A CHINESE LIFE OF MOHAMMED 16& 



About this time Mohammed was not very popular with 

 some of his own kith and kin who delighted to humiliate and 

 insult him. His uncle Zubair approached several elders, and 

 a meeting was held and things talked over, after which a vow 

 was taken for future harmony and mutual deference. A 

 digression at this point lays the blame for the strained rela- 

 tions upon the priests who are said to have destroyed the 

 human relationships, and ruined filial piety and other right 

 things. People were so under the spell of the priests, and 

 so anxious to please them that they would attack their own 

 relatives and behave disorderly. 



When Mohammed was 23 years of age he frequently 

 dreamed that a spirit spake to him; he reported this to his 

 uncle Abu Talib who took him to see a -famous wizard, a 

 man of the "religion of the Cross." It was some time before 

 the wizard could make his diagnosis, but at last he saw a 

 flesh mark on the Prophet's back, upon which he declared 

 that this was no ordinary man as he had the seal of heaven 

 on him and there could be no doubt he had been sent by God. 

 The wizard advised that the matter be kept quiet, lest the- 

 Jews should hear about it and seek to kill the Prophet. 



When Mohammed was about 25 years of age, his uncle's 

 capital had diminished and he was in somewhat straitened 

 circumstances, so he suggested to Mohammed that he should 

 try to do business for himself, a proposal to which 

 Mohammed agreed. A wealthy lady named Khadija of very 

 generous tendencies, used to lend capital in a public spirited 

 way, without seeking undue advantage, and many people 

 benefited by her favours. This lady had decided not to 

 marry, says our author, for three reasons; her rank, her 

 talent and beauty, and her wealth, were all such as found no 

 peer, so she refused all offers, and now she was forty years 

 of age. We must here note that our author differs from 

 some others who state that Khadija was a widow who had 

 been twice married and had borne two sons and a daughter. 

 She had heard the fame of the Prophet, so was glad of the 

 opportunity to befriend him and at the same time get to 

 know more about him; so she lent him ten times as much 

 as he asked for and also sent with him her relative 

 Hudsaimieh and her servant Meisara; these two were secret- 

 ly commissioned to observe the actions of Mohammed and 

 report to Khadija. 



On arrival in Syria, another incident of meeting a Chris- 

 tian monk is reported to have taken place; on this occasion 

 a withered tree wonderfully revives as Mohammed sits under 

 it, upon which the monk says that the tree was planted by 

 Jesus who left command that no matter how dry the tree* 



