salvation. He read passages from the Kur'an, asked forgiveness of any whom he had wronged, appointed his successors, and prepared his weeping followers for his death. His head pillowed on the lap of his wife, his lips murmuring of pardon and paradise, the dying agonies of a great soul came to an end, and the Preacher of Islam breathed his last. "His people were moved to keen distress. Omar, half-frantic, drew his scimitar, rushed among the crowd, and declared he would strike off the head of any one who dared to say the Prophet of God was no nore. Abu Bakr calmed him, and preached resignation to the will of God. "Muhammad was a man of imposing presence, of medium height, broad-shouldered, and strongly built, with fine features, coal-black hair and eyes, and a long beard. His mental powers were of a high order, his manners reserved yet affable and courteous; his speech laconic and often humorous; a man of strong passions but noble impulses, capable of great love, great generosity, altogether a character of surprising force, capacity, shrewdness, and determination. Temperate and prudent in youth, he gained in manhood the name of 'al-Amin,' or 'the faithful,' from his fair and upright dealing. Just and affectionate in private life, he lived in the humblest style in a poor hut, eating the plainest food, lighting his own fire, and mending his own clothes and shoes, having given his slaves their freedom. For months together he would seldom eat a hearty meal, always sharing it with those whose need was greater: a number of the poor lived entirely on his generosity. "The following beautiful story is worth passing on: 'Sleeping one day under a palm tree, he awoke suddenly to find an enemy named Du'thur standing over him with drawn sword. "O, Muhammad, who is there now to save thee?" cried the man. "God," answered Muhammad. Du'thur dropped his sword. Muhammad seized it, and cried in turn: “O, Du'thū, who is there now to save thee?" "No one," replied Du'thur. "Then learn from me to be merciful," said Muhammad, and handed him back the weapon. Duʻthur became one of his firmest friends." There can be no doubt about the earnestness in which the Moslem believes in Allah as the only true God. It is well known to travelers that the Moslems, especially the people in the lower walks of life, laborers, farmers and small traders, are more honest and more sincere in their belief than Christians of the same class. The four rules which according to Abdullah are indispensable for the religious guidance of man, read as follows: "Actions will be judged according to their intentions. "The proof of a Muslim's sincerity is that he payeth no heed to that which is not his business. "No man is a true believer unless he desireth for his brother that which he desireth for himself. "That which is lawful is clear, and that which is unlawful likewise, but there are certain doubtful things between the two, from which it is well to abstain." From the "Sayings of Muhammad," of which Abdullah has collected 451, we select the following as especially characteristic, and worthy of quoting: "He dieth not who giveth life to learning. "Whoso honoreth the learned, honoreth me. "Pray to God morning and evening, and employ the day in your avocations. "He who neither worketh for himself, nor for others, will not receive the reward of God. "Those who earn an honest living are the beloved of God. "He is not of me, but a rebel at heart, who when he speaketh, speaketh falsely; who, when he promiseth, breaks his promises; and who, when trust is reposed in him, faileth in his trust. "Thus saith the Lord, 'Verily those who are patient in adversity and forgive wrongs, are the doers of excellence.' "They will enter the Garden of Bliss who have a true, pure and merciful heart. "No man is true in the truest sense of the word but he who is true in word, deed, and in thought. "What actions are the most excellent? To gladden the heart of a human being, to feed the hungry, to help the afflicted, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful, and to remove the wrongs of the injured. "God hath made a straight road, with two walls, one on each side of it, in which are open doors, with curtains drawn across. At the top of the road is an Admonisher, who saith, 'Go straight on the road, and not crooked;' and above this Admonisher is another who saith to any one who would pass through these doorways, 'Pass not through those doors, or verily ye will fall.' Now, the road is Islam; and the open doors are those things which God hath forbidden; and the curtains before the doors the bounds set by God; the Admonisher is the Kur'an, and the upper Admonisher God, in the heart of every Muslim. "To the light have I attained and in the light I live. "Then the child (of Zainab) was brought to Lord Muhammad, dying; its soul trembling and moving; and both the eyes of the Apostle of God shed many tears. And S'ad said, 'O Messenger of God! What is this weeping and shedding of tears?' He said, This is an expression of the tenderness and compassion, which the Lord hath put into the hearts of His servants; the Lord doth not compassionate and commiserate His servants, except such as are tender and full of feeling.' "Remember and speak well of your dead, and refrain from speaking ill if them. "Torment not yourselves, lest God should punish you. "Men will be liars towards the end of the world; and will relate such stories as neither you nor your fathers ever heard. Then avoid them, that they may not lead you astray and throw you into contention and strife. "I am no more than man; when I order you anything respecting religion, receive it, and when I order you anything about the affairs of the world, then am I nothing more than man. "What is Islam? I asked Lord Muhammad. He said, 'Purity of speech and charity.' "An hour's contemplation is better than a year's adoration. "Charity is a duty unto every Muslim. He who hath not the means thereto, let him do a good act or abstain from an evil one. That is his charity. "Hell is veiled in delights, and Heaven in hardships and miseries. "Every child is born with a disposition towards the natural religion (Islām). It is the parents who make it a Jew, a Christian or a Magian. "All actions are judged by the motives prompting them. "This world is a prison for the Faithful, but a Paradise for unbelievers. "When the bier of any one passeth by you, whether Jew, Christian, or Muslim, rise to thy feet. "This life is but a tillage for the next, do good that you may reap there; for striving is the ordinance of God, and whatever God hath ordained can only be attained by striving. "Trust in God, but tie your camel. "The world and all things in it are valuable; but the most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman. "A Muslim must not hate his wife; and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, then let him be pleased with another which is good. "The thing which is lawful, but disliked by God, is divorce. "It is not right for a guest to stay so long as to incommode his host. "Guard yourselves from six things, and I am your security for Paradise. When you speak, speak the truth; perform when you promise; discharge your trust; be chaste in thought and action; and withhold your hand from striking, from taking that which is unlawful, and bad. "The most excellent of alms is that of a man of small property, which he has earned by labor, from which he giveth as much as he is able. "God is a unit and liketh unity. "What did Lord Muhammad do within doors? 'He used to serve his family, such as milking goats, mending shoes and stitching; and when prayer-times came, he would go out to perform them.' "God saith, "I was a hidden treasure. I would fain be known. So I created man.' "Lord Muhammad used to wait upon himself. "The holder of a monopoly is a sinner and offender. "The bringers of grain to the city to sell at a cheap rate gain immense advantage by it, and whoso keepeth back grain in order to sell at a high rate is cursed. "A martyr shall be pardoned every fault but debt. "Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow-beings first. "To listen to the words of the learned, and to instil into others the lessons of science, is better than religious exercises. "The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of the martyr. "One hour's meditation on the work of the Creator is better than seventy years of prayer. "God is pure and loveth purity and cleanliness. "The acquisition of knowledge is a duty incumbent on every Muslim, male and female. "It was said to the Rasul, 'O messenger of God! Curse the infidels.' Lord Muhammad said, 'I am not sent for this; nor was I sent but as a mercy to mankind.' "Usamah bin Zaid, relates from the Rasûl, in the word of God, 'After that I gave a book of laws, to those that were selected from My servants; then some of these injure their own souls, some of them observe a medium in their actions, and some of them are swift in goodness.' Lord Muhammad said, 'All of them are in Paradise, agreeable to their difference in eminence and degree.' "What is Paradise? Lord Muhammad said, 'It is what the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor ever flashed across the mind We conclude our collection of the sayings of Muhammad by quoting verse 59 of the second Surah of the Kur'an: "It matters not whate'er ye name yourselves- Or Sâbians-whoe'er believe in God, The last e'erlasting Day, and act aright, Their meed is with their Lord; no fear nor care |