(42.) They taught their people how to pray.

a. 'When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father,' etc. (Matt. vi. 5-13.)
'He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint' (Luke xviii. I).

b. 'When Gabriel had departed, Mohammed returned to Khadija, and showed her how it is necessary first to wash before prayer, as Gabriel had taught him; then he prayed, as Gabriel had prayed before him, and she prayed after his example.' (Ibn Hisham.)

Ibn Ishak narrates: 'Salih Ibn Keisan told me what he had heard of Urwa Ibn Zobeir, who had been told it by Aisha, namely, that at first, prayer with two genuflexions only, was prescribed to Mohammed, which is still the duty incumbent on travellers, but afterwards God increased it to four genuflexions, for those who are at home.' (I. I.)

We have already learned from the account of the ascension, how Mohammed, by bargaining with the Most High, obtained a reduction of the fifty daily prayers at first required, to five, and how, when Moses invited him to try for a still further reduction, he answered, 'I have already returned so often to my Lord that I am ashamed to do so again; but I am content with this and walk in the way of submission.' ¹ According to another account he said, 'I returned to my Lord for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in the number of prayers, till He said, "O Mohammed, I have made five prayers obligatory upon thee and thy people; and I accept each one prayer in the stead of ten prayers, so that their five prayers shall be as good as fifty prayers."' (R.)

(43.) Each of them sanctioned the drinking of his blood, and ascribed to it a saving virtue.

a. 'Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him' (John vi. 53-56).

b. Abu Saad Khodri relates: 'When, at the battle of Ohod, the helmet-rings had been taken out of the Prophet's cheek, blood flowed from the radiant face of that Lord of the pure, and my father Malik Ibn Sinan sucked the wounds with his mouth, swallowing the blood. When they said to my father, "Malik, is blood to be drunk?" my father replied, "Yes, the blood of the Prophet of God I drink like a beverage." At that time his Excellency, the Prophet, said, "Whoever wishes to see one who has mixed my blood with his own, let him look at Malik Ibn Sinan: any one whose blood touches mine, him the fire of hell shall not desire."

'It is narrated that when the false report of Mohammed's death in the battle of Ohod had reached Medina, fourteen Mussulman women combined to hasten to the battle-field. When they met him, Fatima clung round him, and wept, so that the Lord of the world showed great emotion. Then she cleaned the blood from that prince's blessed head and face, the well-beloved Ali bringing water on his shield, and Fatima swallowing that prince's blood. She succeeded in stanching the flow of blood by burning a piece of mat she found, and applying its ashes to the wound.' (R.)

(44) Jesus speaks of stones which would cry out, under certain circumstances; but Mohammed of stones and trees which actually did call out.

a. 'The whole multitude of the disciples praised God, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And