symptom, grew more intense; quarrels were
sought with them which ended in the utter annihilation of the Jewish
power at Medina. From Christianity also Mahomet was careful to
distinguish his religion. The Christians of Arabia were less
tenacious of their faith than were the Jews, and easily accepted
Islam, so that the hostility was not in this case so intense. The
doctrines of the Trinity and of the Incarnation were of course
denounced as intolerable blasphemies against the sole deity of Allah.

Domestic.--The history of Mahomet during the Medina period is taken
up to some extent with the various marriages into which he entered,
and with the scandals of his household. On several occasions he
produced revelations to warrant a step in this connection which he
felt to require justification, and the modern reader is forced to
wonder how his credit survived some of those proceedings. While it is
undoubtedly the case that he did much to improve the position of
women in Arabia, the absence of any high ideal in this matter is very
apparent.

Conquest of Mecca.--In giving his followers a new kiblah and bidding
them turn their faces towards Mecca at their prayers, Mahomet
declared that city to be the religious capital of Arabia. Though he
had left Mecca in anger, he could not forget or ignore the city which
held this place in his eyes. At first his thoughts of Mecca were
those of vengeance; he had a score to settle with the Coreish, who
had scorned and persecuted him, and had driven him forth. For several
years there was war between Medina and the Coreish; the Moslems
plundered the rich caravans of Mecca; in the great battle of Bedr
(A.D. 623) Mahomet defeated his enemies and compelled them to respect
and fear him; and they afterwards attacked and besieged him at
Medina, with no decisive result. The next step was that Mahomet made
use of the sacred month to attempt a pilgrimage to Mecca, from which
he had been absent for six years (628); and though he was prevented
from performing his devotions at the Caaba on this occasion, the
Coreish found it good to make a treaty with him, thus recognising him
as a potentate, and to promise that he should be allowed to make the
pilgrimage on a future occasion. That pilgrimage took place; and so
quickly was Mahomet's power increasing in the rest of Arabia that the
Meccans began to feel that they could not long resist him. In the
year 630 he moved against Mecca with a large army, and met with