ing indifference or ridicule. There were, however, some exceptions. In A.D. 620 he fell in with some pilgrims from Yathrib and, finding them well-disposed, entered into a series of negotiations which finally brought about a complete change not only in his own fortunes but in the history of the world.
Yathrib, known in subsequent times as Medina,[1] was a scattered group of villages rather than a city, situated in a fertile plain about 200 miles to the north of Mecca. Unlike the Meccans, who subsisted by commerce, the people of Medina had, from time immemorial, devoted themselves to agriculture, in particular to the cultivation of the date-palm. Long before the birth of Mahomet, Jewish colonists established themselves at Medina and propagated their religion with such success that by the beginning of the sixth century most of the inhabitants professed Judaism and were regarded as Jews, though they must have been mainly of Arab descent. These Judaised Arabs were divided into several clans, each occupying its own territory. In civilisation, especially in mechanical arts such as metal-working, they were greatly superior to their heathen neighbours, and for a while they dominated the whole district. But in the course of the sixth century, owing to circumstances with which we are imperfectly acquainted, the power of the Jews declined. Much of their territory passed into the hands of two heathen tribes (the Aus and the Khazraj), who in the time of Mahomet formed the bulk of the population. Between these tribes there raged a long and bitter feud. About the year 616 the Aus, with the help of the Jews, inflicted a severe defeat upon the Khazraj; this battle is known in Arabian tradition as the Day of Bu'āth. But the Khazraj, though humbled, were by no means crushed, and during the next few years every one went about in fear of his life. To the more intelligent of the people of Medina the situation must have seemed intolerable; peace was urgently required, yet no authority capable of restoring peace appeared to exist.
Such was the state of affairs when certain influential citizens of Medina became acquainted with Mahomet. Some of them who through intercourse with Jews had already imbibed monotheistic ideas, were doubtless attracted by his religious teaching; others perhaps, who were indifferent to religion, felt that a stranger claiming to speak with divine authority might be able to effect what they themselves had attempted in vain. In any case, a period of about two years elapsed between their first interview with the Prophet and their final decision to offer him a home in their midst. Meanwhile he had sent to Medina one of his Meccan disciples, Mus'ab ibn 'Umair, to act as his representative and keep him informed of all that passed.
- ↑ In Arabic, al-Madīna, "the city," which is an abbreviation of Madīnat-an-Nabī, "the city of the Prophet."
