The Life of Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah

Upon him, Mohammad, Salvation.
The man's words were not false... a fiery mass of Life cast-up from the great bosom of Nature herself. ( On Heroes , by THOMAS CARLYLE, London, 1841.)

Frontispiece


There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is the Prophet of Allah.
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR-PAINTER AND HIS ARAB COLLABORATOR TO THE MEMORY OF THE VALIANT MOSLEM SOLDIERS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND WHO, IN THE SACRED CAUSE OF RIGHT, JUSTICE AND HUMANITY HAVE PIOUSLY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR OF THE NATIONS
An existence, so full of stirring events as that of the Prophet Mohammad, cannot be described by us in all its details. As there are limits to all books, we have had to rest content with a selection of the most important episodes, so that each might be developed as we deemed necessary. Thus we present to the reader a series of pictures and not a complete history.
Our scaffolding and sketches are borrowed from very ancient authors such as Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sad, etc., without forgetting a more modern writer, Ali Borhan id-Din Al-Halabi who, in his book known by the title of Es Sirat'al Halabia, gathered together different versions from all the best-known historians. An incontestable proof of their veracity, in our opinion, is that these narratives, some dating as far back as twelve centuries, fit in perfectly with the manners, customs, hopes and language of the Moslems of the desert; those who at the present day, by their mode of living, are more akin to the Arabs of the Hijaz among whom Mohammad accomplished his Mission.
These remarks will serve to warn the reader that in this work will be found none of those learned paradoxes destined to destroy traditions, such sophisms delighting modern Orientalists by reason of their love of novelty.