,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,upon him1 ,mohammad1 ,salvation4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,mohammad ,,the ,,prophet ,,of ,,allah ,the man's words were not false444 a fiery mass of ,life cast-up from the great bosom of ,nature herself4 7,on ,heroes1 by ,,thomas ,,carlyle1 ,london1 #ahda47 ,,this ,,work ,,is ,,issued ,,in ,a ,,strictly ,,limited ,,edition ,,of #abe ,,copies ,,on ,,imperial ,,japanese ,,vellum ,,with ,,an ,,extra ,,suite ,,of ,,the ,,plates ,,and #hge ,,copies ,,on ,,hand-,,made ,,paper4 ,,no4 #dii ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,frontispiece ,in the name of ,allah6 the ,compassionate the ,merciful ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,prophecy ,upon ,his ,hero 7,mohammad71 boundless veneration4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,mohammad ,,the ,,prophet ,,of ,,allah ,,by ,e4 ,,dinet and ,,sliman ,,ben ,,ibrahim ,,illustrated ,,by ,e4 ,,dinet ,,ornamental ,,pages ,,by ,,mohammad ,,racim ,,paris ,,the ,,paris ,,book ,,club1 #aa1 ,,rue ,,de ,,chateaudun ,,this ,,work ,,is ,,dedicated ,,by ,,the ,,author-,,painter ,,and ,,his ,,arab ,,collaborator ,,to ,,the ,,memory ,,of ,,the ,,valiant ,,moslem ,,soldiers ,,particularly ,,those ,,of ,,france ,,and ,,england ,,who1 ,,in ,,the ,,sacred ,,cause ,,of ,,right1 ,,justice ,,and ,,humanity ,,have ,,piously ,,sacrificed ,,their ,,lives ,,in ,,the ,,great ,,war ,,of ,,the ,,nations ,,preface ,an existence1 so full of stirring events as that of the ,prophet ,mohammad1 cannot be described by us in all its details4 ,as there are limits to all books1 we have had to rest content with a selection of the most important episodes1 so that each might be developed as we deemed necessary4 ,thus we present to the reader a series of pictures and not a complete history4 ,our scaffolding and sketches are borrowed from very ancient authors such as ,ibn ,hisham1 ,ibn ,sad1 etc41 without forgetting a more modern writer1 ,ali ,borhan id-,din ,al-,halabi who1 in his book known by the title of ,es ,sirat'al ,halabia1 gathered together different versions from all the best-known historians4 ,an incontestable proof of their veracity1 in our opinion1 is that these narratives1 some dating as far back as twelve centuries1 fit in perfectly with the manners1 customs1 hopes and language of the ,moslems of the desert2 those who at the present day1 by their mode of living1 are more akin to the ,arabs of the ,hijaz among whom ,mohammad accomplished his ,mission4 ,these remarks will serve to warn the reader that in this work will be found none of those learned paradoxes destined to destroy traditions1 such sophisms delighting modern ,orientalists by reason of their love of novelty4 ,the study of innovations introduced in this way into the ,prophet's history has caused us to note that they were often prompted by feelings inimical to ,islam which were not only out of place in scientific research1 but were also unworthy of our epoch4 ,as displayed by their authors1 they generally denoted strange ignorance of ,arab customs1 notwithstanding that these commentaries were accompanied by considerable erudition1 although too bookish4 ,in order to refute such new-fangled assertions1 it was enough to check each in turn4 ,being so contradictory1 one killed the other4 ,their extreme improbabilities1 from the standpoint of ,oriental psychology1 only served to enhance with still greater clarity the perfect likelihood of those traditions sanctioned in the world of ,islam4 ,we have been guided by them4 ,we have been satisfied to choose those that seemed most characteristic1 setting each in its proper place1 thanks to information gleaned in long interviews with pilgrims visiting the ,holy ,cities of the ,hijaz1 while reviewing these episodes in the light of our experience of ,moslem life1 in the ,great ,desert of ,sahara1 where one of us two had lived from birth and the other for the last thirty years and more4 ,in strict agreement with the ,qur'an1 the only indisputable book according to the ,moslem ,doctors of the earliest times and those imbued with the modern liberal spirit1 such as the celebrated ,shaikh ,abdu1 we have put aside all the posthumous miracles attributed to the ,arab ,prophet and which only serve to blur his true physiognomy4 ,among all the ,prophets founders of religions1 ,mohammad is the only one who1 relying solely on the evidence shown by his ,mission and the divine eloquence of the ,qur'an1 was able to do without the assistance of miracles1 thus performing the greatest of all--the one which ,ernest ,renan1 forgetting his example1 declared to be utterly impossible4 ,the greatest miracle1 said he1 speaking of ,jesus ,christ1 would have been if he had wrought not any4 ,never would the laws of history and popular psychology have been more violently infringed4 ,on the other hand1 we have taken care not to turn a deaf ear to tales in legendary shape4 ,a legend1 and above all1 an ,oriental legend1 is an incomparable means of expression4 ,it serves to paint mere facts in lasting colours and make them stand out in bold relief1 far removed from the icy and so-called impartial account of an up-to-date reporter4 ,our readers1 enlightened by the foregoing warning1 must therefore not let themselves be the victims of the numerous errors committed by ,hellenism1 ,latinism and ,scholasticism1 when interpreting literally the sacred books of the ,east1 while beneath seeming magic allegories scattered here and there in this narrative1 will easily be discerned realities1 poetically transposed1 but not at all disfigured by the imagination of the ,arabs4 ,with still more reason1 the ,qur'an should be read in the same way1 for is it not written3 ,god setteth forth these similitudes to men that haply they may be admonished4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xiv1 #cj47 ,it may also seem strange that in the illustrations accompanying the text1 no portrait of the ,prophet will be found1 nor any picturing of events in which he figured as the hero4 ,and this is why3 being sincere ,moslems1 we do not want to run counter to the true principles of ,islam1 far less hostile than is supposed to the portrayal of mortals' faces1 but strictly forbidding the image of the ,divinity1 considered to be rank blasphemy leading to idolatry more or less disguised4 ,to represent the likenesses of the ,prophets is to belittle them inevitably and sacrilegiously4 ,and after all1 in the eyes of the ,believer1 what does the prim effigy of one of ,god's messengers on earth1 however marvellously painted1 look like in comparison with the sublime idea that the mind of the ,faithful creates1 under the influence of fervid faith8 ,this has been so well understood by certain ,persian painters of miniatures1 that1 having to sketch ,mohammad in the varied phases of his nocturnal ascension1 they veiled his face entirely1 because they found themselves powerless to picture it1 and feared also to impair features so revered4 ,there is no greater proof of their intention than the meticulous care with which in the same pictures all other faces are treated1 including that of ,buraq1 the winged steed with the head of a human being2 and also the lineaments of the angels in the celestial procession4 ,in place1 therefore1 of an imaginary portrait and necessarily falsified drawings1 we have adopted a more indirect style of illustration1 but by its means we hope to have succeeded in evoking a few lights and shadows1 undoubtedly emanating from the superman who came into the world at ,makkah 7,mecca74 ,his features1 solely known by the descriptions of those who penned his history1 appear to us dimly through a gauzy veil of dreamland that we shall not try to rend asunder1 for behind this mysterious filmy mask1 the sacred lineaments will enjoy the rare and precious advantage of not having been spoilt1 like so many others1 by impossible attempts of pictorial reconstitution4 ,on the other hand1 his ways and doings have been brought down to our own times1 with religious fidelity1 by three hundred millions of disciples1 scattered all over the earth's surface4 ,the constant thought of all ,moslems1 of whatever race1 is to imitate in everything1 in the most humble as well as in the highest1 of life's functions1 the habits of the ,prophet whose image is engraved in their hearts4 ,and this is so true1 that simply by the way in which he washes his hands1 the difference can be seen between an ,arab ,moslem and an ,arab ,christian4 ,looking upon true ,believers going to and fro1 we consequently view the movements of ,mohammad4 ,it is but a pale reflection1 but nevertheless incontestably authentic2 whereas1 despite the perfection of their statues1 the ,roman ,emperors can only offer to us their limbs and faces1 stiffened in attitudes of awkward pride2 remaining as corpses that our imagination is powerless to resuscitate4 ,impressed by these facts1 we had the idea of illustrating this history of ,mohammad by picturing the religious doings of his disciples2 a few scenes of ,arab life1 and views of the ,hijaz1 his native land4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,first ,illustration3 ,praying round the ,sacred ,temple of the ,ka'bah of ,mekka4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,in the name of ,allah1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,first ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,moslem ,,prayer ,a rosy ray lit up the horizon2 the stars paled1 and a voice cried out in cadence1 in the silence of dawn3 ,allah is the greatest6 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah6 ,come and pray6 ,come to ,salvation6 ,high up above the flat housetops and the palm-trees of the oasis1 the last notes of the ,muazzin's call1 wafted from the balcony of the slender minaret1 died away in the infinite space of the ,desert4444 ,mohammedans who were still slumbering1 enwrapped in the white folds of their shroud-like mantles1 sprung to their feet with a start1 like dead men coming to life4 ,they hurried to fountains where they performed their ablutions2 and then1 with clean skins and pure thoughts1 they gathered together in long processions1 elbow to elbow1 all turned in one direction3 that of the ,holy ,ka'bah of ,makkah 7,mecca74 ,standing erect1 heads slightly bent1 eyes downcast1 perfectly still in the long folds of their garments1 they seemed as if metamorphosed into a crowd of statues4 ,following the example of the ,imam1 in front of them1 but in the same direction1 and announcing each phase of the prayer by the ,takbir3 ,allah is the greatest6 they all lifted their open hands on a level with their foreheads1 to bear witness to their ecstasy in the presence of the ,almighty power of the ,master of the ,worlds4 ,then1 every man made the same movement1 bending their backs and bowing low before the throne of ,his ,supreme ,majesty4 ,but this did not suffice to express all the humility of their souls1 so they dropped to the ground and prostrated themselves1 piously pressing their faces against the earth4 ,for a few moments they remained in this supplicating posture1 as if crushed by the weight of the entire firmament which might have been prostrated with them4 ,they held up their heads at last and rose to a sitting posture1 both knees on the ground1 their heads bowed under the burden of their fervour4 ,the prayer terminated by salutation1 accompanied by the face being turned first to the right1 then to the left1 addressed to the two recording angels who unceasingly attend every true ,believer4 ,generally1 however1 the ,faithful who ask nothing from ,allah1 not even their daily bread1 remain a little longer on their knees1 and placing1 breast-high1 their open palms under their eyes1 as if reading a book1 they implore ,divine ,mercy for the salvation of their souls1 for their relatives1 and for ,islam4 ,only a few parts of the ,prayer3 the ,takbir1 the ,fatihah and the final salutation are loudly intoned by the ,imam4 ,the congregation pray inwardly2 the ,takbir alone is murmured in whispers that are barely audible4 ,such half-silence enhances the grandeur of their gestures1 so expressive and simple1 in which dignity is closely allied to humility2 and being totally devoid of affectation1 constitutes the most poignant display of adoration imaginable4 ,every day1 each time the rays of the sun change colour3 at rosy dawn2 flaming noon2 during gilded sunset1 when it descends below the horizon in all the yellow sadness of its disappearance2 and at the moment it is enshrouded in the blue veiling of night1 not only in the ,mosques1 but also in the houses and streets1 in cafs and market-places1 in the country or the desert1 all ,moslems1 alone or grouped together1 wherever they may be1 without needing to be called by the ,muazzin or led by the ,imam1 are bound to stop short in their work and even interrupt their trend of thought1 for a few minutes1 thus glorifying the ,benefactor4 ,for more than thirteen centuries1 from the ,atlantic's ,african shore as far as the ,chinese coast-line of the ,pacific1 more than two hundred millions of the ,faithful turn five times daily in the direction of the ,holy ,ka'bah of ,makkah2 their millions of prayers being garnered there to be offered up to the ,most ,high1 bearing witness to the undying gratitude of the souls of ,islam4 ,sidenote3 ,,description ,,of ,,makkah 7,mecca7 ,this mysterious town1 upon which the aspirations of so many human beings close in1 was almost unknown in ancient times4 ,what is it like8 ,is it one of those cities1 picturesquely situated1 where ostentatious kings built splendid palaces1 accumulating therein all the treasures of creation8 ,is it one of those vast commercial boroughs dominating land and sea routes to which the riches and produce of the universe came in abundance8 ,or was it an extensive imperial capital whose valiant warriors bent neighbouring peoples beneath their yoke8 ,makkah has nothing in common with all this1 being established in one of the most arid and forsaken spots on earth2 and in olden times its only commerce consisted in desert caravan traffic1 so that it was neither rich nor powerful4 ,nevertheless1 many opulent towns are jealous of its glory1 for it shelters in its midst the ,holy ,temple of the ,ka'bah1 besides being the birthplace of ,our ,lord ,mohammad1 the ,prince of ,prophets6 ,in our own times1 despite gifts brought from the furthermost corners of the world by the hundred thousand pilgrims who come each year to prostrate themselves in its temple1 ,makkah1 ,the ,mother of ,cities1 by the splendour of its palaces and mosques1 cannot vie with any great capital4 ,in the eyes of the ,true ,believers1 its treasures are radiant with incomparable brilliancy1 but which is not terrestrial4 ,as a matter of fact1 the aspect of ,makkah--,allah's ,delight--is no different from other ,arab desert centres4 ,there are more numerous and loftier dwellings1 better decorated than in general1 but its characteristics1 on the whole1 are unchanged4 ,from the top of the ,jabal ,abi-,kubeis which dominates it on the eastern side1 it can be viewed stretching from north to south in a narrow valley4 ,at first1 it seems to form part of the earth on which it stands1 because the bare and rocky mountains surrounding it are not separated from these heights by any oasis or verdant strip1 and the terrace-roofs of the houses do not stand out from the heaps of stony fragments that have rolled down from the crags4 ,the spectator's eyes gradually get used to the landscape and pick out architectural lines2 mysterious entrances to dwellings2 lace-work of tall1 straight minarets2 and then1 astonished at the sudden apparition of a big town that he never thought was there1 he sees it1 as in a kind of mirage1 increasing excessively4 ,now it is the turn of the rocks to look as if changed into houses2 hills becoming immense suburbs extending boundlessly4 ,if1 in this chaos of sharply-outlined shapes1 it is difficult for the eye to distinguish dwellings from steep rocks2 one cannot fail to be startled at once by the strange aspect of a great cube of masonry1 built up in the middle of a spacious quadrangular courtyard and veiled by black silk1 shining in violent contrast to the dull tints of the entire sun-scorched landscape4 ,this black cube is the ,holy ,ka'bah1 the veritable heart of ,islam1 and like so many veins bringing blood to the heart to vivify the body1 all the prayers of ,islam flow towards this ,temple to vivify souls4 ,it is the only spot on earth where ,moslems1 when adoring the ,eternal1 can meet face to face4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,temple ,,of ,,the ,,ka',,bah ,,and ,,the ,,black ,,stone ,the ,ka'bah is not the tomb of the ,prophet1 nor an object to be worshipped1 as many ,europeans imagine4 ,it is a temple called ,beit ,allah al ,haram 7the ,holy ,house of ,allah71 and its origin can be traced to the most distant days of antiquity4 ,according to the ,arab tradition1 it was built by ,adam1 the father of the human race4 ,destroyed by the ,flood1 it was rebuilt on the same foundations1 by the ,prophet ,abraham1 with the help of his son1 ,ishmael1 the ancestor of the ,arabs4 ,since then1 often repaired1 but retaining the same lines and proportions1 the ,ka'bah became the goal of ,arab pilgrims flocking to adore ,allah1 the ,only ,one1 and perform seven ritual circuits instituted by their forefathers under the title of ,tawaf4 ,little by little1 the worship of ,allah1 the ,only ,one1 having degenerated in the memory of the pilgrims who added the practice of idolatry1 ,mohammad was sent to destroy the three hundred and sixty images they adored4 ,in the east angle of the monument is incrusted the famous black stone ,hajaru'l-,aswad1 framed in a silver circle4 ,this stone1 which came down from ,paradise1 was brought by the angel ,jibra'il 7,gabriel7 to ,abraham and his son1 during the rebuilding of the ,temple1 and they placed it where it is still to be seen this day1 in order to serve pilgrims as a starting-point for their ritual circuits4 ,primitively as white as milk1 its present characteristic ebony tint is due to the pollution of the sins of the pilgrims who came to touch and kiss it1 while imploring the ,merciful to pardon them4 ,close to the ,ka'bah is the well of ,zamzam4 ,its miraculous water gushed forth from the earth to save ,ishmael from the tortures of thirst when lost in the desert with his mother1 ,hajar 7,hagar74 ,neglected by the ,arab tribes1 in the dark ,days of ,ignorance1 it became choked up by sand and was dug anew by ,abdul ,muttalib1 a few years before the birth of ,mohammad4 ,the water1 ever since1 is revered by pilgrims who use it for drinking purposes and for their ablutions1 thereby sanctifying themselves by the remembrance of their ancestors4 ,the two functions of ,siqayah1 7,management of ,water ,supply71 and of ,hajaba1 7,superintendence of the ,ka'bah7 were posts greatly sought after on account of their prerogatives4 ,at the epoch at which our story begins1 they were both united in the hands of ,abdul ,muttalib bin ,hashem1 of the ,quraish tribe1 the grandfather of the future ,prophet4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,abdullah1 ,,father ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,one day1 ,abdul ,muttalib1 custodian of the ,ka'bah1 set forth from the ,sanctuary1 his favourite son1 ,abdullah1 holding his hand4 ,on the threshold of the temple was seated ,quotila1 a woman of the ,bani ,asad tribe4 ,on catching sight of the lad1 she started to her feet1 evincing sudden surprise4 ,she stared at him with strange persistence1 because she was fascinated by a supernatural light that radiated from his brow4 ',whither art thou going8' she called to him4--',to where my father leadeth me4'--',stop and listen to me4 ,i offer thee a hundred camels1 being as many as thy father was bound to sacrifice to save thy life1 if thou wilt consent to throw thyself upon me1 now at once4'--',i am in my father's company and cannot disobey him1 nor leave him1' replied ,abdullah1 petrified at such shamelessness1 especially in the presence of such a respectable person as ,abdul ,muttalib4 ,the young man turned away1 filled with confusion1 and rejoined ,abdul ,muttalib who took him to the house of ,wahb ibn ,abdi ,manaf1 whose daughter the ,superintendent of the ,well thought would make a good wife for his boy4 ,wahb was one of the chieftains of the ,bani ,zahrah tribe and ,abdul ,muttalib being numbered among the princes of the ,quraish1 a most noble tribe1 an alliance between two such authentically aristocratic families would be easily brought about and so the marriage of ,abdullah1 with ,aminah1 daughter of ,wahb1 took place without further loss of time4 ,abdullah went off with his bride to the dwelling of ,abu ,talib1 his uncle4 ,there the marriage was consummated during the young couple's sojourn of three days and three nights4 ,when the newly-married young man went out of the house1 he came face to face again with ,quotila1 the woman who had previously hailed him with such lack of decency and he was surprised at her complete indifference as she saw him pass by4 ,abdullah was considered to be the handsomest youth in ,makkah4 ,his manly bearing had aroused the sensual passions of most of the women of the city to such an extent that1 when his marriage was announced1 they fell ill by dint of jealousy and disappointment4 ,quotila1 however1 was not a victim to vulgar lust1 being the sister of ,waraqah ibn ,taufal1 the learned man renowned throughout ,arabia for his knowledge of the ,sacred ,books4 ,from him she had learnt how1 in that part of the country1 a ,prophet was about to come into the world1 whose father would be known by rays of light illuminating his face with a pearly or starry sheen4 ,this sign she had detected on the brow of ,abdullah1 and was haunted by the ambitious desire of becoming the mother of the coming ,apostle4 ,her hopes dashed to the ground1 she no longer heeded ,abdullah1 notwithstanding his good looks4 ,knowing nothing of all this1 he felt hurt at her indifference1 following so quickly on her great ardour4 ',how comes it that thou dost not ask me again for what thou hungered for but a little while ago8' he asked ,quotila4--',who art thou8' she replied4--',i am ,abdullah bin ,abdul ,muttalib4'--',art thou the stripling whose brow seemed to me to be surrounded with a luminous aureola which has now disappeared8 ,what hath befell thee1 since we first met8' ,he apprised her of his marriage1 and ,quotila guessed that the radiance surrounding the future ,prophet had passed away from the forehead of ,abdullah into the womb of ,aminah1 his wife4--',by ,allah1 ,i made no mistake6' she told him4 ',on thy brow ,i discovered the pure light that ,i would have dearly liked to possess in the depths of my body4 ,but now it belongeth to another who will be delivered of ,the ,best ,among ,created ,beings1 and there remaineth naught of thee that ,i care for4' ,thus it came about that ,abdullah1 by the words that fell from the lips of this learned woman1 got to hear of his wife's pregnancy and the future in store for his son4 ,abdullah did not live long enough to have the happiness of knowing his offspring1 for ,mohammad's father died at ,yasrib two months before ,aminah was delivered4 ,aminah1 mother of ,allah's ,chosen ,one1 spoke thus3 ,since the day ,i carried my son in my womb1 until ,i brought him forth1 ,i never suffered the least pain4 ,i never even felt his weight and should not have known the state ,i was in1 if it had not been that after ,i conceived and was about to fall asleep1 an angel appeared to me1 saying3 ',dost thou not see that thou art pregnant with the ,lord of thy ,nation2 the ,prophet of all thy people8 ,know it full well4' ,at the same instant1 a streak of light1 darting out of my body1 went up northwards--yea1 even unto the land of ,syria4 ,when the day of my deliverance came due1 the angel appeared to me again and gave me a warning3 ',when thou shalt bring forth thy child into the world1 thou must utter these words3 ',for him ,i implore the protection of ,allah1 the ,only ,one1 against the wickedness of the envious1' and thou shalt call him by the name of ,mohammad which means ,the ,lauded1 as he is announced in the ,taurat and the ,injil1 for he will be lauded by all the inhabitants of ,heaven and ,earth4' ,when the planet ,al-,moushtari passed1 a line of light darted for the second time from ,aminah's body in the direction of faraway ,syria and it illuminated the palace of the town of ,busra4 ,at the same time1 other prodigies astonished the world3 the ,lake ,sowa suddenly dried up2 a violent earthquake made the palace of ,chosroes the ,great tremble1 and shattered fourteen of its towers2 the ,sacred ,fire1 kept alight for more than a thousand years1 went out1 in spite of the exertions of its ,persian worshippers1 and all the idols of the universe were found with their heads bowed down in great shame4 ,all these portents caused fear in the hearts of those who witnessed them2 but1 despite the predictions of ,al ,moudzenab1 the ,parsee sorcerer1 who had been warned in a dream that a great upheaval in the destiny of the universe would be caused by an event to take place in ,arabia1 the occurrence was unperceived3 the birth of a child of the ,quraish tribe at ,makkah1 a tiny town lost in the midst of the wilderness1 unknown to the gorgeous monarchs of ,east and ,west alike1 or else despised by them4 ,illustration3 ,calligraphy3 ,then when ye have ended the prayer1 make mention of ,allah1 standing1 and sitting1 and reclining4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,second ,illustration3 ,the ,night of the ,maulid1 the ,prophet's ,birth day4 ,moslems leaving a village ,mosque4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,have ,we not opened thy breast for thee8 99 ,and taken off from thee thy burden8 ,,chapter ,,the ,,second ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,birth ,,of ,,mohammad ,our ,lord ,mohammad 7,may ,allah shower ,his ,blessings upon ,him and grant ,him ,salvation67 was born a few seconds before the rising of the ,morning ,star1 on a ,monday1 the twelfth day of the month ,rabi-ul-,awwal of the first year of the ,era of the ,elephant4 7,august #bith1 ,a4,d4 #egj74 ,when he came into the world1 he was devoid of all pollution1 circumcised naturally and the umbilical cord had been cut by the hand of the angel ,jibra'il4 ,the atmosphere of the city being fatal to infants1 the leading citizens were in the habit of confiding their children to ,bedouin wet-nurses who brought them up in their ,badya-land1 where dwelt the ,bedouins1 or nomads4 ,shortly after the birth of ,mohammad1 about a dozen women belonging to the tribe of the ,bani ,sad1 all bronzed by the bracing breezes of their country1 arrived at ,makkah1 to seek nurslings4 ,upon one of them devolved the honour of suckling the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,and she was ,halimah1 signifying ,the ,gentle4 ,sidenote3 ,,mohammad',s ,,childhood ,,with ,,the ,,bani ,,sad ,,tribe ,,in ,,their ,,badya ,,land ,quoth ,halimah bint ,zuib3 ,it was a barren year1 and both my husband1 ,haris bin ,abdul ,ozza and myself1 were plunged in dire distress4 ,we made up our minds to go to ,makkah where ,i purposed to seek a foster-child whose grateful parents would help us out of our miserable plight4 ,we joined a caravan where there were many women of our tribe1 bound likewise on the same errand4 ,the she-ass ,i was riding was so thin and exhausted by privation that she came nigh upon breaking down on the road and we did not get a wink of sleep all night by reason of our poor child being tortured by the pangs of hunger4 ,neither in my breasts1 nor in the udder of a female camel driven by my husband1 did there remain one drop of milk to relieve my baby's pain4 ,all sleepless as ,i was1 ,i fell a prey to despair4 ,in my parlous state1 could ,i hope to take charge of a suckling8 ,lagging far behind the caravan1 we arrived in ,makkah at last1 but all the new-born babes had already been allotted to the other women1 except one child and that was ,mohammad4 ,his father being dead and his family far from rich1 despite the high rank it held in ,makkah1 none of the wet-nurses cared to take charge of the baby boy4 ,we likewise turned away from him at first1 but ,i was full of shame at thinking ,i should have to journey back empty-handed1 for ,i feared the mockery of my friends luckier than ,i4 ,besides1 my feelings were deeply stirred when ,i gazed upon that fine infant1 bound to wither away in the unwholesome air of the town4 ,my heart became filled with compassion2 ,i felt my milk welling up miraculously in my breasts1 so ,i said to my husband3 ',i swear by ,allah that ,i have a good mind to adopt that orphan boy1 notwithstanding that we have but slight hopes of ever earning anything worth talking about by so doing4'--',i cannot say thou art wrong1' he replied4 ',perhaps with him1 the blessing of ,allah may once more favour our tent4' ,scarcely listening1 ,i could no longer restrain myself and rushed towards the handsome baby fast asleep4 ,i placed my hand on its pretty little breast2 he smiled and opened his eyes sparkling with light4 ,i kissed his brow between them4 ,holding him tightly in my embrace1 ,i made my way back to where our caravan was encamped4 ,once there1 ,i offered him my right breast so that he should enjoy such nourishment as ,allah chose to grant him4 ,to my extreme astonishment1 he found enough milk to satisfy his hunger4 ,i proffered my left breast1 but he refused it1 leaving it to his foster-brother1 and he always behaved in like fashion4 ,a greater marvel still was when from our she-camel's teats1 dried-up that morning1 my husband drew enough milk to appease the hunger that gnawed my entrails1 and for the first time for many a month1 the shades of night brought us refreshing sleep4 ',by ,allah1 ,o ,halimah6' exclaimed my husband1 next day1 on awaking1 'thou hast adopted a child that is verily blessed6' ,with the little boy1 ,i mounted my she-ass who started off at a rapid pace4 ,she was not long in coming up with my surprised companions and even trotted in front of them4 ,thereupon they cried out3 ',o ,halimah6 pull up thy ass1 in order that we may journey home all together4 ,is that the same animal you bestrode when we departed8'--',aye2 'tis she and no other4'--',then she is under some spell that we cannot unravel6' ,we reached our tents of the ,bani ,sad4 ,i know no more arid soil than ours and our flocks had been mowed down by famine4 ,but we marvelled at finding them in more thriving condition than during the most prosperous seasons1 and the swollen teats of our ewes yielded more milk than we knew what to do with4 ,our neighbour's flocks1 on the contrary1 were in a grievous state and their masters threw the blame on their shepherds4 ',woe to ye all1 stupid serving-men6' cried the sheep-owners4 ',lead our lambs to graze with those of ,halimah6' ,the men obeyed1 but all in vain3 the sweet grass that seemed to spring up out of the earth offering its tender sprigs to our sheep1 withered immediately they were gone on their way4 ,prosperity and blessings remained in our tent unceasingly4 ,mohammad attained his second year and it was then ,i weaned him4 ,his disposition was truly uncommon4 ,at the age of nine months1 he talked in a charming way with accents that touched all hearts4 ,he was never dirty2 nor did he ever sob or scream1 except peradventure when his nakedness chanced to be seen4 ,if he was uneasy at nights and refused to close his eyes1 ,i would bring him out of the tent1 when he would fix his gaze immediately with admiration on the stars4 ,he showed great joy1 and when his glances were sated with the sight1 he let his eyelids droop and allowed slumber to claim him4 ,illustration3 ,watching over ,camels grazing4 ,but when he was weaned1 ,halimah was obliged to take ,mohammad back to his mother who was eager to have him with her4 ,what grief therefore for the poor wet-nurse6 ,she could not resign herself to such cruel separation4 ,as soon as she got to ,makkah1 she threw herself at ,aminah's feet and burst out supplicating as she kissed them4 ',see how the bracing air of the ,badya hath profited thy child4 ,think that those breezes will do him still greater good now that he is beginning to walk4 ,fear the pestilential air of the city6 ,thou wouldst see him waste away before thine eyes and remember my words when it was too late4' ,moved by these touching prayers and thinking only of her son's health1 ,aminah stifled her motherly feelings and finished by consenting to let ,halimah take ,mohammad back to the ,badya4 ,his good-hearted nurse1 buckling him securely to her loins1 went off1 overjoyed1 on the road leading to her encampment4 ,home again at the ,badya of the ,bani ,sad1 ,mohammad's first footsteps were printed on the ripple-marked carpet of the immaculate sands1 where he inhaled with welcome nostrils the sweet odours of the aromatic plants growing on the hillocks4 ,and there it was he slept under the dark blue tent of the star-studded sky and his chest expanded1 breathing the limpid air of desert nights4 ,he grew strong1 thanks to the healthy1 wholesome food of the nomads3 milk and cheese1 with unleavened bread baked under hot ashes and1 now and again1 camel's flesh or mutton1 devoid of the sickening smell of wool-grease that comes from animals bred in confined stabling4 ,such moral and physical well-being1 that he owed to the ,badya1 was of great help to him1 during ordeals later in life4 ,he was always pleased to recur to his childhood's days4 ',allah granted me two inestimable favours1' he would often say4 ',first came the privilege of being born in the most noble of all the ,arab tribes1 the ,quraish2 secondly1 that of being brought up in the ,bani ,sad region1 the most salubrious of the entire ,hijaz4' ,never were there effaced from his mind those pictures of the desert which were impressed on his earliest glances when1 in company with other nomadic lads1 he would climb to the top of a rock to watch over a grazing flock4 ,notwithstanding1 being inclined to dream and meditate1 he did not agree very well with the turbulence and high spirits of the little ,bedouins of his own age1 and preferred to hide away from them1 and ramble in solitude not too far from the tents4 ,sidenote3 ,,mohammad ,,and ,,the ,,two ,,angels ,he went out1 one morning1 with his foster-brother leading the flocks of his foster-father to the pasturage4 ,all of a sudden1 about the middle of the day1 ,mohammad's young companion went back alone4 ',come hither quickly6' he shouted to his father and mother1 his voice hoarse with affright4 ',my brother1 the ,quraish1 having slipped away from us1 according to his wont1 two men1 clothed all in white1 seized hold of him1 threw him on the ground and split his chest open4' ,in mad fear1 poor ,halimah1 followed by her husband1 ran as fast as her legs would carry her1 following the road pointed out by the youthful shepherd4 ,mohammad was found seated on the top of a hill4 ,he was perfectly calm1 but his face had taken on the sinister tint of the dust and ashes to which we must all return4 ,they fondled him gently and put question after question to him4 ',what ails thee1 ,o child of ours8 ,what hath befell thee8'--',while ,i was intent upon looking after the grazing sheep1' he replied1 ',i saw two white forms appear4 ,at first1 ,i took them to be two great birds1 but as they drew nearer1 ,i saw my mistake3 they were two men clad in tunics of dazzling whiteness4'--',is that the boy8' said one of them to his companion1 pointing to me4 ',yea6 ',tis he6' ,as ,i stood stupefied with fear1 they seized me2 threw me down and cut my breast open4 ,they drew out of my heart a black clot of blood which they cast far away2 and then closing up my chest1 they disappeared like phantoms4' ,the words of ,allah1 in the ,qur'an1 seem to allude to this incident3 ,have we not opened thy breast for thee8 99 ,and taken off from thee thy burden4 99 ,which galled thy back8 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xciv4 #a1 #b1 #c74 ,this story1 together with many others to be met with in the pages of this work1 must be taken to be a parable1 which1 in this case1 signifies that ,allah opened ,mohammad's breast when quite young1 so that the joy of monotheistic truth should penetrate therein and permeate his being1 relieving him of the heavy burden of idol-worship4 ,mohammad's foster-parents continued to live in a state of bewilderment and ,haris said to his wife3 ',i fear the boy is a prey to falling sickness1 evidently due to spells cast by neighbours1 jealous of the prosperity and the ,blessing that the child hath brought into our tent4 ,but whether possessed by the ,evil ,one who conjured up this hallucination2 or because1 on the contrary1 the boy's vision is a true one and pointeth to a glorious future1 our responsibility is none the less heavy4 ,let us give him back to his family1 before his disease becometh more violent4' ,halimah was regretfully obliged to agree with such wise arguments and1 taking ,mohammad with her1 she turned in the direction of ,makkah4 ,the boy1 now four years of age1 walked by her side1 and1 on the outskirts of the town1 they found themselves in the midst of a great crowd wending their way to the market or the ,temple pilgrimage4 ,night had come on4 ,hustled in the dense throng1 ,halimah was soon separated from her foster-son and was unable to find him in the dark1 despite her active search and desperate shouts4 ,without losing time1 she hurried to apprise ,abdul ,muttalib1 whose high social position made it easy for him to send out clever men on the track of his grandson1 while he rode on horseback to head the searchers4 ,in the ,tihamah water-course1 one of the trackers soon found a child seated among some shrubs4 ,he was amusing himself by pulling the branches4 ',who art thou1 child8' he was asked4 ',i am ,mohammad1 son of ,abdullah bin ,abdul ,muttalib4' ,well pleased at having found the boy he was looking for1 the man lifted up the child and carried him to the arms of his grandfather following behind4 ,abdul ,muttalib embraced ,mohammad affectionately1 sat him on the pommel of his saddle in front of him and brought him back to ,makkah4 ,to show his joy1 the old man slaughtered some sheep and distributed their flesh to the poor of the city4 ,then1 taking his grandson astride on his shoulder1 he performed the ritual circuits round the ,ka'bah in token of gratitude4 ,accompanied by poor ,halimah1 now recovered from her anguish1 he led ,mohammad into the presence of ,aminah1 his mother4 ,after she had given way to the effusive joy of a loving mother1 she turned to ,halimah3 ',what doth this signify8 ,o nurse1 thou wast so desirous of keeping my son by thy side1 and now thou dost bring him back to me1 all of a sudden8'--',i considered that he had reached an age when ,i could do no more for him than ,i have done2 and fearing unlucky accidents1 ,i bring him back to thee1 knowing how thou wert longing to set eyes on him again4' ,nevertheless1 perplexity and sadness were only too clearly to be read on the kind nurse's features4 ,not being deceived by her explanations1 ,aminah continued3 ',thou dost hide from me the true motive of thy return4 ,i wait to hear thee tell the whole truth4' ,halimah then thought it best to repeat what her husband had said1 and ,aminah's maternal pride was sorely wounded4 ',can it be that thou art afraid lest my son should fall a victim to the devil8' she quickly retorted4--',i confess that such is my fear4'--',know then that the demon's wiles are powerless to do him harm1 for a glorious destiny is in store for him4' ,aminah made the nurse acquainted with the marvellous events that had happened during her pregnancy and lying-in4 ,after having thanked and rewarded ,halimah for her devotion1 ,aminah kept her child with her1 and his health1 fortified by life in the open air1 had now nothing to fear from unhealthy conditions of town life4 ,sidenote3 ,,aminah',s ,,death 7,a4,d4 #egf7 ,under the vigilant eyes of the most loving of mothers1 ,mohammad grew up handsome and intelligent2 but he was not fated to long enjoy maternal affection which no other love can equal4 ,on returning from a journey to ,yasrib1 whither she had taken him1 ,aminah died suddenly1 halfway on the road1 in the straggling village of ,al-,abwa1 where she was buried4 ,the sorrowing orphan boy1 scarce seven years of age1 was brought back to ,makkah by a black slave-girl1 ,umm ,aiman2 entirely devoted to his young master and who1 including five camels1 constituted his sole inheritance4 ,he was taken in hand by his grandfather1 ,abdul ,muttalib1 who had always shown him great affection1 and the old man's love increased daily1 as he saw the lad growing up more and more like ,abdullah1 his father1 so much regretted4 ,the following anecdote gives an idea of ,abdul ,muttalib's boundless affection for his grandson3 ,in ,makkah1 where the streets are narrow and crooked like those of all the towns of the desert1 there is only one open space of any size--the square in which stands the ,ka'bah1 and where1 morning and evening1 the citizens gathered together1 resting and gossiping about their business as well as performing their devotions4 ,not a day passed without the servants of ,abdul ,muttalib throwing down a carpet in the ,temple's shade2 and round the rug sat his sons1 grandsons and the leading townsmen1 awaiting his coming4 ,the respect shown to the ,superintendent of ,the ,house of ,allah was so great1 that never did anyone ever dare to put his foot even on the outer edge of his carpet4 ,it came to pass one day that young ,mohammad took up a position right in the middle of the revered carpet1 scandalising in the highest degree his uncles who drove him away immediately4 ,but ,abdul ,muttalib was coming1 and he had witnessed the conflict from afar4 ',let my grandson go back at once to where he was seated6' he called out4 ',he is the delight of my old age and his great audacity ariseth from the presentiment he hath of his destiny1 for he shall occupy higher rank than any ,arab hath ever attained4' ,so saying1 he made ,mohammad sit by his side and fondled his cheeks and his shoulders1 while in ecstasies at the least thing the boy said or did4 ,again the fates decreed1 that ,mohammad should be deprived of gentle love3 ,abdul ,muttalib died at the age of ninety-five1 unanimously regretted by his fellow-citizens4 ,the unlucky orphan boy was received into the house of his uncle ,abu ,talib1 who had been chosen for this kind succour by his grandsire1 for the reason that1 alone among his uncles1 he was the brother of both the mother and father of ,abdullah1 ,mohammad's father4 ,sidenote3 ,,mohammad',s ,,first ,,journey ,,in ,,syria 7,a4,d4 #ehb7 ,having a large family and not being very well off1 although the management of the ,ka'bah had been bequeathed to him1 ,abu ,talib was obliged to do business with the lands of ,yaman and ,syria4 ,shortly after sheltering his nephew under his roof1 he undertook the task of organising a caravan of ,quraish men1 and he was to lead them back to their tents4 ,all was in readiness2 the loads were shared and divided1 corded and balanced on the pack-saddles of the kneeling camels1 grunting according to their habit4 ,their drivers began1 by dint of blows and shouts1 to force them to rise to their feet and direct their swaying stride in a northerly direction4 ,this sight caused ,mohammad to remember his beloved ,badya1 where caravans resembling this one about to depart passed to and fro continually4 ,fresh separation1 this time from his beloved uncle1 was about to plunge him into the sadness of solitude4 ,he stood still1 gloomy and silent4 ,at last1 heartbroken1 he threw himself into ,abu ,talib's embrace1 casting his young arms round him1 and hiding his face in the folds of his uncle's mantle1 to conceal his tears brought on by longing and despair4 ,greatly moved by this spontaneous manifestation of affection1 and guessing how ardent was his nephew's wish to accompany him1 ,abu ,talib declared3 ',by ,allah6 we'll take him with us2 he'll not leave me and ,i'll not leave him4' ,mohammad dried his tears and1 jumping for joy1 he busied himself in hastening the final preparations for the journey4 ,at a sign from his uncle1 he perched himself on the female camel1 getting up behind him4 ,when the caravan began to pass along the tracks made by the ,bedouin tribes1 ,mohammad's lungs1 contracted by breathing the vitiated air of houses and streets1 were deliciously dilated1 revelling in liberally gulping down the life-giving air of the ,badya to which he was accustomed4 ,being used to a nomadic existence from childhood1 the young traveller was able to support most valiantly the exhausting privations and terrible fatigue of such an interminable journey in the midst of the ,hijaz deserts4 ,for more than a year1 the countries he passed through were so much alike in their sands and rocks1 that the caravan seemed as if marking time4 ,in the pitiless desert there was no other sign of life1 except the presence of ,him who is everywhere1 eternally existant1 but not to be seen by mortal eyes4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,mohammad ,,met ,,the ,,monk ,,bahira ,on the terrace-roof of a convent perched1 like a turban on a tall man's head1 on the top of a steep hill1 the lesser chain of the ,jabal ,hauran1 the most learned monk1 ,bahira1 looked out afar over the ,syrian plains1 stretching away in infinite space in the direction of ,arabia4 ,all of a sudden1 his attention was drawn to the strange aspect of a solitary cloud1 white and oblong1 that stood out in bold relief on the immaculate blue background of the sky4 ,like some enormous bird1 the cloud hovered above a small caravan winding its way northwards4 ,the fleecy mass in the heavens covered the straggling procession with its azure shade and moved with the line of travellers4 ,at the foot of the hill on which the monastery was built1 the caravan halted1 close to a great tree that grew on the brink of a dried-up wady1 and began to organise the encampment4 ,at that moment1 the cloud stopped still and vanished in the celestial canopy1 while the branches of the tree were bent1 as if beneath the gusts of a breeze acting on those twigs and leaves1 at the same time throwing their shade over one of the caravaneers1 as if to protect him from the blazing rays of the sun4 ,seeing these prodigies1 ,bahira guessed that among these wayfarers coming from the ,hijaz1 would be found the man he had been awaiting so long3 the ,prophet announced by the ,sacred ,books4 ,so ,bahira hurried down from the flat roof1 gave orders to prepare a bountiful meal and sent a messenger to invite all the folks of the caravan without exception1 young or old1 nobles or slaves4 ,the messenger returned1 in company with the men of ,makkah whose coming ,bahira awaited on the threshold of his monastery4 ',by ,lat and ,uzza6 thy conduct doth puzzle me1 ,o ,bahira6' exclaimed one of the guests4 ',many a time and oft have we passed by the convent2 yet1 until now thou hast never heeded us2 never didst thou dream of showing us the least sign of hospitality4 ,what maggot biteth thee this day8'--',thou dost not err1' replied ,bahira4 ',i have cogent reasons for behaving as ,i do4 ,but ye are my guests at this hour and ,i pray that ye honour me by gathering together to partake of the repast that ,i have prepared for you all4' ,while the people he had invited were enjoying the food with the appetites of men having recently been sorely deprived1 ,bahira scrutinised them all in turn1 trying to find the one answering to the description given in his ,books4 ,much to his disappointment1 he did not succeed4 ,there was no one to be seen whose appearance agreed with the description4 ,but as he had just witnessed marvels that could not be explained1 otherwise than by the reason that one of ,allah's elect was surely present1 he refused to be discouraged4 ',o men of the ,quraish tribe6' he asked2 'is there not one of you remaining in your tents8'--',aye1 one only1' was the reply4 ',we left him alone at rest on account of his extreme youth4'--',why did ye not bring him hither8 ,go1 call him at once1 so that he shareth the meal in your company4'--',by ,lat and ,uzza6' swore one of the guests2 'we give you right4 ,of a surety we are to blame for having left one of us behind1 while we profit by thine invitation1 especially as he is a son of ,abdullah bin ,abdul ,muttalib4' ,rising1 he went and fetched ,mohammad and brought him into the midst of the group of guests4 ,bahira eyed the newcomer with great attention and when the men had done eating and drinking1 the monk went to him1 taking him on one side4 ',o young man6' said the monk1 ',i have a question to ask4 ,by ,lat and ,uzza1 wilt thou consent to answer8' ,bahira desired to put him to the test by invoking the idols ,lat and ,uzza1 exactly as he had just heard his guests swearing1 but ,mohammad replied thus3 ',put no question to me in the name of ,lat and ,uzza1 for there is nothing on this earth that ,i hate more than them4'--',well then1 by ,allah6 wilt thou answer me8'--' ,question me and1 by ,allah6 ,i'll answer thee6' ,thereupon ,bahira interrogated him on everything that was of interest1 such as his family1 his position in life1 his dreams that1 now and again1 disturbed his slumbers1 and many other things4 ,finally1 just as the youth1 after having taken leave of the saintly scholar1 turned to go away1 the collar of his tunic yawned slightly and ,bahira caught sight of the ,seal of ,prophecy1 imprinted on the lad's back1 below the nape of the neck1 on the exact spot indicated by the ,sacred ,texts4 ,bahira's last doubts vanished--here1 indeed1 standing in his presence1 was the ,prophet whose advent had been foretold4 ,therefore1 the monk went up to ,abu ,talib and spoke to him1 saying3 ',what relation is this lad to thee8'--',he is my son4'--',no6 ,he is no son of thine6'--',true enough6 ,he is not my son1 but that of my brother4'--',what hath become of thy brother8'--',he died while his wife was still pregnant with my nephew4'--',thou dost speak the truth4 ,mark then my words3 lose no time in returning to thy country with thy brother's son and watch over him with constant vigilance4 ,above all1 beware of ,jews6 ,if they saw him and learnt what ,i have just learnt about him1 by ,allah6 they would do him harm1 for this son of thy brother is chosen to play a great part in the world6' ,abu ,talib1 much impressed by the warnings of a man whose scientific reputation was universally recognised1 made haste to finish his business at ,busra in ,syria1 and started back home to ,makkah with his nephew1 where they arrived safe and sound4 ,protected by ,allah and guided by his uncle1 who watched over him with true paternal care1 ,mohammad grew up and became an accomplished young man4 ,he was extremely chaste4 ,abu ,talib being busily engaged in executing some repairs in the ,zamzam well1 several ,quraish striplings1 among them being ,mohammad1 fetched and carried big stones fitted to the work4 ,so as to be more at their ease1 they lifted up their izars 7a kind of tunic7 in front1 passing them over their head and rolling them round the neck1 thus protected from the sharp edges of the stones carried on the shoulders2 and all this was done without troubling about the fact that they were showing their nakedness4 ,mohammad was obliged to imitate them2 but so soon as he felt his nakedness exposed to every eye1 he was seized with a fit of atrocious anguish2 great drops of sweat stood out on his brow2 a shudder of shame shook his entire frame and he fainted away4 ,such innate modesty1 and the protection granted by ,allah to his ,elect1 safeguarded the young man from the excesses in which lads often fall at the period of puberty4 ,among all the youths of the same age1 he was the best-looking2 the most generous2 the most easygoing2 the most truth-telling2 the most devoted friend2 and the most devoid of debauchery1 to such an extent that his fellow-citizens called him ,al-,amin1 which means3 ,the ,reliable ,man4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,second ,,syrian ,,voyage 7,a4,d4 #eid7 ,like ,abu ,talib1 most of the men of ,makkah were obliged1 to eke out a living1 to traffic with ,syria and the ,yaman4 ,their town1 situated in one of the most frightfully barren countries of the world1 offered no resources and its citizens only made both ends meet by dint of trading with these two countries between which it served as a link4 ,its caravans crawled to the ,yaman to procure raw materials from that region1 known as ,arabia ,felix2 and also products brought from overseas1 imported from ,ethiopia1 ,india and even far ,china4 ,the camels came laden with fragrant spices1 sweet-smelling incense1 ivory1 gold dust1 silks and many other articles of luxury4 ,arriving in the ,hijaz1 they added dates from ,yasrib or ,taif4 ,then they wended their way into ,syria1 to exchange these goods for agricultural produce1 such as grain1 wheat1 barley1 rice1 figs and raisins1 as well as for imports of ,greek and ,roman civilisation4 ,even women carried on this kind of trade1 confiding their goods to those who organised caravans4 ,these female traffickers sold the merchandise in return for a share of the profits4 ,khadijah bint ,khuaild1 a rich and noble widow1 at the head of a thriving enterprise of this kind1 hearing that everybody was unanimous in extolling ,mohammad's well-merited reputation for prudence and probity1 thought it would be well to entrust him with the direction of her commerce4 ,she sent for him and1 as a beginning1 proposed that he should take charge of a caravan she was despatching to ,syria and offered a salary twice as large as she was generally in the habit of paying4 ,mohammad accepted2 but ,abu ,talib1 calling to mind what the monk ,bahira had told him1 grew uneasy when the camels were ready to start4 ,he spoke privately to each of the caravaneers1 urging them to watch over his nephew1 and making them responsible for any harm that might come to him4 ,it was with ,maisarah1 a slave1 ,khadijah's right-hand man1 that ,abu ,talib was most solemn in his warnings4 ,about to travel with ,mohammad1 ,maisarah1 a good servant1 simple-minded and devoted1 already greatly impressed by the confidential observations of such a prominent citizen as ,abu ,talib1 fell under the sway of the charm and influence exercised by his young master over all who approached him4 ,maisarah felt great liking and boundless admiration for ,mohammad4 ,in every incident of the journey1 ,maisarah noted miraculous tokens1 proving the superhuman disposition of the man he served1 and indeed1 certain events showed that the slave guessed aright4 ,the road he had so often travelled1 knowing all its fatigue and danger2 the interminable tracks where the inexorable orb of day dried up the water-skins and gave the mortals who went that way a foretaste of the flames of ,jahannam2 the paths marked out by the bones of men and animals that had succumbed to pitiless thirst1 were passed as easily as if they had been enchanted4 ,every day1 at the hour when the sun1 rising high over the heads of the travellers1 threatened them with its deadly1 blazing rays1 light clouds1 like the feathers of a bird1 floated in the azure sky4 ,they increased and met2 then they were stretched out in long lines resembling the beam-feathers of enormous wings1 opened to protect ,mohammad beneath their shade4 ,when the sun1 losing its formidable power1 began to sink gradually below the horizon1 the feathers of these clouds dropped away one by one1 vanishing in the last golden rays that the incandescent orb threw out through space before disappearing4 ,the protecting wings1 now useless1 closed1 making room for the stars which sparkle nowhere in the world so brilliantly as over deserts4 ,even the camels seemed overjoyed2 they doubled the stride of their great long legs and the path seems to fold itself backwards as they advance4 ,no dead body of any of them was added to the sinister skeletons left behind by previous caravans4 ,once only during the whole journey1 a couple of ,khadijah's camels showed signs of exhaustion and lagged behind the convoy4 ,despite the insults and blows showered on them1 ,maisarah failed to bring them in line with the others4 ,the two wretched beasts were completely bathed in sweat1 a certain sign that they would soon fall1 never to rise again4 ,maisarah1 devoted to his mistress's interests1 was extremely perplexed4 ,he did not want to forsake his tired camels2 but on the other hand1 he had not forgotten ,abu ,talib's pressing recommendations concerning the young man then leading the caravan1 so the slave ran to apprise him of what was taking place4 ,mohammad halted and came back with ,maisarah to see the pair of camels who were lying down1 uttering painful1 pitiful groans each time an effort was made to make them get up4 ,he leant over them and1 with his blessed hands1 touched their feet hacked by the sharp pebbles of the ,hammadah1 and the poor beasts that had not even stirred under the lash1 suddenly rose to their feet and with enormous strides1 grunting joyously1 caught up with the leaders of the caravan4 ,good luck lasted when the caravan reached ,busra1 in ,syria4 ,mohammad sold out all the goods he brought with unexpected profit1 and found1 at extraordinarily advantageous rates1 what he had come to get1 without even having to undergo the horrors of never-ending haggling1 according to ,oriental custom4 ,he awakened the sympathy and interest of everyone by his winning ways1 frankness and honesty2 but above all1 by that mysterious radiance emanating from ,predestinated ,beings2 which the old masters interpreted by a golden aureola1 called magnetism by the scientists of the present day1 because they lack the power of explaining its nature4 ,in this region1 where enthusiasm for questions of religion ran high2 where every hill is topped by a monastery and where every stone calls up the remembrance of a ,prophet1 this young traveller1 before whom ,nature itself seemed to bow down1 excited in the highest degree the curiosity of all these monks4 ,they were renowned for researches in sacred texts and lived in hopes of the coming of a new ,apostle of ,allah4 ,all flocked to put questions to ,maisarah1 known to many among them during previous journeys4 ,they soon divined that he was ,mohammad's confidential slave2 and a ,nestorian monk1 named ,jordis1 predicted great things to the devoted serving-man1 making the same kind of recommendations as ,bahira had made to ,abu ,talib4 ,all transactions being terminated1 the caravan turned homewards1 and immediately the mysterious cloud1 that seemed to be awaiting the travellers1 took its place over ,mohammad's head and never ceased to accompany him until the journey's end4 ,on the outskirts of ,makkah1 at the spot called ,bathen ,mou1 ,maisarah prevailed on ,mohammad to go on ahead of the convoy1 so as to carry to ,khadijah1 without the least delay1 the good news of their return4 ,the widow was in the habit of going up with her servants to the top of her house whence she could see the road to ,syria1 dipping1 in a north-easterly direction1 into the ravine overlooked by the ,jabal ,quayqwan4 ,she certainly felt no anxiety concerning her goods1 but without confessing as much to herself as yet1 she was fearful lest anything harmful should happen to the man to whom she had confided them3 young ,mohammad who1 by his noble bearing and upright disposition1 had so deeply impressed her that his absence weighed her down4 ,it seemed to be never-ending4 ,one day1 among all these weary weeks of waiting1 when the sun at its zenith was setting the town in a blaze1 preventing the inhabitants from stirring out in the streets or mounting to the housetops1 ,khadijah lingered at her usual observatory4 ,her beautiful eyes1 their lids scorched by dint of staring searchingly into the depths of the white-hot horizon1 had just reluctantly closed1 in despair at not seeing the caravan so impatiently desired 444 ,all of a sudden1 the house became filled with delicious1 cool air2 while the blinding reverberation of sunlight on the white terraces and calcined rocks was softened by a gauzy veil of sheltering violet shade 444 ,just then1 the door opened and ,mohammad entered ,khadijah's dwelling4 ,doing his duty like a scrupulous manager1 he turned in all the accounts of his expedition1 and enumerated the magnificent results thereof4 ,she thanked and complimented him warmly1 but without being very much astonished at his success1 for she began to think he was predestinated4 ,the coincidence of his arrival with that of the cloud which granted such beneficent shade had not failed to strike her1 and she divined the obvious connection of the circumstances4 ',where is ,maisarah8' quoth she4--',with the caravan over which he watches4'--',go back at once and fetch him2 increase the camels' speed1 for great is my haste to admire the riches thou dost bring me4' ,mohammad heard and obeyed2 and the cloud1 flying away from the house1 followed and accompanied him on the ,syrian road4 ,henceforward1 ,khadijah's doubts were dispelled1 and her faithful slave ,maisarah1 who soon arrived1 confirmed her opinion4 ',the cloud thou didst remark1' he told her1 'accompanied us unceasingly from the day we left ,makkah until we returned4 ,ever since we went out of ,busra1 and enlightened by the predictions of the learned monks of the ,hauran1 ,i am forced to acknowledge that it was formed by the wings of two angels whose mission was to protect my master from the sun's ardent rays4' ,he then narrated all those incidents of the journey in which he could make out miraculous tokens and ,khadijah never grew tired of questioning him4 ,illustration3 ,the ,flocks #b views ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,mohammad ,,and ,,khadijah 7,a4,d4 #eie7 ,this noble1 generous woman rewarded ,mohammad by giving him double the salary she had promised and thenceforward had but one idea3 to get him to take care of her entire wealth4 ,the best way was to marry him1 and the dictates of her heart urged her to carry out her plan4 ,there was but one objection3 the difference in their ages4 ,mohammad had only just attained his twenty-fifth year1 while she was close upon forty4 ,nevertheless1 ,khadijah's age did not prevent her from being the most marrigeable lady in all the town1 not1 as might be rightly thought1 on account of her riches 7according to ,arab customs1 the husband brings the dowry and has no right to his wife's property71 but because of her personal qualities1 charming ways1 distinguished manners1 chastity and aristocratic descent1 ,khadijah being the daughter of ,khuaild bin ,asad1 bin ,abdul ,ozza1 bin ,qusaiy1 bin ,kilab1 bin ,morra1 bin ,kab1 bin ,lawaiy1 bin ,ghalib4444 ,she was therefore the queen of a court of suitors trying to dazzle her1 some by the purity of their pedigrees2 others by the extent of their riches4 ,but all in vain4 ,since the death of her second husband1 ,abu ,hala1 it seemed as if she had made up her mind to end her days without contracting a third alliance4 ,when she met ,mohammad and began to appreciate his moral qualities1 all her resolutions soon weakened and the feelings that drew her towards him increased each day in intensity4 ,she determined to sound him4 ,maisarah has said3 ,two months and twenty days after our return from ,syria1 my mistress sent me to my master and ,i questioned him thus3 ',o ,mohammad6 hast thou any reason for remaining a bachelor8'--',my hands are empty4 ,i do not possess the wherewithal to furnish the dowry of a betrothed bride4'--',but if the small amount thou hast should be considered enough by a rich1 worthy and noble lady--what then8'--',to whom dost thou allude8'--',i mean ,khadijah6'--',why joke with me8 ,how1 with the trifle ,i could offer as a dowry1 should ,i dare to seek her presence and offer to take her in marriage8'--',rest easy on that score4 ,i'll see to it4' ,my master's accents and looks sufficed for me to become aware of his feelings towards my mistress4 ,without further delay1 ,i sought her out and told her what ,i thought4 ,beaming with joy1 she made all her arrangements for speedy nuptials4 ,at first1 ,khadijah had to obtain the consent of ,khuaild1 her father1 who so far had inexorably repulsed all suitors1 as he never found any rich or noble enough for his daughter4 ,to gain her ends1 she resorted to trickery4 ,coached by her1 ,mohammad made arrangements for a big feast1 inviting his uncles1 ,khuaild and a group of ,quraish tribesmen of the highest rank4 ,khuaild's weak point was a love of fermented beverages and1 as was his wont1 he drank a little more than was reasonable4 ,his daughter seized the opportunity to speak to him thus3 ',o my father8 ,mohammad ben ,abdullah asks me to marry him and ,i beg thee to bring about our union4' ,khuaild1 giddy with the fumes of wine1 and seeing everything tinted with a rosy hue1 gave his consent without reflecting1 and ,khadijah1 immediately1 following the custom prevailing at that epoch1 bedewed her betrothed with perfumes and threw a sumptuous mantle over his shoulders4 ,khuaild woke up out of his fit of drunkenness and interrogated his daughter3 ',what doth all this signify8'--',thou knowest full well1 ,o my father6 ,thou hast just now settled my betrothal with ,mohammad1 son of ,abdullah4'--',could ,i have done this thing3 marry thee to the orphan adopted by ,abu ,talib8 ,ah no6 ,never will ,i consent while ,i live6'--',dost desire then to dishonour thyself in the eyes of the ,quraish chiefs here this day1 by confessing thou wert drunk just now8' ,she continued in this strain1 until at last ,khuaild1 finding nothing to say in response1 was obliged to give his definite consent4 ,thereupon ,abu ,talib made the following speech3 ',praise be to ,allah who created us1 the ,bani ,hashem1 descendants of ,ibrahim 7,abraham7 and of the seed of ,ishmael1 who did appoint us to be custodians of ,his ,house1 the ,holy ,ka'bah1 and ,administrators of ,his ,sacred ,territory2 and who made us as ,lords over the ,arabs4 ,here before ye standeth my brother's son1 ,mohammad bin ,abdullah2 no man can be weighed in the balance with him1 for he is far above all others as regards nobility1 merit1 generosity and wisdom4 ,if he be not favoured by fortune1 remember that wealth is naught else than a passing1 inconstant shadow2 a loan to be repaid eventually4 ,now the soul of ,mohammad bin ,abdullah leaneth towards the noble dame ,khadijah1 whose soul eke leaneth towards him2 and he doth beg at this hour that thou1 ,o ,khuaild6 in thy generosity1 should give her to him to be his wife4 ,as dowry1 he bringeth twenty young female camels1 and ,i call upon ye to be my witnesses1 ,o my ,quraish brethren6' ,the marriage took place1 and so as to celebrate it duly1 ,khadijah had her young and graceful slaves to dance to the sound of tabors1 before the company assembled2 all unanimously overjoyed at this alliance between two such noble families4 ,khadijah was ,mohammad's first wife4 ,she never had a rival in her husband's heart1 and1 until the day of her death1 she was his sole1 beloved spouse4 ,she gave him seven children2 three sons3 al-,qasim1 at-,tahir and at-,taiyib2 and four daughters3 ,ruqaiyah1 ,fatimah1 ,zainab and ,ummu ,kulsum4 ,after the birth of al-,qasim1 the eldest boy1 a familiar surname1 ,abul ,qasim1 that is to say1 the ,father of ,qasim1 was bestowed on ,mohammad1 full of joy at the coming of a scion of his house4 ,unfortunately1 the poor child1 greatly cherished by his father1 was destined to die in infancy4 ,the same fate overtook his brothers1 at-,tahir and at-,taiyib1 who passed away in like fashion in ,the ,days of ,ignorance4 ,only ,mohammad's daughters witnessed the advent of ,islam and were counted among its first and most faithful servants4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,the ,,temple ,,of ,,the ,,ka',,bah ,,was ,,rebuilt 7,a4,d4 #fje7 ,after partial destruction by fire1 the ,ka'bah had been badly restored4 ,the roof fell in1 and thieves took advantage of the breach to get into the ,sanctuary and carry off part of the treasure1 constituted by pilgrims' offerings4 ,fresh repairs were urgently needed2 but as bad luck would have it1 the walls were so dilapidated that they could no longer bear the least weight4 ,there was nothing to be done but to raze them to the ground4 ,if1 however1 the idea of rebuilding such a revered monument met with no objection1 its demolition seemed to be the most dangerous sacrilege imaginable4 ,after much hesitation1 finally dispelled by a series of obvious miracles1 the ,quraish men came to the resolution of tearing down the old walls of which the remains were in heaps on the ground4 ,then1 as the ancient foundations were formed of blocks of stone admirably fitting one into the other1 each clan of the ,quraish tribe undertook part of the task of rebuilding4 ,the workers1 actuated by the zeal that always arises from rivality1 soon built up the walls to the height at which the famous ,black ,stone1 al-,hajaru'l-,aswad1 should be fixed4 ,who was to have the honour of putting the precious relic back in its place8 ,there was not the slightest chance of coming to an agreement on this point1 and1 in consequence of each party pleading the precedence of the purest noble descent or the greatest merit1 the discussion grew so heated that most tragical results were to be feared4 ,under the influence of jealousy1 groups were formed and stood face to face4 ,the ,bani ,abed-,dar1 joining the ,bani ,adiyy bin ,kab1 brought forth a bowl filled with blood1 plunging their hands therein1 and swearing they would die sooner than relinquish the privilege in anyone else's favour1 because they thought it devolved upon them by right4 ,for four days and four nights1 the adversaries1 with threatening mien1 remained on the look-out1 absorbed in the task of vigilantly watching each other4 ,at last1 ,abu-,ummayah1 their senior1 spoke out1 saying3 ',there will come a time when all this must finish and this is what ,i propose3 name as umpire the first man who cometh into our midst1 and let him settle the dispute that destroyeth our union4' ,the advice given was not displeasing to the stubborn rivals and they finally agreed to follow it4 ,it happened then1 at that very moment1 that they saw coming towards them a young man about thirty years of age4 ,they recognised him as ,al-,amin 7,the ,reliable72 in other words3 ,mohammad4 ,nothing could have been more fortunate1 and all being as of one mind on this point1 they accepted him as arbitrator at once1 submitting the cause of their conflict to his judgment4 ,when they terminated explaining the case1 ,mohammad1 instead of hearkening to their respective claims1 only said3 ',bring a mantle and spread it out on the ground4' ,when they had obeyed his behest1 he took the ,black ,stone in his hands and placing it in the middle of the cloak1 he went on3 ',let the most influential person of each party take hold of the mantle by the corner that is in front of him4' ,all did as they were told1 and then he turned towards those who held the corners of the mantle4 ',now1 lift the cloak1' he continued2 'all together1 up to the height of the wall which is being built4' ,they obeyed and when the lifted cloak was level with the spot where the ,black ,stone was to be built in1 ,mohammad took the ,relic and with his own hands1 put it in its place4 ,thanks to his presence of mind1 all cause of discord disappeared4 ,he had given satisfaction to each of the rival groups1 without favouring one more than the other2 and caused the proud ,arabs to be reconciled without bloodshed1 for the first time in all their history2 in short1 there was honour due to him which no one contested4 ,high above the ,black ,stone1 the walls rose rapidly1 carried up by the workers toiling as friends4 ,the ribs of a ship wrecked on the ,jeddah coast furnished a flat terrace-roof1 and when the monument was finished1 it was entirely draped with a veil of the finest lawn1 woven by the ,copts4 ,in later years1 the veil consisted of striped ,yaman cloth2 and still later1 the ,ka'bah was covered by ,hajaj bin ,yusef with the ,kiswah1 or garment of black silk1 such as is still thrown over it at the present day1 being renewed yearly4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,and provide for your journey2 but the best provision is the fear of ,allah4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,third ,illustration3 ,at ,takbir1 or ,glorification4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,verily1 we have caused ,it 7the ,qur'an7 to descend on the night of ,power4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,third ,sidenote3 ,,desert ,,retirement ,to him they called ,al-,amin1 7the ,reliable71 his fellow-citizens were ready to grant the highest and most coveted honours1 with a post of preponderance in their city4 ,but being of a disposition equally devoid of vanity or ambition1 he disdainfully refused to reply to their flattering advances1 and his fortuitous intervention in the dispute arising from the rebuilding of the ,ka'bah was the only time he was mixed up with public affairs during a period of fifteen years1 dating from his wedding-day4 ,how did he pass his time8 ,allah had inspired him with the love of solitude1 and ,mohammad loved more than anything to wander all alone on great empty plains stretching away farther than the eye could reach4 ,what were the causes of this liking8 ,doubtless1 in the gloomy desert surrounding ,makkah1 he conjured up over and over again the delightful memories of his childhood1 passed in the ,badya2 but his highly-gifted soul found satisfaction of a more exalted kind4 ,in the first place1 he was spared the sight of the moral and religious errors of the ,arabs at that period4 ,the ,arabs were1 in the highest degree1 aristocratic1 proud1 independent and courageous4 ,their generosity towards their guests was exemplified in a refined manner that has never been surpassed2 and1 among them1 a certain ,hatim ,tay may be looked upon as the ,prince of ,generous ,hosts4 ,by their natural gifts of eloquence and poetry1 they can bear comparison with the most brilliant orators or magnificent poets of the universe4 ,their poetry1 above all1 allowing them to celebrate heroic exploits2 and their open-minded generosity by which they were led to sing love's joy and sadness1 became1 for such hot-blooded men1 the object of passionate adoration1 marvellously well served by the most enchanting language ever known4 ,their public fairs1 particularly that held at ,okaz1 furnished an opportunity for real poetical contests1 where the winner heard his poem applauded by a madly delighted throng1 and then it was written out fully in letters of gold1 and hung up in the ,temple of the ,ka'bah4 ,of these poetical triumphs1 called ,al-,muaalaquate1 7,the ,suspended71 seven have been handed down to us and prove what great heights were attained by the genius of the ,bedouin primitive poets4 ,but1 at the same time as we admire such brilliant qualities innate in the ,arabs1 we have to deplore great errors4 ,the monotheistic religion of their great ancestor ,ibrahim 7,abraham7 was entirely forgotten1 despite their continued veneration for the ,temple built with their own hands4 ,they had become ,mushrikun1 7,associates74 ,to ,allah1 the ,only ,one1 partners were adjoined in the shape of idols1 who were generally preferred4 ,every tribe and family possessed a favourite idol2 and1 at that epoch1 three hundred and sixty false gods1 of wood or stone1 dishonoured the ,holy ,ka'bah4 ,the most gross superstition flourished in addition to idolatry4 ,games of chance1 divining by arrows1 drunkenness and sorcery debased the brains of these men1 all otherwise remarkably gifted4 ,fretting under all restraint1 lacking all ideas of decency1 they married as many women as they could afford to feed2 and as widows were considered to belong to their husbands' estate1 revolting unions took place between stepmothers and stepsons4 ,still more abominable was the custom of the ,wa'du'l-,binat1 7,burying ,girls ,alive74 ,by some strange morbid decay of the feeling of honour1 and also through fear that the debauchery of daughters or their capture by an enemy might one day bring opprobrium on their families1 many unnatural fathers preferred to get rid of their female offspring1 by burying them alive as soon as they were born4 ,to sum up3 the ,arabs' leaning towards ostentation1 their aristocratic prejudice and overweening pride1 caused them to rebel against all discipline or authority4 ,consequently1 union and progress becoming impossible1 incessant warfare and pitiless vendettas between tribes and families submerged all ,arabia in a sea of blood4 ,such were the errors that saddened ,mohammad4 ,he could no longer bring himself to look upon them1 and as he saw no cure for such deep-rooted and general evil1 which he thought was infallibly destined to draw down on his people the terrible punishment of ,heaven1 such as annihilated the inhabitants of ,thamud and ,ad1 he hid himself away in the most deserted spots he could find4 ,far from the contact of human beings1 he was able to drive out of his memory the odious remembrance of their iniquity4 ,it was then that he gave way entirely to the imperious need of meditation and religious worship that mastered his soul4 ,he wandered in sandy ravines1 following capricious meandering watercourses1 or climbing up the steep sides of rocky mountains1 to recline at their summits and let his glance and imagination be lost in the depths of the arid expanse that stretched away at his feet as far as the most unattainable horizon4 ,during many long hours1 stock-still in the midst of such impressive empty space2 in this ocean of light where deathly silence reigned1 he would be engrossed in mute and ecstatic contemplation of the sight--incomparably grand and varied--offered to him by the elements of heaven and earth obeying a mysterious1 unknown1 inconceivable1 universal and unique ,power4444 ,he gazed on dunes and rocks1 veiled at first by the dawn's rosy gauze1 studded with humble pebbles that became sparkling precious stones when the early rays of the sun broke forth4 ,next came the shroud of dazzling light which the orb of day1 at its zenith1 spread over the tired earth that was as still as a corpse4 ,then followed a golden flood that the sun1 as it declined1 let loose in great waves all over the world1 as if wishing that its departure should give rise to even greater regret4 ,at last was seen the moon's scarf1 irisated like a pigeon's breast1 splashing the sky with its sparks that changed into myriads of stars4 ,and there arose proud columns that in still weather the sand erected joyously1 as if trying to reach the blue vault above2 or furious spouts which1 on stormy days1 gushed from the bottom of ravines1 to attack dark1 lightning-loaded mists4 ,caravans of clouds sometimes careered1 shaped like flocks of white sheep1 driven by the wind away from the high peaks where they were formed2 forced to depart before they could bedew their birthplace with rainy tears4 ,on other days1 diluvian storms broke in cascades over bare mountains1 vomiting forth impetuous torrents1 thundering in the valleys4 ,in comparison with these formidable elements1 which never dared to rebel against the law imposed upon them by ,supreme ,power1 how weak and arrogant ,humanity seemed to be6 ,it relied upon the strength of mundane institutions1 and now such feeble trifles were liquefied by the mirage viewed by ,mohammad in the mirrored waves of seething ether1 as if to proffer the image of the absolute vanity of the things of this world4 ,the ,khelous 7,desert ,retirement71 was the main source of ,mohammad's education4 ,it cleansed his heart of all worldly thoughts4 ,that is why tradition has named it ,safat as ,safa1--,the ,purity of ,purity4 ,little by little1 the soul of the boundless ,desert penetrated his soul1 bringing him the intuition of the unlimited grandeur of the ,lord of ,all the ,worlds4 ,the most imperceptible secrets of ,nature communed in the uttermost hidden depths of his being1 impregnating his mind so violently that these eternal truths were on the point of escaping from his lips4 ,carlyle1 the great thinker1 cannot restrain his admiration in this connection4 ,the word of such a man is a ,voice direct from ,nature's own heart4 ,men do and must listen to that as to nothing else2--all else is wind in comparison4 7,the ,hero as ,prophet1 ,london1 #ahdj47 ,how is it that some ,orientalists of the ,west have put forward the theory that ,mohammad profited by this retirement to arrange and elaborate his future task in its most minute details8 ,some of these scholars have even gone so far as to insinuate that1 during his seclusion1 he composed the ,qur'an in its entirety4 ,have they not noticed that1 in this ,divine ,book1 there is no preconceived plan according to human methods2 and that each of the ,surahs1 taken alone1 is applicable to events that happened later1 extending over a period of more than two decades and which it was impossible for ,mohammad to foresee8 ,that they could find no other explanation of his long meditation is due to their ignorance of the ,arab mind4 ,if these learned men had lived among the ,bedouins long enough to understand that the contemplation in which the denizens of the desert are often seen engrossed1 squatting on a hill-top1 staring into vacancy1 is not that state of empty-headed idiocy described by a few travellers1 possessed of more humour than observation4 ,if1 above all1 they themselves had the opportunity of revelling in the unutterable charm of the ecstasy1 which can only arise from viewing the immensity of the desert1 they would have acknowledged that thereby surprising advantage accrues to the intuitive faculties of the intellect1 and therefore they could never have been so clumsily mistaken4 ,this contemplation is as a crucible in which melt nascent emotive feelings and thoughts1 issuing therefrom in a state of extraordinary purity4 ,it may be also be compared to an accumulator storing up supernatural force1 although hidden and unknowing1 such as the latent power of fire lurking in the core of a tree-trunk4 ,the forces accumulated by contemplation remain unsuspected by all1 even by those in whom they reside4 ,but let the tiniest spark fly out and a flashing flame will immediately rise heavenwards to dazzle the universe4 ,at that epoch1 it is certain that ,mohammad had none of the intentions with which ,orientalists have credited him4 ,he had not even made a plan of any kind4 ,in his ,khilwah there was meditation1 but no premeditation4 ,mohammad1 at last1 enjoyed luminous visions and heard mysterious calls1 at the moment fixed by ,providence to manifest ,his bounty by the intervention of the man ,he had chosen to be ,his ,prophet4 ,mohammad has said3 ,for ten months before the first ,revelation1 my sleep was disturbed by dazzling dreams1 like unto the rays of early dawn1 and when ,i could no longer be seen from the houses1 ,i heard voices calling3 ',o ,mohammad6 ,o ,mohammad6' ,i turned round and looked behind me1 first to the right1 then to the left1 but ,i could only see shrubs and stones4 ,it was then that ,i was overwhelmed with frightful anguish4 ,hating sorcerers and diviners1 ,i feared lest ,i had become like them1 unknowingly and against my will4 ,these voices that seemed to spring from inanimate objects1 might have been those of the ,jinn in hiding--the ,jinn that give informations to wizards and fortune-tellers concerning celestial matters and so help them to carry on their nefarious trade4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,revelations 7,a4,d4 #faa7 ,hollowed out of a block of red granite on the ,jabal ,an-,noor1 or ,mountain of ,light1 about three miles from ,makkah1 to the left of the ,arafa road1 is the grotto of ,hira1 chosen by ,mohammad to seek seclusion there yearly for one whole month1 living day and night in absolute retirement4 ,he would take some provisions1 consisting mainly of ,kaak 7a kind of biscuit cooked in oil and which possessed the advantage of remaining indefinitely in a good state of preservation71 so as not to be forced to return to the town4 ,if1 by any chance1 his stock of food became exhausted and he was obliged to go and fetch other eatables1 he went back to his cave1 for any interruption of his ecstatic meditations made him suffer greatly4 ,he was now forty1 and1 for the last fifteen years1 by dint of anxious ,adoration1 he tried to rid the ,hanif religion1 that is to say the monotheistic creed of his ancestor ,abraham1 of the vulgar modifications from which it had suffered at the hands of the citizens of ,makkah1 when one night1 the twenty-fifth1 twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth of the month of ,ramadhan 7,january #ae-ag1 or #ai1 ,a4,d4 #faa71 the unforgettable ,event occurred by which the ,merciful ,one proved ,his generosity to ,his creature1 by sending ,his ,revelation on earth in the first verses of the ,qur'an1 by the lips of ,his ,messenger4 ,the ,prophet has said3 ,i had fallen asleep in the grotto of ,hira1 when the angel ,jibra'il appeared to me1 and unfolding before my eyes a long strip of silken stuff embroidered with written letters3 ',read6' said he4--',i am not one of those who read1' ,i replied4 ,he caught hold of me at once1 tightening the silken folds round my limbs1 mouth and nostrils with such violence that ,i could not breathe4 ,i thought the hour of my death had arrived4 ,letting me go1 he repeated3 ',read6'--',i am not one of those who read1' ,i answered as before4 ,again he clutched me and ,i felt my last breath about to escape from my breast4 ,finally he loosened his hold and repeated for the third time3 ',read6'--',what am ,i to read8' ,i asked1 in my affright lest he tighten the silk around me anew and this time ,i felt certain that my lungs would not have held out4 ,it was then that he said to me3 ',read6 in the name of thy ,lord who created 99 ,created man from clots of blood 99 ,read6 ,for thy ,lord is the most beneficent 99 ,who hath taught the use of the pen 99 ,hath taught ,man that which he knew not4' 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xcvi1 #a-e74 ,i recited these words after him4 ,he vanished4 ,starting out of my sleep1 ,i had the impression that the whole of a ,book had just been engraved on my heart4 ,i went out of the cave to collect my thoughts1 when halfway down the mountain1 ,i heard a voice that came from ,heaven1 crying out to me3 ',o ,mohammad1 thou art the ,prophet of ,allah and ,i am ,jibra'il6' ,i raised my glance to the sky4 ,it was filled by ,jibra'il's presence4 ,despite all ,i could do to turn my eyes1 wellnigh blinded1 in the direction of other parts of the horizon1 the angel's dazzling apparition was always before me4 ,and ,i stood rooted to the spot1 unable to go backwards ,or forwards4 ,i was petrified4 ,for the second time1 ,jibra'il said to me3 ',o ,mohammad1 thou art the ,prophet of ,allah and ,i am ,jibra'il6' ,he then disappeared like a vision in a dream4 ,it was then that in great haste1 my heart beating in the most terrible anguish1 ,i ran towards my dwelling4444 ,illustration3 ,the ,encampment4 #b views ,when the ,prophet crossed the threshold of his house1 he rushed to ,khadijah1 hiding his face in her lap and trembling as if in a fit of ague1 as he cried3 ',cover me up6 ,cover me up6' ,his servants flocked busily round him1 keeping him enwrapped until his emotion had subsided4 ,khadijah1 much upset1 questioned him3 ',o ,father of ,qasim1 where wert thou8 ,by ,allah1 what befell thee8 ,i sent some of my servants to meet thee1 but they came back without having met thee1 either at ,hira1 or on the outskirts of the city4' ,the ,prophet told her what had happened to him4 ',i thought ,i should have died6' he added4 ',that could not be1' answered ,khadijah1 regaining her composure4 ',surely ,allah sought not to do thee harm1 for thou art kind to thy family1 merciful to the weak and helpful towards the victims of injustice4 ,o son of my uncle6 thou dost bring me excellent tidings and that ,i do affirm4 ,i swear1 by the name of ,him who holdeth in ,his hands the soul of ,khadijah1 that ,i hoped for this news4 ,there is no doubt about it--thou wilt be the ,prophet of our nation4' ,ever since she had heard the miraculous reports that ,maisarah1 her slave1 brought her1 and which confirmed what she had remarked herself1 ,khadijah was convinced that the highest destiny was in store for her husband1 and she was not at all astonished at such a ,revelation4 ,she quickly gathered her flowing robes about her1 and hastened to the house of her cousin ,waraqah ibn ,naufal to apprise him of what had just come to her ears4 ,no man in ,makkah was more conversant with ,holy ,writ than ,waraqah1 a convert to ,christianity2 and1 like the ,syrian monks1 he lived in hopes of the advent of a ,prophet to be born in ,arab-land4 ,therefore1 he had no sooner heard his cousin's story than he cried out1 while tears of joy welled up in his eyes3 ',most ,holy ,god6 ,if what thou sayest is exact1 ,o ,khadijah1 ,he who manifested ,his presence to thy husband is the great ,namus1 ,allah's confidant3 the ,angel who appeared to ,our ,lord ,moses6 ,mohammad will be the ,prophet of our ,nation6 ,doubt it not and repeat my words to him that he be convinced thereof4' ,what time the ,prophet1 according to his wont after each term of retirement1 was performing the ritual circuits round the ,ka'bah1 ,waraqah1 despite weakness due to his great age and blindness caused by too much reading1 had himself led at once into ,mohammad's presence1 so as to listen to the story of his adventure from his own lips4 ,when the sightless old man was satisfied that ,mohammad told the truth and had repeated to him the same predictions1 he exclaimed3 ',ah6 ,i should like to be still in the land of the living when your fellow-men will send thee into exile6'--',how so8' cried the ,prophet4 ',shall ,i be banished8'--',of a surety1 they will send thee into exile1' ,waraqah went on1 'for never hath mortal man brought what thou bringest without falling a victim to the most dastardly persecution4 ,ah6 if ,god deigned to lengthen my days until then1 ,i would devote all my energies to helping thee to triumph over thy enemies6' ,death1 however1 prevented ,waraqah from seeing his wishes fulfilled4 ,all ,mohammad's doubt vanished4 ,the fulgurating ,revelation set all his unknowing aspirations in a blaze and fanned the flame of the latent forces stored in his soul during fifteen years of contemplation4 ,it had opened his eyes and taught him the formidable1 superhuman part he had to play and which was now forced upon him4 ,in reality1 all this was quite unexpected1 despite the monks' predictions that he had forgotten long ago1 even if he had ever paid the slightest attention to them4 ,his anguish and his fear lest he should have fallen a victim to diabolical hallucinations furnishes us with indisputable proofs of his state of mind4 ,he who had fled from his fellows and had never aspired to fill any post of public utility1 such as his citizen-comrades would have been glad to grant1 was ready now1 with resolute faith and courage1 to fulfil the most overwhelming mission that can be confided to a human being1 and he cared not a jot for the terrible ordeals that he knew were inevitable4 ,during that night1 for ever memorable1 known by the name of ,leilat-al-,qada1 or ,night of ,destiny1 the ,qur'an came down in its entirety from the highest ,heaven where it was kept1 as far as the inferior ,heaven1 situated immediately above the earth4 ,and there it had been deposited in the ,bait-al-,izza1 or ,house of ,glory1 underneath which was erected the ,baitu'l-,lah1 or ,house of ,allah1 which signifies the ,holy ,ka'bah4 ,verily1 we have caused ,it 7the ,qur'an7 to descend on the night of ,power 99 ,and what shall teach thee what the ,night of ,power is8 99 ,the ,night of ,power is better than a thousand months6 99 ,therein descend the angels and the ,spirit by permission of their ,lord for every matter4 99 ,all is peace until the breaking of the morn4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xcvii1 #a-e47 ,then1 from this lower ,heaven1 after the first verses are revealed to ,mohammad1 together with a general comprehension of his ,mission1 the words of ,allah1 comprising the ,qur'an1 come down now from between his lips1 ,surah following ,surah1 for a period of twenty-three years1 so as to guide all his actions1 establish the laws of religion and organise the triumph of ,islam4 ,for the benefit of our ,european readers1 we consider it needful to add the following commentary to this story of the ,revelation1 according to ,arab historians3 ,the angel ,jibra'il1 who sought out the ,prophet at ,hira is none other than the angel ,gabriel who appeared to ,daniel2 and to ,mary1 the mother of ,jesus2 but real ,moslems say that ,jibra'il is totally unlike the pink-cheeked1 fair-haired youth1 with wings of varied hues1 as seen in the cheap1 religious1 saintly images of the ,europeans4 ,the angel ,jibra'il is ar-,ruh1 the ,pure ,spirit1 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xcvii1 #f72 and also ,an ,namus1 or ,the ,invisible ,adviser4 ,sometimes he manifested his presence to ,mohammad by stray sounds resembling tinkling bells or the hum of bees1 by which he caused ,allah's ,messenger to suffer more than anything4 ,his brow would be bathed in sweat1 even during cold wintry days1 and it was only when the noise died away that he understood what the angel had revealed to him4 ,at other times1 when ,jibra'il taught ,mohammad ritual movements1 the angel made his presence manifest by assuming the appearance of a mortal resembling ,dihyah ibn ,khalifah1 one of the ,prophet's companions4 ,the ,revelation1 of which this angel is the symbolic intermediary1 is a divine ,irradiation and should be looked upon as the highest degree of the mysterious ,force1 evidently surrounding mortals1 since it is totally independent of a man's will-power1 and which we call ,inspiration4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,first ,,moslems4 ,prayer1 preceded by ablutions1 was the first duty taught to the ,prophet by the celestial envoy4 ,mohammad1 having returned to the place where he had first heard the ,revelation1 ,jibra'il appeared again1 in the shape of a human being4 ',o ,prophet6' he said1 ',you must lead men to proclaim that there is no ,god but ,allah4' ,he drove him towards a watercourse where ,jibra'il stamped on the ground with his foot4 ,a spring immediately gushed forth1 and setting the example1 the angel taught ,mohammad the rites of ,purification by means of ablutions preceding all prayers4 ,he then went through the prayers1 with the bowing1 prostrations and sentences of which they should be comprised2 and the ,prophet prayed with him1 guided by the angel's movements and words4 ,mohammad felt his body relieved from a weighty burden by the purification1 and his soul brightened by the benefits of these prayers4 ,then it was that1 thrilling with the faith of belief1 ,mohammad was about to return home to his wife when ,jibra'il appearing once more1 said to him3 ',teach ,khadijah salvation by ,islam6' ,that is to say1 by voluntary resignation to all the ,creator's commands4 ,he obeyed and spoke thus3 ',o ,khadijah6 ,jibra'il ordereth me to teach thee salvation by ,islam4' ,and ,khadijah answered3 ',allah is ,salvation2 from ,him cometh ,salvation1 and let ,salvation be on ,jibra'il4' ,thus it came about that1 of all living beings1 ,khadijah was ,islam's first convert4 ,the ,prophet took her at once to the miraculous spring1 where he taught her what he had just learnt4 ,copying her husband1 she purified herself by the ablutions and recited the prayers4 ,ever since that day1 ,allah made use of this admirable woman to mitigate the sorrows and pains of ,his ,prophet in all the ordeals he had to undergo4 ,khadijah's devotion endowed ,mohammad with deep contempt for mortals' wickedness1 and his wife's firm faith served to comfort him when he was looked upon as an impostor4 ,one of the first of the ,prophet's companions to believe in his mission was ,ali1 son of ,abu ,talib1 only about ten years old just then1 and who ,mohammad had adopted during a period of famine1 so as to relieve his uncle1 at the head of a very large family4 ,noticing that ,mohammad and ,khadijah kept aloof and became absorbed in prayer1 he marvelled greatly at seeing no object of worship set up in front of them and he put this question to the ,prophet3 ',what rites were ye both performing just now8'--',we were saying the prayers of the pure religion that ,allah hath just chosen for ,himself and for which ,he hath chosen me to be the ,prophet1' he replied4 ',o ,ali6 ,i do invite thee to join with me4 ,i invite thee to worship the ,only ,allah that hath no partners and ,i call upon thee to renounce the idols ,lat and ,uzza who can neither benefit nor harm their worshippers4' ',say then3 ,he is one ,allah3 99 ,allah the everlasting6 99 ,if ,he begetteth not1 and ,he is not begotten2 99 ,and there is none like unto him4 99 ,he is ,allah beside whom there is no god4 ,he knoweth things visible and invisible4 ,he is the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful6 99 ,and when ,he decreeth a thing1 ,he only saith to it1 ',be1' and it is4 99 ,there is no ,allah but ,he2 the ,living1 the ,self-subsisting4 ,neither slumber seizeth ,him1 nor sleep4 99 ,no vision taketh in ,him1 but ,he taketh in all vision3 and ,he is the ,subtile1 the ,all-informed6 ,it is ,he who causeth to laugh and to weep 99 ,he causeth to die and maketh alive 99 ,he bringeth forth the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living3 ,he quickeneth the earth after its death2 thus it is that ye too shall be brought forth4 99 ,the ,east and the ,west is ,allah's3 therefore1 whichever way ye turn1 there is the ,face of ,allah3 truly ,allah is ,omnipresent and ,omniscient 444 99 ,this is ,allah1 your ,lord4 ,all power is ,his1 ,but gods whom ye call on beside ,him have no power over the husk of a date-stone6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,cxii1 #a1 #d4 ,,lix1 #bb4 ,,ii1 ,,iii1 #bef4 ,,vi1 #ajc4 ,,liii1 #dd1 #de4 ,,xxx1 #ah4 ,,ii1 #aji4 ,,xxxv1 #ad47 ',never until this day1' ,ali replied1 'have ,i hearkened unto such words and ,i wish to consult ,abu ,talib1 my father4'--',do nothing of the sort6' the ,prophet hastened to tell him1 for ,mohammad feared lest the news of his ,mission should be noised abroad before the hour arrived to divulge it in open day4 ',if thou dost come to ,islam1 ,o ,ali6 thou must keep the secret4' ,greatly troubled in his mind by all he had just heard1 ,ali passed a sleepless night1 but ,allah 7,glory be to ,him67 guided him on the ,road to ,salvation4 ,early in the morning1 he went to ,mohammad and professed the religion of ,islam with all his heart4 ,from that day onwards1 when came the hour of prayer1 ,ali followed ,mohammad to the ravine to pray with him1 unbeknown to the boy's father and uncles4 ,but one day1 when they were both praying at the place called1 ,nakhlat-al-,mahal1 ,abu ,talib caught them unawares and questioned the ,prophet1 saying3 ',o son of my brother1 what is this religion of which thou dost follow the rites in thy prayers8'--',it is the religion of ,allah1 of his ,angels and ,his ,prophets--the religion of our ancestor ,ibrahim4 ,allah hath sent me to preach it to all men2 and thou1 the most worthy and the nearest of my relatives1 ,i invite thee to tread the ,road to ,salvation4'--',i cannot give up the religion and the tradition of my fathers1' ,abu ,talib declared2 'and yet ,i hold thee to be so sincere that ,i believe in the truth of what thou sayest4 ,continue1 however1 to fufill thy ,mission without anxiety1 for no harm shall come to thee so long as ,i live4' ,turning towards his son1 he added3 ',thou mayest hearken to ,mohammad1 and follow him as obediently as thou canst1 for he will never guide thy footsteps except in the path of righteousness4' ,zayd ibn ,harith1 a captive1 freed and adopted by ,mohammad1 and who had so much affection for his liberator that he refused to go away with his father when he came to pay the ransom1 soon followed ,all's example and became a convert to ,islam4 ,next followed one of the most noted men of ,makkah1 ,abdul-,ka'bah1 son of ,abu ,quhafah1 whom we shall call henceforward ,abu ,bakr1 being the name he assumed later and caused to become celebrated4 ,he happened one day to be at the house of ,hakim ibn ,hazam1 when a slave of the household came and spoke to his master as follow3 ',khadijah1 thy aunt1 maintaineth that her husband is a ,prophet sent by the ,most ,high1 like ,moses6' ,hearing this1 ,abu ,bakr1 who had great faith in ,mohammad's sincerity1 and had heard some of ,waraqah's predictions1 jumped up hurriedly1 much moved2 and sought out the ,prophet to interrogate him4 ,no sooner had ,abu ,bakr hearkened to ,mohammad's utterances giving details of the ,revelation1 than he was overtaken by enthusiasm and cried out3 ',by my father and my mother and by all the friends of truth1 ,i believe what thou hast told me and ,i bear witness that there is no ,god but ,allah and that thou art ,his ,prophet6' ,hearing his speech1 ,khadijah1 draped in a crimson veil1 came out of a near-by room and said to ,abu ,bakr3 ',praised be ,allah who hath guided thee1 ,o son of ,abu ,quhafah6' ,this conversion was a source of great joy for the ,prophet4 ,abu ,bakr held high rank in the city4 ,he was very rich2 remarkably well favoured1 with fine features and aristocratic bearing2 conversant with the sciences of genealogy and the meanings of dreams4 ,truthful in his speech2 affable in neighbourly intercourse1 he had been chosen by his fellow-citizens for the extremely delicate post of the umpire whose duty it was to judge cases of homicide and fix the amount of the ,qisas1 or money compensation for wilful murder4 ,a fervent ,believer1 ,abu ,bakr's entire efforts were now devoted to leading his friends and the people of his party to the ,prophet1 so that he might invite them to ,islam4 ,abu ,bakr's activities were successful2 the confidence he inspired induced his partisans to hearken with favour to ,mohammad's discourse4 ,the enunciation of this religion1 so simple and withal so great2 in such conformity with the inward longings of the soul of mortals1 led them gradually to look with horror upon the state of gross idolatry in which they had hitherto wallowed4 ,besides1 this religion was that of ,abraham1 their ancestor1 and as his creed was still dormant in their hearts1 despite themselves1 it was easy for them to acknowledge it4 ,last of all1 the superhuman accents of the man who preached this new belief and his radiant1 expressive looks1 stirred their whole being and they hastened to be converted by him4 ,about fifteen of the leading men of the ,quraish tribe came to the ,prophet in the same way and became ennobled by ,islam4 ,we may mention ,usman ibn ,affan1 ,abd ar ,ralman ibn ,auf1 ,sad ibn ,abi ,waqqs1 ,zubayr ibn al-,auwam1 ,talha ,ubaydullah1 ,ubayda ibn ,harith1 ,jafar ibn ,abdul ,muttalib1 and many others4 ,at the same time as these conversions1 so important by reason of the proselytes ranking highly1 we must not forget one more humble1 but most touching3 that of ,mohammad's nurse4 ,as soon as the call of her foster-son came to her ears1 good ,halimah1 who had always believed that the boy she had reared would make his mark in life1 hastened with ,haris1 her husband1 to be counted among the ,faithful4 ,every person1 too1 belonging to ,mohammad's household1 had become a convert from the onset1 and among them1 his daughters1 still very young2 without forgetting a negress1 ,umm al ,ayman4 ,this little group of ,believers now led a life filled with ever-changing emotion4 ,what could be more charming than their secret meetings when they prayed and adored ,allah in perfect union8 ,but they had to take unheard-of precautions so as not to awaken the hostile suspicions of idolaters4 ,even in his own house1 the ,prophet was forced to beware of his neighbours1 and when he proclaimed the ,takbir1 he spoke into a pitcher buried in the ground1 so as to deaden the sound of his voice4 ,in these circumstances1 only clandestine propaganda was possible1 and during the first three years1 the progress of ,islam was excessively slow and timid4 ,on the other hand1 ,revelation had suddenly stopped2 and ,mohammad1 no longer feeling himself upheld by the inspiration of the ,almighty1 began to doubt and despair4 ,he was wandering to and fro1 anxious and alone1 in a wild valley1 when he heard a celestial voice causing him to look up4 ,in the vivid brightness of great light1 he recognised the ,angel that had appeared to him at ,hira4 ,he could not support the brilliancy of this formidable apparition and1 blinded1 rushed to his dwelling where he had himself wrapped up in his mantle1 so as to calm the tremor of his frame and shade his dazzled eyes4 ,it was then that ,allah sent down the following verses3 ,o thou enwrapped in thy mantle6 99 ,arise and warn6 99 ,warn thy relatives of nearer kin 99 ,and lower ,thy wing over the ,faithful who follow ,thee4 99 ,and if they disobey thee1 then say3 ',i verily am clear of your doings' 99 ,and put thy trust in the ,mighty1 the ,merciful4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lxxiv1 #a1 #b4 ,,xxvi1 #bad-bbj74 ,the ,prophet rose up1 his eyes sparkling with sublime energy4 ,until that day1 he had never dared to proclaim his ,mission publicly1 for he foresaw the hatred it would foment among his idolatrous fellow-citizens4 ,but having been ordered by his ,supreme ,master to preach the doctrines of ,islam1 which was ,mohammad's most earnest wish1 he threw off the restraint that crushed him1 and resolved to have recourse to strong measures4 ,he ordered ,ali to prepare a meal composed of a leg of lamb1 hot corn and a jar of milk4 ,he then invited his relatives to partake of it4 ,not one refused1 and there came forty persons all told2 among them his uncles on his father's side3 ,abu ,talib1 ,hamzah1 ,abbas and ,abu ,lahab4 ,when the guests had eaten their fill1 much to their great surprise1 for this modest repast could have been easily swallowed up by any one man among them1 ,mohammad made as if to address the meeting4 ,but ,abu ,lahab1 having some suspicions respecting his nephew's ideas which did not meet with his approval1 took the words out of his mouth4 ',what kind of spell does our host seek to cast over us8' he cried4 ,in superstitious fear of being bewitched1 the proof of such a dire fate being furnished by the fact that their hunger had been appeased by a most meagre banquet1 the guests scattered away in great haste4 ,affronted by their lack of courtesy1 the ,prophet said to ,ali3 ',didst thou give heed to my uncle when he cared not how impolitely he behaved in preventing me from speaking8 ,but no matter6 ,get another meal ready for to-morrow1 and go round and invite all the same people4' ,next day1 in the presence of the guests once more gathered together1 ,mohammad hastened to make himself heard and succeeded in so doing4 ',no one living hath ever brought to the ,arabs what ,i bring1' he declared2 'that is to say1 glorious good fortune in this world and supreme felicity in the next4 ,allah the ,most ,high hath commanded me to summon all men to ,him4 ,who among ye wisheth to share my work and help me to accomplish my mission8 ,such a man shall be my proxy and my lieutenant--nay1 my brother6' ,at this unexpected declaration1 all the people present stared at each other in stupefaction2 and knowing not what to reply1 their features betrayed naught else but fierce enmity and showed what their answer would have been4 ,faithful ,ali1 expecting an outburst of joy1 at such great1 good news1 coupled with ardent competition in hopes of the honour of becoming ,mohammad's henchman1 forgot that his youth demanded his silence in the midst of such a gathering of noble folks2 and standing up erect1 carried away by his enthusiasm1 he cried out3 ',o ,prophet of ,allah6 ,i will be thy lieutenant6' ,instead of smiling at the pretensions of the lad1 the ,prophet patted ,ali's neck affectionately while proclaiming3 ',here is my proxy and my lieutenant6 ,here standeth my brother6 ,listen to him and obey6' ,by this time the stupefaction of the guests was boundless1 but they suppressed their rage and received the declaration with great bursts of merriment4 ,abu ,lahab turned to ,abu ,talib and shouted ironically3 ',hast heard thy nephew's speech8 ,he ordereth thee to listen to his son and obey him6' ,with the exception of ,abu ,talib1 saddened by this scandalous scene1 all went away1 jeering sarcastily and exasperated4 ,it is certain that this utter defeat grieved the ,prophet1 without discouraging him in the least1 for1 from that day1 the ,revelation gave him support1 instruction and guidance unceasingly4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,announcement ,,of ,,the ,,hour ,and ,mohammad began to preach4 ,he was hurried along by the ,revelations which came to him quickly1 one after the other1 all terrible2 and announcing ,the ,frightful ,blow1 being the ,end of the ,world and the ,day of ,judgment4 ,the ,blow6 what is the ,blow8 99 ,and what shall teach thee what the ,blow is8 99 ,the ,day when men shall be like scattered moths1 99 ,and the mountains shall be like flock of carded wool4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ci1 #a1 #d47 ,mohammad thought this disaster1 destined to punish mankind for its perversity1 was imminent4 ,so he increased his reproofs among his fellow-men1 in order to deliver them from the sway of their passions and guide them into the ,path of ,salvation before the ,blow fell4 ,but they answered him1 saying3 ,the ,hour will not come upon us6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxiv1 #c47 ,obeying the orders of ,allah1 he reiterated his adjurations3 ,verily1 the ,hour will surely arrive3 there no doubt with regard to it4 99 ,o ,men1 fear your ,lord6 ,verily1 the earthquake of the ,hour will be a tremendous thing6 99 ,when the ,earth is shaken with its shaking1 99 ,and when the ,earth hath cast forth her burdens of buried dead1 99 ,and man shall say3 ,what aileth her8 99 ,on that day shall she tell out her tidings1 99 ,because thy ,lord hath inspired her4 99 ,on that day shall men come forward in bands to behold their works1 99 ,and whosoever shall have wrought an atom's weight of good shall behold it1 99 ,and whosoever shall have wrought an atom's weight of evil shall behold it4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xl1 #fa4 ,,xxii1 #a4 ,,xcix1 #a-f47 ,as a result of these gruesome prophecies1 given out with accents of firm conviction1 unbelievers felt a shudder of anguish convulsing their being2 but as they saw nothing take place as time went on1 not even precursory signs1 they soon regained their equanimity and fell back again into their erring ways4 ,the ,prophet could not tell for what time the hour was fixed3 ,the knowledge of it is only with my ,lord4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,vii1 #ahf47 ,but ,mohammad knew punishment was inevitable in this world or the next1 and he was in despair at having to think that his infidel fellow-men would meet with a fate even sadder than that of the peoples of ,thamud and ,ad4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,first ,,hostilities ,following the ,prophet's first sermons1 the ,faithful sought no longer to hide their belief2 but1 to avoid useless disputes1 they held clandestine meetings in a desert ravine where they said their prayers4 ,a group of idolaters dogged their footsteps and having succeeded in discovering their retreat1 lavished foul epithets on them4 ,the ,believers1 unable to put up with the insults offered to their religion1 grew furious and a fight took place1 during which ,sad ibn ,abi ,waqqs picked up the jawbone of a camel's skeleton in the sand and dashed it violently in the face of one of the ,associates1 causing the vital fluid to flow4 ,these were the first drops of blood shed in the struggle now beginning between ,islam and idolatry4 ,wishing to prevent a renewal of these incidents1 the ,prophet resolved to retreat to pray in peace with his disciples in the house of ,arqam1 situated on the ,sufah hill4 ,nevertheless1 fury increased among the idol-worshippers4 ,so long as ,mohammad had gone no further than to summon them to salvation1 even blaming them and threatening them with the punishment of divine wrath1 his adversaries merely shrugged their shoulders and laughed at him2 but when he retaliated by turning their wooden or stone images into ridicule1 pointing out that they were dumb1 deaf1 blind and powerless1 the rage of the idolaters was unbounded4 ,not only did he sting them to the quick through attacking their beliefs1 but he did them great harm commercially1 for in the hands of leading citizens1 the idols were a source of considerable revenue1 and constituted efficacious means of domination over the superstitious common people4 ,alone1 among the men of his party who had refused to embrace the ,islamic faith1 his uncle1 ,abu ,talib1 still gave him proofs of affection1 thus greatly scandalising the other members of the ,quraish tribe1 who sent him a deputation of the most influential among them3 ,utbah ibn ,rabiyah1 ,abu ,sufyan ibn ,harib1 ,abu ,jahal and several chieftains of equal note4 ',o ,abu ,talib6' said these delegates1 'your brother's son insulteth our gods and our beliefs4 ,he mocketh at the religion and traditions of our forefathers4 ,shall we not rid ourselves of him8 ,or wilt thou not remain neutral and thus let us be free to act towards him as we think fit8 ,for we know that thou dost not share his convictions any more than we do4' ,abu ,talib dismissed them with a polite and conciliatory reply4 ,mohammad1 as may well be surmised1 continued his sermons with unfailing ardour4 ,the enmity of the ,quraish tribesmen assumed a more serious aspect2 their representatives returning to see ,abu ,talib1 to make the following declaration3 ',we have the greatest respect for thine age1 nobility and rank1 but we asked thee to rid us of thy brother's son and thou didst not do so4 ,now1 we can no longer put up with the affronts with which he overwhelmeth our beliefs and traditions1 so deprive him of thy protection and leave us free to treat him as we choose4 ,in case of refusal on thy part1 we must reckon thee as being against us in the war we declare on him1 and which will last until one of the two parties are exterminated6' ,they then departed1 leaving ,abu ,talib in despair at being cut off from his partisans and1 on the other hand1 firmly resolving never to throw over his nephew4 ,in that state of mind1 he sent for ,mohammad4 ',o son of my brother6' quoth he2 'our fellow-citizens of the ,quraish have returned and made solemn declarations to me4 ,reflect2 take compassion on me2 have pity for thyself1 and do not put upon me a burden too heavy to bear4 ',o my uncle6' replied the ,prophet2 'if in order to make me renounce my ,mission1 they placed the ,sun on my left and the ,moon on my right1 ,i swear that1 by ,allah1 ,i would not yield before ,i fulfilled my task triumphantly or perished in the attempt6' ,thinking that ,abu ,talib had spoken as he did as a hint that he would have to cast him adrift1 by reason of his inability to protect him1 his nephew burst into tears and went away4 ,abu ,talib1 much moved1 called him back at once and said to him affectionately3 ',go1 ,o son of my brother6 ,go forth and preach as thou wilt4 ,by ,god1 ,i'll never turn away from thee6' ,finding that no threats succeeded in estranging uncle and nephew1 the delegates went back to ,abu ,talib for the third time1 taking with them ,ammarah ibn ,walid1 and then the deputation made the following proposal3 ',o ,abu ,talib6 here is ,ammarah ibn ,walid1 one of the most accomplished and handsome young men among all the youths of ,makkah4 ,we bring him to thee4 ,adopt him for thy son4 ,he belongeth to thee4 ,in exchange1 hand over to us thy brother's son thou didst adopt1 so that we put him to death1 for he hath stirred up strife in our tribe4'--',by ,god6' replied ,abu ,talib1 'what's this fine bargain ye now put forward8 ,you would fain give me your son1 so that ,i feed and clothe him2 and ,i should have to let you take mine to be killed by you6 ,that could not be6 ,no1 by ,god6--never6' ,with rage in their hearts1 the delegate's left him4 ,the ,mausam--the time for the pilgrimage--drawing nigh1 the ,quraish idolaters held a meeting at the dwelling of ,walid ibn ,moghayrah so as to consult together with regard to the way in which they ought to behave to the ,prophet4 ,walid was spokesman1 and he said3 ',o assembly of ,quraish men6 the ,mausam will soon bring innumerable pilgrims to ,makkah4 ,of a surety1 they have heard about ,mohammad1 and they will question you concerning him4 ,how will ye answer8 ,ye must be all of one mind1 so as not to contradict each other1 which would nullify the effect of your utterances4'--',it is for thee to advise us1 ,o ,walid6'--',it is for you to speak first4 ,i will listen and discuss your opinions4'--',well then6 we shall say that ,mohammad is a diviner4'--',no6 ,we know the diviners6 ,he hath none of their mutterings or rhyming emphasis4'--',we'll say that he is possessed4'--',no6 ,we have seen men possessed2 and unlike them1 he is not subject to fits of suffocation and convulsions4'--',we'll say he is a poet4'--',no6 ,he is no poet4 ,we know all the styles of versification as used by the poets1 and his speech does not resemble that of any one of them4'--',we'll say he is a sorcerer4'--',no6 for we have fallen across sorcerers1 and he performeth none of their magical operations4 ,of a truth1 his success is due to the charm and beauty of his discourse4' ,arraigned before the tribunal of their own conscience1 the citizens assembled were forced to acknowledge the rigorous truth of this last remark4 ,all of them1 more or less1 had felt the words springing from the ecstatic soul of ,allah's ,apostle go home to them4 ,all of them had ofttimes been about to give way to the fascination caused by his accents1 ringing with the inspiration of superhuman faith4 ,the ,quraish men were only restrained by the importance of their material interests and the violence of their earthly passions1 thus seriously threatened by his pure doctrine4 ,nevertheless1 they were bound to come to a decision at once1 so as to prevent1 at all costs1 the ,arabs belonging to distant tribes from undergoing the same ordeal4 ,therefore1 they agreed to say that ,mohammad possessed potent spells by which he stirred up strife in families1 estranging a brother from his brother1 a son from his father1 and a husband from a wife4 ,illustration3 ,moslem praying on the ,terrace-roof of her dwelling4 ,when the pilgrims began to pour in1 ,walid and his accomplices were on the watch1 posted on all the roads leading to ,makkah4 ,not a single ,arab passed along these highways without being warned against ,mohammad by the conspirators in ambush4 ,but although a few pilgrims were alarmed at these warnings and feared the spells that they were informed were threatening them1 the majority felt their curiosity increasing with regard to this extraordinary man1 whose utterances gave rise to such great apprehension among the lords of the city4 ,thus it came to pass that when the travellers returned to their tribes1 they told what they had seen2 so that it plainly resulted that the campaign1 organised against ,mohammad by his enemies1 only achieved the purpose of spreading his renown all over ,arabia4 ,in order to add fresh fuel to the fire of their rage1 increasing as the ,prophet's reputation became established--a result partly due to their involuntary efforts--the idol-worshippers sought every opportunity to heap insults on him4 ,being all together1 one day1 in the precincts of the ,temple1 they worked each other up4 ',no6 never have we endured from anybody what this man hath made us endure1' they cried out in chorus4 ,at that very moment1 ,mohammad came on the scene and began to perform the ritual circuits round the ,ka'bah4 ,they rushed at him1 all at one bound4 ',art thou the man who dareth to insult the gods of our fathers8' they shouted4 ',aye1 ,i am that man6' he replied1 undisturbed4 ,one of the enraged citizens caught hold of the collar of his mantle1 and twisting it roughly1 tried to strangle him4 ,abu ,bakr1 who chanced to be standing near1 interfered4 ',how now8 ,would ye kill a man who proclaimeth that ,allah is his ,god8' he said sadly1 and freed the ,prophet1 not without suffering ill-treatment himself1 for a portion of his beard was plucked out by ,mohammad's assailant4 ,the danger he had risked in these circumstances did not prevent the ,prophet from returning to the ,ka'bah to perform his devotions1 without letting the furious glances of his assembled adversaries trouble him4 ,acting under the orders of ,abu ,jahal1 a man fetched some sheeps' entrails from the slaughter-house4 ,he chose those of an animal that had been killed several days before1 and while the ,prophet was prostrate as he prayed1 the rascal covered the nape of his neck and his shoulders with the offal4 ,all those present were seized with such outrageous fits of mirth that they fell seated on the ground1 rolling one against the other4 ,as for ,allah's ,elect1 he seemed not even to have noticed the affront offered to him1 and continued to pray4 ,it was his daughter ,fatimah who1 arriving a few moments later1 threw the filth far from her father1 and railed at the wretches who had belittled themselves by the infliction of such a repulsive insult4 ,on a par with ,abu ,jahal1 ranking with those who are branded eternally in history's pages on account of their atrocious treatment of the ,prophet1 was one of his uncles1 a son of ,abu ,muttalib1 surnamed ,abu ,lahab1 ,the ,man ,vowed to ,hell-fire4 ,mohammad was preaching one day on the hill of ,safa1 in the midst of a crowd of inhabitants of that region1 when ,abu ,lahab interrupted him rudely4 ',mayst thou be annihilated6' he bawled2 'thou who hast called us together to listen to such nonsense6' ,to this insult the following surah of the ,qur'an 7,,cxi7 replies3 ,let the hands of ,abu ,lahab perish1 and let himself perish6 99 ,his wealth and his gains shall avail him not4 99 ,burned shall he be at the fiery flame1 99 ,and his wife laden with the fire-wood1 99 ,on her neck a rope of twisted palm-fibre4 ,this ,surah1 quickly becoming renowned1 increased ,abu ,lahab's resentment and probably had even more effect on that of his wife1 ,umm ,jemil1 who found herself attacked therein in a way that was as annoying as it was deserved4 ,to be nicknamed carrier of fire-wood was past endurance2 but had she not1 on one occasion1 strewn the path of ,mohammad with thorny branches2 had not her tongue lit up the fires of hatred with the faggots of calumny that she hawked about everywhere8 ,the odious couple resorted shamelessly to the vilest acts1 daily throwing heaps of filth on the terrace of ,mohammad's house or in front of his door1 for he was their neighbour4 ,worked up or terrorised by these fanatics1 most of the dwellers in ,makkah repulsed the ,prophet or avoided him4 ,children and wastrels pursued him with their jibes in the street4 ,he was perfectly indifferent to such provocations4 ,what was it all to him8 ,nothing more than a passing breeze4 ,he never even seemed to notice the persons who acted thus2 he only looked at those he hoped to convert4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,incident ,,of ,,the ,,blind ,,man ,it happened one day when ,mohammad had taken in hand some of the most noted townsmen who were beginning to be moved by his arguments1 that a blind pauper1 ,ibn ,umm ,maktum1 came forward1 and humbly begged to be granted a small share of the knowledge vouchsafed to the ,prophet by ,allah4 ,engrossed in his discussion with the citizens whose conversion he so ardently desired2 fearing1 too1 to miss an opportunity which might never occur again1 ,mohammad was seized with a fit of momentary vexation and replied curtly to the blind man1 who stumbled away sorrowfully without having been enlightened4 ,immediately afterwards1 the ,prophet fell a prey to remorse4 ,might not that blind man1 enlightened by faith1 have been able to open the eyes of other human beings imprisoned in the darkness of ignorance8 ,and the ,revelation increased ,mohammad's remorse by confirming his error3 ,he frowned1 and he turned his back 99 ,because the blind man came to him 444 99 ,as to him who hath become wealthy 99 ,him therefore thou didst receive with honour 99 ,yet it is not thy concern that he endeavours not to be pure2 99 ,but as to him who cometh to thee in earnest1 99 ,and full of fears1 99 ,him dost thou neglect4 99 ,do not so4 ,verily this surah is a warning4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lxxx1 #a-aa47 ,ever since that day1 the ,prophet took great care to treat rich and poor1 slaves and nobles alike1 with the same consideration4 ,the exasperation of the idolaters reached the highest pitch when they saw their own slaves drawn towards ,mohammad by his levelling doctrines2 and when the town rang with the ,revelation of ,surahs threatening the rich and the sweaters of the people4 ,the desire of increasing riches occupieth you1 99 ,till ye come to the grave4 99 ,nay6 but in the end ye shall know 99 ,nay6 once more2 in the end ye shall know your folly4 99 ,nay6 would that ye knew it with knowledge of ,certainty2 99 ,then shall ye surely on that day be taken to task concerning the pleasures of this life4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,cii1 #a-h47 ,abu ,jahal1 meeting the ,prophet at ,safa1 could not contain himself1 and forgetting the self-control befitting a man of his high social position1 he blurted out such a vulgar insult that the pen refuses to write it4 ,the ,prophet answered not a word1 as was his wont1 but a freed female slave of ,abdullah ibn ,jedhan had witnessed the scene1 while looking out of the back of her dwelling that was just on the spot4 ,as ,hamzah1 ,mohammad's uncle1 came by a few moments later1 she told him what she heard4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,hamzah ,,was ,,converted4 ,,utbah',s ,,proposals ,hamzah's disposition was haughty and choleric4 ,he felt his blood boiling with rage when he heard of the affront offered to his nephew4 ,when returning from the chase--his favourite pastime--he generally stopped to gossip with the folks he met on the road1 but this time he never halted1 hurrying as fast as his legs would carry him towards the ,temple4 ,when he caught sight of ,abu ,jahal1 seated in a group of his partisans1 he went straight up to him1 and brandishing his bow above his head1 he slashed the face of ,mohammad's uncle by a stinging blow4 ',so6 thou dost insult my nephew1' he cried4 ',learn that ,i profess the same religion as he4 ,all he proclaimeth1 do ,i proclaim likewise4 ,stop me from doing so1 if thou dost believe thou canst6' ,all the assistants1 belonging to the ,banu ,makhzum tribe of whom ,abu ,jahal was a chieftain1 rose up to avenge him4 ,but ,abu ,jahal1 ashamed at having done a thing unworthy of a high-born lord1 under the influence of profound hatred1 bid them stand back4 ',let ,hamzah go in peace1' he said to them1 'for verily1 ,i did grievously offend my brother's son4' ,as for ,hamzah1 the blessing of ,allah was upon him in his outburst of rage and ennobled him by ,islam of which he became one of the most devoted and formidable defenders4 ,utbah ibn ,rabiyah1 one of the most noted idol-worshippers1 was greatly shocked when his young son1 ,huzaifah1 became a convert to ,islam and drew away from his father4 ,hoping to put an end to the discord established by ,mohammad's doctrines1 not only in the ,quraish tribe1 but even in the bosom of families1 he planned to come forward as mediator4 ,seeing ,allah's ,apostle seated1 quite alone1 near the ,temple1 ,utbah said to his partisans3 ',will ye authorise me to speak to him1 and discuss one or two proposals in your name8 ,perhaps he may accept them and so leave us in peace4' ,under the influence of the consternation they felt at the conversion of such an important personage as ,hamzah--a conversion that had led others to follow suit--and well knowing that it would be best to come to some agreement1 they replied3 ',aye1 go to him and speak in our name4' ,thereupon1 ,utbah left them and went to sit by the side of the ,prophet4 ',o son of my friend6' said ,utbah in most affectionate tones2 'thou dost belong to us1 although by insulting our religion and the traditions of our fathers1 thou hast embroiled us4 ,therefore ,i come to thee to put an end to this great misfortune4 ,give an ear to my proposals4 ,maybe they will find grace in thy sight4'--',speak6 ,i am listening4'--',o son of my friend6 ,if thou dost hope that thy undertaking will make thee wealthy1 each of us is willing to sacrifice a part of his fortune1 in order that thou shalt become the richest man among us4 ,if thou seekest honours1 we will set thee up as lord over us all and come to no decision without consulting thee4 ,dost dream of royal privileges8 ,we will make thee our king4 ,if1 on the contrary1 the thoughts that inspire thee arise from some malady which thou art powerless to resist1 we will have fetched at any cost and from any country the most celebrated doctors1 so that thou mayst be cured4 ,choose therefore6' ,the ,prophet had listened unmoved4 ',hast thou no more to say8' he answered ,utbah4 ',now 'tis thy turn to hearken to my words4' ,he then recited the ,surah of ,the ,made ,plain1 in which ,unbelievers are menaced with the eternal torments of hell1 and ,believers comforted by the promise of the inconceivable felicity of ,paradise 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xli74 ,utbah1 his hands clasped behind his back1 stood hearkening to the sentences1 now imperative and then compassionate1 that fell upon his ears in rhythm and cadence totally new to him4 ,stupefied1 he remained stock-still1 his attitude unchanged1 although the ,prophet had ceased speaking some little time4 ,mohammad1 after having prostrated himself1 his brow touching the earth1 rose up and turned to ,utbah1 saying3 ',thou hast heard me1 ,o ,utbah8 ,now1 'tis for thee to choose4' ,utbah1 bewildered1 went back to his companions4 ,they all noticed his troubled face1 so different on his return from what it had been before he left them4 ',come now1 ,o ,utbah6 what aileth thee8' they queried4--',i have just listened to extraordinary words1' he answered4 ',by our ,gods6 ,i've never heard anything like it before4 ',tis neither poetry1 nor sorcery1 nor magic4 ,o ,quraish men assembled6 believe me and let this man fulfil his ,mission among the ,arabs1 for his words are full of surprising prophecies4 ,if harm corrieth to him by the ,arabs' fault1 ye will be freed from all anxiety4 ,if1 on the other hand1 he succeedeth and shall conquer the ,arabs1 his empire will be thy empire1 seeing that he is one of us1 and thanks to him1 ye will attain the highest pinnacle of power4' ,but what availed such prudent conclusions in the face of jealousy and hatred8 ',with his tongue he hath cast a spell over thee1 as he hath done to others1' his hearers replied2 and ,utbah1 shrugging his shoulders1 went away1 declaring3 ',such is my advice4 ,now do as ye please4' ,nevertheless1 ,utbah's opinion impressed the idolaters4 ,next day1 after sunset1 they foregathered1 according to custom1 in the precincts of the ,temple1 and decided to speak to ,mohammad in person4 ,they sent for him1 and he came1 hoping that their eyes were open to the light4 ,but they only wanted to renew the proposals of the day before4 ,he refused just as scornfully4 ',since thou dost set thyself up as a ,prophet1' they said1 changing their arguments1 'take pity on thy country4 ,there is no land more hemmed-in by mountains1 or more poor in its water-supply2 more difficult to live in4 ,therefore1 ask ,allah to put aside the girdle of mountains1 make the soil easier to till1 and give us rivers resembling those of ,syria and ,iraq4 ,or else1 ask ,him to resuscitate one of our ancestors1 ,qusaiyy ibn ,kilab1 for instance1 who was a wise and truthful man1 so that we may consult him concerning thy pretensions and let us know if they are veracious or false4 ,if he giveth thee right and thou dost satisfy our demands1 then will we believe thee and have faith in thy mission as ,allah's ,apostle4' ',i have not been sent to thee for this1' was all the ,prophet cared to reply4 ',i have told you what ,i was charged to do2 and ,i tell you once more that if you accept1 your happiness is assured in this life and the next4 ,should ye refuse1 then ,i bow down to the decrees of ,allah who shall judge between us4'--',since thou wilt ask nothing for us1' they returned2 'crave a favour for thyself4 ,ask ,allah to send one of his angels to convince us2 ask ,him to lavish on thee all the pleasures of this world that thy heart can desire1 such as delicious gardens1 marvellous palaces1 or treasures of gold and silver4 ,instead of which1 we see thee as one who eateth food and walketh the marts 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxv1 #h71 exactly the same as the most humble among us6 ,if thou art really a ,prophet1 let ,allah give us proofs of the power with which ,he hath endowed thee1 and of the dignity to which ,he hath raised thee4'--',i am not one of those who make such demands of ,allah1 and to you ,i renew my adjuration4'--',ask ,allah to make the ,heaven to fall in pieces on us1 as thou hast given out1 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xvii1 #id71 if ,he hath power to do so1 according to what thou dost maintain4 ,if not1 thy word deserveth no credit4'--',nothing could be easier for the ,almighty4 ,if ,he shall decide to act as ye say1 ,he will accomplish the task4 ,ye ask ,him for miracles8 ,the miracles are to be found in all ,he hath created and ye do not understand6 ,see how death springeth from life and life from death6 ,of a surety1 ,he can1 by a miracle1 undo the prodigies of the order of ,nature he hath created4 ,thus did ,he for my predecessors1 but in vain4 ,therefore1 admire ,his unceasing miracles in ,nature and crave no others4' ,unable to catch the ,prophet tripping1 the idol-worshippers1 to check him1 brought forward ,nazir ibn ,haris who1 having been a great traveller1 had garnered many fine stories4 ,as soon as ,mohammad began to preach1 ,nazir took his stand quite near him1 trying to get his hearers away by reciting the wonderful exploits of ,rustam and ,isfandyar4 ',see now1 ,i lavish on my audience fine tales1' ,nazir was bold enough to add1 'that will bear comparison with those sent down by ,allah to ,his ,prophet4' ,the ,quraish men also sent a delegation to the learned ,jews of ,yasrib and to the ,prince ,halib ibn ,malik1 illustrious above all men by reason of his wisdom1 science and power1 in order to ask that some means should be found to prove that ,mohammad was an impostor4 ,but all these efforts were useless1 and there was no need to believe in the legend of a miracle based on these words of the ,qur'an3 ,the hour hath approached and the moon hath been cleft4 7,,liv1 #a74 ,some writers assert that ,habib having asked the ,prophet to perform a miracle1 in order to prove the veracity of his mission1 ,mohammad gave an order to the moon which incontinently split into two equal parts2 one ascending towards the ,east and the other to the ,west4 ,according to the opinion of the most trustworthy doctors of ,islam1 such as ,al ,baidawi and ,zamakhshri1 this verse really means3 ,the hour 7of the ,day of ,resurrection7 approacheth and 7to announce it7 the moon will be cleft4 ,the truth of this assertion is proved by the verses that follow almost immediately3 ,turn away then from them 7,the ,unbelievers76 ,on the day when the summoner shall summon to a horrible affair1 99 ,with downcast eyes shall they come forth from their graves1 as if they were scattered locusts4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,liv1 #f ,,and #g47 ,besides1 this supposed miracle is so flagrantly contradicted by numerous verses of the ,qur'an that it is not possible to admit it4 ,nothing hindered ,us from sending thee 7,mohammad7 with the power of working miracles1 except that the people of old treated them as lies4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xvii1 #fa47 ,there was such slight efficacity in miracles6 ,the ,israelites bowed down to the ,golden ,calf immediately after the miracle wrought by ,moses to save them from the waves of the ,red ,sea and ,pharaoh's hosts4 ,the idolaters of ,makkah would not have been more greatly impressed by the sight of the most astonishing miracle4 ,with their most binding oath have they sworn by ,allah1 that if a sign come unto them1 they will certainly believe it2 ,say3 ,signs are in the power of ,allah alone3 and what shall make ye to understand that if they were wrought these men would not believe it 99 ,and though ,we had sent down the ,angels to them1 and the dead had spoken to them1 and ,we had gathered all things about them in hosts1 they had not believed1 unless ,allah willed it4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,vi1 #aji1 #aaa47 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,miracle ,,of ,,the ,,qur',,an ,nevertheless there was one miracle1 the only one placed to ,mohammad's credit1 and which was the cause of great anxiety among the ,quraish idolaters3 the miracle of the ,ayates1 a word generally rendered by ,verses1 but really meaning3 miraculous signs of the ,qur'an4 ,the miracles wrought by earlier ,prophets had been transient1 so to say1 and for that very reason1 rapidly forgotten1 while that of the ,verses may be called ,the ,permanent ,miracle4 ,its activity was unceasing4 ,everywhere and at all hours1 each ,believer1 by reciting the ,verses1 helped to realise the miracle1 and in this can be found the explanation of many sudden conversions1 incomprehensible for the ,european who knows nothing of the ,qur'an1 or judges it by cold and inaccurate translations4 ,the wonderful charm of this ,book1 resembling no other masterpiece of the literature of mankind1 needs not to be explained to us ,moslems1 because we consider it emanates from the words of ,allah ,himself1 sent down through the mouth of ,his ,prophet4 ,in this connection1 we think it will be interesting to quote the opinion of two ,orientalists1 justly celebrated4 ,this is the conception of ,savary1 the first to translate the ,qur'an into ,french3 ,mohammad was learned in the study of his language1 the richest and the most harmonious in the world1 and which1 by the composition of its verses1 permits thoughts as they soar to be correctly described4 ,by the harmony of its sounds1 it imitates the cries of animals1 murmuring waters1 thunder and the breeze4 ,mohammad1 ,i repeat1 being past master of a language that so many poets have embellished and which exists since the beginning of the world1 took great pains to add every charm of elocution to his precepts of morality4 ,poets were greatly looked up to in ,arabia4 ,labid ibn ,rabyah1 an illustrious poet1 nailed one of his poems on the door of the ,temple of ,makkah4 ,his reputation and the value of his works kept all competitors away4 ,none came forward to compete for the prize4444 ,the second chapter of the ,qur'an--some writers say the #eeth--was then placed by the side of the poem4 ,labid1 although a worshipper of graven images1 was seized with a fit of admiration after reading the first verses and confessed himself vanquished4 ,he became a convert very soon after and one day1 his admirers being desirous of gathering together his complete works1 questioned him on this subject4 ',i have no recollection of any of my poetry1' he replied1 'for my entire memory hath been absorbed by the verses of the ,book of ,revelation4' ,we will now give the opinion of ,stanley ,lane ,poole3 ,the style 7of the ,surahs7 is haughty in every part and full of passion4 ,the words are those of a man who tries with all his heart to convince his readers4 ,even nowadays1 they give an impression of the vehemence and fire with which they were originally hurled forth at ,mohammad's hearers surrounding him4 ,these are the broken utterances of a human heart totally incapable of hypocrisy2 the heart of a man who has exercised extraordinary influence over mankind4 ,if the magic of the style and the thoughts of the ,qur'an produced this effect on learned men1 who were neither ,arabs nor ,moslems1 how great then was the enthusiasm created among the ,arabs of the ,hijaz1 especially as the verses were couched in their own poetical language8 ,you only1 travellers who have had an opportunity of seeing the emotion that overcomes the audience of an ,imam reciting the ,sacred ,verses1 can have a slight idea of this feeling4 ,you may have seen poor caravaneers1 still powdered all over by the sand of their desert1 where they have just endured the greatest fatigue1 rushing towards the ,mosque1 instead of seeking refreshing repose2 drawn thither1 as if hypnotised by the ,imam's voice4 ,sometimes even1 in the time of ,ramadhan1 ,moslems1 after having fasted all day1 pass the whole of the night in ecstasy1 as they listen to the ,divine ,word4 ,it is certain that the illiterate ,bedouins of our day do not always understand the real meaning of the words recited by the ,imam1 but the rhythm1 the cadence1 the harmony of the assonances animating the wonderful verses1 echoing in their breasts to the beatings of their hearts1 convey to them an explanation1 vague perhaps1 but truly in accordance with the spirit of the text1 and above all1 full of incomparable suggestion4 ,on the other hand1 how vapid would seem to them the explanation1 more literal but less emotional1 of a ,talib pedant or a frigid grammarian4 ,as for the ,arab of the ,hijaz1 comprehending the most subtle hints of the language of the ,qur'an--his own language--and who welcomed the ,surahs as they issued from the lips of his fellow-countryman3 the genial1 inspired ,messenger of ,allah1 that listener was overwhelmed by such sudden surprise that he remained as if petrified4 ,could this supernatural language come from ,mohammad1 known to be completely illiterate and possessing no other knowledge than that due to nature and intuition8 ,this seemed perfectly impossible4 ,the ,arab was therefore forced to admit that ,mohammad's words were dictated by the ,almighty4 ,besides1 it was following no ingenious falsehood that the ,prophet attributed the verses of the ,qur'an to ,allah4 ,he was absolutely convinced of their divine origin4 ,the terrible crises by which the ,revelation manifested itself1 bringing him the solution of unknown problems in language so new to him2 so different to his own2 even upbraiding him when he made mistakes and commanding him to recite these verses1 despite any resistance he might make1 left him without the slightest doubt on that head4 ,consequently1 it was with the most perfect faith that he felt boundless admiration for the ,qur'an2 that is to say for the ,words of ,allah4 ,had not ,allah revealed to him these verses3 ,say3 ,then bring ten ,surahs like it of your devising1 and call whom ye can to your aid beside ,allah1 if ye are men of truth4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xi1 #af74 ,convinced of their powerlessness1 ,the ,unlettered ,prophet1 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,vii1 #aef71 challenged the most celebrated poets1 giving them the right to call him a cheat1 if they could compose ten ,surahs resembling his4 ,to doubt the absolute and strangely moving sincerity of ,mohammad and picture him as a vulgar1 but clever1 ambitious man1 as some modern historians have done1 one must be blinded by preconceived ideas1 worthy of the days of the ,inquisition4 ,carlyle1 in his book1 ,on ,heroes1 treated such fanaticism or stupidity as it deserved3 ,a false man found a religion8 he exclaims1 speaking of ,mohammad4 ,why a false man cannot build a brick house6 ,if he do not know and follow truly the properties of mortar1 burnt clay and what else he works in1 it is no house that he makes1 but a rubbish-heap4 ,it will not stand for twelve centuries1 to lodge a hundred-and-eighty millions2 it will fall straightway4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,it ,,was ,,forbidden ,,to ,,listen ,,to ,,the ,,qur',,an ,being powerless to struggle against the irresistible effect produced by the recitation of the ,qur'an1 the ,quraish idol-worshippers resolved to forbid people to listen to it4 ,by threats1 the tribesmen frightened those who tried to approach the ,prophet1 when as was his wont1 he recited1 on the threshold of the ,ka'bah1 a few passages of the ,revealed ,book4 ,so as not to hear him1 they put their fingers in their ears2 or else1 to drown his voice1 they whistled1 clapped their hands1 or bawled1 as loudly as they could1 scraps of doggerel composed by idolater-poets4 ,the unexpected result was that the very men who had made it a crime to listen to the celebrated verses1 were moved by that unconquerable curiosity which attracts weak mortals towards forbidden things4 ,one night1 ,abu ,sufyan1 ,abu ,jahal and ,al-,akhnas went out of their houses1 bending their steps1 each unknown to the other1 towards the dwelling of the ,prophet4 ,once there1 their ears glued to the wall1 they tried to overhear the recital of some of the ,divine ,surahs4 ,in the darkness of the night1 they did not see one another4 ,but when day dawned1 they came face to face on their homeward road1 and blamed each other mutually3 ',what would our partisans think1 if they had caught us doing this thing8' ,and they took a solemn oath never to be so imprudent again4 ,but the next night and the night after that1 the same thing occurred1 followed by the same exchange of reproaches4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,o thou enwrapped in thy mantle6 99 ,arise and warn6 99 ,and thy ,lord--magnify ,him6 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fourth ,illustration3 ,ar ,ruku1 or ,inclination4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,ye shall assuredly be tried in your possessions and in yourselves4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fourth ,sidenote3 ,,persecution ,quoth the ,prophet3 ,allah created ,paradise for the man who obeyeth ,him1 even if only a black ,abyssinian slave2 and ,hell for the man rebelling against ,him1 even if he be a nobleman of the ,quraish4 ,islam1 tending towards the perfect equality of castes and races1 naturally attracted all the poor and downtrodden of the city4 ,with increasing vexation1 the idolatrous masters saw their slaves1 in eager crowds1 converted to the new faith4 ,but as these wretched folks were in the tyrants' power1 they glutted their vengeance on them1 not daring to attack disciples of the ,prophet occupying higher rank4 ,oummayatah ibn ,khalaf1 having become aware of the conversion of his black slave1 ,bilal ibn ,hammah1 was engrossed with but a single thought3 that of torturing him with the most dastardly refinements4 ,placing his neck in a noose made from a rough rope of palm-fibre1 he gave him into the hands of boys knowing no pity4 ,they dragged him along behind them1 like a beast of burden1 just for amusement4 ,the rope1 pulled this way and that by the juvenile wrongdoers1 ploughed a sanguinary furrow in ,bilal's flesh4 ,nevertheless1 he seemed insensible to pain4 ,thereupon his master deprived him of food and drink1 and led him from the town at noonday1 in the middle of summer1 throwing him out in the ,ramda1 a sandy plain1 so torrid that a slice of meat1 thrown on the ground1 cooked itself immediately4 ,he made his slave lie down1 stretched out on his back1 an enormous stone on his breast4 ',thou shalt stop there1' he ordered1 'until thou dost abjure ,mohammad's doctrines1 and worship ,lat and ,uzza4' ,but the stoical ,moslem did nothing more than lift the forefinger of his right hand1 saying again and again3 ',ahad6 ,ahad6 ,allah is one6 ,allah is one6' thus testifying the scorn he felt for his master who dared to couple wooden or stone associates with the ,master of the ,worlds4 ,the affirmation of the slave produced insensibility to pain1 because the ineffable joy of the sacrifice for his faith mingled with and mastered the bitterness of torture4 ,passing one day near the ,ramda1 ,abu ,bakr witnessed this cruel sight4 ',fearest thou not the justice of ,allah1 the ,most ,high1 ,o ,oummayatah6 when thou dost inflict such torment on that wretched man8' he cried indignantly4--',thou didst corrupt him2 therefore 'tis thy duty to save him1' was the cynical reply4--',willingly6 ,i possess a young black slave1 stronger and a better worker than thine4 ,moreover1 he is entirely devoted to thy idols4 ,i offer him to thee in exchange4' ,oummayatah accepted and turned ,bilal over to ,abu ,bakr who granted him his freedom straightway4 ,besides1 this generous man 7may ,allah make him welcome in ,his ,grace67 purchased six other slaves1 men and women1 all ,islamic converts1 merely to set them free1 and deliver them out of the hands of their idolatrous masters4 ,these persecutions continued notwithstanding1 becoming more and more barbarous4 ,the ,banu ,makhzum tribe took ,ammar1 with ,yaser1 his father1 and ,summayy1 his mother1 out on the ,ramda1 in order to make them suffer all the tortures prompted by diabolical ferocity4 ,ammar was enclosed in an iron breastplate that held him down on the ground1 exposed to the blazing rays of the sun at its zenith4 ,his flesh crackled as if in contact with molten metal4 ,but the same thing happened as with ,bilal2 the idolaters were unable to drag from ,ammar or his parents1 tortured in like fashion1 one blasphemous word4 ,it was then that1 blinded by rage1 ,abu ,jahal drove his spear through ,summayy's heart1 mocking the dying woman by telling her3 ',if thou dost believe in ,mohammad1 'tis because thou art in love with his beauty6' ,summayy was the first martyr to ,islam1 but such constancy was not to be found in all4 ,a few ,believers1 enfeebled by privation and torture to such an extent that they could not stand upright1 finished by letting fall from their lips1 despite themselves1 the blasphemous utterances ensuring release4 ,for such as these1 crushed by shame and shedding tears of repentance1 the following ,surah of consolation has come down3 ,whoso after he hath believed in ,god1 denieth ,him1 if he were forced to it and if his heart remain steadfast in the faith 7shall be guiltless37 99 ,but whoso openeth his breast to infidelity--on them in that case shall be wrath from ,god1 and a severe punishment awaiteth them4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xvi1 #ajh74 ,when the ,prophet saw what tortures were inflicted on his disciples and that he was powerless to protect them1 he was overwhelmed with intense sadness4 ,the martyrs' courage proved to him how deeply the roots of faith were planted in their hearts2 nevertheless he considered that such sacrifices should be avoided4 ,so he advised all who were weak1 or even such as were not forced by imperious necessity to remain in ,makkah1 to emigrate to ,abyssinia1 a land inhabited by ,christians1 whose ,chieftain1 the ,najashi 7,negus7 was celebrated for his tolerance and justice4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,emigration ,,to ,,abyssinia 7,a4,d4 #fae7 ,sixteen ,moslems were the first to depart4 ,among them was ,usman ibn ,affan and his wife ,ruqaiyah1 one of the ,prophet's daughters4 ,they went out from ,makkah secretly and on foot4 ,reaching the shore of the ,red ,sea1 they chartered a felucca which carried them over to the opposite bank1 from whence they journeyed to the ,court of the ,najashi who welcomed them kindly4 ,another caravan soon joined them1 and the little ,mussulman colony1 having taken refuge in ,abyssinian territory1 was made up of eighty-three men and eighteen women4 ,exasperated at seeing their victims escape from their clutches2 and still more furious to have to include among the emigrants members of their own families1 such as ,umm-i-,habibah1 daughter of ,abu ,sufyan1 the idolaters despatched to the ,najashi two ambassadors1 ,umar ibn al ,as and ,abdullah1 son of ,abu ,rabiyah1 bearing rich presents1 with a view to claiming the fugitives1 described as being dangerous agitators1 capable of causing a revolution in his kingdom4 ,the ,najashi had already seen that the contrary was the case4 ,by their honesty and virtue1 the fugitives had gained the esteem and sympathy of his subjects1 so that he did not feel inclined to favour the request of the ambassadors1 despite their valuable gifts4 ,they then thought it would be as well to touch upon the religious susceptibilities of the ,christian monarch1 and put him on his guard against the danger of ,islam4 ',know then what these impostors seek to attain1' said they to him4 ',they have set foot in thine empire in order to turn thy subjects away from the religion of ,jesus1 even as they sought to lead the ,quraish astray from the religion of their ancestors4 ,shouldst thou wish to put our veracity to the test1 question them concerning their opinions with regard to ,jesus1 thy ,god4' ,the ,najashi followed this piece of advice4 ,he interrogated the most learned among the emigrants and elicited the following reply from ,jafar1 ,mohammad's cousin1 son of ,abu ,talib3 ',these are the ,verses revealed to the ,prophet3 ,the ,messiah ,isa 7,jesus71 son of ,maryam 7,mary71 is only an apostle of ,allah1 and ,his ,word which ,he conveyed into ,maryam444 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iv1 #afi47 ,this answer was not at all displeasing to the ,najashi4 ,if it did not acknowledge the divinity of ,jesus1 it showed1 at least1 the deep veneration in which ,he was held by the ,moslems1 and the ,abyssinian monarch was fully reassured as to the fugitives' intentions4 ,so he sent the ambassadors away1 without accepting any of their presents or giving them the slightest satisfaction4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,conversion ,,of ,,umar1 ,,son ,,of ,,al-,,khattab ,the ,unbelievers had succeeded in making fierce ,umar think that he would save his country by ridding it of ,mohammad4 ,so ,umar1 having buckled on his sword1 and his eyes flashing fire1 bent his steps in the direction of the ,safa district1 where he fancied he might fall across the ,prophet4 ,umar1 on his way1 met ,na'im1 who had gone over to ,islam unbeknown to his fellow-tribesmen4 ',wither goest thou1 ,o ,umar8' queried the convert4--',to seek out this fellow ,mohammad who hath stirred up strife in the midst of the ,quraish4 ,oh1 by our ,gods6 ,i must kill him6'--',by ,allah6 thy soul leadeth thee to do a mad act1 ,o ,umar6 ,dost thou think that the ,abd-i-,manaf will leave thee in peace on the face of the earth1 if thou dost put to death their relative1 ,mohammad8' he added1 trying to deter him from carrying out his abominable plan4 ',would it not be far better to get certain members of thine own household to explain their doings8'--',who are these persons under my roof8'--',thy sister ,fatimah and thy brother-in-law ,said ibn ,zayd4 ,they1 too1 are ,moslems4' ,at these words1 ,umar stopped dead1 the direction of his fury changing1 and in great haste1 he hurried to the dwelling of ,fatimah1 his sister4 ,just as he got there1 ,khubab1 a fervent disciple1 was reading the ,surah ,ta-,ha written out on a piece of parchment4 ,at the sound of ,umar's furious knocking1 ,khubab fled into an adjoining room1 and ,fatimah hid the parchment in the folds of her attire4 ,but ,khubab's voice had been overheard by ,umar who asked in imperative accents3 ',what is this recitation in an undertone that ,i heard1 and which ye cut short when ,i arrived8'--',there was nothing to hear4 ,thou art mistaken1' his brother-in-law and sister protested in chorus4--',no1 no6 ,there is no mistake2 neither do ,i err when ,i tell you ,i have learnt that ye follow ,mohammad's religion6' ,without waiting for any further explanation1 he rushed at his brother-in-law1 knocked him down1 sat on his chest and seized him by the beard4 ,fatimah threw herself on her brother and made desperate efforts to free her husband4 ',thou speakest the truth6 ,we are ,moslems6' ,umar lost his wits at this confession and by a brutal blow in the face1 he dashed courageous ,fatimah to the ground4 ',yea1 we are ,moslems1 ,o enemy of ,allah6' she repeated1 staring boldly at him1 her blood flowing freely4 ',yea1 we believe in ,allah and ,his ,prophet6 ,now do with us as thou wilt6' ,when ,umar saw his sister's blood1 the indomitable courage of the weak woman impressed him greatly and he was ashamed of what he had done4 ',give me the parchment that ,i heard you reading1' he asked his sister in softer accents2 ',i wish to get some idea of that which hath been revealed to ,mohammad4'--',we fear thou mayest destroy the writing4'--',be not afraid6 ,by ,allah6 ye shall have it back so soon as ,i shall have read it4' ,despite her wish to try and convert her brother1 ,fatimah raised objections4 ',o my brother6 ,i cannot confide it to thee1 for thou art unclean4 ,only pure hands are allowed to touch the ,book in which are inscribed the words of ,allah4' ,umar rose with docility and performed his ablutions4 ,then did ,fatimah hand over the parchment on which was written the ,surah1 ,ta-,ha1 which begins with these words3 ,not to sadden thee have ,we sent down this ,qur'an to ,thee 99 ,but as a warning for him who feareth4 7,,xx1 #a and #b47 ,immediately after the reading of the first verses1 ,umar1 who was remarkably well learnt1 could not refrain from uttering a cry of admiration3 ',how beautiful6 ,what sublime language6'--',o ,umar6' exclaimed ,khubab1 coming out of his hiding-place1 ',i had great hopes that the ,almighty would fulfil1 in thy favour1 the wish ,i heard the ,prophet make but yesterday3 ',o ,allah6' said he1 'strengthen ,islam by the conversion of either one or the other of those two men3 ,abu ,jahal or ,umar4'--',lead me at once to ,mohammad1' replied ,umar1 'so that ,i may become a convert to ,islam in his presence4 ,where is he8' ,khubab1 in triumph1 sent him to the dwelling of ,arqam in the ,safa district4 ,in that house1 the disciples1 clustering in union round the ,prophet1 were drinking in his words1 when imperative knocks shook the door4 ,one of the comrades rose up and1 by a crack in the wood1 caught sight of the terrible warrior1 his sword dangling from his belt4 ,thunderstruck at this apparition1 he came back to warn the ,prophet who calmly told him3 ',bring him in here4 ,if he cometh with good intentions1 we will grant him generous welcome1 but if evil designs guide his footsteps1 we will kill him with his own sword4' ,the companions having obeyed1 ,umar entered4 ,mohammad went to meet him1 and coming face to face with him in the entrance-hall1 he caught him by the collar and1 with a sudden pull1 dragged him into the midst of the company assembled4 ',what is thy motive in coming here1 ,o son of ,al ,khattab8' he asked4 ',dost thou still mean to remain wallowing in impiety until the wrath of the ,almighty crusheth thee8'--',o ,prophet6' answered ,umar with unaccustomed humility1 ',i come to declare my faith in ,allah1 ,his ,messenger1 and ,his ,revelation4'--',praise be to ,allah6 ,glory to ,him6' cried ,mohammad4 ,when his companions were informed of ,umar's sudden conversion1 they went their different ways1 full of gratitude towards ,him who had decreed it4 ,umar was not a man to remain patient and conceal his convictions4 ,in the street1 he stopped the first passer-by he met1 one ,jamil ibn ,mamar1 of the ,jumah tribe1 and said to him3 ',dost know1 ,o ,jamil1 that ,i have become a ,mussulman8' ,the words were hardly out of his mouth1 before ,jamil1 an incorrigible gossip1 tucked his mantle tightly round him and ran to the ,temple4 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish men6' shouted he to the idolaters who were there in groups4 ',an astounding piece of news6 ,the son of ,al ,khattab hath lost his reason6'--',thou liest6' interrupted ,umar who had followed him4 ',on the contrary1 ,i have set out on the ,road to ,salvation4 ,i bear witness that there is no other ,god but ,allah and that ,mohammad is ,his ,prophet6' ,on hearing these words1 amounting to insulting aggression1 the ,quraish bounded forward1 as one man1 to throw themselves on ,umar1 who steadfastly awaited their attack and a fearful struggle took place4 ,the sun1 darting its flaming rays on the fighters1 forced them to desist for a short space of time4 ,during the truce1 ,umar sat down on the ground1 surrounded by his enemies whose threatening hands were stretched over his head4 ',do with me as ye will1' he told them in tones of the most scornful indifference1 'but1 by ,allah6 if ,i were only at the head of three hundred ,mussulmans1 we should not be long before we wrested this ,temple from you1 and never would ye be able to retake it6' ,illustration3 ,the ,friday ,visit of ,moslems to the ,cemetery4 ,at this juncture1 a respected old man1 attired in a striped mantle and a sumptuously embroidered tunic1 drew nigh1 brought there by the tumult of which he asked the cause4 ',umar is demented1' was the answer4--',how so8' said the old man to the idolaters4 ',if this man hath voluntarily chosen some religion different to yours1 hath he not a right to do so8 ,what want ye of him8 ,moreover1 think ye that his relatives will not feel inclined to interfere on his behalf8' ,struck more by the fear of reprisals than by the wisdom of his words1 ,umar's assailants clustering round him1 dropped back and dispersed4 ,it seemed as if a heavy cloak had been lifted from his shoulders4 ,no one1 except ,mohammad1 dared to pray in public4 ,umar1 caring naught for the fury he might cause1 made up his mind to follow the ,prophet's example1 and every day1 the sturdy warrior turned like ,mohammad in the direction of the ,bait-ul-,muquaddas 7,the ,holy ,temple of ,jerusalem74 ,doing exactly the same as the ,prophet1 ,umar took his stand between the angle of the ,ka'bah where the ,black ,stone is enframed and the angle looking towards the ,yaman2 and there publicly said his prayers4 ,encouraged by this audacity1 numerous were the ,moslems who came to pray in public by his side1 despite the angry glances of the ,unbelievers1 only restrained by the reputation of ,umar who had earned the surname of ,al ,faruq1 7,the ,cleaver71 because he had once cleft in twain an ,arab who refused to bow down to a decision given out by the ,prophet4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,exile ,,of ,,the ,,banu ,,ha ,,sham 7,a4,d4 #fbf7 ,despite the superiority of numbers1 the idol-worshippers of the ,quraish were obliged to acknowledge the critical state of their party4 ,unless they could put an end to the irresistible movement that daily brought new conversions1 their domination over the ,arabs would soon become a thing of the past4 ,they called a meeting1 and1 after consulting1 resolved to break off all relations with the ,banu ,hasham and the ,banu ,muttalib who were to be banished from ,makkah until they consented to hand over ,mohammad1 their relative4 ,in order to prevent themselves being tempted to break their word1 the ,quraish leaders wrote out the conditions of this compact on a sheet of parchment which they hung up inside the ,ka'bah4 ,their plan was most cunning4 ,among the ,banu ,hasham and the ,banu ,muttalib were a large number of idolaters who the ,quraish thought would refuse to identify themselves with ,mohammad and suffer for his cause4 ,therefore1 strife would be stirred up in the bosom of the ,prophet's family4 ,but1 contrary to the idol-worshippers' conjectures1 the example of ,abu ,talib1 ,mohammad's uncle1 carried away all the members of his family--with the exception of irreducible ,abu ,lahab--actuated by feelings of unanimous solidarity4 ,this fact enables us to divine one of the reasons that prevented ,abu ,talib from adopting the ,islamic religion1 although he worked hard and successfully1 helping it to triumph4 ,he did not forget ,abu ,lahab's ironical remark3 ',thou hast naught else to do than to obey thy son ,ali1 now that ,mohammad hath chosen him to be his lieutenant4' ,abu ,talib's pride caused him to dread mockery4 ',i would willingly become a convert to ,islam1' said he1 one day1 'were it not that ,i fear to become the laughing-stock of the men of ,makkah when they would see me saying my prayers4' ,nevertheless1 these motives would not have held him back1 if he had not considered that the protection he granted to his nephew1 threatened on all sides1 would lose all its power following the day when the uncle also should have abjured the religion of his forefathers4 ,directly after the proclamation of the decree of expulsion1 the members of the ,prophet's family1 ,mussulmans or idolaters1 left their houses1 scattered here and there in different districts of the town1 and assembled in a neighbouring ravine where ,abu ,talib possessed a stronghold4 ,during a period of two years1 the exiles endured the greatest privations4 ,their provisions were quickly exhausted and it was impossible to renew them4 ,they were forbidden to show themselves in the markets1 and if one among them1 having succeeded in getting to follow a caravan1 tried to procure a few articles of food1 the dealers1 watched by ,abu ,jahal or fearing to be denounced1 asked such high prices that the luckless wight was obliged to give up all ideas of purchase1 and return empty-handed to his starving family4 ,the outlaws were sometimes secretly revictualled by compassionate folks1 such as ,hisham ibn ,umar who had recourse to the following stratagem4 ,at nightfall1 he led a camel1 laden with provisions1 to the entrance of the ravine1 and gave him a violent cut with a whip1 in such a way that the animal bolted in the direction of the starving fugitives and was captured by them4 ,but such a godsend was not an everyday occurrence1 and ,mohammad and his family were driven to feed on the leaves of the thorny bushes growing in the valley4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,decree ,,of ,,expulsion ,,destroyed ,,by ,a ,,worm ,meanwhile1 the ,prophet was apprised by a vision that1 in order to destroy the impious document1 written by the ,quraish1 ,allah had sent a gnawing worm and only the ,holy ,name had been respected4 ,abu ,talib1 hearing about this1 and having faith in his nephew's vision1 went with his brothers and sought out the ,unbelievers4 ,they exulted on seeing him approach1 his features distorted by the pangs of hunger4 ,conquered by famine1 was ,abu ,talib about to throw over his nephew8 ,they were so sure that this was the case1 that they accepted his proposals without hesitation4 ',let us go and look at the parchment1' he said4 ',if ,mohammad speaketh truly1 the act is abolished4 ,should that be1 ye must swear to cancel your ruling of outlawry that oppresseth us4 ,for my part1 ,i swear to give ,mohammad up to you if he hath lied4' ,the act was sealed with three seals4 ,since it had been deposited in the ,ka'bah1 it had neither been seen nor touched by anyone4 ,therefore ,allah's enemies thought it impossible that the ,prophet's vision could be authentic and1 anticipating victory1 they went to the ,temple with ,abu ,talib1 to see the state of the parchment4 ,the ,prophet's words had come true4 ,in the act in question1 the gnawing maggot had destroyed every unjust and impious sentence4 ,naught remained intact except a narrow strip of parchment on which could be read these words3 ,in ,thy name1 ,allah6 ,this verification plunged the idolaters into a state of unspeakable stupor4 ,abu ,jahal was the first to leave the ,temple and he tried to retract the promise given by the ,quraish4 ,thereupon1 many among them1 ,hisham ibn ,umar1 ,zohair ibn ,abi ,ommayah1 ,moutam ibn ,adiyy1 etc41 whose interests and intercourse had suffered on account of the odious decree1 having only signed it under duress1 protested one after the other4 ,we supported this iniquitous law against our will4 ,now it no longer exists4 ,therefore the impious pact set forth therein should be annulled4 ,abu ,jahal was forced to bow down in the face of the prodigy and these vehement protestations4 ,the compact was cancelled4 ,the ,banu ,hasham and the ,banu ,muttalib returned without let or hindrance to their dwellings4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,abu ,,talib ,,and ,,khadijah ,it seemed as if ,islam was henceforward to soar aloft safely1 when two events suddenly caused its wings to be clipped4 ,first came the death of ,abu ,talib1 its indefatigable protector1 who had passed the age of eighty4 ,we have already mentioned that1 despite all his sympathy for ,islam1 ,abu ,talib had never consented to profess it4 ,abu ,talib1 in his dying moments1 having advised all present to obey ,mohammad in everything1 for he was sure to lead them into the ,path of ,righteousness1 the ,prophet risked a supreme effort4 ',o my uncle6' said ,mohammad1 'thou dost soothe their souls with wise counsel1 but wilt thou do nothing for thine own8'--',what wouldst have me do8'--',bear witness simply that there is no ,allah but ,allah6--',o son of my brother6 ,i know that thou dost speak truly1 but ,i fear to be accused of only testifying in affright at the approach of death4 ,were it not for this fear1 be assured that ,i would follow thy advice1 in order to freshen thine eyes in which ,i read the high degree of thy affection4' ,some writers maintain that ,abbas1 seeing the dying man's lips move1 and having placed his ear close to them1 made the following declaration to the ,prophet3 ',be not uneasy1 ,o son of my brother6 thy uncle hath just uttered the words thou didst wish him to say4' ,but the most accredited traditions refuse to accept this version4 ,where is the truth8 ,allah only knows6 ,three days after this bereavement1 fraught with fatal consequences1 the ,prophet had to put up with a still more grievous loss4 ,khadijah1 his admirable companion1 who gave herself to him when he was poor and had believed in him when he was called an impostor2 ,khadijah1 to whom he confided all his hopes2 ,khadijah1 the sweet consoling creature when he was crushed by the weight of despair2 ,khadijah1 the first female ,moslem1 the ,mother of the ,believers1 was taken from him by the ,fates at the age of sixty-five4 7,may ,allah welcome her in ,his ,grace67 ,khadijah's ascendancy over him was so great and yet so tender that while she lived1 he had never been unfaithful4 ,never1 although he was then in the prime of life1 would he consent to have other wives or concubines1 as permitted by the customs of his country1 in spite of being invited on all sides to do so4 ,and never1 when ,khadijah was no more1 did he forget her4 ,ayishah1 who later on became ,mohammad's favourite spouse1 was keenly jealous of the remembrance of his first wife1 daily evoked by him4 ,never was ,i so jealous of any wife of the ,prophet as of ,khadijah1 ,ayishah is known to have said1 although ,i never met her and notwithstanding that her death took place long before my marriage4 ,but the ,prophet was always talking about her1 and when he slaughtered a sheep1 he always kept back a liberal share to be given to ,khadijah's female friends4 ,i said to him once3 ',it seems as if ,khadijah was the only woman in the whole world6' ,thereupon he began to enumerate her incomparable qualities and declared that she would have a palace built of pearls in ,paradise1 with no noise or household cares to trouble her4 ,hala bint ,khuaild1 ,khadijah's sister1 was taken to see ,allah's ,messenger4 ,he noticed that she spoke in the same way as his dead wife1 and was so stirred that1 overcome by jealousy1 ,i could not help showing temper and ,i exclaimed3 ',what meanest thou by continually conjuring up the remembrance of these old ,quraish females1 with their toothless1 red gums and faces betraying the ravages of age8 ,hath not ,allah given thee better women in their stead8' ,but despite these scenes1 despite the beauty and intelligence of ,ayishah and his other wives1 the ,prophet always preferred ,khadijah4 ,he included her among the four most perfect women that ever came on earth4 ,the three others were ,asiyah1 ,pharoah's wife who saved ,moses2 ,maryam 7,mary71 mother of ,isa 7,jesus72 and ,fatimah-tuz-,zahra1 one of ,mohammad's daughters by ,khadijah4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,journey ,,to ,,taif ,stricken by his double mourning1 threatened by the ,unbelievers who no longer concealed their intentions1 now that his noble protector was no more1 the ,prophet resolved to preach outside ,makkah4 ,if he succeeded in gaining over some of the neighbouring ,arab peoples1 these reinforcements1 increasing the number of citizens of ,makkah already converted1 and which was far from inconsiderable1 would make up a party sufficiently strong to hold his detractors in respect4 ,his first attempt was made at ,taif1 a small town about seventy-two miles to the east of ,makkah1 renowned for its grapes1 figs1 pomegranates and the roses of its enchanting gardens4 ,accompanied by ,zayd ibn ,haris1 the ,prophet arrived in the market-place where he found many noted ,saqifs assembled4 ,he sat by their side and stated the reasons of his journey3 his ,divine ,mission and the hostility of his party4 ,most of those present were beginning to fall under the influence of the wonted charm of his words1 when three brothers1 ranking among the most noble and predominant of the ,saqifs1 interrupted him abruptly4 ',this man hath doubtless stolen or torn the veil of the ,ka'bah6' exclaimed the first of the brothers1 'and now1 having taken to his heels1 he tells ye a story about being ,allah's ,messenger6'--',hath ,allah not been able to find anyone but thee8' jeered the second4--',by ,allah6 ,i'll never have anything to do with thee6' declared the third4 ',if thou art truly the ,prophet of ,allah1 as thou dost assert1 thou art so far above me that ,i dare not argue with thee2 and if thou art merely an impostor1 it would not be fitting that ,i belittle myself by replying4' ,these remarks broke the charm1 and the crowd1 veering round1 showed its hostility by shouting insults4 ,the ,prophet saw that there was no hope for him in that town for the moment1 and rose up to depart4 ,so as to make it impossible for him to renew his attempt1 his contradictors stirred up the lowest dregs of the populace against him4 ,slaves and vagabonds1 arrayed in a double row1 awaited him on each side of the road he was bound to take4 ,they found amusement in stoning his bare legs4 ,when exhausted by his sufferings1 he sat down in the middle of the road1 trying to shield his bleeding feet1 his tormentors lifted him up by the arms and continued their barbarous fun4 ,in vain1 devoted ,zayd tried to protect him by getting in front of him2 the faithful henchman was struck down by a stone that cut his face4 ,staggering1 falling1 rising and dragging themselves along in the midst of sneering jibes1 ,mohammad and his companion at last reached a garden wall1 behind which they took refuge1 and dropped extenuated in the shade of a tree covered with vine branches1 leaves and grapes4 ',o ,allah6' cried the ,prophet1 ',to ,thee ,i complain of my puny strength and the failure of my zeal with regard to these men4 ,o ,thou6 most ,compassionate and ,merciful1 ,thou art the ,lord of the weak and ,thou art my ,lord6 ,i have none but ,thee on whom to lean6 ,but if ,thou be not angry with me because ,i am powerless to ensure love and respect for ,thy ,word1 ,i care nothing for all the ordeals ,i undergo6' ,the villanous mob did not dare to trespass in the garden in order to follow up their victims4 ,the owners of the property1 charitable folks1 indignant at the scene they had just witnessed1 ordered ,adas1 their gardener1 to gather bunches of grapes and carry a basketful to their momentary guests4 ,when the inflammation of their limbs1 covered with bruises1 had subsided by reason of repose in the beneficial shade2 and their thirst being quenched by the honeyed juice of the celebrated grapes of ,taif1 the ,prophet and his companion set out again on the road to ,makkah4 ,illustration3 ,the ,departure4 #b views ,foreseeing the welcome in store for him1 ,mohammad could not do otherwise than claim the assistance of some influential citizen4 ,halting at the cave of ,mount ,hira1 he sent ,zayd to find a protector4 ,after two rebuffs at the hands of ,al ,akhnas and ,sohail1 who excused themselves1 ,zayd approached ,muta'm bin ,adiyy who1 consenting to take the responsibility on himself1 armed his serving-men and posted them in the precincts of the ,ka'bah4 ,brought back by ,zayd1 ,mohammad was then enabled1 thanks to the escort of this little army1 to make the seven ritual circuits before returning to his dwelling4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,nocturnal ,,journey ,,and ,,ascension ,al-,isra1 the ,nocturnal ,journey1 and ,al-,miraj the ,prophet's ,ascension1 have given rise to innumerable debates between the doctors of ,islam4 ,some think that this miraculous journey was really1 physically accomplished2 whilst others1 relying on the most accredited traditions--among which is that of ,ayishah1 ,abu ,bakr's daughter and ,mohammad's favourite wife--maintain that ,mohammad's soul alone undertook the journey1 and that it should only be looked upon as a veracious vision such as frequently came to the ,prophet in his sleep4 ,one night1 the twenty-seventh of the month of ,rabi'-ul-,awwal1 the angel ,jibra'il1 upon whom devolved the duty of directing the heavenly bodies1 was ordered by the ,almighty to increase the moon's brilliancy by adding a part of the sun's radiance2 and that of the stars by a share of the moon's brightness1 so that the firmament that night should be resplendent with light4 ,the ,angel was then to descend to where ,mohammad was sleeping1 and carry him up to ,allah through the seven zones of ,heaven4 ,quoth the ,prophet3 ,i was in a deep sleep when ,jibra'il appeared to me1 bringing ,al-,buraq1 the ,prophet's usual mount4 ,this animal ressembled none to be found on earth4 ,his size was greater than that of an ass2 less than that of a mule4 ,his coat was more dazzlingly white than snow2 he had the face of a man1 but was dumb4 ,great wings like those of a bird allowed him to rise in the air and career through space4 ,his mane1 tail1 feathers and breast-piece were studded with priceless precious stones that sparkled like myriads of stars4 ,i got on his back and1 in a twinkling1 he carried me from the ,masjidu'l-,haram to the ,masjidu'l-,aqsa 7i4e4 the ,sacred ,makkan ,temple to the faraway ,temple of ,jerusalem74 ,i alighted and fastened his bridle to the ring used by the ,prophets4 ,a man appeared in front of me1 offering a cup of milk and a cup of wine4 ,i drank the milk and refused the wine4 ,jibra'il1 who had accompanied me without outstripping me or allowing me to outrun him1 approved what ,i had done4 ',if thou hadst preferred wine to milk1' he told me1 'thy people would have preferred ,error to ,truth4' ,after visiting the ,temple1 the ,prophet climbed up the ,sakhrah1 the ,sacred ,rock 7on which now stands the marvellous dome of the ,mosque of ,umar7 which bowed down in his honour and also so as to enable him to remount ,al-,buraq4 ,still led by his celestial guide1 he continued his journey by ascending through the ,heavens4 ,we need not copy the descriptions of this ,ascension1 or ,miraj1 in every detail4 ,many writers1 particularly the ,persians1 have given a free rein to their imagination in this connection1 whilst others1 more serious1 such as ,ibn-i-,hisham1 ,ibn-i-,sad and ,abul ,fida1 are content to set forth an extremely simple narrative4 ,we shall only mention ,mohammad's meeting with the ,prophets known before him3 ,abraham1 ,moses and ,jesus2 then his visit to the ,paradise of ,believers1 where the gardens honoured him by giving out sweet odours and his halt in ,hell1 destined to receive ,unbelievers1 where the flames congealed when he went along4 ,after having passed through the seven zones of the ,heavens1 it was not long before he heard the scratching of pens writing in the ,book of ,fate1 and the thanksgivings of the angels glorifying the ,almighty4 ,finally1 he reached the ,sidratu'l-,muntaha1 the ,lote-tree of the ,extremity4 ,at this spot1 ,jibra'il left him1 saying3 ,here is the boundary of ,knowledge1 where ,i am forced to halt4 ,as for thee1 ,o ,prince of ,messengers6 ,o friend of the ,master of the ,worlds6 continue thy glorious ,ascension and progress in the ,light of thy ,lights4 ,and the ,chosen ,one continued to pass through the veils covering that which is hidden1 until he reached the veil of ,unity and looked upon that which eyes cannot see1 nor minds imagine4 ,the eyes of his body would not have been able to support the brilliancy of this sight which must have brought on blindness4 ,therefore1 ,allah opened the eyes of ,mohammad's heart1 thus permitting him to contemplate the ,infinite ,splendour4 ,allah bade him draw near to ,his throne1 at the distance of two bows1 or even closer 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,liii1 #i71 and after having confirmed the choice ,he had made in charging ,mohammad to be the carrier of ,good ,tidings to ,his servants1 ,he fixed the number of prayers--fifty in all--that each ,believer should offer up daily to the ,creator1 in gratitude for ,his bounty4 ,when the ,chosen ,one went down1 ,moses met him again and questioned him4 ',o ,prophet of ,allah6 what hath our ,master ordered thee with regard to the number of prayers which ,his disciples should offer up8'--',fifty prayers during the day and the night4'--',o thou1 the best of created beings6' ,moses rejoined1 'go back to our ,master1 and beg ,him to lighten this burden1 too heavy for the weakness and laziness of mankind4' ,so ,mohammad went back several times into the presence of the ,master of the ,worlds1 until he prevailed upon ,him to reduce the number of prayers to five only4 ,this parable1 which serves to decide definitively the number of daily prayers1 also demonstrates admirably that an excess of devotion1 in the ,islamic creed1 is considered to be an error4 ,allah desireth to make your burden light to you3 for man hath been created weak4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iv1 #cb47 ,why should the ,almighty be in need of the prayers of mankind8 ,we ask not of ,thee to make provision for thyself--,we will provide for ,thee4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xx1 #acb47 ,allah has sent prayer to ,his servants as one of ,his most salutary favours4 ,five times daily1 devotion brings absolute rest to ,believers2 that is to say1 complete interruption of the feelings that stir them1 whether an excess of joy leading to ruin in the aberrations of debauchery1 or an excess of sadness causing them to perish in the madness of despair4 ,five times daily1 prayer forces them by its accompanying ablutions1 to call to mind the cleanliness of the body1 at the same time as the purity of the soul4 ,the day after his vision1 the ,prophet1 beaming with delight1 was met by his mortal enemy1 ,abu ,jahal1 who addressed him ironically3 ',o ,mohammad6 hast thou not one of those marvellous tales which we are used to hear from thee to tell us this morning8'--',indeed ,i have6' replied the ,prophet4 ',between yesternight and this morning ,i have been to ,jerusalem and back4'--',gather round quickly1 ,o ,quraish6 ,hasten and hearken to the wonderful adventure of the nocturnal journey undertaken by ,mohammad6' shouted ,abu ,jahal4 ,the crowd soon grew1 and the ,prophet gave out the narrative we have just set forth4 ,most of his hearers1 belonging to the clan of the idol-worshippers1 followed the example of their chieftain and received it with outbursts of the coarsest merriment4 ,some clapped their hands2 others held their heads in their hands as if to stop their brains from bursting4 ,as for the ,believers1 one party was undecided whether to put faith in the story or not2 and the remainder1 unsettled by the attitude of the public1 dared not manifest their confidence openly4 ,profiting by the confusion1 ,abu ,jahal hastened to speak to ,abu ,bakr4 ',maybe thou dost not know the last extraordinary adventure of thy ,prophet8 ,he pretends to have accomplished in the night the journey from the ,holy ,temple of ,makkah to the ,faraway ,temple of ,jerusalem--there and back6' ,abu ,jahal was full of glee1 in anticipation1 at the thought of the vexation and bewilderment which were sure to be seen in the face of his fellow-citizen4 ,contrary to ,abu ,jahal's expectations1 however1 ,abu ,bakr replied without uneasiness3 ',whatever ,mohammad asserts is true and ,i believe it4 ,if he maintains that he went up to the seventh ,heaven in an hour and came back in the same space of time1 ,i should still have faith in his declarations4' ,such dependable testimony caused the ,faithful to take heart2 thus it turned out that ,abu ,jahal1 by trying to instil incredulity in men's minds1 only succeeded in strengthening their beliefs4 ,desirous of catching the ,prophet redhanded as a cheat1 ,abu ,jahal interrogated him concerning the ,temple of ,jerusalem1 calling on him for a description thereof4 ,but he was utterly routed when ,mohammad1 whom his foe thought had never set foot in ,jerusalem1 except during this nocturnal vision1 described the city in all its peculiarities and with great accuracy1 endorsed by all among those assembled who had ever undertaken that journey4 ,therefore the ,believers1 their faith revived1 hastened to put on the five ,garments of ,purity1 which means that they offered up the five prayers brought down to them from ,heaven by the ,prophet4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,six ,,inhabitants ,,of ,,yasrib ,,were ,,converted 7,a4,d4 #fbj7 ,towards the end of the year1 ,usman ibn ,affan and his wife ,ruqaiyah returned from ,abyssinia1 accompanied by a few emigrants1 among whom1 one of them1 called ,sukran1 died on arrival4 ,the ,prophet married his widow1 ,sauda1 daughter of ,zoma1 thus rewarding the zeal of one of the first female converts to ,islam1 who had so valiantly undergone the ordeals of persecution and exile4 ,wishing1 in the same way1 to show his appreciation of the unchanging devotion of ,abu ,bakr1 the ,veracious1 and to bind him still closer by a matrimonial alliance1 the ,prophet1 at the same epoch1 espoused his daughter ,ayishah1 although she had barely reached the age of ten4 ,but1 in her case1 the marriage was not consummated until many years later1 at ,al-,madinah1 after the ,hegira4 ,despite ,abu ,bakr's energetic affirmations2 despite the strengthening of the ,believers' zeal by the rule of the five prayers1 the story of the ,nocturnal ,ascension was far from being advantageous to the cause of ,islam4 ,the narrative1 on the contrary1 furnished its enemies with an opportunity of petty triumph1 enabling them to pile up fresh mockery and institute greater persecution4 ,the case would have seemed hopeless to any other but ,mohammad4 ,he knew not what it meant to be discouraged1 feeling certain that the ,almighty would never abandon ,his ,apostle to whom ,he had revealed the following verses3 ,say3 ,i betake me for refuge to the ,lord of ,men1 99 ,the ,king of ,men1 99 ,allah of ,men 99 ,against the mischief of the stealthily withdrawing whisperer 7,satan7 99 ,who hides himself at the ,name of ,allah1 99 ,who whispereth in man's breast against ,jinn and men4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,cxiv1 #af47 ,postponing for the time being the conversion of the ,makkans1 the ,prophet turned his attention towards ,arab strangers in the town1 attracted in great crowds by the ceremonies of the pilgrimage to the ,ka'bah and the ritual circuits4 ,during the fair that was held at that time1 he went untiringly from group to group4 ,but1 just as indefatigable1 close behind1 was his uncle1 ,abu ,lahab1 who1 as soon as he saw the ,prophet in the centre of a ring of men1 would call out loudly to them3 ',hearken not to that man6 ,his sole thought is to tear the cult of ,lat and ,uzza from out of your hearts2 and trick ye all with the insane doctrines that he pretends it is his ,mission to preach4' ,these words aroused the ,arabs' suspicions1 and they turned away from ,mohammad with remarks after this fashion3 ',thy fellow-citizens know thee better than we1 so begin by convincing them6' ,or else3 ',if ,allah should cause thee to triumph1 thy glory will not profit us1 but only thy party4 ,therefore1 it is not to our advantage to ally ourselves to thee4' ,these rebuffs had no effect on the ,prophet4 ,no sooner did any noteworthy person arrive in ,makkah than ,mohammad sought his presence at once4 ,one day1 on the hill of ,aqabah1 he went up to a group of six men1 fresh arrivals1 and with his usual politeness1 he addressed them thus3 ',what are you1 ,o my good ,lords8'--',we are of the ,khazraj tribe4'--',masters over the ,jews settled in ,yasrib1 methinks8'--',we are indeed their masters4'--',will ye not sit down here awhile1 so that ,i may speak with you8'--',willingly4' ,they sat by his side1 and he tried to gather them into the fold of ,islam by reciting verses of the ,qur'an4 ,charmed by his eloquence and the novelty of his words1 the ,khazraj men listened attentively and paused to reflect4 ,the ,jews1 inhabiting their land and bent beneath their yoke1 were folks well versed in the knowledge of ,holy ,writ4 ,thus it was that whenever disagreement arose between them and their masters1 these children of ,israel were wont to murmur3 ',we await the coming of a ,prophet4 ,when his hour arrives1 we shall all follow him and thanks to his assistance1 we shall triumph over you and become your masters in our turn4' ,whilst ,mohammad spoke unto the tribesmen1 they exchanged glances and came to this conclusion3 ',evidently this is the ,prophet whose advent is threatened by the ,jews4 ,we must not let them forestall us with him4' ,so they replied to his appeal1 saying3 ',our land is made desolate by perpetual war waged between us and our ,arab brothers1 the ,aus tribe4 ,we will go to them1 and call their attention to thy cause and thy religion4 ,if through thee1 ,allah should reconcile and unite us1 there will not be in all ,arabia a man more powerful than thee6' ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,two ,,oaths ,,of ,,the ,,aqabah 7,a4,d4 #fba7 ,the new converts kept their word and spread ,mohammad's doctrines in their region4 ,the following year1 twelve ,mussulmans from ,yasrib1 ten being of the ,khazraj and two belonging to the ,aus1 arrived in ,makkah for the ,mausam rejoicings4 ,they met the ,prophet on the ,aqabah and took an oath of fidelity towards him4 ,with a view to completing their religious education and making fresh converts1 ,mohammad delegated ,musab ibn ,umr1 one of his most learned disciples1 who went away with them4 ,in ,yasrib1 the ,islamic creed did not meet with the difficulties that hampered its progress in ,makkah1 where it was harmful to the interests of the exploiters of the idols4 ,musab's task turned out to be particularly easy1 and the ,permanent ,miracle of the ,surahs of the ,qur'an1 recited by him1 produced its effect with lightning-like rapidity4 ,resembling a beneficial rainstorm which might have broke1 in a few minutes1 over every part of a country suffering from drought1 restoring life and fertility1 ,islam had diffused its wholesome dew over every district of the town1 calming dissensions and causing the virtues necessary for its triumph to take root and flourish in the citizens' hearts4 ,soon there was not a single family among the ,aus or the ,khazraj which did not count several ,believers among its members4 ,musab1 who had good reasons to be proud of the result of his mission1 returned to ,makkah to report progress to ,mohammad4 ,when the date of the pilgrimage came due1 seventy-five ,mussulmans1 two being women1 joined the caravan of their fellow-citizens who were still idolaters4 ,the converts1 full of zeal1 arranged to meet the ,prophet on the ,aqabah1 during the night preceding the second day of ,tashriq1 in order to offer a safe place of refuge in their city1 for him and his disciples4 ,ka'b ibn ,malik1 one of the pilgrims1 has said3 ,we made up our minds to keep our movements secret from our idolatrous fellow-citizens1 among whom we slept until one third of the night was passed4 ,we then went out1 one after another1 stealthily1 making our way1 slowly and silently1 towards a pass on the slopes of the ,aqabah1 where we all met together to await the ,prophet4 ,he soon arrived1 accompanied by his uncle ,abbas ibn ,abdul-,muttalib4 ,he had not yet abjured the religion of his ancestors1 but he had great affection for his nephew from whom he wished to ward off all misfortune1 following the example of his brother1 ,abu ,talib4 ,having been informed of the plans of the people of ,yasrib1 ,abbas wanted to see for himself what amount of confidence ,mohammad could have in their proposals4 ,abbas was the first to address the meeting and spoke as follows3 ',o ,assembly of the ,khazraj and the ,aus6 my brother's son1 as ye know1 holds high rank among us1 and although we do not share his convictions1 we have hitherto protected him against his fellow-citizens4 ,in our qawm he finds honour and safety4 ,nevertheless1 at the present hour1 he turns towards you1 and desires to settle in your midst4 ,reflect6 if ye decide to remain faithful to your promises and shield him from all dangers whatsoever1 it will be well4 ,but should ye fear to be forced one day to throw him over1 and give him into the hands of his enemies1 it would be better1 now at once1 to confess that your purpose is not steadfast by withdrawing your proposals and leaving him with his own party4' ,without the slightest hesitation1 we answered ,abbas3 ',thou hast heard what we proposed4 ,thou canst rely on us absolutely6' ,then we turned to ,mohammad3 ',speak1 ,o ,prophet6 ,what dost thou want of us1 for thy ,lord and for thyself8' ,after having recited a few ,surahs and recapitulated the fundamental principles of ,islam1 the ,prophet added3 ',swear that ye will fight to defend me and my disciples1 as ye would fight to defend your wives and children4' ,we took the required oath with unanimous enthusiasm3 ',by ,allah6 we are war-children1 and our fathers have taught us how to manufacture all weapons6'--',o ,prophet6' broke in ,abul ,hasham1 'there exists a compact1 between the ,jews of ,yasrib and us1 which we shall have to break1 perhaps1 in order to uphold thy cause4 ,what would be our position1 in our land1 if1 after being victorious thanks to us1 thou didst go back to thy qawm8' ,the ,prophet smiled and protested3 ',rest easy on that score6 ,your blood hath become my blood and your honour1 my honour4 ,he who wrongeth you1 wrongeth me4 ,i'll fight the enemies you fight1 and support whom ye support2 ye are mine and ,i am yours6 ,choose then twelve ,najibs among you as leaders4' ,after having consulted together1 we chose nine ,khazraj and three ,aus4 ,when we brought the twelve men to him1 he said3 ',ye shall be my delegates in your qawm1 as were the apostles of ,jesus1 son of ,mary1 among their people4' ,the ,najibs pledged their words2 but1 just as the solemn oath was about to be sworn1 ,ibn-i-,ubadah rose and said3 ',o ,assembly of the ,khazraj and ,aus6 have ye reflected seriously anent the consequences of the compact ye intend to make with this man8 ,for his sake ye swear to go to war with white1 swarthy and black men4 ,but if1 in days to come1 seeing your property pillaged and your nobles massacred1 ye were to forsake him1 shame would be brought upon you in this world and the next4'--',we are resigned in anticipation to the loss of our property and to the death of our best men1 if such a sacrifice is useful for the cause of ,islam1' we replied unhesitatingly1 'but may we ask the ,prophet what we shall receive in exchange8' ,he replied3 ',paradise6' ,who1 from desire to behold the face of their ,lord1 are constant amid trials1 and observe prayer1 and give alms in secret and openly out of what ,we have bestowed upon them and turn aside evil by good3 for these is the recompense of the abode 99 ,gardens of ,eden--into which they shall enter together with the just of their fathers1 and their wives1 and their descendants3 and the angels shalt go in unto them at every portal3 99 ,peace be upon you6 say they1 because ye have patiently endured6 99 ,and charming is the recompense of the ,abode6 ,so oft as they are fed therefrom with fruit for sustenance1 they shall say1 ',this same was our sustenance of eld6' ,but they will only resemble those of earth1 being infinitely more delicious 444 99 ,and theirs shall be the ,houris with large black eyes like close-kept pearls 444 99 ,no vain discourse shall they hear therein1 nor charge of sin 99 ,we will remove whatever rancour was in their hearts 444 and they shall say ',praise be to ,allah who hath guided us hither4' 99 ,and other things which ye desire will ,he bestow3 ,help from ,allah and greedy conquest6 444 99 ,o ye who believe6 be ansars of ,allah6 7i4e4 helpers1 soldiers47 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xiii1 #bb1 #bc1 #bd4 ,,ii1 #bc4 ,,lvi1 #bb1 #bd4 ,,vii1 #da4 ,,lxi1 #ac1 #ad47 ,when they heard these promises of inconceivable bliss in ,paradise1 announced by such tokens as are understood by mortals' weak brains1 the ,faithful felt their souls filled with hope and said to the ,prophet3 ',stretch out thine hand6' ,mohammad offered his hand1 opened out1 the palm turned upwards2 and ,asad ibn ,zarara came and struck it with his right hand1 followed by ,abul ,hisham and ,al ,bara2 and1 one after the other1 all the ,yasrib pilgrims1 who from that day forth called themselves1 ,ansars4 ,we were getting ready to return furtively to our encampment1 our hearts brimming over with joy and hope1 when1 in the silence of the night1 on the summit of the ,aqabah1 a voice resounded1 the most shrill ,i had ever heard4 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish6' it shouted1 'be on your guard6 ,the sons of the ,khazraj and ,aus have sworn to fall upon you with the sword6' ,we shuddered1 but the ,prophet removed our fears by saying3 ',that is the voice of the demon of the ,aqabah which means that ,iblis 7,satan7 is shrieking4 ,he is ,allah's enemy1 and his cry has not been heard by any of our adversaries4' ,we returned to our tents1 where we found our fellow-citizens sleeping soundly1 suspecting naught of that which had taken place4 ,nevertheless1 upon awaking1 next day1 a deputation of ,quraish nobles arrived1 warned either by the voice of ,iblis1 or by reports of spies dogging the ,prophet's footsteps4 ',o ,assembly of the ,khazraj and ,aus6' said these delegates1 'it hath come to our ears that ye have allured one of our men1 ,mohammad ibn ,abdullah and taken an oath with him to wage war upon us4' ,the idolaters of our party1 knowing nothing about the events of the night1 swore with most evident sincerity that the ,quraish were mistaken4 ',this business is improbable6' exclaimed one of their chieftains1 ,abu ,salul by name4 ',my qawm would not have hidden it from me and ,i have heard naught about it4' ,the ,quraish tribesmen went away1 more or less tranquilised1 but they met on their road some ,bedouins who had been witnesses of the strange gathering in the ,aqabah ravine and who imparted their suspicions4 ,the ,quraish1 convinced of the treachery of the ,khazraj and the ,aus1 turned back in great haste to the encampment4 ,but the tents were struck2 the birds had flown and were far off by that time1 out of danger4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,plot ,,against ,,the ,,prophet ,henceforward the ,prophet could reckon on safety and shelter in the town of ,yasrib and he gave orders to all his disciples to take refuge within its walls4 ,the idolaters could not help feeling great apprehension1 by reason of their victims meeting with the inhabitants of a rival city4 ,the worshippers of images impeded the union by means of great violence1 and it was only one by one1 or in small1 successive groups1 that the ,believers were able to reach their place of safety4 ,from that day onwards1 they took the name of ,muhajirun1 or emigrants4 ,as for the ,prophet1 relieved of all anxiety concerning them1 he stopped in ,makkah with ,ali and ,abu ,bakr only4 ,they knew full well the risk they ran1 but despite ,abu ,bakr's adjurations1 ,mohammad wished to make a supreme effort1 and resort to force before leaving his native town4 ,he still hoped to rescue some of his fellow-countrymen from idolatry1 especially as he now had a shelter to offer them2 and besides1 he did not like to leave his post without authorisation from the ,lord4 ,the emigration of the ,believers carried the fury of the ,quraish idolaters to the highest pitch as well as causing them great anxiety4 ,they resolved to strike a decisive blow4 ,they called a meeting in the ,dar-un-,nadwa1 ,house of ,counsel1 built by their ancestor1 ,qusayy ibn ,kilab4 ,the most important resolutions were taken in this ,dar-un-,nadwa1 where only the descendants of ,qusayy were admitted1 but not until they had reached the age of forty4 ,just as representatives of every division of the ,quraish were entering the ,house of ,counsel1 a tall1 old man of haughty bearing1 attired in woollen garments1 appeared on the threshold4 ,in reply to questions as to who he was and what he wanted1 he replied3 ',i am a ,shaikh of the ,najd4 ,attracted by your noble gait and the sweetness of your favourite scents1 ,i feel great desire to hear you speak4 ,if ye consent to admit me to your noble assembly1 perchance my advice may not be entirely useless4' ,the inhabitants of the ,najd lived too far away to be suspected of acting in complicity with ,mohammad1 therefore the ,committee of the ,elders found that nothing prevented them from authorising the noble stranger to be present during the meeting1 and he followed them into the hall of debate4 ,the ,head ,committee started the discussion at once4 ',we all know1' they said to each other1 'about the intrigues of this man ,mohammad and the danger with which he threatens our country4 ,we will talk over the best means of defence4 ,let each of us give his opinion freely4' ,the first to speak was ,abul ,bukhtari who made this proposal3 ',let us cast our enemy into a dungeon1 load him with chains1 and bolt the door upon him until he die4'--',such a proceeding would be fraught with fatal consequences1' the ,shaikh of the ,najd objected1 'if you carry it out4 ,the news of your act of violence would filter through the prison gates and reach the ears of ,mohammad's companions who1 ye may be sure1 would quickly attack you in order to free him4 ,thanks to assistance of the ,yasrib ,mussulmans1 they would be victorious4 ,let us hear some one else's proposition4' ,asad ibn ,rabiya rose and said3 ',why cannot we expulse him from among us and banish him from our country8 ,when he is gone1 little we reck where he taketh refuge or what becometh of him4 ,we shall be well rid of him4'--',truly1 a fine piece of advice6' exclaimed the ,shaikh of the ,najd4 ',know ye nothing about the beauty of your adversary's speech1 the charm of his voice and the strength of his arguments8 ,scarcely will he have set foot among the neighbouring ,arab tribes1 when he will dominate them by his eloquence1 cause them to follow in his wake1 and come back from exile at their head1 to have his own way with you all6 ,try and find a more reasonable plan to crush him4' ,then it was the turn of ,abu ,jahal4 ',by our gods6' said he1 ',i have a project which1 ,i am certain1 will satisfy you entirely4'--',speak6 ,what is thy plan8' exclaimed his audience4--',this is it4 ,in each subdivision of our tribe we'll choose a young1 vigorous warrior belonging to a family equally noble and respected1 and we'll place in his hand a well-sharpened sword4 ,these young warriors1 banded together1 shall throw themselves on ,mohammad at the same instant2 all striking him at once4 ,by acting in this way1 the responsibility of shedding his blood will be shared among all the subdivisions to which the murderers belong1 and the ,abd ,manaf1 relatives of the dead man1 unable to declare war upon every subdivision of our tribe1 will be obliged to content themselves with receiving the ,diyah 7blood ransom7 that we may be good enough to offer4'--',these are words of intelligence6' exclaimed the ,shaikh of the ,najd1 who was no other than ,iblis 7,satan7 disguised in human shape4 ',that man's motion points to the only way out of your difficulty4' ,this perfidious counsel met with the unanimous approval of the assembly4 ,the ,unbelievers flattered themselves that their enemy was already got rid of1 but they had reckoned without the will of the ,almighty4 ,the angel ,jibra'il1 sent by ,him1 warned the ,prophet of the conspiracy to take his life1 and brought him orders to emigrate in his turn1 at the same time warning him as follows3 ',sleep not this night upon thy wonted couch4' ,in ,mohammad's house were several sums of money deposited with him by ,unbelievers1 and he did not care to go away before having given back what was due to each rightful owner4 ,he charged his faithful ,ali to carry this out1 after having told him what he had just heard and saying3 ',sleep in my stead1 on my habitual couch1 and wrap thyself in this--my green mantle of the ,hazramaut4 ,fear naught2 no harm can come to thee from my enemies4' ,when the first four hours of the night had gone by1 the conspirators1 among whom was ,abu ,jahal who had come to excite their zeal1 were posted in ambush close to the door of the house1 to prevent ,mohammad from escaping4 ,they did not wish to consummate their crime in darkness1 for people might then have denied the participation of the ,quraish4 ,they preferred to await daybreak1 so that it might be plainly visible that each and every one had an equal share in the murder4 ,but ,he who never sleeps watched over ,his ,prophet surrounded by foes4 ,verily on their necks1 ,we have placed chains which reach the chin1 and forced up are their heads 99 ,and before them have ,we set a barrier and behind them a barrier1 and ,we have shrouded them in a veil1 so that they shall not see4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxvi1 #g-h47 ,confiding in the protection of his ,lord1 ,mohammad crept quietly out of his dwelling1 picking up some loose earth and throwing a handful or two on the head of each conspirator4 ,he then went away4 ,the eyes of the miscreants1 beneath lids heavy with tedious waiting and blinded by the bandage of sleep that ,allah had placed thereon1 saw nothing4 ',for whom are ye watching here8' quoth a passer-by1 coming on the scene4--',for ,mohammad4'--',allah hath saved him and he hath tricked you all4 ,he hath just departed right under your noses and after covering your pates with dust1 he strode away gaily4' ,each startled man swiftly clapped his hand to his head and1 withdrawing his fingers dirty with dust1 gave signs of stupefaction4 ,but1 peering through a crack in the door1 they saw ,ali asleep on the ,prophet's couch and wrapped in his green mantle4 ,this sight set the villains' minds at rest and they all stood sentinel till dawn4 ,actuated by the same impulse1 when the sun rose1 they battered down the door and with swords unsheathed1 threw themselves on ,ali4 ,he sat up facing them4 ,they recognised him and called out3 ',how now6 ,can it be thee1 ,o ,ali8 ,where is thy companion8'--',i know not4' ,in their fury at having been so finely tricked1 they seized up ,ali and imprisoned him in the ,temple2 but quickly recognising what a grave mistake they would make by being revenged on the son of ,abu ,talib1 they set him free4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,and before them have ,we set a barrier and behind them a barrier1 and ,we have shrouded them in a veil1 so that they shall not see4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fifth ,illustration3 ,interior of a ,mosque4 ,al ,mihrab3 the niche marking the direction of ,makkah4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,and fight for the cause of ,allah against those who fight against you4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fifth ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,hegira1 ,,or ,,the ,,emigration ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,to ,,madinah ,at the moment when the ,mohammedans were emigrating to ,yasrib1 ,abu ,bakr begged the ,prophet to let him join them1 but was answered thus3 ',it is needless to hurry4 ,maybe ,allah may give thee the companion thou dost prefer to undertake the journey in thy company4' ,hoping that this companion would turn out to be the ,prophet in person1 ,abu ,bakr purchased two swift she-camels1 which he stabled in the courtyard of his house1 feeding them liberally1 and keeping them in readiness to take to the road4 ,ayishah has said3 ,the ,prophet1 who never let a day go by1 without coming to see my father1 morning or evening1 arrived suddenly at an unwonted hour4 ,abu ,bakr guessed that some serious matter brought his son-in-law to our dwelling1 and made room for him on the bench4 ,the ,prophet sat down and told him3 ',allah authoriseth me to depart from ,makkah with my qawm4 ,my turn hath come to emigrate4'--',with me1 ,o ,prophet6 in company with me8' supplicated ,abu ,bakr1 plying him with questions4 ',yea1 in thy company4'--',at this answer1 tears of joy such as ,i had never seen before1 welled up in my father's eyes1 and he apprised ,mohammad of his preparations for travel4' ,the she-camels1 in rare fettle1 were handed over to ,ibn-i-,arqas1 an idolater1 but in whom1 nevertheless1 ,abu ,bakr placed great confidence4 ,ibn-i-,arqas was to take them to graze1 and three days later1 lead them to a meeting-place appointed at the mouth of a cave in the ,jabal ,saur1 about an hour and half's walk from ,makkah1 on the road leading to the sea4 ,ibn-i-,arqas would then serve as a guide as far as ,yasrib4 ,by a small door at the back of the house1 the two fugitives went off secretly1 stepping softly1 and making their way to the ,saur cave4 ,the ,prophet's naked feet were soon bleeding1 cut by the sharp1 loose stones of the mountain paths4 ,abu ,bakr1 in despair at seeing the blood of ,god's ,chosen ,one flowing1 carried him on his back the rest of the way1 and put him down in front of the entrance to the grot in which he entered first4 ,he explored every hole and corner to make sure that it did not serve as a refuge for wild beasts or reptiles4 ,he picked up all the stones1 which he piled in his cloak1 and threw them down the side of the mountain4 ,then1 with torn fragments of his apparel1 he stopped up any holes which might have been places of concealment for scorpions or other venomous insects4 ,then only did he admit ,mohammad who fell asleep1 his head resting on his companion's thigh4 ,but under the sand carpeting the cave1 was hidden a viper which had thus escaped ,abu ,bakr's vigilant1 searching glances4 ,by an involuntary movement1 the devoted disciple stamped on the reptile which1 furious1 turned with a hiss1 and drove its dart into ,abu ,bakr's heel4 ,the pain was atrocious1 but1 fearing to awaken the ,prophet whose head was pillowed on his companion's thigh1 ,abu ,bakr made not the slightest movement1 nor did he let a cry escape his lips4 ,shortly afterwards1 the venom began its malignant course through his veins1 and the intensity of the pain drew tears from his eyes4 ,a few burning drops fell on ,mohammad's cheek4 ,waking up with a start1 the ,prophet asked3 ',what ails thee1 ,o sincere friend8'--',i have been stung by a viper4' ,the sacrifice of his being1 made by ,abu ,bakr1 had overwhelmed him with joy bringing warmth to his heart1 and triumphed over the evil effects of the poison that had begun to freeze his limbs1 so that directly the ,prophet rubbed the poisonous wound with a little of his saliva1 all pain and swelling disappeared4 ,the ,quraish1 disturbed and maddened by the flight of ,mohammad and ,abu ,bakr1 despatched two town-criers1 one on each side of the city of ,makkah1 charging them to offer a reward of a hundred she-camels for anyone who should overtake the fugitives4 ,the most cunning trackers set out in all directions4 ,abu ,jahal lost no time in rushing to ,abu ,bakr's dwelling1 and knocked furiously at the door4 ,asma1 ,ayishah's sister1 came out to him4 ',where is thy father8' he asked4--',by ,god6 ,i know not1' she replied4 ,he lifted his hand and slapped her face so brutally that he tore out one of her earrings4 ,he then rejoined a group of young men who were following a clue that took them to the ,jabal ,saur4 ,scarcely had ,his ,apostle sought shelter in the grot1 then ,allah ordered a shrub1 grown to about a man's height1 and known as ,umm-ul-,ghilan1 a little way off from the cave1 to leave the spot where it flourished and block up the entrance4 ,then ,he sent a spider to spin its web between the branches of the shrub and the jagged edges of the cavern's mouth2 and also a pair of wild pigeons that built a nest and laid eggs in the narrow entrance4 ,at that juncture1 the trackers began to arrive from all parts1 enticed by the bait of the reward2 but they were brought to a standstill by the fragile barrier built by the most humble among insects3 a web that the slightest breath of the breeze sufficed to destroy4 ',there is nothing to be done in this cave1' declared one of the ,unbelievers1 ,ummayyata ibn ,khalaf1 just as they were getting ready to enter4 ',see this cobweb4 ,it dates1 without a doubt1 from before the birth of the man we are pursuing4 ,how could ,mohammad have entered the cave without tearing these slender threads8 ,and look at those pigeons' eggs4 ,would he not have broken them as well8' ,all found these deductions well-grounded and gave up a search that seemed futile4 ,abu ,jahal was the only one who guessed they were on the right track4 ',nevertheless1 ,i feel that our enemy is not far off1' he said4 ',he is looking at us now1 but magic spells cloud our eyes6' ,they went away1 never thinking about searching on the ground for the tell-tale traces of the fugitives' footsteps4 ,while this scene was being enacted1 ,abu ,bakr trembled greatly2 not for his own life1 but for that of his companion1 to whom he said3 ',my death means nothing more than a man dying2 but thine means all the lives of thy disciples6' ,they remained in their hiding-place three days and three nights4 ,abdullah1 son of ,abu ,bakr1 passed the whole of the day among the ,unbelievers of ,makkah2 and at night1 brought all the news he could gather4 ,ibn-i-,fuhairah1 one of ,abu ,bakr's shepherds1 led his flock to graze among those of the ,quraish4 ,at night1 he drove his sheep in front of the cave1 thus bringing food to the fugitives3 milk and the flesh of the lambs4 ,the following day1 he went away with his flock1 leading it over ,abdullah's tracks so as to efface them4 ,on the third day1 the vigilance of the ,quraish being somewhat relaxed1 ,ibn-i-,arqas kept his appointment punctually1 bringing ,abu ,bakr's two she-camels1 and a third belonging to him4 ,asma1 too1 had not been idle4 ,she brought bags filled with provisions4 ,all being in readiness1 ,abu ,bakr made the best camel kneel down in front of the ,prophet1 whom he asked to mount on her back4 ',i cannot ride a camel that doth not belong to me'1 replied ,mohammad4--',by my father and mother1 she's thine6 ,i give her to thee4'--',i cannot accept the gift4 ,tell me what she cost thee4 ,i'll buy her for the same price4' ,the bargain concluded1 the ,prophet bestrode that she-camel4 ,abu ,bakr rode the other1 taking up behind him1 ,ibn-i-,fuhairah1 his faithful serving-man4 ,ibn-i-,arqas1 on his own camel1 guided the little caravan on the western road to ,yasrib which runs1 now and again1 along the seashore4 ,sidenote3 ,,suraqa',s ,,mishap ,quoth ,suraqa ibn ,malik3 ,i was in a group of ,makkans gossiping over recent events and the price set upon ,mohammad's head1 when a man of the nomadic tribes1 coming from the ,badya-land1 told us the following story3 ',on the road leading to the sea1 ,i passed a small caravan comprising three she-camels4 ,i seemed to recognise the riders4 ,they were ,mohammad and his companions4' ,i winked to him to be silent and said out loud1 in an indifferent sort of tone3 ',thou art mistaken4 ,the folks thou didst meet were ,bedouins that ,i sent out to search for straying camels belonging to me4' ,i remained a little longer in the midst of the citizens1 before returning to my dwelling1 where ,i ordered my serving-maid to lead my horse to a secluded spot in the valley4 ,i also ordered one of my slaves1 a negro gifted with prodigious strength and indomitable courage1 to drive one of my camels to the same place and there await my coming4 ,i left my house by a back-door1 bending down1 trailing my spear low1 on a level with the ground1 so as to prevent the glistening of steel in the sunlight4 ,i took all these precautions so as not to call the attention of those who1 allured by the promised reward1 might have followed and forced me to share with them1 were ,i successful4 ,arrived at the place of meeting1 ,i mounted my camel and1 accompanied by my slave who ran behind1 holding my horse by the bridle1 ,i diligently followed the track of the fugitives4 ,when ,i thought ,i was sufficiently near to them1 ,i mounted my horse1 and left my camel to the care of my slave1 giving him orders to rejoin me as quickly as possible4 ,my steed was fresh1 not having been ridden for some days and he was renowned lor his speed4 ,i put him at a gallop4 ,but after a few strides1 he stuck his toes in the ground and fell1 his nostrils in the sand1 snorting and trembling4 ,i was thrown off4 ,impressed by this evil omen1 ,i pulled some azlams 7divining arrows7 out of my quiver to consult the decrees of fate4 ,the signs pointed to bad luck1 but the reward excited my greed1 so ,i stuck to my plan and continued in pursuit4 ,shortly afterwards ,i caught sight of the fugitives and1 urging on my steed1 ,i got so near that ,i could hear the voice of the ,prophet reciting the ,qur'an2 but to my great astonishment1 the noise of my galloping horse's hoofs did not cause him the least uneasiness4 ,he did not even deign to turn his head4 ,on the other hand1 ,abu ,bakr kept on looking round1 and seemed to be in a state of the liveliest anxiety4 ,just another effort and ,i was right up with them1 when suddenly my horse's legs sank up to his knees into the earth1 although it seemed very hard and firm in that spot4 ,i was thrown over his head4 ,i got up1 exasperated1 swearing at him and lashing him to make him get a foothold4 ,but all in vain4 ,his struggles and efforts only succeeded in making him sink more deeply down1 as far as his belly1 whilst a dust-cloud resembling a pillar of smoke1 issued from the hole where he was swallowed up4 ,i was overcome by sudden fear4 ,once more ,i tried my luck by the arrows4 ,the forebodings of evil fortune were just as plainly shown4 ,feeling sure1 therefore1 that some great calamity was in store to punish me for my projects1 ,i cried out3 ',o ,mohammad1 ,i plead for mercy at thy hands6 ,in exchange1 ,i'll bring thee useful tidings and beguile all those who are following me2 but pray to thy ,god that ,he set my horse free4' ,mohammad threw up his hands1 saying3 ',o ,allah6 if ,suraqa is sincere1 deliver his steed4' ,the words were no sooner out of his mouth than the soil lessened its grip1 and getting up on my horse whose legs were now at liberty1 ,i rejoined the fugitives with whom ,i offered to share my arms1 and provisions4 ,they refused1 not wishing to accept anything from an unbeliever and they commanded me to leave them in peace4 ,from what ,i had witnessed1 ,i became convinced that ,mohammad would conquer in the end1 and ,i persisted in demanding a safe-conduct proving that he granted me his pardon and that there no longer existed any cause for enmity between him and me4 ,obeying his orders1 ,abu ,bakr made out1 on a piece of leather1 the document ,i claimed4 ,it saved my life during the ,taif expedition4 ,i then turned back4 ,once more in ,makkah1 ,i told my black slave and all my fellow-citizens--who had guessed the motives governing my journey--that ,i had seen nothing1 and ,i cursed the information that had led me to set out on such a useless and fatiguing expedition4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,arrival ,,at ,,quba 7,june #bhth ,a4,d4 #fbb7 ,thanks to the inconceivable rapidity with which news travels in ,arabian countries1 the ,mussulmen of ,yasrib had already heard of the ,prophet's departure and that he intended to rejoin them4 ,quoth one among them3 ,every day1 after the morning prayer1 we go to the ,hira1 a burning plain1 covered with scattered black pebbles and which stretches out south-west of the town4 ,there1 our hands shading our eyes from the dazzling sun1 we gaze as far as our sight permits1 hoping to catch sight of ,allah's ,apostle4 ,we turn not back in the direction of our dwellings until high noon1 doubly defeated by the blaze of the perpendicular rays of the sun and their reverberation on white sand and calcined stones4 ,one day1 among all these days of overwhelming heat1 we had just returned1 when a ,jew1 noted for the extraordinary acuity of his sight1 made out1 from the top of one of the towers on the ramparts1 a caravan consisting of a few men in white garb1 mounted on camels4 ,they seemed rising and falling1 driven to and fro by the eddying mirage4 ,guessing that he saw the ,prophet and his companions1 the ,jew turned round in the direction of the city4 ',o ,assembly of the ,arabs6' he shouted in resouding accents1 'the good luck ye did expect hath come at last6' ,awakened from our siesta1 we rushed in the direction of the caravan4 ,it was encamped at the foot of a solitary palm-tree1 a few paces off the ,quba oasis4 ,with ,abu ,bakr1 the ,prophet was resting in the shade of this tree4 ,as both appeared to be about the same age1 and considering that the majority had never met ,allah's ,apostle1 we hesitated1 not knowing to whom of the couple we should pay homage4 ,just then1 the palm's scanty shade having changed its direction1 the sunlight fell on the face of one of the travellers4 ,thereupon1 we noticed the other rise to his feet and stretch his mantle over the head of his companion1 to protect him from the rays of the orb of day4 ,thus an end was put to our hesitation4 ,the ,banu ,amir ibn ,auf to whom the hamlet of ,quba belonged1 now arrived1 transported with joy1 to invite to sojourn in their midst the illustrious guest sent to them by ,allah4 ,the ,prophet lodged with ,kulsum ibn ,hidmi2 ,abu ,bakr with ,khubib ibn ,saf1 while the other ,muhajirun took up their quarters with ,sad ibn ,khazimah1 one of the ,najibs4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,era ,,of ,,the ,,hegira ,this happy ending of ,mohammad's journey took place on a ,monday1 at noon1 the twelfth day of the month ,rabi'u'l-,awwal4 ,the year of this emigration1 renowned under the name of ,hijrah 7called ,hegira by the ,europeans71 has been adopted by ,mussulmans for the beginning of their era4 ,it corresponds to ,a4,d4 #fbb4 ,at first1 such a choice creates surprise1 and yet no other event in the ,prophet's existence exercised more decisive influence over the world-wide success of his cause4 ,had he remained in ,makkah1 granting even his final triumph1 ,islam would have remained there with him4 ,the ,arabs of all ,arabia1 fearing the power with which ,islam endowed the ,quraish alone1 would have formed a coalition to prevent it spreading out of the ,sacred ,city4 ,whereas1 after having begun1 despite all malice1 to plant the roots of his religion firmly in his native town1 it was easy for the ,prophet to return there when he had won over the rest of the ,arabs to his cause4 ,this proves how impenetrable are the designs of ,providence1 and how frequently the misfortunes with which ,god afflicts us1 burdening us with suffering1 determine the cause of our successes4 ,if the ,prophet had not been persecuted and banished by his own people1 he would never have been able to fulfil his universal mission1 and the world would never have been enlightened by ,islam4 ,the ,prophet sojourned at ,quba ,tuesday1 ,wednesday and ,thursday4 ,all rejoined him there4 ,his faithful henchman1 after having restituted all the deposits confided to his care to their rightful owners1 arrived at ,quba1 his feet badly lacerated1 having tramped night and day4 ,mohammad embraced him warmly1 bandaged his wounds with his blessed hands1 and made him rest by his side in ,kulsum's dwelling4 ,mohammad also busied himself with laying the first brick of a ,mosque--the first place of public prayer in ,islam--and left to ,ammar ibn ,yasar the care of finishing it4 ,this ,mosque was called ,at ,taqwa1 i4e4 the ,mosque of ,the ,fear of ,god4 ,reference is made to it in these verses3 ,there is indeed a ,mosque founded from its first day upon the fear of ,god2 ,more right is it that thou take thy stand therein2 therein are men who aspire to keep themselves pure and ,allah loveth those who purify themselves4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #aji47 ,sidenote3 ,,arrival ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,at ,,yasrib ,despite the persistence of the ,banu ,amir who wished him to remain in their hamlet1 the ,prophet departed on ,friday1 at daybreak1 riding the she-camel he had bought of ,abu ,bakr1 and which became celebrated under the name of al-,qaswa1 i4e4 ,she that hath split ears and nostrils4 ,a great throng of horsemen and people on foot followed him1 and his companions fought for the honour of holding his bridle4 ,the hour of prayer arrived when he was passing through the territory of the ,banu ,salim ibn ,auf4 ,he alighted and recited1 for the first time1 the ,friday prayer1 leading a numerous band of ,believers in pious array behind him4 ,at the termination of the prayer1 he turned towards the ,faithful to preach them a sermon4 ,then he once more bestrode his she-camel1 and escorted by a crowd animated by the most ardent enthusiasm1 made a triomphal entry into ,yasrib4 ,on every terrace-roof1 the ,zawat-ul-,khidar1 those who are generally hidden inside houses--women and young girls--were grouped together1 ressembling1 in their bright-hued draperies1 pretty birds of vividly-tinted plumage1 perched on the edges of cliffs4 ,with melodious voices1 quavering by reason of emotion1 they sang in chorus3 ,the full moon hath risen above our heads--,emerging from the ,sanniyat-ul-,wida 7the ,farewell ,mountain ,pass76--,numerous are the thanksgivings we must offer up to ,allah1--,with the purest fervour of our supplications6--,o thou1 ,his ,messenger among us1--,the orders thou dost bring us shall be piously executed6 ,in every district through which the ,prophet passed1 that of the ,banu ,baid1 ,banu ,saida1 ,banu ,haris1 ,banu ,adyy1 etc41 a deputation of leading men caught his camel by the bridle and stopped it1 to be able to say3 ',remain with us1 ,o ,prophet6 ,here wilt thou find riches1 power and safety4' ,but he replied3 ',let my she-camel go1 for she hath received orders from on ,high4' ,and smiling kindly1 he added3 ',the blessing of ,allah be upon you6' ,he let the reins hang loose on the neck of the animal he was riding1 and she1 stretching her long neck far above the escort of ,believers1 turned her head first to the right and then to the left1 as if searching1 with her great black eyes shaded by lengthy lashes1 for the halting-place assigned to her by ,providence4 ,after a thousand windings and turnings1 she stopped in the middle of a wide expanse of waste ground1 and knelt down2 but as the ,prophet did not alight1 she rose and took a few more strides1 hesitatingly4 ,finally1 and decisively1 she went back to the spot where she had stopped at first1 and knelt down again4 ,she stretched the entire length of her neck on the ground and uttered low grunts4 ,so then ,mohammad alighted1 saying3 ',allah causeth me to set foot on the ground in a blessed spot4 ,here will be the finest place in which to dwell4' ,this piece of property was a marbad1 i4e4 a barn-floor1 where dates were laid out to dry4 ,it was situated in the district of the ,banu ,nijar1 not far from the house of ,abu ,ayyub ,ansari who offered hospitality to the ,prophet1 and took his saddle and saddle-bags to his dwelling4 ,whilst the ,apostle1 momentarily freed from the veneration of the populace1 was settling under that friendly roof1 young people and slaves dispersed in all directions1 singing3 ',mohammad hath come6 ,the ,prophet of ,allah hath come to our town6' ,ever since that day1 eternally memorable1 the city of ,yasrib was called1 ,madinatu'n-,nabi1 the ,city of the ,prophet2 and by abbreviation1 ,al-,madinah4 7,medinah74 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,the ,,mosque ,,of ,,al-,,madinah ,,was ,,built ,at ,al-,madinah1 ,mohammad's first care was to erect a ,mosque4 ,he sought for the owners of the ground where his she-camel had knelt1 and they turned out to be two orphans1 named ,sahil and ,sohail1 whose guardian was ,muaz ibn ,afra4 ,the ,prophet asked them how much they wanted for their piece of property4 ',allah's reward is the only price we ask1' was their reply4 ,mohammad1 however1 refused the gift4 ,the purchase-money1 fixed at ten dinars1 was advanced by ,abu ,bakr1 who had transferred all his wealth from ,makkah to ,al-,madinah4 ,acting under the ,prophet's orders1 the ,believers lost no time in getting to work4 ,they cleared up the ,marbad1 where there were ruined walls1 a palm-tree and a few neglected tombs4 ,they levelled the ground and1 as soon as the foundations were dug1 ,mohammad lifted a big stone to place in the cavity1 and his noble breast became covered in dust4 ,seeing this1 his companions tried to prevent him from doing manual labour2 but he said to ,abu ,bakr3 ',say no more1 but follow my example4 ,put a stone next to mine4' ,he then commanded ,umar to place another at the side of the one set down by ,abu ,bakr2 and each of the leading ,moslems contributed in succession his stone to the structure4 ,when the stone foundations reached up to a third of the eventual height of the walls1 the ,believers began to knead clay with water1 making unbaked bricks1 with which they intended to finish the building4 ,the ,prophet1 as before1 continued to encourage his followers by his example1 and he carried bricks in his mantle4 ,seeing one of the workers with a double load on his back1 ,mohammad wiped his disciple's hair and neck1 soiled with clay1 and said3 ',the reward of the labourer awaits him in heaven1 but thou wilt find a double reward4' ,all the ,believers toiled in high spirits1 and to quicken their task by working in measure1 the masons sang in chorus1 and the verses of their chants related to their exalted hopes4 ,when the walls were seven cubits high1 the ,faithful covered the building with a flat roof1 made of palm-tree trunks1 thatched with lathes and palm-leaves4 ,on this1 they spread a layer of beaten earth1 thick enough to prevent rain filtering through4 ,the ceiling was supported inside by columns of date-tree trunks1 and the floor was sprinkled with gravel4 ,the building was one hundred cubits in length2 its breadth being a little less4 ,it could be entered by three doors2 of which the principal was called ,bab-ur-,rahma1 or ,door of ,mercy4 ,the ,mimbar1 or pulpit1 was fashioned out of a simple palm-tree trunk on which the ,prophet mounted when he preached his sermons4 ,it can thus be seen that this first ,mosque1 identical with those of the poorest villages of the ,sahara1 was far from resembling the marvellous edifices which were to be constructed a little later for the ,islamic religion4 ,at the same time as the ,mosque was being finished1 ,mohammad had caused two little hovels to be built with clods of earth--,hujrah--leaning against the walls of the temple4 ,the ,prophet proposed to live there with his family and he sent ,zayd1 his adopted son1 to ,makkah to fetch them4 ,when the houses were finished1 he left the dwelling of ,abu ,ayyub and settled down with his people who lost no time in arriving4 ,as for the ,muhajirun1 they had all been generously and hospitably welcomed by the ,ansars1 proud and joyful to receive beneath their roof-trees those of the strangers who fell to them by lot4 ,mohammad was especially moved by the cordial welcome extended to his fellow-countrymen by his new disciples4 ,but1 with his great insight concerning the souls of mortals1 he resolved to tighten the bonds of such touching friendship4 ,so that it should be proof against all insinuations dictated by the rivalry1 inevitable in the future1 between the ,muhajirun who had forsaken their country1 families and wealth to follow him2 and the ,ansars who had offered the safe shelter and material assistance to which his triumph was due4 ,would not each party have some little reason to claim for it alone first rank in the ,prophet's affection and the annals of ,islam8 ,in order to avoid such dangerous contingencies and create real family ties for the exiles1 ,mohammad profited by the cloudless exaltation uniting ,muhajirun and ,ansars just then1 to issue a decree of perfect brotherhood between them4 ,he ordained that they should pair off in couples consisting of a man of the ,mohajirun and an ,ansar4 ',fraternise in ,allah6' he told them4 ',ye are brothers6' ,henceforward1 every ,mussulman of ,al-,madinah had for brother a ,mussulman of ,makkah4 ,it would be sheer madness to try and find words to express the degree of devotion attained by this brotherhood of religion1 stronger than ties of blood1 for it was supernatural4 ,all these men's hearts1 united in the love of ,allah1 were now nothing more than a single heart1 palpitating in different breasts4 ,each man loved his brother better than himself1 and during the first years of the ,hegira1 when one died1 the other inherited his property1 to the exclusion of his natural heirs4 ,among the fraternal unions thus constituted1 we may note those of ,abu ,bakr with ,kharijah ibn ,zayd2 ,ummar with ,usman ibn ,malik2 ,abu ,ubaidah with ,sad ibn ,muaz2 and ,usman ibn ,affan with ,aus ibn ,najar4 ,the prophet had been the first to choose ,ali for his brother1 thus sealing the bond of fraternity that he had signed when beginning his mission4 ,but as ,ali belonged to the ,muhajirun1 the ,ansars might have been vexed because the ,apostle did not choose a brother in their ranks4 ,that was why1 at the death of one of their ,najibs1 ,asad ibn ,zararah1 ,mohammad took his place as ,najib1 pretexting that he was one of them1 because his uncle on his mother's side had formerly dwelt in their city4 ,in this way1 thanks to his sense of psychology and diplomatic skill1 ,mohammad achieved a wonderful result3 the wars between the ,kajraz and the ,aus which1 for centuries past1 had deluged ,yasrib with blood1 ceased as by magic1 soon after his arrival4 ,he metamorphosed the inhabitants of ,al-,madinah into the brothers of the ,makkan emigrants1 formerly their rivals4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,quiblah ,,of ,,makkah ,in the beginning1 the ,prophet allowed the ,believers full liberty to turn in any direction they pleased when saying their prayers1 for3 ,the ,east and the ,west is ,allah's2 therefore1 whichever way ye turn1 there is the face of ,allah4 ,truly ,allah is ,omnipresent1 ,omniscient4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #aji74 ,while terminating the building of the first ,mosque1 the ,prophet divined that prayerful impulsiveness diverted in one direction would be more thrilling1 because of the feeling of union in the same ideals that was bound to result4 ,by means of a cube of masonry1 composed of stone and clay placed against the wall of the building looking south1 he primitively established the ,qiblah1 or direction of prayer1 towards the ,temple of ,jerusalem4 ,but he was ordered by a verse to change the direction towards ,makkah3 ,we have formerly seen thee turning thy face towards every part of the ,heaven2 but ,we will assuredly have thee turn to a ,qiblah which shall please thee4 ,turn then thy face towards the ,sacred ,mosque1 and wherever ye be1 turn your faces in that direction4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #aci74 ,and ever since that day1 the ,qiblah remains definitively fixed for all the ,mussulmans of the world1 in the direction of the ,temple of ,makkah4 ,sidenote3 ,,institution ,,of ,,the ,,azan1 ,,or ,,call ,,of ,,the ,,mu',,azzin ,prayer in common is incontestably the most profitable2 the fervour of each ,believer communicating with the soul of his neighbour4 ,it is worth twenty-seven times more than isolated prayer1 says the ,prophet4 ,it was therefore necessary to summon all ,believers together every day1 at the same hours fixed for the five prayers4 ,how was the exact time of meeting to be determined8 ,scattered over the different districts of the city1 some came too early2 others too late4 ,a consultation of the leading ,moslems took place4 ,some were for the use of a beacon1 to be lit on a commanding eminence2 others suggested the blowing of a horn2 and the rest proposed bell-ringing4 ,but all these methods were rejected1 because they were borrowed1 from ,persians1 ,jews or ,christians4 ,illustration3 ,the ,mu'azzin's ,call4 ,meanwhile1 ,abdullah ibn ,zayd arrived1 and he told of a dream he had had the night before4 ,a man attired all in green passed close to me1 carrying a hand-bell4 ,i stopped him and begged him to sell me his bell4 ',what dost thou want it for8'--',to summon ,believers to prayer4'--',a much better way1' he replied1 'would be to proclaim the profession of faith of ,islam with all the strength of thy lungs4' ,the ,prophet1 alive to the fact that the resonance of the human voice is more capable of communicating emotion than the most perfect metal instrument of music1 declared at once3 ',in thy dream was truth4 ,go and find ,bilal4 ,his voice is powerful and harmonious4 ,i charge thee to order him to mount to the roof of the ,mosque and summon the ,believers to prayers4' ,so ,bilal1 the freed negro1 told to call all the ,believers together1 of all ranks and races1 uttered from the terrace of the ,mosque the cry of the ,islamic soul3 ,allah is great6 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah6 ,come to prayer6 ,come to ,salvation6 ,like exquisite perfume wafted from a priceless flask1 these words in the melodious voice of ,bilal and issuing from his strong lungs1 resounded through the city4 ,echoing in all dwellings1 they caused every citizen to inhale with delight the refreshing scent of prayer4 ,ever since1 in every ,mosque all the world over1 it is the duty of a crier1 called a muazzin1 to give this summons to prayer five times daily which he does from the top of a slender minaret erected for that purpose4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,fast ,,of ,,ramadhan ,after having decided that the human voice should be used for the call to prayer1 ,mohammad1 when first he dwelt in ,al-,madinah1 continued to set forth the formal obligations of the ,islamic religion4 ,he was in the habit of fasting three days every month when he received this ,revelation3 ,as to the month ,ramadhan1 in which the ,qur'an was sent down to be man's guidance 444 as soon as anyone of you observeth the moon1 let him set about the fast44444 ,you are allowed on the night of the fast to approach your wives3 they are your garment and ye are their garment 444 ,eat and drink until ye can discern a white thread from a black thread by the daybreak3 afterwards fast strictly till night1 and go not in unto them1 but pass the time in the ,mosques4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #aha1 #ahc74 ,by these verses was the fast of the month of ,ramadhan established1 and numerous were the advantages accruing therefrom3 man1 full of self-love1 runs after everything bringing material gratification1 and flees from all that falls to the lot of the poor and the weak4 ,to rid him of this fatal propensity1 nothing is more salutary than the pangs of hunger and thirst4 ,the ,faithful1 their bodies no longer burdened by their aliments1 foregathered all day long1 and the nourishment that prayer provided for their souls1 was more impatiently expected than the nourishment of their stomachs4 ,in the torrid climate of ,al-,madinah1 nevertheless1 their thirst1 unquenched during never-ending summer days1 became real torture4 ,with dry throats1 gasping1 many among them were on the point of breaking down when they looked upon the limpid water of the saqiya and heard its tempting trickling4 ,the example of their brethren1 more resigned1 soon made them pluck up fresh courage4 ,the bonds of religious fraternity were tightened still more by this ordeal1 and1 having assisted each other to vanquish such terrible adversaries as hunger and thirst1 ,believers were ready to stand firm against the fiercest enemies among mortals4 ,during thirty days1 without murmuring and with ever-increasing exaltation1 the ,ansars and the ,mohadjirun went through the first fast of ,ramadhan4 ,at last the crescent of the new month was about to appear2 every terrace-roof and all the hills were crowded with the ,faithful1 all trying to get the first glimpse4 ,the sun's golden disc was scarcely submerged in the blue waves of the desert's horizon when every eye scrutinised anxiously the depths of the sky of emerald-like limpidity4 ,suddenly1 in the lower part of the shaded canopy of heaven1 the thin silver bow appeared4 ,a long-drawn sigh escaped from every breast1 as if each had been pierced by invisible arrows1 shot from this bow4 ,but the ,faithful had heaved no sigh of deliverance4 ,on the contrary1 the sigh was caused by regret at having so soon concluded the fasting ordeal1 in easy payment of the debt of gratitude owing to the ,benefactor4 ,during this pious trial1 each soul was fortified and each body strengthened4 ,in order to pass through the frightful deserts that encircled them1 before going forth to conquer the world1 the ,believers were training themselves to get accustomed1 as if it were a mere pastime1 to endure the tortures of hunger and thirst that they were bound to undergo1 later on1 in the depths of these very wildernesses4 ,when1 after such self-imposed deprivation1 they were able to appreciate the real value of the benefit of food1 the ,prophet imposed upon them the ,sadaqat-ul-,fitr1 the ,alms of the ,breaking of the ,fast1 forcing the ,faithful rich to give a share of their victuals to the ,faithful poor4 ,sidenote3 ,,property ,,bestowed ,,in ,,alms1 ,,and ,,the ,,prohibition ,,of ,,fermented ,,liquours ,mohammad judged that the obligation of feeding the poor once a year1 the day after the fast1 was insufficient4 ,he completed his ruling by instituting the ,zakat-ul-,mal1 the bestowal of property in alms1 intended to safeguard the existence of pauper ,mussulmans without overburdening rich folks4 ,this kind of almsgiving1 being one of the five foundations of pratical religion1 is due upon all property and revenue whatsoever3 gold1 silver1 flocks1 fruits1 grain2 and varies from a third to a tenth of such resources4 ,it should be bestowed with the greatest tact and humility3 ,o ye who believe6 make not your alms void by reproach and injury1 like him who spendeth his substance to be seen of men4 ,the likeness of such an one is that of a rock with a thin soil upon it1 on which a heavy rain falleth1 but leaveth it hard 99 ,and the likeness of those who expend their substance from a desire to please ,allah1 and through their own steadfastness1 is as a garden on a hill1 on which the heavy rain falleth1 and yieldeth its fruits twofold2 and even if a heavy rain fall not on it1 yet there is a dew 444 99 ,if ye give your alms openly1 it is well2 and if ye conceal them and give them to the poor1 this too will be of advantage to you 444 99 ,those who know them not1 think them rich because of their modesty4 ,by this their token thou shall know them--they ask not of men with importunity3 and whatever good thing ye expend in alms1 ,allah verily taketh knowledge of it4 99 ,ye shall by no means attain to goodness till ye expend that which ye love as alms4 99 ,but alms are only to be given to the poor and the needy1 and those who collect them1 and to those whose hearts are won to ,islam1 and for ransoming1 and for debtors1 and for the cause of ,allah1 and the wayfarer4 ,this is an ordinance from ,allah4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #bff1 #bfg1 #bge4 ,,iii1 #hf4 ,,ix1 #fj47 ,by the foregoing verses1 was instituted the impost of the ,zakat-ul-,mal2 literally3 ,the ,purification1 because it serves1 as it were1 to purify wealth and excuse it4 ,the ,prophet foresaw the universal ravages of alcoholism1 as deadly in its effects as the worship of idols1 and he forbade the use of fermented liquors4 ,he had first received this ,revelation3 ,they will ask thee concerning vinous liquors 444 ,say3 ,in them is great sin1 and advantage also1 to men2 but their sin is greater than their advantage4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #baf47 ,many among the ,faithful gave up these beverages1 whilst others could not bring it over their hearts to do so4 ,a second ,revelation brought this caution3 ,come not to prayer when drunken1 bid wait till ye can understand what ye utter4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iv1 #df47 ,ali caused this announcement4 ,having drunk to excess just at the hour of prayer1 he recited3 ',o ye ,unbelievers 444 we worship what ye worship4 ,ye have no religion and ,i have no religion1' instead of saying3 ,o ye ,unbelievers 99 ,i worship not what ye worship6 99 ,to you your religion2 and to me my religion4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,cix1 #a1 #b1 #f47 ,formal prohibition was finally decreed in these imperative verses3 ,o ,believers6 ,wine and games of chance1 and statues and the divining arrows1 are only an abomination of ,satan's work6 ,avoid them1 that ye may prosper4 99 ,only would ,satan sow hatred and strife among you1 by wine and games of chance1 and turn you aside from the remembrance of ,allah1 and from prayer3 will ye not1 therefore1 desist from them8 ,obey ,allah and obey the ,apostle6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,v1 #ib1 #ic47 ,sidenote3 ,,ayishah ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,ayishah1 so kind1 witty1 and learned1 was only the ,prophet's wife in name4 ,about this time1 she became a member of his household4 ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,one day1 surrounded by my companions1 ,i was playing on a swing4 ,umm-i-,rumman1 my mother1 called me4 ,i ran to her without knowing what she wanted of me4 ,she took my hand1 and made me stop on the threshold until ,i had got my breath4 ,she then washed my face and forehead and led me into the house4 ,many women of the ,ansars were there and they said to me3 ',happiness do we wish thee1 and blessings1 and the best of luck6' ,my mother left me to the care of these women4 ,they decked me out and had scarcely finished when ,allah's ,apostle suddenly came in4444 ,sidenote3 ,,hostility ,,of ,,the ,,jews ,,and ,,the ,,munafiqin ,in the beginning1 a certain number of ,jews--and among them1 the learned ,mukhariq and ,abdullah ibn ,salam1 were so moved by the advances and arguments of the ,prophet that they came and were converted by him4 ,as for the others1 their vanity was greatly flattered by the fact that the ,temple of ,solomon1 their ancestor1 had been chosen for the ,qiblah1 or direction in which ,moslems were to pray4 ,their pride1 therefore1 led them to conclude that their ,temple was immensely superior to that of ,makkah1 and consequently that the ,jewish race dominated the ,arabs4 ,when1 following the orders of ,allah1 the ,qiblah was changed from ,jerusalem to the ,ka'bah1 they were deeply mortified4 ,besides1 they soon found out how prejudicial to their interests was the coming of ,mohammad to ,al-,madinah4 ,thanks to his efforts1 fraternity reigned among the ,arab factions1 whose feuds had hitherto been a source of profit4 ,the ,prophet1 whose advent was foreshadowed in their books and on whom they founded great hopes1 was born at last4 ,they saw him in their midst1 but he did not belong to their race2 he sprung from that of ,ishmael4 ,mohammad brought with him the pure light of ,islam which they sought to extinguish by every means in their power4 ,not venturing to rely on their own strength1 they sought to embroil the ,arab townsmen and met with valuable assistance granted by a few noblemen1 whose prejudices were wounded by the principles of equality of the ,qur'an4 ,they felt belittled at merely becoming the brothers of those they scorned as being beneath them4 ,these fresh adversaries1 who were called ,munafiqin1 or ,hypocrites1 were particularly dangerous1 for they mingled in the ranks of sincere ,mussulmans and1 to all appearances1 professed the same doctrines4 ,in this way1 they wormed out secrets and sold them to ,jews and idolaters4 ,sidenote3 ,,al-,,jahad 7,,the ,,holy ,,war71 ,,and ,,how ,,it ,,was ,,instituted ,the ,prophet began to feel the urgency of taking up arms for the triumph of the faith1 which could not be definitive until after the conquest of ,makkah where stood the ,holy ,temple of the ,arabs4 ,he had received the ,revelation of the warlike undertaking with orders to unsheath the sword in his struggle against idolaters3 ,and fight for the cause of ,allah against those who fight against you3 but commit not the injustice of attacking them first3 verily ,allah loveth not the unjust3 99 ,and kill them wherever ye shall find them1 and eject them from whatever place they have ejected you444 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #ahf1 #ahg47 ,such were the ordinances of ,al-,jahad1 the ,holy ,war so violently criticised by ,christians4 ,but did not ,jesus--their ,lord and ours--,himself declare3 ,think not that ,i am come to send peace on earth3 ,i come not to send peace1 but a sword4 7,,st4 ,,matthew1 ,x1 #cd47 ,i am come to send fire on the earth2 and what will ,i1 if it be already kindled8 7,,st4 ,,luke1 ,,xii1 #di47 ,if the institution of the ,jahad1 destined for the triumph of truth over idolatry1 stirred up strife among the families of ,mohammad's fellow-countrymen for a few years1 did not the words of ,jesus1 still more imperative in this connection1 lead to much more terrible consequences2 lasting too1 for centuries among all ,christian nations8 ,for ,i am come to set a man at variance against his father1 and the daughter against her mother1 and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law4 7,,st4 ,,matthew1 ,x1 #ce47 ,if any man come to me1 and hate not his father1 and mother1 and wife1 and children1 and brethren1 and sisters1 yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be my disciple4 7,,st4 ,,luke1 ,,xiv1 #bf47 ,the ,jahad was not instituted to attack the adversaries of religion only2 it was also proclaimed against those enemies1 no less perfidious1 that lurk in every man's own heart4 ,quoth the ,prophet3 ,the most meritorious ,holy war is that which one declares against one's own passions4 ,mohammad and the ,believers had been patient quite long enough4 ,banished from the land of their birth after having endured pitiless persecution1 did they not have the right1 relying on the ,revealed ,verses1 to resort to the force of arms8 ,the site of ,al-,madinah ensured victory1 for that city overlooked all the caravan routes to ,syria1 of which the commerce formed the sole resource of ,makkah1 surrounded by barren wastes4 ,by stopping these caravans1 the ,prophet could starve out the ungrateful town and force its citizens to beg for mercy4 ,in this way1 the ,apostle would not be compelled to kill too many of his fellow-countrymen1 whom he still loved despite their iniquity4 ,he wanted to spare them1 hoping to win them over and induce them to become steadfast supporters of religion4 ,thus began the long series of campaigns called ,ghazwah when the ,prophet was personally in command2 and ,saria1 when one of his lieutenants led the van4 ,we shall only mention the most characteristic of these innumerable expeditions2 putting on one side the first minor skirmishes and come at once to the famous ,ghazwah of ,badr4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,ghazwah ,,of ,,badr 7,year of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbd7 ,a caravan of exceptional importance1 comprising a thousand camels1 had been sent into ,syria by the citizens of ,makkah4 ,it was to bring back the most valuable and highly-prized merchandise4 ,this was the opportunity awaited by the ,prophet4 ,if he succeeded in capturing the caravan1 he would deal a ruinous blow at those who banished him and1 as he hoped1 without useless bloodshed1 for the escort of the convoy numbered at most two score4 ,these men could oppose no real resistance and would be obliged to surrender without fighting4 ,the ,prophet arrived too late4 ,the caravan had gone past4 ,he made up his mind to fall upon it by surprise during its return journey4 ,one of his partisans1 posted by him to watch the roads1 brought the news that the caravan had been seen1 and would soon be near ,al-,madinah1 following the usual route1 between the mountains and the sea4 ,thereupon1 the ,prophet summoned all the ,believers1 of any origin whatsoever4 ,the call was answered by more than three hundred men1 all desirous of inflicting exemplary punishment on the idolaters4 ,seventy-three ,mohadjirun joined the ranks and1 for the first time1 two hundred and forty ,ansars stood shoulder to shoulder with their brothers in ,islam4 ,seventy camels were gathered together to carry water and food2 and also to relieve men on foot who took it in turns to ride4 ,the expedition was poor in cavalry1 possessing only four horses whose names were ,beraja1 ,al-,bahrmi1 ,yasum and ,sail4 ,they were led riderless by the bridle1 only to be used at some propitious moment during the battle4 ,the ,liwa1 or white banner1 was confided to ,musab-al-,abdri1 and the flag of the ,ansars was carried by ,sad ibn ,muaz4 ,unfortunately1 the organisation of such a numerous qawm could not be kept secret4 ,the ,hypocrites and the ,banu ,israil1 watching every step taken by ,mohammad1 found out what he was preparing and also his destination4 ,they send messengers to ,abu ,sufyan1 the leader of the caravan1 to inform him of the threatening danger4 ,he sent an ,arab of the ,ghifar tribe1 named ,dhamdham1 to beg for assistance and promised him a rich reward if1 thanks to his diligence1 the convoy could be saved4 ,all the inhabitants of ,makkah had contributed1 more or less1 to the organisation of the great caravan2 and1 counting upon its approaching return1 they were already revelling in the fine profits that would accrue to them4 ,all day long1 in groups1 they wended their way to the city gates1 gazing1 till their eyes ached1 into the depths of the valley following the road to ,syria1 hoping to catch sight of a messenger4 ,at last there came a day when a man1 swaying to and fro1 by reason of the swift amble of his racing camel1 appeared at the end of the ravine1 advancing towards them4 ,when he was near enough to enable his aspect and that of the animal to be made out1 the stupefaction of the ,makkans was inconceivable4 ,to show his despair1 the man1 who was no other than ,dhamdham1 had rent his garments1 turned his saddle round1 slit the nostrils and cut the ears of his camel4 ,as soon as he was near enough to make himself heard1 weak from fatigue1 gasping for breath1 he cried out3 ',woe unto you1 ,o men of the ,quraish6 ,your caravan--your caravan6444' ,in great anxiety1 the ,quraish gathered round him1 besieging him with questions2 and when he could breathe freely1 he described the perilous plight of their caravan4 ,their fury broke loose4 ,just when they were on the point of fulfilling their most dazzling hopes1 this man ,mohammad1 of whom they thought they had rid themselves for ever1 threatened them with ruin6 ,an urgent council1 called together hastily1 decided that there was not a moment to lose4 ,to prevent such a catastrophe1 every one1 rich or poor1 was ready to sacrifice riches and life4 ,an army was immediately raised1 composed of nine hundred and fifty men1 having at their disposal one hundred horses and seven hundred camels4 ,the idolatrous troops marched out of the town amidst frenzied cheers2 groups of young singing-girls1 each as dazzling as the sun2 their faces radiant2 their eyes sparkling2 their garb of the brightest hues1 glittering with gold and precious stones1 headed the warriors4 ,these girls shouted bitter mockery against the ,mussulmans2 or recited epic poems1 accompanying their rhymes with the thumping of tabors1 causing the hearts of their lovers to palpitate with burning ardour4 ,what spurred them on even better were the suggestions of ,iblis 7,satan7 who1 lurking in the recesses of their souls1 filled the ,unbelievers with dreams of victory and vengeance1 although ready to desert his victims shamelessly in case ,allah should exert ,his ,might in favour of their adversaries4 ,the ,evil ,one had already bewitched them by exaggerated praise of their actions2 and furthermore had said3 ',no man shall conquer you this day2 and verily ,i will be near to help you4' 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #ej7 ,the ,prophet had no idea of his enemies' preparations4 ,after having laid in a stock of water at ,al-,rouha1 he halted near the village of ,safra2 pitched his tents in the valley of ,zufran1 and sent out two scouts1 ,bisbas and ,adi1 to seek for information4 ,at early morn1 the following day1 he took to the road again1 halting a few miles away from the wells of ,badr4 ,the two scouts1 guessing that the caravan was heading towards this important spot for replenishing water supplies1 reached there by having urged on their camels unmercifully4 ,on arriving1 they met two ,bedouin women who were quarrelling loudly1 while they filled their goat-skins4 ,with insulting remarks1 one claimed the repayment of a loan1 and the woman in debt replied3 ',have patience until to-morrow or the day after1 for by then the great caravan will have come back and thereby ,i shall have earned enough to settle with thee4'--',she is right1' broke in ,an ,najd1 chief of the ,juhinna tribe1 who happened to be at the well4 ',they tell me that the caravan will certainly be here to-morrow or the next day4' ,having got to know all they wanted1 ,bisbas and ,adi watered their animals and rode back in all haste to bring the news to the ,prophet1 well pleased to see that things had turned out exactly as he foresaw4 ,a few minutes later1 however1 he was rejoined by one of his partisans in his pay at ,makkah4 ,this friend brought bad news3 the expedition of the idol-worshippers was coming by forced marches to the succour of ,abu ,sufyan4 ,these tidings caused ,mohammad the greatest anxiety3 the ardour of the ,mussulmans1 who had set out to attack a caravan defended by a weak escort1 might perhaps be damped upon finding themselves faced by superior forces8 ,he did not intend to hide the gravity of the situation1 but calling the head-men together1 he laid the information before them1 and asked where they thought it would be best to make their effort4 ,they were submerged by a great wave of vacillation4 ,it must be confessed that the irresistible bait of booty added great charm to a wish to inflict punishment on the idolaters4 ,under the necessity of coming to a decision1 some of them objected3 ',dost thou lead us to be slaughtered8' ,they were severely blamed for speaking thus4 ,and remember when ,allah promised you that one of the two troops should fall to you1 and ye desired that they who had no arms should fall to you4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #g47 ,then uprose ,mikdad1 protesting stoutly3 ',o ,prophet6 go without hesitation whither thou art ordered4 ,by ,allah6 we'll not tell thee as the ,banu ,israil told ,moses3 ,go fight by the side of the ,lord and we'll await thy return here6 ,on the contrary1 we say to thee3 ,go fight by the side of thy ,lord and thou wilt find us with thee1 always and everywhere4' ,the ,prophet called down divine blessings on the head of his courageous disciple2 and then added3 ',reflect1 ,o my partisans6' ,he then turned towards the ,ansars who might not have considered themselves bound by the oath of the ,aqbah to do anything else than to protect him so long as he dwelt in their town4 ,but ,sad ibn ,muaz rose to his feet1 pained to have to think that the devotion of the ,ansars could be doubted1 if only for a moment4 ',our confidence in thee is unlimited4 ,we have given thee our word1' he exclaimed4 ',go where thou art ordered and ,i swear by ,him who sendeth thee to bring about the triumph of truth1 that shouldst thou ask us to jump in the sea1 we would leap with thee6' ,this declaration freed the ,prophet from the anxiety that weighed him down1 and which had prevented him from having recourse to the ,ansars in preceding expeditions4 ,his features were radiant with inspired1 grateful emotion2 and fixing his eyes on a vision that he alone was privileged to see3 ',rejoice1 ,o men of my qawm6 he cried4 ',i look upon warriors fighting1 and the enemy's troops are routed6' ,there was not a man but what understood that soon the battle would rage and all made preparations with admirable confidence4 ,as for ,abu ,sufyan1 ever since he had been warned that the ,mussulmans were on the march1 he was constantly on the look-out4 ,he accelerated the speed of the caravan and1 going on in front himself1 arrived at ,badr soon after the ,prophet's scouts4 ,he questioned ,an ,najd who had not yet left the well4 ',hath no prowler been seen about here8'--',i only saw two camels1 each ridden by a man2 and they watered their animals4' ,abu ,sufyan hastened to the spot where the traces could still be seen1 showing where the camels had knelt whilst their masters drew water from the well4 ,he found fresh droppings1 and1 crumbling some in his fingers1 picked out many date-kernels4 ',by our gods6 these camels hail from ,al-,madinah1 and the enemy is not far off6' he thought1 knowing that in all the country round1 only the camels of ,al-,madinah were fed on soaked kernels of dates4 ,therefore1 changing the direction of the caravan at once so as to leave the ,badr well on one side1 he turned off the direct road and took a westerly route along the sea-shore4 ,he was thus able to escape from the soldiers of ,islam2 and when he was safe1 sent another messenger to the ,quraish1 to inform them of what he had done1 advising them to return to ,makkah1 as he no longer desired their aid4 ',nothing of the kind6' exclaimed their chief1 ,abu ,jahal1 carried away by hatred4 ',let us push on to the well of ,badr4 ,we'll camp there three days and three nights1 passing the time in joyous revels1 slaughtering cattle1 enjoying the meat1 and drinking our fill of wine4 ,every year a fair is held there1 lasting a week1 attracting ,arabs from far and near4 ,when they hear of our expedition to that spot1 the echo of the news will have a great effect1 inspiring all with salutary fear of our power6' ,puffed up with pride by reason of this speech1 so flattering to their vanity1 and allured by the festivals and liquors in store for them1 the idolaters approved their chieftain's plan and continued on the march to ,badr4 ,the ,believers bent their steps towards the same goal1 not knowing whether they would meet the caravan1 the ,quraish army1 or both united4 ,in order to find out1 ,mohammad sent ,ali and ,zubayr as scouts4 ,they caught two young men seeking for a well from which to fill their empty goat-skins1 strapped to their shoulders4 ,they were made prisoners and taken to the camp to be interrogated1 but as the ,prophet was at his devotions1 the scouts questioned the lads4 ',we were looking for water for the ,quraish army1' the two captives confessed4 ,the ,quraish forces1 therefore1 were already in these parts8 ,this seemed most unlikely1 for the scouts did not know the strength of the enemy in camels and horses1 and considered the prisoners' avowal to be a falsehood4 ,so they fell to brutally beating the young idolaters4 ',think not that ye can hoodwink us with your lies1' said ,ali and ,zubayr4 ',we know perfectly well that ye belong to the caravan of ,abu ,sufyan4' ,again they rained blows on the boys4 ,to escape such unjust chastisement1 and also to keep the ,mussulmans in this state of error so profitable to ,abu ,jahal's plans1 because it prevented ,mohammad's men from suspecting how close their enemies were to them1 the prisoners began to supplicate their tormentors4 ',mercy1 my lords6 ,verily nothing escapeth your sharp sight6 ,yea1 we confess it--we belong to ,abu ,sufyan's caravan4' ,proud of their perspicacity and content with having obtained this avowal1 ,ali and ,zubayr set them free4 ,meanwhile the ,prophet had finished praying1 and as he knew how to read men's minds1 he upbraided his disciples4 ',what is all this8 ,when your prisoners tell you the truth1 ye beat them1 and now they lie and ye set them free8' ,he continued the examination4 ',where are the ,quraish8'--',on the other side of that high hill of sand4'--',how many are they8'--',we know not4'--',how many camels do they slaughter daily8'--',nine or ten4'--',oho8 they number from nine hundred to a thousand1' said ,mohammad to himself4 ',who is at their head8' ,the prisoners quoted the names of the most noted men of the city1 and the ,prophet1 shaking his head sadly1 turned to his companions1 saying3 ',of a truth1 ,makkah sends against us the best part of its liver6' 7,meaning its best beloved children47 ,nevertheless1 the die was cast4 ,the ,mussulmans1 who had set out to fall on a caravan protected by a puny escort1 found themselves facing a force at least three times greater than theirs1 and assisted by formidable cavalry4 ,at all costs1 the well of ,badr must be reached before the enemy4 ,the ,believers began their march again and attained the borders of the ,wadi ,superior which they found quite dry4 ,their supply of water was exhausted1 and next day they suffered terribly from thirst4 ,satan tried to exploit these pangs by filling their brains with most depressing thoughts4 ',see where you are led by the man who pretendeth to be the messenger of the ,almighty6 ,ye are surrounded by countless enemies1 only waiting till your strength be broken by the agonies of thirst4 ,they will then attack you and ye will be defenceless and an easy quarry4' ,every brain was bewildered4 ,luckily1 their training during the fast of ,ramadhan had accustomed the ,believers to endure the torments of thirst and prevented them from breaking down4 ,at the very moment when the heat1 concentrated in the lofty heights of the ,wadi1 was on the point of making their position untenable1 great clouds crowned the high peaks4 ,the sombre veils darkening the sun were torn aside1 and ,allah let loose beneficial showers to drench ,his faithful servants4 ,the ,wadi1 only just before filled with stones and sand1 was transformed into a raging torrent4 ,the ,believers were able to quench their thirst1 and they dug holes all along the ,wadi that was at once filled by the swelling of the waters4 ,they washed their clothing1 heavy with sweat1 and performed their ablutions4 ,last1 but not least1 the shifting sands that rendered their advance so difficult1 grew solid by the damp1 and made the ground firm beneath their feet4 ,he sent down upon you water from ,heaven that ,he might thereby cleanse you1 and cause the pollution of ,satan to pass from you1 and that ,he might gird up your hearts1 and stablish your feet by it4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #aa47 ,for the idolaters1 the storm was most disastrous4 ,it overtook them in soil known as ,sabkha1 signifying low-lying clay mixed with salt1 churned by wet into greasy1 sticky mud4 ,their camels slipped up and fell1 their long legs comically gliding backwards1 powerless to rise without the help of their drivers4 ,horses floundered1 their hoofs sinking in the mire and1 unable to find foothold1 dropped back on their riders4 ,the confusion and tumult cannot be described1 and the efforts of the ,unbelievers1 to extricate themselves1 hampered their advance and exhausted them by fatigue4 ,the ,believers1 being cleansed1 purified and refreshed1 passed the night in invigorating sleep4 ,they did not even take the trouble to post sentinels1 relying blindly on the words of the ,prophet who assured them that the angels would guard the camp4 ,he alone remained wakeful1 absorbed in prayer4 ,recollect when sleep1 a sign of security from him1 fell upon you4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #aa47 ,the hour arrived when the fate of ,islam was to be decided4 ,it was on a ,friday1 the seventeenth day of the month of ,ramadhan4 ,illustration3 ,believers perceiving the ,new ,moon of the ,month of ,ramadhan4 ,hubbab-ul-,ansari1 renowned for his sage counsels1 craved permission to be heard1 ',o ,prophet6' said he2 hath the spot where we are now encamped been pointed out by a ,revelation1 and therefore we are forbidden to go forward or retreat8 ,or are we free to discuss the choice of ground befitting warlike strategy8'--',no ,revelation hath imposed this place upon me4 ,speak freely and explain any stratagem that thou dost judge the most advantageous4'--',in that case1 strike the tents1' ,hubbab rejoined1 'and with our troops1 go down the channel of the ,wadi and fill up every well we pass until arriving at the last4 ,there thou must dig a reservoir that will fill itself with all the water running under the sand1 whilst the wells higher up1 which we shall have choked1 will have run completely dry4 ,i know the strength and direction of the stream4 ,thanks to this reservoir1 our warriors1 during the battle1 will be able to refresh their burning throats or relieve their sufferings if wounded1 but our adversaries will not find anywhere in the surrounding country a single drop of water wherewith to slake their thirst4' ,this piece of advice seemed reasonable to the ,prophet1 who carried out ,hubbab's idea to the letter1 and so fixed the future battlefield1 for the ,unbelievers would be forced to come and try to wrest from him the only spot where water was to be found4 ,then ,sad ibn ,muaz spoke3 ',o ,prophet6 allow us to build for thee an arish 7shelter from the sun's rays7 on this hill1 from which thou wilt be able to watch every move in the fighting4 ,near thee1 thy she-camel shall be hobbled1 and we will gallop into the enemy's midst4 ,should ,allah grant us victory1 thine eyes will be gladdened by the sight of our valour in defending the faith4 ,should fate be against us1 thou wilt have naught else to do than to climb into the saddle and rejoin our rearguards1 as devoted to thee as we are1 and who will cover thy retreat4' ,the ,prophet accepted1 adding3 ',allah will reward you all by rendering assistance more efficacious than anything ye can imagine4' ,the ,believers cut down twigs of araq which they wattled1 and so set up a shelter thatched with sheaves of surfah4 ,mohammad retired therein in company with ,abu ,bakr1 and when the advanced groups of enemy horsemen made their appearance1 wheeling about defiantly before his eyes3 ',o ,allah6' he exclaimed1 'so there are the ,quraish at last2 urged on by monstrous pride to brave ,thee and call ,thy ,messenger a liar6' ,the enemy was assembled4 ,after their efforts of the preceding day to extricate themselves from the briny mud of the ,sabkah1 they had awakened with their throats afire2 the storm1 over too soon1 not having filled any of the ghadirs and the wells of the ,wadi having been choked up1 the idolaters had not been able to find the least drop of water to allay the thirst that began to torture them4 ,it was not to be wondered at1 therefore1 that the sight of the sheet of water sparkling in the reservoir dug by the ,believers and which reflected the sun's rays1 blinding their eyes1 should increase the fury of their revengeful feelings4 ,some of the horsemen1 reckoning on the speed of their steeds1 dashed recklessly forward1 hoping to reach the tempting liquid4 ,the ,prophet ordered his archers to let the mounted men get quite near1 and when they were well within range1 to riddle them with showers of arrows4 ,all rolled on the ground1 mortally wounded1 with the exception of one rider1 called ,hakim4 ,al ,asad al ,makhzumi1 another idolater1 instead of being discouraged by the result of this first attempt1 felt his blood boiling in his veins and shouted loudly enough to be heard by both parties3 ',by our gods6 by ,lat and ,uzza6 ,i swear to slake my thirst in the cistern of ,mohammad's qawm4 ,then ,i'll demolish it and only death can stop me6' ,he dashed forward1 brimming over with arrogance4 ,hamzah went to meet him and1 with a blow from his scimitar1 sliced off one of his legs and sent it flying4 ,al ,asad fell backwards1 turned himself over1 and hopping with surprising agility on both hands and his sound leg1 tried to make his way to the reservoir and keep his oath4 ,but ,hamzah was there to meet him and finished him off just as he reached the goal4 ,three champions came forward from among the ranks of the ,unbelievers to challenge the ,believers to single combat1 and they were ,utbah with his son1 ,al ,walid1 and his brother1 ,shaibah4 ,hamzah1 ,ali1 and ,obaidah were chosen by the ,prophet to oppose them4 ,stalwart ,hamzah and impetuous ,ali soon rid themselves of their adversaries1 stretching them bleeding and lifeless on the sand1 but ,obaidah and ,utbah had no sooner crossed swords than they both wounded each other grievously4 ,obaidah1 one leg so deeply gashed that the marrow dripped from the bone1 was on his back1 at his enemy's mercy1 when ,ali and ,hamzah came to the rescue and freed him by killing ,utbah4 ,they then lifted up their wounded comrade and carried him to the ,prophet1 who supported his head lovingly on his knee1 consoling him by the glad tidings of the reward awaiting him in ,paradise4 ,obaidah soon breathed his last sigh and was thus the first martyr struck down in the ,holy ,war4 ,after these single combats causing the hearts of all the lookers-on to palpitate with warlike ardour1 the shock of the forces could no longer be postponed4 ,the ,prophet had drawn up his warriors in line1 shoulder to shoulder1 in serried ranks1 like stone blocks cemented to form a wall1 and it was all he could do to restrain the impatience of many who1 outstripping their brothers-in-arms1 would have run to face certain and useless slaughter4 ,such an one1 ,sad ibn ,quzai1 was far in advance of the post assigned to him4 ,so as to make him take his proper place1 ,mohammad struck him on the breast with the shaft of an arrow he held in his hand4 ',thou didst hurt me1 ,o prophet6' cried ,sad4 ',as a messenger from ,allah1 sent to bring about the triumph of ,right and ,justice1 thou dost owe me reparation on thine own body4'--',satisfy thyself6'--',thou art clothed1 whereas my flesh was naked4' ,the ,prophet laid bare his breast1 saying3 ',give me as good as ,i gave1 ,o ,sad6' ,profiting by the permission1 ,sad threw himself on ,mohammad1 took him in his arms and pressed his lips to his body4 ',why do thou this thing8' asked the ,prophet4--',o ,messenger of ,allah6 death faceth me and ,i desired that for my last farewell1 my flesh should touch thy flesh6' ,moved by such fierce devotion1 ,mohammad called down the blessing of the ,most ,high on ,sad4 ,then1 having ordered his men to wait without flinching for the enemy's attack1 he went back with ,abu ,bakr to the arish1 of which the entrance was guarded by ,sad ibn ,muaz1 sword in hand4 ,the ,prophet prayed3 ',o ,allah1 remember ,thy promise6 ,if this day1 ,thou dost let the army of the soldiers of the faith be exterminated1 no one will be left on earth to adore ,thee6' ,uneasy at the great disparity of numbers1 ,mohammad renewed his supplicating prostrations4 ,his mantle slipped from his shoulders4 ,abu ,bakr picked it up and threw it over him again1 saying3 ',rest easy1 ,o ,prophet6 ,allah will surely do what ,he promised6' ,overwrought by excess of fatigue and anxiety1 the ,prophet lost his senses1 and his eyes closed for a second1 only to reopen almost immediately4 ,a smile lit up his features4 ',good news1 ,o ,abu ,bakr6' he cried4 ',the angel ,jibra'il flieth to our assistance4 ,i see the sand rising in a whirlwind under his horse's hoofs6 ,leaving the arish abruptly1 he called out to his army3 ',our enemies are routed6 ,already ,i see their backs turned in wild flight6 ,i swear by ,him who holdeth ,mohammad's soul in the hollow of ,his hand1 that any ,believer killing a foe hath the right to his spoils2 and any ,believer killed face to the enemy will be immediately welcomed by ,allah in the gardens of ,paradise4' ,amir ibn ,hammam1 listening to these promises1 held a handful of dates1 and was about to lift them to his mouth1 when he threw them on the ground with a sudden gesture of disdain1 and shouted in tones of joyous exaltation3 ',bakhr6 ,bakhr6 ,considering that between me and my entry into ,paradise there is only the slight barrier of death at the hands of the men over there'4 ,without finishing the sentence1 he drew his sword and fell on the idolaters1 digging a bloody road through their ranks1 until be succumbed outnumbered4 ,another among the ,faithful having heard the ,prophet declare that ,allah would consider the martyr fighting with no armour than that of his faith to be more deserving than any1 threw off his breastplate and followed ,amir's footsteps until he1 too1 fell cut to pieces1 but not until he had sent many ,unbelievers to the infernal regions4 ,from that moment1 it was impossible to restrain the ,believers4 ,the ,apostle scraped up a handful of dust1 throwing it in the direction of the ,quraish4 ',may their faces be covered with confusion6' he cried4 ',forward6 ,o ,believers6 ,forward6' ,the ,faithful1 like a human hurricane1 threw themselves on the ,unbelievers and frightful noises rent the air4 ,the clashing of weapons1 cries of despair and triumph1 reverberating again and again by reason of the echoes of the valley1 were accompanied by a strange uproar1 sounding jerkily1 like the beating a of a drum4 ,quoth an ,arab idolater of the ,banu ,ghifar3 ,i went with one of my cousins to the top of a hill overlooking the battlefield1 so as to find out which side was victorious1 meaning to join the conquerors and plunder the vanquished4 ,all of a sudden1 at the very moment when the warriors of ,islam attacked1 ,i saw rising up behind them1 from the depths of the valley1 a great pillar of sand approaching with marvellous velocity4 ,in its tawny spirals that threatened the clouds1 fantastic and terrifying visions appeared and faded4 ,it was like a gigantic combat of the ,earth rebelling against the ,heavens6 ,sounds quite as strange escaped from the whirlwind1 freezing my blood with horror4 ,there was the neighing and trampling of galloping steeds2 the beating of great wings2 the roll of loud drums and1 dominating the tumult1 an imperious voice shouting3 ',forward1 ,haizum6' ,in less than the twinkling of an eye1 the whirlwind overtook the ,believers1 falling with them on to the ranks of the idol-worshippers4 ,it soon reached us as well1 smothering us in its yellow darkness4 ,i lost sight of my companion1 and was nigh fainting with fear4 ,powerful gusts of wind drove me hither and thither1 and ,i had to cling to projecting rocks so as not to be swept away like a wisp of straw4 ,my ears were deafened by atrocious clamours4 ,the curses and the groans of the wounded2 the blasphemy of the vanquished1 mingled now with the rumbling of thunder4 ,in the yellow1 foggy obscurity1 flashes of lightning gleamed2 swords and spears glittered4 ,at last1 when the whirlwind passed away1 ,i saw my comrade prone on the ground1 his breast torn open1 showing the membrane of his heart and1 like trees uprooted by a hurricane1 countless dead bodies strewed the bed of the ,wadi2 and in the distance1 lit up by a ray of sunlight1 the soldiers of ,islam pursued the enemy in flight4 ,this whirlwind was the track of ,jibra'il riding his horse1 ,haizum1 that ,mohammad had seen at the head of three thousand angels flying to his aid4 ,the whirlwind of sand1 uplifted by the tempestuous wind1 allied itself to the human whirlwind swept along by the stormy breeze of faith and both1 at one bound1 rushed upon ,allah's foes4 ,the shock was irresistible4 ,the furious billows of the raging sands struck the idolaters straight in the face1 blistering the flesh1 filling mouths and nostrils1 blinding eyes1 so that they knew not where to strike1 nor where to turn to defend themselves4 ,the ,believers1 on the contrary1 felt their impetuosity increased by the pushing of the hurricane1 and their eyes1 freely open1 enabled them to avoid their adversaries' attack1 and cut them down to a certainty4 ,better still3 unknown1 supernatural strength increased the strength of their arms tenfold1 to such an extent that they fancied they struck at empty air1 because they felt no resistance to the impact of their weapons4 ,scarcely did ,i threaten a head with the edge of my blade1 one of the conquerors narrated later1 than ,i saw it fly off my adversary's shoulders and roll on the ground1 even before my weapon touched it4 ,so it was not ye who slew them1 but ,allah slew them4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #ag74 ,seventy idolaters bit the dust2 and1 among them1 all the conspirators who tried to assassinate the ,prophet at ,makkah4 ,twenty-four of the dead belonged to the highest aristocracy3 ,utbah1 ,al ,walid1 ,shaibah1 ,umaiyah ibn ,khalaf1 ,abu ,bukhtari1 ,hanzalah1 ,abu ,sufyan's son1 etc41 and1 most important of all1 the chief of the expedition1 the famous ,abu ,jahal4 ,knowing that the latter was the life and soul of the plots weaved against the ,prophet1 the ,faithful sought for the arch-conspirator everywhere in the fight4 ,one of them1 ,muaz ibn ,amr1 having succeeded in falling across him1 pierced his thigh with a furious lunge4 ,ikrimah1 ,abu ,jahal's son1 rushed to his father's assistance and1 with a scimitar1 avenged him by hacking the left arm of ,muaz4 ,it hung from his shoulder by a strip of flesh4 ,his movements hampered by the useless1 swinging limb1 ,muaz stooped1 and placing his foot on it1 tore it off by roughly standing erect again4 ,he threw it far from him and went on fighting4 ,two young ,ansars1 sons of ,afrah1 coming to the rescue1 dragged ,abu ,jahal out of the saddle and left him for dead1 riddled with wounds4 ,the ,prophet's mind was more engrossed with the fate of ,abu ,jahal than with that of any other of his foes4 ,ibn-i-,masud went out to search1 and found him at last1 in the midst of a pile of corpses4 ,the chief of the idolaters was still breathing4 ,ibn-i-,masud placed his foot on the dying man's neck1 even as one stamps on a viper1 but just as he leant over1 ,abu ,jahal1 to brave him1 seized him by the beard1 and gazing at his conqueror1 with a mad look of impotent rage1 he shouted1 the death-rattle sounding in his throat3 ',hast ever seen such a noble fellow as ,i1 murdered by such vile ploughmen8' ,to put an end to the infidel's insults1 ,ibn-i-,masud cut off his head and brought it to the ,prophet4 ,at the sight of the blood-stained face of his enemy1 ,mohammad exclaimed3 ',verily1 this man was the detestable ,pharaoh of his nation6' ,corpses soon became decomposed1 exposed to the sun's torrid rays2 the tumefied faces of the dead took on the colour of pitch4 ,this phenomenon proved to the ,believers that the infidels had been struck down by celestial warriors1 for were they not already carbonised by the flames of hell8 ,mohammad scoured the whole of the battlefield1 ordering all the dead bodies he came across to be buried at once1 no matter of which creed4 ,huzaifah1 one of the early ,islamic adepts1 accompanying ,mohammad1 suddenly came upon the remains of ,utbah ibn ,rabiyah1 his father4 ,the son's features became distorted and blanched with mortal pallor4 ',hast thy father's death shattered thy soul8' asked the ,prophet4--',no1 by ,allah6 but ,i knew my father was endowed with intelligence1 goodness and generosity4 ,i had hopes that he would have trodden the path of salvation4 ,his death depriveth me of that hope4 ,hence my grief6' ,the ,prophet1 impressed by the reply of this stoical ,mussulman1 called down the blessings of the ,lord on his head4 ,mohammad then had his she-camel led to him and1 mounting1 rode to a dried-up well in which he ordered twenty-four of his best-known enemies to be buried4 ,he stopped his she-camel in front of the mouth of this well and called on the dead by name3 ',o such an one1 son of such an one6 ,and thou1 such an one1 son of such an one6 ,would ye not have preferred this day to have obeyed ,allah and ,his ,messenger8 ,of a surety1 we have found that which ,our ,lord promised us2 but you--have ye found that which your divinities promised you8--',o ,apostle6' said ,ura1 'why dost thou speak to soulless bodies8'--',by ,him who holdeth in ,his hands the soul of ,mohammad6' he replied1 ',i swear that thou dost not hear my words as distinctly as they6' ,by this he meant to inform ,ura that these infidels1 now dwelling in hell1 were compelled to acknowledge the truth of words that he had ofttimes repeated to them when they were in the land of the living4 ,thus does a hadis of ,ayishah explain this scene1 for it is said in the ,qur'an3 ,verily then1 thou canst make the dead to bear4 7,,xxx1 #ea74 ,the ,believers only lost fourteen men1 six ,mohadjirun and eight ,ansars1 winning eternal glory as the first fallen in the ,holy ,war4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,sojourn ,,at ,,badr ,,and ,,the ,,return ,,to ,,al-,,madinah ,the ,prophet remained three days on the field of battle to bury the dead and gather together the booty which he left to be guarded by the family of the ,najjar4 ,he then got ready to go back to ,al-,madinah4 ,two couriers1 ,zayd1 his adopted son1 and ,ibn-i-,ruhah1 sent on to carry the glad tidings1 reached there before him4 ,they arrived at the moment when the situation of the ,believers in the city was becoming critical4 ,gravediggers had not finished cleansing their hands from the earth with which they had just covered the last resting-place of ,roghaid1 ,mohammad's daughter1 married to ,usman4 ,she had been carried off by painful illness4 ,hypocrites and ,jews put the most alarming rumours in circulation concerning the ,prophet's fate and they were getting ready to attack his supporters4444 ,the good news spread all over the town with lightning-like rapidity2 causing confusion in the haunts of ,hypocrites and ,jews2 reassuring the ,faithful and causing great enthusiasm in their ranks4 ,all of them--a vast crowd of men1 women and children--went forth to acclaim the conqueror1 the procession marching to the cadence of drums4 ,they sang in chorus the chant with which he had been welcomed when he first arrived3 ,the full moon hath risen above our head--,emerging from the ,sanniyat-ul-,wida2--,numerous are the thanksgivings we must offer up to ,allah--,with the purest fervour of our supplications4--,o thou ,his ,messenger among us--,the orders thou dost bring us shall be piously executed6 ,ever since this battle1 for ever memorable1 which by its results eventually changed the whole face of the world1 although only fought out by a small number of men1 the ,wadi of ,badr is visited yearly by thousands of pilgrims4 ,it is written by the traveller ,abul ,hosain ibn ,zubair4 ,a small market-town1 surrounded by ramparts1 stands now upon its site 444 ,what was once the well where the ,unbelievers were buried1 is now a clump of palm-trees1 and a little farther off are the tombs of the martyrs4 ,to the left of the road leading from ,safra1 is the ,mountain of ,mercy--,ar ,rahman--by which the ,angels descended from ,heaven4 ,the arish1 the shelter where ,mohammad stood1 is said to have been erected on the slope of a sandhill1 called ,jabl-ul-,tabl1 the ,mountain of the ,drum1 because the roll of supernatural drums is frequently heard there by pilgrims2 this mysterious martial music celebrating the remembrance of the first victory of ,islam4 ,there were as many prisoners as dead3 three score and ten1 mostly belonging to the best families among the idolaters4 ,two of them1 ,aqbah and ,an ,nazir1 whose insults to the ,prophet were beyond all measure1 suffered the death penalty after condemnation4 ,abbas1 ,mohammad's uncle1 compelled by his pecuniary interests to remain behind in ,makkah1 had not yet made up his mind to embrace the ,islamic faith4 ,he had gone to the aid of the caravan in danger1 and was taken prisoner4 ,his commanding stature and bodily vigour stood him not in good stead1 for he was captured by the weakest warrior among the ,ansars and remained petrified with surprise4 ,the ropes that bound him cut cruelly into his flesh4 ,he sighed heavily in pain4 ,one of the ,faithful1 recollecting the captive's handsome behaviour and that he was a relative of the ,prophet1 loosened his bonds most charitably4 ,hearing of this and not admitting that a member of his family should be favoured1 ,mohammad ordered the bonds of all the other prisoners to be loosened in the same way4 ,it now remained to decide the fate of the captives4 ,abu ,bakr1 pretexting the ties of blood uniting victors and vanquished1 was of opinion that a ransom should be accepted4 ,fierce ,umar1 recalling the fact that all the prisoners had made themselves conspicuous by their persecution of the ,mussulmans and were responsible for the ,prophet's banishment1 proposed that they should be pitilessly exterminated4 ,both opinions rallied an equal number of partisans4 ,the ,prophet sided with ,abu ,bakr4 ,he gave orders to respect luckless valour and to treat the captives with the greatest humanity4 ,he caused them to be freed from their bonds and had them guarded by all the ,mussulmans in turn who1 faithfully obeying his commands1 deprived themselves of bread in favour of their prisoners2 the ,believers being content with dried dates4 ,the ransom was fixed according to each prisoner's wealth4 ,abbas1 ,mohammad's uncle1 had to give the largest amount2 the others were liberated without paying anything4 ,nevertheless1 ,mohammad required that before being set free1 each captive knowing how to read and write1 should give lessons to two children of the ,ansars4 ,among the prisoners was ,abul' ,as ibn ,rabiyah1 a rich man in high repute4 ,he had married ,zainab1 the daughter of the ,prophet1 before the ,revelation1 and was still an idolater4 ,for the ransom of her husband1 ,zainab sent from ,makkah a sum of money and a necklace1 a wedding-gift from her mother ,khadijah4 ,the ,prophet1 recognising this piece of jewellery which he had ofttimes seen round the neck of his beloved and regretted ,khadijah1 was unable to repress his emotion and put this question to his disciples3 ',if ye do not oppose me1 ,i will send her husband back to ,zainab1 and renounce all claims to ransom4' ,no objection being raised1 ,mohammad told his prisoner that he was free4 ',but only on one condition4 ,restore my daughter to my arms1 for a woman of the ,mussulmans cannot remain in the power of an idolater4' ,the captive accepted most reluctantly1 and as soon as he was again in ,makkah1 he kept his word4 ,the ,quraish1 however1 hearing of ,zainab's departure1 started off in pursuit of her1 and one of them1 ,hibar1 struck her so brutally with the shaft of his spear1 that he threw her out of her hawdaj1 7a kind of litter71 and she dropped from the back of her camel to the ground4 ,shortly after her arrival at ,al-,madinah1 the poor woman1 not having recovered from her fall1 and being pregnant1 died from the effects of the ill-treatment she had thus undergone4 ,under the influence of grief and despair1 the ,prophet gave orders that anyone putting his hand on the villain ,hibar was to burn him alive4 ,but it was not long before ,mohammad cancelled this cruel command1 declaring3 ',the ,master of the ,worlds alone hath the right to inflict the torture of ,fire6' ,this was in allusion to the flames of ,hell4 ,as for ,abul',as1 retaken by the ,mussulmans while conducting a caravan back from ,syria-1 he was again liberated by the ,prophet and became a convert to ,islam4 ,mohammad thus let no opportunity escape to prove his generosity to the prisoners1 his own fellow-countrymen4 ,the ,prophet's clemency resulted immediately in the conversion of no small number of ,makkans1 marvelling at the tales told by the captives who1 upon regaining the bosom of their families1 bore witness to the kindness with which they had been treated4 ,perhaps the fact of such compassion towards the enemies of ,islam constituted peril in the future8 ,so said a ,revelation to the ,prophet1 blaming him at the same time4 ,mohammad was overwhelmed with profound sadness1 at the thought that his generosity would cause the death of many ,believers1 as he dared not hope that goodness would sweep away all feeling of enmity4 ,as soon as the victory was won1 the division of the booty was near to causing serious quarrels among the ,faithful4 ,each man desired to keep to himself all he had plundered4 ,those who had fought without thinking of stripping the dead1 put in a claim1 saying to their comrades who wanted to keep that which they had taken3 ',had it not been for us1 ye would have been unable to seize any booty at all4' ,finally1 the men of the rear-guard also complained3 ',if we had not considered the ,prophet's safety above all things1 we should have fought with you and pillaged as ye did4' ,the debate seemed to be turning out badly when a ,revelation put an end to the dispute3 ,they will question ,thee about the spoils4 ,say3 ,the spoils are ,allah's and ,the ,apostle's4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #a47 ,back again in ,al-,madinah1 ,mohammad divided the booty with the most scrupulous fairness1 and gave out that not only the rearguard should receive their share1 but also a few of the ,faithful who had remained in the city to uphold the cause of ,islam during the absence of their chief4 ,thus did ,mohammad succeed in contenting everybody4 ,so far as he was concerned1 he only took the same share as a common soldier2 but it was settled that in future the fifth part of the booty should belong to ,allah and to the ,apostle and to the near of kin and to orphans1 and to the poor and to the wayfarer4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #db47 ,the ,makkans were joyfully celebrating the return of the great caravan that had caused them such immense anxiety1 when the remains of the routed army began to straggle back4 ,at first1 the citizens refused to believe such dire disaster1 so great had been their confidence in the superiority of the numbers and equipment of their soldiers4 ,the fugitives were considered to be cowards deserting before the battle had begun4 ,but when doubt was no longer possible1 profound consternation overtook ,allah's enemies4 ,the fury of ,abu ,lahab1 the real organiser of the expedition1 was inconceivable4 ,in his presence1 one of the fugitives told of the miracles he had witnessed and which1 in his opinion1 were an excuse for the defeat4 ',the ,mussulmans1 assuredly1 were granted supernatural succour1 for ,i saw1 with my own eyes1 in the whirling tempest1 many warriors gifted with superhuman strength1 wearing white tunics1 mounted on dapple-grey horses1 and fighting side by side with our enemies4'--',by ,allah6 verily1 they were angels6' exclaimed one of those present1 ,abu ,rafiah1 a servant of ,abbas1 ,mohammad's uncle4 ,abu ,lahab1 enraged at the impression of terror produced by this story and the remarks that had followed1 hurled himself on ,abu-,rafiah1 threw him down and beat him unmercifully in the most savage fashion4 ',art thou not ashamed thus to profit by the master's absence to strike his serving-man8' the wife of ,abbas1 revolted at the sight1 shouted to ,abu ,lahab4 ,catching up a spear1 she struck him in the face with it1 and drew blood4 ,the punishment was so well deserved that no one protested4 ,abu ,lahab1 humiliated in the eyes of all1 hastened to hide his shame and rage in the most secluded part of his dwelling4 ,not being in the best of health just then1 he could not master the exasperation he felt4 ,his blood was turned2 the whole of his body broke out in reddish pustules1 known as adsah1 and he was carried off in less than a week4 ,as for ,abu ,sufyan and his wife1 ,hind1 in despair at the death of their son1 ,hanzalah1 and debased by the defeat1 they showed themselves conspicuously as being athirst for vengeance4 ,abu ,sufyan exercised his authority by prohibiting all show of grief4 ',weep not for your dead1' he proclaimed4 ',do not give way to the usual funereal lamentations4 ,let poets be careful not to compose elegies4 ,o ,makkans6 avoid causing the joy of our foes by the sight of your sadness4 ,let only one thought absorb your minds--that of vengeance6' ,he took a solemn oath to abstain from going near his wife or making use of his perfumes until the day when striking revenge should bring balm to his heart4 ,the effect of the ,prophet's victory spread far and wide among all the tribes of ,arabia4 ,the tidings crossed the seas2 the ,prophet having despatched an emissary to the ,najashi of ,abyssinia1 to announce the result of the battle and to inform all the ,believers1 who had taken refuge at this monarch's court1 that they would be in safety behind the walls of ,al-,madinah1 at ,mohammad's side4 ,illustration3 ,calligraphy 7end chapter #e7 ,believers6 when ye confront a troop1 stand firm and make frequent mention of the name of ,allah2 haply it shall fare well with you4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,sixth ,illustration3 ,as ,sidjah1 or ,prostration4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,and be not faint-hearted1 and be not sorrowful2 ,for ye shall gain the upper hand if ye be believers4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,sixth ,sidenote3 ,,ali',s ,,marriage ,by reason of admirable devotion1 indomitable courage and the absolute purity of his way of living1 ,ali had become one of the most popular heroes of ,islam1 but his extreme poverty forced him to hire himself out to an ,ansar1 a garden landlord4 ,when ,ali was not engaged in prayer1 he passed the hours in watering date-trees4 ,he deserved that this lowly situation1 bearing no comparison with his exploits1 should have been changed so as to give him new lustre in the eyes of the people4 ,abu ,bakr and ,usman1 finding him one day busily engaged in drawing water from a well1 bade him halt in his work1 and reminded him of a former desire of his1 when he had thought of marrying ,fatimah1 the ,prophet's daughter4 ,ali got out of temper4 ',ye know how poor ,i am1' he told them4 ',it's cruel of you to bring up a dream that can never come true6' ,but they were so persistent1 affirming that he could count upon their good offices1 that ,ali repressed his timidity1 and carrying his sword1 armour and sandals1 that constituted his sole wealth1 went and knocked at the ,prophet's door4 ,mohammad welcomed him with these words3 ',here stands a man more dear to me than any other4' ,ali remained silent1 with bowed head4 ',speak6' commanded ,mohammad4--',o ,prophet6' ,ali made up his mind to reply at last1 'thou didst bring me up1 an orphan boy1 with a father's love4 ,this day have ,i arrived at an age when a man should have a home of his own4 ,once more ,i seek thine aid4 ,i come to ask thee to give me thy daughter ,fatimah in marriage4'--,what dower bringest thou8'--',thou knowest my poverty4 ,i bring thee all ,i possess3 my sword1 armour and sandals4'--',thy sword belongeth to thy religion1 ,i cannot accept it4 ,but thy good right arm is strong enough to defend thy breast better than any cuirass4 ,go sell thine armour and bring me the price thereof to serve as my daughter's dower4' ,ali1 all his wishes gratified1 sought out a buyer4 ,usman offered him a good price and then gave him back his armour1 begging him to accept it as a wedding-present4 ,the marriage was soon arranged2 ratified by ,mohammad saying to ,ali3 ',verily1 ,allah gave thee my daughter in ,heaven before ,i gave her to thee in this world4' ,a great number of the ,faithful1 summoned by ,bilal1 were present to listen to the khutbah 7sermon7 of their chief1 who wished to apprise them of the betrothal of his daughter to ,ali4 ,bilal was charged to procure the few simple things indispensable in a household4 ,half the dowry served to buy a mattress and a pillow of palm-fibre1 a goat-skin for water and a few earthenware platters4 ,with the other half1 were purchased butter1 dates1 and flour1 forming the frugal betrothal repast4 ,when1 according to custom1 a group of women came to fetch the bride and lead her into her husband's room1 the ,prophet1 in memory of her on whom this duty would have devolved1 namely ,khadijah1 ,fatimah's mother1 was overtaken by a profound fit of sadness4 ,showers of tears coursed down his cheeks4 ,when he had mastered his emotion1 he placed ,ali at his right hand1 with ,fatimah at his left1 saying to them3 ',may ,allah cause to be born to you noble descendants1 who shall be an honour to our race6' ,for three days and three nights1 the newly-married couple remained absorbed in prayer4 ,it was only on the fourth night that chaste ,ali1 to whom ,mohammad declared that he hoped a long line of male children would spring from this marriage1 dared to approach his wife in whose veins coursed the blood of the ,prophet4 ,nine months later1 ,fatimah brought into the world a son who was named ,hasan4 ,a year after the birth of ,hasan1 his brother ,husain was born4 ,the offspring of ,hasan and ,husain1 called ,sharifs1 are the sole descendants of the ,prophet4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,marriage ,,with ,,hafsah ,,and ,,ummu',l-,,masakin4 ,hafsah1 daughter of ,umar and widow of ,khunes1 wished to marry again1 but she was of such a haughty disposition that no one came forward to offer to be her husband4 ,abu ,bakr1 and ,usman after him1 to whom her hand had been proposed1 both declined4 ,umar1 greatly annoyed at his daughter's humiliation1 opened his heart to the ,prophet who replied3 ',usman will marry a better woman than ,hafsah2 and ,hafsah will marry a better man than ,usman4' ,mohammad gave his daughter ,ummi-,kulsum in marriage to ,usman1 whilst1 to honour ,umar1 the ,prophet took haughty ,hafsah to wife4 ,shortly afterwards1 ,mohammad also espoused the widow of ,ubaidah1 the martyr of ,badr4 ,she was a woman whose charity was inexhaustible and earned the surname of ,ummu'l-,masakin1 7the ,mother of the ,poor74 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,uhud 7,year ,,iii of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbe7 ,the inhabitants of ,makkah could not console themselves for the defeat at ,badr4 ,the future seemed to them black indeed4 ,their caravans dared not venture on the ,syrian road1 blocked by the ,prophet's bold stroke4 ,ruin and famine were inevitable at an early date4 ,to guard against such impending disaster1 they decided to devote the large profits made by their great caravan to arming an expedition which would avenge their dead and grant them commercial security4 ,allured by offers of money1 numerous ,bedouins of the vicinity came forward to proffer assistance4 ,already worked up by the inflammatory satires of the poets ,kab ibn ,ashraf and ,abu ,uzd1 these tribesmen1 called ,habash1 or ,confederates1 were enrolled in the ranks of the army raised by ,abu ,sufyan4 ,at the head of these troops1 three thousand strong1 were ,safunah and ,ikrimah1 sons of ,ibn-i-,khalaf and ,abu ,jahal1 two of the mighty dead of ,badr1 and ,khalid ibn ,walid1 the unconquerable soldier4 ,the women's thirst for revenge was equally ardent2 and ,hind1 the wife of ,abu ,sufyan1 bore along behind her a horde of her companions resolved to stop any warrior who might be tempted to run away4 ,in the fertile plains1 north of ,al-,madinah1 the fellahs were peacefully engaged in their work of agriculture1 or watching over their grazing flocks1 when all of a sudden1 the soldiers of ,abu ,sufyan1 who had taken the greatest precautions to hide their rapid advance1 debouched from the ravines of the western mountains4 ,all resistance being impossible1 the ill-fated peasants fled in great haste to escape being massacred1 and to warn their fellow-citizens of the invasion of ,allah's enemies4 ,from the top of their ramparts1 the dwellers in ,al-,madinah looked down on a sight that made their agriculturists' hearts bleed4 ,like a swarm of gigantic locusts1 the camels of the idolatrous army ravaged the verdant meadows1 whilst horsemen slaughtered cattle and1 madly rushing1 the riders trampled down and scattered the golden harvest1 with all the disdain of traders for the work of husbandmen4 ,in the face of this havoc wrought before their eyes1 the ,faithful found themselves in a state of most irritating powerlessness4 ,the plain afforded commodious space for the manoeuvres of their enemies' countless cavalry1 and the ,believers had no mounted men to put in the field4444 ,their sole resource was the wisdom of ,allah's ,apostle2 so1 ready for any sacrifice1 they gathered round him4 ,now ,mohammad had dreamed that he saw his sword-blade notched2 his foes slaughtering his flocks1 whilst a breastplate was close to his hand4 ,the ,prophet told his followers of his dream and explained what it signified4 ',the notched blade means that ,i shall be wounded4 ,the slaughtered flocks show that a great number of my disciples will die2 and the breastplate near me symbolizes the ramparts of ,al-,madinah which alone can save us from disaster4 ,let us shut ourselves up in the city and we shall have nothing to fear from our adversaries4 ,should they attack1 they can easily be repulsed and made to suffer cruel losses2 and if they fall back without attacking1 they will be crushed in their retreat by the shame of not having dared to fight us4' ,such had always been the tactics of the people of ,al-,madinah from time immemorial2 but their quality of ,mussulmans and their victory at the battle of ,badr had changed all their ideas4 ,thinking that they were now and for ever invincible1 they no longer had the patience to remain impassible while their gardens were laid waste4 ,furthermore1 those who had not fought at ,badr were burning with desire to show that they too were full of courage4 ,the worst that could befall them was martyrdom to which they sincerely aspired4 ,abdullah ibn ,abi ,salul1 chief of the ,hypocrites1 was alone opposed to an advance4 ,for once in a way1 the ,prophet agreed with him4 ,nevertheless1 in the face of the unanimity and the enthusiasm of the true ,believers1 ,mohammad considered that he ought to give way1 and resolved to order the march out that he disapproved in his foresight4 ,after having recited the afternoon prayer1 ,asr1 he went back into his house to buckle on his armour4 ,the warriors1 too1 were ready4 ,a compact crowd surrounded the dwelling of the ,prophet who soon appeared1 girt with his coat of mail1 helmet on head1 sword by his side1 shield on his shoulders1 and spear in hand4444 ,whilst waiting1 the ,faithful had had time to reflect4 ,they began to regret their hasty decision1 and their chiefs1 ashamed at having upheld different ideas to those of ,allah's ,chosen ,one1 said to him3 ',we ought to have bowed down to thy judgment4 ,we feel inclined to remain where we are4 ,thou canst put aside thine armour4'--',when a ,prophet hath buckled on his breastplate1' replied ,mohammad1 'he forfeits the right to take it off until the fight is finished4' ,the army of the ,believers numbered a thousand foot-soldiers1 but possessed only two horses4 ,the standard of the ,mohadjirun was confided to ,musab ibn ,amir2 that of the ,aus to ,uqaid2 the banner of the ,khazraj being borne by ,habbab4 ,just before sunset1 the column went forward1 taking a northerly direction4 ,scarcely had they passed the ramparts1 when they were rejoined by a troop of six hundred men1 all well-armed4 ,they were ,jews2 allies of ,abdullah1 the ,hypocrite1 and it was thanks to his counsel that they offered their assistance to the ,prophet4 ',allah's aid sufficeth1' he answered1 as he sent them away1 for knowing their secret sympathies1 he feared they might betray him4 ,abdullah1 belittled by the rejection of his allies1 lost no time in trying to spread anxiety in the soldiers' ranks by perfidious remarks such as these3 ',mohammad listens to the chatter of good-for-nothing folks1 and spurns the good advice ,i give him4 ,why go to face certain death8' ,in this way1 he succeeded in decoying a third of the little army1 thus reduced to about seven hundred men and1 at the head of the deserters1 he turned back on the road to ,al-,madinah1 followed by the hooting of the true ,believers4 ,the next morning1 on a ,saturday1 the eleventh day of the month of ,shawwal1 before daybreak1 the ,prophet ordered the tents to be folded4 ,he asked for a guide clever enough to lead his troops1 unseen by the enemy1 to the ,jabl-ul-,uhud1 a mountain rising isolated in the plain4 ,abu ,haythama came forward and led them through the orchards and palm-tree plantations of the ,banu ,harith4 ,the owner of one of these gardens1 a ,hypocrite1 named ,mirba1 his eyes eaten away by ophthalmia1 rose up as he heard ,mohammad's footsteps at the head of his troops1 and shouted to him3 ',if even it were true that thou art the ,prophet of ,allah1 ,i would not authorise thee to go through my garden6' ,picking up a clod1 he added3 ',by ,allah6 if ,i did not fear to strike someone else1 ,i would hurl this earth in thy face4' ,the ,believers wished to punish the insolence of the ,hypocrite by taking his life1 but ,mohammad restrained them1 saying3 ',kill him not1 for he is blind4 ,his heart is as blind as his eyes4' ,along this by-path1 and concealed behind the thick foliage of the orchards1 the ,mussulmans reached the mountain of ,uhud before sunrise1 without having been caught sight of by their foes4 ,the ,prophet arranged his forces for the fight4 ,they had the mountain behind them2 their left wing being covered by the pass of ,ainin1 so that there was no fear of being turned4 ,to be more sure1 he posted ,ibn ,jubayr above this defile1 with fifty of his most skilful archers1 to whom ,mohammad gave the following strict order3 ',if the idolaters' cavalry attempt to outflank us1 by slipping through the ravine1 repulse them with showers of arrows4 ,but whether the enemy should be above or below us1 remain steadfast at your post1 and whatever befalls1 take care not to go forward6' ,at this juncture1 a loud outcry was heard resounding in the direction of the plain4 ,the ,makkans had just perceived the ,believers who1 with the oblique rays of the sun playing on their spears1 stood out in glowing relief on the rocky slopes of the ,jabal-ul-,uhud4 ,exactly as the ,prophet had foreseen1 the enemy's army1 its right wing directed by ,khalid ibn ,walid1 the terrible1 and its left wing commanded by ,ikrimah1 son of ,abu ,jahal1 spread itself out in a semi-circle1 so as to surround and turn the ,mussulmans4 ,abu ,sufyan1 chieftain of the ,infidels1 trying to wound the vanity of the ,banu ,abdi'd-,dar1 guarding the flag1 called to them thus3 ',o ye who carried our standard at ,badr1 remember the disaster of which the blame must be laid on you4 ,a soldier should follow the flag1 but ye fled with it4 ,if this day ye fear to be unable to defend it1 let me confide it to other hands4' ,stung to the quick by such an insult1 the ,banu ,abdi'd-,dar threw up their heads boldly4 ',we shall know how to guard our flag1' said they2 'and if we are alive to-morrow1 thou shalt do justice to our valour4' ,hind now came forward1 leading her companions to take their stand behind the guardians of the flag4 ,and the women sang3 ,courage6 ,o sons of the ,abdi'd-,dar6--,courage6 ,o defenders of the women at your heels6--,strike with every blade6--,we are daughters of the star of ,tariq--,our feet glide on soft carpets4--,pearls glisten in our necklaces--,and musk perfumeth our tresses4--,if ye show a bold front to the enemy1 we will embrace you6--,should you flee from the foe1 we shall repulse you--,and you will be dishonoured eternally by our scorn6 ,on the side of the ,believers1 the ,prophet was not sparing of encouragement4 ',who among you1' he exclaimed1 offering a glistening sword1 'is capable of giving this weapon its due8'--',and what is its due1 prithee8' asked ,abu ,dujana1 coming forward4--',its due is to strike with its blade till it be twisted6'--',well then1 ,i swear to give it its due6' ,abu ,dujana was a redoubtable warrior4 ,he received the sabre from ,mohammad's hands and1 rolling round his head a red turban that he never wore1 except on great occasions when death was nigh1 he strode superbly up and down in front of the ranks4 ',such defiant bearing would give rise to ,allah's wrath1' the ,prophet declared1 'on any other occasion but this4' ,among the enemy was an inhabitant of ,medinah1 ,abu ,amir1 converted to ,christianity and nicknamed ,ar ,rahib1 which means the ,monk4 ,having got into his head that he could lead a few of his fellow-countrymen in the ,aus tribe astray from the cause of ,islam1 he went and stood before them1 saying3 ',o qawm of the ,aus6 'tis ,i1 ,abu ,amir1 a son of your soul4 ,will ye not hear me out8'--',may ,allah refuse thee all favour1 ,o scoundrel6' they replied4 ,choking with shame and rancour1 the ,monk went away1 after picking up a pebble which he threw in fury at them4 ,when the ,monk had retired1 an idolater of terrible appearance1 bestriding a gigantic camel1 advances2 challenging the ,believers thrice4 ,at the third provocation1 ,zubayr stepped out of the ranks4 ,with the leap of a panther1 he sprang on to the camel's rump1 threw his arms round his adversary1 and rolling with him on the ground1 never let go his hold until he had torn his throat open4 ,seeing the combat beginning1 ,abu ,dujana could restrain himself no longer4 ,he drew his sword4 ',there is no good fortune in the ranks of cowards6' he exclaimed4 ',i strike with the sword of ,allah and ,his ,prophet6' ,the scarlet turban was seen digging into the very centre of the enemy's massed troops like a glowing brand4 ,by dint of prodigies of audacity1 he struck down all those he met on his way1 when suddenly he found himself facing a strange being who1 vomiting forth the vilest blasphemy1 was followed by a crowd of girls playing on tabors4 ,abu ,dujana brandished his blade over his adversary's head1 but on hearing the piercing shrieks uttered by ,hind1 he recognised her4 ,the sword of the ,prophet was rendered generous by him1 for he knew it ought not to strike a woman4 ,following ,abu ,dujana's onslaught1 the battle raged furiously and all the combatants were at grips4 ,arshah1 the ,quraish standard-bearer1 was struck down by ,hamzah1 and showed all his teeth in the snarling grin of death4 ,siba-al-,ghassani picked up the flag1 and challenged his companion's conqueror4 ',come a little nearer1 ,o son of the procuress6' replied ,hamzah2 and at a single stroke1 he made him share the fate of ,arshah4 ,wishing to avenge his uncle ,tahaimah1 slain at ,badr by ,hamzah1 ,zubayr ibn ,mutam promised to free his ,abyssininan slave1 ,al-,uhayha1 if he succeeded in killing ,hamzah4 ,thus spoke ,al-,uhayha3 ,during the battle1 ,i had no eyes but for ,hamzah4 ,when ,i caught sight of him1 he was like a rutting grey camel1 throwing down all he met with such terrible blows that none of them rose again4 ,not daring to face him1 ,i dogged his footsteps1 skulking behind bushes or rocks4 ,at last1 he neared the spot where ,i was hidden4 ,i am skilled at throwing the ,abyssinian javelin and rarely miss my mark4 ,just as ,hamzah cut ,siba down with a blow on the head1 ,i balanced my spear and sent it hissing at him4 ,it stuck in his groin1 coming out between his thighs4 ,terrible in his wrath1 ,hamzah turned to attack me1 but his strength failing him1 he fell down in a huddled heap and died on the spot4 ,i then came out of my place of concealment1 tore my spear from his dead body and left the battlefield4 ,i only struck at ,hamzah to gain my freedom4 ,the standard-bearer of the ,mohadjirun1 ,musab ibn ,amir1 was slain at the ,prophet's side4 ,his murderer1 ,qaumiah-al-,lissi1 thinking that he had killed ,mohammad himself1 returned to his comrades4 ',i've slain ,mohammad6' he bawled1 puffed up with pride4 ,ali seized the standard that had slipped from ,musab's grasp1 and accepted the challenge of ,abu ,sad ibn ,abi ,talhah1 the idolaters' standard-bearer1 who uttered these jeering words3 ',o companions of ,mohammad6 ye maintain that our swords send you to ,paradise whilst yours despatch us to hell6 ,by ,lat and ,uzza6 ye lie in your teeth1 for ye take good care not to rush on our blades6' ,ali did not allow him to say anything else4 ,no sooner did the two men meet1 than the mocking idol-worshipper was sent rolling in agony to earth4 ,ali's arm was lifted to finish him off when suddenly the young man averted his head and turned away3 ,abu ,sad1 in falling1 had exposed his nakedness to his conqueror4 ,a furious fight took place round the flag of the ,quraish1 and1 many other ,infidels passed from life to death4 ,two defenders of this banner1 ,mishfah and his brother1 ,al ,zulas1 both pierced through and through by arrows1 dragged themselves along to their mother1 ,sulafa1 one of ,hind's companions4 ,the two lads1 vomiting streams of blood1 rested their heads in the lap of the woman who had brought them into the world4 ',o my poor boys6' she cried1 her voice choked with sobs1 'who dealt you these terrible blows8'--',when we fell1' her sons replied1 'we heard a voice saying3 ,take these darts from me4 ,i am ,asim1 son of ,allah4' ,and ,sulafa swore that ,asim's skull should be fashioned by her into a cup from which she would drink vinous liquors4 ,the balance of victory was clearly in favour of the ,believers4 ,the ,quraish flag was laid out on the ground1 close to a heap of dead bodies1 and no idolater dared to lift the banner4 ,the rout of ,allah's foes had begun4 ,the fury of ,hind1 her serving-girls1 and her female friends was changed to terror4 ,they lifted their draperies1 showing their legs1 in order to flee more easily in wild haste4 ,the archers1 posted near the ravine on the slopes of the ,uhud1 could see all this better than anyone else1 and they stamped with hot impatience1 fearing that they would not be able to take a hand in plundering the vanquished4 ,in vain their chieftain1 ,ibn ,jubayr1 tried to retrain them by bidding them remember the ,prophet's strict orders1 and their duty which was to cover the army's flank by guarding the mountain pass4 ',the fight is finished1' they answered in ill-humour4 ',victory is ours6 ,we mean to have our share of the booty1 or deserve the crown of martyrdom4' ,like a living torrent1 they rushed down the declivity of the ravine1 disobeying ,allah and ,his ,messenger4 ,already had ,allah made good to you ,his promise1 when by ,his permission ye destroyed your foes1 until your courage failed you1 and ye disputed together about the order1 and disobeyed1 after that the ,prophet had brought you within view of that for which ye longed4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #ade47 ,khalid1 the valiant1 farseeing warrior commanding the ,quraish left wing and who1 till then1 recognised that it was impossible to turn the position1 perceived the fault of the archers4 ,at the head of his cavalry1 he charged ,ibn ,jubayr1 surrounded by a handful of men remaining faithful to him1 and after they were crushed beneath the hoofs of the horses1 ,khalid took the ,mussulmans in the rear while they were engrossed with the thoughts of plunder4 ,at the same time1 a woman of the idolaters1 ,amr bint ,alqamah1 lifted the standard abandoned by the ,makkans who1 ashamed at their own cowardice when they saw what this courageous woman had done1 went back and fought again4 ,in triumphant tones1 dominating all clamour and clash of arms1 the voice of ,qumiah1 slayer of ,musab1 rang out3 ',verily1 ,mohammad hath just been killed6' ,the current of the combat deviated4 ,the day1 that had begun so favourably1 became a day of calamity4 ,attacked in the rear1 maddened by the fatal news1 the ,mussulmans gave way1 and a number fled to ,al-,madinah4 ,even ,usman1 in despair1 allowed himself to be led away4 ,a great many of the most noble combatants fell martyrs in the fight1 and ,allah's enemies rained showers of arrows and stones on a small group of the ,faithful surrounding the ,prophet4 ,one stone1 thrown by the son of ,abu ,waqas1 struck ,mohammad1 splitting his lip1 breaking a front tooth1 on the right4 ,another projectile smashed the rings of his helmet1 driving them into his cheek4 ,abu ,ubaidah1 by biting the rings forced into the flesh1 managed to drag them out4 ,little he recked when he broke a tooth on each2 and he sucked in ecstasy the blood flowing from the wounds of ,allah's ,chosen ,one4 ,moved by such fierce devotion1 ,mohammad said to him3 ',he who hath sucked my blood hath naught to fear from the flames of ,hell2 but how can those men prosper who have shed the blood of their ,prophet8' ,meanwhile1 the situation became more and more critical4 ,during the thick of the fight1 ,mohammad was knocked down1 and thrown into a deep hole that he had not noticed behind him4 ,ali and ,talha helped him out at once4 ,then ,ali1 together with ,abu ,bakr and ,umar1 both wounded1 hurled themselves on the assailants whose forces increased unceasingly1 threatening to encircle the ,believers4 ,there were moments when the ,prophet had no one with him except ,abu ,dujana1 shielding him with his body riddled by arrows1 and ,abu ,talha who protected ,mohammad by means of a leather buckler4 ,abu ,talha was an archer so strong that he broke three bows by bending them4 ,he said to ,mohammad who rose up to see the result of the fighting and give directions3 ',o thou for whom ,i would give father and mother in ransom1 lie down1 ,i beg of thee4 ,thou might be struck by an arrow4 ,let my breast protect thy breast4' ,at that moment1 a foeman's dart1 that he dashed aside1 mutilated his hand4 ,no longer able to use his bow1 he unsheathed his sabre1 but was so greatly exhausted by fatigue that1 overcome by sleep1 he closed his eyes and his weapon fell from his grasp4 ,umm-i-,amr1 a heroine of the ,ansars1 a goat-skin on her back1 flew along the ranks of the ,believers1 pouring water in their mouths to refresh them4 ,she seized a sword and fought with manly vigour near ,mohammad1 until she fell1 badly wounded4 ,ali ,abu ,aakr and ,umar had been separated from the ,prophet in the ebb and flow of the fight2 and the shouts of the ,infidels announcing his death deprived them of all courage4 ,the three ,believers were like soulless bodies and they did not even think of defending themselves4 ,seeing them in this state1 ,anas ibn ,nazir shamed them3 ',what aileth you that ye are so downcast8'--',the ,prophet is dead4'--',well then what have ye to do with life1 now he is gone8 ,die as he died4' ,setting the example1 he dashed forward1 and fell covered with so many wounds that only his sister was able to recognise his dead body1 and that by a peculiarity of his fingers4 ,this was a rallying signal4 ,abashed by their own despondency1 ,ali1 ,abu ,bakr and ,umar1 followed by a few of the ,faithful1 copying ,umar1 rushed to a part of the battlefield where the enemy masses were furiously attacking a few men still standing4 ,suddenly1 among these heroes resisting with superhuman energy1 ,kab ibn ,malik recognised the ,prophet in person whose eyes sparkled under his helmet4 ',o ,mussulmans6 ,o brothers6' shouted ,kab1 in stentorian accents4 ',good news6 ,look at the ,prophet of ,allah6 ,he is safe and sound6' ,this cry awakened fresh courage in the heart of every man4 ,on all sides1 the ,mussulmans rushed recklessly to the spot whence the glad cry proceeded4 ,after having disengaged the ,prophet1 they were afire with irresistible ardour and cut a bloody path through the overthrown enemy's ranks as far as the ravine of ,ainin1 which they never ought to have abandoned4 ,the effort of the idolaters to storm this impregnable position was unavailing4 ,ubi ibn ,khalaf cried out in his fury3 ',o ,mohammad6 where art thou8 ,shouldst thou be still alive1 ,i swear thou shalt not escape me6' ,the ,prophet would not allow his partisans to tear ,ubi limb from limb as they wished to do1 but dragging a spear from the grasp of ,al ,haris1 ,mohammad drove its steel into ,ubi's throat4 ,he dropped forward on his horse's neck and1 after vainly trying to save himself by clutching at the mane1 fell heavily to the ground4 ,the idolaters1 exhausted1 gave up the idea of avenging his death4 ,the fight was finished4444 ,finding a little water in the hollow of a rock1 ,ali filled his shield and offered it to the ,prophet4 ,but he turned against the smell of this water and refused to drink it4 ,so ,ali then used it to wash the wounds of ,allah's ,chosen ,one1 but in vain1 his blood continuing to flow so freely as to give rise to great uneasiness4 ,fatimah1 who in a state of great anxiety1 had arrived at the scene of battle with a few of her companions1 caused some fragments of a rush-mat to be set on fire and covered her father's wounds with the ashes4 ,this dressing put a stop to the hemorrhage4 ,the ,prophet recited the midday prayer1 but remained seated1 in consequence of extreme fatigue and the suffering brought on by his wounds4 ,behind him1 also seated for the same reason1 all the combatants prayed with him1 and gave thanks to the ,almighty for having saved them despite their disobedience4 ,the death-roll numbered three score and ten1 equalling the count of the idolatrous prisoners of ,badr4 ,many of the ,believers considered that this coincidence formed a punishment for having accepted a ransom in their greed for worldly profit4 ,the bodies of the martyrs of ,uhud were in a parlous state4 ,athirst for vengeance1 the women of the ,quraish had thrown away their tabors in order to hurl themselves on the corpses and mutilate them odiously4 ,hind1 their mistress1 was the most ferocious of them all4 ,taking out her earrings1 pulling off necklaces1 bracelets and ankle-rings1 she handed them all to ,al-,uhayha1 the slayer of ,hamzah2 and1 in place of her gewgaws1 adorned herself with necklaces and bangles fashioned with noses and ears sliced from the heads of her foes4 ,like a filthy hyena1 she squatted on ,hamzah's remains4 ,with ensanguined finger-nails1 she tore his body open and dragged out the liver with fury1 making her teeth meet in it4 ,she then climbed to the top of a lofty rock and turning towards the soldiers of ,islam1 howled with all the strength of her lungs3 ,we have paid you back for the day of ,badr6--,i was tortured by the remembrance of my father--,of my son1 and of my uncle1 murdered by you6--,my soul is now at rest and my vengeance is glutted4--,my uhayha 7grief7 hath been softened by thee--,o ,uhayha6 ,o conqueror of ,hamzah6 ,i'll sing thy praises--,until my bones crumble into dust in my grave6 ,illustration3 ,setting out for ,al ,jihad1 or ,holy ,war4 #b views ,abu ,sufyan1 searching every nook and corner of the field of battle in the hope of finding ,mohammad's lifeless body1 stopped short in front of ,hamzah's corpse at the same time as ,jalis1 chief of the ,arab ,confederates4 ,abu ,sufyan amused himself by striking the corners of the dead man's mouth with the point of a spear4 ',take a good taste of the bitterness of rebellion1' he said4 ,seeing this1 ,jalis1 although an idolater1 was greatly shocked4 ',o ,banu ,kinana6' cried he to his partisans1 'admire the behaviour of the ,lord of the ,quraish towards his cousin now that he is lifeless6' ,abu ,sufyan1 alive to the fact that his conduct was vile1 drew ,jalis on one side and supplicated him4 ',keep all this a secret1 ,o ,jalis1 for ,i am ashamed of what ,i did just now in thy presence4' ,he then drew near to a spot within hail of the ,faithful1 entrenched on the slopes of the ,uhud1 and called out to them3 ',is ,mohammad with you8' ,there being no answer1 he joyfully concluded that the ,prophet was dead4 ,before going away1 he bawled as loudly as he could3 ',assuredly1 war is a game of chance4 ,this day avengeth the day of ,badr2 ,hubal1 our god1 is victorious4 ,he is the ,all-,highest6' ,at this blasphemy1 the ,prophet ordered ,umar to reply4 ,he cried out3 ',allah is the ,most ,high2 the ,most ,majestic6' ,recognising ,umar's voice1 ,abu ,sufyan asked him3 ',o ,umar6 ,i conjure thee1 inform me if we have killed ,mohammad4'--',no1 by my faith6 ,he is even now listening to thee4' ,abu ,sufyan1 disappointed1 rejoined3 ',evidently1 ,i am bound to believe thee in preference to ,ibn ,qamiah who boasts of having killed him4 ,but ,i swear to meet you next year at ,badr4'--',that is understood6' replied ,umar4 ',we pledge our word to meet thee there4' ,the ,prophet despatched ,ali to track the ,infidels4 ',take heed how they carry themselves1' ,mohammad impressed upon his scout4 ',see if they ride their camels and lead their horses by the bridle4 ,that will certainly denote that they give up all hope of battle and are going to ,makkah4 ,if1 on the contrary1 they mount their steeds and drive their camels before them1 it is a sure sign that they are bound for ,al-,madinah with the intention of cutting us off4 ,in that case1 there is but one thing to be done3 to hurl ourselves upon them without loss of time1 so as to attack them and hack our way through4' ,a few minutes later1 ,ali returned4 ,he had seen the ,quraish alight from their horses1 bestride their camels and set out in the direction of ,makkah4 ,reassured as to the enemy's intentions1 the ,believers busied themselves with the burial of the martyrs4 ,first of all1 the ,prophet sought to find the body of his uncle ,hamzah4 ,mohammad discovered it in a hollow of the ,wadi1 the belly ripped open2 and with ears and nose cut off4 ',were it not that ,i feared to grieve ,safiyah 7,hamzah's sister71 and to set an example which perhaps would become law1 ,i would leave these remains unburied1 until they should disappear in the entrails of jackals and vultures2 thus keeping alive the hope of revenge4 ,if the ,almighty should ever deliver into our hands the wretches who have thus treated thee1 ,i swear to exercise most terrible reprisals4' ,the ,prophet then received this ,revelation3 ,if ye make reprisals1 then make them to the same extent that ye were injured3 but if ye can endure patiently1 best will it surely be for the patiently enduring4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xvi1 #abg47 ,thus warned1 ,mohammad relinquished his ideas of retaliation1 and earnestly urged the ,faithful to abstain from mutilating their enemies4 ,the news of the disaster having reached ,al-,madinah1 all the women1 and ,safiyah among them1 came in crowds to attend to the wounded and mourn for the dead4 ,the ,prophet charged ,safiyah's son1 ,zubayr ibn ,awam1 to send his mother away1 to prevent her seeing her brother's corpse1 so atrociously disfigured4 ',i have been told that my brother was mutilated for the cause of ,islam1' she replied1 'and ,i shall be resigned no matter how horrible the sight1 please ,allah6' ,she went straightway to where ,hamzah was lying and after having prayed over him with fervent firmness1 she departed4 ,funerals then began4 ,after having led that of his uncle ,hamzah1 the ,prophet1 so as not to fatigue the ,believers who were already exhausted1 had the dead bodies buried two by two1 or three by three1 in the same grave1 and without being washed according to custom4 ',for ,i bear witness for these martyrs1' he declared4 ',those who have been struck down on ,allah's ,road will be resuscitated on the ,day of ,resurrection when their wounds will appear fresh and bloody2 smelling sweetly of musk4' ,when it came to his ears that several families had carried their dead to ,al-,madinah to bury them there1 he upbraided them and ordained3 ',henceforward1 ye shall bury your dead where they fall4' ,the battle of ,uhud did not result fatally for ,islam as might reasonably have been feared4 ,there were grievous losses2 but several advantages accrued from the fight4 ,the defeat was due to having disregarded the ,prophet's first idea1 and to disobeying his orders on the field4 ,in future1 the ,believers submitted entirely to him2 they were resolved to carry out his commands to the letter even in case he should be killed1 according to the verse alluding to the momentary despondency of ,ali1 ,abu ,bakr1 and ,umar3 ,mohammad is no more than an ,apostle2 other ,apostles have already passed away before him2 if then he die1 or be slain1 will ye turn upon your heels8 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #ach47 ,moreover1 defeats1 when faith is fervent1 serve only to sharpen energy3 ,and how many a ,prophet hath combated an enemy on whose side were many myriads8 ,yet were they not daunted at what befell them on the path of ,allah1 nor were they weakened1 nor did they basely submit6 ,and ,allah loveth those who endure with steadfastness4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #adj47 ,clemency henceforward was not to be shown to the idolaters3 the savage mutilation of the seventy martyrs proved that compassion was inadmissible4 ,a distinction was also clearly established between the true ,believers and the ,hypocrites1 such as ,abdullah ibn ,salul and his partisans4 ,the ,prophet knew what they were1 but the majority of his disciples were ignorant of these double-faced men's perfidy1 as demonstrated by their cowardly desertion in the hour of danger4 ,concerning the ,uhud1 quoth ,mohammad3 ,that mountain loveth us and we return its affection6 ,o ,allah6 ,abraham declared the territory of ,makkah to be sacred4 ,i declare the territory of ,al-,madinah1 situated between the two ,harrah1 to be sacred also4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,mohammad ,,and ,,zainab ,zayd1 the enfranchised slave and adopted son of the ,prophet1 had taken ,zainab bint ,jahsh to wife1 but the marriage had not been concluded easily4 ,zainab was of noble birth4 ,ali1 sent to make the matrimonial demand1 found it rejected by her and her brothers4 ,the union was only brought about when the ,prophet came forward in person1 and ,zainab continued to behave most haughtily towards the freed man now her husband4 ,having gone one day to ,zayd's dwelling to speak to him1 ,mohammad was received by ,zainab who1 hidden behind a curtain1 said3 ',zayd hath gone out2 but come in and wait awhile4' ,the ,prophet refused1 and was about to depart1 when a gust of air having lifted the hanging1 he involuntarily caught sight of ,zainab4 ,she made a great impression on him2 so much so that as he turned to go1 he could not help exclaiming3 ',glory to ,him who inclineth all hearts6' ,this cry filled ,zainab with boundless pride4 ,when poor ,zayd returned1 he was received with more scornful haughtiness than ever1 and she hastened to let him know the effect produced upon ,allah's ,apostle by her radiant beauty4 ,zayd began to feel that life with his spouse1 already hard to please1 would soon be unbearable4 ,he made up his mind to see ,mohammad2 and then he told him3 ',maybe ,zainab pleaseth thee8 ,if so1 ,i'll get rid of her4'--',go back to thy wife and keep her to thyself1' replied the ,prophet4 ,but ,zayd had had enough of her4 ,ever since the sight of ,zainab had forced a cry of admiration from the ,prophet1 her husband did not dare to approach her and considered that he would have no peace until after he had divorced her4 ,so he went back to ,mohammad4 ',o ,prophet6' said he1 'the way ,zainab talketh to me is worse than ever4 ,i wish to repudiate her4'--',fear ,allah1' replied ,mohammad1 'and keep thy wife to thyself4'--',but ,i'm no longer master in my own house6'--',if that is so1 put her away from thee4' ,as soon as she was repudiated1 ,zainab had but a single thought3 to become the wife of the ,prophet2 and she never ceased intriguing to gain her ends4 ,at last a ,revelation came down to ,mohammad3 ,and when ,zayd had settled the necessary matter of her divorce1 ,we married her to thee4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxiii1 #cg47 ,so he resolved to be wedded to ,zainab4 ,the ,jews and the ,hypocrites declared this was scandalous4 ',mohammad marries his son's wife6' was their cry1 and they worked with a will to make capital out of the incident and bring him into disrepute4 ,the following verses1 however1 stopped every true ,believer from listening to the discreditable group3 ,name your adopted sons after their fathers3 this will be more right before ,allah4 ,but if ye know not who their fathers are1 still let them be your brethren in the faith1 and your comrades 99 ,mohammad is not the father of any man among you4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxiii1 #e1 #dj47 ,the adoption of ,zayd1 dating from before the birth of ,islam1 and which might have proved a serious stumbling-block in the political career of its chief1 was thus annulled1 and the freed man1 called ,zayd ibn ,mohammad1 now went by his real name3 ,zayd ibn al-,haris4 ,but the affection that ,mohammad had for ,zayd and his son ,usamah1 was strengthened by this solution which put an end to all feelings of restraint4 ,such is the adventure of ,zainab1 which all the historians who are enemies of ,islam have passionately exploited in order to sully the ,prophet's memory4 ,we shall not discuss the subject1 because1 in our opinion1 the details of the life of a man like ,mohammad cannot be isolated from the whole of his work and judged separately4 ,in common with all the ,prophets1 without exception1 ,mohammad doubtless had what some call moments of weakness2 but they have nothing to do with his inspiration4 ,moreover1 the historians of ,mohammad enjoy the unusual honour of having felt such great respect for his memory1 that they refused to discuss his conduct4 ,when the historians of other ,prophets cut out of their lives all that they consider may belittle them in the eyes of posterity1 the writers set themselves up1 in reality1 as critics of their heroes' acts4 ,in the foregoing narrative1 which has served as a pretext for so many pamphlets1 we find the most incontestable proof of the sincerity of the ,arab ,prophet's biographers4 ,following their example1 and as a token of our impartiality1 we thought it our duty to relate this episode1 although of secondary interest1 and greatly inferior to other events for which we have not found space in this work4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,ghazwah1 ,,or ,,expedition ,,of ,,zat-,,ir-,,riqua 7,year ,,iv of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbf7 ,having heard that the ,banu ,muharib and the ,banu ,saliba of the ,najd were preparing an expedition against him1 the ,prophet decided to be beforehand with them1 and set out to meet his foes4 ,in his haste1 he had only been able to get together a small number of camels2 one for six men who took it in turns to ride4 ,the ,believers were compelled to bind up their cruelly wounded feet1 from which the nails were torn by the sharp stones of the ,hammadas1 with ruqqah3 fragments of their apparel4 ,hence the name of ,zat-ir-,riga bestowed on this expedition4 ,after having camped at ,nakhl1 ,mohammad's soldiers came in sight of the assembled enemy4 ,the two armies remained motionless1 face to face1 neither making up its mind to begin the hostilities2 the ,mussulmans1 because of their numerical inferiority out of all proportion2 and the ,infidels1 in consequence of their terror arising from the influence of the recent victories of ,islam4 ,it was in these circumstances that the ,prophet instituted the ,salatu'l-,khauf1 the ,prayer of ,peril4 ,he divided the ,believers into two groups2 one saying the prayer1 and the other keeping a vigilant eye on the enemy4 ,greatly impressed by the resolute bearing of the ,mussulmans1 whom their foes hoped to surprise1 but who had come out and showed fight1 the allies began to retreat1 one after the other1 so that1 passing from extreme vigilance1 as shown at first1 the ,believers became a prey to exaggerated confidence4 ,during the torrid heat of the middle of the day1 they were scattered here and there enjoying their siesta in the shade of the numerous talhah 7gum-trees71 growing in the valley1 and had posted no sentinels to keep watch and ward4 ,a ,bedouin of the ,banu ,mustaliq perceived this lack of precaution4 ,by crawling along on hands and knees1 he succeeded in approaching the ,prophet and lifting the silver-hilted sabre hanging to the branches under which the ,apostle was resting1 the tribesman said3 ',o ,mohammad1 let me look at thy sword-blade4' ,after having run his thumb along the edge of the steel as if to try it1 he brandished it over the ,prophet's head and cried out3 ',o ,mohammad6 dost thou not fear me8'--',no6 ,why should ,i fear thee8'--',art thou not afraid of the weapon ,i hold8'--',no1 for ,allah protecteth me1' replied the ,prophet1 with the greatest calm1 gazing boldly at his agressor4 ,petrified at such indifference in the face of danger1 the ,bedouin was overwhelmed with supernatural emotion which paralysed his heart's action4 ,cold sweat bathed his brow2 his fingers1 gripping the sword-hilt1 opened out involuntarily1 and the sabre fell at ,mohammad's feet4 ,he picked it up quietly4 ',and now1 what will save thee from my blows8' he asked4--',thy generosity6' replied the downcast brigand4 ,he was right4 ,the ,prophet let him depart without compelling him to embrace the ,mohammedan faith1 for he wished to accustom idolaters to the generosity of ,islam1 so that they should come to it of their own accord4 ,the ,bedouin1 who before leaving his own bivouac1 had boasted that he would bring in ,mohammad's head1 declared to his people3 ',i have just met the best of men4' ,and he went back to the ,prophet and became a convert to ,islam4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,ghazwah1 ,,or ,,expedition ,,of ,,the ,,banu ,,mustaliq 7,year ,v of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbg7 ,now it was the turn of the ,banu ,mustaliq to get restless and conspire against ,islam4 ,the ,prophet resolved to punish them1 and1 at the head of his troops1 he came upon them on their own territory at ,qudid1 near the wells of ,al ,mirisiyah4 ,the two armies crashed together in their shock1 and many were slain on both sides4 ,allah routed the ,banu ,mustaliq2 and an enormous amount of booty3 camels1 sheep and captives1 fell into the hands of his warriors4 ,among the prisoners was the daughter of the ,lord of the ,mustaliqs1 beautiful ,juwairiyah4 ,as a result of the drawing by lot1 she fell to ,sabit ibn ,qais1 but promised her master a heavy ransom in exchange for liberty4 ,she then sought out the ,prophet and told him3 ',i am ,juwairiyah1 daughter of ,haris1 ,lord of the ,mustaliqs4 ,thou knowest my unlucky fate4 ,i know thy magnanimity and ,i come to implore thy help to pay my ransom4'--',i will settle thy ransom1' he replied2 'and ,i'll marry thee1 if so be thou art willing4' ,she accepted1 and despite ,ayishah's jealousy1 aroused by the charm and grace of ,juwairiyah1 the marriage was decided4 ,in the meantime1 ,haris had arrived1 bringing his daughter's ransom4 ,mohammad gave him back ,juwairiyah1 but only to ask him immediately for her hand1 offering as dower the sum of four hundred drachmas4 ,as soon as the news of this union was noised abroad1 the ,believers said3 ',the ,prophet hath allied himself to the ,banu ,mustaliq4 ,we must therefore look upon them as our allies4' ,the ,faithful gave back all the booty2 together with all the captives who had just been shared among them4 ,few women ever brought such a blessing to her tribe as this ,juwairiyah4 ,after the severe fighting1 whilst the soldiers were watering their panting camels at the well ,al ,mirisiyah1 a violent quarrel was nigh bringing ,ansars and ,mohadjirun to blows4 ,jajjah1 leading ,umar's horse by the bridle1 hustled ,simana ibn ,ubair1 an ally of the ,banu ,auf ibn ,khazraj1 in order to deprive him of his turn at the well4 ,simana turned upon him1 and the two adversaries1 locked in murderous embrace1 rolled on the ground1 ,simana shouting3 ',help6 ,o comrades of the ,ansars6' and ,jajjah3 ',help6 ,o comrades of the ,mohadjirun6' ,they were hauled apart1 and for the moment the quarrel came to nothing4 ,but on both sides1 great effervescence reigned in the minds of the tribesmen4 ,the ,hypocrite1 ,abdullah ibn ,abi ,salul1 an eye-witness of the scuffle1 worked up the men's exasperation to the highest pitch by these words3 ',o citizens of ,al-,madinah6 have ye seen the impudence of all these ,quraish8 ,they pick a quarrel with us in our own country1 abusing our hospitality and relying on their numbers4 ,such is the result of your candour1 when ye opened your doors to them and shared your property with them4 ,how true is the saying of our ancestors3 ',feed thy dog and he will devour thee6' ,once back in ,al-,madinah1 will not the strong make up their minds to drive out the weak8' ,zayd1 son of ,arquam1 reported these wicked remarks to ,mohammad4 ,by his side stood ,umar who flew into a violent passion4 ',o ,prophet6' he cried4 ',wilt thou not order ,abbad ibn ,bashir to put this impostor to death8'--',how cometh it1 ,umar1 that thou canst give such a piece of advice8' rejoined the ,prophet4 ',if people are able to say3 ',mohammad cutteth his companions' throats1' what a fine stir there would be in ,al-,madinah4 ,no1 no6' he went on1 turning to ,abbad2 'but give out orders to depart at once4' ,the sun was at its zenith2 the heat overpowering4 ,it was not a favourable moment for folding the tents4 ,nevertheless1 the ,prophet1 lashing his she-camel on the tender skin of her belly1 to increase her speed1 led his soldiers in a forced march lasting all day1 all night1 and all through the morning of the next day till noon4 ,it was then1 seeing his brave warriors beginning to stagger1 that he called a halt4 ,all his men1 worn out by fatigue1 dropped on the ground1 overcome by deep sleep where they fell1 without having been able to give vent to the feelings of fury seething in their hearts and which might have caused most sanguinary conflicts among them4 ,the ,hypocrite ,abdullah had a son who was also called ,abdullah4 ,he was a sincere ,believer and he went to the ,prophet4 ',they tell me1' quoth the young man1 'that thou didst intend to kill ,abdullah1 my father4 ,in that case1 charge me to bring thee his head1 for by ,allah6 thou shalt know that among the ,khazraj1 there is no son more devoted to his father than ,i4 ,if thou shouldst charge any other to execute him1 ,i should not be able to bear the sight of his murderer going unpunished and ,i should kill him4 ,therefore ,i should be slaying a true ,mussulman in order to avenge a ,mussulman ,hypocrite1 and render myself deserving of hell-fire4' ,the ,prophet tranquilised the stoical ,believer by these words3 ',give no credit to what thou didst hear4 ,on the contrary1 we look upon thy father as our friend and comrade1 so long as he remaineth with us4' ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,tayannum1 ,,or ,,the ,,ceremony ,,of ,,ablution ,,performed ,,with ,,sand ,it was during this expedition that the following ,revelation came down3 ,but if ye are sick1 or on a journey1 or if one of you come from the place of retirement1 or if ye have touched women and find no water1 then take clean sand and rub your faces and your hands with it4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,v1 #i47 ,thus was established the ,tayammum1 or purification by sand1 destined to prevent the ,believers from ever forgetting their salutary duty2 for this did away with the pretext1 so frequent in their deserts1 that lack of water hindered the performance of ablutions4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,the ,,ditch 7,year ,v of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbg7 ,a deputation of ,jews from the tribe of the ,banu ,nazir1 and a few malcontents of the ,wayls journeyed to ,makkah to offer the ,quraish an alliance4 ,the ,ghatafans1 a tribe hailing from the north of the ,hijaz1 and the ,habash1 or ,arab ,confederates1 joined them4 ,thus was organised a vast conspiracy1 threatening ,al-,madinah on all sides4 ,this time1 when the ,prophet got to hear of the importance of this expedition1 he had no difficulty in persuading the ,believers that the only way to save themselves was by entrenchment in the town and there awaiting the advent of the enemy4 ,al-,madinah was protected in almost every direction1 either by ramparts1 fortlets1 or gardens4 ,at the north only would it have been possible for the enemy to arrange a formidable assault4 ,a learned ,persian1 ,salman-i-,farisi1 recently converted1 explained to the ,prophet a system of efficacious protection4 ,it was by means of a ditch1 and ,salman had seen it practised in his own country4 ,mohammad was so struck by the ,persian's arguments that this ditch was ordered to be dug immediately4 ,all the ,believers1 confiding in their chief's farsightedness1 set ardently to work4 ,nevertheless1 they were in a state of extreme distress4 ,an icy north wind1 such as blows frequently in winter on these table-lands of the desert where there is intense radiation1 benumbed their shivering bodies4 ,roads where the work of revictualling was carried on were blocked by the enemy2 provisions were lacking4 ,the pangs of hunger would have paralysed their strength if it had not been kept up and rekindled by faith1 for all they had to eat were a few grains of barley cooked in rancid1 nauseous mutton-fat4 ,meanwhile1 the shovelfuls of earth accumulated1 thrown up with great spirit by the workers1 and the ditch had reached a good depth1 when suddenly the pickaxes struck against a rock which they were powerless to uproot4 ,mohammad filled his mouth with water and spat it out on the stone1 at the same time as he implored the help of the ,almighty4 ,the diggers again applied themselves to their task and the vigour of their arms1 increased tenfold by the certainty of success which the ,prophet's action had instilled into their hearts1 met with no further obstacles4 ,it seemed to them that the hard stone had become as friable as the sand2 the rock splitting into countless fragments under the attack of their tools4 ,scarcely was the ditch ready1 when the entire plain was covered by the tents of the enemy's army1 ten thousand strong3 the ,quraish1 ,banu ,kamanah1 ,ghatafans1 ,arabs of the ,tuhamah and of the ,najd1 etc4 ,despite their great superiority of numbers1 the ,infidels were not sanguine as to the result of their conflict with the ,prince of ,apostles1 and they cast about for new allies4 ,huwai ibn ,akhtab1 an enemy of ,allah1 approached ,kab ibn ,asad1 ,prince of the ,jewish tribe of the ,banu ,quraizah who1 although deeply hostile to the ,prophet1 had signed a treaty with him4 ,ill at ease1 ,kab repulsed his visitor in these terms3 ',o ,huwai6 the step thou dost take is fraught with great danger for my tribe4 ,i have signed a treaty with strict fidelity4'--',open thy door to me1 ,o ,kab1 for ,i only wish to partake of thy ,shishah1 a kind of soup4 ,kab let him in1 and ,huwai immediately broached the subject that brought him there4 ,he vaunted the power of the ten thousand ,confederates encamped near the ,uhud1 and demonstrated how he was certain of ridding the world of ,mohammad4 ',thou bringest me ugly business1 ,o ,huwai6' replied ,kab1 still hesitating4 '',tis an empty raincloud in which only thunder and lightning remain4 ,i see no advantage for me4 ,what have ,i to do with all this8' ,his interlocutor never left off until he had coaxed ,kab into cancelling his contract with ,mohammad and forming an alliance with the ,infidels4 ,the rumour of this defection coming to the ,prophet's ears1 he sent ,sad ibn ,muaz1 ,sad ibn ,ubaidah and ,chuat ibn ,zubayr to see if it was true4 ,when these envoys reminded the ,banu ,quraizah of their pledge1 the following reply was made3 ',who is this ,prophet of ,allah of whom ye speak8 ,there exists no treaty between him and us4' ,this was downright treachery1 for the ,banu ,quraizah were marvellously well-informed as to the ,believers' secrets and weak points of the town4 ,to guard against the anxiety that such treason might create among his disciples1 ,mohammad1 when his envoys returned1 exclaimed3 ',allah is ,great6 ,here have we good news6 ,hearken1 ,o ,moslem comrades6' ,in this way he predicted that the spoils accruing from the overthrow of the ,banu ,quraizah would soon enrich the ,believers1 thus brazenly betrayed4 ,the sight of the ten thousand sparkling spears that made the plain look like a field of darts1 produced1 nevertheless1 a great impression on the ,believers lining the ramparts4 ,the ,hypocrites1 as was their wont1 instead of exhorting the citizens to pluck up courage1 tried to sow the seeds of panic4 ',admire ,mohammad1' they would say4 ',he promised us the treasures of ,chosroes and of ,csar2 and yet1 this very day1 he himself is not certain of having a roof over his head6' ,to put an end to these gloomy forebodings1 the ,prophet made his troops sally forth and posted them behind the ditch4 ,they were covered in the rear by the ,sala hill4 ,at that juncture1 some of the soldiers whose courage was on the wane asked the permission of the ,prophet to return1 saying3 ',of a truth1 our houses are left defenceless4' ,but they were not left defenceless3 verily their sole wish was to flee away 99 ,if the enemy had effected an entry at all points1 and they had been asked to promote rebellion among the ,believers1 they would certainly have done so2 but only a short time would they have remained in4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxiii1 #ac1 #ad47 ,frankly1 great anxiety reigned2 but the faith of the sincere ,mussulmans and the unchanging serenity of the ,apostle got the best of it4 ,on the other hand1 the ,confederates1 despite all their advantage1 were still smitten with terror at the thought of the mysterious forces that they always found facing them each time they fought against ,allah's warriors2 and dared not risk an attack before making sure that it would not turn out to be another miserable1 humiliating failure4 ,so they were contented with drawing near to the walls4 ,for twenty days and twenty nights1 hostilities were limited to encircling the city and a few flights of arrows1 without any result4 ,ashamed1 at last1 of their inaction1 several horsemen of the ,quraizah and ,kinanas1 got ready for the fray4 ,in close rank1 they broke away from the enemy front4 ,their breasts pressed to the necks of their steeds1 they dashed forward in a frenzied charge1 swallowed up in the orange-tinted whirlwind of dust4444 ,then suddenly1 the living hurricane stopped dead1 and when the clouds of sand enfolding the idolatrous riders lifted1 they were seen petrified with affright in front of the deep ditch in which they had nearly been engulphed2 whilst the horses1 with twitching nostrils1 their mouths twisted and bleeding by reason of the sudden jerk of the bit1 stopping them in their forward bound1 remained with stiffened1 trembling legs on the edge of the trench4444 ',by our gods6' swore the ,infidels1 'this is a trick that ,arabs never play6' ,they sought for a spot where the moat was the most narrow1 and savagely spurring on their steeds1 they lifted them in fantastic jumping efforts and so reached the other side4 ,ali1 followed by a few soldiers1 went out to meet them4 ,getting between them and the ditch1 he cut off their retreat4 ,one of the men on horseback1 ,amr ibn ,abd-i-,aud1 of frightful aspect and gigantic stature1 howled the vilest curses and challenged the ,believers to single combat4 ,with the permission of the ,prophet who buckled on his own breastplate1 rolled his turban round his head and placed his sword in his hand1 ,ali stood face to face with the giant4 ,at the sight of his assailant1 only a boy1 ,amr1 the terrible1 made a gesture of scorn and pity4 ',i am loth to shed thy blood1' he said1 'for thy father was my friend '--',as for me1' retorted ,ali1 ',i shall have no compunction in shedding thine4' ,at these words1 ,amr foamed with rage1 and ,ali bade him remark that if he despised his young adversary1 he did not disdain to profit by remaining on horseback to defend himself against an enemy on foot4 ,amr jumped off his horse and hamstrung it2 thereby showing that he did not wish to use it for fight or flight4 ,mad with rage at the mocking challenge of so youthful a foe1 he beat his own face with his clenched fists4444 ,then he rushed at ,ali1 aiming a fierce blow which glanced lightly off the lad's forehead1 after having smashed his shield to pieces4 ,as quick as lightning1 ,ali sprung on one side and1 by an unexpected bound1 got behind his adversary4 ,carried forward by the violence of his advance1 the monster was bewildered and staggered when he tried to turn round4 ,ali seized the opportunity at once and made a skilful thrust4 ,the blade pierced ,amr's throat1 through and through1 cutting the carotid artery4 ,an enormous gush of blood spurted from the gaping wound2 like a drunken man1 the colossus1 with hoarse hiccoughs proceeding from his severed throat1 made a few faltering steps and fell in a heap at the feet of ,islam's champion4 ,at this sight1 the ,mussulmans sang the ,takbir1 and the other ,infidels1 overwhelmed by consternation1 fled at a wild gallop4 ,one of them1 ,nuhfil ibn ,abdullah1 having miscalculated his jump1 rolled with his mount down into the ditch1 where he was slowly being killed by showers of stones1 when ,zubayr put an end to the torture by a cut from his scimitar1 which after having cleft his body in twain1 was stopped by the saddle4 ,safiyah1 the ,prophet's aunt on his mother's side1 kept an eye on the foe from the top of a fortlet belonging to ,hasan ibn ,sabit1 who remained by her side4 ,she caught sight of a ,jew wandering round the ramparts and said to ,hasan3 ',seest thou that ,jew prowler8 ,without a doubt1 he seeketh to find a weak point in our walls1 and whilst the ,prophet and his soldiers are busy on the front facing the enemy1 other ,jews will be fetched to follow the spy and capture our fortlet4 ,go down and kill him6'--',may ,allah pardon thee6 ,o daughter of ,abdul ,muttalib1 ,i am not a warrior accustomed to the use of arms4 ,i am a poet4' ,shrugging her shoulders1 masculine-minded ,safiyah seized a mace and went down4 ,gliding behind the ,jew1 she felled him by dint of dealing repeated blows on his head2 and then went back to ,hasan4 ',now thou canst go down and strip the ,jew of all he possesseth1 for it is not seemly for a woman to undress a man4' ,several skirmishes of slight importance took place at long intervals2 but if an attack was not to be feared1 thanks to the precautionary moat which had upset the ,confederates' calculations1 the garrison might have been mastered by famine4 ,great uneasiness prevailed in their ranks4 ,meanwhile1 ,naim1 ,prince of the ,ghatafans1 sought out ,mohammad1 saying3 ',o ,prophet6 ,i have become a ,mussulman and my people know it not4 ,i am entirely at thy disposal4'--',of what use is all thy courage8 ,thou art alone6 ,but couldst thou not help us by provoking relinquishment among the ,confederates8 ,in all wars1 there are tricks which are licit4' ,naim understood at once the part he had to play4 ,he went to the ,banu ,quraizah1 having often broken bread among them when he was an idolater4 ,illustration3 ,al ,fitr1 the ,prayer on the ,breaking of the ,ramadhan ,fast4 ',o ,banu ,quraizah6' said he1 'ye know how ,i feel towards you all8'--',verily1 and we have entire confidence in thee4'--',being so1 listen to me4 ,the ,quraish and the ,ghatafans1 your allies1 are not in the same position as you4 ,this part of the country is yours3 here is your property2 here dwell your families4 ,ye cannot abandon your land for another4 ,they1 on the contrary1 are only here to fight ,mohammad and his companions2 their belongings and their families are beyond their enemies' reach4 ,if the fortune of war turneth against them1 they will return in tranquility to their own country and leave you in yours1 to do the best you can with this man4 ,will ye be able to resist him1 once ye face him alone8 ,fight therefore no more with these qawms without claiming hostages chosen from their noblemen1 so as to make sure that you will never be left in the lurch before ye have brought ,mohammad to his knees4'--',of a truth1 thy advice is good6' they declared unanimously4 ,nai then went to the ,quraish idol-worshippers and talked to them4 ',ye know how ,i feel towards you all4'--',aye4'--',i have been able to ascertain something that ,i consider is only right that you should be told at once4 ,but swear to keep it secret4'--',we swear6'--',this is it1' he went on4 ',know that the ,jews regret having annulled their compact with ,mohammad and consequently have sent him this message3 ,most certainly do we regret what we did1 but if thou dost consent to pardon us1 we will give up to thee several hostages chosen amongst the most noble of the ,quraish or the ,ghatafans we have seized2 and we will remain thy faithful allies until thine enemies are exterminated4 ,mohammad having accepted1 the ,jews therefore will come and claim hostages1 pretexting that they are certain of never being thrown over whilst holding these sureties4 ,take care never to give them a single hostage6' ,he said the same thing to the ,ghatafans1 his fellow-countrymen1 and was just as successful with them4 ,the ,quraish and the ,ghatafans swore they would be on their guard4 ,one night1 on the eve of a ,saturday in the month of ,shawwal1 ,abu ,sufyan and the chieftains of the ,ghatafans sent ,ikrimah to the ,banu ,quraizah1 charging him to say to them3 ',we can no longer sojourn in these parts1 so unsuitable to our horses and camels4 ,be ready to fight ,mohammad to-morrow4 ,we must get done with him6' ,they made answer3 ',to-morrow is a ,saturday1 the ,sabbath day1 which means obligatory repose in our religion4 ,but1 at any rate1 we cannot fight by your side unless ye grant us hostages chosen from the most noble among you1 as a guarantee that ye will not abandon us before having crushed our common enemy4' ,when ,ikrimah repeated these words1 the ,quraish and the ,ghatafans cried out3 ',by all our gods1 what ,naim told us concerning the ,banu ,quraizah was perfect truth6' ,the ,confederates immediately sent another message1 declaring plainly3 ',by our gods1 we'll not give you a single hostage6' ,it was now the turn of the ,banu ,quraizah to find out how correct was the information vouchsafed by ,naim and they came to a rupture with the ,confederates4 ,this piece of news1 reported by ,naim1 made the ,prophet rejoice exceedingly2 but being desirous of knowing the effect produced by this rupture in the ranks of the ,quraish and the ,ghatafans1 he said to ,huzaifah3 ',make thy way1 this very night1 into the enemy's camp and find out what they may be planning4 ,come back and tell me without letting anyone know4' ,thanks to the pitchy darkness of that wintry night1 ,huzaifah glided among the enemies' tents4 ,a high1 icy wind had put out all the fires and blown down all the cooking-pots4 ,the whistling gusts deafened all ears2 and the shivering idolaters huddled together1 wrapped up in the folds of their mantles4 ',keep an eye on your companions6' was the watchword shouted by ,abu ,sufyan1 meaning3 ',beware of spies6' ,huzaifah1 with great presence of mind1 seized the hand of an ,infidel standing close to him and demanded in threatening accents3 ',who art thou8'--',such an one2 son of such an one4' ,huzaifah let him go1 and the ,infidel1 forced to exonerate himself1 never thought of putting questions as well4 ,the relinquishment of the ,banu ,quraizah2 the difficulties with regard to feeding camels and horses2 and1 above all1 the disorder arising from that calamitous night1 caused ,abu ,sufyan to be discouraged4 ,after a short discussion between him and the other ,quraish chieftains1 in the hearing of invisible ,huzaifah1 the return of the besiegers to their dwellings was decided4 ,having got to know all he wanted1 ,huzaifah went back to his camp4 ,he found the ,prophet praying and he beckoned to his disciple to approach4 ,when ,huzaifah was close to him1 to warm his messenger1 he covered him with part of the mantle spread out on the ground in lieu of a praying carpet4 ,when ,mohammad had finished his devotions1 he listened to the intrepid scout and congratulated him on the success of his mission4 ,next day1 the plain was clear of the enemy2 and the ,prophet1 leaving the ditch1 led his troops back to ,al-,madinah4 ',the ,quraish came here to attack us for the last time1' he declared4 ',henceforward it will be for us to go and beard them in their dens4' ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,treaty ,,of ,,al-,,hudaibiyah 7,year ,,vi of the ,hegira ,a4,d4 #fbh7 ,the ,prophet dreamt that he entered ,makkah in the midst of his companions and then marched to ,mina1 in the ,valley of ,sacrifices4 ,this vision embodied the greatest desire of his heart2 and all the ,believers felt the same1 as they suffered from not being able to visit the ,holy ,places since the ,hegira4 ,so ,mohammad determined to satisfy their craving4 ,in the month of ,zu'l-,qa'dah1 he went out of ,al-,madinah1 and took the road to ,makkah at the head of fourteen hundred pilgrims1 driving seventy camels for sacrificial purposes4 ,to show that his intentions were peaceful1 he caused garlands to be hung round the victims' necks4 ,furthermore1 at ,zu'l ,halifah1 he solemnly put himself in the state of ,ihram1 which consists in assuming the pilgrim's garb of double cloths without seams1 and abstaining from all that is forbidden during the visit to the holy places3 approaching women2 the use of perfumes2 cutting the beard1 hair or nails2 fighting or quarrelling2 and the slaying of animals others than those sacrificed4 ,his disciples followed his example and he gave out the ,talbiyah3 ,i stand up for ,thy service1 ,o ,allah6 which they all repeated in chorus4 ,at ,osfan1 he met with ,bishr ibn ,al-,kab on his return from ,makkah whither he had been sent to glean information1 and who told him3 ',o ,prophet6 the ,quraish know that thou art on the way4 ,they have called upon the ,saquifs and the ,habash who are coming to face thee1 bringing with them their wives and children1 to stop themselves from even thinking of flight4 ,they also lead their she-camels and the young camels1 so as to be certain not to suffer from lack of meat or milk2 and the warriors have covered their bodies with skins of panthers as a token that they will never give in1 but fight to the last gasp4 ,at this moment1 they are encamped at ,zu ,sua4 ,khalid ibn ,walid1 at the head of their cavalry1 is in ambush at ,kurrat-ul-,ghamin4' ',who can guide us along some other road than that by which they expect us8' asked the ,prophet4 ,a guide of the ,aslams proffered his services and led the army of the ,believers through an unknown path1 but it was frightful to look upon4 ,it meandered through an inextricable chaos of wild ravines1 jagged rocky heights1 abrupt ascents and descents1 strewn with pointed pebbles that cut the feet of men and animals4 ,after having mastered exhaustion and fatigue1 the ,believers debouched in the sandy bed of a broad wadi which seemed to their bruised and bleeding feet like a carpet of the richest pile4 ,they offered up thanksgivings to the ,compassionate1 and obeying the commands of their inspired leader1 they cried out3 ,we implore the forgiveness of ,allah and we repent in ,his ,presence6 ,then they went through the pass of ,al ,morar1 and arrived at the foot of the hill of ,al-,hudaibiyah1 situated partly on holy ground and partly in ordinary territory1 a day's journey from ,makkah4 ,at this spot1 ,qaswa1 the ,prophet's she-camel1 suddenly knelt and refused to get up4 ',is she restive8' asked his companions4--',no1 she is not restive1' replied ,mohammad2 'but she is stopped by ,him who formerly stopped the elephant of the ,negus ,abrah1 and prevented him entering ,makkah4' ,and the ,apostle gave orders to pitch the tents4 ,the enemy1 surprised at not having met ,mohammad1 and knowing he was not far off1 soon found out that he had taken a new road4 ,they turned back in the greatest haste1 sending their horsemen on in front to bar the way to their city4 ,they despatched ,budail and several ,arabs of the ,khuzzah tribe1 to sound the ,prophet as to his intentions4 ,budail1 having heard from the ,prophet's own lips that all he wanted was to make a pilgrimage to the ,holy ,places and not to wage war against his fellow-countrymen1 returned to inform the ,quraish4 ,but they had no faith in the ,khuzza men whose secret sympathy for ,mohammad was known1 so they sent him another messenger1 ,al ,halis ibn ,alqamah4 ',let the victims be paraded in front of him1' ordered the ,prophet when he saw him arrive4 ,when ,al ,halis had seen the long rows of victims going by with garlands round their necks which were shorn at the parts where their throats would be cut1 he thought it would be useless to continue and went back to the ,quraish to give them an account of his observations4 ',sit down1' they told him4 ',thou art naught else but a simpleton of the ,bedouin tribes and thou dost not understand the cunning of ,mohammad who haileth from our part of the country4' ,al-,halis got out of temper4 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish6 ,ye do not respect the terms of our compact4 ,no one hath a right to drive away from the ,temple of ,allah the man who cometh to glorify the ,most ,high6 ,by ,him who holdeth in ,his hands the soul of ,al-,halis1 ye will let ,mohammad finish his pious visit in peace2 or else we ,confederates will break off with you--and at once6' ,they shrugged their shoulders4 ',pshaw6 ,let us be until we have achieved what we have planned4' ,and they charged ,ora ibn ,masud1 a chieftain of the ,saquifs1 with the mission which1 in their judgment1 had been badly carried out by the previous messengers4 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish6' he objected2 ',i have hearkened to the bitter words with which ye welcomed the return of your men sent to the enemy4 ,ye know me by my mother2 ,i am on your side1 for ,i belong to the folks dwelling in the ,makkan valley4 ,if ye suspect me in the least1 lay your hearts bare ere ,i depart4'--',thou art in the right4 ,we know thee4 ,we are not at all distrustful of thee4' ,ora came into the presence of the ,prophet and bowed down to him4 ',o ,mohammad1' he said1 'thou hast gathered together a horde of people of all countries and thou dost come back to thy egg 7birthplace7 to smash it with their assistance6 ,now the ,quraish have sworn a most solemn oath1 to the effect that never1 so long as their eyelashes quiver on their eyelids1 shalt thou set foot again in ,makkah1 unless by force of arms4 ,and1 by our gods6 the scum surrounding thee must flee from thy side1 before the sun setteth on another day6' ,at these words1 a flame of indignation lit up the eyes of the companions standing1 the lower half of their faces veiled1 behind the ,prophet4 ,from out of the group1 strode ,abu ,bakr4 ,he went up to the ,infidel and shouted to him3 ',begone and bite the belly of ,lat1 thine idol6 ,dost thou think for a moment that we could abandon ,allah's ,messenger8'--',who is this man1 ,o ,mohammad8' queried ,ora4--',the son of ,abu ,kuhafah4'--',by our gods6' ,ora went on1 turning to ,abu ,bakr1 'if ,i were not bound to thee by a debt of gratitude1 ,i would have rewarded thee according to thy deserts4 ,but1 by thine insult1 we are quits for the future4' ,the messenger now went up to ,mohammad1 and while speaking to him1 plucked familiarly at his beard1 as was the custom in those days between people engaged in discussion4 ',take thy hand away from the ,prophet's face before ,i come to rid thee of thine arm6' cried another of the companions4 ',who is this boor8' asked ,ora4--',dost thou not know him8' replied the ,prophet with a smile4 ',he is thy brother's son1 ,al ,mughairah ,shuba4'--',o traitor6' exclaimed ,ora to his nephew1 'hast thou so soon forgotten thy crimes that were pardoned thanks to my intervention8' ,he then continued his conversation with ,mohammad who treated him with the respect due to his rank4 ,the ,prophet reiterated his statement that his intentions were purely pacific4 ,during his sojourn in the camp of the ,believers1 ,ora was able to see how boundless was their veneration for their chieftain4 ,when the ,prophet performed his ablutions1 his companions rushed to share the water he had used4 ,if he had his head shaved1 not a hair fell to the ground without being picked up and treasured4 ,so ,ora1 on his return1 said to those who had sent him forth3 ',i have seen ,chosroes in the midst of his sumptuous ,persian court2 ,csar1 in the proud ,senate of ,roman patricians2 the ,negus1 at the head of his formidable bodyguard of ,abyssinian warriors4 ,well then1 ,i swear that ,i have never met with a monarch who1 surrounded by the noblemen of his court1 held the same position as ,mohammad among his companions4 ,and what is more remarkable1 contrary to what taketh place round about the mighty1 ,mohammad's followers expect nothing from him2 neither favours1 riches1 nor honours6 ,that is what ,i have ascertained4 ,now act as it pleaseth you4' ,although the ,quraish were deeply affected by his declaration1 they persisted in their delusion and sent forty or fifty of their partisans to prowl round the ,believers' army1 with the idea of surprising and capturing a few soldiers of ,islam4 ,the ,believers were on their guard and it was they who took a certain number of the ,infidels prisoners4 ,they were led before the ,prophet1 but resolved not to belie his own words of peace1 he pardoned and freed them1 although by having been caught attacking perfidiously1 they deserved death4 ,just then1 ,mohammad wanted to send ,umar with a message to the noblemen of ,makkah1 but he made the following reply3 ',o ,prophet6 the ,quraish know my feelings towards them as manifested by many inimical acts of mine4 ,i have everything to fear from them1 because there is no longer any member of my family in ,makkah4 ,but ,i can show you a man whose influence will be much more efficacious than mine4 ,i mean ,usman ibn ,affan4' ,mohammad1 recognising this to be sound advice1 despatched ,usman to ,abu ,sufyan and the noblemen of the city1 to assure them that he was actuated by pacific sentiments1 and to inform them of his wish to do honour to the ,house of ,allah by a pilgrimage4 ,when the ,prophet's envoy had finished explaining the object of his mission to the men of ,makkah1 they replied3 ',o ,usman6 if thou dost desire to perform the ritual circuits of the ,tawaf1 we authorise thee to do so4'--',i will not accomplish them unless following in the footsteps of ,allah's ,messenger4' ,this answer exasperated the citizens of ,makkah who threw ,usman into a prison1 despite his quality of ambassador4 ,finding that ,usman did not return1 the ,believers concluded that he had been murdered and they were overwhelmed with the most profound indignation4 ,mohammad hesitated no longer and proclaimed3 ',we will not go away until we have punished the qawm of the ,infidels for the abominable crime they have just committed6' ,umar1 acting under the ,prophet's orders1 cried out with all the strength of his lungs3 ',o ,believers6 come and take the ,oath--the ,oath6 ,come while ye invoke the name of ,allah6' ,the ,prophet1 seated in the shade of a gum-tree1 awaited the coming of the ,faithful who went in haste to him4 ,they quivered with enthusiasm1 and resolved to follow him blindly even if they had to make war in holy territory4 ,they struck their palms against his to swear fidelity till death4 ,just then1 the news of ,usman's murder being denied on the best authority1 the ,prophet clapped his hands together1 so as to take the oath in place of ,usman and acknowledge it4 ,meanwhile1 the intense agitation manifested on this occasion1 in the ranks of the ,believers1 was notified by spies to the ,quraish4 ,they grew uneasy and sent ,sohail ibn ,amr with a flag of truce1 giving him the following instructions3 ',offer peace to ,mohammad1 but claim as condition that he turneth back this year1 for never could we put up with the sarcasms of the ,arabs who will maintain that he came into our city in spite of all we said or did4 ,next year1 at the same epoch1 he may accomplish his pilgrimage to the ,holy ,places1 and it pleaseth him4' ,sohail went back with these proposals and the ,prophet accepted1 despite ,umar's vehement protestations4 ',i am the servant of ,allah1' ,mohammad told him4 ',he leadeth me not astray1 and ,i cannot disobey the orders ,he sendeth me4 ,how now1 ,o ,umar8 ,i decide2 and thou must perforce oppose my decision8' ,umar1 hearing these words1 was overtaken by such confusion that he trembled in every limb1 and icy sweat poured off him4444 ,quoth ,umar3 ,from that day forth1 ,i have never ceased praying1 fasting1 giving alms1 and freeing slaves1 so as to be granted pardon for my error4 ',o ,ali6' said the ,prophet1 at this juncture1 'write3 in the name of ,allah1 the ,merciful1 the ,compassionate6'--',i cannot accept that wording1' protested ,sohail4 ',write simply3 in ,thy name1 ,o ,allah6'--',so be it6 ,write3 in ,thy name1 ,o ,allah6 ,it hath been agreed between the undersigned1 ,mohammad1 ,prophet of ,allah1 and--'--',if ,i acknowledged that thou art the ,prophet of ,allah1' interrupted ,sohail4 ',i should not be at war with thee6'--',well then1 write3 between ,mohammad ibn ,abdullah and ,sohail ibn ,amr3 ,hostilities shall be suspended for a period of ten years4 ,anyone escaping from ,makkah and taking refuge with ,mohammad shall be given up to the ,quraish4 ,mohammad and his followers will turn back1 and not attempt to enter into ,makkah this year1 against the will of the ,quraish4 ,next year1 the ,quraish will cease all opposition to the visit of the ,mussulmans to the ,holy ,places where they may sojourn for three days1 but only carrying the arms permitted to pilgrims3 sheathed sabres4' ,hearing these clauses1 seemingly so disadvantageous for them1 the ,mussulmans were roused and shouted3 ',o ,prophet6 is it thou who signeth such a compact8'--',assuredly6' replied ,mohammad with a smile4 ',those among us who take refuge with the idolaters being insincere1 we need not regret them2 and ,allah will have rid us of them4 ,as for those of the ,makkan ,mussulmans who take refuge with us1 if we give them up1 ,allah will not abandon them1 for ,he will know how to succour them4' ,the treaty had scarcely been signed by the leading ,believers and principals among the idolaters1 when ,abu ,jindal1 son of ,sohail1 who had become converted and kept a prisoner1 suddenly made his appearance1 still dragging round his ankles the links of his broken chains4 ,he rushed into the midst of his ,moslem brethren who welcomed him with transports of joy4 ,sohail flew into a passion at this sight4 ,he lashed his son's face with a thorny twig2 and1 seizing him by his garments1 drove him into the ,prophet's presence1 saying3 ',o ,mohammad6 here is the first fugitive3 ,i call upon thee to give him up to me2 the treaty having been concluded before he arrived4'--',thou hast right on thy side4'--',o my ,mussulman brethren6' cried ,abu ,jindal1 'am ,i thus given back to the idolaters who persecute me on account of my religion8 ,see to what state they have reduced me6' ,the whole of the stoical ,believer's body was indeed covered with traces of the ill-usage from which he had suffered4 ',be resigned1 ,o ,abu ,jindal1' said the ,prophet2 'and put thy trust in ,allah4 ,he will not abandon thee2 nor you2 nor the ,mustazifin 7those who are oppressed like thee72 and ,he will deliver thee when the time cometh4444 ,but we have concluded a treaty on these terms1 with the qawm of the ,quraish1 and on no account can we break our word4' ,nevertheless1 the ,prophet made overtures to ,sohail1 asking him to give up ,abu ,jindal in exchange for a ransom2 but ,sohail refused unmercifully4 ,umar1 in his turn1 approached the ill-fated ,mussulman1 saying3 ',patience1 ,o ,abu ,jindal6 ,thou art in the power of infidels whose blood hath no more value than that of dogs1' and he showed him his sword1 hoping thereby to incite him to murder his father4 ,despite everything1 the son loved his father tenderly and thus did he reply3 ',why dost thou not slay him thyself8'--',the ,prophet hath forbidden us to do so4'--',well then1 must not ,i also observe the conditions imposed by ,mohammad8' ,when ,muqirris ibn ,hafz1 one of the ,makkans who had accompanied ,sohail1 witnessed this distressing scene1 he was overcome with pity1 and swore to protect ,abu ,jindal against his father and all his persecutors4 ,but whilst their companion was dragged away in the direction of ,makkah1 the ,believers were heartbroken4444 ,their sanguine enthusiasm1 arising from the fact of their expedition1 gave place to gloomy discouragement2 and when the ,prophet1 to show them that all was finished1 sent forth his order3 ',sacrifice the victims and shave your heads6' it seemed as if they had suddenly lost their hearing4 ,loudly invoking the name of ,allah1 ,mohammad slew the first victim with his own hand4 ,he then sat down and was shaved by ,khurash ibn ,umaiyah4 ,recovering from their state of prostration by this example1 the ,believers repented1 and ashamed at having shown such little eagerness in obeying their leader1 they imitated him at once by sacrificing the victims and cutting off their own hair4 ,allah 7,glory be to ,him67 sent a high wind that whirled away the shorn locks and carried them within the precincts of the ,holy ,temple4444 ,the sojourn of ,mohammad at ,al-,hudaibiyah extended over nineteen or twenty days4 ,he gave the signal to return2 and his soldiers who1 until the last moment1 secretly hoped to march on the enemy1 obeyed him without murmuring1 despite their deep disappointment4 ,on arriving at ,al-,madinah1 fresh scenes of the kind they had just witnessed1 produced a heartbreaking effect4 ,nothwithstanding1 they were much gratified to find that the ,prophet refused to give up to the idolaters several ,moslem women who had fled from ,makkah1 such as3 ,ummi-i-,kulsum bint ,ogbah1 ,sabiyah bint ,al-,haris1 etc41 a ,revelation having taught him that women were not to be included in the treaty3 ,o ,believers6 when believing women1 fleeing from idolatry1 come over to you as refugees1 then make trial of them 444 and if ye have ascertained them to be ,believers1 let them not go back to the unbelievers2 they are not lawful for them1 nor are the unbelievers lawful for these women4 ,but give the husbands back what they have spent for their dowers4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lx1 #aj47 ,by way of compensation1 the clauses of the treaty concerning men were scrupulously respected4 ,like ,abu ,jindal1 there was a ,believer named ,abu ,basir who had escaped from his persecutors and he was given back to a tribesman of the ,banu ,amar1 accompanied by a slave2 these two having been sent to ,al-,madinah to claim the refugee4 ,they took him away in full view of the ,believers who would have preferred to sink into the earth sooner than be forced to remain powerless and witness such a sight4 ,alone1 among them all1 the ,prophet who saw what they could not see1 remained unmoved and promised freedom by the aid of the ,almighty to his ill-fated disciples4 ,at ,zu'l ,holifah1 the three men sat down in the shade of a wall to rest awhile4 ,the tribesman of the ,banu ,amar1 priding himself on the success of his mission1 thought he would act the part of an invincible hero and1 unsheathing his sabre1 he flourished it1 bawling3 ',with this good sword1 ,i could cut down ,ansars from daybreak to nightfall and never feel tired6'--',is thy blade really so sharp as all that8' asked ,abu ,basir4 ',let me see if it is1 ,o my brother6' ,blinded by pride1 the man of the ,banu ,amar cast all distrust from his mind4 ,he allowed the edge of the steel to be examined by ,abu ,basir who1 suddenly pulling it out of the conceited wretch's hands1 brandished it over the ,infidel's head and with a single blow1 stretched him dead at his feet4 ,seeing this1 the slave1 overcome by terror1 fled to ,al-,madinah where he implored ,mohammad's protection4 ,at the same moment1 ,abu ,basir arrived1 bestriding his victim's she-camel which he had captured4 ,he made the animal kneel before the ,mosque and1 with the sabre in his grasp1 he went and addressed the ,prophet1 saying3 ',thou canst not be blamed for what hath occurred1 for thou didst remain true to thy word in giving me into the hands of my enemies4 ,but ,allah hath delivered me from their persecution6 ,here are the spoils4 ,a fifth part is due to thee1 ,take it6'--',i can touch no plunder coming from that foe without being false to my oath4 ,away with thy booty2 and now1 go whither it pleaseth thee4' ,when ,abu ,basir was gone1 after taking leave of him1 the ,prophet added3 ',woe to his people6 ,that man is a brand of war6 ,would that he were accompanied by a few comrades as determined as he6' ,abu ,basir went to ,al-,aish1 near the seashore1 on the road to ,syria trodden by the ,quraish caravans4 ,once there1 he was met by ,abu ,jindal and seventy other ,mussulmans who1 having heard that the ,prophet could not be held responsible for those who freed themselves without his assistance1 had made good their escape from the idolaters4 ,these refugees were quite as determined as ,abu ,basir4 ,they elected to remain in that part of the country because it was very woody and well suited to the irregular warfare of partisans in ambush4 ,they captured all the convoys venturing in those regions and their success and the enticement of booty caused them to be joined by many ,arabs of the ,ghifar1 ,aslams1 and ,buhaunah tribes1 etc41 who became converts to ,islam and formed a jihsh of more then three hundred highwaymen4 ,it was then that the ,believers began to fathom the reasons for the ,prophet's placidness when he accepted the paragraph1 seemingly so unfavourable1 concerning the restitution of fugitives4 ,hungered by the stoppage of all revictualling caravans1 the ,quraish finished by sending written entreaties1 begging him to suppress the very clause which at first pleased them so much4 ,they informed ,mohammad that all ,mussulmans who should get out of ,makkah to join him1 could remain under his protection2 and he was begged to recall ,abu ,basir and his fellow-raiders4 ,so it turned out that when ,mohammad gave the ,quraish satisfaction1 he had the advantage of doing a generous act at the same time as he increased his fighting strength to a most appreciable extent4 ,the results1 therefore1 of the expedition of ,al-,hudaibiyah1 to all appearances so poor1 were of great importance4 ,in the ,qur'an1 it is set down as being almost equal to the battle of ,badr4 ,in fact1 at the moment when the ,mussulmans thought they ought to attack the ,holy ,city1 all of them1 whether ,makkan ,mohadjirun1 or ,ansars of ,al-,madinah1 took the oath of fealty without hesitation4 ,after the ,prophet's death1 the tree under which he accepted the pledge was so celebrated that numerous were the ,faithful who came to pray in its shade2 and ,umar was obliged to have it felled1 because he feared lest it became the object of a cult tainted with fetichism4 ,to crown all and complete these results1 the following verses came down3 ,well pleased now hath ,allah been with the ,believers when they plighted fealty to thee under the tree2 and ,he knew what was in their hearts3 therefore did ,he send down upon them a spirit of secure repose1 and rewarded them with a speedy victory4 99 ,and with the rich booty which they took4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xlviii1 #ah1 #ai47 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,nay rather ,allah is your liege lord1 and ,he is the best of helpers4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,seventh ,illustration3 ,an ,arab ,horseman of the ,desert4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,verily1 ,we have won for thee an undoubted victory4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,seventh ,mohammad was never able to get the ,jews to ally themselves with him1 despite all his advances1 and the encouragement he had lavished on them4 ,as we have seen already1 they could not admit of the expected ,prophet belonging to any other race but theirs2 nor pardon him for having1 by means of religious fraternity1 put an end to the secular quarrels of the citizens of ,al-,madinah1 which1 in olden days1 had been a source of abundant profit4 ,to sum up1 the victories of the ,islamic ,arabs led the ,jews to fear that they would never be able to free themselves from the ,arabic yoke4 ,therefore each fresh success of the ,mussulman armies increased the jealousy of the ,jews and their perfidy soon degenerated into open hostility1 necessitating a long series of expeditions against them4 ,for the sake of clarity1 we gather into one chapter the whole of these expeditions1 although they took place at long intervals4 ,sidenote3 ,,expedition ,,against ,,the ,,qaynuqa ,,jews 7,year ,,ii of the ,hegira ,a4,d4 #fbd7 ,an ,arab woman1 seated close to the shop belonging to a jeweller of the ,qaynuqa ,jews1 was the victim of a most insulting practical joke4 ,without her knowing it1 someone had hooked the lowest edge of her robe to the part of the apparel covering her shoulders1 so that when she rose to her feet1 her nakedness was displayed to the gaze of the ,jews in the shop1 who were all overtaken by a fit of the most indecent hilarity4 ,an ,arab1 very indignant1 struck down the insulter with a blow from a club4 ,he was felled in his turn1 by the jeweller's relatives4 ,other ,arabs rushed to avenge him1 and a pitched battle took place in the open1 blood flowing on both sides4 ,jews being the agressors1 the ,prophet1 knowing their deep-rooted inimical feelings1 profited by the opportunity to demand in due form that they should become converts to ,islam4 ,at first he tried persuasion3 ',by so doing1 you will be making a loan to ,allah which will bring you in marvellous interest1' he told them4--',allah must be very poor1' they replied1 'since ,he is reduced to borrow of us who are rich8' ,at this blasphemy1 the ,prophet threatened them with exemplary punishment1 unless they embraced ,islam immediately4 ,they shrugged their shoulders4 ',thou art proud indeed by reason of thy victory over soldiers of no account1' said the ,jews4 ',try now to attack us and thou wilt see that we are in nowise like thy fellow-countrymen of ,makkah4' ,mohammad called upon the ,mussulmans to come to his aid1 and the ,banu ,qaynuqa1 losing their arrogance as soon as ,allah's warriors showed themselves1 ran away and took refuge in neighbouring strongholds belonging to their co-religionists4 ,after holding out for a fortnight1 they had to surrender and beg for mercy4 ,the ,prophet ordered their throats to be cut as an example to the other ,jews that would deliver them from the temptation of copying their slaughtered brethren4 ,abdullah1 the ,hypocrite1 with whom they were allied1 interceded with ,mohammad in their favour4 ,twice he answered3 ',let me be4' ,abdullah placed his hand on the heart of ,allah's ,apostle and supplicated him1 saying3 ',i cannot stand by and see them massacred6 ,it would be black ingratitude on my part6'--',they are at thy disposal1' the ,prophet told him at last4 ',but their belongings are ours4' ,the ,qaynuqa1 saved by the intervention of the ,hypocrite1 had to go into exile in ,syria1 and their property was divided among the victors4 ,sidenote3 ,,expedition ,,against ,,the ,,jews ,,of ,,the ,,banu ,,nadir 7,year ,,iii of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbe7 ,the ,jews of the ,banu ,nadir having claimed money compensation for the death of two of their brethren killed by the soldiers of ,amr1 the ,prophet went among the tribesmen to enquire into the matter4 ,he had just given them satisfaction2 and1 whilst conversing with a few companions1 the ,prophet was seated in the shade of a house1 when a ,jew1 son of ,jahsh ibn ,ka'b1 climbed stealthily on to the flat roof with the intention of crushing ,mohammad with great stones already brought there4 ,by celestial inspiration1 ,mohammad looked up just as the son of ,jahsh was about to commit the crime4 ,the ,apostle of ,allah moved quickly away from the wall1 dragging his companions with him4 ,as soon as he returned to ,al-,madinah1 he called his warriors together1 and set out with them to punish the authors of this treacherous act4 ,the ,banu ,nadir1 having failed in their attempt1 shut themselves up in their strongholds1 but after holding out for six days1 they had to follow the example of the ,qaynuqa and surrender unconditionally1 throwing themselves on the mercy of their conqueror4 ,their lives were spared1 but of all their immense wealth1 each man was only allowed the load of one camel4 ,sidenote3 ,,expedition ,,against ,,the ,,jews ,,of ,,the ,,banu ,,quraizah 7,year ,v of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbg7 ,the ,confederates1 being dispersed following their defeat at the ,battle of the ,ditch1 the ,mussulmans had laid down their arms4 ,one day1 when taking their siesta1 recuperating after passing sleepless nights and undergoing great fatigue during the siege1 they were suddenly awakened by the voice of the ,mua'zzin4 ,acting under the ,prophet's orders1 he shouted3 ',let all who hear and obey refrain this day from saying the prayer of ,asr 7afternoon71 unless in the midst of the ,banu ,quraizah4' ,mohammad judged that the treachery of these tribesmen1 renouncing their alliance and joining his enemies1 deserved immediate punishment4 ,the same day1 he camped with his soldiers at the well of ,enna1 in front of his enemies' citadels2 and after a blocus of twenty-five days1 forced them to capitulate4 ,the ,aus1 to whom the ,banu ,quraizah had long been allied1 begged the ,prophet to spare their lives1 as in the case of the ,qaynuqa4 ,the ,prophet1 however1 considered that the treachery of the ,banu ,quraizah was a much more serious matter and he was not at all inclined to let himself be mollified4 ,at last1 desirous of meeting them halfway1 he said3 ',o ,assembly of the ,aus6 will ye not consent to let one among you become arbitrator and decide what shall be done with your allies8'--',yea6 we consent4'--',then let one of your chieftains1 ,sa'b ibn ,mu'adh1 seal their fate4' ,now1 ,sa'b ibn ,mu'adh had been badly wounded during the ,battle of the ,ditch by an arrow which had severed an artery in the arm and he prayed ,allah to let him live long enough to punish the ,banu ,quraizah for their felony4 ,sa'b1 corpulent and too weak to walk1 had himself placed on the back of an ass2 where propped up by cushions and supported by two ,believers1 he was led to the assembly of the ,mohadjirun and the ,ansars1 who stood up to do him honour1 saying3 ',the ,prophet hath commissioned thee to decide the fate of they allies4'--',will ye swear by ,allah that my decision be carried into effect6'--',we swear it6'--',well then1 ,i decide that the men shall be slain1 their property divided1 and their wives and children sent into bondage4'--',thy decision hath been inspired by the will of ,allah6' concluded ,mohammad4 ,seven hundred ,jews paid for their unjustifiable treachery with their lives4 ,the wish for which ,sa'b had lived was fulfilled4 ,his old wound burst open1 causing the last drops of his blood to flow away1 and he earned the crown of martyrdom4 ,sidenote3 ,,expedition ,,against ,,the ,,jews ,,of ,,khaibar 7,year ,,vi of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbh7 ,notwithstanding these grave defeats1 the power of the ,jews in ,arabia was not definitively crushed4 ,the land of ,khaibar1 about ninety-six miles north of ,al-,madinah1 still belonged to them and it was richer and more important than the territory they had lost4 ,many ,jews1 driven from the neighbourhood of ,al-,madinah1 had taken refuge there2 and by their thirst for revenge1 they rekindled the hatred which the inhabitants already felt towards ,islam4 ,the ,jews of ,khaibar1 fancying themselves safe from any attack of the ,mussulmans1 never let an opportunity escape to do them harm2 and copying the manner in which ,mohammad had proceeded against the ,makkans1 the ,jews found out a good way to satisfy their rancour4 ,the region between ,khaibar and the sea was inhabited by the tribe of the ,ghatafans1 their allies1 and they had come to an agreement to block the road and stop all ,mussulman caravans leaving ,al-,madinah to travel to ,syria4 ,the damage inflicted from these tactics had often made the ,prophet think about sending an expedition against the ,jews of ,khaibar1 but he was too busy round about ,makkah1 to carry out this plan4 ,on returning from ,al-,hudaibiyah1 the ten years' truce1 signed with the ,quraish1 freed him from all anxiety as regarded them1 and the ,revelation he received at that moment3 ,he rewarded them with a speedy victory4 99 ,and with a rich booty1 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xlviii1 #ah-ai71 seeming to him to apply to ,khaibar1 and nothing else1 he hesitated no longer1 and decided to march against this fortress1 the last stronghold of the ,jews in ,arabia4 ,the ,ghatafans1 secretly forewarned by ,abdullah1 the ,hypocrite1 rushed to the aid of the ,jews1 their allies1 but on arriving at the ,wadi'r ,raji1 they found that the ,mussulman forces had outstripped them and thus they were cut off from the road to ,khaibar4 ,whilst brought to a dead stop1 disagreeably surprised1 they heard noises behind them1 near their tents1 and imagining that part of the ,mussulman qawm had been diverted to take them in the rear1 they turned back in great haste4 ,the palm-gardens of ,khaibar1 spreading between the sombre heights of the ,harra like an emerald lake whence emerged rocky1 citadel-crowned islets1 came suddenly into view1 after passing through a ravine4 ,to be able to take possession of them1 the ,prophet invoked the aid of the ,almighty4 ,but night coming on1 ,mohammad postponed the attack till the following day4 ,when the first rays of the sun gilded the tops of the date-trees1 the ,khaibar husbandmen left their strongholds to go in their gardens2 their spades1 pickaxes and baskets hanging from their shoulders4 ,suddenly1 they found themselves confronted by the ,believers' army debouching from the ,harra2 spearheads and swords reflecting the light of the rising sun in ensanguined radiance4 ',mohammad and his ,jihsh6' they cried1 and throwing away implements and baskets1 fled as fast as their legs would carry them4 ',allah is great6' proclaimed the ,prophet4 ',khaibar shall be destroyed4 ,when we swoop down on the territory of a nation1 its awakening is terrible6 ,lo and behold the sinister omen6 ,on our behalf1 its inhabitants abandon their tools that will serve to undermine their ramparts and dig their graves4' ,the first of the many ,khaibar citadels to fall into the ,mussulmans' hands was that of ,na'im4 ,it was there they had to mourn the loss of ,mahmud ibn ,maslama1 who1 tired of having fought all day in the sun1 wearing heavy armour1 had imprudently gone close to the rampart to rest in the shade4 ,a mill-stone1 hurled from an embrasure1 smashed the valiant soldier's helmet1 split his skull1 and caused the skin of his forehead to fall down over his eyes4 ,in that parlous state1 the wounded man was brought into the presence of the ,prophet who put the strip of flesh back in its place1 fastening a turban round it2 but the best of attention was unavailing in face of such a serious injury1 and it was not long before ,mahmud gave up the ghost4 ,the citadels of ,natha1 the next to be invested1 resisted more obstinately4 ,in order to force the besieged to capitulate1 the ,prophet gave orders to cut down under their eyes four hundred palm-trees of their oasis1 but all in vain4 ,he therefore put an end to such devastation1 contrary to his principles1 for as he has said3 ',among all trees1 there is one which is blessed like a ,mussulman3 'tis the palm4' ,the siege continuing1 famine began to make itself felt1 discouraging the besiegers1 when ,umar1 having taken a ,jew prisoner1 the captive1 to save his life1 offered to give the ,prophet valuable information4 ,in the cellars of ,sa'b ibn ,mu'adh1 one of the ,natha citadels1 called after the man1 instruments of warfare of all kinds were stored3 battering-rams2 catapults for siege purposes2 and armour1 shields1 pikes1 lances and swords for the equipment of combatants4 ,just then1 this fort happened to be weakly garrisoned1 and the ,jewish captive undertook to take the ,mussulmans inside by means of a secret itinerary known to him alone4 ,mohammad having accepted the offer1 seized upon ,sa'b easily1 and thanks to the machines he found therein1 which he used to destroy the ramparts1 he captured the remaining fortresses of ,natha1 one after the other4 ,they all contained provisions in abundance4 ,while taking one of these forts1 the poet ,amr ibn u'l-,uhayha1 pursuing one of the enemy1 dealt him a furious sabre-cut1 aiming at his legs to stop him in his flight4 ,but the blade1 too short1 striking the empty air1 rebounded from the force of the blow and pierced ,amar's knee1 setting up such strong hemorrhage that he expired soon afterwards1 being sacrificed by his own hand1 whilst fighting for ,allah4 ,the most important of all the ,khaibar citadels was still standing3 that of ,al-,qamus1 in which ,kinana1 ,prince of the ,banu-,nadir1 had taken refuge4 ,it was defended by ,marhab al-,yahudi1 an illustrious warrior4 ,built on the top of a vertical black rock1 with smooth sides1 and surrounded by cleverly-designed fortifications1 this fort was said to be impregnable4 ,after ten days of desperate efforts against the ramparts1 the ,believers1 however1 succeeded in effecting a breach1 into which leapt the ,prophet1 setting the example to his companions2 but after having been in the greatest danger1 he was compelled to retrace his steps4 ,the shooting pains of neuralgia forcing him to take forty-eight hours' rest1 he entrusted the standard to ,abu ,bakr1 who led an attack through the breach1 with the most ardent courage1 but he also had to beat a retreat at last4 ,umar took his place1 accomplishing prodigies of valour1 likewise without success4 ,hearing of their failure1 ,mohammad declared3 ',by ,allah6 to-morrow ,i'll confide the flag to an intrepid fellow1 to whom flight is unknown4 ,he loveth ,allah and ,his ,messenger1 and by them he is beloved4 ',tis he who will capture ,al-,qamus by sheer strength4' ,next day1 all the companions clustering close to the ,prophet were anxious to learn who was the man among them to be so greatly honoured4 ,but without glancing at the group1 he sent for ,ali who had to remain in the rear because he was suffering from painful ophthalmia4 ,led by a friend1 he came into the ,prophet's presence4 ,ali's eyes were covered by a bandage4 ',come hither1 close to me1' said ,mohammad4 ',take this flag and keep a hold on it until the ,almighty shall open a way for thee through these ramparts4'--',i suffer cruelly from my eyes1 ,o ,prophet6' replied ,ali4 ',i cannot even see to walk4' ,mohammad made ,ali rest his head in his lap2 separated the young man's swollen eyelids1 and rubbed the bloodshot eyes with a little saliva4 ,all inflammation vanished immediately and every vestige of pain disappeared4444 ,the ,prophet then buckled his own breastplate on ,ali and armed him with his own sword1 celebrated under the title of ,dhu'l-,fiqar4 ,ali went towards the fortress1 planting in the ground1 close to the ramparts1 the white flag on which stood out in bold relief1 embroidered in black letters1 the ,islamic profession of faith4 ,he then got ready to storm the breach4444 ,al-,harith1 at the head of a few ,jews1 tried to bar the way and drive back the ,mussulman hero1 but the leader of the children of ,israel succumbed1 struck down by ,ali2 and the soldiers who had followed all ran away4 ,the brother of ,al-,harith1 ,marhab1 famous and feared1 came now to the front1 eager for revenge4 ,he produced an effect of terror by his gigantic stature1 double armour1 a pair of swords1 a three-headed spear1 a double turban2 and his helmet on which sparkled a jewel as big as an egg4 ,his eyes1 too1 glistened like two carbuncles4 ,puffed up by pride1 he strode to the breach4 ',the whole of the land of ,khaibar1 from end to end1 knoweth my valour6 ,when war rageth1 sometimes ,i pierce with my lance2 and sometimes ,i slice with my sword6 ,doth there exist in all the world a champion who dare stand up against me8' ,without being moved by this bragging bombast1 ,ali showed himself to take up the challenge3 ',i'll be that man6 ,verily ,i1 called by my mother ,haydra1 the lion cub1 in memory of my father1 known as the ,lion4 ,with my sabre ,i'll give thee good measure6' ,hearing this reply1 ,marhab became purple with rage4 ,brandishing his scimitar1 he rushed at ,ali4 ,the formidable blade hissed through the air and it seemed as if the champion of ,islam had just been annihilated4 ,but the sword of the terrible ,jew was stopped by ,ali's shield in which it penetrated deeply and stuck therein4 ,without giving his adversary time to drag it away1 ,ali loosened his hold of the buckler1 now useless and in his way1 and replied to the attack by a wonderful cut that split the helmet1 turban and skull of his enemy1 scattering the brains in every direction4 ,the steel was only stopped by the ,jew's teeth1 forming barrier4 ,the giant fell in a huddled heap1 like a tower ruined by an earthquake1 in a cloud of dust1 with a noise as of thunder4444 ,seized with affright1 the ,jewish soldiers fled1 pursued by ,ali's men4 ,he tore from its hinges the heavy door of the ramparts and it served him as a shield in place of the one broken in the fight4 ,resistance was cut short and ,al-,qamus1 the impregnable1 was captured by the warriors of ,islam4 ,when the fall of the famous fort became known1 the ,jews of ,fadak and of ,wadi'l-,qura1 two places a few days' march towards the north1 sent in their submission4 ,in concordance with their co-religionists of ,khaibar1 they supplicated the ,prophet to let them live as farmers on their estates which they alone knew how to cultivate properly2 and to allow them to take half of the crops as remuneration for their labour4 ,mohammad consented1 on condition that the ,believers would have the right to alter this decision1 should they deem it necessary4 ,khaibar was the most fertile land of all the ,hijaz2 the spoils were therefore considerable4 ,one half was set apart to defray the expenses of the pilgrimage to take place during the current year2 the rest was distributed among the warriors4 ,the land1 with the exception of the portion due to the ,prophet and to orphans1 was divided in such a way that each man received one share1 and each charger two shares2 making three shares for each horseman4 ,this was done with the aim of encouraging the breed of horses4 ,a supplementary gift fell to the lot of any soldier being the owner of a pure-blooded courser4 ,sidenote3 ,,importance ,,of ,,horse-,,breeding ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,prophet ,these measures show the importance attributed by the ,prophet to the equine race in the life of the ,arabs4 ,up till then1 horses were very rare in ,arabia1 being looked upon as articles of luxury1 as it were4 ,led by the bridle by the side of the camels ridden by the warriors1 the steeds were only called upon when charging or pursuing the enemy4 ,the ,prophet completed these arrangements by founding race-meetings destined to develop emulation among breeders and horsemen4 ,in the ,qur'an1 so as to inspire ,believers with the fear1 of the ,day of ,retribution1 horses galloping breathless are called to witness3 ,by the panting chargers6 99 ,and those that dash off sparks of fire 99 ,and those that scour to the attack at morn6 99 ,and stir therein the dust aloft6 99 ,and cleave therein their midway through a host6 99 ,truly1 ,man is to his ,lord ungrateful6 99 ,and of this he verily is himself a witness 99 ,and truly he is vehement in the ,love of this world's good4 99 ,knoweth he not1 then1 that when that which is in the graves shall be torn forth 99 ,and that which is in men's breasts shall be brought out 99 ,verity their ,lord shall on that day be well informed concerning them8 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,c1 #a-aa47 ,unfortunately1 tame translation is powerless to give an idea of the dizzy1 whirling rhythm and the panting1 galloping1 neighing--if one may venture so to write--assonance of the first verses of this surah4 ,one of the most celebrated horsemen of that epoch1 ,abdullah ibn ,abi ,sarh1 afterwards governor of ,egypt and who inflicted cruel defeats on the ,romans1 by land and sea1 was such an enthusiastic admirer of this surah that it was always on his lips1 and he recited it even on his deathbed4 ,thanks to the vigorous impulsion given by the ,prophet to horse-breeding1 the race of pure-blooded barbs unrivalled in the world1 was soon formed1 to be kept up ever afterwards4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,poisoned ,,lamb ,after sunset1 when the ,prophet had said the prayer of ,magrib1 he went back to the camp4 ,near his tent1 he saw seated the ,jewess ,zainab1 daughter of ,al-,harith1 and wife of ,sallam ibn ,mishkam4 ,she awaited ,mohammad's coming to give him the present she had brought3 a lamb spitted on a spear1 and which had been roasted at a fire fed with aromatic wood from the desert4 ,he thanked the woman1 and when she had taken her leave1 he invited his companions to sit down and partake of the roast4 ,its crisp1 golden outer skin looked very tempting4 ,the ,prophet was the first to fall to1 twisting off a shoulder1 into which he bit and began to chew a morsel4 ,following his example1 ,bishr ibn ,u'l-,bara took a mouthful of meat2 masticating and swallowing it4 ,the other guests had already reached out their hands in like fashion1 when the ,prophet spat out the piece he was chewing and stopped them abruptly1 shouting3 ',hold your hands6 ,this shoulder hath just told me that it is poisoned6'--',by ,him who is ,generosity incarnate6' exclaimed ,bishr1 ',i thought that my mouthful had a peculiar flavour and guessed what it meant2 but seeing thee chew thine1 ,i could not spit it out1 saving your reverence4 ,if this poison should destroy thy life1 what liking can remain to me for mine8' ,scarcely had ,bishr uttered these words than his face1 overspread by a blackish hue1 became distorted1 and he writhed on the ground1 a prey to unbearable suffering4 ,the ,prophet sent at once for the ,jewess and said to her3 ',thou hast poisoned this lamb8'--',who told thee so8'--',this6' and he showed her the fragment of shoulder he held4--',it is true1' she confessed4--',why didst thou do this thing8'--',my father1 my uncle1 my husband and many of my people have suffered the sad fate thou knowest of1 by thy fault4 ,and ,i did think3 if ,mohammad is naught but a mighty monarch1 ,i end his days and glut their vengeance and mine4 ,if1 on the contrary1 he is truly a ,prophet1 he is in no danger1 because his ,allah will warn him of my purpose4' ,this clever answer calmed the ,prophet and he was perchance on the point of pardoning the guilty woman for her abominable crime1 when ,bishr expired at that moment4 ,mohammad delivered the ,jewess into the hands of the dead man's relatives who came clamouring to be avenged4 ,zainab was crucified and the remains of the fatal lamb were burnt4 ,although the ,prophet spat out the perfidious piece of meat almost as soon as it passed his lips1 the poison filtered through his body as far as his entrails1 and he never fully recovered from its pernicious effects4 ,three years later1 when fatally ill1 ,bishr's sister coming into his house to ask after his health1 he told her3 ',the vein of my heart was torn by the food ,i ate with thy brother1 at ,khaibar4' ,sidenote3 ,,amratu',l-,,qada ,,or ,,the ,,pious ,,visitation 7,year ,,vii of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbi7 ,at the same time as the expeditionary forces1 laden with spoils1 came back from ,khaibar1 the last emigrants arrived from ,abyssinia4 ,among them was ,jafar1 son of ,abu ,talib and brother to ,ali4 ,their return made ,mohammad very joyful4 ,with sincere effusion1 he kissed ,jafar between the eyes and declared3 ',i know not which causeth me the greatest joy3 the taking of ,khaibar1 or the return of ,jafar4' ,among those returning was also ,umm ,habiba1 daughter of ,abu ,sufyan1 the ,prophet's mortal enemy4 ,she had emigrated with her husband1 ,ubaydu'llah ibn ,jahsh1 but he was a convert to ,christianity and had died in ,abyssinia1 while she remained steadfast to ,islam4 ,as a reward for such fidelity1 as well as hoping to disarm by alliance one of his most fierce adversaries1 the ,prophet had sent ,amr ibn ,umayya to the ,negus1 asking to be married by proxy to ,umm ,habiba and to have her sent back afterwards with the other emigrants4 ,this being done1 ,umm ,habiba1 on arriving at ,al-,madinah1 was received in the dwelling of her illustrious husband4 ,as for the emigrants1 ,mohammad proposed that they should be allowed a share of the ,khaibar booty4 ,this arrangement being ratified by unanimous consent1 they were thus compensated for having sacrificed their property and left their country in order to remain true to their faith4 ,the date on which the treaty of ,al-,hudaibiyah gave the ,prophet the right to come to ,makkah with his disciples to visit the ,holy ,places having arrived1 he was now on the point of being able to fulfil one of his most ardent aspirations and also see his native land4 ,followed by the same number of pilgrims1 and driving before him the same number of camels1 destined to be sacrificed1 as in the expedition of ,al-,hudaibiyah1 he made his partisans disarm and left in the valley of ,batn ,ya'jiju1 a great quantity of weapons1 brought as a precautionary measure1 in the care of a guard1 two hundred strong1 commanded by ,aws ibn ,khawli4 ',we only penetrate into the ,holy ,land1' declared the ,prophet1 'carrying the arms of the traveller3 our swords in their scabbards1 according to the terms of our oath1 but if we detect in the glances of the idolatrous ,quraish the slightest sign of treachery1 our other weapons will be found handy4' ,he then pushed on4 ,self-communing1 he climbed the ,kuda hill1 in order to descend into the valley near the cemetery of ,al-,hajun where rested his beloved ,khadijah 7,may ,allah welcome her in ,his ,grace67 ,when he cast eyes on the first houses of ,makkah1 unspeakable emotion overpowered him by reason of the remembrances and hopes they evoked4 ,fearing lest treachery1 on the part of the ,infidels1 should force him to order reprisals1 causing the blood of his fellow-countrymen to sully the streets of the city where he was born1 he cried out3 ',o ,allah1 spare us all misfortune in the ,holy ,city6' ,he never ceased repeating this request until he left the precincts of ,makkah4 ,on the approach of the ,believers1 the leading citizens1 exasperated at the triumphant return of the men they had banished1 went out of the town and hid their impotent rage in tents pitched in the neighbouring ravines4 ,as for the mass of the inhabitants1 like all mobs1 they were dominated by a feeling of curiosity and clustered either on the heights of the ,jabal ,qu'ayqu'an1 or on the terrace-roof of the ,dar-un-,nadwa1 ,house of ,council1 from which they were able to look down into the interior of the ,temple4 ,from the gossip of the crowd could be gathered the general hope3 that the ,prophet and his partisans would arrive in a state of complete exhaustion1 their blood and bodies impoverished by the torrid summer heat and pernicious fevers of ,al-,madinah4 ,forewarned by divine inspiration1 ,mohammad cautioned his companions4 ',allah will be merciful to those1' said he1 'who this day display their bodily vigour4' ,with the exception of the common people mustering on the roof of the ,dar-un-,nadwa1 the city was quite empty4 ,the ,prophet could have captured it without striking a blow2 but his soul1 incapable of such treachery1 was entirely engrossed by pious thoughts4 ,riding his she-camel1 ,qaswa1 its bridle held by ,abdullah ibn ,rawaha1 and surrounded and followed by his disciples1 he passed through the outlying districts1 under the eyes of enemies1 without even honouring them by a single glance4 ,he alighted on the ,temple threshold1 wrapping himself up in the folds of his mantle1 by throwing one end over his left shoulder1 leaving his right arm and shoulder at liberty4 ,followed and imitated by all the ,faithful1 he kissed the ,black ,stone and performed the ,tawaf1 the seven ritual circuits round the ,ka'bah4 ,the three first were made with swift1 measured strides 7called ,ramal1 or ,harwala71 with a view of proving the fine state of health of the ,believers to the ,infidels looking on4 ,they shook their heads gloomily1 saying to each other3 ',so these are the men described to us as enfeebled by the heat and fevers of ,al-,madinah6' ,at the bottom of their hearts1 the ,unbelievers were forced to confess that such men as these1 their mental well-being surpassing even their bodily health1 were unconquerable4 ,the four remaining circuits were made with slow dignity1 as ,mohammad had no desire to demand useless efforts from his partisans2 and ever since that day1 this manner of performing the ,tawaf is religiously copied by pilgrims4 ,illustration3 ,among all trees1 one is blessed like the ,mussulman1 'tis the palm1 said the ,prophet4 #b views ,the ,prophet then ordered ,bilal to call the ,faithful to prayer4 ,when the idolaters heard the resounding accents of the black freed slave1 reverberating in the echoes of the valley1 they were so deeply annoyed that they envied the fate of their illustrious dead1 ,abu ,jabal and ,abu ,lahab1 prevented from hearing this call by the weight of the earth piled on their graves4 ,after the prayer1 ,mohammad again bestrode his she-camel1 to perform the ,sa'y which is the run between the two hills of ,safa and ,marwa4 ,his example swept away the ,believers' scruples2 for until then1 they had hesitated about going through this ceremony1 being embarrassed by the presence of the idols ,isaf and ,na'ila1 set up at that spot4 ,by the performance of these rites1 instituted by ,abraham and perpetuated by the ,arabs1 the ,prophet had in view a nationalist and political goal1 which he wished to combine with his religious aims4 ,if he kissed the ,black ,stone1 it was not by reason of a feeling of superstitious worship which would have contradicted all the principles of the ,qur'an much too flagrantly1 but solely through a feeling of reverence for this relic of his glorious ancestor4 ,quoth ,ibn ,abi ,shayba1 following ,isa ibn ,talha3 ,addressing the ,black ,stone1 the ,prophet declared3 ,verily1 ,i know that thou art nothing more than a stone1 powerless to do harm1 or be of any use4 ,then he kissed it4444 ,in this conjuncture1 ,abu ,bakr1 followed by ,umar1 one after the other1 came and kissed it1 declaring3 ,by ,allah6 ,i know that thou art nothing more than a stone1 powerless to do harm or be of any use1 and if ,i had not seen the ,prophet kiss thee1 ,i should not have kissed thee6 ,in like fashion1 by the ,sa'y and the ablutions at the well of ,zamzam1 ,mohammad kept alive the touching remembrance of the ,arab's ancestor ,ishmael and of his mother ,hajar 7,hagar74 ,being too weak to carry any farther her wretched child succumbing athirst in a horrible desert1 ,hajar placed her offspring on the ground in the shade of a shrub and ascended a hill1 hoping to see from afar a well or spring2 but all in vain4 ,then1 fearing that the soul of ,ishmael might have escaped from his body1 she came back1 panting1 to his side1 and climbed another hill for the same purpose1 but with no more success than before4 ,so she went down again1 tortured by the same anguish4 ,seven times did she run in despair between the two hills until1 maddened1 she thought she would only find a corpse1 when she caught sight of her beloved son quenching his thirst at a spring which1 by order of the ,compassionate1 had gushed forth under the heel of the poor child4 ,and to this miraculous well was given the name of ,zamzam4 ,in imitation of ,hajar1 pilgrims pass seven times along the path of agony which she trod between the two hills known as ,safa and ,marwa1 and it is their duty to drink and perform their ablutions at the ,zamzam spring4 ,on the following day1 in commemoration of the sacrifice of ,abraham1 the victims were immolated in the valley of ,mina4 ,their flesh was shared among the pilgrims who1 having shaved their heads1 were once again in the state of halal1 ordinary life1 which they had relinquished since ,zu'l-,holifah4 ,while still in the state of ihram1 ,mohammad1 thanks to the special privilege derived from his position as ,allah's ,messenger1 married a woman of ,makkah1 named ,maimunah4 ,she was fifty years of age and extremely poor2 but this matrimonial alliance was bound to bring notable recruits to ,islam4 ,in the first place1 her brother-in-law1 ,al-,abbas1 was ,mohammad's uncle4 ,he was her wakil1 or guardian1 and decreed her union with the ,prophet4 ,but the marriage was only consummated at the first halt on the return journey to ,al-,madinah4 ,despite the rage of the idolatrous ,quraish1 who could not bear to look upon the sight of their enemy's pilgrimage1 the ,prophet had gained his end3 to inform the ,arabs of the whole of the ,peninsula that he had no intention of abolishing their secular traditions2 but on the contrary1 would devote all his efforts to consolidate them1 by restoring their primitive purity4 ,the ,amratu'l-,qada was thus the cause of great reaction2 bringing about immediate conversions2 among others1 those of three great personages3 ,uthman ibn ,talha1 ,amr ibnu'l-,as and ,khalid ibn ,walid1 besides preparing the minds of the majority of the ,arabs to follow their example4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet ,,sends ,,ambassadors ,,to ,,the ,,principal ,,monarchs ,,of ,,the ,,world ,the definitive defeat of the ,jews rallied a great part of ,arabia to the ,prophet2 and the rest of the ,peninsula was fatally bound1 in course of time1 to come under the sway of ,islam4 ,it was then that ,mohammad turned towards neighbouring empires4 ,allah's presence filled the universe and ,islam1 which counted already in its ranks disciples of many different origins1 was not destined to be merely confined to the land of the ,arabs4 ,it spread over the whole world4 ,as it is written in the ,qur'an3 ,we have not sent thee otherwise than to mankind at large4 7,,xxxiv1 #bg74 ,to the most powerful monarchs of ,europe1 therefore1 ,mohammad despatched envoys carrying letters inviting those potentates to embrace the religion of ,allah1 the ,only ,one2 and the missives bore a seal on which the ,prophet had caused to be engraved these words1 set out in three lines3 ,from ,allah--the ,prophet--,mohammad4 ,on receipt of the message1 ,al-,mundhir1 ,king of ,bahrayn1 and ,badhan1 ,persian ,satrap of ,yaman1 became converts to ,islam4 ,al-,muqawqas1 ,viceroy of ,egypt1 sent rich presents1 among which1 as well as ,duldul1 a white mule1 and ,ya'fur1 an ass1 was a young slave1 ,mary the ,copt4 ,she at once became ,mohammad's concubine4 ,hirqal1 7,heraclius71 the ,roman ,emperor1 and the ,najashi1 7,negus71 of ,abyssinia1 both replied by most courteous letters4 ,kesra 7,chosroes71 ,king of ,persia1 swore he would punish the ,prophet for his audacity and the ,almighty immediately chastised the monarch1 for he was murdered by his son ,shiru'e1 7,siroes71 who took his father's place on the throne4 ,al-,harith1 son of ,abu ,shamar1 was fated to see his kingdom torn asunder1 even as he had torn the letters delivered to him by the ,prophet's envoy4 ,only one of these ambassadors1 ,al-,harith ibn ,amr1 was received with contumely and afterwards treacherously murdered near ,karak in the ,balqua region1 following orders given by ,shurabil al-,ghassani who governed this region under ,roman rule4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,expedition ,,of ,,mutah 7,year ,,vii of the ,hegira1 ,a4,d4 #fbi7 ,when the news of the outrage on his ambassador came to the ,prophet's ears1 he determined to be instantly avenged1 although he did not conceal from himself the dangers of the undertaking4 ,this time the ,believers had to face1 not only the ,syrian ,arabs1 outnumbering those of the ,hijaz1 but also the ,roman troops who occupied the ,balqua-,land4 ,the ,prophet placed ,zayd ibn ,al-,haris at the head of three thousand men2 but foreseeing that in this unequal struggle1 his army might be deprived of its leader1 he nominated in advance1 as successor1 ,jafar1 son of ,abu ,talib2 and if misfortune befell ,jafar1 ,abdullah ibn ,rawaha2 and lastly1 in the case of anything unluckily happening to the latter1 it was left to the soldiers to choose a commander themselves4 ,a ,jew was present at the council of war and made the following remarks3 ',o ,abul ,qasim6 7a surname of ,mohammad71 if thou art really a ,prophet1 all the men thou hast appointed are irretrievably lost4 ,when our prophets of ,israel1 after having placed a general at the head of their armies1 used to add3 'and1 if he is killed1 name such an one in his place1' that infallibly meant that he was bound to lose his life4' ,then1 turning to ,zayd1 he went on3 ',i swear to thee that if ,mohammad is a true ,prophet1 thou wilt never return from this expedition4' ,zayd replied simply3 ',i swear to thee that ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah4' ,then the ,apostle tied the white ,liwa 7flag7 to a spearhead and gave it into the hands of ,zayd4 ,filled with funereal sentiments1 ,mohammad accompanied his troops to ,saniyat-ul-,wida1 7the ,pass of ,farewells74 ,it was there that he halted and gave them his final instructions3 ',remain ever in fear of ,allah4 ,fight in his name and kill ,his foes who are yours4 ,but leave in peace such men as dwell in the seclusion of monasteries4 ,spare women1 children and the blind4 ,destroy no monuments2 cut down no trees2 and when ye shall have avenged the death of ,al-,harith ibn ,amr1 summon the ,arab tribes of ,syria to ,islam4' ,shurahbil1 anxious as to the results of his cowardly outrage1 called upon all the ,arabs of the surrounding country3 the ,banu ,bahra1 the ,banu ,lakhm1 the ,judham1 the ,baliyy1 etc41 and he notified his fears to ,theodurus1 lieutenant of ,heraclius1 who sent him all the ,roman troops then occupying the land4 ,shurahbil had therefore mustered an army of nearly a hundred thousand men before the ,mussulman forces arrived at ,mu'an4 ,when they found themselves fronting such formidable cohorts1 the ,believers remained two days and two nights in consultation and many among them proposed that a messenger should be despatched to the ,prophet who would then decide whether they were to turn back or fight4 ,perhaps he might send them reinforcements4 ,but the utterances of ,abdullah ibn ,rawaha revived the courage of the ,believers4 ',o comrades6 how is it that ye seem to fear the very thing ye come to seek3 martyrdom in the ,holy ,war8 ,we reckon not on numbers to gain the victory1 but on the faith with which ,allah hath inspired us6'--',thou dost speak truly6' they cried and1 hesitating no longer1 advanced towards the enemy1 coming in contact with him at ,mutah1 a little village situated south of the ,karab fort4 ,like lions1 they dashed into the centre of their massed foes1 whose chief1 ,malik ibn ,rafila1 was killed by a spear-thrust4444 ,recovering from their first surprise and profiting by their great numerical superiority1 the ,infidels were not long in getting the best of the struggle and they encircled the ,mussulmans completely4 ,outnumbered1 ,zayd ibn ,al-,haris died the death of a hero2 and ,jafar1 obeying the ,prophet's instructions1 bounded forward to uphold the standard that ,zayd's contracted fingers still gripped1 and to take command in his place4 ,jafar rode a magnificent chestnut charger1 but seeing the immediate danger1 he alighted and hamstrung his steed1 so that if the master succumbed1 his horse should not be captured by the enemy to be used against ,islam4 ,by his example1 he was able to rally the ,believers and lead them in an enthusiastic charge1 whilst waving the ,islamic standard which proudly spread its wings above their heads4 ,but soon1 like an eagle wounded in its flight1 the flag fell down2 the hand that held it being hacked off by a blow from a scimitar4 ,jafar picked up the standard1 grasping it in his left hand1 when another sword-cut sliced his unwounded wrist4 ,jafar stooped1 and seizing the flag between the bleeding stumps of his arms1 he kept it aloft by pressing the staff against his breast1 and with sublime heroism1 continued to charge the enemy until he fell1 riddled with ninety wounds4 ,abdullah ibn ,rawaha succeeded him and met with the same fate shortly afterwards4 ,the ,mussulmans1 attacked on all sides1 seeing their leaders struck down1 gave way and began to flee in disorder4 ,arqam ibn ,amir stopped them4 ',o comrades6' he cried out1 ''tis better to be struck in the breast than in the back6' ,picking up the standard1 he passed it on to ,khalid ibn ,walid who refused it at first1 saying3 ',thou hast a better right to this honour than ,i1 for thou wert at ,badr4' ,but ,arqam insisting1 ,khalid took charge of the flag4 ,his impetuous energy instilled fresh courage and confidence into the hearts of the ,believers1 ashamed of their momentary weakness1 and being a skilful strategist as well as a valiant soldier1 he succeeded with the help of ,allah1 in freeing the ,mussulman troops and reorganising the fighting front in such masterly fashion that the ,infidels were unable to claim the victory4 ,at sunrise1 the next day1 he was first to attack1 so as not to give the enemy time to recover from his partial defeat4 ,to deceive him with regard to the numerical weakness of the ,islamic forces1 he resorted to the following stratagem3 by rapid evolutions of various sections of his army1 he made the rearguards pass to the van1 and vice versa1 in such a way that the enemy1 continually seeing fresh adversaries confronting him1 imagined that the ,mussulmans had been greatly reinforced during the night4 ,the ,infidels' certainty of triumph1 mainly founded on their numbers1 vanished2 and seized with indescribable terror1 they gave way1 pursued by the ,believers who slaughtered them ruthlessly4 ,during that memorable day1 ,khalid had nine sabres broken in his hand4 ,by divine inspiration1 the ,prophet was informed of the ordeals of his army4 ,after general prayer1 he went up in the pulpit1 his eyes full of tears1 and cried out three times3 ',the ,gate of ,good6 ,know ye all that ,zayd hath fallen a martyr2 implore the mercy of ,allah in his favour4 ,then ,jafar and ,abdullah died martyrs2 implore the mercy of ,allah for them4 ,then the standard was upheld by ,khalid ibn ,walid1 who is the sword among all the swords of ,allah4 ,and the ,almighty granted him victory4' ,mohammad afterwards went to see ,asama bint ,omis1 the wife of ,jafar1 and bent down over his children to smell them2 tears welling up in his eyes and trickling pearl-like down his beard4 ',o ,prophet6' asked ,asama1 'what maketh thee weep8 ,hast thou had news of ,jafar and his comrades8'--',aye1 and now they are no more6' ,the wretched woman dropped down1 groaning in despair and1 lacerating her cheeks with her nails4 ,attracted by her shrieks1 the other wives imitated her and the whole house resounded with lugubrious lamentation4 ,the ,prophet ordered one of his companions to impose silence on the women4 ',it is not fitting1' said ,mohammad1 'to mourn thus for ,jafar4 ,hath he not obtained the great reward8 ,i pray ,allah that ,he may permit the father's place on this earth to be taken in posterity by the most accomplished among his children6' ,suddenly he lifted his eyes to heaven and murmured3 ',the ,salvation and ,mercy of ,allah be upon you6'--',to whom dost thou speak1 ,o ,prophet8' asked one of his followers4--',i have just seen ,jafar go by in the midst of a procession of angels4 ,he was mounting to ,paradise with ruby-studded wings in lieu of his amputated hands4 ,he greeted me and ,i returned his greeting4' ,sohail1 who recorded this tradition1 is careful to add3 ',such are merely images3 the wings are symbols of the supernatural strength of ,jafar's soul2 and the rubies are the precious drops of his blood4' ,in the midst of the universal mourning at ,al-,madinah1 the ,prophet ordered the funereal repast know as ,al-,oudhim1 to be prepared4 ,it was destined for the families of the martyrs2 for it is hard for those whose souls are saddened to have to think about preparing nourishment for the body4 ,when the return of the army was announced1 the whole of the population of the city1 rich or poor1 went out to meet it4 ,the ,prophet ordained that the mounted men should lift up the children and give them a ride on the pummels of the saddles4 ,he took the son of ,jafar in his arms and seated the child in front of him4 ,the soldiers1 on arriving1 confirmed the tidings of their leaders' death and the people of ,al-,madinah1 thinking that these heroes had not been fully avenged1 threw handfuls of dust in the soldiers' faces1 and inveighed against them3 ',o cowards6 ye fled1 even when ye trod the ,path of ,allah6' ,the ,prophet bade the crowd be silent and made this declaration3 ',on the contrary1 these warriors deserve your greatest praise1 for they returned and charged courageously6' ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,taking ,,of ,,makkah 7,the #bast ,day of ,ramadhan ,year ,,viii of the ,hegira1 ,january #aath ,a4,d4 #fcj7 ,it was not long before the idolaters of ,makkah violated the ten years' truce1 signed at ,al-,hudaibiyah4 ,by surprise1 one night1 they massacred a score of ,mussulmans belonging to the tribe of the ,khuza'a1 encamped at the well of ,al-,watir4 ,in face of such terrible treachery1 the ,prophet threw all scruples to the winds4 ,determined to attack1 he proposed to organise an expedition4 ,the ,makkans1 well aware that their crime would not go unpunished1 delegated ,abu ,sufyan to go to ,al-,madinah1 to offer compensation and ask for the truce to be maintained4 ,on arriving1 ,abu ,sufyan went to the dwelling of ,umm ,habiba1 his daughter1 who1 as we know1 was one of ,mohammad's wives4 ,but1 when he made as if to sit down on a carpet1 ,umm ,habiba1 guessing his purpose1 quickly folded up the rug and placed it on one side4 ',o my daughter1' said ,abu ,sufyan in offended tones1 'dost find thy father unworthy of that carpet1 or is that carpet unworthy of thy father8'--',that carpet belongeth to the ,prophet1' she replied4 ',now thou art a worshipper of idols2 therefore in a state of impurity1 and thou wouldst sully it with thy impiety4'--',of a surety1 ,o my daughter1 some misfortune hath happened1 bringing disorder to thy mind1 since the day thou left us6' ,understanding1 by this kind of welcome1 that there was no hope for him in that quarter1 he sought out the ,prophet from whom no reply was obtained4 ,then he made desperate attempts to circumvent ,abu ,bakr2 and tried his best with ,umar and ,ali1 supplicating them to intercede in favour of his fellow-citizens1 but with no greater success4 ,full of apprehension1 he mounted his camel and went back on the road to ,makkah4 ,the steps taken by ,abu ,sufyan no longer allowed the ,prophet to conceal his designs4 ,his sole care was to hurry on with his preparation1 so as to surprise the men of ,makkah before they had time to place the city in a state of defence4 ,on the tenth day of the month of ,ramadhan1 after having left ,abu ,ruhm ,kulthum al-,shifari as his lieutenant at ,al-,madinah1 the ,prophet set out1 followed by an army of no inconsiderable strength1 increased on the way by numerous tribes joining1 and the total forces soon numbered ten thousand men4 ,the fast of ,ramadhan was strictly kept by all the ,faithful1 but when they reached the well of ,al-,kadid in the middle of the day exactly1 the ,prophet judged that their constancy had been sufficiently tested4 ,fearing that deprivation of drink1 joined to extreme fatigue1 might have a dangerous effect on their health1 he asked for a jar filled with water to be brought to him4 ,overlooking the crowd on his tall she-camel1 he swallowed a mouthful in front of all1 so as teach by his example that they might break their fast when on a journey as soon as they felt their strength exhausted4 ,thus prescribes the ,qur'an3 ,but he among you who shall be sick1 or on a journey1 shall fast that same number of other days4 7,,ii1 #ahj47 ,after that halt1 the ,prophet hastened the march of his army so actively that he camped at ,marru'dh-,dhahran1 close to the town gates1 before the ,quraish were able to find out anything about the important strength of the ,mussulman troops1 or the road they had taken4 ,abbas1 ,mohammad's uncle1 kept in ,makkah till then by his business functions as superintendent of the water supply1 joined the ,believers at ,al-,juhfa1 with the whole of his family4 ,the sincerity of his conversion had not caused him to forget the love he felt for his fellow-citizens4 ,he was most uneasy about their fate1 in case they should behave in such a way that ,mohammad would be forced to take the town by murderous onslaught4 ,quoth ,abbas3 ,when the tents were pitched1 ,i rode the ,prophet's white mule and went to ,al-,arak1 on the road to the ,arafa1 hoping to meet a carrier of wood1 brickmaker1 or pilgrim whom ,i might charge to take a warning to the ,quraish and exhort them to go and implore the mercy of ,allah4 ,whilst advancing with due precaution in the dark1 two men passed quite close to me4 ,they were hidden from my sight by big boulders and they talked in whispers4 ,one of them1 his mind engrossed by the myriads of golden stars that the camp-fires of the ,faithful caused to scintillate on the hills beneath the real silvery stars of the firmament1 said3 ',never have ,i seen so many lights as this night on those mountains4'--',they are probably the camp-fires of the ,khuza'a1 determined to wage war to avenge their dead4'--',the ,khuza'a are not so numerous4 ,no1 truly1 these cannot be their fires6' replied the first speaker whose voice ,i recognised4 ,it was that of ,abu ,sufyan4 ',o father of ,handala6' ,i called to him4--',o father of ,al-,fadl6 if 'tis thee1 what dost thou want of me8' he returned1 having also recognised my voice4--',o ,abu ,sufyan6 the ,prophet is here at the head of such a great army that all resistance is impossible4 ,to-morrow the ,quraish will be cut to pieces6'--',what is to be done6 ,canst thou advise me8'--',if thou art taken prisoner during the fight1 thy head will be cut off4 ,doubt it not4 ,but get up behind me on my mule4 ,i will take thee to ,mohammad and implore him for thee4' ,abu ,sufyan1 understanding that this was his last hope of safety1 could only submit4 ,he got up behind me and we went on in front of his companion ,budayl1 who made up his mind to follow us4 ,every time the flicker of one of the many camp-fires lit up our little group1 on the dark background1 sentinels stopped us1 asking3 ',who is that man8' ,but when ,i told them that ,i was ,abbas1 the ,prophet's uncle1 and as they recognised the mule1 they allowed us to pass4444 ,all went well until we came to the lights of ,umar's tents4 ,he came forward to meet us and also demanded3 ',who is that man8' ,just then1 the flame of the brazier lit up the face of my companion who held me tightly4 ,umar knew him again1 and cried out in sudden joy3 ',ah6 'tis thee1 ,abu ,sufyan1 with no treaty or safe-conduct1 ,o enemy of ,allah6 ,the ,almighty be praised for delivering thee into our hands6' ,he ran to the ,prophet's tent4 ,i made the mule gallop along1 outstripped him and jumped off1 going into ,mohammad's tent2 but ,umar arrived1 almost at the same instant4 ',o ,prophet6' he shouted4 ',here is ,abu ,sufyan1 ,allah's enemy1 without treaty or safe-conduct1 given up to us by the ,almighty6 ,charge me to cut his head off6' ,i interfered3 ',o ,prophet6 ,he is under my protection4 ,no one but me shall go near him this night4' ,as ,umar kept on manifesting still greater hatred1 ,i said to him3 ',softly1 ,o ,umar6 ,if ,abu ,sufyan was one of the ,banu ,adi ibn ,kab1 thy relatives1 thou wouldst not behave in this way2 but he is one of the ,banu ,abd ,manaf1 related to the ,prophet1 which thou must not forget6' ,umar made answer3 ',softly1 ,o ,abbas6 ,know that thy conversion gave me more pleasure than that of my father1 ,al-,khattab1 would have caused me1 for he lived and died in idolatry2 for the sole reason that1 as ,i know well1 the ,prophet attached more importance to thy conversion than to that of my father4' ,allah's ,messenger cut our dispute short by saying3 ',take away ,abu ,sufyan1 ,o ,abbas1 and to-morrow at dawn1 come back here with him4' ,i obeyed4 ,abu ,sufyan passed the night in perfect safety in my tent1 but seeing all the ,mussulmans rise up at one bound at the first glimmer of daybreak1 he was overcome by anxiety4 ',o father of ,al-,fadl6' he asked2 'what are they about8 ,do they want to kill me8'--',be not alarmed1' ,i told him in reply4 ',they only want to pray4' ,at the sight of these ten thousand men1 the mysterious light reflected by the rosy dawn playing on them2 all piously repeating every gesture of the ,prophet2 bowing down when he bowed down and prostrating themselves when he prostrated himself1 he could not refrain from exclaiming3 ',by ,allah6 ,i have never seen kings obeyed as this man is obeyed2 not even ,chosroes1 nor ,csar1 nor any of the most powerful monarchs of the universe6' ',come1' ,i told him1 when prayers had been said4 ',i will intercede for thee2 and thou wilt intercede for thy qawm4'--',how now8' asked the ,prophet when the idolater came before him4 ',dost thou not acknowledge1 ,o ,abu ,sufyan6 that there is no ,god but ,allah8'--',by my father and my mother6 ,how patient1 generous and conciliatory thou art6 ,yea1 ,i acknowledge it4 ,if with ,allah there were other gods1 they would have given me some little help4'--',dost thou acknowledge that ,i am the ,prophet of ,allah8'--',by my father and my mother6 ,as for that1 there is still some doubt in my mind4 ,i will see later4'--',woe unto thee6 ,o ,abu ,sufyan6' ,i exclaimed1 indignant at his reply4 ',hasten to bear witness to the whole truth1 or ,i deprive thee of my protection and thine head will fall from thy shoulders6' ,abu ,sufyan still hazarded a few objections3 ',what wilt thou do with the statue of ,al-,uzza that is in my dwelling8'--',thou shalt throw it in the privy6' shouted an angry voice4 ,it was that of ,umar1 listening behind the canvas of the tent1 hoping to be ordered to execute the man who had been an enemy of ,allah4 ',woe unto thee1 ,o ,umar6 thou art an indecent fellow1' he replied4 ',let me come to terms with my uncle's son4' ,having made up his mind by this time1 he recited the profession of ,islamic faith integrally1 at the same time as his companion ,budayl1 who had just rejoined us4 ,i remarked to the ,prophet3 ',thou knowest how proud is ,abu ,sufyan4 ,invest him with some authority1 no matter what1 and he will be bound to us definitively4' ,my idea met with ,mohammad's approbation and he gave out the following proclamation3 ',he who taketh refuge in the dwelling of ,abu ,sufyan will be in safety2 he who taketh refuge in the ,temple will be in safety2 he who layeth down his arms and remaineth shut up in his house will be in safety4' ,the ,prophet then said to me3 ',o ,abbas6 bring ,abu ,sufyan to a halt where the valley is narrow1 on the mountain top1 so that all the warriors of ,allah will pass before his eyes4' ,i obeyed and took my stand with ,abu ,sufyan on one of the rocks overhanging the outlet of the valley4 ,one after the other passed the soldiers of the ,sulaym1 the ,muzayna1 the ,banu ,ghifar1 the ,banu ,ka'b1 the ,kinana1 the ,juhayn1 etc41 and my companion1 despite all his efforts1 could not hide the impression made upon him by the numbers of the ,believers4 ,when he caught sight of the ,ashja1 he cried out3 ',those tribesmen1 notwithstanding1 were the most inveterate of all the ,prophet's enemies6'--',truly1' ,i retorted1 'but ,allah1 in ,his ,generosity1 instilled ,islam in their hearts6' ,at last1 the ,prophet appeared1 surrounded by his bodyguard1 the flower of his army1 comprising the ,ansars and the ,mohadjirun1 called ,al-,khadra1 the green guards4 ,when ,abu ,sufyan saw these warriors entirely covered in sombre armour1 from which the sun caused blinding sparks to fly1 he started in affright3 ',by ,allah6 ,o ,abbas1 who are those men8'--',the ,prophet with his companions1 the ,ansars and the ,mohadjirun4'--',none can make a stand against such troops6 ,verily1 ,o ,abbas1 this morning1 thy brother's son is resplendent with the majesty of a glorious king6'--',his majesty is not that of a king1 ,o ,abu ,sufyan6 'tis that of a ,prophet4 ,and now that thine eyes convince thee that all resistance would be rank folly1 hasten back to thy people and let thy good advice save them from misfortune6' ,without losing a minute1 ,abu ,sufyan went on his way to the town1 where immediately on arriving1 he was surrounded by anxious crowds overwhelming him with questions4 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish6' he cried1 ',mohammad is upon us with such an army that ye cannot hope to resist him for a single instant6' ,his wife1 ,hind1 furious at the emotion caused by these tidings1 caught him by his moustaches to make him hold his tongue and she bawled3 ',hearken not to the old fool and traitor6 ,kill him6' ,tearing himself out of the shrew's clutches1 ,abu ,sufyan went on3 ',woe unto you1 if ye let yourselves be led astray by this woman6 ,again ,i say to you1 ye are lost without fail if ye dream of resistance4' ,he then added proudly3 ',all those who take refuge in the dwelling of ,abu ,sufyan will be in safety4'--',may ,allah cause thee to perish6' was the reply made to him on all sides4 ',how can thy house afford security for all of us8' ,it was then that he concluded to announce that which he had intentionally omitted1 out of pure vanity3 ',likewise will be in safety all those taking refuge in the ,temple2 and eke those who1 laying down their arms1 remain behind closed doors in their dwellings4' ,sidenote3 ,,entry ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,into ,,makkah ,the ,prophet stopped his she-camel at ,dhu ,tawad4 ,at the sight of ,makkah1 where he hoped to make his entry victoriously without shedding the blood of his fellow-countrymen1 he offered up thanksgivings to the ,most ,generous1 bowing down deeply until his beard swept the pummel of his saddle4 ,he then placed his troops for the occupation of the city3 ,zubayr was to go in by the ,kuda road2 ,khalid ibn ,walid1 by the outlying western districts2 ,sa'd ibn ,ubayda1 by the pass of ,al-,kada4 ,but as the latter chieftain1 in his ardour1 let drop this remark3 ',to-day is a day of carnage2 allowable even in the holy precincts6' ,mohammad bade ,ali deprive the rash speaker of his command and take charge of the standard in his place4 ,zubayr1 ,ali1 and ,ubayda met with no resistance and1 without striking a blow1 occupied the parts of the city assigned to them4 ,as for ,khalid1 just as he passed through the suburbs1 a volley of arrows disturbed his troops and several of his men were killed4 ,the darts came from marksmen in ambush1 posted by ,safwan ibn ,umayya and ,ikrimah1 behind the rocks of the ,jabal ,al-,khandama4 ,without the least hesitation1 ,khalid called on his soldiers to storm the position4 ,he routed the enemy1 massacred many and pursued the survivors1 putting them to the sword4 ,some fled to the ,temple2 others ran towards the sea4 ,from the summit of ,al-,hajun1 which the ,prophet had just reached1 he saw the sparkle of spearheads and swords4 ',what's this8' he cried4 ',did ,i not forbid all fighting8' ,he despatched an ,ansar to ,khalid and when he came into the presence of ,mohammad1 he upbraided him severely for having given battle against his strict orders4 ',the enemy were the agressors4 ,they riddled us with their arrows1' replied ,khalid4 ',i held back as much as ,i could1 but ,i was obliged to unsheath my sword to defend ourselves4444 ,and ,allah granted us the victory6'--',the ,will of ,allah be done6' concluded the ,prophet1 getting ready to make his own entry into the town4 ,he rode ,qaswa1 his favourite she-camel4 ,behind him1 on the same animal1 was ,usama1 the son of ,zayd ibn ,al-,haris4 ,mohammad prostrated himself on his saddle and recited the surah of ,victory3 ,verily1 ,we have won for thee an undoubted victory 99 ,in token that ,allah forgiveth thy earlier and later faults1 and fulfilleth his goodness to thee1 and guideth thee on the right way4 99 ,and that ,allah succoureth thee with a mighty succour4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xlviii1 #a1 #b1 #c47 ,round the red-striped drapery that covered his head1 the ,prophet rolled a black turban1 letting one end hang down between his shoulders4 ,he rode to the ,ka'bah to perform the tawaf1 and without leaving the saddle1 saluted the ,black ,stone by touching it with the end of a hooked stick4 ,he then alighted to enter the sanctuary1 but seeing the idols that dishonoured it1 he started back in horror4 ,in front of an image of ,abraham holding divining arrows1 he cried out3 ',may ,allah annihilate all those who represent our ancestor ,abraham trying to peer into futurity by means of arrows6' ,mohammad ordered the impious statue to be destroyed4 ,with his own hands1 he shattered a dove carved in wood and went in proclaiming3 ',allah is ,great6' ,illustration3 ,bird's-eye ,view of ,makkah1 the ,most ,sacred ,city1 as seen from the ,jabal ,abi-,qubais4 #b views ,he then went up to the three hundred and sixty idols ranged round the ,temple4 ,beginning with the biggest3 ,hubal1 he pierced its eyes with the hooked stick1 saying3 ',truth hath come1 error hath vanished2 error is perishable6' ,the idol fell face downwards1 shattered in a thousand pieces4 ,one after the other suffered the same fate1 as he passed in front of them4 ,a single effigy remained standing--the idol of the ,khuza'a--fashioned out of bronze and enamel4 ,it stood superbly erect on the ,temple's terrace-roof4 ',kneel down1' was the order given by the ,prophet to ,ali4 ,mohammad mounted on his shoulders4 ',rise6' ,ali was unable to do so1 despite all his bodily strength4 ,he felt himself crushed by supernatural weight3 that of the ,prophecy4 ,seeing this1 the ,prophet got down1 knelt in his turn and said to ,ali3 ',climb up on my back to destroy that idol6' ,ali1 overcome by confusion1 refused2 but finally obeyed1 as ,mohammad persisted4 ,quoth ,ali3 ,i stood upon the ,prophet's shoulders2 he drew himself up erect and ,i felt myself lifted by some unknown force by which ,i could have risen to heaven had ,i tried4 ,the idol was fixed by iron clamps1 but at the words of the ,prophet3 ',truth hath come2 error hath vanished1' it tottered without the least effort on my part and falling to the ground1 crumbled away in dust4 ,the people1 recovered from affright1 stole gradually forth from their dwellings and1 dumb with stupor1 looked on while their impotent idols were being destroyed4444 ,when the last vestige of idolatry had disappeared1 the ,prophet1 turning towards the ,ka'bah1 proclaimed3 ',there is no ,god but ,allah6 ,he hath no associates6 ,he hath kept his word and succoured ,his ,servant and dispersed ,his enemies6' ,mohammad turned to the ,makkans3 ',o ,assembly of the ,quraish6 how shall ,i treat you1 do ye think8'--',with generosity1 ,o generous brother1 son of a generous man6' they replied1 devoured by anxiety4--',begone6' he told them4 ',ye are free6' 7,according to the laws of war1 they were slaves and captives47 ,the only exceptions to this magnanimous amnesty were made in the cases of eleven men and six women whose conduct had been inexcusable4 ,he ordered them to be put to death1 wherever found4 ,the sentence was immediately carried out1 and a few of the condemned were executed1 including ,huwarith1 who brutally ill-treated ,fatimah1 the ,prophet's daughter and ,ali's wife1 when she went away from ,makkah4 ,in order to establish the new state of affairs firmly1 ,mohammad proceeded to appoint immediately the two most important functions of ,makkah3 the custodian of the ,ka'bah and that of the ,zamzam well4 ,he sent to claim the keys of the ,temple from ,uthman ibn ,talha who1 after having in a fit of fury locked the gates1 took the keys away with him to his house4 ,the ,prophet had them torn from him forcibly1 and intended to confide them to his uncle ,abbas whom he maintained at his post as ,superintendent of the ,zamzam well4 ,but a ,revelation made the ,prophet alter his mind and he was ordered to reinstate the former custodian of the ,temple4 ,mohammad therefore charged ,ali to take the keys back to ,uthman and say to him3 ',o son of ,talha1 take the keys once more and with them the appointment as custodian of the ,ka'bah4' ,this official1 touched by such generosity1 so little deserved1 hastened to give the ,prophet the promise of sincere gratitude and absolute fidelity4 ,just then a touching group approached3 there was ,abu ,quhafa1 an old blind man1 bent beneath the burden of his eighty-seven years1 and leaning on the arm of his son1 ,abu ,bakr4 ',why didst thou not let this noble old man remain in his dwelling1 whither ,i could have gone to see him8' said the ,prophet to ,abu ,bakr4--',it is only right that he cometh to thee1 and not that thou shouldst go to him1' replied ,abu ,bakr4 ,mohammad made the venerable sightless man sit by his side1 paying him great attention1 stroking his breast affectionately1 and was overjoyed to hear that ,abu ,quhafa had come to announce his conversion to the faith of ,islam4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet ,,at ,,safa ,next day1 all the inhabitants of ,makkah wended their way towards the hill of ,safa where the ,prophet had called them together to receive their submission4 ,tranquilized already by the generosity of the first utterances and acts of their conqueror1 they did not seem to be affected by the feelings of sadness1 shame and dejectedness that usually overcome the vanquished4 ,was not their conqueror one of their own people8 ,would not his glory become their glory2 his triumph1 their triumph2 and his empire1 their empire8 ,as a matter of fact1 despite their hostility towards him1 most of them had suffered cruelly at being separated from their genial fellow-countryman2 the man who1 in the heyday of his youth1 had been called by them3 ,al-,amin1 the ,reliable4 ,they were greatly moved as they called to mind the mysterious charm of his personality and the irresistible allurement of his speech4 ,for some time past1 in secret1 they had feverishly longed to join the enthusiastic religious movement that ,mohammad stirred up throughout the whole of ,arabia1 and become converted in their turn4 ,how derisive their idols seemed now2 the miserable fragments of the graven images swelling the garbage heaps swept out of the city6 ,even those men who exploited the superstition surrounding the false gods of wood or stone1 were the first to arrive at ,safa1 being in a hurry to get the fact forgotten that they had been the priests of such a coarse cult4 ,despite the levelling humility which ,mohammad required of all his disciples1 those who had waxed fat on the proceeds of commercial idolatry were inwardly proud of the family ties binding them to the ,prophet upon whom1 of old1 they had showered the vilest insults4 ,as for ,mohammad1 it is impossible to describe the sublime emotion that seized upon his great soul when he saw flocking to him from all parts1 their eyes at last open to the ,light1 all those among his fellow-countrymen who had so stubbornly fought against him and whom he cherished1 notwithstanding their injustice4 ,seated beneath the ,prophet1 ,umar1 as his deputy1 received the submission of the ,makkans who all came1 one after the other1 to strike his palm1 and in the name of ,mohammad1 he pledged his word to protect them4 ,when this grand ceremony was finished1 a most poignant scene was enacted on the slopes of the hill4 ,an odious barrier1 formed by the idols1 which for nigh upon twenty years separated the ,quraish ,mohadjirun from the ,quraish dwelling in ,makkah1 was broken down never to be set up again1 and all the enemy brethren threw themselves in each other's arms1 reconciled and reunited in the ,path of ,allah4 ,a third group of brothers rejoined them soon4 ,they were the ,ansar citizens of ,al-,madinah1 the rival town to ,makkah2 and the two cities1 now having become two sisters1 called themselves by the glorious name of ,al-,haramani1 the two ,sacred ,cities4 ,one incident1 however1 cast a gloom over this unforgettable manifestation that realised so perfectly the dream which had haunted the ,prophet1 filling him with superhuman perseverance4 ,the ,khuza'a1 falling across one of the murderers of their brethren1 cut his throat4 ,mohammad caused the guilty parties to be brought before him and1 after blaming them severely1 he added3 ',i will compensate your victim's relatives myself1 but cease all reprisals4 ,too much blood hath been shed already4 ,on the day when ,he created the ,heavens and the ,earth1 ,allah declared the territory of ,makkah to be holy2 its sacred character hath remained for all before me and shall remain for all after me4 ,not only shall the lives of human beings be sacred here1 but it is likewise forbidden to hunt game1 fell trees and cut grass4'--',in this prohibition1 ,o ,prophet6 the ,idhkhir must be excepted1' remarked ,abbas4 ',it furnisheth us with that which we cannot do without1 to wit3 fuel for the forge and the cooking of food4' ,after a moment's silence1 the ,prophet concluded3 ',with the exception of the ,idhkhir1 which it will be allowable to uproot4' ,following this declaration1 all those condemned to death1 and who had not been executed the first day1 were granted a free pardon4 ,among the crowd of ,makkan women who came to declared their devotion1 ,mohammad's attention was drawn to a female hiding herself behind her companions4 ,despite the fact that she was disguised1 he recognised ferocious ,hind1 the wife of ,abu ,sufyan4 ',aye6 'tis ,i6' she cried1 throwing off her veil1 ',i am ,hind1 and ,i implore pardon for the past6' ,the ,prophet1 in spite of the odious mutilation of the body of his uncle ,hamzah1 forgave her4 ,hind1 when she returned to her dwelling1 lavished insults on her private family idol3 ',o impotent idol6 ,how mad we all were to rely on thy succour6' ,and she smashed it to pieces4 ,the son of ,abu ,jahal1 ,ikrimah1 who had organised the ambush that nearly entrapped ,khalid1 fled to the sea coast4 ,the fugitive's pardon was granted to ,umm ,hakim1 his wife1 who rejoined him when he was on the point of embarking4 ,she brought him back1 and the ,prophet1 fearful lest his companions1 remembering how he had been so often outraged by ,abu ,jahal1 ,ikrimah's father1 might seek to be avenged on ,ikrimah personally1 declared3 ',ikrimah hath come to ,islam4 ,let no one insult his father's memory6 ,to insult the dead is to wound the living6' ,and ,ikrimah1 deeply moved by such rare tolerance1 became one of the most ardent defenders of the ,religion4 ,al-,uhayha1 the slayer of ,hamzah1 was pardoned likewise1 after becoming a convert to ,islam4 ,habbar who1 by a blow of the shaft of his spear1 had brought about the death of ,zainab1 ,mohammad's daughter1 had fled1 fearing deserved punishment2 and then1 confiding in the infinite clemency of the ,prophet1 came and gave himself up1 after having embraced the ,islamic faith in all sincerity4 ',go thy way in peace1' said ,allah's ,apostle4 ',thy conversion doth wipe out the past2 but never let me see thee more6' ,safwan1 the second instigator of the ambush in which ,khalid was to have fallen1 profited also by the victor's magnanimity2 and as he begged for a delay of two month's reflection before abjuring idolatry1 the ,prophet replied3 ',i grant thee four months4' ,ibn ,abi ,sarh was the only man who had great trouble in softening the just wrath that his defection had kindled in ,mohammad's heart4 ,ibn ,abi ,sarh was well versed in the arts of calligraphy and horsemanship4 ,formerly in the ,prophet's employ as secretary1 he had shamelessly changed words and altered the sense of the ,revelations whilst copying them out1 in order to make a mockery of the ,word of ,allah4 ,when his crime was discovered1 he fled to ,makkah and reverted to idol-worship4 ,when the town was taken1 he took refuge under the roof of ,usman ibn ,affan1 his foster-brother4 ,after having kept the faithless scribe in hiding for some time1 ,usman made up his mind to take him to the ,prophet and beg for mercy1 but in vain4 ,at each supplication1 he averted his head4 ,finally1 giving way to fresh and pressing entreaties1 ,mohammad consented to grant a free pardon1 but when the guilty wretch was gone1 the ,prophet said to his companions3 ',if ,i kept silence just now1 it was but to give one of you time to kill him4'--',we were only waiting for one glance of thine eyes to put him to death4'--',a sign by a look of the eye is a treacherous act1' he replied1 'ill befitting one of ,allah's ,messengers4' ,from the foregoing examples1 it can be seen how carefully the ,prophet tried to win over his fellow-countrymen by gentleness1 but nevertheless never deviating from inexorable firmness when anything concerning idolatry was in question4 ,his mercy led to results which could never have been obtained by sanguinary repression4 ,he conquered all hearts4 ,with the exception of the ,hawazin and the ,saquifs1 all the neighbouring tribes came in at once and made their submission4 ,from that day onwards1 no one could earn the title of ,mohadjer by emigration1 because ,islam was as firmly establised in ,makkah as in ,al-,madinah4 ,sidenote3 ,,ghazwah ,,or ,,expedition ,,of ,,hunain 7#fth day of ,shawwal1 ,year ,,viii of the ,hegira1 #bhth of ,january1 ,a4,d4 #fcj7 ,relying on the solidity of the ramparts surrounding their town of ,taif2 hoping to be able to take refuge there in case of defeat1 the ,hawazin and the ,saquifs had refused to bow down to the ,prophet4 ,they even got ready to fight him and1 under the leadership of two celebrated warriors1 ,malik ibn ,awf and ,durayd ibnu's-,simma1 they mustered in the valley of ,awtas4 ,mohammad1 being told about their plans1 sent ,ibn ,abi ,hadrad as scout4 ,when he came back with positive information1 the ,prophet resolved to set out and face his foes4 ,his ten thousand soldiers were joined by more than two thousand ,makkans1 lately converted1 and impatient to prove their devotion and fervour4 ,the effect produced by the army of the ,believers was so imposing that a voice in the group of the ,banu ,bakr1 it is said1 cried out3 ',truly we need not fear defeat with such a big army6' ,this exclamation of pride displeased the ,prophet greatly1 for vanity weakens endeavour and causes forgetfulness of the fact that victory is granted by ,allah4 ,mohammad blamed the boastful cry in the most severe terms4 ,on the bank of a wadi1 the troops saw a big green tree1 growing by itself1 which the idolaters worshipped and looked upon with superstitious awe4 ,beneath its shade1 they sacrificed victims and1 on its branches1 they hung their weapons1 imagining they would become invincible by this verdant contact4 ,several soldiers1 their minds not yet sufficiently purified from the stain of fetich observances1 longed to possess likewise a tree1 ,dhat ,anwat1--,carrier of ,weapons--and sent in a demand to the ,apostle which made him very indignant4 ',your demand1' he replied1 'is just as abominable as that of the ,banu-,isra'il1 when saved by a miracle from ,pharaoh's hosts and the waves of the sea1 they asked ,moses for an idol in human shape4 ,ye are a stupid qawm accustomed to adopt without reflecting the vilest custome of your neighbours6' ,quoth ,jabir ibn ,abdullah3 ,shortly before daybreak1 we reached the wadi of ,hunain1 at the entrance of an extremely narrow and deep defile4 ,all of a sudden1 while we were still in the black shadows of the lofty crags1 the first rays of the sun1 on the other side of of the pass1 lit up a sight that made our hearts leap impatiently4 ,under the careless guard of a few sentinels1 our enemies' tents were pitched in the plain4 ,between them1 women and children passed to and fro4 ,round the encampment1 countless flocks of sheep and herds of camels were about to depart to pasture-land4 ,without waiting for the ,prophet's orders1 overwrought by the hope of plunder1 we rush into the pass1 so narrow that we were pressed together1 shoulder to shoulder4 ,no sooner was the entire army in the defile1 when a lengthy1 whistling murmur was heard in the air and1 like great swarms of locusts1 clouds of arrows darkened the sky4 ,the darts were showered on us1 aimed from two ridges1 overlooking the pass4444 ,we had fallen into an ambush organised by cunning ,durayd4 ,in consequence of the sting of the arrows from which there was no escape1 for not one was lost in the soil1 all finding a target as they pierced with a hissing noise the flesh of men1 horses and camels1 mad terror overcame us4 ,indescribable panic was also caused by our foes1 lying in wait1 concealed at the egress of the pass and who1 with savage shouts1 charged into our ranks4 ,tugging at the bridles of our camels1 we turned round1 the poor beasts grunting gloomily and shaking their long necks bristling with arrows4 ,in the inextricable confusion of their stampede and fright1 they tripped each other up and rolled over on the ground with their riders1 who were at once trampled on by fleeing comrades4444 ,whilst the archers continued to distress us with their darts1 we discovered that the entry into the pass was barricaded by another detachment of our enemies who had allowed us to ride through and now awaited our return4 ,at their head was a soldier of the ,hawazin1 bestriding a gigantic red camel and he was signalling with a spear to which he had fixed a black flag4 ,when a ,believer passed within reach1 he lowered his lance to run him through1 and perchance he missed1 he signalled with his flag lifted again to those following him1 and they pursued the ,mussulman and put him to death4 ,the defeat seemed irretrievable4 ,already many of the ,prophet's old enemies1 their hearts still brimming with1 rancour1 began to gloat over the critical situation of the ,mussulmans4 ',their flight will not cease until they reach the sea coast6' cried ,abu ,sufyan1 who busied himself with consulting his divining arrows which he carried concealed in his quiver4 ',mohammad's sorcery is powerless this day6' exclaimed ,kalada ibn ,hanbal in his turn4 ,but his brother ,safwan1 although not yet converted1 silenced him with these words3 ',may a gag close thy mouth6' ,in the midst of general confusion1 the ,prophet alone was cool and collected4 ,he posted himself on a low hill1 to the right of the valley4 ',i am the ,prophet of ,allah and no impostor6' he declared1 and urging his mule forward1 went to throw himself in the thick of the fight4 ,abu ,bakr rushed in front of the animal and1 seizing the bridle1 held it back4 ,to try and rally his troops1 ,mohammad ordered ,abbas to shout3 ',o ,ansars and ,mohadjirun1 my companions6 ,o ye who took their oath over there6' 7at ,al-,hudaibiyah74 ,when1 from the top of a rock1 his stentorian voice carried the ,prophet's cry to the fugitives1 they were covered with great confusion4 ,regaining their self-control1 they replied3 ',we are here at thy service6' ,but what was to be done to stem such a torrent of fleeing men and beasts1 crowded together between the two vertical sides of the ravine8 ,the ,faithful did their best to lash the camels1 twisting their necks by pulling the bridle contrariwise4 ,with great strides1 the frightened animals kept on in their flight4444 ,it was then that the warriors of ,allah slung their shields round their necks and jumped out of the saddle1 leaving their camels to go on alone4 ,unsheathing their swords1 the soldiers turned back to begin fighting again4 ,the ,prophet1 standing up in his stirrups1 saw with joy that the situation was changed1 and when his gaze fell upon the countless warriors rushing into the brazier of the battle1 he cried out3 ',the furnace is alight6' ,ali1 accompanied by an ,ansar1 resolved to put a stop to the exploits of the ,bedouin of the ,hawazin1 proudly waving his spear adorned with the black flag4 ,with one blow of his scimitar1 ,ali hamstrung the camel1 and at the same moment1 the ,ansar brought down the ,infidel by slicing his leg from the knee to the heel1 putting an end to his misery as soon as he was flattened out on the ground4 ,mad terror seized the idolaters when thinking they had crushed the ,mussulmans1 they resumed the offensive4 ,it was now the ,infidels' turn to give way4444 ,mohammad ordered his mule to lie down4 ,the animal bent its knees until its belly rested on the ground4 ,then taking up a handful of dust1 the ,prophet1 as he had done at ,badr1 threw it towards his enemies whose flight became a mad rout4 ,it seemed as if they had been blinded by this dust and that their soldiers were dispersed exactly the same as these impalpable atoms4444 ,now hath ,allah helped you in many battle-fields1 and1 on the day of ,hunain1 when ye prided yourselves on your numbers2 but it availed you nothing2 and the earth1 with all its breadth1 became too strait for you3 then turned ye your backs in flight4 99 ,then did ,allah send down a spirit of tranquillity upon ,his ,apostle1 and upon the ,faithful2 and ,he sent down hosts which ye saw not and punished the ,infidels4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #be1 #bf47 ,harried by the sword during their retreat1 ,malik and the remains of his army managed to find safety in the fortified town of ,taif4 ,less lucky1 ,durayd1 the ,infidels' second leader1 was unable to escape his fate4 ,ninety years of age and blind1 he was unable to direct his camel when abandoned by his panic-stricken fellow-countrymen1 and he fell into the hands of a mere lad1 ,rabi'a ibn ,rafia4 ,when he saw the litter in which reclined this celebrated warrior1 paralysed by the infirmities of great age1 the youth thought he had captured a woman4 ,he made the camel kneel1 parted the hangings and was petrified at only finding an old man4 ,vexed and disappointed1 he dealt ,durayd a sabre-cut1 but the aged fighter did not even seem to know that he had been struck4 ',what sort of weapon hath thy mother placed in thy hands1 ,o little vagabond8' he asked in accents of supreme scorn4 ',take my sabre1 hanging from my camel's saddle4 ,lift the blade aloft and hit between the vertebrae of the back and those of the head4 ,that was how ,i used to strike men down4' ,abashed at his first failure1 ,rabi'a followed this piece of advice and the famous warrior rolled dead in the dust4 ,urged on by the spur of victory1 the ,prophet pursued the fugitives to the foot of the ramparts of ,taif and tried to take the town4 ,after a useless siege of twenty days1 he preferred to give up all ideas of an attack in favour of other means1 slower but more sure1 and instead of invoking the wrath of the ,divinity against the inhabitants1 he said3 ',o ,allah6 enlighten the people of ,taif and inspire them with a desire to come to ,thy ,apostle of their own free will6' ,despite the disappointment of his troops1 he retook the road to ,makkah1 camping at ,al-,ji'rana where all the prisoners were collected1 as well as all the booty to be divided4 ,when the ,prophet arrived1 a female captive1 ,ash-,shayma1 of the ,banu ,sad1 which was a fraction of the ,hawazin1 was struggling to escape from the brutality of the soldiery4 ,on perceiving ,mohammad1 she cried out3 ',o ,prophet of ,allah1 ,i am thy foster-sister6'--',prove it6'--',see the scar on my shoulder where thou didst bite me when ,i carried thee1 a baby boy1 on my back4' ,the ,prophet recognised the cicatrice4 ,much moved1 he shed tears1 spread his mantle on the ground1 and asked ,ash-,shayma to sit down on it4 ',according to thy wish1' he said1 'thou wilt find generous friendship by my side2 or thou canst return to thy tribe with all the gifts ,i'll lavish on thee4'--',send me back to my people in the desert1 ,o ,prophet6 ,such is my sole desire4' ,mohammad set her free1 after having loaded her with presents4 ,a deputation of the ,hawazin was presented to the ,prophet1 and ,abu ,sorada1 an old man belonging to the division of the ,banu ,sa's1 spoke in their name3 ',o ,prophet6 among thy prisoners are thine aunts1 sisters of the wet-nurses who suckled thee4 ,as for the male captives1 they were the companions of thy childhood--almost of thy race6 ,in the great misfortune which crusheth us1 we implore thee in the name of ,allah6 ,if1 for the same reasons1 we were forced to implore ,al-,harith ibn ,abi ,chammar1 or ,nu'man ibnu'l ,mundhir1 they would surely take pity on us6 ,now thou art the best of nurslings6'--',which do ye prefer3 your families or your property8' asked ,mohammad1 scarcely able to hide his tender feelings4--' ,o ,prophet6 give our wives and children back to us4 ,we love them quite otherwise to our property4'--',i restore to you all male and female captives belonging to the ,banui ,muttalib1' declared ,mohammad loudly4--',but those who are ours belong to the ,apostle of ,allah6' cried the ,mohadjirun and the ,ansars immediately4 ,thus all the prisoners1 numbering about six thousand1 were given up to the delegates of the ,hawazin4 ,the family of ,malik ibn ,awf formed an exception to this ruling4 ,mohammad1 however1 charged those he had just liberated to make him the following proposal3 ',if ,malik cometh to me and becometh a convert to ,islam1 ,i will give him back his property4 ,nay1 more--,i will make him a present of a hundred camels4' ,malik accepted4 ,he left ,taif secretly1 and when converted1 gave such tokens of sincerity1 that the ,prophet appointed him as commander over all the ,mussulmans of the country4 ,it was the best way to curb the resistance of the inhabitants of ,taif4 ,and so it turned out indeed1 for this able leader1 proud of the investiture1 at the head of troops stirred by faith1 continued to war against the ,saquifs4 ,by pitilessly raiding their flocks and caravans1 blocking them by hunger behind the ramparts of their city1 he soon compelled them to come in their turn and implore the ,prophet's mercy1 when they were converted to ,islam4 ,the booty was considerable1 consisting of about twenty-four thousand camels and forty thousand sheep4 ,after the emotions of the affair of the prisoners1 ,mohammad resolved to postpone the division of the plunder until another day1 and he mounted his she-camel4 ,but his soldiers were so impatient to share the spoils that they followed and importuned him4 ,by accident1 they pushed his animal against a thorny shrub1 and its branches tore the mantle of ,allah's ,chosen ,one4 ',now1 you men1 give me back my mantle6' he told them1 and yielding to their entreaties1 he returned to see the booty shared among them4 ,he tried1 above all1 to ingratiate himself definitively with the nobles of the city1 by favouring them in all ways2 and afterwards1 they were called ,al-mu'allafa qulubuhum1 those whose hearts have been won over4 ,abu ,sufyan and ,mu'awiya his son2 ,hakim ibn ,hizam1 ,an-,nadr ibn ,al-,harith1 ,suhayl1 ,ikrimah ,uyayna1 ,al-,ajra1 and ,safwan1 all received fifty camels each4 ,this difference of treatment gave rise to protestations4 ,ibn ,mirdas manifested his dissatisfaction in a piece of poetry3 ',my share of the booty and that of ,al-,ubayd have been distributed to ,oyama and ,al-,ajra4 ,and yet their fathers1 ,al-,hasan and ,al-,habis1 never took precedence of my father in any assembly whatsoever6' ,the ,prophet sent for him and asked3 ',hast thou composed these rhymes3 ,my share of the booty and that of ,al-,ubayd have been distributed to ,al-,ajra and ,oyama8 changing the order of the two last names mentioned2 without noticing that he had thus broken the metre4 ,in the ,qur'an1 ,allah says3 ,we have not taught him 7,mohammad7 poetry4 7,,xxxvi1 #ei47 ,abu ,bakr pointed this out to him4 ',no matter1' he replied4 ',the meaning remaineth the same4' ,and he gave orders to cut the poet's tongue by granting him all he claimed4 ,an ,arab of the ,tamim tribe1 ,dhu'l ,khuwaysira1 dared to say to ,allah's ,messenger3 ',thou wert unjust in thy division4' ,umar started up4 ',i'll cut the throat of that insolent churl6' he shouted4--',nay6 let him go his own road1' was ,mohammad's simple reply4 ,the ,prophet was obliged to resort to most skilful political measures in order to spare all kinds of feelings during the division of these riches2 and to prevent dangerous jealousy arising among his disciples4 ,all the spoils1 nevertheless1 were nearly all allotted and he seemed to have forgotten his devoted ,ansars who1 naturally1 expected to rank among the first to be rewarded4 ,with ever-increasing surprise1 they saw no share offered to them and the rich bounty flowing into the hands of the ,quraish and the ,bedouins4 ,at last there was no more left to give away and the ,ansars exchanged bitter remarks3 ',by ,allah1 the ,prophet thinketh only of his own people4 ,now that1 thanks to us1 he hath returned victorious to his birthplace1 we are forgotten and neglected4' ,sa'd ibn ,ubada1 having heard these complaints1 went and told ,mohammad1 who said3 ',good6 ,call the ,ansars together6' ,when they were mustered1 the ,prophet came before them4 ',o ,assembly of the ,ansars6' he said2 ',i have been told about your talk and the sadness of your souls4 ,did ,i not seek you out when ye had been led astray8 ,hath not ,allah led you all into the right path8 ,ye were unfortunate3 hath not ,allah made you happy8 ,each man was his brother's enemy3 hath not ,allah reconciled your hearts8'--',truly6' they answered unanimously4 ',allah and ,his ,apostle are the most compassionate and generous6'--',and on your part1' he added1 'did ye not welcome me with compassion and generosity when ,i was a homeless wanderer8 ,have ye not the right to say to me3 ,thou wert branded as an impostor and we put faith in thee2 thou wert east down and we helped thee to be victorious2 thou wert poverty-stricken and we made thee rich8'--',nay1 nay6' protested every man of the ,assembly4 ',we are indebted to thee for everything and thou dost owe us nothing6'--',in that case1' he went on1 ',o ,ansar comrades6 how could you let the least feeling of affection arise in your hearts concerning the fleeting riches of this world1 with which ,i have endowed certain persons in order to strengthen their vacillating faith1 whilst ,i knew that you were unshaken4 ,know ye not that these people will return to their homesteads with camels and sheep only1 whilst ye will take the ,prophet of ,allah back with you to your dwellings8444 ,by ,him who holdeth ,mohammad's soul in ,his hands1 ,i swear that if the ,arab tribes retired into one valley and the ,ansars into another1 ,i would follow into the valley of the ,ansars4 ,for me1 the ,ansars are as a shirt on the skin2 and for me1 the other tribes are as the mantle outside everything4 ,o ,allah1 show mercy to the ,ansars2 to the sons of the ,ansars2 and to the children of their children6' ,these words1 which the ,prophet was unable to utter without betraying intense emotion1 mollified the entire ,assembly4 ,tears of gratitude flowed from the eyes of the ,ansars so abundantly that their beards were wetted4 ,all cried out1 sobs causing them to falter3 ',aye1 verily1 we accept our share of the booty1 for the most beautiful portion is ours6' ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,now hath ,allah helped you in many battle-fields1 and1 on the day of ,hunain1 when ye prided yourselves on your numbers2 but it availed you nothing4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,eighth ,illustration3 ,ad-da'wah or the ,invocation ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,accomplish the ,pilgrimage and the ,visitation of the ,holy ,places in honour of ,allah4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,eighth ,sidenote3 ,,ayishah ,,slandered ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,during my return from the ,mustaliq expedition1 pressing need compelled me to alight from my ,hawdaj1 7a kind of litter carried on a camel's back74 ,i found a lonely spot and stopped behind1 waiting until all the soldiers had marched past4 ,but seeing my camel halted1 and thinking ,i was inside the hawdaj1 they drove the animal forward to ensure it remaining in line with the rest4 ,when ,i came back and found my camel gone1 ,i shouted despairingly2 but all in vain1 until overcome by fatigue1 ,i dropped down and fell asleep4 ,one of the rearguards1 ,safwan ,ibnu'l-,mu'attal1 catching sight of me1 recognised me and cried out3 ',to ,allah we belong and to ,him shall we return6' ,having awakened me by this exclamation1 he brought up his camel1 helping me into the saddle1 and he led the animal by the bridle until we rejoined the ,prophet4 ,scandalmongers got hold of the story and ascribed shameful motives to this chance meeting4 ,despite the accused woman's protestations of innocence1 ,mohammad felt suspicion gnawing at his heart1 and he kept ,ayishah at a distance1 greatly to the confusion of his father-in-law1 ,abu ,bakr4 ,at last1 a ,revelation called the accusers liars1 and condemned calumny3 ,with ,allah it was a grave matter1 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxiv1 #ad71 thus ridding the ,prophet of all suspicion and putting an end to a painful situation4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,birth ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,ibrahim ,in ,year ,,viii of the ,hegira1 ,mary1 the ,coptic concubine1 gave birth to a boy4 ,the ,prophet1 who had never found consolation for the death of his sons brought into the world by ,khadijah1 was beside himself with joy4 ,he gave a slave as a present to ,abu ,rafi'a1 for having brought the news that a son was born1 and ,mohammad declared that the child's advent freed the mother4 ,on the seventh day1 the baby's hair was shaved off and buried2 two sheep were sacrificed and alms were distributed to the poor4 ,all the wet-nurses vied with each other for the honour of suckling the ,prophet's son1 who was called ,ibrahim4 ,he was given into the care of ,umm ,burda1 wife of ,al-,bara ibn ,aws1 and she1 was rewarded by the gift of a palm-garden4 ,she took her nursling into the country1 to the ,banu ,mazin1 where the ,prophet went frequently to see his son4 ,he used to take him in his arms1 unceasingly smelling him and covering him with kisses4 ,the affection he felt for the child's mother1 ,mary the ,copt1 also increased1 much to the great vexation of his other wives4 ,it happened1 too1 that he broke his strictly impartial household laws1 and granted ,mary a night that rightly belonged to ,hafsa1 ,umar's daughter4 ,she was grieved to the heart by her rights being forgotten and reproached ,mohammad so bitterly that he promised to cease all intercourse with his freed slave on condition that ,hafsa held her tongue4 ,but haughty ,hafsa broke her word4 ,she told her grievances to ,ayishah1 who was likewise furiously exasperated at the favour shown to ,mary4 ,it was now the turn of ,hafsa to rouse the indignation of the other joint wives4 ,scenes1 scandal and shrieks caused life to be unbearable2 so1 renouncing all consideration and refusing to let his spouses dictate to him1 the ,prophet put ,hafsa away1 after having blamed her severely for her indiscretion4 ,for a whole month1 he refused to have anything to do with his helpmates who1 although there was now no cause for jealousy1 still continued their quarrels2 each woman accusing the other of being the cause of their common husband's neglect4 ,all his wives swore that in future they would not pester him with their scolding4 ,but ,mohammad kept his oath strictly4 ,he sought seclusion in a room to which access could only be had by a staircase of palm-tree trunks1 and where his sole couch consisted of a mat1 of which the rough fibre made dents in his flesh4 ,his meals were brought to him by a black guardian who stood--an inexorable sentinel--in front of the door1 which remained closed even to the most beloved among the ,prophet's companions4 ,at last1 on the twenty-ninth day1 mindful of the grief felt by ,umar and ,abu ,bakr at the humiliation experienced by their daughters1 ,hafsa and ,ayishah1 ,mohammad took them both back1 and all his other wives as well1 after he had recited the following verses3 ,if ye assist one another against the ,prophet1 then verily1 ,allah is his ,protector and ,gabriel and every just man among the ,faithful2 and the angels are his helpers besides4 99 ,haply if he put you both away1 his ,lord will give him in exchange other wives better than you3 ,moslems1 ,believers1 devout1 penitent1 worshippers1 observant of fasting4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lxvi1 #d1 #e47 ,the joy and hopes accompanying the birth of ,ibrahim were not destined to last long4 ,the child breathed its last sigh at the age of seventeen months1 under his father's eyes1 and ,mohammad could not repress showers of tears4 ,seeing the ,prophet's grief and remembering that in cases of mourning he forbade all lamentations1 rending of garments1 or laceration of faces1 ,abdu'r-,rahman ibn ,awf said to him3 ',thou also1 ,o ,messenger of ,allah8'--',o ,ibn ,awf6' he replied4 ',tears arise from compassion4 ,they are not prohibited like shrieks and lamentations which are protestations inspired by the ,evil ,one against the decrees of ,providence4' ,then1 as his tears flowed in still greater abundance1 he added3 ',the eyes shed tears2 the heart is full of affliction1 but we utter no exclamation displeasing to the ,lord4 ,true resignation is manifested at the first shock2 as1 later1 time bringeth succour4 ,o ,ibrahim1 we are deeply saddened by being separated from thee2 but we belong to ,allah and to ,him shall we return6' ,zaira1 mother of the wet-nurse1 washed the poor little dead body2 ,al-,fadl ibn al-,abbas and ,usama ibn ,zayd carried it to the cemetery of ,al-,bagi and lowered it into the grave4 ,when the earth covered the son on whom he had founded such great hopes1 the ,prophet prayed over the tiny tomb1 and exclaimed3 ',declare1 ,o my son6 ,allah is my ,lord1 ,his ,messenger is my father1 and ,islam is my ,religion6' ,all who assisted at this scene were shaken by sobs4 ,all of a sudden1 their faces took on a livid tint1 which1 at the same time1 spread over the earth1 the sand1 and the rocks4 ,the azure of the sky changed to a leaden hue2 the sunlight paled and gradually faded away1 although no clouds gathered to veil it4 ,an icy shudder1 resembling that of fever1 caused the whole face of nature to be stirred2 and the birds1 with cries of fright1 took refuge in their nocturnal shelters4 ,the last rays1 still illuminating surrounding objects with dim and sinister light1 began to die away and darkness came on in open day1 whilst a few twinkling stars appeared in the sky4 ,the people in terror knew not which way to turn so as to escape the fearful cataclysm they anticipated4 ,many in the crowd1 struck by the phenomenon coinciding with the death of ,ibrahim1 cried out3 ',o ,prophet6 the eyes of the sun itself are dimmed by tears and it hath departed to take part in thy mourning6' ,the ,prophet1 struggling against his grief1 drew himself up erect and proclaimed in firm accents3 ',nay2 it is not so4 ,the ,sun and the ,moon are two tokens of ,allah's ,almightiness4 ,like everything beautiful in this world1 their beauty is liable to be eclipsed by ,his orders4444 ,but there is no eclipse for the death of any mortal6' ,sidenote3 ,,ghazwah1 ,,or ,,expedition ,,of ,,tabuk 7,jumada1 ,year ,,viii of the ,hegira1 ,august ,a4,d4 #fcj7 ,at the battle of ,mutah1 the ,christian ,greeks learnt to their cost what it meant to put the valour of ,allah's warriors to the test2 and in their hatred of ,islam's steady growth1 they busied themselves in mustering a most terrible army to crush it4 ,the ,prophet heard of this4 ,he resolved to be first in the field and attack4 ,only his unshaken confidence in divine protection could have inspired him with such temerity4 ,how many thousands of soldiers must he gather together so as not to court irretrievable disaster8 ,now the moment was not in the least favourable3 a long drought had withered crops and herbage2 flocks were decimated2 horrible famine plunged the whole region in desolation2 and the torrid heat of the second half of summer destroyed all energy4 ,the harvest of the savoury fruit of each oasis1 watered by inexhaustible wells1 alone promised to be abundant and invigorating2 and it was precisely when the ,faithful were about to profit by the only benefits of this lean year that the ,apostle issued his marching orders4 ,secret discontent invaded every heart and the incorrigible ,hypocrites hastened to exploit it by hawking about everywhere perfidious remarks1 such as these3 ',do ye think this war against the ,banu'l-,asfar 7the descendants of fair-headed ,ishaq7 will be child's play1 as was that against the swarthy sons of ,ishmael8 ,remember that arriving exhausted by the intolerable heat of the season and the superhuman fatigue of the road1 ye will have to face the ,nazarene soldiers encased in armour6' ,these arguments1 which would have been logical if the struggle had not been in the cause of ,allah1 began to weaken the minds of those who were hesitating4 ,as for those who were convinced1 they could not get away from the unheard-of difficulties bound to be met with in feeding the troops1 by reason of the dearth of provisions2 and means of transport1 in consequence of the scarcity of camels4 ,following the lack of pasturage1 the majority of these animals that had not succumbed to hunger1 were in a pitiful state of decline4 ,all these circumstances were unfavorable2 but no obstacle could stop the ,chosen ,one4 ,as the ,hypocrites met to conspire in the house of ,suwaylim1 a ,jew1 the ,prophet sent ,talha ibn ,ubaydu'llah to burn their den4 ,they said1 ,march not out in the heat4 ,say3 ,a fiercer heat wilt be the fire of ,hell6 ,little then let them laugh1 and much let them weep as the meed of their doings4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #hb1 #hc47 ,caring nothing for his own toil1 the ,prophet spared no pains to impress upon his disciples the grandeur of the goal4 ,so as to arouse general interest1 he treated each man differently according to the inward aspirations of his being4 ,if in some he awakened the pure hope of celestial satisfaction1 suitable to their souls loving ideality2 in others1 he did not discourage hopes of material gratification1 such as booty and profane pleasures4 ,al-,jadd ibn ,qays was a man of intrigue4 ,he said to the ,prophet3 ',thou knowest that in my qawm no man loveth woman better than ,i4 ,now1 ,i fear ,i shall not be able to restrain myself at the sight of the charming lasses of the ,banu'l-,asfar4 ,in that case1 wilt thou blame me8' ,the ,prophet avoided answering4 ,al-,jadd interpreted such silence as showing that ,mohammad promised to shut his eyes4 ,the debauchee could not repress a start of joy1 despite the presence of his son1 who made a gesture of disapproval1 and his father threw his sandal in the lad's face4 ,thanks to the indefatigable activity of their leader1 it was not long before the ,believers were carried away by enthusiasm4 ,the difficulties to be overcome2 the sacrifices to be made1 instead of diminishing their optimism1 only succeeded in feeding it1 and those whose poverty or infirmities prevented them from joining the ranks of the fighters1 became so sad that they were nicknamed the ,bakka'un1 or ,weepers4 ,nevertheless1 they are excused by this ,revelation3 ,it is no crime in the weak1 and in the sick1 and in those who find not the means of contributing1 to stay at home1 provided that they are sincere with ,allah and ,his ,apostle4 ,nor in those who when they came to thee that thou shoulsdt mount them1 and thou didst say3 ,i find not wherewith to mount you1 and turned away their eyes1 and shed floods of tears for grief1 because they found no means to contribute towards the expense4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #ib1 #ic47 ,moved by their despair1 the ,prophet made an urgent appeal to the devotion of all the ,believers who1 with admirable emulation1 replied at once by bringing considerable sums4 ,abu ,bakr placed the whole of his fortune at the disposition of the ,prophet4 ,usman ibn ,affan furnished ten thousand warriors with provisions and weapons4 ,all vied with each other in acts of generosity and women stripped themselves of their most precious jewellery4 ,the expeditionary force was soon organised and numbered between thirty to forty thousand men2 a figure hitherto unknown in ,arabia4 ,the troops were assembled at the ,sanniyat-ul-,wida pass4 ,seeing the exaltation of the ,believers1 the ,hypocrites considered it prudent to conceal their sentiments1 but they arranged to group themselves together in the rear and when the army had disappeared behind the ,farewell ,pass1 the shufflers dropped out1 one after the other1 and made their way back to ,al-,madinah4 ,their conduct was not surprising1 but unfortunately their fatal advice had deterred four good ,moslems from their duty3 the poet ,ka'b ibn ,mabk1 ,murara ibnu'r-,rabi'1 ,hilal ibn ,umayya and ,abu ,khaythama4 ,the latter1 suffocated by the extreme heat and also1 perchance1 by feelings of shame1 went into his orchard1 surrounded by protecting walls4 ,it was there1 under intertwining palms and vine-branches with leaves and grapes1 which stretched like serpentine bind-weeds from one date-tree to another1 that two shelters were erected1 built of palm-tree trunks and foliage2 so impervious to sunlight that the obscurity therein seemed to be the shades of night4 ,to complete the resemblance1 the mysterious darkness of each of these arbours was illuminated by a young woman's face1 as brilliant as the moon in the fulness of its fourteenth night4 ,kindly attentive as well as beautiful1 these loving spouses had carefully watered the sandy soil1 whence arose exquisite1 moist odours4 ,ingeniously1 too1 they had hung up1 in draughty corners1 oozing goat-skins in which water got to be as cool as snow2 and they had prepared delicate dishes of which the aroma sufficed to excite the most rebellious appetite4444 ,abu ,khaythama1 bathed in sweat1 powdered all over with sand1 experienced a sensation of ,eden-like comfort1 when he glanced at the delights in readiness and was about to revel in enjoyment by lazily stretching his limbs on soft rugs4 ,but1 suddenly1 the emerald-tinted reflection of the shade that gently caressed his tired eyes1 was furrowed by the flash of a vision3 ,in a gloomy1 wild1 boundless space1 beneath the deep azure hue of a cloudless sky1 under the unbearable sting of a pitiless sun1 a long line of human beings dragged itself along with difficulty1 coming into view and then being lost to sight amid yellowish waves formed by rocks or sandheaps4444 ,he recognised these mortals4 ,they were his brethren in ,islam4 ,at their head was 444 ,allah's ,chosen ,one6 ',the ,prophet leads an expedition1 under yon blazing sky6 ,and ,abu ,khaythama is at rest1 in this fresh shade1 with fresh water and two fresh beauties6 ,no6 that cannot be6' he cried2 and turning to his wives1 each of them hoping to gain the preference3 ',by ,allah6 ,i go not into the shelter of any among you6 ,i rejoin the ,prophet6 ,prepare my provisions for the journey2 and that quickly6' ,they obeyed4 ,releasing his camel1 busy just then in drawing water1 he clapped on the saddle4 ,then he took down his sword1 spear and shield from where they were hanging1 and without a look behind1 abandoned fresh shade1 fresh water and fresh beauties1 to hurry in the track of the army4 ,he rejoined it at ,tabuk4 ,meanwhile1 after having followed the windings of the ,wadi'l-,qura1 a broad valley where the verdant splashes of colour of more than one oasis1 encircling many villages or strongholds1 stood out in gay1 bold relief on the dull hue of the arid landscape1 the expedition had reached the fringe of the frightful desert surrounding ,al-,hijr1 or ,mada'in ,salih1 the ,thamud country4 ,the sight of this inhospitable region oppressed the hearts of the ,believers4 ,with its ,harra1 or burning soil cracked and laid waste by celestial flames that marked it with a distinguishing funereal hue of ashes and charcoal1 it offered to their view the most startling image of a country cursed by the ,almighty4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,thamud ,,country ,in the earliest ages1 the idolatrous and debauched inhabitants of ,thamud1 proud of the prosperity of their seven towns and massive dwellings1 hewn out of the solid rock1 welcomed with derision the ,prophet ,salih1 sent by ,allah to lead them in the right path4 ,so as to show them that his mission was genuine1 ,salih implored the ,most ,high to grant him the aid of a miracle4 ,thereupon1 a rock split itself1 with a roar which may be compared to that of ocean waves1 and brought forth a wonder in the shape of a gigantic she-camel1 wonderfully hairy and advanced ten months in pregnancy4 ,she dropped a little foal1 already weaned1 and bearing an astonishing resemblance to its mother4 ,miracles have nearly always been powerless to convert hardened sinners and the only result of this marvel was a recrudescence of perversity among the people of ,thamud4 ,to testify how little they valued such a portent1 these impious wretches resolved to do away with the prodigy4 ,with sharp blades1 they studded the two steep sides of a narrow rocky pass1 through which1 each morning1 the she-camel passed to graze in the plains4 ,in the evening1 returning with her little camel1 she rushed through and tore her flanks most cruelly4 ,the poor beast1 quivering1 uttered groans and1 it is said1 the echo thereof resounds even nowadays1 from time to time4 ,she dropped down and died at the egress of the defile that was called3 ,al-,huwayra1--the camel-foal--remarkable by reason of a rock that took on a faithful resemblance to the young animal4 ,salih1 after such sacrilege1 realised how useless were his efforts1 and called down the curse of ,allah on the head of the ,thamud people1 upon whom punishment was quickly inflicted3 ,and they hewed them out secure abodes in the mountains 99 ,but they rebelled against their ,lord's command3 so the tempest took them as they watched its coming 444 99 ,so that they were not able to stand upright1 and could not help themselves4444 99 ,we sent against them a single shout2 and they became like the dry sticks of the fold-builders4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xv1 #hb4 ,,li1 #dd1 #df4 ,,liv1 #ca47 ,ever since the wrath of ,heaven destroyed its inhabitants1 the country of ,thamud is deserted4 ,the abodes of this ungodly people alone were left and are still remaining4 ,under the brows of their frontals1 the wide-open doors look like the pupils of fantastic eyes1 dilated by the horror of the formidable sight they witnessed4 ,the crevices scarring the walls seem1 likewise1 to be mouths distorted by affright and calling out to those who dare set foot in this desolate domain3 ,admire by our example1 the vanity of mortals' pride and the emptiness of their undertakings4 ,who can describe the mighty efforts by which our masters carved us out of the heart of the mountain and adorned us with slender pillars and graceful sculpture8 ,sheltered in our bosom1 stronger than iron1 were they wrong to reckon that they were in perfect safety8 ,how mad were they6 ,in vain their contracted hands clung despairingly to the angles of our walls1 the storm of divine wrath passed over them 444 and they disappeared for evermore4 ,even we tottered on our foundations like unto the limbs of a man devoured by fever whose teeth chatter noisily4 ,if we were spared1 it was only so that we might serve as a lesson to travellers straying into our mournful land4 ,when the army of the ,believers penetrated into the midst of strangely-shaped stone blocks1 emerging like reefs from a sea of sand1 and showing in their smooth sides the dark openings that were the abodes of the people of ,thamud1 the ,prophet covered his face with a corner of his mantle1 so as to avoid looking at these vestiges of impiety4 ,he closed his mouth and nostrils1 not wishing to breathe the impure air emanating from the ruins1 and urged on his camel to get away from them as quickly as possible4 ,fearing lest irresistible curiosity might lead the ,soldiers of ,islam astray1 he exhorted them thus3 ',if ye enter these dens of the ungodly1 do so only with tears in your eyes as ye recall their sad fate4' ,he knew that tears of this kind1 welling up by reason of such terrible remembrances1 would cause the attraction of curiosity to be dominated by fear of the ,almighty4 ,impressed1 however1 by the strangeness of these dwellings1 seemingly those of superhuman beings or evil spirits2 and by the deathly silence that reigned in these parts where formerly a powerful people lived a riotous life of pride and debauchery1 the ,faithful sought but to follow the example of their inspired guide and flee from the accursed ruins4 ,besides1 the soldiers were urged onwards by thirst2 and when1 in the midst of the sandy plains1 the famous well of the ,thamud people came in sight where the she-camel of the miracle used to drink1 they broke their ranks in the greatest disorder1 trying to outstrip each other1 racing to be the first to slake their thirst4 ,the ,prophet1 who had been unable to restrain them1 hurried along with his she-camel1 caught them up1 and gave his orders in accents of great severity3 ',beware of that water1 tainted by impiety4 ,take care not to use it for drinking purposes2 nor for your ablutions2 nor for cooking your food6 ,let all who have drunk of it1 vomit it forth6 ,those who have kneaded hays with it must throw that hays to their camels6 ,those who have used it to cook their victuals must scatter those victuals on the ground without touching them6' ,to put an end to all temptation1 he ordered the march to be resumed1 without taking into account the fatigue or the thirst of his troops4 ,his face still veiled by a fold of his mantle1 the ,prophet1 obeyed and followed blindly by his soldiers1 among whom deception and suffering had not caused the slightest murmur1 soon reached the entrance to the narrow1 weird pass of the ,mabraku'n-,naqa4 ,skirted on each side by crags from one hundred and fifty to two hundred cubits high1 the dark defile produced the most sinister impression4 ,the ,faithful felt their breasts shrinking as if crushed between the dizzy dominating walls4 ,what they most feared was to hear the resounding echoes of the miraculous1 disembowelled she-camel4 ,in that case1 no power on earth could have mastered the mad terror that must have overwhelmed the animals ridden by the soldiers4 ,by dint of wild leaps and bounds1 the camels would have thrown off their loads of arms and food1 and ridding themselves of their drivers1 taken to flight2 when1 after throwing down and trampling all those who might have tried to stop them1 the men must have been abandoned on foot in the midst of the most frightful of all deserts4 ,the slightest noises1 amplified by the sonorous echoes of the rocky heights1 made the ,believers start and shudder4 ,they went on in the most profound silence1 thinking only of how best to speed their camels4 ,at last the lugubrious passage was traversed2 the soldiers' breath came and went normally in their breasts now relieved of all oppression1 and a wide1 open space1 suitable for pitching the tents1 offered itself to their gaze4 ,when the ,believers had finished the work of encampment1 the ,prophet warned them that a heavy tempest would rage during the night1 and he enjoined them solemnly3 ',let those in charge of camels tie them securely and no man leave his tent without a companion4' ,they had scarcely time to give a look at the hobbles of their beasts than the ,prophet's prediction began to come true4 ,the sun had set1 covered by a misty veil1 contrasting with its habitual sumptuous purple2 its rayless pallor was the sign of an extraordinary storm4 ,all of a sudden1 a brownish curtain sprung up from the horizon1 to drag in its moving folds the orb of day1 and the shades of coming night took on a tarry tint4 ,the darkness thickened to such an extent that each man might have thought he was struck blind4 ,a strange rumbling sound arose from the depth of the desert and approached with incredible rapidity1 soon changing its deafening uproar which might have been taken for the hissing of monstrous vipers1 accompanied by diabolical vociferation4 ,at the same moment1 the camp was crushed by a gigantic whirling spout of sand1 tearing away in its gyrations everything that was not securely fastened4 ,the pitchy darkness gave way to yellow obscurity1 still more impenetrable to the eye4 ,sheltered behind their camels1 turning their backs to the tempest whilst shuddering and snorting in terror1 the ,faithful veiled their faces and covered their arms and legs1 so as to guarantee their limbs against the fury of the raging sand that sank painfully into their flesh like thousands of wasps' stings4 ,the soldiers flattened themselves face downwards on the ground1 digging in their nails2 holding fast in fear of being swept away like flock of wool4444 ,despite the horror of the hour1 two soldiers forgot the formal directions of the ,prophet4 ,one of them1 urged by necessity1 left the encampment and at once fell suffocated4 ,the other tried to run after his maddened camel that had broken its trammels and galloped away1 only to be caught immediately in the whirlwind1 and rolled round and round in its spirals1 like a pebble spinning when hurled from a sling2 and he was whisked up to the summit of the ,jabala ,tay4 ,when told of this1 the ,prophet exclaimed3 ',did ,i not forbid you to leave the camp without a companion8' ,he invoked the ,mercy of the ,compassionate in favour of the suffocated soldier who gradually regained consciousness and came back to life4 ,as for the other victim1 the ,tay mountains restored him when the expedition returned4 ,the hurricane1 at last1 after having exhausted its impotent fury against the soldiers of ,allah1 passed away to ravage other regions and the ,faithful had no further accidents to deplore4 ,but they were broken down by their former difficult marches2 and that night1 instead of granting invigorating rest1 only brought them fresh fatigue4 ,the simoon having dried up the last vestiges of moisture in their bodies1 their thickened blood circulated difficultly in their veins and the beatings of their temples led to unbearable singing in the ears4 ,what would become of them on the long road they still had to travel before reaching the first well8 ,the aspect of the surrounding country was not at all calculated to encourage them4 ,they fancied that they were tramping through the ruins of a world destroyed by an inconceivable outbreak of fire4 ,a black line marked the horizon3 the never-ending ,harra1 which seemed in some parts to be formed of coal1 soot and ashes2 and in others1 of iron congealed when molten1 with enormous bubbles which1 in bursting1 had laid great crevices open1 bordered with scattered slag as sharp as broken glass4444 ,there1 at any rate1 the flames were extinguished1 whereas1 on the way they went1 fires seemed to be still smouldering4 ,blocks of rock rose up on all sides1 like a real forest1 and by their shape and colour1 they could bear comparison with gigantic tree-trunks1 partly calcined and partly incandescent4 ,some were distorted in such strange fashion that1 in the eyes of the ,faithful1 they looked like mouthing demons escaped from ,hell and posted where they stood to revel in the torments of ,allah's soldiers passing by4 ,slippery slabs and pointed black stones of volcanic origin covered the earth1 except where it was carpeted by sand of dazzling whiteness which1 by its intense reverberation1 kindled myriads of white-hot embers under every stone and in all the windings and turnings of the crags and peaks4 ,even in the depths of the sapphire sky1 a hovering vulture and a rare fleeting cloud were tinted with a bright orange hue1 as if they reflected the blaze of an immense furnace4 ,to complete the illusion1 lofty pillars of sand hung over all these remains1 like columns of smoke issuing from a badly-extinguished conflagration4 ,the ,believers' eyes1 inflamed by the sandstorm1 reddened by the refraction on the dunes1 produced--even in their sockets--the effect of burning embers4 ,each time they put their feet1 lacerated by the pebbles of the ,hammada1 to the overheated ground1 their sufferings were unbearable4 ,their thickened saliva1 mixed with impalpable dust1 formed a firm paste1 which the throat would not allow to pass4 ,their skin1 stretched as on a drumhead1 resounded at the slightest touch1 cracking in broad furrows1 and split lips made speech impossible4 ,some of the soldiers were a prey to delirium1 caused by thirst2 a sure sign of death4 ,to bring them back to life1 the only resource of their companions was to make the sufferers drink the liquid contained in the stomach of a slaughtered camel1 and to plaster the dying man's parched breast with the still moist residue4 ,the ,prophet endured the sufferings of each of his disciples1 but at no moment was his confidence shaken2 he knew that if ,allah often sees fit to put ,his servants to the test1 never does ,he abandon them4 ,so ,mohammad never ceased to implore ,his mercy4 ,would the day never come to an end8 ,the sun1 as if fastened in the sky by invisible bonds1 at last seemed determined to come down to earth4 ,the orb was veiled1 as on the preceding eve2 its ruby disc was swallowed up on the horizon by the dark cloud in waiting and which1 travelling fast towards the zenith1 covered the camp with an ebony canopy1 fringed with stalactites reflecting coppery tints4 ,a series of lightning flashes struck furiously against the sides of this cupola1 breaking it into a thousand fragments4 ,from between them1 large drops of rain escaped1 and then came more and more1 to be followed at last by a diluvian downpour4 ,the poor1 parched soldiers shuddered delightfully in feelings of indescribable comfort when the blessed shower1 soaking through their garments1 refreshed their racked limbs2 and they rushed to quench their thirst at the numerous pools which the waters of the heavens1 rolling in cascades on the bare slopes1 formed in every depression of the soil4 ,illustration3 ,the ,pilgrims of ,mount ,arafa1 on the ,ninth ,day of the month of ,zu'l ,hijjah4 #b views ,thus reinvigorated1 and their goat-skins filled again1 the ,believers joyfully resisted the fatigue of the march between each successive halting-place and finally emerged1 safe and sound1 from that accursed region4 ,sidenote3 ,,arrival ,,and ,,sojourn ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,at ,,tabuk ,a vast plain of sparkling sand1 streaked by a thin line of a beautiful peacock blue1 now spread itself out to the gaze of the ,prophet and his men4 ,this line1 the goal of their efforts1 soon became notched2 and at last appeared1 sharply outlined on the turquoise sky1 the slender tufts of the palm-trees of which it was formed4 ,this was the oasis of ,tabuk6 ,no pen can describe the joy of those1 who having endured the anguish of thirst1 arrived at this safe haven1 an oasis of date-trees2 nor give an idea of the expression on their faces when1 having slaked their thirst and performed their ablutions1 they looked down on the crystal water rippling in the ,sawaqi2 nor of their satisfaction when they laid themselves down in the light shade of the palm-trees4 ,the ,prophet's soldiers had got through the hardest part of their task4 ,they had triumphed over the obstacles opposed to them by ,nature1 and henceforward could look with deep disdain on any barriers formed by the weapons of the ,infidels4 ,besides1 thanks to the fantastic rapidity with which tidings travel through the desert1 their arrival at ,tabuk soon came to the ears of the ,christians and the ,syrian ,arabs who had formed a coalition to fight the ,believers4 ,the enemies of ,allah were overcome by stupor1 for they had felt certain that if the ,prophet should try to carry out his audacious plan at such a time of year1 the bones of all the men of his army would be scattered over the lonely ,hijaz wilderness4 ,therefore1 in spite of their enormous numerical superiority1 they concluded that any struggle against forty thousand ,believers who had just accomplished this prodigious feat would be madness1 and finish by overwhelming their opponents with indescribable disaster4 ,strife broke the ranks of their innumerable army1 and each party it comprised fled towards its own part of the country without having dared to face the ,prophet4 ,the pitiful helter-skelter retreat of the allies enhanced the magic power of ,islam as greatly as the most brilliant victory2 and if ,mohammad had not been kept back by the necessity of fulfilling his mission in the ,hijaz before any other undertaking1 he could have penetrated in the depth of the ,palatinat almost without striking a blow4 ,as it was1 established at ,tabuk1 he received the eager submission of the ,arab lords who hurried to him1 one and all1 coming not only from the vicinity1 but also from distant regions1 such as those of ,sinai and ,syria4 ,alone1 the proud ,prince of ,dawmatu'l-,jandal1 an important town situated on the outskirts of the ,nefud 7,desert of ,red ,sand71 having refused submission1 the ,prophet sent ,khalid the ,terrible to him2 and he was brought to his knees at once4 ,during the few weeks' rest granted to his army1 ,mohammad never ceased the work of organising the country and teaching new converts4 ,one event only saddened him in his success3 the death of a most devoted comrade1 known as ,dhu ,nijadayn1 7the man with the two shoulder-belts74 ,to prove to all in what esteem he held this perfect ,mussulman1 he insisted in helping1 with his own noble hands1 the gravedigger to lower the body into the earth1 and ,ibn ,mas'ud1 jealous at seeing the dead man so highly honoured1 exclaimed3 ',ah6 why am ,i not buried in that tomb8' ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet ,,goes ,,back ,,to ,,al-,,madinah ,the return journey took place without any incident worthy of narration4 ,the hot months having gone by1 the army was spared the pangs of thirst2 and during the first days of the month of ,ramadhan1 the soldiers re-entered ,al-,madinah4 ,in such a moment1 in the midst of the acclamations greeting the returning1 energetic soldiers1 the perfidious qawm of the ,hypocrites knew not where to turn to hide their shame4 ,to palliate their meanness1 they invoked the most specious pretexts in vain4 ,the ,apostle did not even deign to honour them by resentment1 reserved for the shaming of the three ,ansars1 deterred from their duty by the double-faced crew4 ,despite the repentant humility of the abashed men1 the ,prophet sentenced them most rigorously by putting them under interdict and forbidding the ,believers to have anything to do with them4 ,the delinquents were completely isolated and the ,faithful fled from them as if they were plague-stricken4 ,allah1 notwithstanding1 moved by their remorse1 pardoned them3 ,he hath also turned in ,mercy unto the three who were left behind1 so that the earth1 spacious as it is1 became too strait for them2 and their souls became so straitened within them1 that they bethought them that there was no refuge from ,allah but unto ,himself4 ,then was he turned to them that they might turn to him4 ,verily ,allah is ,he that turneth1 the ,merciful6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #aai47 ,the ,ghazwah of ,tabuk was the last expedition led by the ,prophet4 ,to conclude the conquest of ,arabia1 he was satisfied thenceforth to send his lieutenants to accomplish a certain number of ,saraya or expeditions1 all fully successful1 but which it would take too long to describe here4 ,he dwelt in ,al-,madinah1 kept busy in receiving the numerous submissions brought about by the victories of ,islam4 ,there were those of the ,princes of ,dawmatu'l-,jandal2 of the ,yaman2 of the ,uman1 of ,buhayra2 of the ,yamama2 of ,taif2 of ,najran1 etc4 ,he also devoted his energies to the most difficult task of governing the ,arabs1 for the first time united to form a people of brothers2 and in his work as legislator1 he displayed the resources of as much genius as when he was at the head of his armies4 ,about this time1 the famous chief of the ,hypocrites1 ,abdullah ibn ,salul1 died4 ,seized with remorse in his last moments1 ,abdullah implored ,mohammad's pardon and1 despite the objections of ungovernable ,umar1 the ,prophet was not to be stopped from saying prayers over the body of his perfidious foe and burying him with his own hands4 ,after this proof of clemency and forgetfulness of offences1 there no longer remained a single ,hypocrite in ,al-,madinah4 ,in his turn1 ,ka'b ibn ,zuhayr1 who had passed his life in composing virulent satires against the ,prophet1 came to be converted by him1 and recited a poem which he had written in his honour4 ,when ,ka'b got as far as the fifty-first verse3 ,the ,messenger of ,allah is a flaming sword illuminating mortals2 a sword of ,india1 unsheathed by ,allah1 ,mohammad pardoned him1 making him a present of his mantle which he threw over the poet's shoulders4 ,after the return of his victorious lieutenants1 the ,prophet despatched missionaries to the newly-converted tribes1 in order to prevent them backsliding by introducing any of their past superstitions into the religion4 ,one of the principal missionaries was ,mu'adh ibn ,jabal1 who was about to set out for the ,yaman4 ,so that all should see the consideration he attached to the mission entrusted to ,mu'adh1 the ,prophet bound a turban round his envoy's head1 helped him to mount his camel1 and walked by the animal's side1 giving final instructions4 ,mu'adh confused1 made as if to alight1 but ,mohammad stopped him4 ',remain in the saddle1 ,o sincere friend6' he said4 ',i follow the orders of ,heaven and satisfy my heart4 ,it is needful that a man performing important duties should be honoured4 ,ah6 if only ,i had hopes of seeing thee again1 ,i should cut our conversation short2 but probably ,i now speak to thee for the last time4' ,much moved1 they separated2 never to meet again in this world4444 ,in the month of ,zu'l-,qa'dah1 the ,apostle1 ever mindful of the religious and political importance of the pilgrimage to ,makkah1 sent ,abu ,bakr to accomplish it at the head of three hundred ,mussulmans4 ,scarcely had ,abu ,bakr reached ,zu'l ,holifah1 when the ,surah of ,bara'ah was revealed3 ,o ,believers6 only they who join gods with ,allah 7that is to say1 those who in any way whatsoever1 associate ,allah the ,only ,one with other divinities or persons7 are unclean6 ,let them not therefore1 after this their year1 come near the ,sacred ,temple 7of ,makkah74 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #bh47 ,this ,surah1 remarkable as being the only one in the ,qur'an without the introductory form3 ,in the name of ,allah1 the ,merciful1 the ,compassionate1 was of the greatest importance1 in so far as the pilgrimage was concerned4 ,it forbid all who were not ,mussulmans from setting foot in ,holy ,territory and even nowadays this prohibition being rigorously enforced1 the pilgrims of ,islam are safeguarded against enemy spies1 and protected from the unseemly curiosity of foreigners4 ,this was also the final blow struck at idolatry among the ,arabs who could no longer come to ,makkah unless they disowned their idols4 ,consequently1 the ,prophet charged ,ali to rejoin the pilgrims' caravan in all haste and recite this imperative ,surah to the assembled ,faithful1 after the sacrifices had been made in the valley of ,mina4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,valedictory ,,pilgrimage 7,zul-,hijjah1 in ,year ,x of the ,hegira1 ,march ,a4,d4 #fcb7 ,the following year1 the ,prophet determined to lead the pilgrimage to ,makkah personally4 ,since the ,hegira1 he had only accomplished the ,amratu'l-,qada1 or pious visitation1 at a time when ,makkah had not yet been entirely won over to ,islam4 ,now the ,hajj u'l-,akbar1 or ,greater ,pilgrimage1 which imposes1 besides the visit to the ,sacred ,temple of ,allah1 a visit to the mountain of ,arafa1 or of ,recognition1 7so called because our first parents1 ,adam and ,eve1 met each other there after having been driven out of ,paradise71 is one of the five pillars of the practical religion of ,islam4 ,mohammad also wished to see his native land for the last time1 having a presentiment of his coming end1 for he felt himself secretly undermined by the vestiges of poison remaining in his veins4 ,he solemnly announced his intention4 ,the idea of seeing the ,apostle of ,allah and accomplishing the pilgrimage with him1 stirred the enthusiasm of the whole of ,arabia1 and the number of pilgrims who accompanied him from ,al-,madinah or joined him on the way1 may be set down at about hundred thousand4 ,at ,zu'l ,hobfah1 all the ,faithful1 following the ,prophet's example1 put themselves in the state of ,ihram1 as described in the chapter of al-,hudaibiyah1 and assumed the robe also called ,ihram1 consisting of two seamless wrappers free from any dye likely to stain the skin4 ,one piece of drapery is wrapped round the waist and the other1 thrown loosely over the shoulders1 covers the chest2 the head1 arms1 and legs being left bare4 ,after the ,prophet had proclaimed the ,talbiyah1 the pilgrims took it up in chorus3 ,i stand up for thy service1 ,o ,allah6 ,there is no ,partner with ,thee6 ,verily ,thine is the ,praise1 the ,blessing and the ,kingdom6 ,during the journey1 two unimportant incidents arose which we note nevertheless1 because they show that a pilgrim is obliged to suppress all feelings of impatience or anger4 ,the camel of ,safiyah1 one of the ,prophet's wives1 was a slow animal1 and being heavily laden1 did not keep up with the caravan1 despite the efforts of its driver4 ,ayishah's camel1 possessing a good turn of speed and lightly burdened1 ,mohammad1 after having tried to explain these facts to its fair rider1 gave orders to change the loads of the two animals4 ,but this displeased ,ayishah4 ,she lost her temper and cried out3 ',thou sayest thou art ,prophet8 ,then why not do things justly8' ,no sooner had these words escaped her lips1 than her father1 ,abu ,bakr1 slapped her face2 and as ,mohammad upbraided him1 he replied3 ',didst hear what she said8'--',yea2 but she must be excused4 ,the essence of a woman's mind is jealousy2 and when jealousy masters her1 she is incapable of seeing in what direction runs the current of a wadi6' ,on arriving at the encampment of ,al-,arj1 the camel carrying the provisions of the ,prophet and of ,abu ,bakr was missing4 ,ayishah's father laid the blame on the driver3 ',how's this8 ,thou hadst but one camel to look after and thou hast let it go astray8' ,carried away by great anger1 ,abu ,bakr1 with his whip1 gave the man a good hiding4 ',admire the conduct of this pilgrim in the state of ,ihram6' said the ,prophet1 ironically4 ',come now1 ,o ,abu ,bakr1 be calm1 and rest assured that thy serving-man's sole desire was not to lose thy camel4' ,the caravan took the same road as that of the pious visitation4 ,the ,prophet entered ,makkah in open day1 and made his she-camel kneel in front of the entrance of the ,sacred ,precincts1 called the ,door of ,salvation1 and on catching sight of the ,ka'bah1 he exclaimed3 ',o ,allah1 increase the glory of this ,temple and the number of its visitors6' ,after three ablutions1 he kissed the ,black ,stone1 whilst tears welled up in his eyes4 ,he then performed the ,tawaf1 and the ,sa'y1 in the same way as during the pious visit4 ,on the eighth day of the month of ,zu'l-,hijjah1 he went to the valley of ,mina where he caused a tent of woollen stuff to be pitched2 and it was there he said the prayers of the afternoon2 of sunset2 and of nightfall4 ,next day1 after the prayer of the ,fajr1 he once more bestrode his she-camel1 al-,qaswa1 in order to reach the mountain of ,arafa4 ,countless crowds having gathered on the mountain's rocky slopes1 as well as on the plain and in the surrounding ravines1 the ,prophet preached1 remaining on his she-camel which he had ridden and halted on the summit4 ,standing immediately beneath him1 was ,rabiyah ibn ,ummayatah1 posted there to repeat the words of the sermon1 with his resounding voice1 during a pause made for that purpose at the conclusion of each sentence4 ,after ,allah had been glorified by the ,takbir1 the ,prophet exhorted the ,faithful to treat their wives with the greatest gentleness1 and never to forget that the rights of spouses are equal to their duties4 ,he explicitly forbade the exaction of any interest whatsoever on money lent2 and no murders committed during the days of ignorance were to be avenged4 ,he fixed the duration of the year at twelve lunar months2 and declared that the ,nasi1 which added a month every three years to reestablish equilibrium and bring the same dates back to the same seasons1 was impious and must be abolished4444 ,he then concluded1 as he cried3 ',o ,believers1 your blood and your belongings ought to be looked upon as holy to each of you1 even as this day is holy and as this land is holy6 ,o ,believers1 remember what ,i say1 for ,i know not if ever ,i shall be with you again on this spot1 when this day is past4 ,and1 above all1 never forget that every ,mussulman should be truly a brother to every other ,mussulman1 for all the ,mussulmans in the world form a single people of brothers6444 ,o ,allah6 have ,i fulfilled my ,mission8'--',yea1 verily1 ,o ,allah6' replied in unanimous outcry the hundred thousand mouths of the pilgrims1 in accents of the most ardent gratitude4--',o ,allah6 hearken to their testimony6' cried ,mohammad4 ,at another spot1 near the summit of the ,arafa1 and known by the name of ,as-,sakhrah1 recognisable by being paved with broad slabs1 a sudden ,revelation came down to the ,prophet4 ,under the burden of ,divine ,inspiration penetrating the heart of her rider1 the she-camel al-,qaswa came nigh to breaking all her limbs1 and she fell on her knees4 ,here are the words of ,allah1 the ,most ,high3 ,this day have ,i perfected your religion for you1 and have filled up the measure of my favours towards you2 and it is my pleasure that ,islam be your religion4444 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,v1 #e47 ,this ,revelation1 terminating the ,prophet's sermon which had so deeply touched the ,believers1 stirred up the purest enthusiasm in the whole of the ,assembly4 ,nevertheless1 ,abu ,bakr1 far from participating in the general joy1 was seized with a fit of intense melancholy1 and was unable to hold back the tears that filled his eyes4 ,he thought that having found favour in the eyes of the ,almighty1 ,his mercy was bound to decrease4 ,knowing that his son-in-law's ,mission was terminated1 ,abu ,bakr was afraid that the ,prophet would soon disappear from this world4444 ,the indigo shades of night had fallen over the valley and spread along the slopes of the ,arafa4 ,all by himself1 on the mountain top1 overlooking the great multitude of pilgrims1 the ,prophet1 on the back of his tall she-camel1 still remained in the light of the last golden rays of sunset4 ,his glance1 ecstatic by faith1 was resplendent with superhuman brilliancy2 but his face1 emaciated by illness1 had taken on the immaterial aspect of a vision about to fade4444 ,the rising shadows reached and veiled him4444 ,it was now the turn of the companions of the ,prophet to find themselves overcome by the same mournful apprehension that ,abu ,bakr had felt1 although scarcely a few moments before1 they were manifesting their joy at hearing that their religion had been perfected by ,allah4444 ,by degrees1 their emotion was communicated to the entire assembly of the ,believers and their hundred thousand hearts were filled with the keenest anguish4 ,the ,prophet gave the signal of departure2 but to prevent the accidents which any haste would inevitably cause among the great masses of such a gathering1 he tugged the bridle of swift ,qaswa to him1 twisting her head round until her nostrils touched her ribs1 whilst he slid on to her withers2 unceasingly exhorting all3 ',go quietly1 ,o ye people6' ,on arriving at ,muzdalifa1 he said the prayer1 ,isha1 and next day1 after the daybreak prayer1 riding his she-camel1 led by ,bilal1 and protected from the sun by a mantle that ,usama1 riding behind him1 held over his head1 he went into the valley of ,mina1 in order to throw seven stones against each of the three pillars of rude masonry1 called ,jumurat4 ,this is in commemoration of the pebbles thrown by ,abraham to drive away the ,devil who thrice tried to stop him at that spot4 ,after that1 the ,prophet1 to prove his gratitude for the sixty-three years of life granted to him by the ,creator1 freed sixty-three slaves and1 with his own hands1 sacrificed sixty-three camels1 their flesh and skins being distributed among the pilgrims by ,ali1 acting under ,mohammad's orders4 ,he then had his head shaved by ,mi'mar ibn ,abdullah1 who commenced at the right temple and finished at the left4 ,finally1 after having once more performed the ,tawaf round the ,kab'ah1 and drunk for the last time some ,zamzam water in a vase offered to him by his uncle ,abbas1 the ,superintendent of the ,well1 he set out again on the road to ,al-,madinah4 ,such was the pilgrimage called the ,valedictory ,visitation1 which overwhelmed the ,believers with such deep emotion by apprising them that ,mohammad's ,mission was fulfilled4 ,this pilgrimage serves as a pattern for all the pilgrimages which1 during thirteen centuries1 have brought annually to these ,holy ,places1 one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand pilgrims1 collected from all parts of the universe4 ,any pilgrimage1 be the religion giving rise to it what it may1 causes inexpressible emotion by the sight of so many faces beaming with faith2 and the most sceptical among the onlookers finds it difficult to escape the contagion of this outbreak of fervour4 ,but1 among the majority of the spectators1 inadmissible practices soon overcome sympathetic feelings and change them into aversion4 ,at ,makkah1 doubtless1 as in all religious centres without exception1 pilgrims are ruthlessly exploited2 but in this city1 at least1 the traffickers may be excused3 they dwell in the most inhospitable of all deserts and have no other means of getting a living4 ,what makes the ,mussulman pilgrimage essentially different to any other1 is the absence of those innumerable chapels1 whose narrow arches imprison souls1 hampering them as they soar towards the ,creator and holding them back on earth at the mercy of the clergy4 ,here are no fetishes1 such as statuettes or miraculous icons1 surrounded by their procession of votive offerings2 nor that multitude of saints1 their worship taking the place of that of the ,eternal1 generally neglected on these occasions4 ,there are also none of those monks clad in varied gowns1 all jealous of each other2 quarrelling over pilgrims and religious resorts for the greater glory of their sect or order4 ,at ,makkah1 prayers are said in the vast quadrangular courtyard surrounding the ,ka'bah2 the ethereal vault of heaven takes the place of the masonry work of chapel roofs and1 purified from all its mists1 it opens to souls thirsting for ideal good1 its lapis-lazuli depths1 more vertiginous here than in any other part of the world4 ,at ,makkah1 nothing is worshipped except ,allah1 the ,chosen ,one1 and pilgrims seek the remembrance of ,abraham and ,mohammad for no other reason than to strengthen the fervour of their faith by following the ,prophet's example4 ,they never pray to these ,prophets in the same way as ,christians adore their saints2 on the contrary1 ,moslems pray to ,allah for their prophets4 ,the gates of the ,ka'bah enclosure are open day and night4 ,the pilgrim hurries there as soon as he gets to ,makkah4 ,at the sight of the temple draped in black1 the object of his unceasing thoughts during the severe ordeals of the journey1 in the midst of sandstorms or tempest-tossed1 he is overtaken by such emotion that in this moment of superhuman ecstasy1 he wishes his soul to be snatched away4 ,sobbing1 his breast heaving fitfully1 under the influence of remorse1 his face convulsed by shame1 he approaches the ,black ,stone to kiss it1 exclaiming3 ',o ,allah6 pardon me my sins2 free my being from their burden and purify my heart1 ,o ,thou1 the most ,merciful among the ,compassionate6' ,when the hour of prayer is called by the ,muazzin1 the spacious quadrangle is invaded by a veritable sea of ,believers2 their hurrying waves scarcely leaving in the serried ranks the needful space for prostration4 ,following one of the ,takbirs of the ,imam1 said after him in an immense sigh escaping simultaneously from every breast1 a great swell passes over all the ,faithful1 causing every head to be bowed1 like billows breaking4 ,at another ,takbir1 it seems that the ground suddenly gives way under the pilgrims' feet4 ,at one bound1 every forehead is pressed to the earth1 where the body of each man remains crushed by the threefold weight of ,contrition1 ,gratitude and ,adoration2 like so many rays converging in the direction of the ,temple which seems to be made still taller by the added height of the prostrated pilgrims4 ,above them1 the black silk veil undulates1 stirred by the gusts of a mysterious breeze which many attribute to angels' beating wings4 ,the ,assembly of the ,arafa is distinguished by quite as much grandeur4 ,in a wild valley stands the conical mountain of ,arafa4 ,its slopes1 bare of all vegetation1 bristle with enormous boulders4 ,there is no sign of life on its sides1 nor in the neighbourhood2 all around is the image of desolation and the silence of death4 ,but every year1 on the ninth day of the month of ,zu'l-,hijjah1 the funereal landscape evokes most strikingly the future ,day of ,resurrection4 ,soil1 sand and rocks disappear1 truly cloaked by human beings1 enwrapped in their white ihrams1 and who might be taken for the resuscitated dead1 freeing themselves from their shrouds after having lifted the rocks which were their gravestones4 ,as it will happen on that supreme day1 all the earth's races are represented in the countless crowds gathered together at this spot1 deserted but a short time before4 ,here some ,arabs1 with eyes of eagles1 their complexion of a reddish bronze2 ,ottomans1 their features showing them to be energetic and headstrong2 ,hindoos1 with faces clear-cut and olive-tinted2 ,berbers1 fair-haired and rosy-cheeked1 their eyes blue2 ,somalis and ,soudanese1 their black skins shining in the sun with lunar gleams2 refined ,persians2 bold ,turcomans2 yellow ,chinese1 with closed eyelids2 ,javanese1 high cheek-boned1 etc4444 ,nowhere else in the world can such a variety of faces and languages be met with4 ,after the prayer of the ,asr1 7afternoon71 the ,khatib1 or preacher1 riding his she-camel1 gorgeously harnessed1 appears on the summit of the ,arafa where the sermon is given forth1 interrupted by frequent ,talbiyahs3 ,labbaika6 ,allahummah6 ,labbaika6 7,i stand up for ,thy service1 ,o ,allah6 ,i stand up6 ,i stand up67 ,at each ,talbiyah1 the pilgrims wave the ends of their white draperies over their heads and the whole mountain seems to be palpitating under the beating of myriads of wings ready to fly1 whilst a lengthy clamour rises to the sky from every part of the valley1 reverberating in the sonorous echoes of the desert4 ,labbaika6 ,allahummah6 ,labbaika6 shout two hundred thousand pilgrims with one voice1 neglecting their own idioms1 so as to become united in the same tongue3 that of the ,arabs1 chosen by the ,almighty for the ,revelation of ,his ,book4 ,in that sublime hour1 in language as well as by the heart1 all these mortals are cordially brothers4 ,they have forgotten all their racial differences1 distinctions of rank or caste1 and all their political and religious feuds4444 ,on the ,arafa1 ,islam once more finds its perfect unity and its primitive outbreak of enthusiasm4 ,what great consolation6 ,what balm for some of its wounds6 ,quoth the ,prophet3 ',the ,moslems are as one body2 the pain in any single limb gives rise to fever and insomnia in the whole of the frame4' ,on the ,arafa1 ,islam has nothing to fear from enemy spies2 it can make good its losses and prepare its future4 ,despite its disasters1 it is more alive than ever6 ,such is the impression of this unforgettable day1 that each of the assistants takes back with him to his own country1 as well as the title1 so greatly envied1 of ,haji1 signifying ,pilgrim to the ,holy ,places4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,say3 ,go through the earth1 and see how ,he hath brought forth created beings4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,ninth ,illustration3 ,al ,madinah1 the ,city of the ,prophet4 ,the ,dome of ,mohammad's ,tomb4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,thou truly art mortal1 ,o ,mohammad1 and they truly are mortals4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,ninth ,sidenote3 ,,illness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,prophet 7,rabi'u'l-,awwal1 ,year ,,ix of the ,hegira4 ,june ,a4,d4 #fcb47 ,quoth ,abu ,muwayhiba1 the ,prophet's serving-man3 ,one night towards the end of the month of ,safar1 my master woke me up4 ,i must go and implore the blessing of ,allah1 said he1 for those at rest in the tombs of ,baqui'u a'l-,gharqad4 ,come with me4 ,i accompanied him4 ,blessed be you1 ,o dwellers in the tomb6 he exclaimed1 when we reached the cemetery4 ,rest in peace6 ,allah hath spared you terrible ordeals1 like unto the anguish of a dark night1 more terribly black at the end than at the beginning4 ,such are the torments in store for those who are still upon this earth6 ,as he finished speaking1 the whole of his body was shaken by the palsy of fever1 and he wended his way back to his dwelling with difficulty2 his temples racked by the unbearable pains known as ,suda4444 ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,when the ,prophet returned from his visit to the cemetery of ,al-,baqi1 he came to see me in the middle of the night4 ,i was suffering from violent headache and as ,i complained1 he said3 ',ah6 'tis ,i who ought to complain of pains in the head and not thou6' ,he went on1 jokingly3 ',would it not be better for thee to die whilst ,i am still in the land of the living8 ,i could implore the ,mercy of ,allah in thy favour2 with my own hands ,i could enfold thee in thy winding-sheet2 ,i could pray over thy body and place thee in thy grave4' ',of a surety thou doest me great honour in apprising me that thou wouldst act thus in my favour1' ,i replied2 'but ,i fear that after ,i was buried1 thy sole consolation would be to bring back with thee1 into my room1 some other of thy wives6' ,at this sally1 a smile returned to the ,prophet's face and1 for a brief moment1 he forgot his pain4 ,as time went on1 his illness left him no rest2 nevertheless1 mastering his sufferings1 his mind was busier than ever1 and he occupied himself with the future of ,islam1 for he felt that the effects of his management would soon be lacking4 ,thinking that ,syria was one of the gates through which the warriors of ,allah would have to march to conquer the world1 ,mohammad's gaze was unceasingly turned towards that country and he resolved to organise a third expedition against the ,christians1 in whose power it was4 ,great rivalry at once arose with regard to commanding such an incursion4 ,of heroes and generals having been put to the test1 ,islam had enough and to spare4 ,the most famous among them3 ,ansars or ,mohadjirun1 anxiously awaited the ,prophet's choice4 ,to the stupefaction of all1 however1 ,usama1 barely twenty years of age1 was chosen4 ,it is true that this lad was the son of ,zayd ibn ,harith1 the martyr of ,mutah4 ,mohammad placed great reliance on the revengeful ardour that ,usama would show in fighting the murderers of his father on the very spot where he gloriously succumbed1 than on the experience and warlike valour of the ,mussulman generals4 ,this selection caused deception and gave rise to murmuring4 ,the ,believers hesitated to put boundless confidence1 such as is indispensable for success1 in a chief so young and inexperienced4 ,having been told about this1 the ,prophet rose and cut short all disputes by these words3 ',ye criticise my choice of ,usama1 even as ye formerly cavilled at that of ,zayd1 his father6 ,listen6 ,to you ,i swear1 by ,allah6 that ,zayd was truly worthy of the post of command with which ,i did entrust him4 ,i cherished him above all other men2 and after him1 his son is the man ,i prefer4 ,go1 carry out my orders1 and have confidence6' ,these simple words1 uttered in a tone of inspired conviction1 banished all hesitation2 smoothing away all jealousy as if by magic2 and the noblest and most famous among all the chieftains1 together with the most humble soldiers1 came enthusiastically to obey the commands of the stripling4 ,when the expedition marched into the ,farewell ,pass1 the ,prophet was deeply moved as he saw his troops disappear4 ,the superhuman faith animating the warriors at the parting hour proved to him that no obstacle could bar their way on the road to victory and that the irresistible torrent of ,islam1 like unto the salutary overflow of a wadi1 was about to inundate the world and bring it the prolific germs of its new civilisation4 ,meanwhile1 it was not long before the alarming news1 relating to the ,prophet's illness1 stopped ,usama's forward progress1 bringing him back to ,al-,madinah4 ,about that time1 the ,apostle received a letter1 couched in these terms3 ,musailimah1 the ,prophet of ,allah1 to ,mohammad1 the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,peace be with thee1 ,i am thy associate4 ,let the exercise of authority be divided between us4 ,half the earth is mine1 and half belongeth to the ,quraish4 ,but the ,quraish are a greedy people1 and will not be satisfied with a fair division4 ,the author of this epistle1 ,musailimah1 ,prince of the ,yamama1 had recently been converted to ,islam2 and then1 fully appreciating the majesty of the part played by the ,prophet1 this pretender planned with monstrous pride to play the some part in his turn4 ,to the envoys bringing the impudent missive1 ,mohammad replied3 ',were it not that your situation as ambassadors causeth me to look upon your lives as sacred1 ,i would have you beheaded4' ,and he handed them this answer3 ,mohammad1 the ,prophet of ,allah to ,musailimah1 the ,impostor4 ,peace be with those who follow the right road6 ,the earth is ,allah's1 and ,he giveth it to whom he will4 ,those only prosper who fear the ,lord6 ,both ,musailimah and ,al-,aswad1 another impostor1 soon found out the danger run by those who enacted the part of ,prophet without having been called by ,allah4 ,they expiated their temerity most cruelly4 ,the ,prophet's illness became daily more serious4 ,he grew so weak that he could only move about by dint of the most painful efforts4 ,being in the house of ,maimunah1 he sent for his other wives4 ,his usual habit was to pass the night in turn1 impartially1 at each of their dwellings2 but feeling himself weighed down by intense suffering1 he begged them to let him remain with ,ayishah alone for the duration of his illness2 and to this they consented4 ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,the ,prophet left the abode of ,maimunah1 thanks to the assistance of ,al-,fadl and ,ali1 who held him in their arms4 ,a bandage was bound tightly round his head1 and his weakness was so great that he had no sooner set foot in my room than he swooned4 ,when he came to1 lancinating pains tortured his temples2 and hoping to soothe his pangs1 he asked3 ',pour over me six skinsful of water drawn from a very cold spring1 so that ,i may be in a fit state to go forth and preach to the ,faithful4' ,we sat him in a stone trough1 borrowed from ,hafsa1 and poured water over him in abundance1 until he bade us stop1 by a wave of his hand1 saying3 ',enough6' ,momentarily invigorated1 ,mohammad went out through ,ayishah's door which gave on to the ,mosque2 and again supported by his cousin ,ali and ,al-,fadl1 he had great trouble in mounting the steps of the pulpit1 from which he made the following declaration to the ,faithful assembled3 ',o ,believers1 if among you there be one whose back ,i have beaten1 here is my back so that he may do himself justice6 ,if there be one whose honour ,i may have wounded1 here is my honour1 let him be avenged6 ,if there be one whose property ,i may have seized1 here is my property1 let him satisfy his claim6 ,let no one hesitate in fear of my resentment1 for resentment formeth no part of my disposition4' ,after having stepped down to give out the noonday prayer1 he went up in the pulpit again and repeated the same declaration4 ,a man arose and claimed payment of a debt amounting to three drachmas4 ,the ,prophet handed them over to him at once1 adding3 ',it is easier to put up with shame in this world than in the other4' ,he then evoked the remembrance of the martyrs of ,uhud1 to whom he devoted the best part of his prayer1 imploring ,allah's blessings in their favour4 ,he wound up as follows3 ',allah hath offered one of ,his servants the choice between the riches of this earth and those that are to be found at ,his side4' ,at these words1 divining that the ,prophet was alluding to himself and the state of his health1 ,abu ,bakr burst into tears1 and exclaimed3 ',ah6 why cannot we offer our lives as a ransom for thine8'--',o ,believers6' replied ,mohammad1 'it hath come to my ears that ye fear your ,prophet may die2 but before me hath any ,prophet been immortal as he accomplished his ,mission8 ,how can ,i dwell eternally among you8 ,every soul is doomed to die4 ,i must return to ,allah and ye likewise will return to ,him4' ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,after this effort1 when the ,prophet came back to my room1 he fainted away again4 ,when the call of the ,muazzin was heard1 he rose up and asked for water wherewith to perform his ablutions1 meaning to lead the prayers4 ,he swooned three times4 ,as the ,faithful awaited his coming in the ,mosque1 he sent ,bilal to fetch ,abu ,bakr1 so that he could perform the duties of ,imam instead of the ,prophet4 ,the crowd1 guessing the reason of this change1 broke out into fits of sobbing4444 ,the ,prophet was frequently seized with delirium4 ,one ,thursday1 whilst all his companions gathered round his bed1 he said to them3 ',bring hither to me ink and parchment2 ,i would place on record a book for you which shall prevent your going astray for evermore4'--',allah's ,messenger is burdened by pain1' said ,umar2 'have we not the ,qur'an8 ,allah's ,book sufficeth for us4' ,several of his companions1 accustomed never to argue about anything said by the ,prophet and remembering that he was illiterate1 thought that in this supreme moment a miracle was about to be accomplished4 ,therefore they wanted to give him what he asked for4 ,they were opposed by his partisans sharing ,umar's opinion1 and a quarrel began1 the ,prophet recovering his senses by the noise4 ,he told them reproachfully3 ',it is not seemly to quarrel thus at a ,prophet's bedside4 ,go away6' ,to soothe his unbearable pain1 he dipped his hands in a pitcher of cold water and passed his wet palms over his face1 as if to wipe it3 ',o ,allah6' he cried1 'help me to support the terrors of the death struggle6' ,he had ,fatimah1 his beloved daughter1 fetched to him twice and spoke to her secretly1 whispering in her ear4 ,the first time1 ,fatimah's face was bathed in tears2 the second time1 her features were lit up by a smile4 ,we asked her the reason of her changed expression1 and she told us3 ',the first time1 my father warned me that he must soon succumb to his illness1 and ,i could not repress my tears4 ,the second time1 he informed me that of all his family1 ,i should be the first to rejoin him1 and so great was my joy that ,i could not stop myself from smiling4' ,on the ,monday1 the twelfth day of ,rabi'u'l-,awwal1 ,abu ,bakr was saying prayers in the presence of the ,faithful1 when ,ayishah's door1 giving into the ,mosque1 was thrown open4 ,supported by ,ali and ,al-,fadl1 the ,prophet appeared4 ,his turban was twisted tightly round his head1 and his benumbed feet dragged along the ground4 ,on seeing him1 the ,faithful were comforted by a ray of hope and a wave of emotion stirred them all4 ,without turning round1 ,abu ,bakr guessed that only the arrival of the ,prophet could have given rise to such a manifestation while prayers were being said1 and he moved away to join the ranks of the worshippers and let his place be taken by ,mohammad4 ,but he made ,bakr go back2 pulling him by his garment1 as he said3 ',continue to lead the prayers4' ,he then sat down on ,abu ,bakr's right hand1 under the pulpit1 and his face beamed with happiness1 at the sight of the piety of the congregation4 ,when prayers had been said1 he spoke to the ,believers for the last time2 and in tones firm enough to be heard outside the ,mosque1 he preached a sermon predicting terrible ordeals and charging them with the strictest observance of the principles of the ,qur'an1 for such would be the only way leading to ,salvation4 ,leaning against one of the palm-tree trunk pillars1 he chatted familiarly with some of his companions1 and then went back to his room4 ,quoth ,ayishah3 ,after this last effort1 the ,prophet was again overtaken by greater pain than ever1 and covered his face with a black garment1 which he threw off again1 as it stifled him4444 ,just then1 ,abdu'r ,rahman1 son of ,abu ,bakr1 came in1 holding in his hand a small twig of green araq1 with which he was picking his teeth4 ,the ,prophet stared at the little stick and ,i made out that he would have liked it4 ,so ,i took it out of ,abdu'r ,rahman's hand4 ,cutting off the end of the toothpick1 ,i shook it1 cleaned it and gave it to ,allah's messenger who immediately made use of it1 picking his teeth more carefully than ever before4 ,when he had finished1 he let the little stick drop from between his faltering fingers4 ,he raised his eyes to heaven1 repeating three times3 ',o ,allah6 with the ,compassionate on ,high44446' ,and ,i felt his head1 resting between my chin and shoulder1 grow heavy on my arm4 ,i guessed that the ,prophet had chosen the eternal dwelling and that his noble soul had just been taken by the ,angel of ,death4 ,i placed my head on the pillow and uttered a great cry of distress4444 ,his wives came running in2 and all together1 we went down on our knees1 and tore our faces with our nails4 ,on hearing these lamentations1 the ,believers filled the ,mosque4 ,they were dazed1 like sheep straying on a dark1 wintry night2 but not one of the ,faithful would admit that the ,prophet was dead4 ,the disappearance of the man who led them in every way seemed an impossibility4 ',how can he be dead8' they cried4 ',did we not count upon him to be our witness on the ,day of ,resurrection8 ,he is not dead2 he hath been carried up to ,heaven1 even as was ,isa 7,jesus74' ,and through the door they cried3 ',beware lest ye bury him6' ,this met with ,umar's approval3 ',no1 verily1 the ,prophet is not dead6 ,he hath gone to visit the ,lord1 even as ,moses did1 when after an absence of forty days1 he reappeared to his people4 ,in like fashion1 ,mohammad will be restored to us4 ,those who say he is dead are traitors to the cause of ,islam4 ,let their hands and feet be cut off6' ,at that juncture1 ,abu ,bakr1 who had been fetched from the ,as-,sunuh quarter where he lived1 arrived on horseback1 galloping as fast as possible4 ,he alighted and1 making his way through the crowd in consternation1 he went into the ,mosque without speaking to a soul1 and from there1 passed into the room of his daughter ,ayishah in order to see ,allah's ,messenger4 ,a piece of striped stuff was thrown over the body2 ,abu ,bakr uncovered the ,prophet's face1 kissed him1 wept and then broke down under the weight of his great grief4444 ',o ,thou for whose ransom ,i would have offered both father and mother1' he cried1 'thy career is well accomplished6' ,tearing himself away from his sorrowful contemplation1 he covered up ,mohammad's face again and went out1 going straight up to ,umar who was haranguing the people4 ',sit down1 ,o ,umar6' he said4 ,umar refused to obey him4 ,in the meantime1 the majority of the ,faithful left him by himself1 and gathered round ,abu ,bakr who told them3 ',o ,believers1 if ye adore ,mohammad1 know that ,mohammad is dead2 but if ye adore ,allah1 know that ,allah is alive1 for ,allah cannot die6 ,ye must have forgotten these verses of the ,qur'an3 ,mohammad is no more than an ,apostle2 other ,apostles have already passed away before him2 if then he die1 or be slain1 will ye turn upon your heels8 ,thou truly art mortal1 ,o 7,mohammad71 and they truly are mortals4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #ach1 and ,,xxxix1 #ca47 ,quoth ,umar3 ,by ,allah6 scarcely did ,i hear ,abu ,bakr recite these verses than ,i felt my legs give way under me4 ,i was near falling down1 for then ,i began to understand that the ,prophet was really dead6 ,sidenote3 ,,abu ,,bakr ,,elected ,before thinking about the funeral1 it was urgent to guard against the pressing danger threatening ,islam1 totally broken up by the loss of its inspired guide4 ,the man who had succeeded in bringing together in religious fraternity families and tribes at loggerheads for centuries1 having disappeared1 what would become of this brotherhood8 ,the immediate nomination of a ,caliph1 or lieutenant appointed to continue the ,prophet's task1 could alone prevent irretrievable disaggregation4 ,this urgent necessity stirred the tribes tumultuously2 a tragical conflict between ,ansars and ,mohadjirun was imminent1 each party claiming to have the ,caliph chosen from among its adherents4 ,happily1 ,umar's energy and spirit of decision easily averted the crisis4 ,having succeeded in gaining a few moments' silence1 he called upon the ,believers to take notice that during the last days of his life1 ,mohammad had designated ,abu ,bakr1 his companion during the ,hegira1 to take his place as ,imam1 and doubtless the ,prophet would have chosen him for ,caliph4 ,this opinion carried the day4 ,when the sun rose again1 all the ,believers1 forgetting their disputes1 came and took the oath of fidelity to ,abu ,bakr4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,burial ,this important question being settled1 the ,faithful were free to arrange the ,prophet's funeral and give way to the despair that racked their souls4 ,at first1 they were embarrassed1 not daring to strip off his garments so as to wash the body according to the usual rites4 ,respect forbid them to look on his nakedness1 as if it were sacrilegious to do so4 ,after long discussions1 irresistible sleep weighed down their eyelids2 their chins rested on their breasts1 when suddenly1 a voice proceeding from the chamber of death was heard4 ,they awoke at its sound and it replied to what was passing in their minds3 ',wash the ,prophet without undressing him4' ,that was the solution they sought1 and without further delay1 they acted on the suggestion4 ,with striped stuff of the ,yaman1 ,abbas erected a kind of tent in the room1 so as to keep the crowd away from the body4 ,by the aid of seven skinsful of water drawn from the well of ,al-,ghars1 at ,quba1 preferred by ,mohammad to any other1 ,ali1 ,usama1 ,abbas and his sons1 and ,shukran1 the freed slave1 proceeded with the ritual washing4 ,abbas1 assisted by his sons1 ,al-,fadl and ,qutham1 turned the venerated body over4 ,usama and ,shukran sprinkled it with water and ,ali wiped it without removing the shirt4 ,the first washing was done with plain water1 the next with an infusion of lotus-flowers2 and the third1 and last1 with camphorated water4 ,abbas and ,ali then perfumed every part of the body that comes in contact with the earth during the ceremony of prostration3 forehead1 nose1 hands1 knees and feet4 ',how sweet is thy smell1 ,o ,prophet6' exclaimed ,ali2 and all marvelled at not finding on ,mohammad's frame any of those horrible traces of decomposition following the separation of the soul from the body1 with the exception of a slight bluish tinge appearing on the nails4 ,instead of a shroud1 the ,prophet was wrapped in the garments he wore at the moment of death3 his shirt1 which after the ablutions was wrung out and allowed to drip2 and a double robe woven at ,najran4 ,it was then that ,ali and ,abbas1 having replaced ,mohammad on his bed1 allowed the crowd to enter4 ,the room was at once filled with as many ,believers as it would hold1 and after they had said3 ',peace be with thee1 ,o ,prophet1 and also the ,mercy and ,blessing of ,allah6' they got ready to pray without an ,imam to lead them1 for the real ,imam was present1 although his soul had been called back to the side of the ,almighty4 ,abu ,bakr and ,umar were in the front rank of the worshippers1 and they concluded the prayer by these words3 ,o ,allah6 we bear witness that he hath accomplished the ,mission ,thou didst entrust to him4 ,o ,allah6 grant peace to those among us who follow faithfully the orders ,thou hast revealed to him and hasten to reunite us with him4 ,amin6 ,and all the people1 stirred to the innermost depths of their being1 repeated3 ,amin6 ,amin6 ,fresh difficulties now arose1 concerning the place of burial2 some wanting the grave to be dug in the ,mosque2 others1 at ,al-,baqi1 among the tombs of the ,prophet's family4 ,a few mentioned ,makkah1 his birthplace4 ,abu ,bakr silenced them1 affirming that he had heard ,mohammad say3 ',allah only taketh the soul of a ,prophet on the spot where it is fitting that he should be buried4' ,the bed was accordingly moved away and the grave dug in the ground underneath it4 ,this task was alloted to ,talha1 the gravedigger of ,al-,madinah4 ,he strengthened the sides of the grave by means of nine unburnt bricks1 and carpeted the bottom with the red blanket that served the ,prophet as a rug for his camel when travelling1 and which was not to be used by anyone now that he was dead4 ,ali1 ,al-,fadl1 ,qutham1 and ,shakran lowered the body into its last resting-place4444 ,al ,mughira ibn ,shu'ba affirms that he was the last man to have the happiness of contemplating the face of the ,chosen ,one before it was covered with earth4 ,i let my finger-ring drop into the grave1' he says1 'so that when ,i regained it1 ,i should be the last to address a farewell salute to the ,prophet4 ,the sad ceremony was concluded in the middle of the night between ,tuesday and ,wednesday4 ,on the morrow1 at dawn1 when in his call to prayer1 ,bilal1 the ,muazzin1 proclaimed3 ',there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah6' he could only shout the name of ,mohammad through his sobs4 ,the whole town replied to him1 as by an echo1 in a long moan of despair which rose to heaven1 from every door and window of the houses4444 ,ever since that day1 the twelfth of the month of ,rabi'u'l-,awwal1 ,year ,,xii of the ,hegira1 7,june #hth1 ,a4,d4 #fcb71 this extraordinary man1 who was1 to say the least1 the equal of the greatest of all ,prophets2 monarch1 general theologian1 legislator and philosopher1 and whose religion counts at the present time three hundred millions of disciples1 rests in this spot where his noble soul was carried aloft4 ,a sumptuous ,mosque1 erected over the room where he died1 has taken the place of the humble temple of raw bricks and palm-trunks that he built up with his own hand4 ,a visit to his tomb is not one of the pillars of ,islamic pratical religion1 but nevertheless there are few pilgrims who1 after the severe trials endured during their journey to ,makkah1 hesitate to undertake the twelve days' caravan travel1 so distressing and dangerous1 between ,mohammad's birthplace and ,al-,madinah1 in order to salute the ,prophet's grave piously and enthusiastically4444 ,even the learned men of ,europe are beginning to forget secular prejudices and do justice to the founder of ,islam4 ',if a man's value is to be estimated by the grandeur of his works1' declares ,dr4 ,g4 ,le ,bon1 'we can say that ,mohammad was one of the greatest men known in history4' ,illustration 7,calligraphy7 ,mohammad is no more than an apostle2 other apostles have already passed away before him2 if then he die1 or be slain1 will ye turn upon your heels8 ,illustration3 ,imam leading the ,prayers4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,o my supreme ,master1 lavish thy ,blessings and thy ,favours for ever and ever on ,thy ,friend 7,mohammad71 the best of all created beings4 ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,portrait ,according to his son-in-law1 ,ali1 the ,prophet was of middle height and sturdy build4 ,his head was large1 his complexion healthy2 with smooth cheeks1 a thick beard1 and wavy hair4 ,when he was vexed1 a vein swelled out on his forehead1 from the top of his aquiline nose between his eyebrows which were well arched and meeting4 ,his big eyes1 framed by long lashes1 were of a deep black1 lit up at times by a few red gleams1 and his glance was extraordinarily keen4 ,his mouth was large1 well suited to eloquence4 ,his teeth1 as white as hailstones1 were slightly separated in front4 ,the palms of his hands1 of which the fingers were long and slender1 were broad and soft to the touch like fine silk4 ,the ,seal of ,prophecy--which the monk ,bahira discovered--was just below the nape of the neck1 between ,mohammad's shoulder-blades4 ,it resembled the scar left by the bite of a leech1 and was of a reddish hue1 surrounded by a few hairs4 ,the ,prophet's gait was slow1 solemn and majestic4 ,in all circumstances1 he never lost his presence of mind and was quick-witted4 ,when he turned round1 the whole of his body moved1 unlike frivolous folks twisting their necks and rolling their heads about4 ,if he held out an object to show it1 he made use of the whole of his hand and not two or three fingers4 ,when surprised1 he glorified ,allah1 turning the palms of his hands to heaven1 nodding his head and biting his lips4 ,when he made an affirmation1 he struck his widely-open left hand with his right thumb to lay stress on his declaration4 ,if angry1 his face flushed2 he stroked his beard and passed his hand over his face1 taking a deep breath and exclaiming3 ',i leave it to ,allah1 the best proxy6' ,he was a man of few words2 but each had many different meanings1 some plain and others hidden4 ,as for the charm of his elocution1 it was supernatural1 going straight to the heart4 ,none could resist it4 ,the ,prophet's merriment never went beyond a smile1 but if he was overcome by an excess of gaiety1 he covered his mouth with his hand4 ,his disposition was even1 without self-sufficiency or obstinacy4 ,whenever any of his companions called him1 he replied immediately3 ',here ,i am6' ,he liked to play with their children and would press them to his noble breast4 ,he used to make the sons of his uncle ,abbas stand in a row and1 promising to reward the child who got first to him1 they would all run into his arms and jump on his knees4 ,he interested himself in the doings of all1 whether slaves or nobles1 and followed the funeral of the most humble ,believer4 ,he flew one day into a most violent passion because1 through negligence1 he had not been apprised of the death of a poor negro who swept out the ,mosque4 ,he insisted on being told where the grave was situated and went to pray over it4 ,when an applicant tried to get close to the ,prophet's ear so as not to be overheard1 he would bend his head until the man had finished speaking4 ,when a visitor took the hand of ,mohammad1 he was never the first to withdraw it1 but waited until the other chose to relax his grasp4 ,the ,prophet often said3 ',to be a good ,mussulman1 we must wish for others that which we wish for ourselves4' ,never did he let his blessed hand fall on a woman1 nor on one of his slaves4 ,quoth ,anas1 who was seven years in his service3 ',he never scolded me2 he never even asked me3 ',hast done this8' or3 ',why didst thou not do that' ,abu ,dharr heard the ,prophet declare3 ',these servants are your brothers1 placed under your authority by ,allah4 ,whoso is master over his brother must give him the same food as he eateth and the same apparel as he weareth4' ,an ,arab who bore arms at the battle of ,hunain1 tells the following story3 ,my feet were shod with heavy sandals and in the thick of the fight1 ,i accidentally trod on the ,prophet's foot4 ,he struck me with the whip he held in his hand and cried out3 ',by ,allah6 thou hast hurt me6' ,and all night long1 ,i reproached myself for having inflicted pain on ,allah's ,messenger4 ,next day1 early in the morning1 he sent for me4 ,i went into his presence4 ,i was trembling with fright4 ',thou art the man1' said he1 'who crushed my foot yesterday under thy thick sole and whom ,i lashed with my whip8 ,well then1 here are eighty lambs4 ,i give them to thee4 ,take them away4' ,and ever since that incident1 the ,prophet's patience got the best of his anger4 ,of a loving disposition1 he suffered at having been deprived at an early age of maternal affection1 which led him always to busy himself about the way mothers and children got on together4 ,his ideas in this connection were summed up in this sentence3 ',a son gains ,paradise at his mother's feet4' ,while saying prayers1 if he heard a child cry1 he would hasten to conclude1 so as to allow the mother to go and console her offspring1 for he knew how mothers suffer when they hear their children cry4 ,his marvellous insight into mortals' souls and the depths of all things1 causing him to be the most prodigious psychologist ever known1 did not prevent him from consulting his companions for the least thing4 ,ayishah tells us3 ',i never knew anybody ask for advice and listen to different opinions so carefully as the ,prophet4' ,if feelings of kindly dignity prevented ,mohammad from resorting to vulgar mockery or making use of cutting remarks1 his mood was nevertheless playful4 ,he was fond of joking1 which is not reproved by ,allah1 if the sally contains a grain of truth4 ,one day1 for amusement1 he told ,safiyah1 his aunt on his father's side1 that 'old women were not allowed to enter ,paradise4' ,the noble dame1 well advanced in years1 burst into tears4 ,so he went on3 ',but all women will be resuscitated with the aspect of females thirty-three years of age1 just as if they had all been born on the same day4' ,the three things he loved best in this world were prayer1 perfumes1 and women4 ,he was so fond of praying that his feet used to swell in consequence of standing for too long a time whilst at his devotions2 but he considered that the right to pray so often was one of the prerogatives of his position as a ,prophet4 ,still he would not admit that his example should be followed4 ,this he proved when upraiding ,abdullah ibn ,amir3 ',have ,i heard aright when they tell me thou dost pass the night in prayer1 upstanding2 and then fast next day8 ,if thou shouldst keep on at this1 thou wilt endanger thy sight and wear out thy body4 ,thy duty1 that thou owest to thyself and thy people1 is to fast and break thy fast2 to rise in the night and also to sleep4' ,next to prayer1 ,mohammad preferred women1 for which his detractors have blamed him severely4 ,he was certainly an ardent lover2 a male1 in every respect1 morally and physically1 but endowed with that chastity which fits in well with healthy voluptuousness4 ,following his example1 even nowadays1 the ,arabs are remarkable for their extreme decency1 although devoid of all affectation and having nothing in common with the hypocritical mock-modesty of ,puritans4 ,mohammad had twenty-three wives1 but he only had intercourse with twelve of them2 his other marriages taking place for political reasons4 ,all the tribes were eager to be allied to him through one of their daughters and he was beseiged by matrimonial offers4 ,one of these women1 ,azza1 sister to ,dihya al-,kalbi1 died of joy when she heard that the ,prophet accepted her as spouse4 ,his love of women caused him to be brimful of kindness to them1 and he sought to better their lot whenever he could4 ,to begin with1 he abolished the monstrous custom of burying girls alive1 ,wa'du'l-,binat1 of which we have already spoken4 ,he then regulated polygamy1 limiting the number of legitimate helpmates to four1 which did not prevent him from urging the ,faithful to give heed to this verse of the ,qur'an3 ,if ye fear that ye shall not act equitably1 then marry but one woman only4 7,,iv1 #c47 ,then1 after declaring that3 'among all things which are licit1 divorce is the most displeasing to ,allah1' he allowed a wife to ask for release if the husband neglected the duties of marriage4 ,finally1 thanks to his ruling1 a virgin could no longer be taken in marriage against her will2 the dower1 formerly given by the husband to the father of the affianced maiden1 was ordered to be handed over to her4 ,such is the wise custom of the dower which the enemies of ,islam call the purchase of a wife4 ,doubtless1 they know nothing about the terrible retort of ,moslems when they notice that in certain ,western countries the dowry is paid to the bridegroom by the bride's father6 ,over and above the dower1 the ,mussulman husband has to defray household expenses without touching his wife's fortune to which he has no right4 ,the ,prophet also ordained that a wife is always entitled to some part of an inheritance4 ,if it is only half a share1 that is because the compensation found by the spouse in the dowry and the household upkeep is taken into account4 ,the ,prophet was fond of perfumes2 for they completed the process of purification by ablutions4 ,the man who has a sweet smell will be worthier and better able to safeguard his honour than he whose bodily odour is disgusting4 ,mohammad scented himself with musk and he liked sandal-wood1 camphor and ambergris to be burnt4 ,he used pomade for his hair1 and four plaits hung down over his ears1 two on each side4 ,he clipped beard and moustache with scissors1 keeping all in order by means of an ivory1 or tortoise-shell comb4 ,he blackened his eyelids with ,kuhl1 which brightens the eye and strengthens the lashes4 ,he took care of his teeth by rubbing them often with the ,miswak1 7fragment of soft ,araq wood71 of which the fibre1 when the end is chewed1 has the same effect as a brush4 ,his apparel consisted generally of a tunic of cotton cloth1 short-sleeved1 and not too long2 together with a cloak1 four cubits long and two wide1 woven in the ,uman region4 ,he also had a ,yamanite mantle1 six cubits long and three wide1 which he wore on ,fridays and holydays4 ,then1 last of all1 came his green mantle1 inherited by the ,caliphs2 and a turban known as ,as-,sahab1 bequeathed to his son-in-law1 ,ali4 ,the ,prophet took the greatest care of his personal appearance and reached as far as simple1 although very refined elegance4 ,he was wont to look at himself in a mirror1 or if that was lacking1 in a jar full of water1 to comb his hair1 or adjust the folds of his turban1 letting one end hang down behind his back4 ,he used to say3 ',by attending to our exterior1 we please ,him of whom we are the servants4' ,to make amends1 he severely condemned extravagance in clothing2 particularly the use of silk1 which for rich people furnishes an opportunity for a display of pride belittling the needy2 but he permitted it for those to whom it was necessary for reasons of bodily health4 ,his love of justice and charity extended to animals4 ,it was he who told how a man saw a dog so thirsty that it lapped up mud4 ,taking off one of his slippers1 the man filled it with water which he offered to the dog2 keeping on in the same way until the animal had quenched its thirst4 ,allah was pleased at what the man did and welcomed him to ,paradise4 ,this kindness and the mysterious radiation emanating from ,mohammad's personality made an impression on animals2 and even on inanimate objects1 as well as on human beings4 ,when he went up the steps of a pulpit newly constructed in the ,mosque of ,al-,madinah1 the humble palm-tree trunk on which he habitually stood when preaching1 began to groan and was only quieted when he laid his blessed fingers on it4 ,the ,prophet worked with his own hands4 ,he milked his ewes1 cobbled his shoes1 mended his clothes1 fed his camels1 pitched his tent1 etc41 without accepting the assistance of anyone4 ,he carried home his own purchases from the market1 and replied to one of the ,faithful who wished to do so for him3 ',it is incumbent on the buyer to take away what he buyeth4' ,thus1 by his example1 he condemned the practice of wealthy people who bought largely1 and without troubling about the weight of their purchases1 forced their servants to carry the goods4 ,his disdain for the riches of this world reached to the highest pitch4 ,according to ,ayishah1 this is what he said on this head3 ,allah offered to change all the pebbles round ,makkah1 into pure gold for me and ,i answered3 ',o ,allah6 all ,i ask is to be hungry one day and satisfied the next4 ,the day ,i am hungry1 ,i will implore ,thee and the day ,i am satisfied1 ,i will thank ,thee4' ,what have ,i to do with worldly wealth8 ,i am like the traveller who lieth down in the shade of a tree2 the sun1 as it turneth1 beateth down upon him and he goeth away from that tree never to return4 ,o ,allah6 let me die poor and resuscitate me in the ranks of the poor6 ,the ,prophet's sobriety was extreme2 he never would have several kinds of food served at the same repast4 ,if he ate meat1 he went without dates2 and if he ate dates1 he deprived himself of meat4 ,he showed a predilection for milk which appeases thirst and hunger at one and the same time4 ,many months often passed without a fire being kindled in any of the ,prophet's houses for baking bread or preparing other kinds of food4 ,all this time1 he and his family lived on dried dates only and his sole beverage was plain water4 ,when hunger-pains gnawed his entrails too cruelly1 he placed a stone on his belly and bound it there with a girdle4 ,he departed this life without having a surfeit of any sort of victuals1 not even of barley cake4 ,he never troubled about his body1 so far as comfort went1 although he kept it in a state of perfect purity by dint of continual ablutions4 ,he frequently slept on a rugged mat1 the rough bristles deeply marking his flesh4 ,his pillow was made of palm-fibre and his bed was a mantle folded in two4 ,one night1 when ,ayishah had folded it in four1 the ,prophet lost his temper1 found his couch too soft and ordered it to be restored to its usual state4 ,before dying1 he freed all his slaves and distributed the small amount of property he still possessed4 ,he deemed it unseemly to appear before the ,lord with gold in his possession4 ,in his dwelling1 but thirty measures of barley were found2 and to buy them1 he had been forced to leave his breastplate at a usurer's as security for a loan4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,illustration3 7,ornamental page7 ,,chapter ,,the ,,tenth ,illustration3 ,a ,writing-lesson at a village school devoted to the ,teaching of the ,qur'an4 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,say3 ,o my people6 ,act as ye best can3 ,i verily will act my part1 and hereafter shall ye know6 ,,chapter ,,the ,,tenth ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,march ,,of ,,islam ,at the very moment when fate had deprived ,islam of its genial founder1 the organisation of this new religion was definitively and meticulously arranged even in its most humble practices4 ,the soldiers of ,allah had already conquered the whole of ,arabia and the attack on the colossal empire of the ,csars in ,syria was begun4 ,a short period of unrest1 inevitable after the disappearance of the inspired guide1 caused a few rebellions2 but ,islam was so strongly constituted1 overflowing with such enthusiasm that it was about to astonish the world by its impressive forward march1 unique perhaps in the annals of history4 ,for the first time1 rushing forth from their country forsaken by ,nature1 the proud ,arabs1 stirred by the miracle of ,faith1 were about to become masters in less than a century of the best part of the old civilised world from ,india to ,andalusia1 and that despite their extreme numerical inferiority4 ,this marvellous pope engrossed the mind of the most wonderful man of our time1 ,napoleon1 who always manifested the most sympathetic interest in favour of ,islam4 ,during the ,egyptian campaign1 he declared that he was3 ,muslimun ,muwahhidun1 i4e4 ,unitarian ,mussulman4 7,bonaparte el l',islam1 by ,ch4 ,cherfils47 ,towards the end of his life1 he returned to the subject3 ',he thought that apart from fortuitous circumstances1 giving rise to miracles1 there must have been something more than we know in the establishing of ,islam2 that the ,christian world had been so remarkably cut into by the results of some first cause still hidden2 that these peoples1 perhaps1 suddenly emerging from the desert depths1 had endured long periods of civil war in their midst1 during which great characters and talents had been formed1 as well as irresistible impulses1 or some other cause of the same kind4' 7,las ,casas1 ,mmorial de ,sainte-,hlne1 iii1 p4 #ahc47 ,guessing1 therefore1 that beneath the slumber of ,islam in decadence1 there were incomparable reserves of energy1 he tried1 not once but often1 to win it over by an alliance4 ,if he succeeded1 he deemed himself capable of awakening it and1 by its aid1 changing the face of the world4 ,napoleon was not mistaken2 civil wars had indeed exalted the heroic qualities of the ,arabs1 but they had made all organisation and progress impossible4 ,had it not been for the advent of ,mohammad1 these intrepid soldiers would have remained eternally in their deserts1 solely absorbed by the obsession of hereditary feuds4 ,when ,islam1 abolishing pride of caste1 birth1 or race1 made all ,believers really brothers and endowed them with religious and poetical souls1 based on equality1 there was no exploit that these fiery-minded men1 their hearts untamable1 were incapable of performing4 ,these treasures of combative energy1 accumulated during centuries of civil war1 were not the only means by which they overthrew so many peoples1 all different and superior to them in culture at that epoch4 ,the ,arabs1 likewise1 had stored dream-treasures in their deserts1 and these visions of an unpolished1 though young people were about to be imposed on those peoples who1 although educated1 were old and worn-out4 ,we advise all those who may have doubts about the genius of the ,arabs to look through a collection of photographs showing the edifices erected in every part of the countries they held in subjection4 ,there is nothing more striking than the unity of type distinguishing these monuments from all other monuments in the world2 and these buildings1 with their remarkable family likeness1 were set up in ,india1 ,turkestan1 ,persia1 ,syria1 ,turkey1 ,egypt1 ,barbary1 ,spain1 etc41 all countries essentially different and so peculiar1 by reason of their characteristic genius1 that the genius of ,greece or ,rome was never able to be grafted successfully4 ,the ,arabs borrowed largely from those they conquered1 often utilising their talent and even their muscles in order to build palaces and mosques2 but ,arabic dreams were thus always realised4 ,the exceptional originality of the ,arab style resided in the fact that it was always imperiously guided by an art that was born at the same time as ,islam4 ,this art had no predecessors and offers us1 as it were1 the materialness of the ,arabs' ideal4 ,it is the art of calligraphic decoration1 applied to the glorification of the word of ,allah1 otherwise the verses of the ,qur'an4 ,even reduced to its own resources1 this art of ,arabic calligraphy is one of the most marvellous forms of decorative skill that has ever sprung from human imagination4 ,it is perhaps the only science of ornament of which it may be said without exaggeration that it possesses a soul1 for like the voice1 it expresses thought4 ,owing nothing even to the most cultured parts of the outer world1 its independence resembles that of music and seems like the stenography of the innermost beatings of the heart4 ,look at the letters which spring swiftly and horizontally from right to left as if acting under the impulse of inward life4 ,then they whirl on their own axis in discreet or impassioned curves1 and are next erect1 coming to a sudden halt1 fixed in perpendicular pride4444 ,they soon start off again in their frenzied gallop1 unrolling their flourishes1 bestriding each other in delicious fantasy and causing the imagination to soar in wild dreams4 ,to follow the impulses of the reed-pen having traced these letters2 and in order to enjoy the pure eminence of their form or the intense emotion of their curve1 one need not be a past master of ,arabic1 or a subtile graphologist2 any artistic mind can penetrate without any effort the secrets of their soul4 ,after having expressed the ideal of his nation with such perfection1 the ,arab calligrapher bent beneath his yoke--almost religious--everything that was destined to support or enframe it3 architecture and other systems of embellishment1 forcing them to yield to the sway of his shaping skill4 ,under this yoke1 the heavy1 hemispherical dome of ,byzantium was improved by adopting the pure outline of the ,saracen helmet4 ,the curves of the commonplace arcade became those of the graceful ogive1 or of the proud1 far-extending arch4 ,the vulgar towers were metamorphosed into elegant minarets1 leaping towards the peaks of ecstasy4 ,illustration3 ,theological ,students1 in the ,courtyard of ,al-,azhar1 the great ,cairo ,moslem ,university4 ,in short1 the only system of decoration which1 with the exception of ,calligraphy1 borrows nothing from ,nature3 geometrical ornament--from which the ,greek and ,latin races merely derived poor and frigid effects--became endowed with real life4 ,henceforward this decoration was significantly labelled as ,arabesque and1 following the example of its model1 it tried skilfully to astonish the mind by straying in the midst of the most inextricable entanglements and unexpected transformations4444 ,how precious are the creations of ,moslem art6 ,european amateurs nowadays outbid each other in golden offers for its vestiges1 hoping through them to introduce into their homes a few gleams of the mirages that inspired their authors4 ,radiant stained-glass1 variegated glassware1 stuffs worked with gold or silver wire1 sparkling silks1 damaskeened1 inlaid bronzes1 exquisite miniatures in the dwellings of the ,west1 do they not all sing the glory of ,islam8 ,among all these treasures1 connoisseurs already begin to prefer those of ,calligraphy which animates the transcription of the divine verses by the delicate colouring of copies of the ,qur'an1 or of the thick enamel of earthware4 ,by so doing1 the buyers of ,europe follow the example of ,mussulman princes of the best epoch who1 to possess a page of calligraphy by a celebrated artist1 lavished madly as much money as is given in our time for masterpieces of painters4 ,may not these sacred inscriptions1 causing their new possessors to be thrilled with admiration by reason of the refined elegance of their form1 reveal one day to their purchasers the sublime beauty of the ,islamic soul lurking in these writings8 ,sidenote3 ,,influence ,,of ,,moslem ,,civilisation ,,in ,,europe ,,during ,,the ,,middle ,,ages ,,and ,,the ,,renaissance ,even at a period when ,europe was not inimically inclined towards ,islam1 it was dazzled by all its marvels and borrowed largely from the decorative and architectural genius of the ,arabs4 ,deep research would soon prove that it owes much more to it than to ,greek or ,latin antiquity4 ,such a study would take us too far from our subject4 ,we may1 however1 point out as a curious fact that1 according to the historian ,dulaure1 ,arab architects were employed in the work of building the ,parisian cathedral of ,notre ,dame4 ,in the domain of science1 the influence of the ,moslems was just as fertile4 ,to give an idea thereof1 we cannot do better than summarise the opinion vouchsafed by ,doctor ,gustave ,le ,bon1 in his remarkable work3 ,la ,civilisation des ,arabes4 7,the ,civilisation of the ,arabs47 ,first of all1 it must be acknowledged that it is to the ,arabs that we owe entirely the idea of experiment and observation1 the basis of modern scientific methods1 overriding the authority of a master4 ,this substitution is therefore not the work of ,bacon1 to whom it is generally attributed4 ,after having established that the highest degree of science consists in giving rise to phenomena oneself and at will1 the celebrated scientist ,humboldt adds3 ,the ,arabs reached to this height1 which was almost unknown to the ancients4 ,the study of mathematics enjoyed overspread favour among the ,arabs1 and the progress accomplished in algebra metamorphosed that science to such an extent that its invention has been attributed to them4 ,to them also are due the first application of algebra to geometry1 and the introduction of tangents into trigonometry4 ,astronomy was passionately studied in their schools of ,bagdad1 ,damascus1 ,samarcand1 ,cairo1 ,fez1 ,toledo1 ,cordova1 etc41 and their discoveries may be summed up in the following enumeration3 introduction of tangents into astronomical calculation2 construction of tables of planetary movement2 strict determination of the obliquity of the ecliptic and of its gradual diminution2 exact estimation of the procession of the equinoxes2 and the first precise determination of the year's duration4 ,to them also we owe the ascertainment of the irregularities of the greatest latitude of the moon1 and the discovery of the third lunar inequality1 now called variation4 ,in geography1 the contribution of these bold travellers is most remarkable from a scientific viewpoint4 ,they made those exact astronomical determinations which form the first foundation of cartography1 and rectified the enormous errors of position committed by the ,greeks4 ,from the standpoint of exploration1 they published accounts of travel which caused different parts of the world1 scarcely suspected before them1 to be known1 and where no ,european had ever set foot4 ,the sources of the ,nile1 running through the great equatorial lakes1 are exactly set out on a map by ,al-,idrisi1 dating from the year #aafj1 and which were only discovered by ,europeans during the second half of the nineteenth century4 ,in physical sciences1 the sum total of their discoveries is still more considerable4 ,the following enumeration proves their importance3 high attainment of knowledge in theoretical physics1 especially in optics and in the creation of the most ingenious mechanical apparatus2 discovery of the most fundamental bodies of chemistry1 such as alcohol1 nitric acid1 sulphuric acid2 and the most essential operation1 such as distillation2 application of chemistry to pharmacy and commerce1 especially as regards the extraction of metals1 the manufacturing of paper from rags1 which they caused to take the place of parchment1 papyrus1 or ,chinese silk-paper4 ,they were probably the first to use the compass in navigation2 at any rate1 they certainly introduced this fundamental invention to ,europe4 ,to conclude3 the discovery of firearms4 ,in #abje1 the ,emir ,yaqub resorted already to artillery at the siege of ,mahdiyya2 in #abgc1 the ,sultan ,abu ,yusuf used cannons at the siege of ,sijilmasa4 ,in #acdb1 two ,englishmen1 ,lord ,derby and ,lord ,salisbury1 were present at the siege of ,algeciras1 defended by the ,arabs in the same way4 ,these travellers1 having witnessed the effect of gunpowder1 took this discovery back to their country4 ,it was through them that the ,english made use of it1 four years later1 at ,cressy4 ,in medical science1 the ,moslems followed ,greek writers1 and afterwards made most important progress4 ,nearly all the medical knowledge of ,europe1 at the epoch of the ,renaissance1 was borrowed from them4 ,the remarkable progress they made in medicine1 was in surgery2 the description of maladies2 materia medica2 and pharmacy4 ,they found out a quantity of methods1 of which many--the use of cold water in typhoid fever1 for instance--crop up again in modern times1 after having been forgotten for centuries4 ,materia medica owes them numerous medicines1 such as3 cassia1 senna1 rhubarb1 tamarinds1 camphor1 alcohol1 ammonia1 etc4 ,they were the true creators of pharmacy4 ,most of the preparations still in use nowadays are due to them3 syrups1 emulsions1 pomades1 ointments1 distilled water1 etc4 ,surgery also owes fundamental progress to the ,arabs4 ,their work served as a basis for the teaching of ,faculties of ,medecine until quite recently4 ,in the eleventh century of our era1 they knew the treatment of cataract by the lowering or the extraction of the crystalline2 lithotrity2 the treatment of hemorrhage by irrigations of cold water2 the use of caustics2 setons2 and cauterization by fire4 ,anesthesia1 of which the principal discovery is supposed to be modern1 seems to have been known to them4 ,as a matter of fact1 they speak favourably of the use of tare before undertaking painful operations1 so that the patient may be put to sleep until loss of consciousness and feeling supervenes4 ,they had1 likewise1 implicit confidence in hygiene in medical treatment1 and placed great reliance on the resources of ,nature4 ,expectant medecine1 which1 at the present time1 seems the last word of modern science1 reasons exactly in the same way4 7,dr4 ,g4 ,le ,bon1 ,la ,civilisation des ,arabes47 ,in the domain of ideas1 the influence of the ,moslems had perhaps still more valuable consequences4 ,jesus preached equality and fraternity1 but ,mohammad was lucky enough to realise both among the ,believers during his lifetime4 ,it would be absurd to maintain that his direct example served to guide the ,french ,revolution which was not inspired by much of his levelling works4 ,nevertheless1 the first attempts of this enfranchisement of ideas and the organisation of modern society on a new basis--and of this there is ample proof--resulted logically from his doctrines4 ,honour is due to a ,mussulman philosopher1 ,ibn ,rushd1 or ,averroes1 who lived in ,spain from #aabj to #aaih1 for being the first to introduce freethought--not to be confused with atheism--into ,europe4 ,averroes opposed the pure deism of ,islam to mythological pantheism and ,christian anthromorphism1 and his ',commentaries of ,aristotle1' although vividly coloured with ,mussulman tints1 impassioned all independent minds in medieval ,europe4 ,averroism1 born of this enthusiasm1 may be justly considered not only the precursor of ,reform1 but also the father of modern ,rationalism4 ,the influence exercised by ,mussulman customs over those of ,europe was equally healthful4 ,the ,arabs joined most chivalrous manners to extreme religious tolerance4 ,it was among the ,arabs of ,spain that the knightly spirit arose1 and which was afterwards appropriated by the warriors of the ,north1 as if it was a quality inherent in ,christian nations1 declares the celebrated ,spanish writer ,blasco ,ibanez1 in his novel3 ,dans ,l',ombre de la ,cathdrale4 7,in the ,shadow ,of the ,cathedral47 ,in this connection1 we can again quote ,dr4 ,le ,bon3 ,like ,christian chivalry1 which came later1 ,arab chivalry had a code of its own4 ,no man was worthy to be a knight unless he possessed the following qualities3 kindness1 valour1 amability1 poetical talent1 eloquence1 bodily strength1 skill in horsemanship1 and cleverness in handling spear1 sword and bow4444 ,in #aaci1 the ,wali of ,cordova having laid siege to ,toledo1 belonging to the ,christians1 ,queen ,berengaria1 shut up in the city1 sent him a herald to bid him take notice that it was unworthy of a brave1 gallant and generous knight to attack a woman4 ,the ,arab general retired forthwith1 asking as sole favour1 to be allowed the honour of saluting the ,queen4444 ,the ,arab chronicles of ,spain are full of stories of the same kind1 proving how wide-spread were these knight-errant-like qualities2 and a very religious learned man1 ,barthlemy ,st4 ,hilaire1 admits most loyally how greatly ,european customs are indebted to them4 ,in his book on the ,qur'an1 he says3 ,through having intercourse with the ,arabs and copying them1 the boorish barons of the ,middle ,ages toned down their rough habits2 and the knights1 without lessening their bravery1 became cognisant of more delicate1 noble and humane sentiments4 ,it is doubtful whether ,christianism alone1 despite its benevolence1 would have inspired them with these feelings4 ,the reader may perhaps ask why1 under these conditions1 the influence of the ,arabs is so unappreciated in our day by learned men who1 by their intellect1 seem far above all religious prejudice4 ,that is because independence of opinion is more apparent than real1 and we are not at all free to think as we like about certain subjects4 ,the hereditary prejudices professed by us against ,islamism and its disciples have accumulated during too many centuries not to have become part and parcel of our organism4444 ,if we join thereto other prejudices also hereditary1 and increased in each generation by our detestable classic education3 that all sciences and literature of the past spring solely from ,greeks and ,romans1 we can easily understand that the great influence of the ,arabs in the history of ,european civilisation is generally slighted4 ,in certain minds1 it will always seem humiliating that it is owing to the ,moslems that ,christian ,europe shook off barbarism4444 7,dr4 ,gustave ,le ,bon1 ,la ,civilisation des ,arabes47 ,what caused ,islam to fall so rapidly1 after having1 during the eight centuries of its domination in ,spain1 placed that country not only at the head of occidental civilisation1 but also causing it to shine quite as brilliantly from ,delhi and ,bokhara1 as far as ,constantinople and ,fez8 ,the first cause may be found in the non-observance of the strictly levelling principles that the ,prophet had so much trouble to establish while he lived1 and which were the motives of his successes and of those of the first ,caliphs4 ,one example will serve to show how rigorously these principles were applied in the beginning3 ,a rich1 powerful1 and proud monarch1 ,jabala1 newly converted1 struck violent blows in the face of a poor ,bedouin1 who had accidentally pushed against him while he was performing his devotions round the ,ka'bah4 ,without bringing into account the rank of the delinquent1 or the danger of estranging such an important personage1 the ,caliph ,umar thought that1 for the honour of the future of ,islam1 equality in the eyes of law and justice should override all other considerations1 and he condemned ,king ,jabala to undergo1 at the hands of the humble ,bedouin1 the same chastisement as had been inflicted on him4 ,with such strict principles1 no one could possibly be proud of anything but his personal merit2 and emulation gave birth to miracles for the greater good of ,islam4 ,no men were chosen as chieftains except those who deserved that honour1 and once elected1 they were blindly obeyed because they were sincerely admired and respected4 ,unfortunately1 the complete observance of this master-thought of the ,prophet turned out to be ephemeral1 and already under the rule of ,usman1 the third ,caliph1 aristocratic prejudices began to regain their evil influence4 ,in vain ,mohammad had said to his beloved daughter1 ,fatimah-tuz-,zahra3 ',work1 and reckon not that it sufficeth for thee to be the ,prophet's daughter2' the sons of most unimportant people despised their ,mussulman brothers of more lowly origin1 and thought that their social rank exempted them from making those efforts without which no progress can be realised4 ,moreover1 rivalry between folks more proud of their forbears than of their own works1 gave rise again to fractricidal struggles1 as ruthless as in the past2 and with them1 the disorganisation and general anarchy which had paralysed the ,arabs of pre-,islamic times4 ,having lost all taste for study2 separated and exhausted by incessant civil wars1 the ,moslems were only able to offer puny resistance to the ,christians1 who dreamt of revenge and had profited by these dissensions to organise themselves4 ,in the past as in the present1 ,islam might have avoided the greater part of its misfortunes if it always remembered this last adjuration of the ,prophet in his sermon of the ,valedictory ,pilgrimage3 ',never forget that each ,mussulman should be a true brother to every other ,mussulman6' ,the second cause of its decline arose from one of the primordial qualities of ,islam4 ,the conformity of its dogma1 almost entirely devoid of supernaturalism1 to the exigencies of reason1 was at first inestimably advantageous for science which remained free from the hindrances of superstition4 ,this suffices to explain the rapid rise of its civilisation4 ,but the ,moslem mind had gradually been lulled1 being satisfied with the magnificent results attained by the enthusiasm reigning in the first centuries of the ,hegira4 ,henceforth1 it was at the mercy of animal passions and fetishism1 in certain newly-conquered countries4 ,the cult of ,saints and ,intercessors1 ,awliya1 or ,murabitun1 borrowed from the ,christians and so strictly forbidden by the ,qur'an1 took the place of the cult of ,science and1 by its gross superstitions1 barred all progress4 ,philosophers like ,averroes1 tried to struggle1 but it was too late2 the evil was too deeply rooted among the masses who called these enlightened men ungodly1 and demanded that they should be put out of favour4444 ,these two causes of decay are ancient1 and contradict the real doctrine of the ,qur'an4 ,on the other hand1 there is one1 dating from the nineteenth century only1 and which seems to be in accordance1 if not with the spirit1 at least with the letter of the ,holy ,book4 ,it is that which results from the prohibition of any interest whatsoever being received for money lent4 ,they who swallow down usury1 shall arise in the ,resurrection only as he ariseth whom ,satan hath infected by his touch4 ,this1 for that they say1 ',selling is only the like of usury'3 and yet ,allah hath allowed selling1 and forbidden usury4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #bgf47 ,the excellence of this principle is unquestionable1 and1 until the last century1 the slight inconveniences which might have troubled the ,moslems in consequence of usury practised among them by ,jews and ,christians1 were not to be compared with the advantages of this precept of the ,qur'an4 ,but at the present time1 when credit is indispensable to all great undertakings and when bankers have become the real masters of the world1 ,islam1 by adhering with exaggerated rigidity to the text of these verses1 is momentarily reduced to financial and political ruin4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,future ,,of ,,islam ,such1 we think1 rapidly summarised1 are the three leading causes of the decline of ,islam4 ,is there no remedy for this state of decay8 ,are the three hundred millions of ,moslems spread over the surface of the globe1 to be condemned to remain eternally in the sad situation established for them beyond the pale of modern civilisation8 ,we think not4 ,for the two first causes1 the remedy is simple3 it consists in returning to the principles instituted by the ,prophet4 ,the remedy for the third is to be found perhaps in a less strict interpretation of the letter1 but certainly in accordance with the spirit of the ,sacred ,text4 ,enlightened ,moslems are fully aware of this and henceforward1 they will take care not to confuse banking operations with the sordid usury condemned by the ,prophet4 ,the wounds inflicted on ,islam during the last century have at last awakened it from its lethargy4 ,its very defeats have shown the necessity of adopting the scientific method of its conquerors4 ,islam recalls to mind the words of the ,prophet3 ,go1 seek for ,science everywhere1 even in far ,china4 ,the benefits of ,science are superior to the benefits of devotion4 ,on the ,day of ,resurrection1 the ink used by learned men and the blood poured out by martyrdom will be measured3 neither shall be preferred4 ,renovators1 men of genius1 such as the celebrated ,shaykh ,abduh1 have pointed out the right road to ,islam1 proving to ,moslems that the teaching of ,mohammad agrees with that of modern civilisation4 ,thereupon1 myriads of young men have gone through courses of ,european study and show wonderful facility1 without losing any part of their native originality2 and1 very soon1 innumerable ,moslems will take their places in the modern world without fear of any disparaging comparisons4 ,does this mean that the empire of ,islam1 following the example of ,japan1 will regain its rank among great political ,powers8 ,considering that the future of nations depends on the will of ,allah1 it is always presumptuous to predict it4 ,besides1 political might is the most ephemeral of all2 a few months are enough to overthrow the most formidable empires4 ,such power proves nothing as regards the vitality of a religion1 and is not absolutely necessary for the subject we treat4 ,there are1 indeed1 conquests differing from those of armies4 ,the imperialism of the ,israelites1 which disappeared centuries ago1 has never given the slightest sign of a return movement and yet few peoples possess at present the power of the ,jews4 ,persecution was for them the great educator1 and nowadays1 in all the nations of ,europe and ,america1 the ,jews1 thanks to their activity and intelligence1 occupy the front rank4 ,why does not the same effect1 due to the same cause--persecution--take place among the ,moslems1 who1 for the most part1 are first1 cousins to the ,israelites and who possess the advantage of numbers8 ,objections are against the possibility of such a revival3 ,fatalism1 ,fanaticism1 ,polygamy4 ,let us examine them4 ,can ,mussulman fatalism fit in with a real effort on the road to progress8 ,if some criticisms are justified by the way in which fatalism is understood by certain followers of the ,murabitun1 it has never possessed the importance ascribed to it4 ,islam is not more fatalist than determinism1 and it is still less than ,christianism which adheres strictly to the letter of the following precepts of the ,gospel3 ',therefore ,i say unto you1 ,take no thought for your life1 what ye shall eat1 or what ye shall drink2 nor yet for your body1 what ye shall put on4' 7,,st4 ,,matthew1 ,,vi1 #be47 ,why then accuse fatalism of having paralysed all effects among the ,moslems1 when the ,prophet was one of the most active1 persevering and energetic men that the world has ever known2 and when ,islam is the only religion which1 no sooner founded1 was followed immediately by such a marvellous pope and such splendid civilisation8 ,the word ,islam signifies resignation to the decrees of ,allah1 that is to say3 to that which looks as if it could be mastered by energy and courage4 ,say3 ,o my people6 ,act as ye best can4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iv1 #ace47 ,far from being the cause of weakness1 such resignation becomes the source of incomparable moral strength for the ,believer1 fortifying him during the ordeals of adversity4 ,in their intercourse with civilised beings belonging to other religions1 will not ,moslems be stopped by the implacable and irreducible fanaticism of which they are accused8 ,the main object is to see if this fanaticism is not one of the countless legends inimically invented during the ,middle ,ages4 ,in order to permit the reader to form an opinion1 here are some extracts chosen among thousands of the same kind4 ,according to ,ibn ,abbas1 ,ibn ,jari said3 ,a man of the ,banu ,salim ibn ,awf1 named ,al-,husayn1 father of two sons who were ,christians1 whilst he was a ,mussulman1 asked the ,prophet3 ,ought ,i not force my children to embrace ,islamism8 ,they will have no other religion than the ,christian religion6 ,allah 7may ,he be glorified67 thereupon revealed for this man the following verse3 ,let there be no compulsion in ,religion4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #beg47 ,when the ,christian ambassadors of the ,hijr territory came to see the ,prophet at ,al-,madinah1 he offered them half of his ,mosque so that they might say their prayers therein4 ,he rose to his feet one day1 as a funeral procession went by1 and when he was told that it was only a ,jew's burial1 he replied3 ',is it not a soul8' ,he also said3 ',he who ill-treateth a ,jew or a ,christian will find me his accuser on the ,day of ,judgment4 ,with ungodliness an empire may last2 but never with injustice4' ,notwithstanding all legends1 never1 beyond the ,hijaz1 which means the sacred territory and its vicinity1 did ,moslems use force to obtain conversions4 ,the ,spanish ,christians were never molested on account of their belief during the eight centuries of ,mussulman domination4 ,many of them1 indeed1 occupied the highest posts at the ,court of the ,caliphs of ,cordova4 ,on the other hand1 these same ,christians1 as soon as they became conquerors1 immediately exterminated all ,moslems without exception4 ,the ,jews1 who had lived in peace under ,arab rule1 were treated in the same way4 ,in his ,voyage ,religieux en ,orient1 the ,abb ,michon pays homage to truth by this exclamation3 ',it is a sad thing for ,christian nations that religious tolerance1 the great law of charity between the peoples1 should have been taught by ,mussulmans4' 7,quoted by ,comte de ,castries1 in his book on ,islam47 ,what about the ,armenian massacres8 will be alleged against us4 ,our answer is that every time they have not been provoked by rebellions and conspiracies1 they are condemned by all true ,moslems just in the same way as the massacre of all the ,moslems in ,spain is condemned nowadays by true ,christians4 ,but the ,armenian massacres were never the outcome of religious causes1 for never have the disciples of ,mohammad thought of imitating the followers of ,torquemada by forcing the ,armenians to choose between conversion and death at the stake4 ,besides1 ,moslems do not lean towards proselytism4 ,strictly speaking1 they have no missionaries1 and if their religion1 at the present day1 is the one that causes the most conversions in ,africa and ,asia1 it is1 as ,a4 ,burdo justly remarks3 'by a kind of moral endosmose4' 7,les ,arabes dans l',afrique ,centrale47 ,a good example1 free from any proselytizing attempts1 produces in religious souls a much more powerful impression than the importunities of cathechists4 ,despite his hostility to ,islam and his partiality1 the savant ,dozy is obliged to acknowledge that ,in ,spain1 formerly3 'it is a positive fact that many ,christians became converted to ,islam out of conviction4' ,the rule of conduct of a ,mussulman towards the followers of other religions is fixed by these words of the ,qur'an3 ,to you your religions2 and to me my religion4 7,,cix1 #f47 ,how can a ,mussulman be intolerant1 when he venerates alike the ,prophets honoured by ,jew and ,christian8 ,for him1 ,moses1 who spoke with ,allah2 and ,jesus1 inspired by ,allah1 deserve the same veneration as ,mohammad1 the friend of ,allah4 ,we make no distinction between any of ,his ,apostles4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #bhe47 ,never does any ,mussulman dare to utter the slightest insult towards ,jesus2 never would he allow any to be uttered in his presence1 even coming from the lips of people of ,christian origin who consider ,jesus to be responsible for sacerdotal errors4 ,to insult ,jesus would be to insult the ,qur'an which orders ,him to be revered4 ,we were privileged once to witness the uncommon sight of a ,mussulman condemned by a ,christian judge for having struck a ,jew who1 in the presence of this disciple of ,mohammad1 had made outrageous remarks on the birth of ,jesus4 ,let us now compare the respectful attitude of the ,moslems as far as ,jesus is concerned1 with the manner in which ,europeans behave when ,mohammad's name is mentioned4 ,in the ,middle ,ages1 monks and troubadours represented him to be either some monstrous idol1 or an incorrigible drunkard1 fallen on a dung-heap and devoured by hogs4 ,hence1 they pointed out1 the repugnance of his disciples for swine-flesh4 ,we should never be done if we tried to quote all that in former times sprung from the fertile imagination of ,mohammad's enemies4 ,the first ,orientalists were no kinder4 ,in the eighteenth century1 ,gagnier1 a most learned man1 after blaming the ,abb ,maracci and ,doctor ,prideaux for their impassioned insults1 speaks in his turn of ,mohammad as 'the most villanous of all men2 the most deadly of ,allah's enemies2 the idiotic ,prophet1' etc41 whilst claiming to speak in guarded terms6 ,the companions of the ,prophet have likewise not been spared from the earliest times4 ,so that the barbarity with which ,cardinal ,ximenes burnt the marvellous libraries of the ,moslems of ,spain should be forgotten1 many calumniators invented the famous legend of the conflagration of the libraries of ,alexandria1 by order of the ,caliph ,umar1 thus fully showing the slanderers' great disdain for chronology4 ,these collections of books had not been in existence for several centuries when ,islam was revealed to the world4 ,the first library1 that of ,bruchium1 containing four hundred thousand volumes1 was destroyed by fire during the war of ,csar against the ,alexandrians2 and the second1 that of ,serapeum1 comprising two hundred thousand volumes1 bequeathed by ,antony1 was completely pillaged in the reign of ,theodosius4 ,these ridiculous legends are dying out gradually at the present day2 and yet we prefer their candid fanaticism to the malicious calumny with which certain writers1 still impregnated with medieval passionate partiality1 try from behind a screen of ,oriental science1 to belittle one of the men who do the most honour1 not only to history1 but to the history of humanity4 ,after having adopted the modern civilisation of ,christians1 may not the ,moslems conclude by adopting their religion as well8 ,to answer this question1 we need only quote the opinion of an author who1 although a fervent ,christian1 acknowledges facts most loyally4 ,in the course of a remarkable study of ,islam1 he writes3 ,islam is the only religion which has no recreants--,it is very difficult1 if not impossible1 to form an exact idea of the spiritual state of a ,moslem evangelized by a ,christian4 ,we can only imagine something very near it1 by trying to realise in our minds the feelings of an enlightened ,christian whom an idolater might be trying to convert to his gross1 superstitious cult4 7,l',islam1 by ,comte ,henry de ,castries47 ,islam1 in spite of its irreducibleness1 offers ,christians many proofs of its feelings of veneration towards ,jesus4 ,therefore1 whence comes the hatred with which the followers of ,christ pursue ,mohammad even in our present century of tolerance--not to say religious indifference8 ,is it because of its ,asiatic origin8 ,was not ,christianism essentially ,asiatic1 before ,saint ,paul had stripped it of ,jewish trappings8 ,jesus declared3 ',i am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ,israel4' 7,,st4 ,,matthew1 ,,xv1 #bd47 ,is it because of its doctrine8 ,the doctrine of ,islam is almost the same as that of certain ,protestant sects4 ,is it because of the remembrance of the ,crusades8 ,despite the years that are past1 this remembrance has still disastrous influence over many ignorant minds1 but if that was all1 it would not suffice to explain away the ostracism shown in ,europe to ,islam4 ,we must seek therefore some other cause1 and we find it furnished by the example of the only religion really reviled and persecuted in the same way4 ,there exists a ,protestant sect1 the ,mormons4 ,after prodigies of will-power1 labour and intelligence1 they have transformed one of the saddest regions1 a mere salt desert1 into a thriving country4 ,europe and ,america ought to have applauded this work of civilisation1 unanimously and enthusiastically4 ,far from so doing1 every sect of ,christianity forgot their own disagreements and united themselves against the ,mormons with the same feeling of reprobation4 ,of what crime were they guilty8 ,they practised polygamy like the ,moslems4 ,such is the true explanation of the mystery3 ,islam is warned that it will never be granted recognition unless it renounces polygamy4 ,we shall not risk trying to defend a custom thus violently condemned1 but content ourselves with making a few observations4 ,as a matter of fact1 polygamy is universal and will last out the world1 despite all present or future legislation4 ,this is denied by none4 ,the only question is to know if it is preferable to let it be avowed and limited1 or let it flourish hypocritically and boundlessly4 ,all travellers1 ,grard de ,nerval and ,lady ,morgan to wit1 have noted that among polygamous ,moslems1 polygamy is generally less widespread than among so-called monogamous ,christians4 ,what can be more natural8 ,for ,catholics and ,protestants1 does not polygamy possess the allurement of forbidden fruit8 ,illustration3 ,tombs of the ,khaliphs4 ,under their rule1 ,moslem civilisation enlightened the ,world4 ,by troubling about polygamy1 shall we not be set down as old-fashioned8 ,without taking other things into consideration1 the needs of modern life render it impraticable in large cities4 ,it will have died out before long1 among civilised ,moslems4 ,if the principle survives1 it will only be applied in the desert depths where it is an imperious necessity4 ,will morality improve by the disappearance of polygamy8 ,that remains doubtful4 ,prostitution1 so rare in most ,mussulman lands1 will extend its ravages4 ,a plague1 now totally unknown1 will break out3 that of the celibacy of women1 which causes desolation in monogamous countries--where1 above all1 following great wars1 it attains disastrous proportions4 ,in a study on the future of the ,french colonies1 ,charles ,dumas1 writing about the ,moslems1 states3 ',no race can gain freedom when it condemns the half of itself 7i4e4 its women7 to eternal bondage4' ,is it true that ,mussulman women are reduced to such a lamentable situation8 ,it is certain that in the eyes of ,european women enjoying untrammelled freedom1 the wearing of a veil and semi-claustration as well1 to which the women of ,islam are subjected1 must seem to be tokens of the most unbearable slavery4 ,but if these ladies of ,europe heard the reflexions of these same ,mussulman women1 objects of monogamists' wives' heartfelt commiseration1 they would be surprised to learn that they1 in their turn1 are not envied1 but charitably pitied4 ,besides1 the wearing of the veil and claustration are in no wise religious obligations4 ,the ,verses of the ,qur'an 7,,xxxiii1 #ec1 #ee7 by which these questions are supported1 are solely aimed at the ,prophet's wives and not at those of all ,believers1 as might be deduced from the inexact translation of verse #ee1 by ,kasimirski4 ,these practices1 put in force many years after ,mohammad's death1 are therefore fiercely attacked by numerous champions of the feminine cause4 ,among them1 we note ,qasim ,bey ,amin1 with his book3 ,tahriru'l-,mirat 7,woman's ,emancipation72 and ,es ,zahawi1 the poet of ,bagdad1 who wrote a celebrated letter on the veil1 and says3 ',woman is the remedy of youth1 the beauty of nature and the splendour of life4 ,without women1 man is a sterile syllogism--he does not conclude6' ,and then1 relying on this verse3 ,and it is for the women to act as the husbands act towards them with all fairness4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #bbh71 he claims complete female freedom4 ,we will conclude by quoting the words of one of the fair sex1 al-,sitti ,malika who1 with the consent of her father1 ,hifni ,bey ,nasif1 formerly professor at the ,university of ,al ,azhar1 published a ,qasida1 terminating with this verse3 ',to unveil1 if one is chaste1 is no harm2 and if one is not chaste1 veils in excess offer no protection4' ,at the same times as ,european queens of fashion have tried to acclimatise the ,turkish veil in the ,west1 perhaps at some future period1 near or distant1 the custom of wearing the veil may die out in the ,east4 ,in that case1 the flower of ,mussulman beauty will have been stripped of its graceful calyx4 ,will not the woman of the ,east regret the mysterious charm she owed to her filmy mask8 ,will she be compensated by the advantages accruing to her in consequence of budding forth in the strong light of civilisation8 ,the example of the great misery reigning among her sisters of the ,west1 struggling for life in opposition to men1 may perhaps frighten the woman of the ,east when1 with dazzled eyes1 scarcely awakened from harem dreams1 she plunges into the vortex of modern existence4 ,the question is too delicate4 ,we dare not come to a conclusion4 ,after all1 the interest and possibility of such reforms vary too completely1 from one country to another1 so that no general rule can be fixed4 ,but if we hesitate about passing judgment on the reforms we have just set forth1 we acknowledge unreservedly1 to make amends1 that the education of woman is an imperious necessity for the future of ,islam4 ,education has nothing to do with the above-mentioned customs4 ,it is in agreement with all the principles of the religion1 and during the period of ,islamic splendour1 was lavished on ,mussulman femininity whose culture was superior to that of ,european women in those days4 ,in the ,east1 education has never disappeared as completely as in some regions of the ,maghrib4 ,during a certain number of years1 many ,mussulman women passed their leisure harem hours in educating themselves1 and their new intellectual birth began to be generalised4 ,from education alone the evolution of manners and customs will proceed wherever it will be necessary in the sense and proportions creating the least amount of trouble in the bosom of families4 ,sidenote3 ,,conclusion ,the knots relating to polygamy and the emancipation of woman 7the only questions that give a shadow of right to inimical critics of ,islam7 once cut1 ,islam will appear to be what it really is3 a religion essentially in conformity with the most modern needs and ideas1 so much so that an ,englishman1 ,oswald ,wirth1 was able to write3 ',i discovered1 one fine day1 that ,i was a ,mussulman1 without knowing it1 like ,monsieur ,jourdain with his prose4' ,in like fashion1 ,goethe1 after having studied the principles of the ,qur'an1 declared3 ',if that is ,islam1 do we not all live in ,islam8' ,very soon1 no one will venture to give credence to the childish legends perpetuated since the ,crusades1 and ,islam will at last claim to take its place in the van of modern civilisation4444 ,we were writing the concluding lines when suddenly the most formidable conflict ever know in history broke out in ,europe1 and thousands of ,moslem soldiers1 descendants of the warriors of ,poitiers1 immediately invaded the whole of ,france4 ,this time1 they came not as conquerors1 but as friends2 as brothers-in-arms1 summoned by the ,allies to take part in this gigantic struggle on which depends the fate of civilisation4 ,their traditional heroism has been admired by all4 ,the ,french soil is riddled by thousands of their graves1 thereby they have implanted ,islam for ever in the heart of ,europe1 in the most glorious way2 and a strong contingent of the ,prophet's disciples is now in ,european territory4 ,after such services rendered1 it will be churlish to refuse them the freedom of the city1 so to speak1 that we have already claimed on their behalf4 ,we go further and ask if it is admissible to think that their example1 dealing the last blow at the imputations of the past1 may give some ,europeans food for fresh reflexion8 ,undeceived by the failure of integral rationalism1 many anxious minds seek new paths4 ,the modern system of intuition1 towards which they hurry1 following ,bergson1 its celebrated defender1 represents decided reaction against rationalism1 or to be more exact1 against the powerlessness of rationalism4444 ,in the hearts of men hungering after faith1 this eminent thinker has caused the aspirations they seem to have lost definitively to be born anew4 ,he allows them to hope for the survival of the soul2 he tells them that this world is not a great mass of machinery driven by blind forces and that intelligence is not the only formula of our senses4444 ,in affirming all this1 the illustrious philosopher is perhaps confining himself to the task of reviving ancient illusions2 but he has awakened them so that we may hear2 and at a moment when they may serve to prepare the elements of a new religion1 needed by many men4 7,la ,vie des ,vrits1 by ,dr4 ,gustave ,le ,bon47 ,such a movement is irresistible1 especially after the sanguinary ordeals we have undergone4 ,we are therefore about to witness the efforts of new and old religions1 trying to monopolize these manifestations and turn them to account4 ,rationalism1 however1 although defeated1 has nevertheless been fruitful1 and it will oppose an insuperable barrier to the dogmas that run counter to reason much too violently4 ,on the other hand1 must not mystic1 pathetic and poetical aspirations be reckoned with8 ,are they not the essential final causes of all religions8 ,to sum up1 are not the most needful conditions of a modern religion those of advanced ,protestantism3 ,unitarism1 clothed in a glorious cloak of poetry8 ,islam1 freed from all the dross which it accumulated in its course1 has precisely these conditions1 and already small communities of ,european converts to ,islam have been founded in ,england and ,america4 ,one of them1 having ,mr4 ,quilliam at his head1 exists for several years past at ,liverpool1 and is remarkable for the fact that the majority of its proselytes belong to the weaker sex4 ,the conversion of ,lord ,headley1 an ,english peer1 followed by that of other well-known leading ,londoners1 created a great sensation4 ,the ,mussulman commonwealth1 founded by this eminent man1 publishes a monthly magazine1 ,the ,islamic ,review1 from which we take the following significant passage3 ,why have ,englishmen and other ,europeans become ,mussulmans8 ,in the first place1 because they sought for some simple1 logical1 essentially practical creed2 7for we ,english flatter ourselves that we are the most practical people under the sun7 a creed fitting in with the conditions1 customs1 and occupations of every people2 a divine1 true creed1 where the ,creator and ,man are face to face1 without any intermediary4 7,sheldrake47 ,that is what practical minds have found in ,islam which1 having no sacrements or worship of saints1 needs no priest and could1 at a pinch1 do without a temple4 ,as ,allah's presence fills the universe1 is not the whole of the earth one immense ,mosque8 ,moreover1 several modern desists1 generally finding it difficult to express the aspiration of their souls1 will find in the pure deism of true ,islam1 the most admirable ritual movements and words of prayer that an artistic mind could dream of4 ,in short1 for more than one1 ',islam realises the maximum of altruism with a minimum of metaphysics4' 7,christian ,cherfils47 ,other isolated conversions have taken place in ,france and in different countries of ,europe1 ,africa and ,asia4 ,perhaps1 in this way1 we may witness the realisation of this ,hadis of the ,prophet3 ',assuredly ,allah will make this religion 7,islam7 all-powerful by means of men who were strangers thereto6' of the principal characteristic of ,islam is that it is wonderfully fitted to all races of creation4 ,among his first disciples1 ,mohammad counted not only ,arabs of the most different tribes1 but also ,persians1 such as ,salman al-,farsi2 ,christians1 such as ,waraqa2 ,abyssinians1 such as ,bilal2 ,jews1 such as ,mukhayriq1 ,abdullah ibn ,sallam1 etc4 ,as it is said in the ,qur'an3 ,we have not sent thee otherwise than to mankind at large4 7,,xxxiv1 #bg47 ,even during ,mohammad's life1 and in the very beginning1 his doctrine asserted its stamp of universality4 ,if suitable to all races1 it is equally suitable to all intellects and to all degrees of civilisation4 ,of supreme simplicity1 as in ,mu'tazilitcism2 desperately esoteric1 as in ,sufiism1 bringing guidance and consolation to the ,european savant--leaving thought absolutely free and untrammelled--as well as to the negro of the ,soudan1 thereby delivered from the superstition of his fetishism4 ,it exalts the soul of a practical ,english merchant1 for whom 'time is money1' quite as much as that of a mystical philosopher2 of a contemplative ,oriental2 or of a man of the ,west loving art and poetry4 ,it will even allure a modern medical man1 by the logic of its repeated ablutions and the rhythm of its bowing and prostration1 just as salutary for physical well-being as for the health of the soul itself4 ,it is therefore not too foolhardy to think that when the fearful storm has passed and the respect due to all nationalities1 as well as to all religions1 shall have been enforced1 ,islam will be able to look upon a future brimming with real hope4 ,thanks to the great share it has taken in the events causing the upheaval of ,european civilisation1 it has entered therein and will appear at last in its true light4 ,the different nations will vie with each other in seeking to be allied to it1 for they will have put its value to the test and have recognised the inexhaustible resources it possesses4 ,the disciples of the ,prophet1 awakened from their momentary lethargy1 will take their brilliant place in the world4 --,insha'llah6--,if ,allah be willing6 ,illustration3 7,calligraphy7 ,allah will perhaps establish goodwill between yourselves and those of them with whom ye are at enmity1 and ,allah is ,powerful3 and ,allah is ,gracious1 ,merciful4 ,this book was finished at ,bou-,sada1 on the ,twenty-seventh day of the month of ,ramadhan2 in the ,year #accd of the ,hegira--the #bhth of ,july1 ,a4,d4 #aiaf4 ,o ,allah6 be indulgent towards its authors2 excuse the extravagant audacity that urged them on in their hope of doing good1 to affront such a vast subject1 despite the scantiness of their knowledge4 ,o ,thou1 the ,omniscient6 pardon them the errors which1 through ignorance1 they may have committed in such a sublime history as that of ,thy ,messenger1 ,our ,lord ,mohammad1 the ,seal of the ,prophets4 ,may ,allah pour out for him ,his ,blessings and ,his ,favours6 ,likewise on his ,relatives1 ,and on his ,companions6 ,amin4 tienne ,,dinet4 ,sliman ben ,,ibrahim4 ,illustration3 ,a traditional old ,scribe of the ,desert4 ,calligraphy3 ,one's pen should be ennobled2 that is1 by treating of worthy matters4 ,,the ,,book ,,was ,,finished ,,in ,,the ,,year #acce ,,of ,,the ,,hegira ,illustration3 ,,map ,,of ,,the ,,hijaz ,,and ,,the ,,road ,,to ,,syria ,,bibliography ,fearing to enlarge this work too much1 we prefer to publish the notes1 which we deem necessary for its justification1 under the title3 ,l',orient vu de l',occident1 7,the ,east ,seen from the ,west71 forming a pamphlet to be issued later on4 ,nevertheless1 we give as follows a list of those works which we have specially consulted4 ,,works ,,in ,,arabic ,al-,qur'an wa huwa'l-,huda wa'l-,furqan4--,tafsir ,anwaru't ,tanzil wa ,asraru't ,tawil1 by ,al-,baydawi1 7,commonly referred to as ,the ,commentary of ,al-,baydawi47--,tafsiru'l ,qur'ani'l ,karim1 by the ,shaykh ,mohammad ,abduh4 7,the ,commentary of the ,shaykh ,mohammad ,abduh47--,siratu'n-,rasul1 by ,ibn ,hisham4 7,ibn ,hisham's ,life of the ,prophet47--,kitabu't ,tabaqat1 by ,ibn ,sad4 7,the ,tabaqat of ,ibn ,sad47--,insanu'l-',uyun fi sirati'l-,amiri'l-,mamun1 by ,ali ibn ,burhanu'd-,dini'l-,halabi4--,nuru'l yaqin fi sirati ,sayyidi'l-,marsulin1 by ,mohammad ,al-,khudri4--,kitabu's-,sahih1 by ,al-,bukhari4 7,the ,sahih of ,al-,bukhari47--,rihlat1 by ,abi'l ,husayn ibn ,jubayr4 7,the ,travels of ,ibn ,jubayr47--,ar-,rihlatu'l ,hijaziyya1 by ,mohammad ,al-,batanuni4--,al-,bourdate1 by the ,shaykh ,al-,busiri4 7,the ,burda1 or ,mantle ,poem of ,al-,busiri47--,ummu'l ,qura1 by ,al-,kawakibi4 ,,islamic ,,works1 ,,in ,,english ,the spirit of ,islam1 by ,ameer ,ali ,syied4--,islamic ,review1 edited by ,khwaja ,kamal-ud-,din1 ,b4,a41 ,l4,l4,b4 ,,works ,,in ,,french1 ,,or ,,translated ,,into ,,french ,le ,coran1 traduction de ,savary4--,le ,coran1 traduction de ,kasimirski4--,le ,coran1 analys par ,j4 ,la ,baume4--,le ,coran1 sa posie1 ses lois1 par ,stanley ,lane ,pole4--,l',esprit libral du ,coran1 par ,benttar1 ,el ,hadi ,seb et ,abdelziz ,ettsalbi4--,encyclopdie de l',islam1 dirige par le ,professeur ,houtsma4--,les ,traditions islamiques d',el ,bokhari1 traduction de ,houdas4--,l',islam1 par le ,comte ,henry de ,castries4--,l',islamisme1 par ,houdas4--,oumm el ,quora1 7la mre des ,cits7 de ,el ,kaouakibi1 compte-rendu littral1 d'aprs la version d',omar ,bouderba1 par ,christian ,cherfils 7en prparation74--,l',islamisme au point de vue social1 textes d',auguste ,comte1 publis par ,christian ,cherfils4--,bonaparte et l',islam1 par ,christian ,cherfils4--,vie de ,mahomet1 par ,j4 ,gagnier4--,essai sur l'histoire des ,arabes1 par ,caussin de ,perceval4--,histoire des ,arabes1 de ,sdillot4--,histoire des ,arabes1 de ,huart4--,la ,civilisation des ,arabes1 par le ,dr4 ,gustave ,le ,bon4--,essai sur l'histoire de l',islamisme1 par ,dozy4--,histoire des ,musulmans d',espagne1 par ,dozy4--,le prsent de l'homme lettre1 pour rfuter les partisans de la ,croix1 par ,abd ,allah ,le ,drogman4--,de l'tat prsent et de l'avenir de l',islam1 par ,e4 ,montet4--,les ,hros 7,mahomet1 le hros comme ,prophte71 par ,carlyle4--,averrhos et l',averrhosme1 par ,e4 ,renan4--,les ,musulmans franais de l',afrique du ,nord1 par ,ismal ,hamet4--,les vieux ,arabes1 par ,p4 ,radiot4--,voyage en ,arabie1 par ,hubert4--,mon voyage la ,mecque1 par ,g4 ,courtellement4--,mohammed et la fin du ,monde1 par ,p4 ,casanova4--,l'enseignement de l',arabe au ,collge de ,france1 par ,p4 ,casanova4--,revue du ,monde ,musulman1 dirige par ,a4 ,le ,chatelier4--,l',orient vu de l',occident1 par ,e4 ,dinet et ,sliman ben ,ibrahim4 ,,translation ,,of ,,the ,,arabic ,,calligraphy ,,title3 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,first4 ,opening3 ,in the name of ,allah1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful4 ,closing3 ,then when ye have ended the prayer1 make mention of ,allah1 standing1 and sitting1 and reclining4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iv1 #ajd47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,second4 ,opening3 ,have ,we not opened thy breast for thee8 99 ,and taken off from thee thy burden8 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xciv1 #a-b47 ,closing3 ,and provide for your journey2 but the best provision is the fear of ,allah4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #aic47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,third4 ,opening3 ,verily1 we have caused ,it 7the ,qur'an7 to descend on the night of ,power4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xcvii1 #a47 ,closing3 ,o thou enwrapped in thy mantle6 99 ,arise and warn6 99 ,and thy ,lord--magnify ,him6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lxxiv1 #a-c47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fourth4 ,opening3 ,ye shall assuredly be tried in your possessions and in yourselves4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #ahc47 ,closing3 ,and before them have ,we set a barrier and behind them a barrier1 and ,we have shrouded them in a veil1 so that they shall not see4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxvi1 #h47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fifth4 ,opening3 ,and fight for the cause of ,allah against those who fight against you4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #ahf47 ,closing3 ,believers6 when ye confront a troop1 stand firm and make frequent mention of the name of ,allah2 haply it shall fare well with you4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,viii1 #dg47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,sixth4 ,opening3 ,and be not faint-hearted1 and be not sorrowful2 ,for ye shall gain the upper hand if ye be believers4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #acc47 ,closing3 ,nay rather ,allah is your liege lord1 and ,he is the best of helpers4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #adc47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,seventh4 ,opening3 ,verily1 ,we have won for thee an undoubted victory4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xlviii1 #a47 ,closing3 ,now hath ,allah helped you in many battle-fields1 and1 on the day of ,hunain1 when ye prided yourselves on your numbers2 but it availed you nothing4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ix1 #be47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,eighth4 ,opening3 ,accomplish the ,pilgrimage and the ,visitation of the ,holy ,places in honour of ,allah4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,ii1 #aib47 ,closing3 ,say3 ,go through the earth1 and see how ,he hath brought forth created beings4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 xxix1 #ai47 ,,chapter ,,the ,,ninth4 ,opening3 ,thou truly art mortal1 ,o ,mohammad1 and they truly are mortals4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,xxxix1 #ca47 ,closing3 ,mohammad is no more than an apostle2 other apostles have already passed away before him2 if then he die1 or be slain1 will ye turn upon your heels8 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,iii1 #ach47 ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,prophet4 ,opening3 ,o my supreme ,master1 lavish thy ,blessings and thy ,favours for ever and ever on ,thy ,friend 7,mohammad71 the best of all created beings4 7,al-,bourdate4 ,poem by the ,shaykh ,al-,busiri1 in honour of the ,prophet47 ,closing3 ,there is no ,god but ,allah1 and ,mohammad is the ,prophet of ,allah4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,tenth4 ,opening3 ,say3 ,o my people6 ,act as ye best can3 ,i verily will act my part1 and hereafter shall ye know6 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,vi1 #ace47 ,closing3 ,allah will perhaps establish goodwill between yourselves and those of them with whom ye are at enmity1 and ,allah is ,powerful3 and ,allah is ,gracious1 ,merciful4 7,,the ,,qur',,an1 ,,lx1 #g47 ,,final ,,engraving3 ,one's pen should be ennobled2 that is1 by treating of worthy matters4 ,,cover3 ,upon him1 ,mohammad1 ,salvation4 ,,seal3 ,mohammad's ,seal4 ,transcriber's note3 seal not found4 ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,frontispiece4--,ornamental page ,,chapter ,,the ,,first4--,ornamental page ,praying round the ,sacred ,temple of the ,ka'bah of ,makkah ,,chapter ,,the ,,second4--,ornamental page ,the ,night of the ,maulid1 the ,prophet's ,birthday4 ,moslems leaving a village ,mosque4 ,,scenes ,,of ,,the ,,badya1 ,,or ,,nomadic ,,life4 --,watching over camels grazing --,the ,flocks ,,chapter ,,the ,,third4--,ornamental page ,at ,takbir1 or the ,glorification ,,scenes ,,of ,,the ,,badya1 ,,or ,,nomadic ,,life4 --,the ,encampment ,moslem woman praying on the terrace-roof of her dwelling ,,chapter ,,the ,,fourth4--,ornamental page ,ar ,ruku1 or the ,inclination ,the ,friday ,visit of ,moslems to the ,cemetery ,,scenes ,,of ,,the ,,badya1 ,,or ,,nomadic ,,life4 --,the ,departure ,,chapter ,,the ,,fifth4--,ornamental page ,interior of a ,mosque4 ,al ,mihrab1 the niche marking the direction of ,makkah ,the ,mu'azzin's ,call ,believers perceiving the ,new ,moon of the ,month of ,ramadhan ,,chapter ,,the ,,sixth4--,ornamental page ,as ,sidjah1 or ,prostration ,setting out for the ,jihad1 or ,holy ,war ,al ,fitr1 the ,prayer on the breaking of the ,ramadhan fast ,,chapter ,,the ,,seventh4--,ornamental page ,an ,arab horseman of the ,desert ,among all trees1 one is blessed like the ,mussulman2 'tis the ,palm1 said the ,prophet ,bird's-eye view of ,makkah1 the ,most ,sacred ,city1 as seen from the ,jabal ,abi-,qubais ,,chapter ,,the ,,eighth4--,ornamental page ,ad ,dawah1 or the ,invocation ,the ,pilgrims of ,mount ,arafa1 on the ,ninth day of the ,month of ,zu'l ,hijjah ,,chapter ,,the ,,ninth4--,ornamental page ,al-,madinah1 the city of the ,prophet4 ,the ,dome of ,mohammad's ,tomb ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,prophet4--,imam leading the ,prayer ,,chapter ,,the ,,tenth4--,ornamental page ,a writing lesson at a village school devoted to the teaching of the ,qur'an ,theological ,students in the courtyard of ,al-,azhar1 the great ,cairo ,moslem ,university ,tombs of the ,kaliphs4 ,under their rule1 ,moslem civilisation enlightened the world ,a traditional old scribe of the ,desert ,final ornamental page ,,index ,,preface ,,chapter ,,the ,,first4--,the ,moslem ,prayer4--,description of ,makkah4 --,the ,temple of the ,ka'bah and the ,black ,stone4--,the ,marriage of ,abdullah1 ,father of the ,prophet4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,second4--,the ,birth of ,mohammad4--,mohammad's ,childhood with the ,banu ,sad ,tribe in their ,badya-,land4--,mohammad and the two ,angels4--,aminah's ,death4--,mohammad's first ,journey to ,syria4--,how ,mohammad met the ,monk ,bahira4--,the second ,syrian voyage4--,the ,marriage of ,mohammad and ,khadijah4--,how the ,temple of the ,ka'bah was rebuilt4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,third4--,desert ,retirement4--,the ,revelation4--,the ,first ,moslems4--,the ,announcement of the ,hour4--,the ,first ,hostilities4--,the ,incident of the ,blind ,man4--,how ,hamzah was converted4--,utbah's proposals4--,the ,miracle of the ,qur'an4--,how it was forbidden to listen to the ,qur'an4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fourth4--,persecution4--,the ,emigration to ,abyssinia4--,the ,conversion of ,umar1 son of ,al ,khattab4--,the ,exile of the ,banu ,hasham4--,the ,decree of ,expulsion destroyed by a ,worm4--,the ,death of ,abu ,talib and ,khadijah4--,the ,journey to ,taif4--,the ,nocturnal ,journey and ,ascension4--,how six ,inhabitants of ,yasrib were converted4--,the two ,oaths of the ,aqabah4--,the ,plot against the ,prophet4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,fifth4--,the ,hegira1 or the ,migration of the ,prophet to ,al-,madinah4--,suraqa's ,mishap4--,the ,prophet's ,arrival at ,quba4 --,the ,era of the ,hegira4--,arrival of the ,prophet at ,yasrib4 --,how the ,mosque of ,al-,madinah was built4--,the ,qiblah of ,makkah4 --,institution of the ,azan1 or ,call of the ,mu'azzin4--,the ,fast of ,ramadhan4--,property bestowed in ,alms1 and the prohibition of fermented liquors4--,ayishah in the ,house of the ,prophet4 --,hostility of the ,jews and the ,munafiqun4--,al-,jihad 7the ,holy ,war71 and how it was instituted4--,the ,gazwah of ,badr4--,the ,sojourn at ,badr and the ,return to ,al-,madinah4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,sixth4--,ali's ,marriage4--,the ,prophet's ,marriage with ,hafsah and ,ummu'l ,masakin4--,the ,battle of ,uhud4--,the ,marriage of ,mohammad and ,zainab4--,the ,ghazwah1 or ,expedition of ,zat-ir-,riqua4--,the ,ghazwah1 or ,expedition of the ,banu ,mustaliq4--,the ,tayammum1 or the ,ceremony of ,ablution performed with ,sand4--,the ,battle of the ,ditch4--,the ,treaty of ,al-,hudaibiyah4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,seventh4--,expedition against the ,qaynuqa ,jews4 --,expedition against the ,jews of the ,banu ,nadir4--,expedition against the ,jews of the ,banu ,quraizah4--,expedition against the ,jews of ,khaibar4--,importance of ,horse-breeding according to the ,prophet4--,the ,poisoned ,lamb4--,amratu'l-,qada1 or the ,pious ,visitation4--,the ,prophet sends ,ambassadors to the ,principal ,monarchs of the ,world4--,the ,expedition of ,mutah4--,the ,taking of ,makkah4--,entry of the ,prophet into ,makkah4--,the ,prophet at ,safa4--,ghazwah1 or ,expedition of ,hunain4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,eighth4--,ayishah slandered4--,the ,birth and ,death of ,ibrahim4--,ghazwah1 or expedition of ,tabuk4--,the ,thamud ,country4 --,arrival and ,sojourn of the ,prophet at ,tabuk4 ,the ,prophet goes back to ,al-,madinah4--,the ,valedictory ,pilgrimage4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,ninth4--- ,illness and ,death of the ,prophet4--,abu-,bakr elected4--,the ,prophet's ,burial4 ,,the ,,prophets ,,portrait4 ,,chapter ,,the ,,tenth4--,the ,march of ,islam4--,influence of ,moslem ,civilisation in ,europe during the ,middle ,ages and the ,renaissance4 --,the ,future of ,islam4--,conclusion4 ,,map ,,of ,,the ,,hijaz ,,and ,,the ,,road ,,to ,,syria4 ,,bibliography4 ,,index ,,of ,,the ,,arabic ,,calligraphy4 ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,this ,,book ,,was ,,issued ,,from ,,the ,,press ,,on ,,the ,,thirtieth ,,of ,,august #aiah ,,for ,,the ,,paris ,,book ,,club 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,the original text does not include in-line translations of the calligraphy that opens and closes each chapter4 ,here1 translations have been added to calligraphy as captions and also appear in the original ,translation of ,arabic ,calligraphy index4 ',opening3' and ',closing3' tags have been added to that list4 ,there appear to be some discrepancies in the ,year of the ,hegira1 particularly in the sidenotes4 ,year of the ,hegira#fbb1 ,year ,i#fbc1 ,year ,,ii#fbd1 etc4 ,inconsistencies in spelling of ,arabic names3 ,variations in use of vowels1 word endings1 transliteration and internal punctuation have been left as printed4 ,examples3 ,husain v4 ,husayn1 ,habiba v4 ,habibah1 ,al ,bagi v4 ,al ,baqi1 ,muazzin v4 ,mu'azzin4 ,variations that could be validated as typographical errors have been corrected4 ,examples3 ,zeinah to ,zeinab1 ,zamzan to ,zamzam1 ,al-,rahmah to ,al-,rahman4 ,obvious typographical errors in ,english and ,french have been repaired4