The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-31
mohammsc,. sucoe...
[Monier Williams, in the Nineteenth
Century.1

MOnier Williams, in the Nineteenth
Century.l
The causes which led to Moham-
med's success will be best under
stood by taking a rapid glance at
the condition of Arabia about the
time of his birth. Ii must be borne
in mind that vague belief in ono
God existed among the Arab tribes
long before that event. Nor must
1t be forgotten that the Arabs and
Jews were kindred races, speaking
kindred languages, and having
kindred customs, practices, pref
udices. Driven out of their
own lands at successive
epochs by Assyrians, Greeks and
Romans, many JEWS tribes set
tied in Arabia; and when the Ro-
man empire became christianiZed,
colonies of Christians also scattered
everywhere, found their wac into
the Arabian peninsula, causing much
mutual attrition and interchange OF
thought between Jews, Christians
and Arabians.
Occasionally Arab tribes were thus
converted to the faith of the colon
lists. Unhappily, both the Judaism and
christianity imported in this way
into the country were of q debased
character. They were not very much
better than the forms of religion al
ready prevalent among the Arab
tribes. Even the doctrines of Gods
unity had been tempered with and
corrupted. No creed worthy the
name of religion existed anywhere
in Arabia. Tritheism, polytheism
Sab9ism, alteration of the sun and
planets, idolatry, fetishism, animal
worship, planet worship, stone
worship, superstitions of the
grossest kinds were rite in various
ways among various tribes. No.
where, except in the hearts of a few
of the more intelligent and thought.
full, were any true ideas of God still
| cherished. 1t was under such cir
cumstances, and amid such sur.
roundings, that Mohammed, "the
praised one" Gas his name signifies)
was born at Mecca about A. D. $40
His father, Abdnllah, died before
his birth, and his mother, Animal
when he was six years old.
Yet he enjoyed one great advan.
tage, notwithstanding his orphaned
condition. He had not TO waste
time and energy in pushing his way
upward from obscurity. His grand.
father, Abdul-Muttalib, who I'd pied
him. belonged TO the Arabian arts.
tocracy. He was of the noble family
of Hashim, of the Kuresh tribe
and was the appointed guardian
of the Ka'bah or sacred temple
at Meceah, a small, cube-shapeC
stone building which had existed al
a sacred edifice for many centuries
previously. The guardianship OF
this temple was regarded as the
highest honor to which any family
could aspire, the belief being that il
was originally erected by Abraham
over the spot where he was about
to sacrifice Ishmeal. On the
death of the grandfather of Mo
hammed, while he was still 6
boy, his uncle Abu Talib became
his guardian, and during all his diff
ficulties never deserted him.
His family, though noble, wai
poor, and the boy Mohammed was
obliged to earn his livelihood by
tending sheep in the wilderness
thus from his earliest years resem
bling his great prototype Moses
who had to act as shepherd to hi
father-in.law Jethro. 1t was no
until Mohammed was % years o
age that he married his rich kins
woman Khadjah. She was a widow
lady who had acquired great wealth
by trading transactions, and was fif
teen years his senior. She had in
trusted the management of her af
fairs to Mohammed, and, having
iouud him eminently trustworthy
gave proof of her gratitude by of
fering him her hand. 1t is remarka
bic that he remained faithful Il
Khadijah till her death, which die
not occur till he was in his. fifty-firs
year.