THE MONOTHEISTS LEAVE MEKKAH AND DEPART SECRETLY TO
ABYSSINIA.

In the fifth year of the mission eleven men and four women left Mekkah by the permission of the lord of the apostolate—u. w. b.—as emigrants to Abyssinia, walking as far as the seashore, where they found a ship, in which they sailed for that country, where they remained under the protection of the Najâshi, the king of it, in comfort, and secure from the machinations of the wicked.

It is related that after the emigration of that company the Surah ‘The Star’* was revealed; and as his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—was for the propagation of the religion in the habit of occasionally reciting the evident verses to the obstinate and idolatrous, he happened, after the revelation of the just-mentioned Surah, to be reciting it in the mosque of the sanctuary in the presence of a com­pany of the Qoraish. When his lordship came to the words ‘What think ye of Al-Lât and Al-U’zza and Manah, that other third [goddess]?’* Satan made use of this opportunity and conveyed instead of them the following words by his [Muhammad’s] wonderfully eloquent tongue to the idolaters: ‘These are the exalted Gharâniq,* and, indeed, their intercession may be expected,’ which expression greatly exhilarated and rejoiced the image-worshippers. After the termination of this Surah his lordship touched the ground with his blessed head in sign of adoration, which was done also by the opponents and idolaters present in that congregation, except by the impure Wolid, who, being unable to prostrate himself on account of his corpulency and old age, took up some earth with his hand, and placed his unhallowed forehead thereon. Some authors, however, attribute this act to Ammiah Bin Khuluf and to other persons. When the idolaters arose from the assembly, they said to each other: ‘We know that the keys of life and death, as well as the food of man­kind, are in the grasp of the Most High and Glorious One, therefore we must acknowledge our gods to be [only] our mediators with Allah the Most High; and as Muhammad has now honourably mentioned our gods, and we agree on this subject, we must refrain from insulting and persecuting him.’ It is related that [on this occasion] Wolid Bin Moghairah said to his lordship: ‘O Muhammad, persevere in thy enterprise, for the Qoraish follow and obey thee. We shall second and aid thy efforts until thy Law is propagated in the whole world, and the structure of the castle of thy religion is strengthened.’ It is related that when, after this event, his sacred and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—had returned to his august mansion, Jebrâil arrived and informed his lordship about Satan’s inspiration, which greatly distressed and troubled the prophet. There­fore the Bounteous Giver sent for the consolation of his noble mind the following verse: ‘We have sent no apostle or prophet before thee, but when he read, Satan suggested [some error] in his reading. But Allah shall make void that which Satan hath suggested—then shall Allah confirm his signs, for Allah is knowing and wise.’* When the Qoraish heard this verse, they said: ‘As Muhammad has repented of mentioning the high dignity of our gods to the Most High, we shall likewise break our covenant, as well as the peace.’ Accordingly the followers of the bad religion retracted their promise, and considered it their greatest happiness to persecute and to insult Musalmâns.