If the mountain won't come to Muhammad

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If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain is an English phrase usually interpreted as "if one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable". Reference to Bacon's essay is made in Chapter 12 of Jane Eyre when Mr.Rochester has fallen, injured from his horse and requires the heroine to help him remount. Thus the phrase has entered English culture without ever having been validated by a Muslim scholar or a source in the literature of Islam. The earliest appearance of the phrase is from Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon, published in 1625:

Nay, you shall see a bold fellow many times do Mahomet's miracle. Mahomet made the people believe that he would call an hill (sic) to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers, for the observers of his law. The people assembled; Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again; and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill. So these men, when they have promised great matters, and failed most shamefully, yet (if they have the perfection of boldness) they will but slight it over, and make a turn, and no more ado.[1]

It was published in John Ray's 1670 book of English proverbs,[2] and has been included in publications of several languages, including German,[3] and continues to be quoted and published today.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bacon, Francis, Essays, Chapter 12 (available online.)
  2. ^ Ray, John, A collection of English proverbs digested into a convenient method for the speedy finding any one upon occasion: with short annotations: whereunto are added local proverbs with their explications, old proverbial rhythmes, less known or exotick proverbial sentences, and Scottish proverbs (1670).
  3. ^ "wenn der Berg nicht zum Propheten kommt, muß der Prophet wohl zum Berge kommen.", from Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings (1996), Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

Reference to Bacon's essay is made in Chapter 12 of Jane Eyre when Mr.Rochester has fallen, injured from his horse and requires the heroine to help him remount. Thus the phrase has entered English culture without ever having been validated by a Muslim scholar or a source in the literature of Islam.