have desired retribution, but when thou so straitly commandedst, I felt it incumbent upon me to declare the matter." The Prophet answered: "The Lord have mercy upon thee, Okâsha: Dost thou desire retribution?" "Yea apostle of God!" Then the Lord of the universe, the blessed Mohammed, commanded Balál to go to Fatima's house, and "Bring with thee," said he, "that scourge, which I used to take with me in the wars." Balál, in consternation and distress, proceeded to that noble lady's house and brought the scourge. Then the Prophet made it over to Okâsha and sitting in the courtyard of the Mosque, said, "The mercy of the Lord be upon thee, Okâsha! Take thy retribution without fear or favour." Okâsha receiving the whip, prepared himself to administer stripes upon the, Prophet. But a mighty noise, like that of the judgment day, arose from the assembled throng. The Prophet's companions, one after another, stepped forward, and expostulated with Okâsha on the fearful temerity of scourging Mohammed, the Messenger of God, who was moreover in so infirm a state, and close upon his heavenly journey. They offered to receive upon their own backs a thousand lashes in his stead; but Okâsha replied, that vicarious retribution was not permitted by the Lord. At last Mohammed, becoming impatient, said, "Perform thy work quickly, oh Okâsha; God forbid that death should rob me of the opportunity, and that this claim should remain against me to all eternity." Okâsha replied, "Oh blessed of the Lord! when thou scourgedst me I was naked, and thou art at this time clad in raiment." The blessed Prophet thereupon took off his raiment, and forthwith the whole assembly burst into the wildest grief and passionate lamentation; and the angels nearest to the Throne poured forth their deprecations, expostulating with the Lord, etc. At last Okâsha arose, and kissed the seal of prophecy,—the signet of apostleship: and then he spake as follows : "Oh beloved of the Lord! It was my earnest desire that at thy last breath I should be ennobled by looking upon the seal of prophecy. And by this stratagem of retribution, I have obtained the blessed fortune. Neither didst thou, most holy Prophet, ever touch me with the scourge, nor could I have had the temerity to demand retribution."

The Prophet invoked a blessing upon Okâsha, and retired to his own abode.

A narrator relates that there was, in the kingdom of Syria, a Jew who, while busily engaged one Sabbath day in perusing the Old Testament, perceived the name of the blessed Prophet written in four places; and out of spite he cast that leaf into the fire. On the following day, he found the same name written in eight places; again lie burnt the page. On the third day