FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240  
241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   >>   >|  
ccordingly had them taken away. In order to untie the knots Gabriel read to him the two last chapters of the _Koran_, consisting of eleven verses; each verse untied a knot, and, when all were untied, he recovered.[60] This year Mahomet had a seal made with this inscription, "Mahomet, the apostle of God." This was to seal his letters, which he now took upon him to write to divers princes, inviting them to Islamism. His first letter to this effect was sent to Badham, viceroy of Yemen, to be forwarded to Khusrau, king of Persia. Khusrau tore the letter, and ordered Badham to restore the prophet to his right mind or send him his head. Khusrau was presently after murdered by his son Siroes; Badham with his people turned Mussulmans, and Mahomet continued him in his government. He also sent a letter of the same purport to the Roman emperor Heraclius. Heraclius received the letter respectfully, and made some valuable presents to the messenger. He sent another to Makawkas, viceroy of Egypt, who returned in answer he would consider of the proposals, and sent, among other presents, two young maidens. One of these, named Mary, of fifteen years of age, Mahomet debauched. This greatly offended two of his wives, Hafsa and Ayesha, and to pacify them he promised, upon oath, to do so no more. But he was soon taken again by them transgressing in the same way. And now, that he might not stand in awe of his wives any longer, down comes a revelation which is recorded in the sixty-sixth chapter of the _Koran_, releasing the prophet from his oath, and allowing him to have concubines, if he wished.[61] And the two wives of Mahomet, who, upon the quarrel about Mary, had gone home to their fathers, being threatened in the same chapter with a divorce, were glad to send their fathers to him to make their peace with him, and obtain his permission for their return. They were fain to come and submit to live with him upon his own terms. [Illustration: Mahomet, preaching the unity of God, enters Mecca at the head of his victorious followers Painting by A. Mueller.] Mahomet sent letters at the same time to the king of Ethiopia, who had before professed Islamism, and now in his answer repeated his profession of it. He wrote to two other Arabian princes, who sent him disagreeable answers, which provoked him to curse them. He sent also to Al Mondar, king of Bahrain, who came into his religion, and afterward routed the Persians and made a great sl
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240  
241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Mahomet

 

letter

 

Badham

 

Khusrau

 

Islamism

 

princes

 
prophet
 

answer

 
chapter
 
viceroy

letters

 
presents
 
fathers
 

Heraclius

 
untied
 

Persians

 
threatened
 

concubines

 
quarrel
 

wished


transgressing

 
longer
 

routed

 

releasing

 

recorded

 

revelation

 

allowing

 

permission

 

Mueller

 

Painting


followers

 

Bahrain

 

Mondar

 
victorious
 
provoked
 

professed

 

repeated

 

profession

 

Arabian

 

disagreeable


answers

 

Ethiopia

 
enters
 

religion

 
return
 
obtain
 

afterward

 
preaching
 
Illustration
 

submit