That Excellency counted it incumbent on himself to fulfil engagements, and he never broke a promise. It is related that once, before his mission, he sold something to some one, and that this person, not having the whole price with him, said to his Excellency, 'Stop here, till I go and fetch the remainder of what I have to pay.' Then that person went away, but forgot all about his promise, till after three days, when it came back to his mind, and he at once took what he was owing and still found his Excellency in his former place, only saying to him, 'Young man, thou hast put me to inconvenience: for on account of thy promise I have been waiting here ever since.'

In courage and bravery no one could equal that prince. Uns Ibn Malik affirmed, 'The Apostle of God is the best of men, the bravest of men, and the most generous of men.' Ali Ibn Abu Talib said, 'In the day of battle we put our trust in that Excellency, and he was nearer the enemy than all of us.' Omran Ibn Hasin states, 'Each time when, in battle, we came upon hostile troops, the first who went amongst the enemies and laid hands on them, was that prince.' In the battle of Honein, as is reported, that Excellency went alone and single-handed against 4000 enemies and charged them. It is also established that, one night, the report reached Medina that a well-armed body of enemies were approaching the town with the intent of plundering it, so that the people became much frightened and distressed; but that Excellency girded on his sword, mounted a horse without saddle, and went out before all the rest of the people; and, after having ascertained the causelessness of the alarm, he returned, saying to his friends who went out after him, Fear not; for that report is unfounded.'

Of that Excellency's bashfulness and modesty the recorder records, 'The Apostle of God was more bashful than a virgin in her veil.' Owing to his great modesty, a change would come over his face, when he saw anything loathsome in a person, though without remarking upon it to that person.

In the enumeration of the Prophet's qualities it is declared that his heart was kind to creatures, his bosom joyous, and yet always weeping from the fear of God; that he was high in sadness and great in hope, remembering favours always,

and wrongs only a short while; he was of a kindly disposition and noble acts, keeping secrets hid, and yet the confidant of heaven; he was amicable, meek, affectionate, and tender, a lover of hospitality, benevolent, wise, assiduous in the cause of God, a fulfiller of promises, a diligent servant of God, and one seeking after Divine approval. ¹

II. — HABITS OF THE PRINCE OF PRINCES.

(I.) His Habits in regard to Dress.

Be it known that his Excellency's mode of dressing was not rigid and fashionable, but that he only wore a shirt, drawers, a kerchief, a jacket, a marked and plain cloth, a tunic, a fur, leather socks, and a pair of easy sandals. His cloth was generally of cotton material, and his noble companions adopted the same material. Sometimes they also wore wool, or linen. That Excellency valued and liked the striped cloth of Herat above any other. Of all the articles of clothing that prince loved the shirt best. Of colours he generally preferred the white, saying, 'Wear ye white clothes: they are the most blessed and pure; and wrap also your dead in white winding-sheets.' He forbade the men to wear purely red or purely yellow clothes. But he himself wore red-spotted, green-spotted, and black-spotted clothes, and approved and admired the green.

He desired that every one, in putting on a new article of dress, should recite this prayer, 'Praise be to God who has clothed me with this dress, and has provided it for me, without my efforts and strength;' and he affirmed that, by using this prayer, every one shall have all his past and future sins forgiven. On Fridays he mostly wore a new dress. In putting on a new dress, he began on the right side; and in putting it off, on the left side; and when he had taken a new dress into use, he gave the old one to some poor man.

Round his blessed head he wound a white cloth in the