in the hands of Mahomet, and swore to abide by their compact. The latter
then singled out twelve from among them, whom he designated as his
apostles; in imitation, it is supposed, of the example of our Saviour.
Just then a voice was heard from the summit of the hill, denouncing them
as apostates and menacing them with punishment. The sound of this voice,
heard in the darkness of the night, inspired temporary dismay. "It is
the voice of the fiend Iblis," said Mahomet scornfully; "he is the foe
of God; fear him not." It was probably the voice of some spy or
eavesdropper of the Koreishites; for the very next morning they
manifested a knowledge of what had taken place in the night, and treated
the new confederates with great harshness as they were departing from
the city.
It was this early accession to the faith, and this timely aid proffered
and subsequently afforded to Mahomet and his disciples, which procured
for the Moslems of Medina the appellation of Ansarians, or auxiliaries,
by which they were afterward distinguished.
After the departure of the Ansarians, and the expiration of the holy
month, the persecutions of the Moslems were resumed with increased
virulence, insomuch that Mahomet, seeing a crisis was at hand, and being
resolved to leave the city, advised his adherents generally to provide
for their safety. For himself he still lingered in Mecca with a few
devoted followers.
Abu Sofian, his implacable foe, was at this time governor of the city.
He was both incensed and alarmed at the spreading growth of the new
faith, and held a meeting of the chief of the Koreishites to devise some
means of effectually putting a stop to it. Some advised that Mahomet
should be banished the city; but it was objected that he might gain
other tribes to his interest, or perhaps the people of Medina, and
return at their head to take his revenge. Others proposed to wall him up
in a dungeon, and supply him with food until he died; but it was
surmised that his friends might effect his escape. All these objections
were raised by a violent and pragmatical old man, a stranger from the
province of Nedja, who, say the Moslem writers, was no other than the
devil in disguise, breathing his malignant spirit into those present.
At length it was declared by Abu-Jahl that the only effectual check on
the growing evil was to put Mahomet to death. To this all agreed, and as
a means of sharing the odium of the deed, and withstanding the vengeance
it might awaken among the relatives of the victim, it was arranged that
a member of each family should plunge his sword into the body of
Mahomet.
It is to this conspiracy that allusion is made in the eighth chapter of
the _Koran_:
"And call to mind how the unbelievers plotted against thee, that they
might either detain thee in bonds, or put thee to death, or expel thee
the city; but God laid a plot against them; and God is the best layer of
plots."
In fact, by the time the murderers arrived before the dwelling of
Mahomet, he was apprised of the impending danger. As usual, the warning
is attributed to the angel Gabriel, but it is probable it was given by
some Koreishite, less bloody-minded than his confederates. It came just
in time to save Mahomet from the hands of his enemies. They paused at
his door, but hesitated to enter. Looking through a crevice they beheld,
as they thought, Mahomet wrapped in his green mantle, and lying asleep
on his couch. They waited for a while, consulting whether to fall on him
while sleeping or wait until he should go forth. At length they burst
open the door and rushed toward the couch. The sleeper started up; but,
instead of Mahomet, Ali stood before them. Amazed and confounded they
demanded, "Where is Mahomet?" "I know not," replied Ali sternly, and
walked forth; nor did anyone venture to molest him. Enraged at the
escape of their victim, however, the Koreishites proclaimed a reward of
a hundred camels to anyone who should bring them Mahomet alive or dead.
Divers accounts are given of the mode in which Mahomet made his escape
from the house after the faithful Ali had wrapped himself in his mantle
and taken his place upon the couch. The most miraculous account is, that
he opened the door silently, as the Koreishites stood before it, and,
scattering a handful of dust in the air, cast such blindness upon them
that he walked through the midst of them without being perceived. This,
it is added, is confirmed by the verse of the thirtieth chapter of the
_Koran_: "We have thrown blindness upon them, that they shall not see."
The most probable account is that he clambered over the wall in the rear
of the house, by the help of a servant, who bent his back for him to
step upon it.[50]
He repaired immediately to the house of Abu-Bekr, and they arranged for
instant flight. It was agreed that they should take refuge in a cave in
Mount Thor, about an hour's distance from Mecca, and wait there until
they could proceed safely to Medina; and in the mean time the children
of Abu-Bekr should secretly bring them food. They left Mecca while it
was yet dark, making their way on foot by the light of the stars, and
the day dawned as they found themselves at the foot of Mount Thor.
Scarce were they within the cave when they heard the sound of pursuit.
Abu-Bekr, though a brave man, quaked with fear.
"Our pursuers," said he, "are many, and we are but two."
"Nay," replied Mahomet, "there is a third; God is with us!"
And here the Moslem writers relate a miracle, dear to the minds of all
true believers. By the time, say they, that the Koreishites reached the
mouth of the cavern, an acacia-tree had sprung up before it, in the
spreading branches of which a pigeon had made its nest and laid its
eggs, and over the whole a spider had woven its web. When the
Koreishites beheld these signs of undisturbed quiet, they concluded that
no one could recently have entered the cavern; so they turned away, and
pursued their search in another direction.
Whether protected by miracle or not, the fugitives remained for three
days undiscovered in the cave, and Asama, the daughter of Abu-Bekr,
brought them food in the dusk of the evenings.
On the fourth day, when they presumed the ardor of pursuit had abated,
the fugitives ventured forth, and set out for Medina, on camels which a
servant of Abu-Bekr had brought in the night for them. Avoiding the main
road usually taken by the caravans, they bent their course nearer to the
coast of the Red Sea. They had not proceeded far, however, before they
were overtaken by a troop of horse headed by Soraka Ibn Malec. Abu-Bekr
was again dismayed by the number of their pursuers; but Mahomet repeated
the assurance, "Be not troubled; Allah is with us." Soraka was a grim
warrior, with shagged iron-gray locks and naked sinewy arms rough with
hair. As he overtook Mahomet, his horse reared and fell with him. His
superstitious mind was struck with it as an evil sign. Mahomet perceived
the state of his feeling, and by an eloquent appeal wrought upon him to
such a degree that Soraka, filled with awe, entreated his forgiveness,
and turning back with his troop suffered him to proceed on his way
unmolested.
The fugitives continued their journey without further interruption,
until they arrived at Kobe, a hill about two miles from Medina. It was a
favorite resort of the inhabitants of the city, and a place to which
they sent their sick and infirm, for the air was pure and salubrious.
Hence, too, the city was supplied with fruit; the hill and its environs
being covered with vineyards and with groves of the date and lotus; with
gardens producing citrons, oranges, pomegranates, figs, peaches, and
apricots, and being irrigated with limpid streams.
On arriving at this fruitful spot Al Kaswa, the camel of Mahomet,
crouched on her knees, and would go no farther. The prophet interpreted
it as a favorable sign, and determined to remain at Koba, and prepare
for entering the city. The place where his camel knelt is still pointed
out by pious Moslems, a mosque named Al Takwa having been built there to
commemorate the circumstance. Some affirm that it was actually founded
by the prophet. A deep well[51] is also shown in the vicinity, beside
which Mahomet reposed under the shade of the trees, and into which he
dropped his seal ring. It is believed still to remain there, and has
given sanctity to the well, the waters of which are conducted by
subterraneous conduits to Medina. At Koba he remained four days,
residing in the house of an Awsite named Colthum Ibn Hadem. While at
this village he was joined by a distinguished chief, Boreida Ibn al
Hoseib, with seventy followers, all of the tribe of Saham. These made
profession of faith between the hands of Mahomet.
Another renowned proselyte who repaired to the prophet at this village
was Salman al Parsi--or the Persian. He is said to have been a native of
a small place near Ispahan, and that, on passing one day by a Christian
church, he was so much struck by the devotion of the people, and the
solemnity of the worship, that he became disgusted with the idolatrous
faith in which he had been brought up. He afterward wandered about the
East, from city to city and convent to convent, in quest of a religion,
until an ancient monk, full of years and infirmities, told him of a
prophet who had arisen in Arabia to restore the pure faith of Abraham.
This Salman rose to power in after years, and was reputed by the
unbelievers of Mecca to have assisted Mahomet in compiling his doctrine.
This is alluded to in the sixteenth chapter of the _Koran_: "Verily, the
idolaters say, that a certain man assisted to compose the _Koran_; but
the language of this man is Ajami--or Persian--and the _Koran_ is
indited in the pure Arabian tongue."
The Moslems of Mecca, who had taken refuge some time before in Medina,
hearing that Mahomet was at hand, came forth to meet him at Koba; among
these were the early convert Talha, and Zobeir, the nephew of Kadijah.
These, seeing the travel-stained garments of Mahomet and Abu-Bekr, gave
them white mantles, with which to make their entrance into Medina.
Numbers of the Ansarians, or auxiliaries, of Medina, who had made their
compact with Mahomet in the preceding year, now hastened to renew their
vow of fidelity.
Learning from them that the number of proselytes in the city was rapidly
augmenting, and that there was a general disposition to receive him
favorably, he appointed Friday, the Moslem Sabbath,[52] the sixteenth
day of the month Rabi, for his public entrance.
Accordingly on the morning of that day he assembled all his followers to
prayer; and after a sermon, in which he expounded the main principles of
his faith, he mounted his camel Al Kaswa, and set forth for that city,
which was to become renowned in after ages as his city of refuge.
Boreida Ibn al Hoseib, with his seventy horsemen of the tribe of Saham,
accompanied him as a guard. Some of the disciples took turns to hold a
canopy of palm leaves over his head, and by his side rode Abu-Bekr. "O
apostle of God!" cried Boreida, "thou shalt not enter Medina without a
standard"; so saying, he unfolded his turban, and tying one end of it to
the point of his lance, bore it aloft before the prophet.
The city of Medina was fair to approach, being extolled for beauty of
situation, salubrity of climate, and fertility of soil; for the
luxuriance of its palm-trees, and the fragrance of its shrubs and
flowers. At a short distance from the city a crowd of new proselytes to
the faith came forth in sun and dust to meet the cavalcade. Most of them
had never seen Mahomet, and paid reverence to Abu-Bekr through mistake;
but the latter put aside the screen of palm leaves, and pointed out the
real object of homage, who was greeted with loud acclamations.
In this way did Mahomet, so recently a fugitive from his native city,
with a price upon his head, enter Medina, more as a conqueror in triumph
than an exile seeking an asylum. He alighted at the house of a
Khazradite, named Abu-Ayub, a devout Moslem, to whom moreover he was
distantly related; here he was hospitably received, and took up his
abode in the basement story.
Shortly after his arrival he was joined by the faithful Ali,[53] who had
fled from Mecca, and journeyed on foot, hiding himself in the day and
travelling only at night, lest he should fall into the hands of the
Koreishites. He arrived weary and way-worn, his feet bleeding with the
roughness of the journey.
Within a few days more came Ayesha, and the rest of Abu-Bekr's
household, together with the family of Mahomet, conducted by his
faithful freedman Zeid, and by Abu-Bekr's servant Abdallah.
SIMON OCKLEY
Mahomet had hitherto propagated his religion by fair means only. During
his stay at Mecca he had declared his business was only to preach and
admonish; and that whether people believed or not was none of his
concern. He had hitherto confined himself to the arts of persuasion,
promising, on the one hand, the joys of paradise to all who should
believe in him, and who should, for the hopes of them, disregard the
things of this world, and even bear persecution with patience and
resignation; and, on the other, deterring his hearers from what he
called infidelity, by setting before them both the punishments inflicted
in this world upon Pharaoh and others, who despised the warnings of the
prophets sent to reclaim them; and also the torments of hell, which
would be their portion in the world to come. Now, however, when he had
got a considerable town at his command, and a good number of followers
firmly attached to him, he began to sing another note. Gabriel now
brings him messages from heaven to the effect that, whereas other
prophets had come with miracles and been rejected, he was to take
different measures, and propagate Islamism by the sword. And
accordingly, within a year after his arrival at Medina he began what was
called the holy war. For this purpose he first of all instituted a
brotherhood, joining his Ansars or helpers, and his Mohajerins or
refugees together in pairs; he himself taking Ali for his brother. It
was in allusion to this that Ali, afterward when preaching at Cufa,
said, "I am the servant of God, and brother to his apostle."
In the second year of the Hegira, Mahomet changed the Kebla of the
Mussulman, which before this time had been toward Jerusalem, ordering
them henceforth to turn toward Mecca when they prayed. In the same year
he also appointed the fast of the month Ramadan.
Mahomet having now a pretty large congregation at Medina found it
necessary to have some means of calling them to prayers; for this
purpose he was thinking of employing a horn, or some instrument of wood,
which should be made to emit a loud sound by being struck upon. But his
doubts were settled this year by a dream of one of his disciples, in
which a man appearing to him in a green vest recommended as a better
way, that the people should be summoned to prayers by a crier calling
out, "Allah acbar, Allah acbar," etc.; "God is great, God is great,
there is but one God, Mahomet is his prophet;[54] come to prayers, come
to prayers." Mahomet approved of the scheme, and this is the very form
in use to this day among the Mussulmans; who, however, in the call to
morning prayers, add the words, "Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is
better than sleep"--a sentiment not unworthy the consideration of those
who are professors of a better religion.
The same year the apostle sent some of his people to plunder a caravan
going to Mecca; which they did, and brought back two prisoners to
Medina. This was the first act of hostility committed by the Mussulmans
against the idolaters. The second was the battle of Beder. The history
of the battle is thus given by Abulfeda: "The apostle, hearing that a
caravan of the Meccans was coming home from Syria, escorted by Abu
Sofian at the head of thirty men, placed a number of soldiers in
ambuscade to intercept it. Abu Sofian, being informed thereof by his
spies, sent word immediately to Mecca, whereupon all the principal men
except Abu Laheb--who, however, sent Al Asum son of Hesham in his
stead--marched out to his assistance, making in all nine hundred and
fifty men, whereof two hundred were cavalry. The apostle of God went out
against them with three hundred and thirteen men, of whom seventy-seven
were refugees from Mecca, the rest being helpers from Medina; they had
with them only two horses and seventy camels, upon which they rode by
turns. The apostle encamped near a well called Beder, from the name of
the person who was owner of it, and had a hut made where he and Abu-Bekr
sat. As soon as the armies were in sight of each other, three champions
came out from among the idolaters, Otha son of Rabia, his brother
Shaiba, and Al Walid son of Otha; against the first of these, the
prophet sent Obeidah son of Hareth, Hamza against the second, and Ali
against the third: Hamza and Ali slew each his man and then went to the
assistance of Obeidah, and having killed his adversary, brought off
Obeidah, who, however, soon after died of a wound in his foot.
"All this while the apostle continued in his hut in prayer, beating his
breast so violently that his cloak fell off his shoulders, and he was
suddenly taken with a palpitation of the heart; soon recovering,
however, he comforted Abu-Bekr, telling him God's help was come. Having
uttered these words, he forthwith ran out of his hut and encouraged his
men, and taking a handful of dust threw it toward the Koreishites, and
said, 'May their faces be confounded,' and immediately they fled. After
the battle, Abdallah, the son of Masud, brought the head of Abu Jehel to
the apostle, who gave thanks to God; Al As, brother to Abu Jehel, was
also killed; Al Abbas also, the prophet's uncle, and Ocail son of Abu
Taleb, were taken prisoners. Upon the news of this defeat Abu Laheb died
of grief within a week."
Of the Mussulmans died fourteen martyrs (for so they call all such as
die fighting for Islamism). The number of idolaters slain was seventy;
among whom my author names some of chief note, Hantala son of Abu
Sofian, and Nawfal, brother to Kadijah. Ali slew six of the enemy with
his own hand.
The prophet ordered the dead bodies of the enemy to be thrown into a
pit, and remained three days upon the field of battle dividing the
spoil; on occasion of which a quarrel arose between the helpers and the
refugees, and to quiet them the eighth chapter of the _Koran_ was
brought from heaven. It begins thus, "They will ask thee concerning the
spoils: say, The spoils belong to God and his apostle": and again in the
same chapter, "And know that whenever ye gain any, a fifth part
belongeth to God, and to the apostle, and his kindred, and the orphans,
and the poor." The other four-fifths are to be divided among those who
are present at the action. The apostle, when he returned to Safra in his
way to Medina, ordered Ali to behead two of his prisoners.
The victory at Beder was of great importance to Mahomet; to encourage
his men, and to increase the number of his followers, he pretended that
two miracles were wrought in his favor, in this, as also in several
subsequent battles: first, that God sent his angels to fight on his
side; and second, made his army appear to the enemy much greater than it
really was. Both these miracles are mentioned in the _Koran_, chapter
viii. Al Abbas said he was taken prisoner by a man of a prodigious size
(an angel, of course); no wonder, then, he became a convert.
As soon as the Mussulmans returned to Medina the Koreishites sent to
offer a ransom for their prisoners, which was accepted, and distributed
among those who had taken them, according to the quality of the
prisoners. Some had one thousand drachms for their share. Those who had
only a small or no part of the ransom Mahomet rewarded with donations,
so as to content them all.
The Jews had many a treaty with Mahomet, and lived peaceably at Medina;
till a Jew, having affronted an Arabian milk-woman, was killed by a
Mussulman. In revenge for this the Jews killed the Mussulman, whereupon
a general quarrel ensued. The Jews fled to their castles; but after a
siege of fifteen days were forced to surrender at discretion. Mahomet
ordered their hands to be tied behind them, determined to put them all
to the sword, and was with great difficulty prevailed upon to spare
their lives and take all their property. Kaab, son of Ashraf, was one of
the most violent among the Jews against Mahomet. He had been at Mecca,
and, with some pathetic verses upon the unhappy fate of those who had
fallen at Beder, excited the Meccans to take up arms. Upon his return to
Medina he rehearsed the same verses among the lower sort of people and
the women. Mahomet, being told of these underhand practices, said, one
day, "Who will rid me of the son of Ashraf?" when Mahomet, son of
Mosalama, one of the helpers, answered, "I am the man, O apostle of God,
that will do it," and immediately took with him Salcan son of Salama,
and some other Moslems, who were to lie in ambush. In order to decoy
Kaab out of his castle, which was a very strong one, Salcan, his
foster-brother, went alone to visit him in the dusk of the evening; and,
entering into conversation, told him some little stories of Mahomet,
which he knew would please him. When he got up to take his leave, Kaab,
as he expected, attended him to the gate; and, continuing the
conversation, went on with him till he came near the ambuscade, where
Mahomet and his companions fell upon him and stabbed him.
Abu Sofian, meditating revenge for the defeat at Beder, swore he would
neither anoint himself nor come near his women till he was even with
Mahomet. Setting out toward Medina with two hundred horse, he posted a
party of them near the town, where one of the helpers fell into their
hands and was killed. Mahomet, being informed of it, went out against
them, but they all fled; and, for the greater expedition, threw away
some sacks of meal, part of their provision. From which circumstance
this was called the meal-war.
Abu Sofian, resolving to make another and more effectual effort, got
together a body of three thousand men, whereof seven hundred were
cuirassiers and two hundred cavalry; his wife Henda, with a number of
women, followed in the rear, beating drums, and lamenting the fate of
those slain at Beder, and exciting the idolaters to fight courageously.
The apostle would have waited for them in the town, but as his people
were eager to advance against the enemy, he set out at once with one
thousand men; but of these one hundred turned back, disheartened by the
superior numbers of the enemy. He encamped at the foot of Mount Ohud,
having the mountain in his rear. Of his nine hundred men only one
hundred had armor on; and as for horses, there was only one besides that
on which he himself rode. Mosaab carried the prophet's standard; Kaled,
son of Al Walid, led the right wing of the idolaters; Acrema, son of Abu
Jehel, the left; the women kept in the rear, beating their drums. Henda
cried out to them: "Courage, ye sons of Abdal Dari; courage! smite with
all your swords."
Mahomet placed fifty archers in his rear, and ordered them to keep their
post. Then Hamza fought stoutly, and killed Arta, the standard-bearer of
the idolaters; and as Seba, son of Abdal Uzza, came near him, Hamza
struck off his head also; but was himself immediately after run through
with a spear by Wabsha, a slave, who lurked behind a rock with that
intent. Then Ebn Kamia slew Mosaab, the apostle's standard-bearer; and
taking him for the prophet cried out, "I have killed Mahomet!" When
Mosaab was slain the standard was given to Ali.