influence, and he may have received his first stimulus from this quarter.[288] While they, however, were concerned only about their own salvation, Muḥammad, starting from the same position, advanced far beyond it. His greatness lies not so much in the sublime ideas by which he was animated as in the tremendous force and enthusiasm of his appeal to the universal conscience of mankind. [Sidenote: Muḥammad's vision.] In his fortieth year, it is said, Muḥammad began to dream dreams and see visions, and desire solitude above all things else. He withdrew to a cave on Mount Ḥirá, near Mecca, and engaged in religious austerities (_taḥannuth_). One night in the month of Ramaḍán[289] the Angel[290] appeared to him and said, "Read!" (_iqra’_). He answered, "I am no reader" (_má ana bi-qári’in_).[291] Then the Angel seized him with a strong grasp, saying, "Read!" and, as Muḥammad still refused to obey, gripped him once more and spoke as follows:-- THE SÚRA OF COAGULATED BLOOD (XCVI). (1) Read in the name of thy Lord[292] who created, (2) Who created Man of blood coagulated. (3) Read! Thy Lord is the most beneficent, (4) Who taught by the Pen,[293] (5) Taught that which they knew not unto men. On hearing these words Muḥammad returned, trembling, to Khadíja and cried, "Wrap me up! wrap me up!" and remained covered until the terror passed away from him.[294] Another tradition relating to the same event makes it clear that the revelation occurred in a dream.[295] "I awoke," said the Prophet, "and methought it was written in my heart." If we take into account the notions prevalent among the Arabs of that time on the subject of inspiration,[296] it will not appear surprising that Muḥammad at first believed himself to be possessed, like a poet or soothsayer, by one of the spirits called collectively _Jinn_. Such was his anguish of mind that he even meditated suicide, but Khadíja comforted and reassured him, and finally he gained the unalterable conviction that he was not a prey to demoniacal influences, but a prophet divinely inspired. For some time he received no further revelation.[297] Then suddenly, as he afterwards related, he saw the Angel seated on a throne between earth and heaven. Awe-stricken, he ran into his house and bade them wrap his limbs in a warm garment (_dithár_). While he lay thus the following verses were revealed:-- THE SÚRA OF THE ENWRAPPED (LXXIV). (1) O thou who enwrapped dost lie! (2) Arise and prophesy,[298] (3) And thy Lord magnify, (4) And thy raiment purify, (5) And the abomination fly![299] Muḥammad no longer doubted that he had a divinely ordained mission to preach in public. His feelings of relief and thankfulness are expressed in several Súras of this period, _e.g._-- THE SÚRA OF THE MORNING (XCIII).