The life and death of Mahumed, the author of the Turkish religion being an account of his tribe, parents, birth, name, education, marriages, filthiness of life, Alcoran, first proselytes, wars, doctrines, miracles, advancement, &c. / by L. Addison ... author of The present state of the Jews.

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

Of Mahumeds Birth and Education, &c.

HAving taken this short prospect of Ma∣humeds Pedegree, our next step is to his Conception and Birth; for the Arabians are so punctual in his Legend, that they tell us the time of his Conception, and that it was upon a Friday, in the Month Dulhajiah, when God (say they) transmitted all his se∣cret light by Abdulla, into the Womb of He∣mina. And albeit we meet with no discord as to the Day and Month of Mahumeds Conception, yet Writers are not so well agreed as to the Year of his Birth, which some place in the 571, others in the 570, but the most in the 620 year of Christianity. And notwithstanding this difference among Chronologists about the date of the false Pro∣phets Nativity, yet the general opinion of the Saracens makes him to be born upon a Monday, and that his Nativity was atten∣ded with many Miracles, whereof Seven were more egregiously remarkable, and follow in this order.

1. His Mother Emina was free from all

those pains when she bore him, which are in∣cident to all other Women in Childbirth.

2. She felt no anxiety, nor trouble of Mind, nor apprehension of danger, as is usual to the rest of her Sex in that condition.

3. Mahumed being pulled from his Mother, fell upon his face, by that humble posture to testifie his Worship to God; and while he was thus prostrate, he cryed out, O Mother! and then lifting up his head, he spoke these words distinctly; I declare, That there is no God, except the one true God, and that I am his Legat.

4. Mahumed was born Circumcised, as Adam, according to the Jews, was created.

5. From the minute of Mahumeds Birth, the Devil and his Angels were excluded Heaven. Now the meaning of this Miracle, depends upon this story: The Moors believe that the Devils were wont to ascend into Hea∣ven, and to hear the private discourses of the Holy Angels, and to steal away their say∣ings; but when their Apostle Mahumed was Born, they were forbidden to ascend any longer. Ʋpon this suddain exclusion, they repair to Ablisus the old Devil, and made him ac∣quainted with what had hapned; and how they were debarr'd all future entrance into Heaven: upon which tydings, he order'd them to com∣pass the Earth, from East to West, and to ob∣serve what new thing had last faln out.

They obey'd his command, and journeyed up and down, till they came to Mecca, where they came to an House that was environed with Angels, out of which a fire ascended up to Heaven, and the Angels likewise in a conti∣guous order. Ʋpon this discovery, they return'd to Ablisus, whom they told what they had seen; who at the hearing of the story, gave a sudden and fearful shriek, saying, A sign is gone out, whereby we are admonished, that God will have mercy upon the Sons of Men, and therefore we are forbid to ascend Heaven.

6. His Nurse Alima had been always dry of one Breast; but she no sooner began to give Mahumed suck, but it was as full of Milk as the other.

7. At his Birth, a voice was heard from the four corners of Caaba; from the first was heard, Preach, the truth is come, and no lye will appear, or return. From the second it was said, Now cometh an Apostle of your selves, with whom is the mighty. From the third was heard, Light, and a manifest Book is sent unto you from God. And from the fourth corner issued these words, O Prophet, we have sent thee to be a Witness, Evangelist, and Monitor.

These are the seven Wonders, which are confidently maintained to have hapned at Mahumeds Birth; in whose larger relation so many Blasphemies are to be met with, pre∣ferring

and extolling this wicked Miscreant above our most blessed Saviour, that I was afraid to give them a Transcription. But it need not create our wonder, that the Ma∣humedan Doctors should be thus large in the Encomiums of their Apostle, when as strange things are attested of St. Francis, by the Friars of his Order; and also by the Domi∣nicans, in praise of their Founder. But weary of this palpable trash, I leave it, to come to the time of Mahumeds Birth; which I find generally fixed by the Moors, in the 620 year of our Salvation. His Father dyed (say some) within two years after he was born; and others affirm, that he was a Posthumus, and that before he was two years old, he was left an Orphan: but his Mother, tender of her Sons welfare, and by the fatal tokens of her Distemper, perceiving a few days would put her in an utter incapacity of looking after his Education, she presently sent for his Nurse Lala Alima, to whose care she most affectio∣nately recommended young Mahumed, whom at the same time she bequeathed to Hanza, her Husbands Brother, who bore the charge of his breeding, till he was sixteen years old. And indeed, the Poverty of Mahumeds Pa∣rents had left him so devoid of subsistance, that if his Unkle had not taken him into his Tuition, he had certainly (as we now speak) come to the Parish. But Hanza having

brought him up to such years of discernment, as he was fit to shift for himself; and being not able, or unwilling to be at farther charge with his Nephew, he exposed him to sale in the open Market; where one Abdael Mu∣talib, liking the complexion of the youth, bought him of his Unkle. By his new Pa∣tron, say some, he was at first employed in very inferiour Offices; till Abdael Mutalib perceiving in him a more then ordinary In∣genuity, and sharpness of Wit, raised him to employments more agreeable to his Temper. And being a Merchant, sent him to negotiate his Affairs abroad, and by the first Caravan or Cafila, dispatcht him his Factor; in which capacity he so well acquitted himself, that he no less advanced his Masters Trafique, then his own Reputation. In this way of business he continued till he was 25 years of age; at which time his Master dyed, and Mahumed managed his concerns so well, that some say he succeeded him both in his Trade and Bed. For through carefulness in his Mistresses bu∣sinesses, say some; or through Sorceries, say others, he so gain'd upon her affections, as that at last she took him for her Husband. This Womans Name, say the common stories of Mahumed, was Gadisha, of the same Tribe with himself, and one who was both very beautiful and wealthy.

And though what has now been spoken

concerning Mahumeds Education and Mar∣riage, has passed very currant in the Europae∣an Accounts of him; yet I find it much other∣wise related out of the Saracen Writers of his Life: of which, take this short report.

Mahumeds Father dyed two Months before he was Born; and his Mother, when he was six years of age: his Unkle Abdolmutleb re∣ceived him into his tuition upon his Mothers death, who survived her about two years; and he dying, Mahumed fell into the care of his Unkle Abutabeb, with whom he lived till he was fit to be disposed of in Marriage: but both his own, and Unkles fortunes, were at that time so low, that they wanted where∣with (according to the ancient custom) to purchase him a Wife. Whereupon, Abuta∣leb, and his Wife Atechna, resolved to send him abroad with the Caravan that went for Syria, and to entrust him with the manage∣ment of a small Adventure; hoping by this means to lay the beginning of his future wel∣fare. And they were the more inclined thus to put their Nephew into the World, by rea∣son of his inclination to Merchandise; as also that they saw in him such a composed Go∣vernment of himself, as promised him a fair acceptance with whomsoever he should happen to converse. But how Mahumed performed his journey into Syria, and what therein befel him, we shall sum up in the

next Chapter, and conclude this with two Miracles that hapned to him when a Child. When Mahumed was with his Nurse Alima, and about four years old, going with his Nurses Sons into the field to fetch home the Cows (saith his famous Legendary Abunazar) the Angel Gabriel came unto him in the like∣ness of a Man cloathed with a snow-white Garment; and taking him by the hand, led him behind a little hill, where with a razor he opened the Childs breast, and took out his Heart, and let out of it a small quantity of black water; which, according to the Moors, is the matter by which the Devil tempts Men. From whose temptations Ma∣humed was for ever delivered, after the An∣gel had taken away this Core. This being done, Gabriel put the Boys Heart into its place, and the Wound immediately closed and healed up. Another passage (which A∣bunazar calls a Miracle) was, that of the Monk Bohira; who, as Mahumed came to Bozra, went forth to meet him, and spoke openly, how that some great thing (pointing at Mahumed) would be done by that Boy: and that his fame should spread from East to West. And the Monk having said thus, Mahumed (saith his Legend) was covered with a Cloud, to the astonishment of all that beheld him. I shall not remark any thing upon these two stories, but leave it to the judgment of every

Reader. Only give me leave to take notice, that whether such things really hapned, or not, it matters not much, while they are confidently believed by the Mahumedans, and entertained as no frail arguments to prove the excellency of their Prophet.