for the furtherance of the cause of Islam.' (Ibn Ishak and Ibn Hisham.)

'The war-expeditions which that prince accompanied in person are stated by some biographers to have amounted to 19; by others, to 21 or 24 or 27; the difference of numbers probably arising from this, that either some were omitted, or several happening close together, counted as one. In 9 of these expeditions it came to a battle with the infidels, viz. in those of Bedr, Ohod, Ahzab, the Beni Koreiza, Beni el Mostalik, Khaibar, the conquest of Mecca, at Honein and Taif. — The expeditions which that Excellency despatched against enemies, under the command of lieutenants, without being himself present, amounted to 56. But it must be mentioned that some authors give the number at more, others at less than 56.' (Rawzat.)

(29.) They united their followers in the closest ties of BROTHERHOOD, which caused a relaxation in the stringent laws of possession and inheritance.

a. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth' (John xiv. 15-17).
'When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost... And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people' (Acts ii. 1-47).

b. 'When it pleased God to make His religion victorious and to glorify his Prophet and to fulfil His promises unto him; Mohammed, as he was wont to do during the pilgrim

festivals, went to the different tribes, in order to present himself to them as Prophet; and on one of these occasions he met a number of Khazrajites from Medina who hearkened to him, believed in him, and embraced Islam. They also said to Mohammed, "We come from a people amongst whom there is much ill-will and enmity; perhaps God will unite them through thee; we shall invite them to the faith which we ourselves now profess, and if God unites them around thee, then no man will be more powerful than thou." After this they returned to their home, as believers. — At the festival of the following year, when the Medinan converts consisted of seventy-three men and two women, Mohammed gave them this assurance, "Your blood is my blood; what you shed I also shed; you belong to me and I belong to you; I fight whomsoever ye fight, and I make peace with whomsoever ye make peace."

'Not long after his emigration to Medina, Mohammed established a formal treaty, in writing, between all his followers, whether from Mecca or Medina, in which he declared, "The believers form but one people, separated from all other men. They shall not leave any one heavily burdened amongst them, without assisting him, whether a price of blood or redemption-money may have to be paid. No believer may commit acts of hostility against the confederates of another believer. No believer may slay another believer on account of an unbeliever, nor may he assist an unbeliever against a believer; but the believers are to protect each other against all other men,"' etc. (Ibn Ishak.)

'Five or eight months after his arrival in Medina, that prince established a covenant of brotherhood, constituting the respective parties adoptive brothers of one another, between forty-five or fifty of the refugees on the one side, and of the assistants on the other. He selected the individuals himself, and in the house of prayer joined them together, two and two as brothers. This is universally accepted amongst the historians. But Bokhari also narrates that besides this fraternity, another similar one was established, exclusively amongst the refugees, and to which the assistants were not admitted. It is reported that at that time they mutually bound themselves to assist and help each other and to inherit