for thy sake; and that they should accompany thee wherever thou mayest go.' When that prince heard these words from Gabriel, he lowered his head and reflected for a while. Then he raised his blessed head, and said, 'O Gabriel, this world is the house of those who have no house (viz. in heaven); the wealth of those who have no wealth (viz. of a spiritual, eternal kind): the foolish only make it their portion.' ¹

That Excellency's humility was so great that, when he was sitting in an assembly, he would not extend his blessed knees beyond the knees of those who sat by him; that he greeted those he met and was first in shaking hands; and that he never stretched out his legs before his companions, or made the place narrow for any one. He showed regard and honour to those coming to the assemblies; and sometimes would let them sit upon his own cushion. He would mention his companions by their patronymics and call them by the names they liked best. He never interrupted another in speaking; and if any one in need came to him, whilst he was at prayer, he would shorten his prayers, help the person, and afterwards complete his prayers. Ibn Malik narrates that once, when that Excellency was accosted by a woman in one of the streets of Medina, he said, 'In whatever street of Medina thou likest, thou mayest sit down, and I also will sit down and attend to thy affair.' At another time, a little slave-girl of Medina took that Excellency's hand and put it wherever she liked. On account of his exceeding great humility and unceremoniousness, he would sit down, lie, and sleep on the dry earth, would accept an invitation from a slave, even to dry barley-bread.

His kindness, liberality, and generosity, were such that he never sent any beggar empty away from his door. Once a Bedouin begged something from that Excellency, and he gave him so many sheep that they filled the space between two mountains; and when the said Bedouin returned to his people, he addressed them thus, 'O my friends, turn ye

Mussulmans; for Mohammed gives such gifts as will put an end to poverty and fear.' It is related that, on the day of Honein, he gave away so much wealth to the people that they were astounded, and that it became the cause of several leading men from amongst the Koreish embracing Islam; for they said to themselves, 'He gives so many presents that a person can no longer dread poverty, but must feel confident that God will never let him want, but provide for his sustenance.' ¹ It is creditably narrated that once some one came to his Excellency to ask for something, and that he gave this reply, 'At the present moment nothing remains in my hand: but buy whatever thou desirest and put it to my account; and as soon as anything comes to my hand I will defray the debt.' On another occasion, when 100,000 dirhems were brought to that Excellency, he had them all forthwith poured out on a mat and divided amongst the people, so that, on rising up, not a single dirhem remained in his hand.

The meekness of that prince was such that he endured all the persecution from relatives and strangers without a thought of revenge, but rather blessing them for it. ² Abd er Rahman said, 'The Apostle of God was the meekest and most patient of the people, and could better suppress his anger than any of them.' Uns Ibn Malik narrates that when he was once sitting in the mosque with a number of his companions, and had wrapped himself in a mantle of Nejran, there suddenly came a Bedouin, seized that cloak, and so pulled at it that that prince's blessed shoulder touched the Bedouin's breast, and the edge of the cloak left a mark on that Excellency's blessed bosom. His Excellency looked at the Bedouin, and said, 'What wilt thou?' The Bedouin answered, 'Command that some part of the wealth thou possessest may be given to me.' His Excellency then ordered that something should be given him. Men of research have remarked that the persecutions did not affect that Excellency, because his mind and eye were looking towards God and regarding His favour.