shall say, "I have never been commanded to open the gate to any one before thee."' So likewise his people shall enter Paradise before every other people.
51. On the day of the resurrection the celebrated Pond shall pass into his possession.
52. The praiseworthy Place (makam-i-mahmud) shall be his.
53. That prince will have the rank of Mediation which is the highest rank of Paradise. Abu Horeira narrates that Mohammed once said, 'Only a single person can reach that highest rank, and my hope is that I may be that person.' His Excellency employed the optative form because of his good manners and caution, although it is eternally decreed that he shall have that highest rank.
54. As that prince could see in the light, so he could also see in darkness. But this rests on a weak tradition, derived from Aisha.
55. Yawning, which is one of the works of Satan, never happened to that prince, as stated by Iman Bokhari in his great history.
56. No fly alighted on that prince's blessed body.
57. The character and disposition of that prince was superior to the character and disposition of every other creature.
58. That prince was the noblest of creatures respecting the form of his body and the symmetry of its members.
59. In the pages of the writings of the previous prophets mention is made of his description (or attributes) and renown, and of his being the prophet of the latter time; and their authors foretold the glad tidings of his coming. So likewise the doctors and wise men of the possessors of the Scriptures foretold the coming of that prince; as did also the diviners, the theosophers, and those who had dealings with spirits, testifying to the truth of that prophecy. The great and distinguished of every age, have also had dreams pointing to the beneficent coming of that prince. The biographers term these men Beshair, i.e. bearers of good news. It is proper here to introduce some of them.

God sent a revelation to Adam, the import of some of whose pages was to this effect, 'I am the Lord of Mecca whose inhabitants are my neighbours, and those who visit

that House are my guests, under the wings of my protection, and under the shadow of my keeping. I will people that House with heavenly and earthly beings; and they shall come to it in troops, dusty, and with disordered hair, saluting and praising it with a loud voice, and shedding tears. And whoever visits that House with no other object in view but me, in effect visits me, becomes my guest, and is worthy of my favour; I will confer the nobility and high honour of that House upon a prophet from amongst thy children, named Abraham; and I will let him finish its building, and I will show him the Zemzem well in it, and give him the right of opening and closing it for an inheritance. After him the people of every age shall keep that House in repair, until the time of a prophet from among thy children, called Mohammed, and him I will make one of its inhabitants and governors and chamberlains and water-distributors. Every one who seeks me and desires to ask anything of me, must know that I am with that company whose hair is mingled up with their beard, who are covered with dust and earth, but who fulfil their vows, and turn to their Lord.'

In the Rolls of Abraham, that prophet was addressed thus, 'I have heard thy prayer for thy son Ishmael, and have blessed him and his seed, and have made him great and honoured. An illustrious son shall come from him, Mohammed by name, who shall be an elect and chosen one. I will send him a revelation to be communicated to his people; and his people shall be better than any other people.'

In the Torah God refers to the truth of Mohammed in a passage which being interpreted reads thus, 'O thou renowned prophet, verily we have sent thee to be a witness and a bearer of good news to the good, a warner to the bad, and a refuge to the unlettered. Thou art my servant and my apostle. I have named thee the trusting one.' Then God continues, but changing from the second to the third person, 'He is not a man of vulgar speech or bad habits, or a stony heart, or one who cries in the market-places. He does not requite evil with evil, but pardons and yields. The Most High will not raise him up until the time when a peculiar people shall be born who shall say, "There is no God but God." With this word he shall open blind eyes and deaf ears,