The historic gallery of portraits and paintings: and biographical review : containing a brief account of the lives of the moost celebrated men, in every age and country : and graphic imitations of the fines specimens of the arts, ancient and modern : with remarks, critical and explanatory (Band 7) (London: Vernor, Hood, and Sharpe, 1811)

MAHOMET.

Mohammed Aboulc ass em Abd all ah, by his sec-
taries called only Al-Nabi, or the prophet, and by the
Christians Mahomet, was born in Arabia, in the year
560. He was of the tribe of the Koreishites, the noblest
among the Arabs, and of the family of Hashem, prince
of that tribe, and of the city of Mecca, and heredi-
tary keeper of the Caaba, or holy house, a temple in
that city, the object of veneration to all the idolatrous
inhabitants of Arabia. He lost his father, Abdallah, and
his mother, Armina, in his youth. Abdal Motalleb,
his grandfather, a rich man, and generally esteemed,
took care of him in his infancy, and at his death gave
him in charge to his son. This recommendation did
not prevent the orphan from being excluded by his
uncles from the inheritance of his grandfather. How-
ever, Abutaleb always behaved to him with a great
deal of kindness, bred him up to commerce, which he
carried on himself, took him with him in his voyages,
and, at the age of five and twenty, placed him as an
agent with Khadija, a noble and rich widow, who,
three years after, rewarded his care and fidelity by
marrying him. By this alliance Mahomet was re-esta-
blished in the rank which his ancestors had enjoyed.
It was not until his fortieth year that he assumed the
title of Prophet. No doubt it was to prepare the
minds of the people, that every year he spent the
month of Ramadan in solitude and retirement, in a
cave at mount Hera, at some distance from Mecca.