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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^-signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 UFA •^ i^- Tfir, TilFE OFJttAHOxlOIEin FOUNDER OF TliE llELK^ION OF ISLAM, AxND OF THE EMPIRE OF THE SARACENS. BY THE RET. GEOSCiE BVSH, A. M. FIRST CANADA E»ITIOi\. -0 • NIAGARA: [ENRY CHAPMAN, PubHaher-^^ArnVBh HERON, Printer. 183 J. t ^F i I ,^,';|-f >«'':|,. :€ pi(x:FA€Ji!: Zf m r The present work lays claim to im liigluiv character than that of a compilalionw Tliis indeed must riccossarily ho the ehaiaolcr of anv work altcmi)tod, at this day, upon the aanie subject. All the accessible facts in the life and fortunea of th* Ara- bian ])roi)het have lonj hince been given to the world. New theories and specula- lions, moral and philosophical, founded upon thos« facts, and many of them richly du- servmj; attenfion, aro frcjuently propounded to the reflecting, hut they add littlo or nothing to the amount of our positive inlbrniaiion. All therefore that can now be (xpcctrd is such a selection and arrun/fcinenl and investment of the Uading particulars of the Impostor's history, as shall convey to the Eni^lish reader, in a corrcat and con- centrated form, those details which aro otln rwise ditl'used through a great number of rare hooks, and couched in several diir-rent languages. Such a work, discreetly pre- pared, would supply, if wo mistake not, a very considoruble deiideratum in our Ian- gunge — one which it hegmning to be more sensibly felt than ever, and whicli tho spirit of the age loudly requires to havu supplied, llow far the present sketch may j,'o towards meetnigthe demand, it becomes others than the writtr to judge. Ho lias aimed to mako tho most judicious use of the materials before him, and from tha whole mass to elicit a candid" moral estimate of the character of tho founder of Islam, hi one respect he may venture to assure the reader ho will find tho plan of the ensu- ing pages an improv(!ineiit upon preceding :Miiiioirs ; and tlint is, iii ilie careful colla- tion ol' chapter., of tue Koran wiih the events of th<: narralive, il« will probably find the history iilusiratcd to an unexpected extent from this source — a ciroumittancc, which, while it serves greatly to authenticate the facts related, imparts a zest also to the tenor of tho narrative scarcely to be expected from the nature of the theme. In order to preserve the continuity of the story from being broken by inccsiant reference to authorities, the following catalogue is siubmittcd, which will present at one view the principal works consulted and irnployed in preparing tho prcient Life : —Sale's Koran, 2 vols. ; Universal History, Mod. Series, vol. i. ; Gibbon's Decline .and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. iii. ; Prideaux's Life of iMahornet ; Boulainvillier's do.; do. in Library of useful Knowledge, Wo. 45; IJayltt's Historical Dictionary, Art. Mahomet; Hottinger's Historia O.-icnlalis : Abul-Fvragii Ilistoria Dynastarum, Pocock'sTransl. ; Morgan's M.ahometanism explained, 2 vol-!. ; Forater's Mahome- tiinism Unveiled, 2 vol^. ; D'Horbelo 's Bibliotlieque Oricutale; Rycant's Present State of the Ottoman Empire ; Ockley's History of the Saraceni-i, 2 vols. ; White's Bampton Lectures; Iii.'o's Translation of tho Rov. H. Marly n's Controversial Tracts ; Whitaker's Origin of Arianism; Faher's Sacred Calendar of Prophecy. 3 vols. ; Buck- iogh.im's, Iveppel's, IJurokhurdt's and Madden'* Travels in tho East. On flio subject i)f tho Arabic jnoper names so frcijueiitly occurring in this work, it may be useful to tho English reader to be informed, that Ai,. is a (juivalent to our definite article Thu. Thus, Af.coran is composed of two distinct words signifying The Koran, of which the last only ought to bo retained in English. Again, Ebn is the Arabic word for Son, as is liiuT or BiMxo, for Daughtih, and with the parti- cle Ai, after it, according to the Arabic usage, Ebko'l is, Thk S»m, So Abu, Fa- THEii, with the article after it, Abu'i,, thk Fatheh. Thus, Said Ebn Obediam Abd Omri, is, Saii), the son ok Obediah fathkr of Omri ; it being usual with tho Arabs to take their names of distinction from their sons as well as their fathers. In like nvrinner, jEbno'l Atir, i^ thk son ok Aihir; Abo'l Abbas the father of Abbas: and as Abd signifies skrvant, and Ai lah, G^a) ; Abdo'lah or Abdalab is, Servant of God; Abdo'i. Siu.ms, Servant of the Sun, «!tc. The deciding between the different niodc:, in which the prophets's name is, or ought to be, written and the adoption of the most eligible, has been a matter of per- plexing deliberation. Upon consulting the Greek Byzantine historians, it appears I'ilLl'ACK. *9 V I, 'I I n that iTio same di\'i'i'< in \vt; iijiji't with .Maomi.ti^ ('loiu wliicli coiiuiMnur .Maih. MKT, tho most i)(j|iul,ii- ami I'atuili.ir title, to tlio Kii^^lisli '•in ; and in olIiorH Maiuhmkii Otiier varip-tii;s ainoiii; ancujiit nnllmrs inii^lit (loijl)ll<'sji lie s|iuc'i('u'(l. I'm ii will in. ubsuivud, I'or thi; most |):irt, lliU writiis ai (luamtod with llio Arabic tonf^uo nii(i win* Ji.ivo drawn thoir iiiiileii.il;; diiunlly trim tlu! original luunlaiiiH, as well uh tho ;5rt;;n body (.if ie<'«nt Oiiciitril Irav^llfir.-i, af! vi ry ii'ianirrious in adopting; tlic; ortlioi'rapliy of tlio narni.' wliicli apjicars in onr title |i;ij»('. If tin; i\r;tliic iinni^o bo in Pict tlio pro r Btandiird, na will probably bu adtiHlteil, iMaln nicd, inatnad oT «itlit;r Maliome*, alioinvd, or iMulioniiimd, is tbo yciniinf lurni of tliu name, and tho mode inwliicliit ehoald bsunifonuiy written and proiionrnu'd. Tbc fact, that the cxanipio of rnn.i Oriental tifhnlars of llio present day lias <;iM,'n iMirreiiey to this f(«;n, and the proli.t- liility that it will finally supplant all oiliorsi, has induced u«, on tho wholo, to adopt it, ihou^jh with conniderablu hesitation. "Ihe following list of natncd and title:) froijuontlv oconrring In couiifxion with tho affuirtf of thti East, together with their etymological inipoit. will not be ikjcinnl inappropriut« to th« object of the piesout work. Mohamnitd, Ahmed. — t'roiu Hamad ; jirai^J highly culebra^ad, iUuolrioiis, glorion?. 31oijk»i, Muittilzuan, I^^lam, Inlamisiu. — Ail from the sann; root, Aslain ; ^igiii. fyiH'T to )ield np, dedicate, consecrate entirely to the -ervice «»f religion. Koran.— From Kara, to read ; tiie reading, leyend, or that which onght to bo reuil. Caliph. — A successor ; from the IJebrew Cliylapli, to be riianj^ejl, \o sncceod, to pass round a revolution. ffultun. — Originally from tlio Cliuldaic. 8o!tan; ?ignil"yln<: anthiiii'.v, dominiuii principality. V tzitr. — An assistant. IIuilj. — Pibjjiiniajto ; IJadji : f>no who makc! tin; pi'ariina'^e to Mecca. Sarucei:. — Ltyinolojty doubful; hiippo.LlilniiiI lor scvu'd I (;ulll<"* t'ur .Maiki olliorH Macuomkh ,.,l. Hut it will 1)1) |)ic ton^uu aiid who •I wall us tho j^riuii rig lilt; ortho'Tiipiiy ) h(! ill Tict tilt) pro >r nithnr Mnhoiiif!'. llio modi' in wliicii it lie nxaiiii)!*) <>i' "lo-v KJ^^, auil tho prol),.- 10 wholo, toailoplit, ' in connexion with [ will not hu ckitiiinl jli'liruyjJ, iKusliioiiii, II root, Asluiu ; bisjui- f ruligioM. hiclumglit to bt! ri-iil. liirigwl, \''> succeeil, to nMt.hoiilv. (loiiiiHiuii ;f to M'^ccii. ii.la Hteiil; a {.liiiula- i.liainiiieil';* flight tVo;)i andthi; resolvi'-i' ofai! 'uikisli (jnij)iri.'. [ciiily il is Doi-asiutnlly |, it'-ually Inlkiw ^oii.i- in thu'olo^iy ;iiiil jmir- iii! laws III' IIk! «iii- nnulsliud l>y woniiu;; It" ;\luliatiiii)0;o standard;-; [iiK I'lioi- of tli:! <>tk- av ilii-; tiiiio "uiiiau':; tiio lit(! and lortimos of Jliia leiiKirkiihIo iiuui. Il will not, of course, bo ox|»o('tn becaina ytill more common from tho [l < 1 lOV* -f •L No rcvoltilion ipcordod in liisfory, if wn rxrnpf lliat rflrotcfl hy i||,. religion (ifilic ^io.':n;i, ii.'is i'Mio/lufecl yrc^'Jcr clinn^cs ii.to llic s|(i(»M)|' llic «;ivilizOfl wori*', llii.n thut \vl)i(!li lias yrown out ol llic rise, pioyiosii, and j)crman(Mi'.'e i)f Moliiiiiini(;i.jiiii;,m. Tln^ history and cliaructt:;, tliurelorc ot tlus rcjif^ioii hnconi's uii ulijoct Cifluiidablo ruriosily wui; cv'ory crili/rlilcncd iiiiiul. ConsiderL'tl merely at* a di^partmcnt ol'die gen- eral annal.s of iho world, r.parf iioiu any coiUiO.vion with the true rcli,'- ion, it fiirnislu'is nonie ofllio niobt iuUTi^tm^ records oflhc hiiinau liin IJiit wJien vi«'wnd us a p.irt ol'tlie groat chain of proyidential and pr-. dieted evcntf, (lcsif;n«Hl to ha\ c a direct hcarin'iidcntly regatdcd rather as a C7/nV iian /icrciiif, or t!ie prodiu:tof a . at •> iliM-o o*. ilie nations of the earth, hold m a hope ul" the spfci.y ^o•,kll..ll ni «•.« u^jioi', and of the establishnicnto: the Ir.itii, th; eye is >; .iiri'liy iinued \\\[U deepening interest and anxic-j ty to 'Iioh-; rv^ii>!io nl vie- g'obr u In re (ins religion has so long jircvai.- cd. Rui in proj).)rtion to I he ii'tcrcht i:i;-pir< d in the general suhjccloil MohaiiMuedinnyni, is tliul which is telt in the life, character, and actiouiByin t of its luiuider. That an obscure individual, sprung from the rovi;i.'Bilenci tribes ol" Arabia, foHowing no liif^her occupation than that of a caraviii.miurc trader, posseissing no peculiar advantages of mental cuUiu'c, nor disiiii^ivan guished in the outset by any ine-eminence of power or authority, slimii yet have been enabled, in spite of numerous obstacles, to foinul siiclia extensive (.nipire over the mhids, a^ well as p'^rsons, of millions of luuiir^i; raci!, and that this dojninion should liavc been continued I'oi more than twelve himdiod years, prcsentti a pluMiomenon which incrcasBfthe OS our wonder the more stciilily ii is contemplated. wid su It IS proposed in the (.iisiiiiig p.igo ; to cxiubit the prominent events oBfprin Jast ov * " Ilcncc/' siys lln- !c iriiod .im! crcciiipbiry Minli^, •' iMalioiiietaiiism li;is fi't'qiie;i:B)i9fj]g, ly l.C'jn ;icc(juii;c.J a Cli. isliiiii iK;r.\<', ; .'u.d as il liiid its o' ii;iii in Christianity, ='J iBjifl i Christ it looks ill t!:c e d. I'd.-. ar.;o!(iin^ to thu ■; reed ol" the 3.1ah(inii;tfm«. .Fc'.«iiiiJ expected to d. 5cend tu earth, to iiulir.;Co tiic rcliijioii orAlahotniii;)!, to slny At.t cli w^'^^pO and to roiyii ivirli his s inits," 'J'hi; siiino authority aflirins, " that t!io ^Jalioniil.wVer to an; noaror to Clir.sli mily tiriii many of the aiicionl iiorylii.-s ; th'j ('oriiilhian':;, (inofteir Ci tins, and i\l;ur:.ln'i.'i. ^Onki-y ami clianiclcr, able curiosity wiii; pHrtmciilorthepi,- Nvitli tlie tnie roli:- s orihcUiinmiiiMi' lovitleiitiiil and pr • ipon the state oftkl HiuUrous prcvuloi.o, ,n. Hy many distir- I, iionins, and liisu- !(i ratl.cr as n Chm\ hnu us i\ heatliciiMr| that of all i'alse (W- ar as the disclo>iiivc<| ,f the earth, hold od the establishment Ml cr interest and anxicJ "has so long prcvauj - general snhjccl otl raVaetcr, and actiocJ iiig troni the rovi;J mil that of a cariiva;.| il culture, nor Aim or authority, slmui^ I'lcs, to found such ! lis, of millions of been continued foj benon which incrca^ j;romincnt evtnl:^ loiiietiniisni Ims fi-criiie;r] 111 ill Christianity, =u c ?ilah(mi(3taii«. -ft'!^"- [iiin;;l, tn slny Ai.t dr' '• ili.it the 'Miilinnidai I ili'j t'orlnlliiiuii, <'"»* liint ♦Mho Uannyrcssors had come lo tin- full*" — ami the d»:^reo towhudi ihe nonumil church hail (lepiirted from the staud:ird of I'iiith, morals, iiiid worship cont incd in tho J^cripliuTM, ucll nigh siwpn«ses belief. Tlicii it was that lliose foul (•or^uptlon^^ and superstifions were introdu- ced info the church, which fmally grew to such a pitch ol'rnornuty as to o,-'cn>'ion the sepiiration of f-uthcr and the other reformers from what ;]ioy deemed and dcnomuuilcd tin* commuMion of Antichrist. At thi.s |,oriod it was, that the veneration lor departed saintf* and martyrs — tho idoliilrous worship of images anil relics — the rendering divine honour.* to the Virgin Mary — tlif^ doctrine of |>urgatory — and the adoration of !MC Cross, had become (irmly established , and thus the lustre of tim (jospcl sutlcred a darU eclipse, and the essence of Christianity was lost under a loud of idle and su[)erstitious cer»jmonies-'. In the eastern p:>rts of the em[)ne, especially Syria and tho coimtrics bordering upon Arabia, as well as in some parts of Arabia itself, these jfvils were njfgravated by the jumierous sects and heresies that prevail- ed, and by the incessant controversuil wars which they waged with each cllicr. The church was torn to pieces by tho furious disputes of tho Ariaiis, Sabellians, IVeslorians, Eutychians, and CoUyridians, by whom Ithc great doctrines ot" Christianity were so ccuifouudctl with metapiiysi- calpubtlctics and the jargon of schools, tiiat they ceased, in great rnoa- piirc, to be regarded as a rule of lilu, or as pointing out tho only way of jsalvation. Tho religion of tho (Joai^el, the blessed source of peace, jlove, and unity among men, became, by the perverscness of sectaries, a llirebrand of burning contention. Council after council was called — canon after canon was enacted — prelates were traversing the country in tvery direction in tho prosecution of party purposes, resorting to ovary base art, to obtain the authoritative establishment of their own peculiar genets, and the condemnation and suppression of those of their adversa- riefi. The contests also for the episco[)al oftico ran so high, particular- inthc West, that the oppofing parties repeatedly had recourse to vi- plence, and, in one memorable instance, tho interior of a Christian church wns stained by the blood of a number of the adherentes of the [ival bishops, who fell victims to their fierce contentions. Yet it is littlo he wondered at that these places of preferment should have been so frcedily 'sought after by men of corrupt minds, when we learn, that thoy bened the diricct road to wealth, luxury, and priestly power. Ancient listorians represent the bishops of that dcy, as enriched by the presents the opulent, as riding abroad in pompous state in chariots and sedans, ind surpassing, in the extravagance of their featts, the sumptuousuess f princes ; while, at the same time, the most barbarous ignorance was [ast overspreading th« nations of Christendom, the ecclesiastical orders [liimselves not excepted. Ainong the bishops, the legitimate instructors id defenders of the church, numbers were to be found incapable of composing the poor discourses which their ofticc required them to de- liver to the people, or of subscribing the decrees which they passed in iieir councils. The little learning in vogue was chiefly confined to the lonks. But they, instead of cultivating science, or diffusing any kind 8 LNTHOm-CliON". k.^ *■ ] •ft' •H^ !< !■ nC useful kiio\vl»!(lgt\ sqimiidrrcW Uirir time iiitliosludy ot'tlio laimkii legomls of protended Biiintis jiiul inartyrM, c»r in coniposin;^ histories (. qunlly fuhtilotiH. 'I'liis woful corruption of ilortrino and monilH m ilm f;lcr«»y wns lol. lowed, 08 might hn uxpoctnd, hy n vciy yonoral «l(!pravity ot'lhn rom- men |)copIo ; and (hough >vn rnnnot suppose; that (iod loft hiniscll'alt,,. gcthor without witnrssra inlhisehirk pcriorl, yr.t tlicimmhor of lhctiiil\ Ihithful had dwindled do«n to a m(;re rpmnunt, tnid tlut wido-sproadin- defection seemed to call nloud for the judgment of heaven. In view r,i this dcplorahlc state of Christianity, anterior to th(» appcHraneo ofMu. ]iommed, wo are prcpurcd to admit at once the justness of the foIlowiii;r remarkfi upon the moral ends designed to he aecomplished hy Pro\|. denec in permitting this desolating scourge to arise ut thi^ purliciilar crisis of the world. ** At length,'' says Prideaux, *' having wearied the patience and lori«. flufTering of God, he raised up the Saracens to ho the instruments oflns wrath to punish them for it; who, taking advantage of the weakness of their power, and the distraction oi' coiuiscls which their divisions Irad caused among them, overran, with a terrildo devastation, all the cast. crn provinces of tho Roman empire. And having fixed that tyranny q. ver them which hath ever since afllicted those parts of the world, turu- esin;i liistoiica c. ■5 clergy wnH I'ol. avity of thti com- I loft himself iilti,. imbcr of thcliiil\ (1 wido-sproadiD- nvnn. In view oi ipuaranco ofM;i- as of llio followin;r iplisliotl by Pro\|. at thia purliculir patience and lono. inKtriuncnts ofln-* )i tlic weakness of [heir divisions Irad ation, all the cast- . ciiAJ»'n:u I. Satlonal Df scent of the AMt-.—Vrovcd to be from hlimael, .^ 10 LlEi- OF 3lUilAM3lEU. ■A \i •'• I "f 1 ■ii , ' ■4> ■A mael, by their names, according to tlicir generations: Tiie lirsl-bornoi IshmacI, Ncbajotli, and Lcdar, and Adbeel, and Mibmm, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massah, Hadar, and Tema, Jctur, Napish, and Kede- mah.' These are the sons of lahmacl, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles : twelve princes according to their na- tions."* Their geographical residence is clearly ascertained in a sub- sequent verse. " And they dwelt from Ilavilah unto Shur, that is be- fore Egypt as thou goest towards Assyria.'"t Ilavilah and Shur, by the consent of the best sacred geographers, are allowed to have com- posed part of the region between the Euphrates and the Red feJea, deno- minated Arabia.} From causes now unknown, the tribes of Nebajoth and Kcdar appear to have acquired an ascendency over the rest, so that the whole country is sometimes designated from one, sometimes from the other of them, just as the entire nation of Israel is sometimes called Judah from the superior numbers, power, or influence of that tribe.-- Among the ancient profane historians also we find the names of Nnhi. iheans and Kcdarcnes frequently employed as an appellation of the roving inhabitants of the Arabian deserts. This testimony is directly confirmed by that of Josephus. After reciting the names cf the twelve eons of Ishmael, he adds : — " These inhabit alt the country extending from the Euphrates to the Red Sea, giving it the name of the Nabatc- nean region. Tliesc are they who have given names to the whole race of the Arabs with their tribes."§ In the fourth century, Jerome, in his commentary on Jeremiah, describes Kedar as a country of the Arabian desert, inhabited by the Ishmaelites, who were then termed Saracens, The same father, in his commentary on Isaiah, again speaks of Kedai as the country of the Saracens, who in Scripture are called Ishmaelites; and observes of Nebajoth, that he was one of the sons of Ishmael, af- ter whose names the Arabian desert is called. Another source of evidence in relation to the national descent of the Arabs, is their having practised, from time immemorial, the rite of cir- cumcision. Josephus has a very remarkable passage touching the ori- gin of this rite among the Jews and Arabs, in which he first makes mention of the circumcision of Isaac; then introduces that of Ishmael; and states concerning each, as matter of universal and immemorial no- toriety, that the Jews and the Arabians severally practised the rite, con- formably with the precedents given them, in the persons of their respec- tive fathers. His words are these : — •' Now when Sarah had complet- ed her ninetieth, and Abraham his hundred year, a son (Isaac) is born unto them; whom they forthwith circumcise on the eighth day; and from him the Jews derive their custom of circumcising children afler the same interval. But the Arabians administer circumcision at the close of the thirteenth year : for Ishmael, the founder of their nation, the son of Abraham by his concubine, was circumcised at that time ol life."|| Similar to this is the testimony of Origen, who wrote in the * Genesis, xxv. 13—14. f Ver. 18. % Wells's Sac. Geogr. vol. i. p. 341. § Ant. Jud b. i. ch. 1% $4, Ant. Jud. b. i. ch. 10 tS5. m ■'•^7!''^, LIFE OF xMOHAMMED. iJ The lirst-boni ol m, and Mishma, ipish, and Kede- thcii" names, by rding to their na- n-taincd in a sub- Shur, that is bc- lah and Shur, by ;ed to have com- e Red Sea, dcno- ibes of Nebajoth r the rest, so that , sometimes from sometimes called :o of that tribe.— le names of I^^oli- ippellation of the timony is directly imes cf the twelve country extending Tie of the Nabatc- } to the whole race iry, Jerome, in his ilry of the Arabian 1 termed Saracens, a speaks of Keda: ; ailed Ishmaelitcs; )ns of Ishmael, af> mal descent of the ial, the rite of cir- touching the ori- ch he first makes IS that of Ishmael ; id immemorial no- ftised the rite, con- )ns of their respcc- larah had complet- on (Isaac) is born ; eighth day ; and I iing children after .rcumcision at the ler of their nation, ]ed at that time of who wrote in the |b.i.ch. la, *'l- 9 ttiird century of the Christian era. " The natives of .Tudea,'^ says, he, «< generally circumcise their children on the eighth day ; but the Ishmae- Htes who inhabit Arabia universally practise circumcision in the thir- teenth year. For this hislory tells us concerning them." This wri- ter, like Josephus, lived near the spot, and had the best oppertunities of obtaining correct information respecting the Arabians. It is evident, therefore, beyond contradiction, from his words, that the fact of theif derivation from Abraham through Ishmael was an established point of historical record, and not of mere traditionary fame, at the period at which he wrote, The direct testimony to the Ishmaclitish extraction of the Arabs fur- nished by the earliest records of the Bible, and confirmed as we see by foreign authorities, is strikingly corroborated by repeated references, bearing upon the same point, in later inspired writers, particulairly tho prophets. Through the long course of sacred history and prophecy, we meet with reiterated allusions tp existing tribes of Arabia, descead- ing from Ishmael, and bearing the names of his several sons, among which those of Nebajoth and Kedar usually predominate. Thus the Prophet Isaiah, in foretelling the future conversion of the Gentiles, makes mention of the Gentiles, makes mention of the "rams of Neba~ jvih" the eldest, and " all the flocks of Kcdar," the second of the sons of Ishmael ; that is, of the Arab tribes descending from these brotherGT; a passage which not only aflbrda strong proof of our main position, but conveys also an intimation of the future in-gathering of the Mohamme- dan nations into the Christiaii Church. The same Prophet, in another part of his predictions, notices " the cities of the wilderness, that Kedar doth inhabit." And again, when denouneing impending calamity upon the land of Arabia, he foretells how " all the glory of Kedar shall fail ;" he employs the nanie of this single tribe as synonymous with that of the entire peninsula. In this connexion the words of the Psalmist may be cited : — Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar." These words are supposed by some of the Jewish commen- tators to have been written by David, under the influence of inspira- tion, as the prophetic plaint of the Christian Church, labouring and Groan'ng, as it sometimes done, under the yoke of Mohammedan op- pression. In Jeremiah, also, we find mention of Kedar. He speaks of it as *' the wealthy nation that dwelleth without care, which have nei- ther gates nor bars, which dwell alone." Ezekiel, moreover, prophe- sies conjointly of ** Arabia and all the prmces of Kedar.'* An allusion toTema, the ninth son of Ishmael, as the name of a warlike people of Arabia, occurs as early as in the book of Job ; " The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Shcba waited for them." Lastly, the tribes sprung from Jetur and Naphish, the tenth and eleventh sons of Ishmael, are commemorated in the first book of Chronicles, who are there called HagariteSi from Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and of whom a hundred thousand male captives. When to this mass of Scripture evidence of the descemt of the Arabs from Ishmael we add the acknowledged coincidence between the nation- k ^> T ^: rf 1 IMEI^ nl chai'actci ol'tliis people in every ago, and ilic pietlictcd jicisoual ahw ractcr of their progenitor — "And lie will be a wild man ; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him" — and the (act, that the Ishmaelitish orij];in of the Arabs haaevcr been the constnnt and unvarying tradition of thnt pcojde themselves, the subject scarcely ad- mits of a more irrefragable proof. There are certainly few landmarks of hiBtory more universal or njor« permanent than the names of countries affixed by original settlers, or flowing from thein, and we may as justly question the derivation of Hungary from the Huns, France from the Franks, Turkey from the Turky, or Judea from Jukah and the Jews, as those of the several districts of Arabia from the respective sons of Ishmael.* •The subject in ! argument in thi:^ chnptcr is comlcnsei} from a nioro ainple discussiou of tiio in the Appendix to "Forstcr's Midtoinetilniain Unvcilud. CHAPTER H. JBirth and Parentage of Mohavnmd — Losc.>i liis PavchIs in carhj Child- hood — Is "placed under the can: of hie. uncle Aim Taleh — (Joes into Syria on a trading crpedition zvit/i Iiis uncle at the age of th^y^t sen- Enters the service of Cadljal , a widow of Mecca, whom he after- zpards marries. Mohammed, the Legislator of Arabia, the Founder of the Moslem or Mohammedan religion, and thence dignifiod by himself and by his fol- lowers with the title of Prophr^t and Apostle of (iod, was born at Mec- ca, a city of Arabia, A. D. 5H9.* His lineage, notwithstanding that many of the earlier Christian writers, under the influence of inveterate prejudice against the prophet and his religion, have represented his ori- gfn as base and ignoble, is clearly shown to have been honourable and illustrious ; at least, when rated by the common standard of distinction among his countrymen. The ancient Aral)ians, derivmg their pedigree from Ishmael, and inheriting the nomadic habits of their ancestors, had fronft time immemorial been divided into a number of separate independ- ent tribes, roving at large over the immense sandy regions of whicU their country is composed, except where here and there a few thousands of them were gathered into cities, and erigaged in merchandise. Some of these tribes, from various causes, were more numerous, powerful, and renowned than others. 'J'hat of Koreish, from the founder of which Mohammed was in a direct line descended, had long been accounted * Other authorities place his Imth in A. D. 571. The precise year cannot be du- ieiraiued whh certainty. ■i"l 14 LIFE OP MOHAMMED. , • his hand will "—and the (act, the constnnt and cct scarcely ad- ew landmnrks of mes of countrieo ive may as justly "Vance from the h and the Jews, ;sj)ective sons of plediscussiouoftlifl ill's in early Child' Takb—Oocs into \ a^c of ih'.rteen— a^ whom he after- nf the Moslem or ■If and by his fol- was born at Mer- withstanding that ence of iuveterate presented his ori- n honourable and ard of distinction mg their pedigree eir ancestors, hud eparate independ- regions of whicli c a few thousands chandise. Some ncrous, powerful, } founder of which 2 been accounted ic year cannot be de- may trust to tiie same authorities, discovered the most wonderful presa* £08. He was no sooner born than ho fell prostrate, in a posture of hum- ble, adoration, praying devoutly to his Creator, and saying, *♦ God is wreat ! There is no God but God, and I am his prophet!" By these and many other supernatural signs, equally astounding, is the prophet's nativity ^r'd to have been marked. To some of them it would indeed appear t' the earlier Christians gave an honest credence; with this (iiiierencv uowcver, between their belief and that of his followers, that while the latter ascribed them without hesitation to the hand of God, living in this manner a gracious attestation to the prophetic character of iiis servant, the former referred them directly to th^ agency of the uevil, who might naturally be supposed, thoy thouglil, to work some special wonders on the present occasion. Upun the riurrutive of theso iniracn- jous phenomenas the reader will form liis owi) juagmont. They are mei <• tioned in the absence of all authentic information touching the period and the event in question. Until the facts allege horn he has created on eatth !" alluding to the name Mohammed, >hich signifies praised or glorified. At the early age of two years Mohammed lost his father; and four nrs after, his mother. The helpless orphan, now cast upon the kind- of his relations, was taken intotho liuuf=ie and family of his grand- ither, under whose guardian care he remained hut two years, when le venerable Motalleh himself wus also called to pay the debt of na- re. In a dying charge, he confided this iendur plant of the ancient oek of the Koreish to the fathful hands of Abu Ttd"'.*. the eldest ofhis ns and the successor of his authority. 'S>ly denr{^^t, best beloved son'^ thus history or tradition reports the tenoi of bis instructions^ — <' to y charge I leave Mohammed, the son of thine own brother, strictly roaimeuded, whose natural father the Lord hath been pleased to- keto himself, with the intent that this dear child should become our» adoption ; and much dearer ought be to bo imto us than merely an^ opted son. Receive him, therefore, at my dyiiig hand?, with the me sin *ere love and tender bowels with which I deliver him to thy re. Hinour^ love, and cherish him as much, or even more than if '■t- R V" UVE OF MulJA:^'IMED. J> :i .1 4 1 . '■ *■» . V ;- i i ■' • ■ -H - 1% :l '5^ ^ :i I the most noble of them all, and his ancestors, for several generations, had ranked among the princes of Mecca, and the keepers of the keys of the Caaba, its sacred temple. Ilis father's name was Abdallah, one of the thirteen sons of Abdol Motalleb, the chief personage in his day among the Koreish, and inheriting from his father Ilashem the princi- pal place in the government of Mecca, and succeeding him in the cus. tody of the Caaba. This Hashem, the great-grandfather of Mohammed, was the most distmguished name in all the line of his predecessors, nnd from him not only is the appellation of Hashemitos bestowed upon tlio kindred of the prophet, but even to this day, the chief magistrate, both at Mecca and Medina, who must always be of the race of Mohammed. is invariably styled "The Prince of the Hashemites."' The name of Mohammed's mother was Amiua, whoso parentage was traceable also to a distinguished family of the same tribe. Her lot was envied in gai;;. ing the hand of the son of Abdol Motalleb, as the surpassing beauty of his person is said to have ravished the hearts of a hundred maidens ofl Arabia, who were left, by his choice of Amina, to sigh over the wred| of their fondest hopes. Abdallah, though the son of a rich and princely father, was possess-j ed of but little wealth, and as he died while his son was an infant, or, asf some eay, before he was born, it is probable that that little was seized! with the characteristic rapacity of the Arabs, and shared among liisi twelve surviving brothers, the powerful uncles of Mohammed. Althougli the laws of the Koran, in respect to inheritances, promulgated by tliel prophet himself, breathe more of the spirit of equity and kindness ; yetl the pagan Arabs, previous to his time, as we learn from Eastern writers,[ were wont to treat widows and orphans with great injustice, frequently! denying them any share in the inheritances of their fathers and husbandsj under the pretence that it ought to be distributed among those only wliol were able to bear arms, and disposing of widows, even against theirl own consent, as a part of their husband's possessions. The fatherless! Mohammed, accordingly, faring like the rest of his countrymen, re| ceived, in the dibtribution of the patrimony, no more than five cameli and an Ethiopian female slave. The Moslem writers, in order to represent the birth of their pretendJ ed prophet as equally marvellous with that of Moses or of Christ, tliej ancient messengers of God who preceded him, have reported a tissueofT astonishing prodigies said to have occurred in connexion with that evenlj If the reader will receive their statements with the same implicit f with which they seem to be delivered, he must acknowledge, thatatthd moment when the favoured infant was ushered into the world, a flood oil light burst forth with him and illuminated every part of Syria ; that thof waters of the Lake Sawa were entirely dried up, so that a city was buiW upon its bottom ; that an earthquake threw down fourteen towers of tha king of Persia's palace ; that the sacred fire of the Persians was extinj guished, and all the evil spirits which had inhabited the moon and start were expelled together from their celestial abodes, nor could they evcj after animate idols or deliver oracles on earth. The child also, if «i *t 13 :ei'al generations, jers of the keys of 'as xVbilallah, one rsonage in his day iashem the priiici- ng him in the cus- tier of Mohammed, predecessors, and bestowed upon iho jf magistrate, both ice of Mohammed. 1 OS." The name of was traceable also I was envied in gai.i- ir passing beauty o:j Hundred maidens of I iigli over the wreck athcr, was possess- ,vas an infant, or, as I hat little was seized \b LIFE OF MOHA.M.Ml::!!). lie had spruii";' IVom thino own loins ; for ull the honour thou &ho\ve«4t unto him shall be trebled unto tlipc. IJo more than ordinarily careful in thy treatment towards hlin, for It will be pnifl thee with interest.— Give him the preference before thine own children, for he excecdeth them find all mankind in excellenry and perfection. Take notice, that whensoever he calleth upon thee, thou answer him not as an infant, as his lender npre may require, but ns thou wouldst reply to the most aged and venerable person when he asketh thee any question. Sit not down to thy repasts of any sort soevei, cither alone or in company, till thy worthy nephew Mohammed is seated at the table before thee ; neither do thou ever ofier to taste of any kind of viands, or even to stretch forth thine hand towards flie same, until he hnth tasted thereof. If thou ob- eervcst these my injunctions, thy ^oods shall always increase, and in no-wise be diminished.'' Whether Abj Talcb recognised in the depositc thus solemnly com- imitted to his trust an object of such high destiny and such profound veneration as his father' ts language would imply, we are not informed ; but there is good evidence that he acted touarils his nephew the part ol a kind friend and protector, g' ving him an education, scanty indeed, but equal to that usually received by his countrymen. His followers, litis true, in order to magnify their prophet's supernatural gifts, and liendcr the compo^hion of the Koran a greater miracle, generally affirm jthat he was wholly illiterjile. neither able to r*>ad or write. In this, [indeed, they are authorised by the pretensions of Mohammed himself, 1 shared among bis^^ho says, " Thus have we sent down thebook of the Koran unto thee. ohammed. Althougli promulgated by the I y and kindness ; yet from Eastern writer?, [ injustice, frequently! athers and husbands,! nong those only wliol I, even against theirl ns. The fatherlessi his countrymen, rej )r e than five camels irth of their pretend- ses or of Christ, tliel 3 reported a tissue o( Xion with that event.| same implicit faitl lowledge, that at the he world, a flood of t of Syria; thatths that a city was urteen towers of ths Persians was extin] the moon and star nor could they evel he child also, if ^vi I'fhou couldst not read any book before tbif ; nvit^er couldst thou write |it with thy right hand : then h;td the gninsayers justly doubted ol the divine original thereof." " Believe, therefore, in God and his apostle, [tlie illiterate prophet." But in ih K'lcan, a complete fabric ofimpos- |tiire, the last thing we tire i<> e.♦ is an lionest adherence to truth. [here is a!)undant evidpncv. from the pages of this sj^urious revelatioa tlself, that writing v-ns an art in r«)mmon use ,»mong the Arabs at that lime. The following precept concerning bonds puts it beyond question. 0, true believers, when ye bind yourselves one to the ether in a debt |or a certain time, write it down ; v.ml let a writer wlte between you |icccrding to justice, and let not the writer refuse w riting according td fhat God hat!: taughi him " VVt- learn also that All Taleb. the son of IbuTaleb, and cousifi of Mohammed, with whom the prophet passed |ii$ childhood, afterward became one of his scribes, of whom he had number employed in making copies of the Koran ns its successive bortions were revealed to him. How did it happen that Abu Taleb Ihould have had his son instructed In writing, and not his nephew ?— The city of Mecca, moreover, being a place of traffic, the merchants rtusthave hourly felt the want of some mo<1e of recording their trans- Ictions ; and as we are informed that Mohammed himself was for se- leral years engaged in mercantile pursuits before he commenced the |ropagation of a new religion, it is scarcely supposeable that he was [nacquainted with the use of letters. Of the infancy, childhood, and youth of the future prophet no au- bentic details have reached. The blank has indeed been copiously iipplied by the fabulous legends of his votaries, but as they are utterly loid of authority, they will not repay the trouble of transcription. Be- pg destined by his uncle to the profession of a merchant, he was taken 4V y ^ ' k * », ■^ ii: Hl£ OF MAU0.MML1J. |.j fts somb atfii'tn, nt the npfo nrthirtccn, into Syria whU AbuTalcbstm. diiiflr caravan, in order tu his hciniur p<'riVc(('U in tho business ol'hi^ in. tended vocation. Upon tlie i^imple cirnnnstjinco of this journey, tiie superstition of iiis followers ins f^raiXcd a series of miraculous oinrnij all portendinfT his future ^rcutoess. Amon