Chapter Magnetic Mountain to Mahu of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Standard: Bajura.

Successor: Abû Bekr, his father-in-law (father of Ayishah).

Swords: Dhu’l Fakâr (“the trenchant”); Al Batter (“the striker”); Hatel (“the deadly”); Medham (“the keen”).

Tribe: that of the Koraichites or Koraich or Koreish, on both sides.

Uncles: Abû Taleb, a prince of Mecca, but poor; he took charge of the boy between the ages of seven and 14, and was always his friend. Abû Laheb, who called him “a fool,” and was always his bitter enemy; in the Korân, cxi., “the prophet” denounces him. Hamza, a third head of Islam.

Victories: Bedr (624); Muta (629); Taïf (630); Honein (630 or 8 Hedjrah).

White Mule: Fadda.

Wives: Ten, and fifteen concubines.

(1) Kadijah, a rich widow of his own tribe. She had been twice married, and was 40 years of age (Mahomet being 15). Kadijah was his sole wife for twenty-five years, and brought him two sons and four daughters. (Fâtima was her youngest child.)

(2) Souda, widow of Sokran, nurse of his daughter Fâtima. He married her in 621, soon after the death of his first wife. The following were simultaneous with Souda.

(3) Ayishah, daughter of Abû Bekr. She was only nine years old on her wedding day. This was his favourite wife, on whose lap he died. He called her one of the “three perfect women.”

(4) Hend, a widow, 28 years old. She had a son when she married. Her father was Omeya.

(5) Zainab, divorced wife of Zaid his freed slave. Married 627 (5 Hedjrah).

(6) Barra, a captive, widow of a young Arab chief slain in battle.

(7) Rehana, a Jewish captive. Her father was Simeon.

(8) Safiya, the espoused wife of Kenana. This wife outlived the prophet for forty years. Mahomet put Kenana to death in order to marry her.

(9) Umm Habiba (mother of Habiba), widow of Abû Sofian.

(10) Maimuna, who was 51 when he married her, and a widow. She survived all his ten wives.

It will be observed that most of Mahomet’s wives were widows.

Mahomet. Voltaire wrote a drama so entitled in 1738; and James Miller, in 1740, produced an English version of the same, called Mahomet the Impostor. The scheme of the play is this: Mahomet is laying siege to Mecca, and has in his camp Zaphna and Palmira, taken captives in childhood and brought up by him. They are really the children of Alcanor the chief of Mecca, but know it not, and love each other. Mahomet is in love with Palmira, and sets Zaphna to murder Alcanor, pretending that it is God’s will. Zaphna obeys the behest, is told that Alcanor is his father, and is poisoned. Mahomet asks Palmira in marriage, and she stabs herself.

J. Bannister [1760–1836] began his stage career in tragedy, and played “Mahomet.” Garrick…asked him what character he wished to play next. “Why,” said Bannister, “‘Oroonoko.”’ “Eh, eh!” said David, staring at Bannister, who was very thin; “Eh, eh!’ you will look as much like ‘Oroonoko’ as a chimneysweeper in consumption.”—T. Campbell.