with the Jews were, at one time, those of friendship
and intimacy, when we find him speak of their recognising
him as they do their own children, and hear him blaming
their most colloquial expressions.9 It is impossible,
however, for us at this distance of time to penetrate
the mystery in which this subject is involved.
Yet certain it is, that, although their testimony
against Muhammad was speedily silenced, the Koreisch
knew enough of his private history to disbelieve and
to disprove his pretensions of being the recipient
of a divine revelation, and that they accused him
of writing from the dictation of teachers morning and
evening.10 And it is equally certain, that all the
information received by Muhammad was embellished and
recast in his own mind and with his own words.
There is a unity of thought, a directness and simplicity
of purpose, a peculiar and laboured style, a uniformity
of diction, coupled with a certain deficiency of imaginative
power, which proves the ayats (signs or verses) of
the Koran at least to be the product of a single pen.
The longer narratives were, probably, elaborated in
his leisure hours, while the shorter verses, each
claiming to be a sign or miracle, were promulgated
as occasion required them. And, whatever Muhammad
may himself profess in the Koran11 as to his ignorance,
even of reading and writing, and however strongly modern
Muhammadans may insist upon the same point an assertion
by the way contradicted by many good authors12-there
can be no doubt that to assimilate and work up his
materials, to fashion them into elaborate Suras, to
fit them for public recital, must have been a work
requiring much time, study, and meditation, and presumes
a far greater degree of general culture than any orthodox
Muslim will be disposed to admit.
In close connection with the above remarks, stands
the question of Muhammad’s sincerity and honesty
of purpose in coming forward as a messenger from God.
For if he was indeed the illiterate person the Muslims
represent him to have been, then it will be hard to
escape their inference that the Koran is, as they
assert it to be, a standing miracle. But if, on
the other hand, it was a Book carefully concocted
from various sources, and with much extraneous aid,
and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem
that the author is at once open to the charge of the
grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy.
The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote,
Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver
his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing
idolatries-that he was urged on by an intense desire
to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead
which had taken full possession of his own soul-that
the end to be attained justified to his mind the means
he adopted in the production of his Suras-that he worked
himself up into a belief that he had received a divine
call-and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances,
and by gradually increasing successes, to believe