Mohammed was not an idealist, and his religion was adapted to his age and surround ings. It has been said that lie gave the people as unfelt religion as he thought they eould take earn Id', judging by his knowledge of them and of his own tendencies. He was at times deceitful. enti tling. even revengeful and eluwardly, and much addicted to sensuality. But lie is praised for his amiability, his faithfulness Inward friends, his tenderness toward his family, his frequent readiness to forgive an enemy, and the extreme simplicity of his domestic life. Ile lived, when already in full power. in simple quarters, mended his own clothes, and freed all his slave,. Be was much inclined to melancholy and nervous sensi t iveness. Ili, mind contained a strange mix ture of truth and error, of right and wrong. En tering the field as the foe of the old superstitions. he yet clung to superstitious beliefs current. among his people. Ile believed in jinns, omens, charms, and dreams. However inneh the religion of 'Islam may. rightly or wrongly. he considered the bane and cause of the decay of Eastern States and na tions in our day, it must, in the first place, not be forgotta•u that it is mit necessarily Islam which has caused the corruption, as indeed its ethics are for the most part of the higher order; and in the second place. that 'Mohammed is not to be made responsible for all the tarot., of his successors. Take him all in all the history of humanity has seen few 11101V ea i'lle•At and Sincere 'prophets; using the word prophet in the true sense of one irresistibly impelled by an inner power to ad monish, and to teach, and to utter austere and sublime truths, the full purport of which is often unknown to himself.
'Mohammed is described as of middle height, lean, hut broad-shouldered. with slightly curling hair about a well-developed head. TI is eyes, over• hung with thick lashes, were large and coal-black: his muse. large and slightly bent. was well formed. A long beard added to the dignity of his appear ance. A black mole between his shoulders be ratite known among the faithful as the 'seal of prophecy.' Itumiom(APur. Of the lives of :Mohammed the best ate: In English. Sir William Muir (4 vols., London, 1S51-61; 211 ed.. abridged, 1 vol.. ib., 18941; in (Ierman. 1801: Weil (Stuttgart. IStit a : Sprenger 12d ed.. Ber lin, 15)) : liTrehl ( Leipzig. 1SS4 Grimme (Minister. 1`4921 : in French, Lamairesse and Du j:an•ie ( Paris. 1895 ) . ('onsulI also Saint 'iiilaire, / et It- Caron 1865) : Wellhausen, .11 « la Hied en Medina in. : id.. 81,.i.zzen and [(wit Ow; 1 en, iii. and iv.
lib., 155i•801 : August Orr l.cbnn jut Morava- viii! .1 brHiIlaWdr, sots ( Berlin, 1555) : .1Prhomet and I,lnm (Loudon, 1587) : Ali. The lift and Teachings Moha ( London. 1501 : and the works mentioned under Kt MA A and MOIL% MEIIA ISM. Se• also SVN NA.