[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _Upon him, Mohammad, Salvation._] THE LIFE OF MOHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH _"The man's words were not false..._ _a fiery mass of Life cast-up from_ _the great bosom of Nature herself."_ ("_On Heroes_," by THOMAS CARLYLE, London, 1841.) THIS WORK IS ISSUED IN A STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION OF 125 COPIES ON IMPERIAL JAPANESE VELLUM WITH AN EXTRA SUITE OF THE PLATES AND 875 COPIES ON HAND-MADE PAPER. NO. 499 [Illustration: (Ornamental page) Frontispiece] "_In the name_ _of Allah!_ _the Compassionate_ _the Merciful_" HISTORY OF THE PROPHECY "_Upon His Hero_ _(Mohammad),_ _boundless veneration."_ [Illustration: (Calligraphy) _There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is the Prophet of Allah._] THE LIFE OF MOHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH BY E. DINET and SLIMAN BEN IBRAHIM ILLUSTRATED BY E. DINET ORNAMENTAL PAGES BY MOHAMMAD RACIM PARIS THE PARIS BOOK CLUB, 11, RUE DE CHATEAUDUN THIS WORK IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR-PAINTER AND HIS ARAB COLLABORATOR TO THE MEMORY OF THE VALIANT MOSLEM SOLDIERS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND WHO, IN THE SACRED CAUSE OF RIGHT, JUSTICE AND HUMANITY HAVE PIOUSLY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR OF THE NATIONS PREFACE _An existence, so full of stirring events as that of the Prophet Mohammad, cannot be described by us in all its details. As there are limits to all books, we have had to rest content with a selection of the most important episodes, so that each might be developed as we deemed necessary. Thus we present to the reader a series of pictures and not a complete history._ _Our scaffolding and sketches are borrowed from very ancient authors such as Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sad, etc., without forgetting a more modern writer, Ali Borhan id-Din Al-Halabi who, in his book known by the title of "Es Sirat'al Halabia," gathered together different versions from all the best-known historians. An incontestable proof of their veracity, in our opinion, is that these narratives, some dating as far back as twelve centuries, fit in perfectly with the manners, customs, hopes and language of the Moslems of the desert; those who at the present day, by their mode of living, are more akin to the Arabs of the Hijaz among whom Mohammad accomplished his Mission._ _These remarks will serve to warn the reader that in this work will be found none of those learned paradoxes destined to destroy traditions, such sophisms delighting modern Orientalists by reason of their love of novelty._