Mohammed thought that it was right to spread his religion by force,
and to make war on "unbelievers", as he called all people who did
not accept his teaching. He therefore got together an army and fought
battles and unbelievers. He gained many victories. He marched against
Mecca with an army of ten thousand men, and the city surrendered
with little resistance. The people then joined his religion and
destroyed their idols. Before very long all the inhabitants of
Arabia and many of the people of the neighboring countries became
Mohammedans.
Mohammed died in Medina in the year of our Lord 632, or year 11
of the Hejira. He was buried in the mosque in which he had held
religious services for so many years; and Medina has ever since
been honored, because it contains the tomb of the Prophet. It is
believed by his followers that the body still lies in the coffin
in the same state as when it was first buried. There is also a
story that the coffin of Mohammed rests somewhere between heaven
and earth, suspended in the air. But this fable was invented by
enemies to bring ridicule on the prophet and his religion.
The tomb of Mohammed is visited every year by people from all Mohammedan
countries. Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet, is also visited by
vast numbers of pilgrims. Every Mussulman is bound by his religion
to make a visit or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his life.
Whenever a Mussulman prays, no matter in what part of the world
he may be, he turns his face towards Mecca, as if he were always
thinking of going there.
[Illustration: PILGRIMS MARCHING THROUGH THE DESERT TO MECCA]
Good Mohammedans pray five times every day, and there is a church
officer called a mu-ez'zin, who gives them notice of the hour for
prayer. This he does by going on the platform, or balcony, of the
minaret, or tower, of the mosque and chanting in a loud voice such
words as these:
"Come to prayer, come to prayer. There is no god but God. He giveth
life, and he dieth not. I praise his perfection. God is great."
In Mecca there is a mosque called the Great Mosque. It is a large
enclosure in the form of a quadrangle, or square, which can hold
35,000 persons. It is enclosed by arcades with pillars of marble
and granite, and has nineteen gates, each with a minaret or pointed
tower above it.
[Illustration: A MUEZZIN CALLING TO PRAYER]
Within this enclosure is a famous building called the "Ká'a-ba,"
or cube. It is nearly a cube in shape. It its wall, at one corner,
is the celebrated "Black Stone." Moslems regard this stone with
the greatest reverence. They say that it came down from heaven.
It is said to have been once white, but has become dark from being
wept upon and touched by so many millions of pilgrims. It really
is reddish-brown in color.
Before the time of Mohammed the Ká'a-ba was a pagan temple; but
when he took possession of Mecca he made the old temple the centre
of worship for his own religion.
After Mohammed died a person was appointed to be his successor as
head of the Moslem church. He was called the caliph, a word which
means _successor_; and this title has been borne ever since by the
religious chief of the Mohammedans. In modern times the sultans or
rulers of Turkey have been commonly regarded as the caliphs. Arab
scholars, however, say that really the she-rïf, _i.e._, the governor
of Mecca, is entitled by the Koran to hold this position.