278 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OE [book I.

their revenues—these who fight for me at all times,even when I am asleep in my bed—to enrich peoplewho only know how to fight for me when I amleading them, and whose arrows sometimes hit andsometimes miss? It is from the prayers of thelittle that I expect my victories; for is it not writ,

‘ From the little you shall draw your subsistence and yourstrength ? ’ It would be a grievous injustice in meto touch what was given them by others, learnedholy saints who founded, and with what belongedto them endowed, the establishments that everygood Mahometan ought to revere! ”

To prepare himself fqr a campaign, he used tosleep on the hard bare ground, and abstain from allsensual pleasures. Mesopotamia, most of Syria?Egypt, and Arabia the Happy, composed his vastdominions when he died at Damascus 1 (of a quin-sey, at fifty-six), in some hole of a room, nearlywithout assistance, which he shunned. Moslemssay he deserved a place next the four earliestof Mahomet’s followers . 2 He adhered faithfullyto his marriage vow. Every day he read achapter of the Alcoran, besides his long ferventprayers. Once, on a representation to increase hisfrugal expenses, he replied, “ Not even for my

1 Arab. Chron., 152.

2 Id., 153.