uncleanness of the idolaters." And the idols which were about the Kaaba were broken in pieces, as an old rag is torn up; and the largest idol, named Hobal, lay prostrate, with his face upon the stones; and I heard a Caller call, "Mohammed is born of Amina." — Irvet Ibn Zobeir narrates, that a company of the Koreish had an idol in the idol-house, which they visited once a year, on a certain day, which they regarded as a festival, and on which they sacrificed camels and drank wine in their assemblies. When they arrived on one such occasion, they saw that the idol was undeniably fallen down upon his face. They lifted him up and replaced him, but in a moment they saw him fallen down again, head foremost. This happened twice; and when they had again strongly posted him in his place, they heard a voice proceeding from the hollow part of the idol, reciting these verses:

"Rejoicing because of the child,
And radiant with his light,
Are all the mountain-passes of the earth,
Both in the east and in the west;
And bowing down to him are all the idols,
And trembling are the hearts of all the kings,
Throughout the world, from fear."

This occurrence happened on the night of that Excellency's birth.

'Halima, Mohammed's wet-nurse, relates: When we were returning from Mecca, with our nurslings, to the tribe of the Beni Saad, all the women of the tribe wondered at the change that had come over my donkey, saying, "O Halima, is not the donkey on which thou ridest the same as that on which thou camest to Mecca? How strange, that the donkey which then could not walk straight, now cannot be overtaken by any other donkey. There must be something uncommon and mysterious in this donkey." Upon this I heard my donkey say, "Yes, for God's sake, there is something uncommon and mysterious in me whom God, the Nourisher, has quickened, and, when emaciated, has fattened. O ye tawny Beni Saad women, ye are ignorant of my state. Do ye know that he who is riding on me is the seal of the prophets, the Lord of the apostles, superior in nature to the former and the latter, and the loved one of both worlds?"

When I met a flock of sheep, on that journey, the sheep would come near me and say, "O Halima, knowest thou who thy nursling is? He is Mohammed, the Lord of heaven and earth, and the first of the 'sons of men." — The nursing being over and Halima about to take the child back to Mecca, she heard in the night an invisible Caller call, "The fountain of blessing and safety is departing from the Beni Saad tribe: O valley of Mecca, thy time is propitious, thy light, ray, life, beauty, paradise, and ornament is to come back to thee; and thou art always to remain preserved and protected by his blessing."' (R.)

(9.) Like Jesus, Mohammed also was presented, in his early infancy, to the Deity of the national Sanctuary.

a. 'When the days of Mary's purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord [in the temple]" (Luke ii. 22, 27).

b. Ibn Ishak narrates: 'When Mohammed was born,, his mother sent for Abdu-l-Mottaleb, begging him to come and see the child. When he came, she told him what she had seen during the time of her pregnancy, what she had been told concerning him, and what name she was to give him. It is believed that Abdu-l-Mottaleb then took him, carried him to the Kaaba, thanked God for the gift, and then took him back again to his mother, and went to find a wet-nurse for him.'

(10.) They both developed in their childhood under the special favour of God, and showed marks of an uncommon measure of Divine Grace.

a. 'The child Jesus grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him' (Luke ii. 40).

b. 'Amina said, When Mohammed was born, he put his hands upon the earth, lifted up his face heavenwards, knelt upon his knees and, moved his fingers, as if using the rosary. He also sucked his thumb, whereupon milk flowed from it. Afterwards he took a handful of earth, turned towards the