LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 229 



earliest disciples; and shortly after he espoused 

 Haphsa, the widowed daughter of Omar ; thus con- 

 firming his interests by forming matrimonial con- 

 nexions with three of the principal men of his party. 

 The etiquette of a separate habitation was a mark 

 of attention which he paid to all his wives ; and in 

 a brief space, the new temple saw its precincts 

 adorned with nine of these conjugal mansions. 



The next and most essential object of Mohammed 

 was to amalgamate the jarring elements of his con- 

 gregation. The Medinian proselytes had received 

 the honourable title of Ansars, or Helpers, and the 

 exiles of Mecca took the name of Mohajer in,— Refu- 

 gees, or companions of his flight. To eradicate the 

 seeds of jealousy which this distinction might cre- 

 ate, both parties were bound by a fraternal league, 

 not only to live in peace and concord, but to love 

 find cherish each other with the tenderness of 

 brothers. As an additional tie, he joined them in 

 pairs, each refugee being coupled with an auxihary 

 companion. This expedient was completely sue-, 

 cessful. The holy brotherhood respected their ob- 

 ligations both in peace and war, and during the life 

 of their master vied with each other in a generous 

 rivalry of loyalty and valour. Once only in an acci- 

 dental .quarrel was the voice of discord known to 

 interrupt their affectionate union; but such was the 

 stern spirit of their fidelity, that the beheving son 

 offered to lay the head of his idolatrous and offend- 

 ing father at the apostle's feet. 



The second year of the Hejira was ushered in with 

 the institution of certain external rites of the Mo- 

 hammedan worship. To gratify the Jews, the kebla, 

 or point to which they turned their faces in prayer, 

 was fixed in the direction of Jerusalem ; but in try- 

 ing to ingratiate himself with the Ansarian party, 

 the Prophet greatly displeased the Arabs, whom no, 

 thing could wean from their respect for the Kaaba, 

 Again the omnipotence of revelation was called in \ 



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