the thought--"Why should not I be the messenger?" And this so grew
upon him that he was convinced of his "call." The possession of this
idea made him sincere in his purpose at first, but after the tide had
turned in his favour, that sincerity was marred--nay, eclipsed--by an
inflated notion of self-importance, and a consuming ambition to which
every virtue and good feeling was subordinated, until at last he was
able, with superb arrogance, to bracket his name with Deity, making
the confession of his claim as important as the confession of the
Unity of God. Wherein his inconsistency and falsity is chiefly
apparent, for confession of Unity is insufficient without recognition
of Mohammed's apostleship!

Ascetic practices tend to lead to physical disorders, which generally
upset the mind and lead to mental and moral distemper. Judgment is
warped because the functions of the mind are thrown out of gear. The
varied departments of consciousness act with ungoverned caprice, with
the result that fantastical fancies and visions are interpreted to be
realties, which become misleading and deceptive. Thus may be explained
the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to Mohammed, but it can hardly be
conceived that it will account for the ingenious method of revelation
which he received. Some people believe it to have been inspired by
Satan; it must ever remain a matter of speculation.

The necessity of a _piecemeal_ revelation could not at this time have
been apparent to the prophet. But we may give him the credit of the
policy of abrogation which he afterwards adopted, for such a policy
was necessary to enable him to cover or justify his actions which,
like those of even the best of men, were marked by inconsistency.