Phrases & Sayings

mountain to mohamed

explain the phrase mountain to mohamed

botanica57 Tue 19/08/08 18:16

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Quizmonster
Tue 19/08/08
20:33

In the form: "If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain", it first appeared in 1625 as part of an essay on boldness by Francis Bacon, the English scientist and philosopher.
It supposedly referred to an incident - mentioned nowhere in the actual Koran - involving the prophet Muhammad. In front of his followers, he apparently called on a mountain to come to him and - when it didn't - he wisely said that he would go to it.
The idea behind the tale is that great leaders can gloss over their failures just by boldly accepting them and carrying on regardless!
It was recorded shortly afterwards as a proverb in a book of such sayings published in the 1670s.

ll_billym
Wed 20/08/08
13:11

Mohammed often used to retire to a "Hira" cave in a mountain called the Mountain of Light where he used to meditate and this was, erm, where he was told by an Angel that he was Allah's messenger.

So I guess that's the reason why he is associated with a mountain.

mycats
Wed 27/08/08
01:33

erm a please would be nice

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