30 ARABIA. 



These, together with the prohibition of drinking strong liquors (a 

 restraint not very severe in warm climates) and the doctrine of pre^ 

 destination were the capital articles of Mahommed's creed. They 

 were no sooner published, than a great number of his countrymen em- 

 braced them with implicit faith. They were written by the priest be- 

 fore mentioned, and compose a book called the Koran, or Alkoran, by 

 way of eminence, as we say the Bible, which means the Book. The 

 person of Mahommed, however, was familiar to the inhabitants of Mec- 

 ca ; so that the greater part of them were sufficiently convinced of the 

 deceit. The more enlightened and leading men entered into a design 

 to cut him off; but Mahommed, getting notice of their intention, fled 

 from his native city to Medina Tahmachi, or the City of the Prophet. 

 The. fame of his miracles and doctrine was, according to custom, 

 greatest at a distance, and the inhabitants of Medina received him with 

 open arms. From this flight, which happened in the 622d year of 

 Christ, the fifty fourth year of Mahommed's age, and the tenth of his 

 ministry, his followers, the Mahommedans compute their time ; and 

 the sera is called in Arabic, Hegira, or Hejira, i. e. the Flight. 



Mahommed, by the assistance of the inhabitants of Medina, and of 

 others whom his insinuation and address daily attached to him, 

 brought over all his countrymen to a belief, or at least to an acquies- 

 cence, in his doctrines. The speedy propagation of his system among 

 the Arabians was a new argument in its behalf among the inhabitants 

 of Egypt and the East, who were previously disposed to it. Avians, 

 Jews and Gentiles, all forsook their ancient faith, and became Ma- 

 hommedans. In a word, the contagion spread over Arabia, Syria, 

 Egypt, and Persia ; and Mahommed, from a deceitful hypocrite, be- 

 came a powerful monarch. He was proclaimed king at Medina, in 

 the year 62 7 ; and, after subduing part of Arabia and Syria, died in 

 632, leaving two branches of his race, both esteemed divine among 

 their subjects. These were the caliphs of Persia and of Egypt, under 

 the last of which Arabia was included. The former of these turned 

 their arms to the East, and made conquests of many countries. The 

 caliphs of Egypt and Arabia directed their ravages towards Europe, 

 and, under the name of Saracens or Moors (which they obtained be- 

 cause they entered Europe from Mauritania, in Africa, the country of 

 the Moors) reduced the greater part of Spain, France, Italy, and the 

 islands in the Mediterranean. 



In this manner did the successors of that imposter spread their 

 religion and conquests over the greatest part of Asia, Africa, and 

 Europe ; and they still give law to a very considerable portion of 

 mankind. 



