"O mother, O father, help Mohammed!" I asked, "What has happened to him?" He answered, "When we were sitting together with Mohammed, we suddenly saw some one come, take him from the midst of us, carry him to the top of the mountain, throw him down and split open his body: what happened to him afterwards I do not know; but I do not expect him to be still alive." Then I and my husband ran thither, stupefied. When we reached him, we found him sitting on the mountain-top and looking up to heaven. Seeing us, he smiled. I kissed his head and his eyes, saying, "My soul be a sacrifice for thine. What has happened to thee?" He answered, "O mother, I was sitting with my brothers, when suddenly I saw three men appearing to me, and according to another account they were two men, dressed in white raiment, and they said that they were Gabriel and Michael, on both of whom be peace! In the hand of one of them there was a silver ewer, and in the other's hand a washing-basin of green emerald, filled with snow. They came, took me from the midst of my brothers, and carried me to the top of the mountain. One of them drew me kindly and gently to himself and split me open from my chest to my navel; and I saw him, but there was not any pain. Then he plunged his hand into my body, took out my intestines, and, after having washed them with snow-water in that washing-basin, put them back again to their place. Then the other said to him, 'Thou hast now done what thou hast been commanded: stand back, that I also may carry out what has been enjoined upon me.' Then he thrust his hand into my body, took out my heart, split it in half, removed the blood with which the dot of desire was polluted and threw it away, saying, 'This is the portion of Satan from thee, O thou loved one of God.' Then there was something in his hand which he had brought with him, and with which he filled my heart, after which he put it back to its place, and sealed it with a seal of light, whose charm and ease now remains in my limbs and joints. Then again another rose up and said, 'Stand back, both of you who have done what you have been commanded.' When they had stood back, he came, put his hand on the place where my chest was split, passing it on to the navel; and

that instant my wound closed and healed, whilst I was standing and looking on. After this they kissed me on my forehead, and said, 'O loved one, fear not: if thou knewest what good things are ready prepared for thee, thine eyes would brighten up.' Then they left me in this state, flew away, and entered mid-heaven. I saw them entering heaven, and if thou wishest, I will show thee where they entered." When I had brought him back to my dwelling, my husband, relatives, and acquaintances said, "Take him to a seer, that he may ascertain what is the matter with him." The true and honest of the tribe and people said, "Surely he is possessed: it is proper to take him to a seer."

As regards this subject of the splitting of the heart, there is a difference in the accounts: according to one, it happened either during his first or second stay amongst the Beni Saad according to another, it took place in his sixth year; and according to yet another, in his tenth year; and by trustworthy traditions it is affirmed that the splitting of his chest came to pass in the night of his ascension. If it please God, the truth resulting from these different accounts is this, that the splitting of the chest took place several times.' (R.)

(11.) Both were lost in their childhood, but found again: the one by his mother's diligent search, the other by a supernatural revelation.

a. 'When they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions' (Luke ii. 45, 46).

b. 'Halima, in narrating how she took back Mohammed to his mother, relates as follows: When I reached Mecca, I set Mohammed down at the chief city gate, to go a little aside, as there was a crowd of people in the place. On my return directly after, I did not find him. I therefore asked the people where the boy was whom I had just put down there, and swore by the God of Abraham that I would cast myself down a mountain and kill myself, if I did not find him again.