Title The Life of Mohemat

Author Washington Irving

Publisher
Year
Pages 327
Content CHAPTER I. Pago Preliminary notice of Arabia and the Arabs
CHAPTER II. Birth and parentage of Mahomet -His infancy and childhood.
CHAPTER III . Traditions concerning Mecca and the Caaba
CHAPTER IV . First journey of Mahomet with the caravan to Syria
CHAPTER V. Commercial occupations of Mahomet - His marriage with Cadijah
CHAPTER VI. Conduct of Mahomet after his marriage Becomes anxious for reli ious reform - His habits of olitary
abstraction The vision of the cave -- His annunciation as a prophet .
CHAPTER VII. Mahomet inculcates his doctrines secretly and slowly - Receives further revelations and commands
Announces it to his kindred Manner in which it was received Enthusiastic devotion of Ali Christian portents
CHAPTER VIII. Outlines of the Mahometan Faith
CHAPTER IX . Ridicule cast on Mahomet and his doctrines -Demand for miracles Conduct of Abu Taleb Violence of
the Koreishites Mahomet's daughter Rokaia, with her uncle Othman, and a number of disciples, take refuge in
Abyssinia Mahomet in the house of Orkham Hostility of Abu Jahl ; his punishment
CHAPTER X. Omar Ibn al Kattâb, nephew of Abu Jahl, undertakes to revenge his uncle by slaying Mahomet His
wonderful conversion to the faith Mahomet takes refuge in a castle of Abu Taleb - Abu Sofian , at the head of the rival
branch of Koreishites, persecutes Mahomet and his followers Obtains a decree of non- intercourse with them -
Mahomet leaves his retreat, and makes converts during the month of pilgrimage - Legend of the conversion of Habib
the Wise
CHAPTER XI. The ban of non-intercourse mysteriously destroyed Mahomet enabled to return to Mecca - Death of
Abu Taleb ; of Cadijah Mahomet betroths himself to Ayesha Marries Sawda The Koreishites renew their persecution -
Mahomet seeks an asylum in Tayef - His expulsion thence Visited by genii in the desert of Naklah
CHAPTER XII. Night journey of the prophet from Mecca to Jerusalem ; and thence to the seventh heaven
CHAPTER XIII. Mahomet makes converts of pilgrims from Medina -Determines to fly to that city -- A plot to slay him -
His miraculous escape His Hegira, or flight — His reception at Medina
CHAPTER XIV . Moslems in Medina, Mohadjerins and Ansarians - The party of Ab dallah Ibn Obba and the
Hypocrites Mahomet builds a mosque ; preaches ; makes converts among the Christians - The Jews slow to believe -
Brotherhood established between fugitives and allies
CHAPTER XV . Marriage of Mahomet with Ayesha - Of his daughter Fatima with Ali - Their household arrangements
CHAPTER XVI. The sword announced as the instrument of faith First foray against the Koreishites - Surprisal of a
caravan
CHAPTER XVII . The battle of Beder
CHAPTER XVIII . Death of the prophet's daughter Rokaia Restoration of his daughter Zeinab Effect of the prophet's
malediction on Abu Lahab and his family · Frantic rage of Henda, the wife of Abu Sofian - Mahomet narrowly
escapes assassination - Embassy of Koreishites - The King of Abyssinia
CHAPTER XIX. Growing power of Mahomet - His resentment against the Jews Insult to an Arab damsel by the
Jewish tribe of Kainoka - A tu mult - The Beni Kainoka take refuge in their castle - Subdued and punished by
confiscation and banishment Marriage of Oth man to the prophet's daughter Omm Kalthum, and of the prophet to
Hafza
CHAPTER XX . Henda incites Abu Sofian and the Koreishites to revenge the death of her relations slain in the battle
of Beder The Koreishites sally forth , followed by Henda and her female companions Battle of Ohod - Ferocious
triumph of Henda – Mahomet con soles himself by marrying Hend, the daughter of Omeya
CHAPTER XXI. Treachery of certain Jewish tribes ; their punishment - Devotion of the prophet's freedman Zeid ;
divorces his beautiful wife Zeinab, that she may become the wife of the prophet CHAPTER XXII. Expedition of
Mahomet against the Beni Mostalek He espouses Barra, a captive Treachery of Abdallah Ibn Obba Ayesha
slandered - Her vindication - Her innocence proved by a reve lation CHAPTER XXIII . The battle of the Moat -
Bravery of Saad Ibn Moad Defeat of the Koreishites Capture of the Jewish castle of Koraida Saad decides as to the
punishment of the Jews Mahomet espouses Rehana , a Jewish captive His life endangered by sorcery ; saved by a
revelation of the angel Gabriel
CHAPTER XXIV . Mahomet undertakes a pilgrimage to Mecca — Evades Khaled and a troop of horse sent against
him — Encamps near Mecca Nego tiates with the Koreishites for permission to enter and complete his pilgrimage -
Treaty for ten years, by which he is permitted to make a yearly visit of three days He returns to Medina
CHAPTER XXV . Expedition against the city of Khaïbar; siege -- Exploits of Maho met's captains Battle of Ali and
Marhab Storming of the citadel - Ali makes a buckler of the gate -Capture of the place Mahomet poisoned ; he
marries Safiya, a captive ; also Omm Habiba, a widow
CHAPTER XXVI. Missions to various Princes ; to Heraclius ; to Khosru II ; to the Pre fect of Egypt Their result
CHAPTER XXVII. Mahomet's pilgrimage to Mecca ; his marriage with Maimuna Khaled Ibn al Waled and Amru Ibn al
Aass become proselytes
CHAPTER XXVIII. A Moslem envoy slain in Syria — Expedition to avenge his death Battle of Muta Its results
CHAPTER XXIX . Designs upon Mecca Mission of Abu Sofian Its result
CHAPTER XXX . Surprise and capture of Mecca
CHAPTER XXXI. Hostilities in the Mountains -Enemy's camp in the valley of Autas — Battle at the pass of Honein -
Capture of the enemy's camp In terview of Mahomet with the nurse of his childhood Division of spoil - Mahomet at his
mother's grave
CHAPTER XXXII. Death of the prophet's daughter Zeinab Birth of his son Ibrahim Deputations from distant tribes -
Poetical contest in presence of the prophet — His susceptibility to the charms of poetry - Reduc tion of the city of
Tayef; destruction of its idols -· Negotiation with Amir Ibn Tafiel, a proud Bedouin chief ; independent spirit of the
latter Interview of Adi, another chief, with Mahomet
CHAPTER XXXIII. Preparations for an expedition against Syria — Intrigues of Abdallah Ibn Obba - Contributions of
the faithful — March of the army - The accursed region of Hajar - Encampment at Tabuc - Subjuga tion of the
neighbouring provinces Khaled surprises Okaïdor and his castle - Return of the army to Medina
 CHAPTER XXXIV . Triumphal entry into Medina --Punishment of those who had refused to join the campaign Effects
of excommunication Death of Abdallah Ibn Obba Dissensions in the prophet's harem CHAPTER XXXV . Abu Beker
conducts the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca Mission ofAli to announce a revelation
CHAPTER XXXVI. Mahomet sends his captains on distant enterprises — Appoints lied tenants to govern in Arabia
Felix – Sends Ali to suppress an in surrection in that province - Death of the prophet's only son Ibra him -- His
conduct at the death - bed and the grave His growing infirmities — His valedictory pilgrimage to Mecca, and his
conduct and preaching while there .
CHAPTER XXXVII. Of the two false prophets Al Aswad and Moseïlma
CHAPTER XXXVIII. An army prepared to march against Syria · Command given to Osama The prophet's farewell
address to the troops His last illness --- His sermons in the mosque His death and the attending circumstances
CHAPTER XXXIX . Person and character of Mahomet, and speculations on his prophetic ..
APPENDIX . Of the Islam Faith .
Author’s Biography
"The life of Mahomet" is written by a significant American Literary Figure, Washington Irving. He was born
on April 3,1783, the same week the New York city residents learned of the British ceasefire which ended the
American Revolution.Irving's mother named him after George Washington.He was a short story
writer,essayist,biographer,magazine editor and diplomat. He is best known for his short stories “Rip van
Winkle”(1819) and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”(1820).His historical work include biographies of Oliver
Goldsmith, Muhammad and George Washington.He died on Nov 28,1859 at the age of 76 in New York.It was
first published in 1850 as a part of a larger work entitled "Mahomet and His Successors". It was during his
stay at The Alhambra Palace in Spain that Irving first developed interest in Islamic Civilization, of which his
works on Islam are an outcome.
Review
The book starts with a depiction of the antiquity of the Arab Civilization in the first chapter. The roots of the
Arabs are drawn back to the progeny of Shem, the son of Noah. From the second chapter onwards, the book
is directed towards the description of the Birth, Parentage, Childhood, Tribal Roots, Prophethood, and
Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is said to be born in the most honourable tribe of Hascgem,
who had the guardianship of the Caaba for generations. A number of miracles associated to the Prophet are
also recorded in a positive light. Irving quotes Muslim as well as non-Muslim historians for the records of the
childhood and youth of the prophet. Both testify to the strength of Character, the prophet held throughout
his life.
The author appears to be quite conscious in his a count of the life of Mahomet. He didn't intend any
controversy and made sure to inculcate only those details which affirm the Christian beliefs on one hand
and testify to the Islamic faith on the other hand. He disclaims anything against the veracity of Mahomet, his
Prophethood and miracles associated to his personality. He acknowledges Muhammad's humble and
charitable character. However he doubts the Prophet's illetracy. He is sure that Quran is not a Divine
Revelation, rather it appears to be an outcome of the Prophet's knowledge of and exposure to Christianity,
Judaism and other pre-Islamic Middle-Eastern religions on one hand and his Intellectual genius on the other
hand.
The account lacks any bias on the behalf of the author in describing the life of the prophet except for some
post-migration incidents where there is an exaggerated description of some negative stereotypical qualities
associated to the prophet. The author should have been more critical of the sources he has used, and
should have tried to expel even this bit of bias towards the Prophet- whose noble qualities he had already
admitted and to whom he undoubtedly attributes the Great Islamic Civilization, of which he himself is quite
inspired.