On the whole then, we conclude that Muhammad's claim to the prophetic office was not substantiated by any miracles, as the Qur'an distinctly proves; the miracles mentioned in the Traditions being in themselves too absurd, too contrary, in some instances, to the Qur'an, and too ill-corroborated to be accepted as having really occurred

CHAPTER VI

AN EXAMINATION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF MUHAMMAD'S CONDUCT, AS REFERRED TO IN THE QUR'AN AND DESCRIBED BY MUSLIM HISTORIANS AND COMMENTATORS, IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN TO WHAT DEGREE HIS CLAIM TO THE PROPHETIC OFFICE IS THEREBY SUBSTANTIATED

WE must now turn to the consideration of some of Muhammad's actions and certain details of his conduct, in order to see whether these were such as to confirm his claim to have been sent by God as a Prophet and an Apostle. Regarding these matters it is right and fitting that we should speak with the greatest courtesy and regard for the feelings of our Muslim readers. Hence we shall not quote the statements of Greek and other Christian writers, but only those of Muslim authors of repute. Nor shall we venture to express any judgement of our own upon the subject, remembering the saying of St. Paul: "Who ¹ art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth." We are all servants of God, and He alone is the Judge of all men. But it is inevitable that each of us should have his opinion upon this subject, even though he may not be called upon to express it. In order that our honoured readers may know the facts of the case, and so be able to judge for themselves whether Muhammad was or was not what Muslims believe him to have been, we proceed to lay before them a few quotations from the Qur'an itself, together with the explanations of them given by some of the leading Muslim commentators, lest there should