of his death-taking these and other considerations into account we cannot believe that Mohammed commenced his work merely as an ambitious conqueror, or a base imposter, who had no faith in himself or his Mission.

He was perhaps the unconscious instrument at first for originating an unparalleled delusion, which should maintain the most active and lasting antagonism to Christ's religion; and he was urged on in his work by some superhuman impetus which in the course of time he vainly persuaded himself to be the inspiration of Heaven. Thus having set his bark afloat, his zeal kindled, his work prospered and in his enthusiasm he may have interpreted this success as a mark of God's favour and support. His new religion was not therefore on his part a premediated scheme of deception, but was suggested to him as the most appropriate means of uniting the professors of the three creeds, then prevalent among his countrymen, and of thus satisfying an acknowledged want among them. Thus led on step by

step, Mohammed soon came to act the part of a conscious and decided impostor: in whatever way, therefore the question as to his individual guilt at the beginning may be determined, there can be no doubt of that guilt as his scheme ripens. The following alleged revelations, incontrovertibly stamp Mohammed as a false prophet; first the Sura which had for its object to re-establish the innocence of Ayesha his

canst not free thyself, we will pay the exorcist with our own money." Sirat Arassul fol. 47. 48.

favourite wife; then the authority to empower him to marry the wife of his adopted son Zaid, to enlarge his Harem at pleasure; and to obtain a larger proportion of the spoils, made by his army. The first drop of blood which was shed in his name by Abdallah during the sacred months, marked him as a man, who had now entered the path of deception, and wilful imposture." He might possibly persuade himself that he was acting in the spirit of Moses, and following the steps of some sincere Christians, when he declared war against the unbelievers, and agreeably to the practice of his age and country he might justify single instances of murder; but he could not desecrate the sacred months by plunder and bloodshed without having some real or pretended revelation to sanction the act: yet according to his most orthodox biographers, this sanction was not

43 In Sur. VIII. 41, the fifth part is apportioned to the prophet. The Sura respecting the innocence of Ayesha is XXIV. 11–20. also 4-5. The answer to the murmurs which were caused by his marrying Zeinab, the wife of Zaid, is found Sur. XXXIII. 4. 5. 36. 39-39. No one will be surprised when Maraccius commences his "Refutationes" to this Sura with these words: "Inter alia quae manifeste demonstrant Alcorarum non esse a Deo, illud est praecipium, puod in eo Mahometus omnia fere ad commodnm suum metitur." This will also aid us to define Mohammed's character.

44 The letter which was given to Abdallah Ebn Djach contained these words: "In the name of the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious go with thy companions, God's blessing be upon thee, into the valley Nachala, and watch there the caravans of the Koreishites, perhaps thou canst bring me word about them." The last sentence seems a Moslem addition, to protect M's character. Sura II. 217. refers to this transaction. Weil, pag. 98-102.

given till a considerable time had elapsed after the return of Abdallah from his infamous expedition. The mystery with which he confides to him an ambiguously written letter to be opened only after he had travelled a few days from Medina, again stamps Mohammed as an impostor, who was conscious that he was committing an act of injustice and treachery.

Again the "Sura of Joseph", 45 composed by Mohammed in Mecca, before his flight, is given as a direct revelation from Heaven, and appealed to as a proof of his divine Mission, though it contains incontrovertible proof of having been partially borrowed from the Bible and still more largely from Rabbinical tradition. Here was no delusion, no deceivable vision or satanic inspiration, which could have been mistaken for divine revelation, but a wilful fraud, and palpable deception. But even granting the supposition that Mohammed justified base means by the good end he had in view, before his flight, we still find him acting with a crafty, inconsistent and shortsighted policy throughout his stay at Medina. He first flatters the Jews and makes surprising concessions in order to win them to his cause but being disappointed in his expectations, he rescinds all his former concessions in their favour and becomes their deadliest enemy. Some he pardons through fear of Abdallah, others he slaughters like a flock of

45 Sur. XII. was written in a romantic style and was meant to attract the Arabs, whose taste for such compositions is notorious.

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sheep. To day he limits the number of wives, to morrow he transgresses his own laws in the name of God. The murderer may save his life by paying a ransom, but the thief is to have his hand cut off. In critical moments he seeks the advice of others, which he carries out against his own will. His strange shortsightedness became apparent, in his neglecting to choose a successor.

It was comparatively easy for Mohammed to gain the assent of his Pagan contrymen to his prophetical dignity without any distinguished talent, for his creed was unquestionably of a higher order than their own; added to which his attractive manners, his eloquence, liberality and general uprightness were sufficient to secure him many admirers. At Medina, success was attributable rather to his good connections, the prospect of spoil, the disunion of the tribes, and his own powers of deception than to his personal bravery or talents as a general; he deemed no means too base to rid himself of an enemy, where he felt strength and courage to do so: his art consisted in first acquiring every possible information and then surprising the enemy; hence he preserved the greatest secresy on all occasions,

46 Sur. XXXIII. 47. 48. 49. After mentioning various degrees of affinity, within which the prophet may marry it is added, "and any other believing woman, if she give herself unto the prophet, in case the prophet desireth to take her to wife. This is the peculiar privilege unto thee above the rest of the true believers."

47 At Ohod he goes forth against his will; during the siege of Medina he wished to make a separate league, and at Taif he commands the storming, although he knew it would be fruitless.

and only in one instance did he inform his army before-hand of the plan and object of his expedition.*

48

In reviewing the character of Mohammed, we find that it decidedly deteriorates from the time that he had assumed the office of a prophet, and this most significant fact ought to be specially borne in mind. In his early days of religious reform he commenced as a sincere fanatic, mistaking dreamy visions and satanic influence for divine inspiration; but he completed his career as a licentious impostor, who brought forth his pseudo-revelations whenever he found it necessary to sanction the most unjustifiable acts. It now devolves upon us to examine the history and the general character of the document, containing those revelations bequeathed by Mohammed to the world.

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY AND DOGMAS OF THE KORAN.

"They have seen vanity and lying divination saying: The Lord saith, and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say: The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken."

49

Ezek. XIII. 6. 7.

The Koran purporting to be the work of Mohammed could not long remain an indifferent book

48 This was the expedition against the Greeks to Tabak.

49

Koran from legere; hence lectio, liber lectionis,

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