ory not accredited by the Koran.]

17. Sir W. Muir himself admits that the earliest biographers do not
relate the story, but gives a false excuse for his not following their
example. He writes:--

"The biographers pass over the scene in decent silence, and I
should gladly have followed their example, if the Coran itself had
not accredited the facts, and stamped them with unavoidable
notoriety."[367]

The allegation is absurdly false, as everybody can satisfy himself by
referring to the Koran, which does not contain the fictitious and
spurious story.

[Sidenote: The story when fabricated.]

18. The currency of the story did neither take place during the time of
Mohammad, its proper age, nor during the lifetime of the companions. It
was fabricated and imposed on some of the _Tabaee_ of weak authority in
the second century.[368] There is no doubt that the whole story is a
sheer fabrication from beginning to end.

[Sidenote: Zeinab's case.]

19. In conclusion, I will offer a few remarks in passing regarding Sir
W. Muir's reference here to Zeinab's case. He writes:--

"The charms of a second Zeinab were by accident discovered too
fully before the Prophet's admiring gaze. She was the wife of Zeid,
his adopted son and bosom friend; but he was unable to smother the
flame she had kindled in his breast, and by _divine_ command she
was taken to his bed."[369]

The story is from the beginning to end all untrue. Mohammad knew Zeinab
from her infancy, she was his cousin; and he had himself arranged her
marriage with Zeid. When Zeid divorced her, she was thirty-five years
old, and possibly could have no charms to fascinate even a stranger. Had
she been charming or fair to look upon, Zeid should not have separated
himself from her. There is no historical authority for this, or for any
other version of the story. The Koran, while treating the subject, has
not the slightest reference to any of the stories afterwards made out to
the effect that Mohammad had been to Zeid's house, and, having
accidentally seen the beauty of Zeinab's figure through the half-opened
door; or that the wind blew aside the curtain of Zeinab's chamber, and
disclosed her in a scanty undress, was smitten by the sight.[370]

[Sidenote: The story a spurious one.]

20. These stories, and I believe a few more varied accounts of the same,
like those of the story of Maria the Coptic, were originally mere
conjectur