The Speeches & Table-Talk of the Prophet Mohammad · Prophet Muhammad
THE MEDINA SPEECHES. THE PERIOD OF HARANGUE.
DECEPTION. P. 117. _Obey God and obey the Apostle._--This is a sure indication of the Medina origin of at least this verse, for the self-importance of the phrase would have been inappropriate in Mohammad’s weak and insignificant position at Mekka. (The speech is, however, by some ascribed to the Mekka division.) Further on the words _Believe in God and His Apostle_ (in IRON, p. 118), and _They who swear fealty to thee do but swear fealty to God_ (in VICTORY, p. 125), indicate the same spirit of self-exaltation which began with the prophet’s prosperity at Medina. * * * * * IRON. P. 119. _Manifest signs_: the revelations contained in the Korān. P. 122. _It is written in the Book_: _i.e._ Every event is set down in the Preserved Book before the event itself is created. _God is rich_: _i.e._ He has no need of your grudging alms. * * * * * VICTORY. P. 124.--The victory in question was probably the peaceful but real triumph of the Truce of Hudeybia, in A.H. 6; though some commentators prefer to regard the speech as prophetical of the conquest of Mekka two years later. P. 125. _The Arabs of the desert who were left behind_ were certain tribes who held aloof from the pilgrimage towards Mekka, which ended in the Truce of Hudeybia. Mohammad punished them by refusing to allow them to share in the booty which soon after fell to the faithful in the Khaibar expedition; hence the reference on p. 126.
P. 128. _In the valley of Mekka_: referring to the Truce of Hudeybia. _Kept you away from the Sacred Mosque_: the Koreysh refused to allow Mohammad and his followers to enter Mekka or perform the pilgrimage; whereupon the truce was concluded, by which the pilgrimage was to take place (_Ye shall surely enter the Sacred Mosque_) in the following year (see Introduction, p. xlv.) P. 129. _Traces_: _i.e._ dust from touching the ground. * * * * * P. 130. HELP.--Revealed after the conquest of Mekka, and shortly before Mohammad’s death, and believed to have given him warning of it.
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