The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mahomet, by Gladys M. Draycott

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Mahomet
Founder of Islam

Author: Gladys M. Draycott

Release Date: January 18, 2004 [EBook #10738]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAHOMET ***

Produced by Afra Ullah, Bonny Fafard and PG Distributed Proofreaders

MAHOMET

FOUNDER OF ISLAM

BY G. M. DRAYCOTT

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I. MAHOMET'S BIRTHPLACE

II. CHILDHOOD

III. STRIFE AND MEDITATION

IV. ADVENTURE AND SECURITY

V. INSPIRATION

VI. SEVERANCE

VII. THE CHOSEN CITY

VIII. THE FLIGHT TO MEDINA

IX. THE CONSOLIDATION OF POWER

X. THE SECESSION OF THE JEWS

XI. THE BATTLE OF BEDR

XII. THE JEWS AT MEDINA

XIII. THE BATTLE OF OHOD

XIV. THE TYRANNY OF WAR

XV. THE WAR OF THE DITCH

XVI. THE PILGRIMAGE TO HODEIBIA

XVII. THE FULFILLED PILGRIMAGE

XVIII. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

XIX. MAHOMET, VICTOR

XX. ICONOCLASM

XXI. LAST RITES

XXII. THE GENESIS OF ISLAM

INDEX

"Il estimait sincerement la force.... Jetee dans le monde, son
ame se trouva a la mesure du monde et l'embrassa tout.... C'est
l'etat prodigieux des hommes d'action. Ils sont tout entiers dans la
moment qu'ils vivent et leur genie se ramasse sur un point."

ANATOLE FRANCE

MAHOMET

INTRODUCTION

The impetus that gave victory to Islam is spent. Since its material
prosperity overwhelmed its spiritual ascendancy in the first years of
triumph its vitality has waned under the stress of riches, then beneath
lassitude and the slow decrease of power. The Prophet Mahomet is at once
the glory and bane of his people, the source of their strength and the
mainspring of their weakness. He represents more effectively than any
other religious teacher the sum of his followers' spiritual and worldly
ideas. His position in religion and philosophy is substantially the
position of all his followers; none have progressed beyond the primary
thesis he gave to the Arabian world at the close of his career.

He closes a long line of semi-divine teachers and monitors. After him the
curtains of heaven close, and its glory is veiled from men's eyes. He is
the l