this invitation and joined him, with the exception of Abu Lahab, that wicked enemy of God. When Abu Talib had the pleasure of seeing that his tribe inclined towards him and shared his zeal, he praised them, recalling the memory of their ancestors, and the excellencies of the apostle of God, and his position amongst them, in order to strengthen them in their love towards him.¹

'The Koreish became still more violent on account of the unpleasantness which they had brought upon themselves by their hostility to Mohammed, they incited the most daring ones against him; and these called him a liar, a sorcerer, a poet, a soothsayer, a demoniac, and ill-treated him. Mohammed, in openly carrying out God's commands, said aloud what they did not like to hear, reviled their faith, rejected their idols, and separated himself from the unbelievers.
'Yahya Ibn Urwa narrates that his father heard Abd Allah Ibn Omar say, One day the Koreish were in the temple and I with them, and I heard one of them say to the other, Do you remember what he did to you and you to him, so that he said to you what you did not like, and yet you left him alone? While they were thus speaking, Mohammed entered. They fell upon him like one man, surrounded him, and asked, Didst thou revile our gods and our Faith in such and such a manner? He answered, Yes, I did. Then I saw how one of them seized him just in the place where the cloak is folded over. Abu Bekr placed himself weeping before him, and said, Will you kill a man who says, God is my Lord? Upon this, they left him and went away. This is the worst of what they did to Mohammed. Ibn Ishak says, One of the family of Om Koltum, Abu Bekr's daughter, told me that she said, When Abu Bekr came home that day, part of his head was bare, so violently had they torn him by his beard; for he had a beautiful beard. A learned man also told me, The worst which Mohammed experienced from the Koreish was this, that one day, when he

went out, no one, neither freeman nor slave, met him without calling him a liar and insulting him. He went home and wrapt himself up; but God said to him, O thou who art wrapt up, arise and preach!' (Ibn Ishak and Ibn Hisham, Part IV.)

(23.) Unconvinced by their words and acts of the Divine Mission they claimed, the people proffer them Unacceptable Demands which are not granted, and only widen the breach between the prophet and the people.

a. 'The Jews said unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. . . . Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?' (John vi. 28-33, 60). Comp. John ii. 18-22, Matt. xii. 38-40.
'The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, . . . A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed' (Matt. xvi. 1-4).

b. 'When Islam began to spread in Mecca amongst the men and women of the clans of the Koreish, the chief men of each clan assembled on one occasion, after sunset, at the back wall of the Kaaba and sent for Mohammed that they might dispute with him and be excused afterwards. When he had seated himself by them, they repeated their former accusations and again, as previously through Otba, offered him money, honour, and power, if that were his aim; or to procure a physician for him, in case he was visited by a spirit of whom he could not rid himself. Mohammed answered, My state is not such as you suppose, neither do I seek money, honour, and power; but God has sent me as