CHAPTER XI.

Mahomet's wives.- Sawda.-Ayesha.-Hafsa. -Zeinab.Sayfa. Allowance of the Koran to Mahomet as to marriage.Sketch of the prophet's character.-Career.-Description of his person.-Gibbon's remarks on his character.

As the subject of women occupies a prominent place in the Koran, so in a history of the prophet's life, his numerous wives form a topic of too much interest to be omitted.

During the lifetime of Kadijah, it does not appear that she was ever pained with the sight or suspicion of a rival. After her death, when at length Mahomet's reputation as a prophet had become established, and his authority too firmly rooted to be shaken, the restraints which policy had imposed upon passion were gradually thrown off, and the utmost license marked his subsequent conduct.

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The Koran, in one of its later chapters, restricted his followers. "If ye fear that ye shall not act with equity towards orphans of the female sex, take in marriage of such other women as please you, two, or three, or four, and not more.' From the terms of a subsequent chapter, it appears that Mahomet was exempted from this law. "O prophet, we have allowed thee thy wives, unto whom thou hast given their dower, and also the slaves which thy right hand possesseth,of the booty which God hath granted thee, and the daughters of thy uncle, and the daughters of thy aunts, both on thy fa

* Koran, ch. iv.

ther's side, and on thy mother's side, who have fled with thee from Mecca, and any other believing woman, if she give herself unto the prophet, in case the prophet desireth to take her to wife. This is a peculiar privilege granted unto thee, above the rest of the true believers."* That he availed himself of this liberty is well known, marrying chiefly the daughters of powerful men at the head of tribes; or princes in their respective localities, consulting at once his political interests, and his unbridled lusts.

Sawda has been mentioned, but of her little only is known. His third and best beloved wife was Ayesha, the daughter of Abubeker. Vague rumours of conjugal infidelity have cast a stain upon the character of Ayesha not entirely effaced, even at the present day. They were not believed, however, by the prophet, and the divine acquittal in the twenty-fourth chapter of the Koran, has done much towards shielding her fame from reproach. "As to the party among you, who have published the falsehood concerning Ayesha; every man of them shall be punished according to the injustice of which he hath been guilty; and he among them who hath undertaken to aggravate the same shall suffer a grievous punishment. Did not the faithful men, and the faithful women, say, This is a manifest falsehood? Have they produced four witnesses thereof? Wherefore, since they have not produced the witnesses, they are surely liars in the sight of God. Had it not been for the indulgence of God towards you, and his mercy in this world, and in that which is to come,

* Koran, ch. xxxiii.

verily a grievous punishment had been inflicted on you for the calumny which ye have spread; when ye published that with your tongues, and spoke that with your mouths, of which ye had no knowledge; and esteemed it to be light, whereas it was a matter of importance in the sight of God."*

Ayesha was married-such is the surprising physical precocity peculiar to an eastern climateat the early age of nine; and survived her husband forty-eight years. Her memory is held in great veneration by the Moslems, who have bestowed upon her the title of Prophetess, and Mother of the Faithful, probably from the circumstance of her being much resorted to after her husband's death, as an expositor of the doubtful points of the law; an office which she performed by giving the sense which she had heard the prophet affix to them in his lifetime. Her expositions, together with those of Mahomet's first ten converts, form what is called the Sonnah, or the Authentic Traditions, of the professors of Islam, they bear a striking resemblance to the traditions of the Jews. Ayesha was the inveterate enemy of Ali, the rival candidate with Abubeker to the honour of being the prophet's successor; and when at last he attained to that dignity, she appeared in arms against him. Her expedition was unsuccessful, yet she found means, some time after, to excite a defection among Ali's followers, which finally resulted in the ruin of himself and his house.

Hafsa, the daughter of Omar, was next in favour with the prophet. To her, as being the

* Koran, ch. xiv.

eldest of his wives, he committed the chest of his apostleship, containing the original copies of his pretended revelations, from which the volume of the Koran was composed after his death, by Abubeker. She died at the age of sixty-six.

Zeinab, was originally the wife of his servant Zeid; upon whom, as we learn from the Koran, God had bestowed the grace to become one of the earliest converts to the true faith. The circumstances which led to her becoming the wife of the prophet, form a story worth relating. Mahomet, having occasion one day, to call at the house of Zeid upon some matter of business, and not finding him at home, accidentally cast his eyes on Zeinab his wife. Being a woman of distinguished beauty, he was so smitten with her charms at first sight, that he could not forbear exclaiming, "Praised be God, who turneth the hearts of men as he pleaseth!" and thenceforth became violently in love with her. Zeid, when made acquainted with the circumstance, was thrown into great perplexity. His affection for his wife, and his wish to retain her, were counterbalanced by his sense of obligation to his master, who had not only freed him from servitude, but had also publicly adopted him as his son and heir, by a religious ceremony at the black stone of the Kaaba. Upon mature reflection, he determined to part with Zeinab in favour of his benefactor, whom he privately acquainted with his intention, at the same time giving out in public that he no longer retained any affection for her, in order to pave the way for a divorce. Mahomet aware of the scandal that would ensue among his people, from his taking to his bed one who stood to him in the relation of a

daughter, made a feint of dissuading him from his purpose, and endeavoured to suppress the violence of his passion. But finding the flame which consumed him unconquerable, a chapter of the Koran came seasonably to his relief, which at once removed all impediments in the way of a union. "And remember, when thou saidst to him unto whom God had been gracious, and on whom thou also hadst conferred favours, keep thy wife to thyself, and fear God; and thou didst conceal that in thy mind which God had determined to discover, and didst fear men ; whereas it was more just that thou shouldst fear God. But when Zeid had determined the matter concerning her, and had resolved to divorce her, we joined her in marriage unto thee, lest a crime should be charged on the true believers in marrying the wives of their adopted sons: and the command of God is to be performed. No crime is to be charged on the prophet as to what God hath allowed him."* Here the Most High is represented not only as sanctioning the marriage, but as conveying a gentle rebuke to the prophet, that he should so long have abstained from the enjoyment of this favour out of regard to public sentiment, as though he feared men rather than God! Zeinab hereupon became the wife of this most favoured of mortals, and lived with him in great affection to the time of his death; always glorying over her associates, that whereas they had been married to Mahomet by their parents and kindred, she had been united to him by God himself, who dwells above the seven heavens !

*Koran, ch. xxxiii.

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