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)
received the news with great joy 1; swearing by him in whose hands her soul was, that she trusted he would be the prophet of his nation: and immediately communicated what she had heard to her cousin Warakah Ebn Nawfal, who being a Christian could write in the Hebrew character, and was tolerably well versed in the scriptures 2; and he as readily came into her opinion, assuring her that the same angel who had formerly appeared unto Moses, was now sent to Mohammed 3. This first overture the prophet made in the month of Ramadân, in the fortieth year of his age, which is therefore usually called the year of his mission.
Encouraged by so good a beginning, he resolved to proceed, and try for some time what he could do by private persuasion, not daring to hazard the whole affair by exposing it too suddenly to the publick. He soon made proselytes of those under his own roof, viz. his wife Khadîjah, his servant Zeid Ebn Hâretha (to whom he gave his freedom 4 on that occasion, which afterwards became a rule to his followers,) and his cousin and pupil Ali, the son of Abu Tâleb, tho’ then very young: but this last, making no account of the other two, used to stile himself the first of believers. The next person Mohammed applied to was Abdallah Ebn Abi Kohâfa, surnamed Abu Becr, a man of great authority among the Koreish, and one whose interest he well knew would be of great service to him; as it soon appeared: for Abu Becr being gained over, prevailed also on Othmân Ebn Affán, Abd’alrahmân Ebn Awf, Saad Ebn Abi Wakkâs, al Zobeir Ebn al Awâm, and Telha Ebn Obeid’allah, all principal men in Mecca, to follow his example. These men were the six chief companions, who, with a few more, were converted in the space of three years; at the end of which Mohammed having, as he hoped, a sufficient interest to support him, made his mission no longer a secret, but gave out that God had commanded him to admonish his near relations 5, and in order to do it with more convenience and prospect of success, he directed Ali to prepare an entertainment, and invite the sons and descendants of Abd’almotalleb, intending then to open his mind to them; this was done, and about forty of them came, but Abu Laheb, one of his uncles, making the company break up before Mohammed had an opportunity of speaking, obliged him to give them a second
1 I do not remember to have read in any eastern author, that Khadîjah ever rejected her husband’s pretences as delusions, or suspected him of any imposture. Yet see Prideaux’s life of Mahomet, p. 11, &c.
2 V. Poc. Spec. p. 157.
3 V. Abulfed. Vit. Moham. p. 16. Where the learned translator has mistaken the meaning of this passage.
4 For he was his purchased slave, as Abulfeda expresly tells us; and not his cousin german, as Mr. de Boulainvill. afferts (Vie de Mah. p. 273.)
5 Korân c. 74. See the notes thereon.
