illnesses the Prophet had asked God for recovery and health, but that in this last illness he never prayed for restoration.

'According to tradition, Gabriel came three days before his Excellency's death, and said to him, "Thy Lord salutes thee, and has sent me to thee, as a special mark of honour and distinction, to ask of thee what He knows before, namely, how thou art." His Excellency replied, "O thou faithful messenger of God, I am sad, sorrowful, and distressed." Gabriel came also on the second and third day to ask the same question and received the same answer. On the third day there further came the angel of death, and another angel called Ishmael, who is the ruler of 70,000, or, according to another account, of 100,000 angels, each of whom, in his turn, is again the ruler of 70,000 or 100,000 other angels; and all these thousands of thousands of angels accompanied Ishmael. When Gabriel made his usual inquiry after the Prophet's health, that same day, he added, "O Mohammed, he that has now come, is the angel of death: he stands at the door and desires permission from thee to enter. Hitherto he has never asked and henceforth he will never ask such permission of any one." His Excellency replied, "O Gabriel, give him permission and let him come in." As soon as the angel of death had received permission, he entered, saluted that Excellency, and said, "O Mohammed, the Most High has sent me to thee and commanded me to obey thy behest: if thou commandest it, I am to take thy spirit and convey it to the higher world; but, if not, I am to go back." That prince looked towards Gabriel, that is to say, he made a sign to Gabriel to hear from him what he was to say. Gabriel replied, "O Ahmed, the truth is, that thy Lord longs to see thy noble face." Upon this that Excellency said to the angel of death, "Accomplish the work with which thou art commissioned." Gabriel further said, "O Ahmed, peace be with thee, I am now no more to descend to the earth to bring revelations: thou alone hast been my object and desire from amongst the people of this world.'

'It is reported that Ibn Abbas said: On the day of that Excellency's death God commanded the angel of death, "Go down to the earth, to Mohammed my beloved, but take heed not to enter and not to take his spirit, without permis-

sion. Then the angel of death, with many hundreds of thousands from amongst his angelic assistants, mounted piebald horses, put on robes woven with pearls and rubies, and came to his Excellency's door, bringing in their hands a letter from the Lord of the Universe. The angel of death stood before the door in the form of an Arab, saying, "Peace be with you, O ye inmates of the Prophet's house and of the Apostle's residence! will you grant me permission to enter?" Fatima, the chaste, who was standing at his Excellency's head, made answer thus, "The Prophet is just now engaged with himself, so that an interview is not quite convenient." The angel of death asked permission a second time, and received the same reply. On the third occasion he asked so loud that all the inmates of the house trembled, from the awfulness of his voice. When his Excellency came to himself, he opened his eyes, and inquired what it was. On being told, that prince said to Fatima, "Knowest thou with whom thou hast been holding converse?" She answered, "God and His Prophet know it best." Then his Excellency said, "The person who came to the door is the angel of death, the spoiler of pleasures, the crosser of wishes, the separator of friends, the converter of wives into widows, and of sons and daughters into orphans."' (R.)

c. Angels would have been ready to prevent their death, had they desired it.

aa. 'Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?' (Matt. xxvi. 53, 54.)

bb. 'It is recorded that Gabriel came from God, during the Prophet's last illness, and said, "O Mohammed, of a truth thy Lord sends thee greeting; and He has ordered that if thou wishest it, I am to cure thee and to deliver thee from this illness; and also that, if thou desirest it, I am to let thee die and to pardon thee." His Excellency answered thus "O Gabriel, I have committed my affairs to my Lord. Let Him do whatsoever He pleases."' (R.)

d. They died a martyr's death.

aa. 'To this end was I born, and for this cause came I