept, your happiness is assured in this life and
the next. Should ye refuse, then I bow down to the decrees of Allah
who shall judge between us.'--'Since thou wilt ask nothing for us,'
they returned; 'crave a favour for thyself. Ask Allah to send one of
his angels to convince us; ask Him to lavish on thee all the pleasures
of this world that thy heart can desire, such as delicious gardens,
marvellous palaces, or treasures of gold and silver. Instead of which,
we see thee as one who "_eateth food and walketh the marts_" (THE
QUR'AN, XXV, 8), exactly the same as the most humble among us! If thou
art really a Prophet, let Allah give us proofs of the power with which
He hath endowed thee, and of the dignity to which He hath raised
thee.'--'I am not one of those who make such demands of Allah, and to
you I renew my adjuration.'--'Ask Allah to "_make the Heaven to fall
in pieces on us, as thou hast given out_," (THE QUR'AN, XVII, 94), if
He hath power to do so, according to what thou dost maintain. If not,
thy word deserveth no credit.'--'Nothing could be easier for the
Almighty. If He shall decide to act as ye say, He will accomplish the
task. Ye ask Him for miracles? The miracles are to be found in all He
hath created and ye do not understand! See how death springeth from
life and life from death! Of a surety, He can, by a miracle, undo the
prodigies of the order of Nature he hath created. Thus did He for my
predecessors, but in vain. Therefore, admire His unceasing miracles in
Nature and crave no others.'
Unable to catch the Prophet tripping, the idol-worshippers, to check
him, brought forward Nazir ibn Haris who, having been a great
traveller, had garnered many fine stories. As soon as Mohammad began
to preach, Nazir took his stand quite near him, trying to get his
hearers away by reciting the wonderful exploits of Rustam and
Isfandyar. 'See now, I lavish on my audience fine tales,' Nazir was
bold enough to add, 'that will bear comparison with those sent down by
Allah to His Prophet.'
The Quraish men also sent a delegation to the learned Jews of Yasrib
and to the Prince Halib ibn Malik, illustrious above all men by reason
of his wisdom, science and power, in order to ask that some means
should be found to prove that Mohammad was an impostor. But all these
efforts were useless, and there was no need to believe in the legend
of a miracle based on these words of the Qur'an: "_The hour hath
approached and the moon hath been cleft._" (LIV, 1).
Some writers assert that Habib having asked the Prophet to perform a
miracle, in order to prove the veracity of his mission, Mohammad gave
an order to the moon which incontinently split into two equal parts;
one ascending towards the East and the other to the West. According to
the opinion of the most trustworthy doctors of Islam, such as Al
Baidawi and Zamakhshri, this verse really means: "The hour (of the Day
of Resurrection) approacheth and (to announce it) the moon will be
cleft." The truth of this assertion is proved by the verses that
follow almost immediately: "_Turn away then from them (The
Unbelievers)! On the day when the summoner shall summon to a horrible
affair, * With downcast eyes shall they come forth from their graves,
as if they were scattered locusts._" (THE QUR'AN, LIV, 6 AND 7.)
Besides, this supposed miracle is so flagrantly contradicted by
numerous verses of the Qur'an that it is not possible to admit it.
"_Nothing hindered Us from sending thee (Mohammad) with the power of
working miracles, except that the people of old treated them as
lies._" (THE QUR'AN, XVII, 61.)
There was such slight efficacity in miracles! The Israelites bowed
down to the Golden Calf immediately after the miracle wrought by Moses
to save them from the waves of the Red Sea and Pharaoh's hosts. The
idolaters of Makkah would not have been more greatly impressed by the
sight of the most astonishing miracle. "_With their most binding oath
have they sworn by Allah, that if a sign come unto them, they will
certainly believe it; Say: Signs are in the power of Allah alone: and
what shall make ye to understand that if they were wrought these men
would not believe it * And though We had sent down the Angels to them,
and the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered all things about
them in hosts, they had not believed, unless Allah willed it._" (THE
QUR'AN, VI, 109, 111.)
[Sidenote: THE MIRACLE OF THE QUR'AN]
Nevertheless there was one miracle, the only one placed to Mohammad's
credit, and which was the cause of great anxiety among the Quraish
idolaters: the miracle of the "Ayates," a word generally rendered by
"Verses," but really meaning: "miraculous signs" of the Qur'an.
The miracles wrought by earlier Prophets had been transient, so to
say, and for that very reason, rapidly forgotten, while that of the
Verses may be called "The Permanent Miracle." Its activity was
unceasing. Everywhere and at all hours, each Believer, by reciting the
Verses, helped to realise the miracle, and in this can be found the
explanation of many sudden conversions, incomprehensible for the
European who knows nothing of the Qur'an, or judges it by cold and
inaccurate translations.
The wonderful charm of this Book, resembling no other masterpiece of
the literature of mankind, needs not to be explained to us Moslems,
because we consider it emanates from the words of Allah Himself, sent
down through the mouth of His Prophet. In this connection, we think it
will be interesting to quote the opinion of two Orientalists, justly
celebrated.
This is the conception of Savary, the first to translate the Qur'an
into French: "Mohammad was learned in the study of his language, the
richest and the most harmonious in the world, and which, by the
composition of its verses, permits thoughts as they soar to be
correctly described. By the harmony of its sounds, it imitates the
cries of animals, murmuring waters, thunder and the breeze. Mohammad,
I repeat, being past master of a language that so many poets have
embellished and which exists since the beginning of the world, took
great pains to add every charm of elocution to his precepts of
morality. Poets were greatly looked up to in Arabia. Labid ibn Rabyah,
an illustrious poet, nailed one of his poems on the door of the Temple
of Makkah. His reputation and the value of his works kept all
competitors away. None came forward to compete for the prize.... The
second chapter of the Qur'an--some writers say the 55th--was then
placed by the side of the poem. Labid, although a worshipper of graven
images, was seized with a fit of admiration after reading the first
verses and confessed himself vanquished."
He became a convert very soon after and one day, his admirers being
desirous of gathering together his complete works, questioned him on
this subject. 'I have no recollection of any of my poetry,' he
replied, 'for my entire memory hath been absorbed by the verses of the
Book of Revelation.'
We will now give the opinion of Stanley Lane Poole: "The style (of the
Surahs) is haughty in every part and full of passion. The words are
those of a man who tries with all his heart to convince his readers.
Even nowadays, they give an impression of the vehemence and fire with
which they were originally hurled forth at Mohammad's hearers
surrounding him. These are the broken utterances of a human heart
totally incapable of hypocrisy; the heart of a man who has exercised
extraordinary influence over mankind."
If the magic of the style and the thoughts of the Qur'an produced this
effect on learned men, who were neither Arabs nor Moslems, how great
then was the enthusiasm created among the Arabs of the Hijaz,
especially as the verses were couched in their own poetical language?
You only, travellers who have had an opportunity of seeing the emotion
that overcomes the audience of an Imam reciting the Sacred Verses, can
have a slight idea of this feeling. You may have seen poor
caravaneers, still powdered all over by the sand of their desert,
where they have just endured the greatest fatigue, rushing towards the
Mosque, instead of seeking refreshing repose; drawn thither, as if
hypnotised by the Imam's voice. Sometimes even, in the time of
Ramadhan, Moslems, after having fasted all day, pass the whole of the
night in ecstasy, as they listen to the Divine Word.
It is certain that the illiterate Bedouins of our day do not always
understand the real meaning of the words recited by the Imam, but the
rhythm, the cadence, the harmony of the assonances animating the
wonderful verses, echoing in their breasts to the beatings of their
hearts, convey to them an explanation, vague perhaps, but truly in
accordance with the spirit of the text, and above all, full of
incomparable suggestion. On the other hand, how vapid would seem to
them the explanation, more literal but less emotional, of a "Talib"
pedant or a frigid grammarian.
As for the Arab of the Hijaz, comprehending the most subtle hints of
the language of the Qur'an--his own language--and who welcomed the
Surahs as they issued from the lips of his fellow-countryman: the
genial, inspired Messenger of Allah, that listener was overwhelmed by
such sudden surprise that he remained as if petrified. Could this
supernatural language come from Mohammad, known to be completely
illiterate and possessing no other knowledge than that due to nature
and intuition? This seemed perfectly impossible. The Arab was
therefore forced to admit that Mohammad's words were dictated by the
Almighty. Besides, it was following no ingenious falsehood that the
Prophet attributed the verses of the Qur'an to Allah. He was
absolutely convinced of their divine origin. The terrible crises by
which the Revelation manifested itself, bringing him the solution of
unknown problems in language so new to him; so different to his own;
even upbraiding him when he made mistakes and commanding him to recite
these verses, despite any resistance he might make, left him without
the slightest doubt on that head.
Consequently, it was with the most perfect faith that he felt
boundless admiration for the Qur'an; that is to say for the Words of
Allah. Had not Allah revealed to him these verses: "_Say: Then bring
ten Surahs like it of your devising, and call whom ye can to your aid
beside Allah, if ye are men of truth._" (THE QUR'AN, XI, 16).
Convinced of their powerlessness, "The Unlettered Prophet", (THE
QUR'AN, VII, 156), challenged the most celebrated poets, giving them
the right to call him a cheat, if they could compose ten Surahs
resembling his.
To doubt the absolute and strangely moving sincerity of Mohammad and
picture him as a vulgar, but clever, ambitious man, as some modern
historians have done, one must be blinded by preconceived ideas,
worthy of the days of the Inquisition. Carlyle, in his book, "On
Heroes," treated such fanaticism or stupidity as it deserved: "A false
man found a religion?" he exclaims, speaking of Mohammad. "Why a false
man cannot build a brick house! If he do not know and follow truly the
properties of mortar, burnt clay and what else he works in, it is no
house that he makes, but a rubbish-heap. It will not stand for twelve
centuries, to lodge a hundred-and-eighty millions; it will fall
straightway."
[Sidenote: HOW IT WAS FORBIDDEN TO LISTEN TO THE QUR'AN]
Being powerless to struggle against the irresistible effect produced
by the recitation of the Qur'an, the Quraish idol-worshippers resolved
to forbid people to listen to it.
By threats, the tribesmen frightened those who tried to approach the
Prophet, when as was his wont, he recited, on the threshold of the
Ka'bah, a few passages of the Revealed Book. So as not to hear him,
they put their fingers in their ears; or else, to drown his voice,
they whistled, clapped their hands, or bawled, as loudly as they
could, scraps of doggerel composed by idolater-poets. The unexpected
result was that the very men who had made it a crime to listen to the
celebrated verses, were moved by that unconquerable curiosity which
attracts weak mortals towards forbidden things.
One night, Abu Sufyan, Abu Jahal and Al-Akhnas went out of their
houses, bending their steps, each unknown to the other, towards the
dwelling of the Prophet. Once there, their ears glued to the wall,
they tried to overhear the recital of some of the Divine Surahs. In
the darkness of the night, they did not see one another. But when day
dawned, they came face to face on their homeward road, and blamed each
other mutually: 'What would our partisans think, if they had caught us
doing this thing?' And they took a solemn oath never to be so
imprudent again.
But the next night and the night after that, the same thing occurred,
followed by the same exchange of reproaches.
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _O thou enwrapped in thy mantle! * Arise
and warn! * And thy Lord--magnify Him!_]
[Illustration: (Ornamental page) CHAPTER THE FOURTH]
[Illustration: _Ar Ruku, or Inclination._]
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _Ye shall assuredly be tried in your
possessions and in yourselves._]
CHAPTER THE FOURTH
[Sidenote: PERSECUTION]
Quoth the Prophet: "Allah created Paradise for the man who obeyeth
Him, even if only a black Abyssinian slave; and Hell for the man
rebelling against Him, even if he be a nobleman of the Quraish."
Islam, tending towards the perfect equality of castes and races,
naturally attracted all the poor and downtrodden of the city. With
increasing vexation, the idolatrous masters saw their slaves, in eager
crowds, converted to the new faith. But as these wretched folks were
in the tyrants' power, they glutted their vengeance on them, not
daring to attack disciples of the Prophet occupying higher rank.
Oummayatah ibn Khalaf, having become aware of the conversion of his
black slave, Bilal ibn Hammah, was engrossed with but a single
thought: that of torturing him with the most dastardly refinements.
Placing his neck in a noose made from a rough rope of palm-fibre, he
gave him into the hands of boys knowing no pity. They dragged him
along behind them, like a beast of burden, just for amusement. The
rope, pulled this way and that by the juvenile wrongdoers, ploughed a
sanguinary furrow in Bilal's flesh. Nevertheless, he seemed insensible
to pain. Thereupon his master deprived him of food and drink, and led
him from the town at noonday, in the middle of summer, throwing him
out in the "Ramda," a sandy plain, so torrid that a slice of meat,
thrown on the ground, cooked itself immediately. He made his slave lie
down, stretched out on his back, an enormous stone on his breast.
'Thou shalt stop there,' he ordered, 'until thou dost abjure
Mohammad's doctrines, and worship Lat and Uzza.'
But the stoical Moslem did nothing more than lift the forefinger of
his right hand, saying again and again: 'Ahad! Ahad! Allah is one!
Allah is one!' thus testifying the scorn he felt for his master who
dared to couple wooden or stone associates with the Master of the
Worlds. The affirmation of the slave produced insensibility to pain,
because the ineffable joy of the sacrifice for his faith mingled with
and mastered the bitterness of torture.