Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 27
27 the struggle that went on in his soul during these periods of retreat. Muhammad was not a man who talked much about himself. Indeed, he spoke only when the need for speaking arose, and then as briefly as the occasion would permit. With regard to his mental processes and his spiritual reactions during the years between his marriage to Khadeeja and his receipt of, and response to, the Divine Call, we can only speculate. In the nature of things it is not granted to any of us to probe into the depths of another’s soul, to appraise accurately and completely its travail and its ecstasies. That is a holy secret between each individual and his Maker. Those years were, however, years of preparation, when Muhammad’s soul was being deepened and proved and made ready for the heavy responsibility that the Divine Will had decreed should be placed on him. In the Quran we read God’s word concerning Moses: “I wrapped thee with love from Me, and this I did that thou mightst be reared before My eye…. We proved thee in various ways…. Then thou camest up to the standard, O Moses, and I chose thee for Myself” (20:40 ⎯ 42). As with Moses, so with Muhammad. Muhammad is reminded of this in the Quran: “ Did He not find thee an orphan and take thee under His protection? He found thee perplexed in search of