devoted to him from the first, and formed, so to speak, his bodyguard. Many of the Medinese, especially those of the younger generation, were no less zealous in his cause; their principal duty, during the first few months after the Emigration, consisted in housing and feeding the Emigrants. But not a few, even of those who called themselves Muslims, were either hostile or indifferent; the Koran frequently refers to them as the "Hypocrites" (Munāfiḳūn, a term borrowed from the Aethiopic). The most celebrated of these was a certain 'Abdallāh ibn Ubayy, a chief of the Khazraj, who before the arrival of Mahomet had played a very prominent part. The opposition of such persons is to be ascribed mainly to personal jealousy or other worldly motives. More consistent, and hence more formidable, was the enmity of the Jews. It is clear that at first Mahomet confidently reckoned on their support, but he soon discovered his mistake.[1] With rare exceptions they absolutely refused to acknowledge him as a prophet, and thus forced him to become their adversary. Henceforth the antagonism between Islām and Judaism began to shew itself even in externals. This was seen most clearly when, in the second year after the Emigration, Mahomet ordered his disciples to pray towards Mecca instead of praying towards Jerusalem.
The historian Ibn Iṣḥāḳ has preserved for us the text of an important document which seems to have been drawn up, under the Prophet's direction, at about this time. It may be described as an attempt to settle, at least provisionally, the relations between the various classes into which the people of Medina were divided.[2] All the inhabitants, believers and unbelievers alike, are declared to be a single community (umma); the clans remain distinct for certain purposes but are debarred from making war on one another. Should any dispute arise, the matter is to be brought before "God and Mahomet." All are bound to unite for the defence of Medina in case it should be attacked. No one is to conclude an agreement with the Ḳuraish (i.e. the heathen Meccans) or with any ally of the Ḳuraish.
The establishing of public security at Medina was necessarily the first object which the Prophet had in view; but in addition to this he found himself compelled to supply his own followers with the rudiments of a legal code. At Mecca his teaching had been almost entirely confined to the sphere of faith and personal morality; of external regulations he had seldom had occasion to speak. But as soon as Islām became the
- ↑ Muslim authorities are unanimous in asserting that at this time both the Jews and the Christians were expecting a prophet to appear in Arabia and that precise descriptions of the coming prophet were contained in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. How this belief first arose among Muslims is not clear, but converts from Judaism and Christianity doubtless did their best to encourage it.
- ↑ See Wellhausen, "Muhammads Gemeindeordnung von Medina," in Skizzen und Vorarbeiten, iv. pp. 67-83.
