Embassy from Tayif; and Pilgrimage of Abu Bakr.
Ramadhan to Dzul Cada, A.H. IX. December, 630 to March, 631 A.D.
IT was now ten months since Mahomet had raised the siege of Tayif. The citizens were still wedded to idolatry, and they maintained a sullen isolation.
Orwa, a chief of Tayif, who will be remembered as one of the ambassadors of the Coreish to the Moslem camp at Hodeibia,1 was absent during the A.D. 630. siege of his native city, having gone to Yemen to be instructed in the use of warlike engines for its defence. On his return, finding that all Mecca and the surrounding tribes, excepting the men of Tayif, had submitted to Mahomet, and being himself favourably impressed with what be had seen of the Prophet at Hodeibia, Orwa went in quest of him to Medina, and there embraced Islam. His first generous impulse was to return to Tayif, and invite his fellow citizens to share in the blessings imparted by the new faith. Mahomet, well knowing their bigotry aud ignorance, warned him repeatedly of the danger he would incur; but Orwa, presuming on his popularity at Tayif, persisted in
1 See above, p.29.
the design. Arriving in the evening, he made public his conversion, and called upon the people to join him. They retired to consult upon the matter. In the morning, ascending the top of his house, he called out at the pitch of his voice the cry to prayer. Hearing this, the rabble ran together; and some discharged arrows at him, by one of which he was mortally wounded in the arm. his family and friends rallied around him, but it was too late. He had offered up, he said, his blood unto its master for the sake of his people: he blessed God, with his dying breath, for the honour of martyrdom ; and he prayed his friends to bury him by the side of the Moslems who had fallen at Honein. When the tidings reached Mahomet, he lauded the memory of Orwa "He may be compared," was his exclamation, "to the Prophet Yasin, who called his people to believe in the Lord, and they slew him."1
The martyrdom of Orwa compromised the inhabitants of Tayif, and forced them to continue the hostile course they had previously been pursuing. But they began to suffer severely from the marauding attacks of the Bani Hawazin under Malik. That chief, according to his engagement, 2 maintained an unceasing predatory warfare against them. The cattle were cut off in their pasture lands, and at their watering places; and at last no man was safe beyond the walls of the city.
1 K. Wackidi 61.
2 Above, p.155.
"We have not strength," they said among themselves, "to fight against the Arab tribes all around, that have plighted their faith to Mahomet, and bound themselves to fight in his cause." So they sent a deputation to Medina, consisting of six chiefs with fifteen or twenty followers, who readied their destination a fortnight after the return of the army from Tabuk. Mughira (nephew of the martyr Orwa),1 meeting the embassy in the outskirts of the city, hastened to announce the approach of the strangers to the Prophet, who received them gladly, and pitched a tent for their accommodation close by the Mosque. Every evening after supper he visited them there, and instructed them in the faith, till it was dark. They freely communicated their apprehensions to him. As for themselves, they declared that they were quite ready at once to destroy their great idol, Taghia (or Lat); but the ignorant amongst the men, and especially the women, were devoted to the worship, and would be alarmed at its demolition. If the idol were left for three years, and the people meanwhile familiarized with the requirements of Islam, the wishes of the Prophet might then without difficulty be carried into effect. But Mahomet would not consent. Two years,--- one year, - six months,- were asked successively, and successively refused. "The grace of one month might surely be conceded;"
1 See above, p.29. He says he was at the time feeding Mahomet's camels, a duty which, it is added, each of his followers
performed in turn.
but Mahomet was firm. Islam and the idol could not co-exist. The idol must fall without a single day's delay. They then begged to be excused performance of the daily prayers, and that some one else might be deputed to destroy the image. "As for the demolition of the idol with your own hands," replied Mahomet, "I will dispense with that; but prayer is indispensable. Without prayer religion would be nothing." "In that case," said they, "we shall perform it, though it be a degradation." They also pleaded hard that the forest of Wajj, a famous preserve for the chase in the vicinity of Tayif, should be declared inviolate. To this Mahomet acceded; and the embassy having finally tendered their allegiance, were dismissed with a rescript to the effect, - "that neither the trees nor the wild animals of Wajj should be intermeddled with. Whoever was found transgressing there should be scourged, and his garments seized. If he transgressed again, he was to be sent to the Prophet. This is the command of Mahomet the Apostle of God."1
Abu Sofian and Mughira, both men of influence with the tribe, were deputed by Mahomet to accompany the strangers, and destroy their idol. Mughira,
1 This rescript is given similarly, both in substance and expression, by Hishami and the Secretary, but is fuller in the
former. Hishami 412; K. Wackidi, 56. In both is added, "Khalid ibn
Said wrote this by command of Mahomet the Prophet, son of Abdallah: let no one, therefore, wrong his own soul by
transgressing
that which Mahomet the Apostle of God hath commanded."
wielding a pick-axe, and surrounded by a guard of armed men from amongst his immediate relatives, proceeded to the work, and, amid the cries and lamentations of the women, with his own hand hewed the image to the ground. The debts of the martyr Orwa were defrayed from the jewels and spoil of the temple.1
Tayif is remarkable as the only place where a strong demonstration of popular feeling attended the fate of any of the idols of Arabia. Everywhere else they appear to have been destroyed without sympathy and without a pang.
The sacred season of annual pilgrimage now again drew near. Mahomet had hitherto abstained from being present at its ceremonies because the great mass of the pilgrims were heathens, and mingled idolatrous practices with the holy rites. The same cause kept him away from the present festival. But he resolved that this should be the last in which the pilgrimage would be dishonoured by unworthy customs, and the holy places polluted by the presence of unbelievers. He was now strong enough to banish heathenism entirely and for ever from his native city. When thus purified, the ceremonies might, without compromising his holy office, be performed by himself in the succeeding year.
1 The son and nephew of Orwa had fled to Medina after his
martyrdom. Mahomet was prevailed on to allow the debts of the
nephew also to be defrayed from the proceeds of the temple.
The caravan of pilgrims from Medina was therefore limited on the present occasion to three hundred men, with Abu Bakr as their chief. Shortly after its departure the opening verses of the Ninth Sura were revealed, with the view of carrying out the object above explained. The passage is styled Baraat, or "liberty," because Mahomet is therein discharged, after the expiry of four months, from any obligations otherwise devolving upon him to wards the heathen Arabs. This important record was committed to Ali, who was despatched after the caravan. When he had reached it and communicated the nature of his errand, Abu Bakr inquired whether the Prophet had put him in command over the pilgrimage. "No," replied Ali, "but he hath directed me to recite this revelation in the ears of all the people."1
Towards the close of the pilgrimage, on the great day of sacrifice,2 at the place of casting stones near Mina,3 Ali read aloud to the multitudes who crowded
1 K. Wackidi, 134. According to Hishami, Mahomet said that
no one should deliver this revelation to the people but a man of
his own family. The reason, however, of his not giving it to Abu
Bakr was probably his imperfect scholarship. Hishami, 413.
2 Youm al Nahr. See Burton, iii. 240. That this was in
Dzul Hijj, all authorities agree, excepting Mujahid, who says it
occurred in Dzul Cada; K. Wackidi, 137 ½. I shall have to consider this tradition more at length below, in connection with Dr. Sprenger's theory, that the Greater pilgrimage was not confined to Dzul Hijj.
3 Jamra. K. Wackidi, ibid. See Burton, ii.282, and his picture of the spot.
round him in the narrow pass, the heavenly command, as follows :--
"A DISCHARGE by God and his Apostle, in reference to those
of the Idolaters with whom ye have entered into treaty."
"Go to and fro in the earth securely four months. And know
that ye cannot hinder God, and that verily God will bring disgrace upon the Unbelievers;-"
"And an Announcement from God and his Apostle unto the
People, on the day of the greater Pilgrimage, that God is discharged
from (liability to) the Idolaters,- and his Prophet like-
wise. Now, if ye repent, that will be better for you ; but If ye
turn your backs, know that ye cannot hinder God; and acquaint
those who disbelieve with the tidings of a grievous punishment;-"
"Excepting those of the Idolater. with whom ye have entered
into treaty, and who thereafter have not failed thee in any thing,
and have not helped any one against you. Fulfil unto these their
treaty, until the expiration of their term; for God loveth the
pious."
"And when the forbidden months have elapsed, then fight
against the Idolater:, wheresoever ye find them; take them captive,
besiege them, and lay in wait for them in every ambush;
but if they repent, and establish Prayer, and give the Tithes,
leave them alone, for God is gracious and merciful."
"And if any of the Idolater: ask a guarantee of thee, give it
unto him, until he shall have heard the Word of God; then
convey him back unto his place of security. This because they
are a people that do not understand."
"O ye that believe I Verily the Unbeliever: are unclean.
Wherefore, let them not approach the holy Temple after this year.
And if ye fear poverty, God will enrich you of his abundance,
if he pleaseth, for God is knowing and wise."1
1 Sura, ix. 1-7, and 29. It is not mentioned how far on in
the Ninth Sura, Ali was commissioned to read. I have added the
last verse, as it contains one of the special orders which Ali was
deputed to promulgate. The 18th and 19th verses are something
to the same effect, but not so decisive. The verses intermediate
Having finished the recitation of this passage,
Ali continued ;- "I have been commanded to declare unto you that no unbeliever shall enter Para-
disc. No idolater shall after this year perform the
pilgrimage; and no one shall make the circuit of
the holy house naked- Whosoever hath a treaty
with the Prophet, it shall be respected till its termination. Four months are permitted to every tribe
to return to their territories in security. After that
the obligation of the Prophet ceaseth."1
between the 7th and the 29th refer to attacking the Idolaters and
those who had broken their treaty, to the necessity of preferring
"God and his Apostle" before any earthly relation, and to the
victory at Honein. Some of these verses, as v.14, which contains
an exhortation to fight against those who expelled the Prophet
from their city (i.e. the Meccans,) are certainly not applicable
to the occasion of Ali's harangue.
The passage which follows the 28th verse relates to the Jews
and Christians, and is strongly hostile to them. It can have no
connection with the first section, or with Ali's mission,
whatever.
It is a patently erroneous conceit of tradition, that this Sura
was revealed in one piece, or even in uniform chronological order.
The last portion, about Tabuk, appeared, by the testimony of
tradition itself, before the first section just quoted.
1 There seems a kind of contradiction between the 1st verse, in
which all treaties are cast aside, and the subsequent verse and
intimation by Ali that treaties would be respected. Perhaps it
was meant that, notwithstanding any treaty, idolaters would be
prevented from coming to the Pilgrimage, though the treaty
would be in other respects observed. Or it may mean that,
although Mahomet had permission given him in the first verse
to cast aside treaties with idolaters, yet he nevertheless
voluntarily
engaged to respect those treaties which had been faithfully kept.
The latter interpretation is not so suitable as the other to the
style of the Coran.
The vast concourse of pilgrims listened peaceably till Ali ended. Then they broke up and departed every man to his home, publishing to all the tribes throughout the Peninsula, the inexorable ordinance which they had heard from the lips of Ali.
The passage just quoted completed the system of Mahomet so far as its relations with idolatrous tribes and races were concerned. The few cases of truce excepted, uncompromising warfare was declared against them all. No trace of idolatry was to survive within the expanding circle of the influence of Islam. And as Islam was the, universal faith intended for all mankind, so its mission was now plainly set forth to be the absolute annihilation of idolatry throughout the world.
In juxtaposition with this passage, though evidently revealed in an altogether different connection, we find the following verses declaratory of the final principles on which the professors of Judaism and Christianity were to be treated. After long neglect and silence, the Coran now notices the Jews and Christians, only to condemn them to a perpetual vassalage:-
"Fight against those who do not believe in God nor in the last day, and who forbid not that which God hath forbidden, and profess not the true religion,- those, namely, who have received the Scriptures,1 - until they pay tribute with the hand, and are humbled."
1Meaning both Christians and Jews.
"The Jews say that Ezra1 is the Son of God, and the Christians
that the Messiah is the Son of God. This is their saying, with
their mouths. They imitate the saying of the Unbeliever: before
them. God destroy them! How have they devised lying vanities?"
"They have taken their priests and their monks as lords besides
God,-and also the Messiah the son of Mary. Yet they were not
bidden but to worship one God ; - There is no God but he, far
exalted above that with which they associate him!"
"They seek to extinguish the light of God with their mouths.
But God refuseth to do otherwise than make his light perfect,
even though the Unbeliever: be averse thereto."
"He it is that bath sent his Apostle with the true guidance,
and the religion of truth, that he may make it superior to all
other religions, even though the Idolaters be averse thereto."
"O ye that believe! Verily many of the Priests and Monks
devour the wealth of the people In vanity, and obstruct the way
of God. And those that treasure up gold and silver, and spend
It not in the way of God, announce unto them a grievous punishment;-"
"On the day on which it 2 shall be heated in the fire of hell,
and their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be
seared therewith, - This is that which ye have treasured up for
yourselves, wherefore taste that which ye have treasured up."3
Thus, with threats of abasement and with bitter curses, Mahomet parted finally from the Jews and Christians, whom he had so long deceived with vain professions of attachment to their Scriptures, and from whose teaching he had borrowed all that was most valuable in his own system. Having reached the pinnacle of prosperity and power, he cast contemptuously aside the supports to which in no small measure he owed his elevation.
1 Odzeir, by which name Mahomet meant Ezra.
2 i.e. the gold and silver.
3 Sura, ix. 30-36.
The Life of Mahomet, Volume IV [Table of Contents]