orters, which, however, were inconsistent. They compelled him
suddenly to break off the battle of Siffin, which he was apparently on
the point of gaining over Moawiya, because the Syrians fastened copies
of the Koran to their lances to denote that not the sword, but the word
of God should decide the contest (see further below, B.1; also ALI). But
in yielding to the will of the majority he excited the displeasure of
the minority, the genuine zealots, who in Moawiya were opposing the
enemy of Islam, and regarded Ali's entering into negotiations with him
as a denial of the faith. When the negotiations failed and war was
resumed, the Kharijites refused to follow Ali's army, and he had to turn
his armies in the first instance against them. He succeeded in disposing
of them without difficulty at the battle of Nahrawan, but in his success
he lost the soul of his following. For they were the true champions of
the theocratic principle; through their elimination it became clear that
the struggle had in no sense anything to do with the cause of God. Ali's
defeat was a foregone conclusion, once religious enthusiasm had failed
him; the secular resources at the disposal of his adversaries were far
superior. Fortunately for him he was murdered (end of January 661),
thereby posthumously attaining an importance in the eyes of a large part
of the Mahommedan world (Shi'a) which he had never possessed during his
life.

B.--THE OMAYYAD DYNASTY

_Summary of Preceding Movements._--The conquest of Mecca had been of the
greatest importance to the Prophet, not only because Islam thus obtained
possession of this important city with its famous sanctuary, but above
all because his late adversaries were at last compelled to acknowledge
him as the Envoy of God. Among these there were many men of great
ability and influence, and he was so eager to conciliate them or, as the
Arabic expression has it, "to mellow their hearts" by concessions and
gifts, that his loyal helpers (_Ansar_) at Medina became dissatisfied
and could only with difficulty be brought to acquiesce in it. Mahomet
was a practical man; he realized that the growing state needed skilful
administrators, and that such were found in much greater number among
the antagonists of yesterday than among the honest citizens of Medina.
The most important positions, such as the governorships of Mecca and
Yemen, were entrusted to men of the Omayyad house, or that of the
Makhzum and other Koreishite