tification to lose his wife Khadijah, who had so generously made his fortune. For which reason this year is called the year of mourning.

whereas, before, he contented himself with persuading them that he had all by the ministry of Gabriel.

However, this story seemed so absurd On the death of these two persons, and incredible, that several of his folthe Koreish began to be more trouble-lowers left him upon it; and had proba some than ever to their prophet, and bly ruined the whole design, had not especially some who had formerly been Abu Becr vouched for his veracity, and his intimate friends; insomuch that he declared, that, if Mahomet affirmed it found himself obliged to seek for shelter to be true, he verily believed the whole. elsewhere, and first pitched upon Tayef, || Which happy incident not only retriev about sixty miles east from Mecca, for ed the prophet's credit, but increased it the place of his retreat. Thither, there- to such a degree, that he was secure of fore, he went, accompanied by his ser- being able to make his disciples swallow vant Zeid, and applied himself to two whatever he pleased to impose on them of the chief of the tribe of Thakif, who for the future. And this fiction, notwithwere the inhabitants of that place; but standing its extravagance, was one of they received him very coldly. How- the most artful contrivances Mahomet ever, he staid there a month; and some ever put in practice, and what chiefly of the more considerate and better sort contributed to the raising of his reputaof men treated him with little respect; tion to that great height to which it afbut the slaves and inferior people at terwards arrived. length rose against him; and bringing him to the wall of the city, obliged him to depart, and return to Mecca, while | he put himself under the protection of Al Motaam Ebn Adi.

This repulse greatly discouraged his followers. However, Mahomet was not wanting to himself; but boldly continued to preach to the public assemblies a the pilgrimage, and gained several proselytes; and among them six of the inhabitants of Yathreb, of the Jewish tribe of Khazraj; who, on their return home, failed not to speak much in recommendation of their new religion, and exhorted their fellow-citizens to embrace the

same.

In this year, called by the Mahometans the accepted year, twelve men of Yathreb or Medina, of whom ten were of the tribe of Khazraj, and the other two of that of the Aws, came to Mecca, and took an oath of fidelity to Mahomet at Al Akaba, a hill on the north of that city. This oath was called the woman's oath; not that any women were present at this time, but because a man was not thereby obliged to take up arms in defence of Mahomet or his religion; it being the same oath that was afterwards exacted of the women, the form of which we have in the Koran, and is to this effect, viz. That they should renounce all idolatry; and that they should not steal, nor commit fornication, nor ki their children (as the pagan Arabs used to do when they apprehended they should not be able to maintain them,) nor forge calumnies; and that they should obey the prophet in all things that were reasonable. When they had solemnly engaged to all this, Mahomet sent one of his disciples named Masab Ebn Omair home with them, to instruct them more fully in the grounds and ceremonies of his new religion.

In the twelfth year of his mission it was that Mahomet gave out that he had made his night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, and thence to heaven, so much spoken of by all that write of him. Dr. Prideaux thinks he invented it either to answer the expectations of those who demanded some miracles as a proof of his mission; or else, by pretending to have conversed with God, to establish the authority of whatever he should think fit to leave behind by way of oral tradition, and make his sayings to serve Masab, being arrived at Medina, by the same purpose as the oral law of the the assistance of those who had been Jews. But it does not appear that Ma- formerly converted, gained several prohomet himself ever expected so great selvtes, particularly Osed Ebn Hodeira, a regard should be paid to his sayings a chief man of the city, and Saad Ebn as his followers have since done; and, Moadh, prince of the tribe of Aws; Maseeing he all along disclaimed any pow-hometanism spreading so fast, that there er of performing miracles, it seems rather to have been a fetch of policy to raise his reputation, by pretending to have actually conversed with God in heaven, as Moses had heretofore done in the Mount, and to have received several institutions immediately from him,

was scarce a house wherein there were not some who had embraced it.

The next year, being the thirteenth of Mahomet's mission, Masab returned to Mecca, accompanied by seventythree men and two women of Medina who had professed Islamism, besides

some others who were as yet unbeliev-posers, for the first twelve years of his ers. On their arrival they immediately mission; for no sooner was he enabled, sent to Mahomet and offered him their by the assistance of those of Medina, to assistance, of which he was now in great make head against his enemies, than he need; for his adversaries were by this gave out, that God had allowed him time grown so powerful in Mecca, that and his followers to defend themselves he could not stay there much longer against the infidels: and at length, as without imminent danger. Wherefore his forces increased, he pretended to he accepted their proposal, and met have the divine leave even to attack them one night, by appointment, at Al them, and destroy idolatry, and set up Akaba above-mentioned, attended by his the true faith by the sword; finding, uncle Al Abbas; who, though he was by experiense, that his designs would not then a believer, wished his nephew otherwise proceed very slowly, if they well, and made a speech to those of were not utterly overthrown; and knowMedina; wherein he told them, that, as ing, on the other hand, that innovators, Mahomet was obliged to quit his native when they depend solely on their own city, and seek an asylum elsewhere, strength, and can compel, seldom run and they had offered him their protec- any risk; from whence, says Machiavel, tion, they would do well not to deceive it follows, that all the armed prophets him: that if they were not firmly resolv-have succeeded, and the unarmed ones ed to defend, and not betray him, they had better declare their minds, and let him provide for his safety in some other manner. Upon their protesting their sincerity, Mahomet swore to be faithful to them, on condition that they should protect him against all insults as heartily as they would their own wives and families. They then asked him, what recompence they were to expect, if they should happen to be killed in his quarrel? he answered, Paradise. Whereupon they pledged their faith to him, and so returned home, after Mahomet had chosen twelve out of their number, who were to have the same authority among them as the twelve apostles of Christ had among his disciples.

have failed. Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus, would not have been able to establish the observance of their institutions for any length of time, had they not been armed. The first passage of the Koran which gave Mahomet the permission of defending himself by arms is said to have been that in the twenty-second chapter; after which, a great number to the same purpose were revealed.

Mahomet having provided for the security of his companions, as well as his own, by the league offensive and defensive which he had now concluded with those of Medina, directed them to repair thither, which they accordingly did; but himself, with Abu Beer and Ali, staid behind, having not yet received the divine permission as he pretended, to leave Mecca. The Koreish, fearing the consequence of this new alliance, began to think it absolutely necessary to prevent Mahomet's escape to Medína; and having held a council thereon, after several milder expedients had been rejected, they came to a resolution that he should be killed; and agreed that a man should be chosen out of every tribe for the execution of this design; and that each man should have a blow at him with his sword, that the guilt of his blood might fall equally on all the tribes, to whose united power the Hashemites were much inferior, and therefore durst not attempt to revenge their kinsman's death.

Hitherto Mahomet had propagated his religion by fair means; so that the whole success of his enterprise, before his flight to Medina, must be attributed to persuasion only, and not to compulsion. For before this second oath of fealty or inauguration at Al Akaba, he had no permission to use any force at all; and in several places of the Koran, which he pretended were revealed during his stay at Mecca, he declares his business was only to preach and admonish; that he had no authority to compel any person to embrace his religion; and that, whether people believe or not, was none of his concern, but belonged solely unto God. And he was so far from allowing his followers to use force, that he exhorted them to bear patiently those injuries which were offered them This conspiracy was scarce formed, on account of their faith; and, when when, by some means or other, it came persecuted himself, chose rather to quit to Mahomet's knowledge; and he gave the place of his birth, and retire to Me- out that it was revealed to him by the dina, than to make any resistance. But angel Gabriel, who had now ordered this great passiveness and moderation him to retire to Medina. Whereupon, seem entirely owing to his want of pow-to amuse his enemies, he directed Ali er, and the great superiority of his op- to lie down in his place, and wrap him

self up in his green cloak, which he did; || contributions of his followers for this and Mahomet escaped miraculously, as purpose, which he called by the name they pretend, to Abu Becr's house, un-of zacat, or alms, and the paying of perceived by the conspirators, who had already assembled at the prophet's door. They, in the mean time, looking through the crevice and seeing Ali, whom they took to be Mahomet himself, asleep, continued watching there till morning, when Ali arose, and they found themselves deceived.

which he very artfully made one main article of his religion; and partly by ordering a fifth part of the plunder to be brought into the public treasury for that purpose, in which matter he likewise pretended to act by the divine direction.

In a few years, by the success of his arms, notwithstanding he sometimes came off with the worst, he considerably raised his credit and power. In the sixth year of the Hegira he set out with 1400 men to visit the temple of Mecca, not with any intent of committing hostilities, but in a peaceable manner. However, when he came to Al Hodeibiya, which is situated partly within and partly without the sacred territory, the Koreish sent to let him know that they would not permit him to enter Mecca, unless he forced his way: whereupon he called his troops about him, and they all took a solemn oath of fealty or homage to him, and he resolved to attack the city: but those of Mecca sending Arwa Ebn Masun, prince of the tribe of Thakif, as their ambassador, to desire peace, a truce was concluded between them for ten years, by which any person was allowed to enter into league either with Mahomet, or with the Koreish as he thought fit.

From Abu Becr's house Mahomet and he went to a cave in mount Thur, to the south-east of Mecca, accompanied only by Amor Ebn Foheirah, Abu Becr's servant, and Abd'allah Ebn Oreitah, an idolater whom they had hired for a guide. In this cave they lay hid three days, to avoid the search of their enemies, which they very narrowly escaped, and not without the assistance of more miracles than one; for some say that the Koreish were struck with blindness, so that they could not find the cave; others, that, after Mahomet and his companions were got in, two pigeons laid their eggs at the entrance, and a spider covered the mouth of the cave with her web, which made them look no farther. Abu Becr seeing the prophet in such imminent danger, became very sorrowful; whereupon Mahomet comforted him with these words, recorded in the Koran; Be not grieved, for God is with us. Their enemies being retired, they left the cave, and In the seventh year of the Hegira, set out for Medina by a bye-road; and Mahomet began to think of propagathaving fortunately, or, as the Mahome-ing his religion, beyond the bounds of tans tell us, miraculously, escaped some who were sent to pursue them, arrived safely at that city; whither Ali followed them in three days, after he had settled some affairs at Mecca.

Mahomet being securely settled at Medina, and able not only to defend himself against the insults of his enemies, but to attack them, began to send out small parties to make reprisals on the Korcish; the first party consisting of no more than nine men, who intercepted and plundered a caravan belonging to that tribe, and in the action took two prisoners. But what established his affairs very much, and was the foundation on which he built all his succeeding greatness, was the gaining of the battle of Bedr, which was fought in the second year of the Hegira, and is so famous in the Mahometan history. Some reckon no less than twenty-seven expeditions, wherein Mahomet was personally present, in nine of which he gave battle, besides several other expeditions in which he was not present. His forces he maintained partly by the

Arabia, and sent messengers to the neighbouring princes, with letters to invite them to Mahometanism. Nor was this project without some success; Khosru Parviz, then king of Persia, received his letter with great disdain, and tore it in a passion, sending away the messenger very abruptly; which, when Mahomet heard, he said, God shall tear his kingdom. And soon after a

messenger came to Mahomet from Badhan, king of Yaman, who was a dependent on the Persians, to acquaint him that he had received orders to send him to Khosru. Mahomet put off his answer till the next morning, and then told the messenger it had been revealed to him that night that Khosru was slain by his son Shiruyeh; adding, that he was well assured his new religion and empire should rise to as great a height as that as Khosru; and therefore bid him advise his master to embrace Mahometanism. The messenger being returned, Badhan in a few days received a letter from Shiruyeh, informing him of his father's death, and ordering him

to give the prophet no further disturb- || lid Ebn al Walid, succeeding to the

but, so soon as that tribe, the principal || beings, or hates any of them, or asserts of the whole nation, and the genuine any distinction of sexes among them. descendants of Ishmael, whose preroga- They believe them to have pure and tives none offered to dispute, had sub- subtle bodies, created of fire; that they mitted, they were satisfied that it was neither eat nor drink, nor propagate not in their power to oppose Mahomet; their species; that they have various and therefore began to come in to him forms and offices, some adoring God in in great numbers, and to send embassies different postures, others singing praises to make their submission to him, both to him, or interceding for mankind. to Mecca, while he staid there, and also They hold, that some of them are emto Medina, whither he returned this ployed in writing down the actions of year. Among the rest, five kings of men; others in carrying the throne of the tribe of Hamyar professed Maho- God, and other services. metanism, and sent ambassadors to notify the same.

In the tenth year Ali was sent into Yaman to propagate the Mahometan faith there; and, as it is said, converted the whole tribe of Hamdan in one day. Their example was quickly followed by all the inhabitants of that province, except only those of Najran, who, being Christians, chose rather to pay tribute. Thus was Mahometanism established, and idolatry rooted out, even in Mahomet's life-time, (for he died the next year,) throughout all Arabia, except only Yamama, where Moseilama, who set up also as a prophet as Mahomet's competitor, had a great party, and was not reduced till the kalifat of Abu Becr: and the Arabs being then united in one faith, and under one prince, found themselves in a condition of making those conquests which extended the Mahometan faith over so great a part of the world.

3. As to the Scriptures, the Mahometans are taught by the Koran, that God, in divers ages of the world, gave revelations of his will in writing to several prophets, the whole and every one of which it is absolutely necessary for a good Moslem to believe. The number of these sacred books were, according to them, one hundred and four; of which ten were given to Adam, fifty to Seth, thirty to Edris or Enoch, ten to || Abraham; and the other four, being the Pentateuch, the Psalms, the Gospel, and the Koran, were successively delivered to Moses, David, Jesus, and Mahomet: which last being the seal of the prophets, those revelations are now closed, and no more are to be expected. All these divine books, except the four last, they agree now to be entirely lost, and their contents unknown; though the Sabians have several books which they attribute to some of the antediluvian prophets. And of those four, the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Gospel, they say, have undergone so many alterations and corruptions, that, though there may possibly be some part of the true word of God therein, yet no credit is to be given to the present copies in the hands of the Jews and Christians.

1. Mahometans, tenets of the. The Mahometans divide their religion into two general parts, faith and practice, of which the first is divided into six distinct branches: Belief in God, in his angels, in his Scriptures, in his prophets, in the resurrection and final judgment, and in God's absolute Decrees. The points relating to practice are, 4. The number of the prophets which prayer, with washings, &c. alms, fast-have been from time to time sent by ing, pilgrimage to Mecca, and circum

cision.

Of the Mahometan faith. 1. That both Mahomet, and those among his followers who are reckoned orthodox, had and continued to have just and true notions of God and his attributes, appears so plain from the Koran itself, and all the Mahometan divines, that it would be loss of time to refute those who suppose the God of Mahomet to be different from the true God, and only a fictitious deity or idol of his own creation.

2. The existence of angels and their purity, are absolutely required to be believed in the Koran; and he is reckoned an infidel who denies there are such

God into the world, amounts to no less than 224,000, according to one Mahometan tradition; or to 124,000, according to another; among whom 313 were apostles, sent with special commissions to reclaim mankind from infidelity and superstition; and six of them brought new laws or dispensations, which successively abrogated the preceding: these were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mahomet. All the prophets in general, the Mahometans believe to have been freed from great sins and errors of consequence, and professors of one and the same religion, that is, Islamism, notwithstanding the different laws and institutions which they observed. They allow of degrees