History of Mohammed and Mohammedanism
“Historians do not fully agree upon all incidents which are reported as occurring, but we will be guided by the writings of the highest authorities such as: ‘The Life of Mohammed’ (From original sources) (1877 Edition), by Sir Wm. Muir. ‘A Collection of Essays on the Life of Mohammed,’ by Syed Ahmed Khan. ‘Mahomet, the Founder of Islam’ (1916 Edition), by G.M. Draycott…’The Jewish Encyclopedia’ (1904-5 Edition)…’Cyclopedia of Universal History’ (1890 Edition), by John Clark Ridpath.
‘At the dawn of the historical era, the peninsula of Arabia was occupied by the tribes of Ishmael, and the wild offspring of Hagar’s son led the life of nomads. (As was prophesied in Genesis 16:12), their hand was against every man and every man’s hand was against them…On the question of religion, at first, each people kept to its own traditions and beliefs. The Arabs continued idolaters, and the Jews observed the laws and rituals of Moses.’ (J.C. Ridpath)
Mohammed was born at Mecca on August 27, 570 A.D., shortly after the death of his father. According to the Mohammedan authority, Syed Ahmed Khan, Mohammed was the seventieth descendant of Ishmael through his second son, Kedar. In the Word of God, certain numbers carry significance; and among them is this number, seventy. Seventy is a composite number, consisting of the product of seven and ten. Seven is the number of perfect or dispensational fullness, while ten is the number of worldly completion. Ishmael was the illegitimate product of the flesh and, in Ishmael’s seventieth descendant, Mohammed, God caused a false prophet – the seed of Abraham – to be given; and who was a complete summation or dispensational fullness of the prophet after the flesh….Extreme sensuality, salvation by deeds, and a most emphatic denial of the Deity of Christ were most prominent in all his teachings. The very thought of Christ making atonement for the sins of the believer threw him into a rage…
Mohammed’s parents ‘were poor Arabs, and the child was afflicted with epileptic spasms, while his aunts and uncles declared him to be possessed of the Djin, or Demons. So that from his childhood he was looked upon with a certain measure of superstitious dread, but as the boy proved amiable, the prejudice of his kinsfolk against him gradually relaxed.’…As a young man, Mohammed engaged in various occupations, including that of a shepherd, and afterwards, that of a linen merchant. ‘While engaging in carrying on the linen trade, he became acquainted with the rich widow, Kadijah, living at the town of Hajasha. Her, though much older than himself, he presently married, thus obtaining a faithful wife and a large estate.
‘Mohammed was exceedingly unfortunate in his early children. One by one they all died. The bereaved father grew melancholy and morose. The motherly Kadijah was growing old…One day he wandered among the rocks at the feet of Mount Hara. He entered the mouth of a cave and sat musing. All at once – so afterwards told Kadijah – he fell into agony. He was shaken as by an unseen power, and great drops of sweat rolled down his face. While he sat shuddering, all of a sudden a light flashed around him, and there stood the angel Gabriel. Mohammed was overwhelmed with terror, so he claimed, but the angelic voice spoke out clearly and said:
‘Cry! In the name of the Lord who has created all things: who hath created man of congealed blood. Cry! By the most beneficent Lord, who taught the use of the pen: who teacheth man that which he knoweth not of himself. Assuredly. Verily man becometh insolent because he seeth himself abound with riches. Assuredly.’ Such is the first chapter of the Koran or Mohammedan Bible’ (J.C. Ridpath)
‘Mohammed is reported to have run home after his swoon and cried out: ‘O, Kadijah! I have either become a soothsayer or else I am possessed of the Djin and have gone mad.’ The solicitous Kadijah answered: ‘O, Abu’l Casem! God is my protection. He will surely not let such a thing happen unto thee, for thou speakest the truth…What hath befallen thee?’ Mohammed told her what had happened to him…The wife replied: ‘Rejoice my husband, O, Abu’l Casem, for my life shall stand as a witness that thou wilt be the prophet of this people…’
‘It is related that at this juncture Mohammed and Kadijah took a certain Jew, or as some say, a monk, named Waraka, into their confidence, and told him all that occurred. Thereupon the…man said: ‘I swear by him in whose hands Waraka’s life is, that God has chosen thee, O, Abu’l Casem, to be the prophet of this people.’ Such was the commission of Mohammed, the beginning of his prophetic office.’ (J.C. Ridpath)
‘The confidence with which Mohammed referred to the testimony of the Jews and their Scriptures,’ so Sir Wm. Muir informs us, ‘is very remarkable,’ and confirms the above as it ‘leaves us no room to doubt that some among the Jews, acquainted perhaps but SUPERFICIALLY with their own books and traditions, encouraged Mohammed in the idea that he might be, or even affirmed that he was, THAT PROPHET WHOM THE LORD THEIR GOD SHOULD RAISE UP UNTO THEM OF THEIR BRETHREN…’If this man,’ they would say, ‘hold firmly by the Law and the Prophets, and seek the guidance of the God of our fathers, he will not go astray. Peradventure, the Lord will lead the heathen Arabs to the truth. Nay: what if we have erred in our interpretation as to the lineage of the coming prophet, and this prove the very Messiah sprung from the seed of Abraham? In anywise let us wait, watching the result; and meanwhile encourage him in the love of the word of God…’
Having decided upon a course of action, ‘Mohammed began proclaiming his mission to the Arabs. His first converts were those of his own household. From this nucleus his doctrines leavened the surrounding neighborhood. Finally the tribe was called together in council. Before the assembly the prophet stood up and explained his purpose and the principles of the new faith. There was much contrariety of opinions, and the prophet’s uncle, Abu Taleb, arose and pronounced him a fool….He used to say, as Mohammed passed by: ‘There he goes now! Look out! He is going to talk about Heaven! Assuredly.’
‘After a brief proclamation of his doctrines at Hajasha, Mohammed repaired to Mecca. He told the Meccans that they were a race of miserable idolaters, unfit either to live or to die. ‘There is no God but Allah!’ he shouted by day and night. He invited them to worship and serve the one God; and promised them not only Paradise hereafter, but prosperity and dominion upon earth, if they would believe. He stood up in the very face of the Koreish…(the priests) who had charge of the Kaaba (temple), and denounced their traditions and practices. The Koreish took fright and called upon Abu Taleb to suppress his nephew as an enemy of religion; but Abu could not.’ (J.C. Ridpath)
Regarding the above incident, Sir Wm. Muir says: ‘He would dog the steps of Mohammed, crying aloud: ‘Believe him not, he is a lying renegade!’…The tribes would reply to Mohammed in sore and taunting words, such a these: ‘Thine own kindred and people should know the best; wherefore do they not believe and follow thee?’ So the prophet, repulsed and grieved, would look upwards and make his complaint unto Allah…But the prayer seemed to pass unheeded.’ (Sir Wm. Muir)
Since Mohammed could not be suppressed, the alternative was thus placed before the priests of themselves being converted or taking up arms. At last it became apparent to the prophet and his followers that their best policy would be to withdraw from Mecca to a place where they could worship in peace and gain new converts…’..Tither [a village southeast of Mecca] in 620 A.D. Mohammed set out, filled with the knowledge of his invincible mission…’
‘The chief men of the city remained unconvinced…Chased from the city, sore, bleeding, and despairing, Mohammed found shelter in one of the hill gardens of the locality’ (G.M. Draycott)…
The Arabs were idolaters, and as such were not expecting a prophet either by tradition or belief. Such was not the case with the Jews, however. They were fired with faith, hope and the expectancy of the soon coming of their Messiah.
‘A new factor was now introduced into the situation. About sixty miles from Mecca was the town of Yethreb. In this place there was a large colony of Jews…Here [in the synagogue] on every Saturday the priests stood up and expounded the Law and the Tradition. They looked for a Messiah…These Israelites traded with Mecca and found the city profoundly agitated by the presence of Mohammed. This news was carried to Yethreb, an the synagogue became excited with the belief that the Messiah had come…’….J.C. Ridpath continues to relate: ‘An ambassy was sent to Mecca to ascertain the truth, and to tender the submission of the Jews. Mohammed cautiously accepted the offer. ‘For,’ he said, ‘Ishmael our father was the uncle of Jacob. Assuredly!’
G.M. Draycott tells us that the first delegates met Mohammed in March, 620 A.D. They readily accepted his teachings and then returned to Medina. In March, 621 A.D., they came to confirm their faith, and at that time their acceptance of him was confirmed by a Covenant or Treaty wherein they accepted him as a prophet from God….Not later than 634 A.D….Mohammed made a similar Covenant with the Monks of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai…’
‘The Koreish now became desperate. They held a council, and resolved that Mohammed should be assassinated…Mohammed, informed of the conspiracy…escaped from the perilous city and fled towards Yethreb. The event, which occurred in the year 622 A.D., is called the Hegira’ (J.C. Ridpath). Herein is another incident where Satan patterned the life of Mohammed from the life of Jesus…G.M. Draycott relates that: ‘His entry into Coba (an outlying suburb of Medina, or Yethreb) savored of a triumphal procession; the people thronged around his camel shouting, ‘The Prophet! he is come!’…’…It was at this time that Mohammed, like Christ, chose twelve disciples (Johnson’s Universal Cyclopedia)…
After Mohammed had gained considerable power, he demanded the complete submission of the various Jewish tribes, but they were dissatisfied and were continually intriguing against him or in open rebellion…
‘Behold the Jews prepare to fight: great is the Lord!’ the prophet declared…For three weeks the siege endured…At last the Jews recognized the hopelessness of their lot and came to reluctant terms, submitting to exile and agreeing to depart immediately…’…
‘[Mohammed then] bound the refugees [his confederate Jews] closer to him by dividing the despoiled country amongst them’ (G. M. Draycott). See also the Jewish Encyclopedia (1904-5 Edition).
…the above took place some time between September and November, 625 A.D….
‘The Koreishite plans for the annihilation of Mohammed were now complete. They had achieved an alliance against him not only among the Bedouin tribes of the interior, but also among the exiled and bitterly vengeful Medinan Jews…’ [Draycott]
The army brought against Mohammed consisted of 4,000 men, 300 horses, 1,500 camels, countless stores of spears, arrows, armor, etc., but Mohammed sowed the seed of dissention in the allied camp and broke up the confederacy….the armies were forced to retreat because of a terrible sand storm. Mr. Draycott continues:
‘Mohammed’s swift nature, alive to the value of speed, realized in a flash that now was the time to strike at Koreitza, the treacherous Hebrew dogs, before they could grow stronger and gather together any allies…The expedition marched to the Koreitza Fortress, and laid siege to it in March, 627. For twenty-five days it was besieged by Islam…At last the Jews, worn out with the siege, without resources, allies, or any hope of relief, surrendered at discretion. Immediately their citadel was seized and plundered, while their men were handcuffed…their women and children were given into the keeping of a renegade Jew…Then Mohammed pronounced judgment. He sent for…the chief of the Beni Aus [his confederate Jews], and into his hands he gave the fate of all those souls who belonged to the tribe of Koreitza. Sa’ad was elderly, fat, irritable, and vindictive…’My judgment is that the men shall be put to death, the women and children sold into slavery, and the spoil divided among the army.’…Mohammed was exultant at the sentence…The number of butchered men is variously estimated, but it cannot have been less than between 700 and 800….When the carnage was over, Mohammed turned to the distribution of the spoil. His eyes lighted upon Rihana, a beautiful Jewess…he offered her marriage; she refused, and became of necessity and forthwith his concubine…’…
Throughout the remainder of Mohammed’s life, the various Jewish clans in Arabia were as thorns in his flesh. In the year 628 A.D. a young Jewess determined to kill Mohammed because of the abuse he had inflicted upon her race. She dressed a young kid and hid quantities of the most deadly poison in different portions of the meat. The attempt was only partly successful, however. Two of Mohammed’s companions died a few hours later and he was made seriously sick, but recovered to a certain degree, so that his death did not take place until four years later, or on June 8, 632 A.D…
In 636-7 A.D., Jerusalem was captured after a four months’ siege, and the Church of the Virgin, which occupied the site of Solomon’s Temple, was at once transformed into the Mosque of Omar, or ‘Dome of the Rock.’… Until 1917, Jerusalem has been under the yoke of Islam…Mohammedanism increased and decreased like the moon, and finally is to be utterly blotted out. Surely it was a miracle that Mohammed, an Oriental with an Oriental’s knowledge of figurative language, should select the inconsistent moon for his emblem. Surely this emblem was a God given warning that all covenants made by Islam would always be broken, and this has been proven by thirteen hundred years of history.”
(“Definite Signs of This Age Closing” by G. Elgin Keefer, 1925)
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