Seeing no trace of him, I became disconsolate, and, putting my hands to my head, called out, "O Mohammed, O my boy! " A crowd of people gathered round me, men, women, and children, who also cried because of my grief. Suddenly I saw an old man approach me, saying, "Weep not and grieve not: I will lead thee to one who can let thee find him, if he please." Then that old man took me to the idol-house, walked seven times round the idol, kissed his head, and, after having lauded and praised him according to rule and precept, said, "O exalted Hobal, wilt thou be pleased to bring back Mohammed Ibn Abd Allah whose wet-nurse this woman is?" When the old man had uttered these words, I saw that Hobal and the other idols fell prostrate upon their faces, and out of their hollow part a voice proceeded, saying, "O old man, remain thou far from us, and do not mention Mohammed's name before us: the destruction of ourselves and the other idols and the idolaters is to be in his hand; and his God does not lose him, but keeps him by any means. Tell the idol-worshippers that our greatest sacrificer is to be Mohammed, that is, he is to kill us all, whilst they that follow him shall be safe." Halima then went and told Abdu-l-Mottaleb what had happened. He at once called the Koreish together; and with them, on horseback, searched the high and low parts of Mecca, but without success. He therefore also went to the temple, and inquiring of the idols, heard in reply this Voice from the invisible world, "O ye men, grieve not; for Mohammed has a God who does not lose him." Abdu-l-Mottaleb again asked, "O Voice, where is Mohammed?" The Voice replied, "He is sitting under a tree in the Wady of Teham." Upon this, Abdu-l-Mottaleb started and found Mohammed in that valley, sitting under a tree and gathering leaves. Asking him who he was, the child answered, "I am Mohammed Ibn Abd Allah Ibn Abdu-l-Mottaleb." Abdu-l-Mottaleb rejoined, "My soul be a sacrifice for thee. I am thy grandfather;" and taking him up on horseback, carried him home. Ibn Abbas observes that, in recognition of having found Mohammed, Abdu-l-Mottaleb gave away much gold and silver money, camels, and sheep, as alms, and also enriched and rejoiced Halima with a variety of gifts and favours.' (R.)

(12.) Twelve years old, their special relation to God and uncommon destiny was made known during a journey; and then they were taken away from the place where their presence might prematurely have roused the hostility of the Jews.

a. 'When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem.... And his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them [away from the dangerous city], and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart' (Luke ii. 42-5 1).

b. 'The biographers and historians of Mohammed record, that when that noble one was twelve years, two months, and ten days old, he expressed the desire of accompanying Abu Talib on a mercantile journey to Bosra in Syria. Abu Talib had already laden his beasts, and was ready for the journey, without intending to take Mohammed with him, when that noble one addressed him thus, "O uncle, I have neither father nor mother: with whom wilt thou leave me? I will go with thee." Abu Talib willingly consenting, said, "By Allah, I shall go together with thee, and not separate from thee." Then, journeying in company with the Lord of the world, they reached a village called Kefer, six miles from Bosra. In that village the monk Bahira, who was a Christian scholar and divine of great asceticism and piety, had his monastery. He had acquired a knowledge of the nature and attributes of the Prophet from the Gospel and other heavenly books, and had long been expecting to see that prince in his monastery; for he had found in the heavenly books that he was to come at such a time, and in such a place, and that he was to alight under the shadow of a certain tree in a particular monastery. When the Koreishite caravan came with that noble one and encamped by the side of Bahira's monastery, he went