86 THE DERVISH UNSUCCESSFUL IN HIS ATTEMPT.

phal gospels, and from the Books of Adam, of Seth, of Enoch, of Noah, and other similar fabrications, well known in Church history as having been extensively in use among the heretics of the first centuries."*

Though the old Dervish did all in his power to prove to Krüger that the Koran itself is a miracle sufficient to establish the veracity of Mohammed's mission, yet he found that this was an argument which the young convert could not comprehend.

*Forster's Mohammedanism Unveiled, vol. ii. p. 13. See Sale's Prelim. Disc., p. 83; also p. 98.

MOHAMMED MADE NO PRETENSIONS TO MIRACLES. 87

CHAPTER IV.

Mohammed laid no claim to miracles.-His followers ascribe some to him.-The dividing of the moon.-Refutation.-A Jew converted by a miracle.-The night journey.Krüger is obliged to conform to the rite of circumcision. -His name is changed, and he receives the title Shareef. -Has a reputation as saint and physician. He is requested to bring up a treasure from some ruins.-He extricates himself.

MOHAMMED himself made no pretension to that great criterion of Divine truth, miracles, as may be seen from various parts of the Koran. Often when he was requested to perform miracles, in attestation of his mission, he had great difficulties to clear himself from the charge of imposture. In the Surat called Thunder," he says, "The infidels say, unless a sign be sent down unto him from his Lord, we will not believe. Thou (God says to him) art commissioned to be a preacher only, and not a worker of miracles." A little further in the same Surat, he says, "The infidels say, unless a sign be sent down to him from his Lord, we will not believe. Answer, Verily, God will lead into error, and will direct to himself him who repenteth, and those who believe, and whose hearts rest securely in the meditation of God." The infidels here alluded to are the Koreish, who requested Mohammed that he should, by the power of his

Koran, either remove the mountains from about Mecca, that they might have delicious gardens in their room, or that he would oblige the wind to transport them with their merchandize to Syria, or else raise to life Kosai Ebn Kailab, and others of their ancestors, to bear witness to him. The prophet, therefore, goes on with the same subject, and says, "Though a Koran were revealed, by which mountains should be removed, or the earth cleaved in sunder, or the dead be caused to speak, it would be in vain. But the matter belongeth wholly to God."*

The passages here referred to plainly show that Mohammed made no pretension to miracles, and yet it is remarkable, that his followers ascribe many to him; and when they are hard pressed to prove them from the Koran, they refer to the Surat Al Kamar, or the Surat of the Moon, and say that Mohammed having been requested by the

* "The mission of the ancient prophets, and of Jesus, had been confirmed by many splendid prodigies; and Mohammed was repeatedly urged, by the inhabitants of Mecca and Medina, to produce a similar evidence of his divine legation, to call down from heaven the angel or the volumes of his revelation, to create a garden in the desert, or to kindle a conflagration in the unbelieving city. As often as he is pressed by the demands of the Koreish, he involves himself in the obscure boast of vision and prophecy, appeals to the internal proofs of his doctrine, and shields himself behind the Providence of God, who refuses those signs and wonders that would depreciate the merit of faith, and aggravate the guilt of infidelity. But the modest or angry tone of his apologies betray his weakness and vexation."-Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

NATURE OF THE MIRACLES ASCRIBED TO HIM. 89

unbelievers to perform a miracle, and it being full moon, he commanded that luminary to divide herself, one half to remain visible, and the other half should enter his sleeve. This was no sooner said than done. He kept the half of the moon till the infidels told him to restore her to her former shape. This is the only place from which they endeavour to prove that Mohammed performed miracles. But this passage, which runs thus, "The hour has approached; and the moon hath been split," is even disputed by Mohammedans. For some refer it to the day of judgment, and say this is a miracle which is to take place in that great day, and believe the preter tense to be used for the future, as is often the case in prophecy. But there are manuscripts which have the future instead of the preter tense.

The miracles ascribed to Mohammed, by his followers, are of a most curious nature. I could enumerate instances; but I am sure my readers will be satisfied with one which was related to me, whilst at Tunis, by a Mohammedan priest:-As the Prophet was one day preaching, a Jew came to him, and asked him to perform a miracle, and he (the Jew) would believe in his divine message. The Prophet then said to him, "Go and say to that tree, Mohammed sends me to you, with many

salu

*Koreishiten verlangten einst, der Prophet solle ihnen seine göttliche Sendung durch ein Wunder bekräftigen. Auf sein Geheiss theilte sich der Vollmond in zwey Theile, so dass es schien, der Berg Hará habe sich zwishen die beiden Hälften gestellt."-Rosenmüller.

tations, and commands you to leave your place, and come to him and make your devotions; then return again where you are now, bud, blossom, and at the same time bear fruits." The Jew did as he was requested; and when he saw that the commands of the Prophet were obeyed, he exclaimed, "There is no God but God, and Mohammed is the apostle of God!" This Jew," added the priest, "is one of the authors of the seven poems, called Moalkat, which are so sublime, that they were deemed worthy to be suspended in the temple of Mecca."

66

But what the old devotee thought would make the greatest impression on Krüger was Mohammed's miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from thence to the seventh heaven, which he is said to have performed in the tenth part of one night. This extravagant story is so firmly believed by the Mohammedans with whom I came in contact, that I cannot help craving the permission of my readers to allow me to give it here in full.

As the Prophet lay one night in his bed, he heard a knocking at his door, which he went to open, when, to his great surprise, he found that it was the angel Gabriel who interrupted his sound sleep. The angel the Prophet describes to have had seventy pair of wings, expanded from his sides, whiter than snow, and clearer than crystal. With the angel was the beast called Albark,* on which the prophets used to ride, when they were carried

*The Arabic word for lightning; the animal is so called from the velocity with which it moves from place to place.