trading caravan to Syria. Khadîja, delighted with her agent's service,
conceived a tender passion for him, and, though nearly forty, while he was
but five-and-twenty years of age, became his wife. She bore him two sons and
four daughters. Both sons died. The eldest, who survived two years, was
called Câsim, whence Mahomet's name of Abul Câsim.
In Mahomet's thirty-fifth year, the Káaba, which had been dilapidated by
a flood, was rebuilt; and when the sacred black stone had to be deposited in
its place, the lot fell, as by a strange interposition, upon Mahomet (who,
for his virtue and integrity, was called by his fellow-citizens "the
Faithful") to undertake the task. Shortly after, Mahomet relieved his
uncle, Abu Tâlib, of the charge of Ali, one of his sons, then five or six
years of age. A strong attachment thenceforth bound together the two
cousins; and twenty years after, Ali married Fâtima, Mahomet's youngest
daughter. Another close friendship was formed with Zeid, a slave belonging
to Khadîja, who had been captured from a Christian tribe. Him Mahomet,
having freed, adopted; and he was thenceforth called "Zeid, the son of
Mahomet."
Christianity was widely professed by the Syrian and border tribes, and
there were some Christian settlements even in the heart of Arabia. The
Gospel, therefore, was not altogether unknown at Mecca, though in an
imperfect and garbled form. Four "Inquirers" are spoken of by
tradition as in search of the "true religion," at that time
expected to appear. One of these was the aged Waraca, a cousin of Khadîja,
who is said to have written out some parts
