want?" Then the Lord of the world addressed them, saying, "Redeem your souls from God: God is not enriched from you by anything. O ye sons of Abdu-l-Mottaleb, God is not enriched of you by anything. O Abbas, thou son of Abdu-l-Mottaleb, God is not enriched of thee by anything. O Safiya, thou aunt of the Apostle of God, God is not enriched of thee by anything. O Fatima, thou daughter of Mohammed, ask of me what thou wilt of the things which concern me: God is not enriched of thee by anything." After that he said, "If I told you that hostile soldiers were coming from the other side of the mountain, who would suddenly pounce upon you and wish to make you prisoners, would you believe me in giving you such information, or would you not?" They all answered, "We would believe thee: for thou art not known amongst us as a liar, and we have seen nothing in thee but what is true." His Excellency continued, "Then know and understand that I warn and threaten you with a severe punishment." That Excellency's uncle, Abu Lahab, replied, "What a pity, O Mohammed, that thou callest us together for such a purpose as this."' (Ibn Hisham, Part IV.)

'It is recorded that that prince presented himself to the people during the seasons of pilgrimage, and invited them to embrace Islam, saying, "O ye people, call out, There is no God but the true God."' (R.)

(20.) In order to tempt and test them, difficult questions were submitted to them by their opponents, which they were able to solve.

a. 'Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. . . . But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. The same day came to him the Sad-

ducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, saying,' etc. (Matt. xxii. 15-46).

b. ' El Nadhr was of the Satans of the Koreish, one of those who reviled and opposed Mohammed. Having visited Hira, he had there heard the history of the Persian kings, and of Rustem and of Isfendar. So when Mohammed warned his people of the Divine punishments which had befallen former nations, he would rise after him, and say, "I know more beautiful stories than Mohammed;" and having told them, he would ask, "Now, whereby are Mohammed's stories distinguished above mine?" He also once said, "I can reveal to you similar things to those which Allah reveals." When El Nadhr had spoken thus, the Koreish sent him with Okba Ibn Abi Mueit to the Jewish Rabbis of Medina, in order to tell them about Mohammed, and to ask them what they thought of him, because they had knowledge of the ancient books and knew more about prophets than themselves.¹ Having gone to Medina and delivered their errand, the Rabbis said, "Address three questions to him, which we will communicate to you: if he answers them, he is sent as a prophet; if not, he is a liar; ² and you will know how to deal with him. First ask him concerning the men who went away in former times; for marvellous things are told about them. Secondly ask him concerning the wanderer who reached the remotest east and west of the earth. And lastly ask him concerning the Spirit, what it is." On their return to Mecca, El Nadhr and Okba communicated the result of their journey to the Koreish; and then went to Mohammed and proposed to him the three questions. Mohammed replied definitely, "To-morrow I shall give you the answer." But when fifteen nights had passed, without his having received a revelation on the subject, the Meccans assembled