No More Learning

At length the majority of the converts, finding their
position intolerable, fled for refuge to Abyssinia, with the full consent,
if not at the express command, of the Prophet. He himself remained
at Mecca with a mere handful of followers. >C
When it became known that the emigrants had been kindly received
by the Christian king of Abyssinia, considerable alarm prevailed among
the chiefs of the Kuraish, lest the Abyssinians, whose devastating
invasions were still vividly remembered, should be tempted to intervene
on behalf of the persecuted Muslims. Accordingly a deputation was
sent from Mecca for the purpose of persuading the king to hand
over the fugitives as prisoners; the king, however, refused, whereupon
the indignation of Mahomet's enemies was still further excited. The
Prophet, reduced to extremities, fell into the error of attempting to
overcome opposition by means of a compromise. He went so far as to
publish a revelation in which the three principal goddesses of Mecca
were recognised as "highly exalted beings whose intercession may be
hoped for1. " For a while the polytheists appeared to be satisfied, and a
report that the persecution was at an end caused some of the emigrants
to come back from Abyssinia. In the meanwhile the Prophet repented
of the concession he had made, and declared that the verse in question
had been put into his mouth by Satan. The feud thereupon broke out
afresh. To the heathen Meccans Mahomet's conduct on this occasion
naturally seemed to convict him of imposture; since, however, he had
long been accustomed to regard all his impulses as due to some
1 The word ghardnik, here rendered "exalted," is of doubtful meaning: an
early Muslim poet uses it as an epithet of chieftains or warriors (Kitdb-al-Aghdnl,
vii. 75. 27 = viii. 192. 3).


## p. 311 (#343) ############################################

Mahomet reduced to straits 311
supernatural cause, it is by no means certain that he did not sincerely
believe himself to be acting by divine command both when he made the
concession and when he withdrew it1.
It was probably about this time that an important conversion took
place, that of Omar ('Umar) ibn al-Khattab, a young man of no high
social position but endowed with extraordinary ability and perseverance.
He had at first been vehemently opposed to the new religion, so that his
sudden conversion, of which there are several conflicting accounts, attracted
all the more notice and doubtless inspired the Muslims with fresh courage.
It is said that he set the example of praying publicly, in the neighbour-
hood of the Ka'ba; at all events from this time onwards the movement
assumed a more open character. The chiefs of the Kuraish finally
determined to adopt the only method of coercion known to them, short
of positive violence; they offered to Mahomet's kinsmen, the Banu
Hashim, the choice of declaring him an outlaw or of being themselves
excluded from intercourse with the other Meccan clans. Most of the
Banu Hashim were still unbelievers, but such was the sanctity attached
to ties of blood that they all, with one or two exceptions, preferred to
incur the penalty of social excommunication rather than deliver over
Mahomet to his enemies. How long this breach lasted and by what
means it was healed is uncertain; probably the manifold inconveniences
which it caused to all parties soon brought about a change of public
opinion*.
Very soon after intercourse had been re-established between the
Banu Hashim and their fellow-townsmen, two serious calamities befell
Mahomet, the death of his wife Khadlja and that of his protector
Abu Talib. There can be little doubt that this double bereavement
rendered the Prophet's position at Mecca more precarious; henceforth
he began to consider the possibility of finding a home elsewhere. His
first attempt was made at a neighbouring town, called Ta'if, but he
met with so unfavourable a reception that he speedily returned to Mecca,
where he succeeded in obtaining a promise of protection from an
influential heathen, Mut'im ibn 'AdI. For two or three years the
Prophet remained in his native city, making, it would seem, scarcely
any effort to gain fresh converts among the resident population. His
attention was turned chiefly to the pilgrims who visited Mecca or the
immediate neighbourhood on the occasion of the yearly festivals. To
these motley crowds he used to preach his doctrines, generally encountering
* That many Muslim authorities consider this story fabulous is only what we
might have expected. But it is amazing that it should be rejected by so impartial
a historian as Caetani.
• It must be admitted that the story of the excommunication of the Banu
Hashim, as related by the principal authorities, presents some very suspicious
features; but to conclude, with Caetani, that the whole episode is fictitious would
involve still greater difficulties.


## p. 312 (#344) ############################################

312 The Converts from Medina [eis-620
indifference or ridicule. There were, however, some exceptions. In
a. d. 620 he fell in with some pilgrims from Yathrib and, finding them
well-disposed, entered into a series of negotiations which finally brought
about a complete change not only in his own fortunes but in the history
of the world.
Yathrib, known in subsequent times as Medina1, was a scattered
group of villages rather than a city, situated in a fertile plain about
200 miles to the north of Mecca. Unlike the Meccans, who subsisted
by commerce, the people of Medina had, from time immemorial, devoted
themselves to agriculture, in particular to the cultivation of the date-
palm. Long before the birth of Mahomet, Jewish colonists established
themselves at Medina and propagated their religion with such success that
by the beginning of the sixth century most of the inhabitants professed
Judaism and were regaided as Jews, though they must have been mainly of
Arab descent. These Judaised Arabs were divided into several clans, each
occupying its own territory. In civilisation, especially in mechanical
arts such as metal-working, they were greatly superior to their heathen
neighbours, and for a while they dominated the whole district. But in
the course of the sixth century, owing to circumstances with which we
are imperfectly acquainted, the power of the Jews declined. Much
of their territory passed into the hands of two heathen tribes (the
A us and the Khazraj), who in the time of Mahomet formed the bulk
of the population. Between these tribes there raged a long and
bitter feud. About the year 616 the Aus, with, the help of the Jews,
inflicted a severe defeat upon the Khazraj; this battle is known in
Arabian tradition as the Day of Bu'ath. But the Khazraj, though
humbled, were by no means crushed, and during the next few years
every one went about in fear of his life. To the more intelligent of the
people of Medina the situation must have seemed intolerable; peace was
urgently required, yet no authority capable of restoring peace appeared
to exist.
Such was the state of affairs when certain influential citizens of
Medina became acquainted with Mahomet. Some of them, who through
intercourse with Jews had already imbibed monotheistic ideas, were
doubtless attracted by his religious teaching; others perhaps, who
were indifferent to religion, felt that a stranger claiming to speak with
divine authority might be able to effect what they themselves had
attempted in vain. In any case, a period of about two years elapsed
between their first interview with the Prophet and their final decision to
offer him a home in their midst. Meanwhile he had sent to Medina one
of his Meccan disciples, Mus'ab ibn 'Umair, to act as his representative
and keep him informed of all that passed.
1 In Arabic, ul-Mmfma, "thecity," which is an abbreviation of Madtnat-an-Nabi,
"the city of the Prophet. "


## p. 313 (#345) ############################################

622] The Emigration 313
In the year 622, on the occasion of the annual pilgrimage, about
seventy of the converts from Medina arranged to hold a meeting with
Mahomet at midnight a few miles from Mecca. The Prophet went
thither in the company of his uncle 'Abbas, who was still an unbeliever1,
but from the heathen public in general the matter was carefully concealed.
Mahomet demanded of the Medinese a solemn promise that if he betook
himself to their country they would protect him from attack as they would
protect their own families. This they all swore to do. As soon as he had
secured a place of refuge, the Prophet ordered his Meccan disciples to
emigrate to Medina. Attempts were made by the chiefs of the Kuraish
to prevent the departure of the Muslims, but nearly all succeeded in
escaping and reached Medina a few weeks later in small parties. The
Prophet himself, with Abu Bakr and Ali, remained behind for a short
time, apparently awaiting news as to the manner in which the Emigrants
had been received. It is related, on somewhat doubtful authority, that
his departure was hastened by a plot to assassinate him in his bed. In
any case he left Mecca secretly, accompanied by Abu Bakr, in the
summer or early autumn of 622. For a few days they remained hidden
in a cave* near Mecca, and then proceeded, as rapidly as possible, to
Medina. Thus was accomplished the great event known as the Emigra-
tion Qiijra, distorted by Europeans into Iiegira), which forms the
starting-point of the Muslim era'.
On his arrival at Medina the Prophet was welcomed with enthusiasm
by a large proportion of the natives; but he did not at once claim the
position of a ruler. Those who acknowledged his divine mission could
merely promise personal obedience. The people as a whole had not
submitted to his authority; they were only his "Helpers" (Anfdr),
pledged to defend him, for, according to Arabian notions, a guarantee
of protection given by one member of a clan binds all the rest. It was
by the gradual extension of his personal influence, not in virtue of any
formal agreement, that he succeeded in making himself master of the
place. The Meccan "Emigrants" (Muhajirvn) were, of course, entirely
1 The presence of al-'AbbSs at this meeting seems at first difficult to explain,
since Mahomet was nominally under the protection of Mut'im ibn 'Adf. Pro-
bably the Medinese were afraid that they might afterwards be accused of having
carried off Mahomet by force, and therefore required that some member of his
family should be present to testify that the Prophet's departure was voluntary.
J Koran ix. 40.
3 The Muslim era dates not from the precise moment of the Prophet's
emigration but from the beginning of the Arabian year in which the Emigration
took place, that is to say, from, a point about 6 weeks earlier. Unfortunately, in
consequence of the careless manner in which the heathen Arabs kept their calendar,
it is not certain when the beginning of this year should be placed. According to
the ordinary view, the year began on 16 July a. d. 622, and Mahomet arrived at
Medina in the latter half of September; hut Wellhausen makes the year begin in
April.
CH. X.


## p. 314 (#346) ############################################

314 Mahomet's Position at Medina
devoted to him from the first, and formed, so to speak, his body-guard.
Many of the Medinese, especially those of the younger generation, were
no less zealous in his cause; their principal duty, during the first few-
months after the Emigration, consisted in housing and feeding the
Emigrants. But not a few, even of those who called themselves Muslims,
were either hostile or indifferent; the Koran frequently refers to them
as the " Hypocrites" (Munqfikiin, a term borrowed from the Aethiopic).
The most celebrated of these was a certain 'Abdallah ibn Ubayy, a chief
of the Khazraj, who before the arrival of Mahomet had played a very
prominent part. The opposition of such persons is to be ascribed
mainly to personal jealousy or other worldly motives. More consistent,
and hence more formidable, was the enmity of the Jews. It is clear
that at first Mahomet confidently reckoned on their support, but he
soon discovered his mistake1. With rare exceptions they absolutely
refused to acknowledge him as a prophet, and thus forced him to
become their adversary. Henceforth the antagonism between Islam
and Judaism began to shew itself even in externals. This was seen
most clearly when, in the second year after the Emigration, Mahomet
ordered his disciples to pray towards Mecca instead of praying towards
Jerusalem.
The historian Ibn Ishak has preserved for us the text of an important
document which seems to have been drawn up, under the Prophet's
direction, at about this time. It may be described as an attempt to
settle, at least provisionally, the relations between the various classes
into which the people of Medina were divided'. All the inhabitants,
believers and unbelievers alike, are declared to be a single community
(umma); the clans remain distinct for certain purposes but are debarred
from making war on one another. Should any dispute arise, the matter
is to be brought before " God and Mahomet. 11 All are bound to unite
for the defence of Medina in case it should be attacked. No one is to
conclude an agreement with the Kuraish {i. e. the heathen Meccans) or
with any ally of the Kuraish.
The establishing of public security at Medina was necessarily the first
object which the Prophet had in view; but in addition to this he found
himself compelled to supply his own followers with the rudiments of a
legal code. At Mecca his teaching had been almost entirely confined to
the sphere of faith and personal morality; of external regulations lie
had seldom had occasion to speak. But as soon as Islam became the
1 Muslim authorities are unanimous in asserting that at this time both the
Jews and the Christians were expecting a prophet to appear in Arabia and that
precise descriptions of the coming prophet were contained in the Jewish and
Christian Scriptures. How this belief first arose among Muslims is not clear, but
converts from Judaism and Christianity doubtless did their best to encourage it.
2 See Wellhausen, "Muhammads Gemeindeordnung von Medina," in Skizzen
und Vorarbeiten, iv. pp. 67-83.


## p. 315 (#347) ############################################

Legislation of the Koran 315
religion of a political society, the need of positive enactments made
itself felt. Hence those parts of the Koran which were produced after
the Emigration—amounting to rather more than one-third of the whole
book—consist largely of prescriptions as to the details of practice both
in religious and secular matters. Systematic legislation was, of course,
a thing of which Mahomet could form no idea; he provided for each
case as it occurred, not striving after theoretical consistency but freely
modifying previous commands in order to suit altered circumstances.
That all these contradictory directions were given out as the word of
God caused scarcely any embarrassment at the time, for it was assumed
that the Deity, like any other despot, may revoke His orders whenever
He chooses; but it is needless to say that later generations, who had no
trustworthy information as to the dates of the various passages, some-
times found it hard to decide which commands were revoked and which
were still in force1. In a few cases we are informed by early Muslim
authorities that passages of the Koran were not only "revoked" but
actually suppressed.
The institutions which assumed a definite form during the years
subsequent to the Emigration may be classed under the following
heads:—(1) Religious ceremonial, (2) Fiscal and military regulations,
(3) Civil and criminal laws.
To the first class belong the five obligatory daily prayers, the public
service held every Friday, the duty of fasting from sunrise to sunset
during the month of Ramadan, and the annual Pilgrimage (of which
more will be said later). To these may be added the rules of ceremonial
purity, the distinctions between lawful and unlawful food (which were
largely borrowed from Judaism) and the prohibition of wine-drinking.
The rite of circumcision—performed on boys, not, as among the Jews,
on infants—prevailed everywhere in heathen Arabia and was retained by
the followers of Mahomet; but it is never mentioned in the Koran and
does not properly form part of the religion of Islam.
The second class includes the payment of "alms," that is, a kind of
income-tax levied on all Muslims, originally for the relief of the poor
but in later times for the maintenance of the State. Moreover all
Muslims capable of bearing arms might, under certain circumstances, be
required to serve as soldiers.
The civil and criminal laws laid down in the Koran are partly based
on old Arabian usages and are partly of foreign origin. Slavery and
polygamy having existed in Arabia from time immemorial, we may
assume, as a matter of course, that Mahomet never thought of abolishing
either the one or the other, but he introduced certain restrictions
whereby the condition both of slaves and of women was somewhat
1 Treatises on the "revoking" and the "revoked" passages of the Koran
(fi-n-ndtikh wa-l^matuakh) have been produced by many Muslim theologians.


## p. 316 (#348) ############################################

316 Mahomet's Domestic Life [623
improved1. In particular, he condemned the practice of "inheriting
women against their will*," that is, of treating widows as chattels to be
appropriated by the dead man's heir. He also made every effort to
secure the rights of orphans and in general to protect the weak against
the strong. The ancient rule of blood-revenge he recognised in principle,
but confined it within narrow limits. A startling innovation, from the
point of view of the Arabs, was the punishment of fornication by
scourging*. It may be mentioned that, according to tradition, the
Koran once contained a passage which ordered that fornicators should
be put to death by stoning; and Omar, when he was Caliph, is said to
have maintained that this law was still in force.
In describing the Prophet's sojourn at Medina, it is necessary to say
something of his domestic history, to which several passages of the Koran
explicitly refer. Before he left Mecca, he had already taken to himself
a second wife, named Sauda, and during the years which followed the
number of his wives steadily increased. The most celebrated of them
was 'A'isha (daughter of Abu Bakr), whose marriage to Mahomet took
place a few months after his arrival at Medina; she was then only about
nine years old, but in spite of her tender age she rapidly acquired great
influence. When, some five years later, she was accused of misconduct,
a passage of the Koran was specially revealed for the purpose of clearing
her character. The ascendency which she gained during the Prophet's
lifetime continued long after his death and enabled her to play a
prominent but by no means an honourable part in the politics of
that period. In the books of Muslim tradition 'A'isha is one of the
authorities most frequently cited.
For more than a year after the Emigration Mahomet and his
Meccan disciples were in a condition of great economic distress. The
attempts which they made to relieve their necessities by means of pillage
did not at first prove successful. In these earliest raids the natives of
Medina took no part, for the general principle that it is the duty of
Muslims to engage in aggressive warfare against unbelievers had not yet
been announced. Moreover it is to be noticed that Mahomet did not
at once venture to shock the feelings of his countrymen by violating the
sanctity of the four sacred months during which, according to ancient
custom, no raids were permitted. At length, towards the end of the
year 623, he sanctioned an attack, in the sacred month of Rajab, upon a
caravan belonging to the Kuraish, at Nakhla near Mecca. The caravan
was taken by surprise and the raiders came back with a considerable
amount of booty to Medina. But so strongly was this expedition
1 It has often been asserted that Mahomet forbade his followers to have more
than four wives at the same time, but the passage of the Koran (chap. iv. 3) which
is cited in support of the statement does not necessarily imply any such prohibition
8 Koran iv. 23.
3 Koran xxiv. 2.


## p. 317 (#349) ############################################

624] Battle of Badr 317
condemned by public opinion that the Prophet found it necessary to
give out that his orders had been misunderstood. -<^Y"
Two months later his followers achieved their first great victory. A
large caravan, laden with rich merchandise, was returning from Syria to
Mecca under the leadership of Abu Sufyan, the chief of the Banu
Umayya, one of the proudest families among the Kuraish. Mahomet
determined to waylay it at Badr, a place south-west of Medina, a few
miles from the Red Sea coast, and himself set out thither with rather
more than 300 armed men, of whom about 80 were Emigrants and the
rest Medinese. Abu Sufyan, however, received news of the intended
attack, changed his route and despatched a messenger to Mecca asking
for help. The Kuraish hastily fitted out an expedition consisting of
about 900 men, among whom were most of the Meccan aristocracy.
While they were on their way northward they learnt that the caravan
had succeeded in reaching a point where it was out of danger; some of
them therefore returned to Mecca, but the great majority, confident in
their superior numbers and equipment, determined to advance, rather, it
would seem, with the intention of overawing than of crushing their
adversary. The two armies reached Badr almost at the same moment.
Mahomet, ignorant of what had happened, was still expecting the
caravan; on discovering his mistake he probably saw that a retreat
would be extremely perilous, if not impossible, and accordingly resolved
to fight1. The Meccans, on this occasion, displayed an extraordinary
slackness and absence of forethought. They allowed Mahomet to take
possession of a well situated in their immediate neighbourhood and
thereby to deprive them of their water-supply. Next morning, when
they approached the well they found the bulk of Mahomet's army
drawn up around it. But even then no general attack was made. One
by one, or in small groups, a number of Meccan chieftains came forward
and were killed in hand-to-hand combat by champions of the opposite
side. Among the slain was one of the most formidable of the Prophet's
enemies, Abu-1-Hakam, son of Hisham, usually known by the nickname
Abu Jahl. Mahomet himself did not take part in the fighting but
remained in a small hut which had been erected for him, praying with
passionate fervour and trembling violently. At length, about noon, the
Meccans, realising that nothing was to be gained by further bloodshed,
began to retire. Being much better mounted than their opponents,
they were able to escape with a loss of only 70 slain and 70 captured.
Of the Muslims 14 had fallen.
Insignificant as this battle may appear from a military point of view,
1 According to the ordinary story, the news of the approach of the army from
Mecca had reached Mahomet before he arrived at Badr, but this is expressly
denied by our oldest authority (Tabarl, I. 1286. 2 ff. ). See F. Buhl, "Ein
paar Beitrage zur Kritik der Geschichte Muhammeds" in Orumtalische Studien, i.
pp. 7-22.


## p. 318 (#350) ############################################

318 Battle of Uhud [_m
the importance of its results can scarcely be exaggerated. Hitherto the
enemies of the Prophet had continually taunted him with his inability
to perform miracles; now at length it seemed as if a miracle had been
wrought. The victory gained at Badr over a greatly superior force is
ascribed in the Koran to the intervention of angels, an explanation
which, it is needless to say, was unhesitatingly accepted by all Muslims'.
On his return to Medina, Mahomet ventured on a series of high-handed
measures which struck terror into all his opponents. Several persons
who had offended him were assassinated by his order. At the same time
the Banu Kainuka', one of the Jewish clans resident at Medina, were
banished from the place; their houses and valuables became the property
of the Muslims.
Meanwhile the Meccans, irritated by their defeat and fearing for the
safety of their caravans, on which they were dependent for the means of
subsistence, had determined to make an attack in force. Early in the
year 625 an army of about 3000 men, commanded by Abu Sufyan,
marched from Mecca and encamped near a hill called Uhud, a few miles
to the north of Medina. A considerable proportion of the Medinese, in
particular 'Abdallah ibn Ubayy, wished to remain on the defensive; but
Mahomet, with less than his usual prudence, rejected their advice.
Although the force at his disposal scarcely numbered 1000 men, he
resolved to make a sortie and assail the Meccans in the rear. At first
this bold plan appeared likely to prove successful. He was able to take
up a strong position on the slopes of Uhud, whence the Muslims charged
the enemy and drove them back with some loss. But the Meccan
horsemen, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, succeeded in outflanking the
Muslims, who were at once thrown into confusion. Some fled to
Medina, while others fought their way back to the hill. Among these
latter was Mahomet himself, who for a while remained hidden in a
ravine. Meanwhile a rumour that he was slain had spread in the ranks
of the Meccans, and for this reason, it would appear, they did not take
advantage of their victory. Supposing that they had sufficiently avenged
the blood shed at Badr, they made no attempt to attack Medina but
prepared to march homewards. Of the Muslims only about 70 men
were left dead on the battle-field; one of these was Hamza, the Prophet's
uncle, a valiant warrior, it is true, but not by any means a model of
piety. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan and mother of the Caliph
Mu'awiya, had, together with a number of other women, accompanied
the Meccan army; remembering that Hamza had slain some of her
nearest relatives at Badr, she took vengeance on his corpse by tearing
his liver with her teeth. Such barbarity was quite unusual among the
1 The historians, citing the testimony of eye-witnesses, supply us with re-
markably precise information about the angels who fought at Badr; thus, for
instance, they wore white turbans, with the exception of Gabriel, who had a yellow
one (Ibn Hisham, p. 450).


## p. 319 (#351) ############################################

625-627] Punishment of the Banu-n-Nadir 319
Arabs of that period, and it is therefore not to be wondered at that the
act of Hind was long afterwards a topic on which the enemies of her
posterity loved to dwell.
When the Meccans began to retreat, Mahomet, realising that Medina
was no longer in danger, endeavoured to efface the shame of his defeat
by a great show of activity. Although he had himself received some
slight wounds he marched a few miles in the track of his victorious foes,
obvious y not with the intention of attacking them but in order to
reassure his own followers. This plan attained its object, and there is
no reason to suppose that after the battle his influence at Medina was
in any way diminished. t^
A few months later he made a second attack upon the Jews.
The
Banu-n-Nadlr, a Jewish clan who owned some of the most valuable
palm-gardens in the neighbourhood of Medina, were suspected, rightly
or wrongly, of plotting to murder him. He accordingly declared war
against them, and after a siege which lasted about three weeks forced
them to emigrate to Khaibar, an oasis inhabited chiefly by Jews, about
100 miles north of Medina. The lands of the Banu-n-Nadir were partly
appropriated by Mahomet and partly divided among the Emigrants, who
thus ceased to depend on the charity of the Helpers.
That Mahomet's conduct should have, been bitterly resented by
the Jewish population of Arabia is quite natural; but on this, as on
other occasions, the Jews shewed themselves wholly incapable of com-
bining in order to resist him by force. The utmost that they attempted
was to stimulate the enmity of the heathen Meccans and of the
neighbouring nomadic tribes. By this time the chiefs of the Kuraish
had perceived the fruitlessness of their victory at Uhud and they there-
fore listened readily to the Jewish emissaries who urged them to make
another and a more serious effort. Accordingly, in the year 627, an
alliance against Mahomet was formed between the Kuraish and a
number of Bedouin tribes, of whom the most important were the Fazara,
the Sulaim and the Asad. The combined forces of the Kuraish and
their allies proceeded to march towards Medina. They are said to have
numbered 10,000 men, which is perhaps an exaggerated estimate, but in
any case it is certain that they formed an army much larger than that
which had fought at Uhud two years earlier. Meanwhile the Khuza'a,
a tribe who dwelt in the immediate neighbourhood of Mecca, had
sent to Mahomet full information a£ to the impending attack; their
conduct was probably due much more to jealousy of the Kuraish than
to any special sympathy with Islam. By the time the assailants reached
Medina the town was well prepared to stand a siege. In most places
nothing more was necessary than to erect a few barricades between the
houses; but on one side there was a large open space, across which
Mahomet caused a trench to be dug. This device, which appears to
us so obvious, struck the Arabs with astonishment; by Mahomet's
CH. X.


## p. 320 (#352) ############################################

320 Siege of Medina [627
enemies it was denounced as a dishonourable stratagem. Hence this
siege is usually called "the Campaign of the Trench. '1 The idea, we
are told, was suggested to the Prophet by an emancipated slave of un-
known origin, who is celebrated in Muslim tradition under the name of
Salman the Persian; at all events the word applied to the trench
(khandak) is derived from the Persian language. In digging the trench
Mahomet himself took an active part. The implements required for
the purpose were mostly supplied by the Kuraiza, the only Jewish clan
who still remained at Medina. It is difficult to believe that the Kuraiza
regarded Mahomet with friendly feelings, but it would appear that,
in spite of the manner in which he had treated their co-religionists, they
still considered themselves as bound by their agreement with him;
moreover they probably realised that if Medina were taken by storm
the hordes of Bedouins would plunder all parties indiscriminately.
During the siege the vigilance and discipline of the Muslims contrasted
strangely with the disorder which prevailed on the opposite side. The
besiegers, in spite of their vastly superior numbers, seem never to have
contemplated a real assault. Small troops of cavalry now and then
endeavoured to cross the trench but were easily repulsed by a shower of
arrows and stones; on the one occasion when some of them succeeded
in forcing an entrance they soon found it necessary to retreat. In
explanation of these facts it must be remembered that an extreme
dread of attacking fortifications, however rudely constructed, has been
characteristic of the Arabs, and in particular of the Bedouins, down to
the present day.
Though the loss of life on either side was quite insignificant, both
the besiegers and the besieged were soon reduced to great straits. The
cold and stormy weather severely tried the defenders of the trench, while
the Bedouins without suffered greatly from lack of provisions. Accord-
ingly both parties strove hard to bring the siege to an end by means of
negotiation. Mahomet's principal object was to detach the Bedouins
from their alliance with the Kuraish; the besiegers, on the other hand,
sent secret messages to the Kuraiza urging them to violate their agree-
ment with Mahomet. The chief of this Jewish clan, Ka'b ibn Asad,
at first indignantly refused to listen to these suggestions, but finally he
yielded, and the Kuraiza forthwith assumed so menacing an attitude
that the Muslims became seriously alarmed. The Jews, however, did
not venture to make an attack; they remained, as usual, shut up in
their fortresses, until the Kuraish and their allies, weary of waiting,
suddenly raised the siege, which had lasted only a fortnight, and
returned to their homes. Thus ended the last attempt, on the part of
the Meccan aristocracy, to crush the new religion.
As soon as the besiegers had departed the vengeance of Mahomet
naturally fell on the Kuraiza. He did not content himself with pillaging
them but, having compelled them to surrender after a brief siege,


## p. 321 (#353) ############################################

628] Eacpanshon of Islam 321
offered them the choice of conversion to Islam or death. The heroism
which they displayed on this occasion seems hard to reconcile with
their former timidity; rather than commit apostasy they preferred to
be slain one by one in the market-place of the town. The number of
these martyrs amounted to over six hundred; the women and children
were sold as slaves.
Henceforth the population of Medina was, at least in name, almost
exclusively Muslim; the "Hypocrites" who remained were a small
minority, and though they sometimes angered the Prophet by their
murmurs and intrigues he had no reason to fear them. Accordingly
his policy, which he had at first represented as one of self-defence, now
became avowedly aggressive. Medina was no longer the refuge of a
persecuted sect—it was the seat of a religious despotism which in a few
years subjugated the whole of Arabia. To ordinary Europeans this
development of Islam naturally appears as a mere misuse of religion
for purposes of political aggrandisement; it is, however, necessary to
remember, in judging of Mahomet's conduct, that the communities
which he attacked were not organised States but societies which recog-
nised no permanent bond save that of blood. With the exception of
the Kuraish, who inhabited a sacred territory, almost every Arabian
tribe was engaged in perpetual feuds with its neighbours. In founding
a community united solely by religion Mahomet necessarily placed
himself in a position of antagonism to the tribal system, which required
every man to take the part of his fellow-tribesmen against the members
of all other tribes. But Mahomet was very far from being a cosmo-
polite of the modern type. Though his doctrines logically involved the
equality of all races, it probably never occurred to him that it was his
duty to ignore national and tribal distinctions. The authority of the
tribal chiefs was not to be overthrown but it was to be subordinated to
a higher authority, which could be none other than that of the Prophet
himself. Moreover Mahomet's belief in the peculiar sanctity of Mecca
rather increased than diminished during his long exile. Until the House
of God had been purged of idols the main object of the Prophet's
mission was still unattained. To win over Mecca to the true faith
seemed therefore a matter of supreme importance.
The first expedition made for this purpose took place in the year 628.
Shortly before the time of the annual Pilgrimage Mahomet marched
towards Mecca accompanied by several hundreds of his disciples and
taking with him a large number of camels which were marked with
badges, according to ancient Arabian custom, to denote that they were
victims intended for sacrifice. If his aim was to force his way into the
city, he carefully concealed the design, giving out that he and his
followers were coming simply as pilgrims, to do honour to the Meccan
sanctuary. He hoped to convince the Kuraish that Islam would not in
any way interfere with the privileges which they had hitherto enjoyed,
C MED. B. VOL. II. CH. X. 21


## p. 322 (#354) ############################################

322 Treaty of Hudaibiya [628
and he persuaded himself that they might thereby be induced to
recognise his claims. But the memory of the blood shed at his command
and especially of the occasion on which he had violated the truce of the
sacred months was vividly present to the minds of the Meccans, and
they determined on no account to admit him. When he reached
Hudaibiya, a place within a few hours' march of Mecca, he found his
way blocked by an armed force consisting partly of Meccans and partly
of their Bedouin allies. A series of negotiations ensued, in the course
of which Othman (properly iUthman) ibn 'Aflan went as Mahomet's
agent to Mecca; the selection of this man was doubtless due to his being a
relative of Abu Sufyan and other influential citizens. During Othman's
absence a rumour that he had been murdered spread through the camp
of the Muslims, whereupon Mahomet, fearing, or pretending to fear,
an attack on the part of the $uraish, assembled his followers under a
tree and required from each of them a promise that he would on no
account flee, if a conflict took place. To this scene the Koran alludes1
as one specially pleasing to God; hence in Muslim tradition it is
called "the Homage of good pleasure. '1 Almost immediately afterwards
Othman returned to Hudaibiya, bringing, it would seem, proofs that
his mission to Mecca had not been fruitless. The negotiations were
accordingly resumed in the Prophet's camp, whither the Kuraish sent a
certain Suhail ibn 'Amr as their representative. After prolonged dis-
cussion a compromise was agreed upon, whereby Mahomet consented
to withdraw for that year, while the Kuraish, on their part, promised
that the year following he and his disciples should be allowed to
enter Mecca, without weapons, and remain there for three days.
Furthermore both parties were to refrain from hostilities for ten years;
during that time no member of the Kurftisb who was still a minor
might join the Muslim community without the permission of his
parents or guardians, whereas the sons of Muslims might freely go
over to the Kuraish.
The terms of this treaty appeared at first so unfavourable to Islam
that the more zealous followers of the Prophet, in particular Omar,
vehemently protested. Mahomet, however, perceived that the con-
ditions, humiliating as they might seem, would in the end turn to his
advantage, and he accordingly adhered to them in spite of the opposition
of his too eager disciples. Never was his influence put to so severe a
test and never did he achieve a more signal triumph. From the moment
when the treaty of Hudaibiya was concluded the number of conversions
to Islam became larger than ever.
According to the ordinary Muslim tradition, the Prophet about
this time took a step which shewed that he contemplated the con-
version not only of Arabia but of the world—he despatched messengers
to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, to the Persian king and to
1 Chap, xlviii. 18.


## p. 323 (#355) ############################################

«29] Battle of Mtita 323
various other foreign potentates, summoning them to recognise his
divine mission. But the evidence for this story is by no means satis-
factory, and the details present so many suspicious features that it may
be doubted whether the narrative rests on any real basis.
Soon after his return to Medina, Mahomet set out on an expedition
against Khaibar, where^the banished Banu-n-Nadlr had taken refuge.
The Jews, as usual, shrank from a conflict in the open plain and shut
themselves up in their fortresses, which fell one by one into the hands of
the Muslims. The vanquished were compelled to surrender all their
wealth, which was very considerable, but they were permitted to remain
at Khaibar as cultivators of the soil, on condition that half of the
produce should be annually made over to the Muslim authorities. This
is the first instance of an arrangement which was afterwards adopted in
most parts of the Muslim Empire where the population consisted of
non-Muslims.
Early in the year 629 Mahomet, with about 2000 followers, carried out
his project of visiting Mecca as a pilgrim, in accordance with the treaty
of Hudaibiya. For the stipulated three days he was allowed to occupy
the sacred city and to perform the traditional ceremonies in the sanctuary.
The scene must have been a curious one, never to be repeated—the great
preacher of monotheism publicly doing homage at a shrine filled with
idols. The sight of Mahomet's power deeply impressed the Meccan
aristocracy, and two of the^ most eminent among them, Khalid ibn
al-Walid and 'Amr ibn al-'As, took the opportunity of going over to
Islam. Both of these men afterwards played a prominent part in the
building up of the Muslim Empire.
A few months later Islam for the first time came into conflict with
the great Christian power against which it was destined to struggle,
with scarcely any intermission, for a period of eight centuries. In the
autumn of the year 629 Mahomet despatched a force of 3000 men,
commanded by his adopted son Zaid ibn Qaritha, to the north-western
frontier of Arabia. The reason which most of the historians assign for
this expedition is that a messenger sent by the Prophet had been
assassinated, a year earlier, by an Arab chieftain named Shurahbll, who
owned allegiance to the Byzantine Emperor. But since Ibn Ishak, the
oldest writer who records the expedition, does not allege any pretext for
it, the correctness of the aforesaid explanation is at least doubtful. In
any case it is difficult to believe that Mahomet contemplated an attack
on the Byzantine Empire, for ignorant as he was of foreign countries he
must have been aware that an army of 3000 men would be wholly
inadequate for such a purpose. When the Muslim force reached the
neighbourhood of the Dead Sea, they found themselves, to their great
surprise, confronted by a much larger army composed partly of Byzan-
tines and partly of Arabs subject to the Emperor. After some hesitation
Zaid ibn Haritha determined to fight. The battle took place at Mu'ta,
ch. x. 21—2


## p. 324 (#356) ############################################

324 Capture of Mecca [630
a village to the east of the Dead Sea. The Muslims fought bravely but
were totally defeated; among the slain was their leader Zaid and Ja'far,
a first cousin of the Prophet. The recently converted Khalid ibn
al-Walid, who had accompanied the expedition, finally assumed the
command and succeeded in bringing back the greater part of the army
safely to Medina.
This reverse was quickly followed by a great success in another
quarter. The truce of ten years, established by the treaty of
Hudaibiya, might perhaps have been observed faithfully if the matter
had depended solely on the two contracting parties, Mahomet and the
Kuraish. But each party was in alliance with certain Bedouin tribes,
and, as anyone might have foreseen, a feud among the allies was likely
to produce a general rupture. In fact the truce had lasted only a year
and a half when Mahomet's allies the Khuza'a were attacked by a small
tribe, the Bakr ibn 'Abd-Manat, who likewise dwelt in the neighbour-
hood of Mecca and happened to be in alliance with the Kuraish. Some
members of the Kuraish were accused, rightly or wrongly, of assisting
the Bakr ibn 'Abd-Manat, whereupon the Khuza'a naturally complained
to Mahomet that the terms of the treaty had been violated. The
Kuraish, on their part, sent Abu Sufyan to Medina, in the hope that
hostilities might be averted. What passed between Abu Sufyan and
Mahomet on this occasion it is, of course, impossible to know with
certainty, but it appears highly probable that, as several modern
historians have suggested, the ambassador of the Kuraish, realising the
superiority of the Muslim forces, agreed to facilitate the surrender of
Mecca, while the Prophet promised to avoid all unnecessary bloodshed.
No sooner had Abu Sufyan returned to his native city than Mahomet
collected an army of about 10,000 men, chiefly Bedouins, and marched
southwards. But he abstained from declaring war against the Kuraish
and endeavoured to conceal the real object of his expedition. On the
way he was met by his uncle 'Abbas, who at length professed himself
a convert to Islam and joined the Prophet's army. About the end of
January 630 the Muslims were encamped within sight of Mecca. No
one could now doubt what was Mahomet's aim, but very few of the
Meccans shewed any inclination to risk their lives in defence of the city.
With the exception of a small band who perished in a fruitless skirmish,
the citizens, following the advice of Abu Sufyan, threw away their arms,
retired into their houses and suffered the conqueror to enter unopposed.
Mahomet, on taking possession of the city, at once proclaimed a
general amnesty, from which only ten persons were by name excluded1;
even of these the majority soon obtained pardon. He then proceeded
to destroy the idols with which the city abounded; it was even thought
1 It is somewhat remarkable that among the few persons singled out for special
vengeance were three female musicians, whose crime consisted in the fact that they
had been accustomed to sing songs reflecting on the Prophet's character.


## p. 325 (#357) ############################################

630] Battle of Hunain 325
necessary to efface some of the paintings which adorned, the interior ot
the Ka'ba. A curious legend relates that while this process of purifica-
tion was being carried out one of the Meccan goddesses, called Na'ila,
suddenly appeared in the form of a black woman and fled away shrieking1
—an example of the belief, familiar to us from early Christian literature,
that the pagan deities are devils. But while many of the ancient gods
vanished for ever, one at least remained and in fact has continued to the
present day. A certain black stone, which formed part of the wall of
the Ka'ba, was regarded by the heathen Arabs with extraordinary
veneration; the practice of kissing this object and of stroking it with
the hand was not only tolerated but expressly sanctioned by the Prophet.
That such fetish-worship disgusted some of his own followers appears
evident from a saying ascribed to the Caliph Omar8. How far Mahomet's
policy in these matters was due to genuine superstition and how far
to the desire of conciliating the heathen cannot be determined; but it
is certain that a large part of the ancient cult was adopted into Islam
with little change. For this it was necessary to devise some historical
justification; accordingly the Prophet gave out, perhaps in good faith,
that the Meccan sanctuary had been originally founded by Abraham
and that the ceremonial practised in it was a divine institution though
it had been partially corrupted through the perversity of men. The
Meccans, it is needless to say, gladly accepted the theory which tended,
on the whole, to enhance the prestige of their city. Henceforth the
Kuraish, who had so long opposed the new religion, were among its
firmest adherents, if not from conviction at least from self-interest.
The news of the capture of Mecca spread a panic among some of the
neighbouring tribes of Bedouins. It is not probable that they were
much influenced by religious feeling, but they dreaded the loss of their
independence. An army was quickly brought together, consisting of
several tribes who bore the collective appellation of Hawazin; the most
prominent members of the coalition were the Thaklf, a tribe to which
the inhabitants of the town of Ta'if belonged*. Mahomet at once
marched from Mecca with a much larger force and encountered the
Hawazin in the valley of Hunain. The Muslims, in spite of their
numerical superiority, were at first thrown into confusion by the on-
slaught of the enemy, and the Prophet himself was in great peril; the
troops from Medina, however, succeeded in turning the tide of battle.
At length the Hawazin were not only routed but were forced to abandon
their women and children, together with a vast quantity of flocks and
herds which, after the fashion of the Bedouins, they had brought into
1 Wellhausen, Mohammed in Medina, p. 341.
2 "I know that thou art a atone, without power to harm or to help, and had
I not seen the Messenger of God kiss thee I would not kiss thee" (Bukkarl,
ed. Krehl, i. p. 406. 1 ff. ).
5 See above, p. 311.


## p. 326 (#358) ############################################

326 Expedition to Tabuk [630-632
the battle-field. Immediately after the victory Mahomet proceeded
to besiege Ta'if, but the inhabitants of the town defended it with
unusual vigour and the Muslims were soon obliged to retreat. This
discomfiture, however, does not seem to have injured the Prophet's
cause, for a few days later the majority of the Hawfizin announced their
intention of adopting Islam. The new converts received back their
wives and children, but the rest of the booty taken at Hunain was
distributed among the victors. Nor did the people of Ta'if long
remain faithful to their old religion; after an interval of about half a
year they entered into negotiations with the Prophet and finally sub-
mitted to his authority.
In the autumn of this year (630) a report reached Medina that
a great Byzantine army was advancing into Arabia from the north-
west. The report was certainly false; whether Mahomet believed it or
merely utilised it as a pretext for a raid it is impossible to say. In any
case he collected all his forces and marched with them as far as Tabuk,
which is about 300 miles to the north-west of Medina. As no Byzan-
tines appeared to oppose him, the only result of his expedition was the
subjugation of some small Jewish and Christian settlements in the north
of Arabia. Both Jews and Christians were allowed to retain their
property and the right to profess their religion, on condition that they
paid a yearly tribute, the amount of which was fixed in each case by a
special treaty.
On the occasion of the next annual Pilgrimage, in the spring of 631,
Mahomet issued a solemn proclamation, now contained in chap. ix. of
the Koran, whereby heathens were thenceforth excluded from participa-
tion in the Pilgrimage and the cult of the Ka'ba. The following year
the Prophet himself performed the Pilgrimage and finally settled the
details of the ceremonies to be observed in connexion with it. During
all subsequent ages this institution, notwithstanding its purely heathen
origin, continued to be the great bond whereby Muslims of all parties
were held together. Such a result could not have been attained
by the Koran alone or by any abstract creed however carefully formu-
lated.
Another matter which he undertook to regulate at about the same
time was the sacred Calendar. Till then the Arabs, so far as can be
ascertained, had reckoned by solar years but by lunar months, that is to
say, they followed the practice, which appears to have been common
among the Semitic nations, of inserting an intercalary month from
time to time so as to adjust the year to the seasons. But as their
notions of astronomy were of the crudest sort, much confusion naturally
arose. This the Prophet, who was equally ignorant, endeavoured to
remedy by announcing, in the name of God, that thenceforth the
year was always to consist of twelve lunar months. Accordingly the
Muslim year was altogether dissociated from the natural seasons, for


## p. 327 (#359) ############################################

632] Death of Mahomet 327
which reason the more civilised Muslim nations are obliged to have
a civil Calendar, consisting of Persian, Syrian or Coptic months, as the
case may be, in addition to the sacred Calendar.
Soon after his return to Medina, Mahomet made preparations for
another campaign against the Byzantines, but before the expedition had
started he was seized with fever and expired, in the arms of 'A'isha, on
Monday, 7 June 632. Of his last utterances there are various accounts,
many of which are obvious fabrications designed to support the claims
of rival candidates for the Caliphate. That he ever appointed a successor
is highly improbable.
It would be vain to attempt an enumeration of the conflicting
judgments which have been passed on his character and his work, not
only by fanatical devotees and opponents but even by scientific historians.
The immense majority of the attacks published in Europe may be safely
ignored, since they were made at a time when the most trustworthy
sources of information had not yet come to light. During the last two
or three generations more favourable estimates have been formed, but it
would be a grave mistake to suppose that even at the present day there
is anything like a consensus of opinion on this subject among those who
are most qualified to judge. One of the greatest Orientalists that ever
lived has recently stated that having, in his younger days, planned a
work on the history of the early Muslim Empire he was finally deterred
from carrying out the scheme by his inability to offer any satisfactory
account of the Prophet's character1. This example should suffice to
inspire diffidence.
In discussing the subject there are two opposite dangers which we
must constantly strive to avoid. On the one hand, we should beware of
assuming that Mahomet's doctrine and policy were determined solely
by his own personal qualities. Much that strikes us as peculiar in his
preaching may in reality be due to his Jewish or Christian informants.
It is likewise clear that the spread of his religion was largely governed
by factors over which he had no control. All the evidence tends to
shew that during the first few years of his propaganda he never dreamt
of acquiring political power. He strove, it is true, to convert Mecca as
a whole*, and not merely a few individuals, to the true faith; but this
was not in view of an earthly kingdom—it was in view of the impending
Day of Judgment. Even when at length circumstances placed him in
the position of a ruler his authority rested much more on the voluntary
co-operation of his followers than on any material resources that were at
his command. It has often been suggested in recent times that the
religious movement of which Mahomet was the head coincided with a
great national movement on the part of the Arabs who, it is said, had
1 Noldeke, in the Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgeniandes, xxi.
p. 298, footnote 3.
2 On this point see Wellhausen, Das arabitche Reich und tein Store, pp. 2 ff.


## p. 328 (#360) ############################################

328 Result
already developed, independently of Islam, a sense of their superiority
to other races and were eager to overrun the neighbouring countries.
On this question it is difficult to pronounce a definite opinion, since
nearly all our information about the Arabs of that period comes through
Muslim channels. But in any case there can be no doubt that in the
diffusion of Islam the national feelings of the Arabs played a very
important part.
On the other hand, we must not fall into the error of ignoring the
extraordinary influence exerted by the Prophet over his disciples, an
influence which was apparently due quite as much to his moral as to his
intellectual qualities. The confidence which he inspired may seem to us
undeserved, but it is only just to acknowledge that he used his immense
power much oftener for the purpose of restraining than for the purpose
of stimulating fanaticism.


## p. 329 (#361) ############################################

329
CHAPTER XL
THE EXPANSION OF THE SARACENS.
GENERAL REMARKS, ASIA, EGYPT.
The migration of the Teutonic tribes and the expansion of the
Saracens form the basis of the history of the Middle Ages. As the
migrations laid the foundation for the development of the Western
States, the diffusion of the Saracens gave the form which it has kept
till our own day to the ancient contrast of East and West. These two
movements gave birth to the severance between Christian Europe and
the Muslim East, momentous not only throughout the Middle Ages
but even to the present day. True, Spain was long included in the
Muslim territory, while Eastern Europe and Asia Minor formed part of
the Christian sphere, but these later changes simply alter the geogra-
phical aspect; the origin of the contrast, affecting universal history,
dates back to the seventh century.
The Middle Ages regarded the severance from such a one-sided
ecclesiastical and clerical point of view as was bound to obscure the
comprehension of historical facts. The popular version of the matter,
even among the cultured classes of to-day, is still under the spell of this
tradition:—" Inspired by their prophet, the Arab hordes fall upon the
Christian nations, to convert them to Islam at the point of the sword.
The thread of ancient development is torn completely asunder; a new
civilisation, that of Islam, created by the Arabs, takes the place of the
older civilisation of Christianity; the eastern and western countries are
opposed to each other on terms of complete estrangement, reacting on
each other only during the period of the crusades. " If we look into
Arabian sources with this idea before us, we shall find it fully confirmed,
for Arabian tradition also took its bearings from the ecclesiastical
standpoint, like the tradition of the West; with one as with the
other everything commenced with Mahomet and the expansion of the
Arabs; Mahomet and the first Caliphs made all things anew and
substantially created the civilisation of Islam. It is only in recent
times that historical research has led away from this line of thought.