George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)
delicacies of the Greeks and Persians, and inured to hardships of all forts; living in a most parsimonious manner, seldom eating any flesh, drinking no wine, and sitting on the ground. Their political government was also such as favoured the designs of Mohammed; for the division and independency of their tribes was so necessary to the first propagation of his religion, and the foundation of his power, that it would have been scarce possible for him to have effected either, had the Arabs been united in one society. But when they had embraced his religion, the consequent union of their tribes was no less necessary and conducive to their future conquests and grandeur.
This posture of public affairs in the eastern world, both as to its religious and political state, it is more than probable Mobammed was well acquainted with; he having had sufficient opportunities of informing himself in those particulars; in his travels as a merchant in his younger years: and tho’ it is not to be supposed his views at first were so extensive as afterwards, when they were enlarged by his good fortune, yet he might reasonably promise himself success in his first attempts from thence. As he was a man of extraordinary parts and address, he knew how to make the best of every incident, and turn what might seem dangerous to another, to his own advantage.
Mohammad’s condition before he set up for a prophet; and his motives for so doing.
Mohammed came into the world under some disadvantages, which he soon surmounted. His father Abd’allah was a younger son 1 of Abd’almotalleb, and dying very young and in his father’s life time, left his widow and infant son in very mean circumstances, his whole substance consisting but, of five camels and one Ethiopian she-slave 2. Abd’almotalleb was therefore obliged to take care of his grandchild Mohammed, which he not only did during his life, but at his death injoined his eldest son Abu Tâleb, who was brother to Abd’allah by the same mother, to provide for him for the future; which he very affectionately did, and instructed him in the business of a merchant which he followed; and to that end he took him with him into Syria when he was but thirteen, and afterward recommended him to Khadîjah a noble and rich widow for her factor, in whose service he behaved himself so well, that by making him her husband the soon raised him to an equality with the richest in Mecca.
After he began by this advantageous match to live at his ease, it was that he formed the scheme of establishing a new religion, or, as
1 He was not his eldest son, as Dr. Prideaux tells us; whose reflections built on that foundation must necessarily fail: (see his life of Mahomet, p. 9.) nor yet his youngest son, as M. de Boulainvilliers (Vie de Mahommed, p. 182, &c.) supposes; for Hamza and al Abbâs were both younger than Abd’allah.
2 Abulfeda, Vit. Moham. p. 2.
