Abu Sofyan also sallied forth, to ascertain what the thousands of watch-fires meant; and he most opportunely fell in with Abbas, who, on his own mule, took him at once into the presence of the Prophet. Here he became so deeply impressed with the irresistible power of the Moslems, especially when he saw the mail-clad elite of their army, that his religious scruples vanished in a moment, and he then and there made profession of his faith in Islam and its apostle.

Mohammed was mightily pleased with the submission of this his old antagonist and new father-in-law, and, to give an open expression to his feelings of gratitude, sent him back to the city, with the message of peace that all the inhabitants who would take refuge in Abu Sofyan's house, or in the sanctuary, or would quietly remain in-doors, might consider themselves safe. The people readily accepted Abu Sofyan's advice to abstain from every attempt at resisting the overwhelming forces of the conqueror. Mohammed, on his part, issued orders that no harm should be done to any, except those who might offer armed resistance. In four columns, from four different sides, the Moslem army made its triumphant entrance into the city, without encountering any opposition. Only the column commanded by Khalid was opposed by a small body of patriots. They killed two of the invaders, but were easily put to flight, with a loss on their side of twelve men, according to one account, of twenty-eight, according to another account.

Mohammed's coup de main had proved a complete success: the whole city lay prostrate at his feet, and the former objections to his prophetic claim had vanished as by magic. He could afford to be magnanimous: the city was spared, the kinship with the Koreish upheld and honoured, and a general amnesty proclaimed. From the amnesty, only ten persons, amongst them four women, were excluded, because they had personally insulted the Prophet or ridiculed his religion; but even most of these were finally spared, through their suing for pardon and making profession of Islam.

Mohammed lost no time in visiting the temple, riding round it seven times and saluting its Black Stone, as a public act of religious worship. He, indeed, ordered the idols which

it contained to be destroyed, and had the painted images on its walls whitewashed over; but the Kaaba itself was retained as the local centre of Islam and as the Kibla for all its worshippers. By this local feature impressed upon it, Mohammedanism must always appear stamped with a mark of inferiority, as compared to the sublime spirituality of the Christian religion, which it aims to supersede. Ibn Ishak records that, on the day after the conquest, Mohammed made the following public address to his assembled followers
'O ye people! God has sanctified Mecca on the day He created heaven and earth; and it will remain sacred until the day of the resurrection. It is not lawful for any believer to shed blood in it, or fell a tree: it was not lawful for any one before me, nor will it be lawful for any one after me. It was only made lawful for me, in this hour, because of God's wrath against its inhabitants; and it has now been sanctified again, as before. Let those present make this known to the absent.'

So marked was now the Prophet's esteem and partiality for his native city, with its time-honoured temple, that his followers from Medina gave expression to their fear lest he should relinquish their town and remain here altogether. He had to appease them by pledging his word that he would never forsake them, but with them would live and with them die.

(13.) After the conquest of Mecca, Mohammed's power rapidly increases, and he gains the important battle of Honein, which yields him an immense booty and leads to the capitulation of the rich town of Taif.

The conquest of Mecca could not but enhance Mohammed's prestige and greatly promote the extension of his power and of his religion. Eight years ago he had to quit the town as a persecuted enthusiast and a despised outcast now he had returned to it in triumph at the head of a vast army, before which every opposition had to cease. Two years ago it was permitted him, as a favour, to remain for three days with his followers, restricted to acts of devotion at its shrine: now the whole sacred territory was in his