too inviting not to seize it with alacrity. Not merely 'the believers,' but also some of the heathens responded to the call, thus proving that the motives which gathered men around the Arab Prophet were not of a purely religious, but also of a very worldly nature. So eager were even the heathens to participate in the affair, that several of them, there and then, professed Islam, rather than lose so splendid an opportunity of making booty. Mohammed gathered a larger army on this occasion than had ever before served under his banner. For though his direct object was only to overmatch and plunder the caravan, he could not be sure whether he might not have to encounter armed troops, sent out for its protection. His army consisted of more than 300 men, namely all the refugees from Mecca, 83 in number, 61 Awsites and 170 Khazrajites, as specified by Ibn Ishak.

Mohammed, always keen-eyed to discover advantages in his favour, decided to attack Abu Sofyan at Bedr, where the caravan route approached Medina to about a couple of days' march, and where a number of wells furnished a rich supply of fresh water. Thither he despatched two spies to collect information for him, about the movements of the caravan. When the Moslems had reached the neighbourhood of Safra, Mohammed inquired after the names of the tribes living there, and on being told that one was called Beni Nar (= 'the sons of fire'), and another Beni Hurak (= 'the sons of burning'), he, superstitious as he was, considered the names of evil omen, and would not remain amongst them, but passed on to the valley of Zafiran where he encamped. Here he received the important tidings that the Koreish had despatched a body of troops from Mecca to protect their caravan. The latter could therefore no longer be looked forward to as an easy prey, but the prospect arose before him of a serious fight, a sanguinary battle. Hence Mohammed, before advancing further, had to make sure whether, under these altered circumstances, he could still rely on the fidelity of all his followers. For it must be remembered that the men of Medina had as yet only given him the pledge of protecting him in their own home, but not outside their territory or in a war of aggression. He therefore asked them to say whether they were ready to stand by him in the

present enterprise. Several high-flown speeches were made, in which all protested their firm allegiance, and promised Mohammed that not one would remain behind, even should he lead them against the enemy the very next day. He was rejoiced by these assurances of his troops, and told them, in return, that God had shown him that the enemies whom they were going to meet should be few, and that either the caravan or the army should be delivered into their hands, adding, 'By Allah! I already see them, in spirit, lying stretched out before me.' But as the enemies, instead of being few, turned out to be twice the number of the Moslems, Mohammed, later on, sought to justify his statement, by letting himself be thus addressed in a verse of the Koran: 'God showed them to thee in thy sleep as few; for if He had shown them to thee as many, you would certainly have become faint-hearted and would have disputed about the matter: but from this God kept you, for He knows what is in the heart' (S. viii. 45).

After having assured himself of the fidelity of his entire army, Mohammed quitted Zafiran to move nearer to Bedr. On the way he was met by his two spies, who told him that they had proceeded as far as the wells where they overheard the conversation of two damsels. The one said to the other, 'When the caravan arrives tomorrow, or the day after, I shall work for it, and then be able to repay thee my debt.' From this information Mohammed could conclude that he had full time to prepare his attack upon the caravan, without any haste. But wary Abu Sofyan, travelling with all speed, already arrived that same evening at the wells; and having ascertained that two riders on camels from Medina had been there, he at once perceived the necessity of trying to avoid a possible surprise from Mohammed and his party. Accordingly he did not encamp there, much as his beasts required rest, but continued his journey with the least possible delay. Travelling all night, he succeeded in putting a safe distance between himself and his would-be plunderers. He was also aware that troops from Mecca were on their way for his protection; for, rightly gauging his danger, he, at the proper time, had urgently demanded such succour by a special messenger. Therefore the faster he marched, the sooner he could hope to meet with his protectors. But, after all, he