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Prophet to intercede with God in your behalf, for his intercession 
will be of no avail. At the day of judgement it will avail you 
Do not call on the Prophet ; call on God alone." 
These doctrines rapidly spread among the different tribes, whose 
power was nearly equal, and tended gradually to the recognition of a 
supremely controlling power in the person of the Reformer; which 
completely destroyed the former balance of power, and gave to 
Abdul Waheb a preponderating influence in the north-east part of 
Arabia. The Sheiks, who did not acknowledge either his spiritual 
or temporal power, at length united against him, and, under the 
command of the Sheik of Lachsa, who was alarmed for his own 
safety, attacked him in his native city. Abdul Waheb defended 
himself successfully on this occasion ; and on another, when his 
enemies marched against him with four thousand men. Abdul 
Waheb from this time gradually extended his territories, and his 
faith. Sheik Mekrami of Nedjeran was one of his most powerful 
followers, and, according to the conjecture of Mr. Niebuhr, contri- 
buted greatly to his prosperity ; a circumstance that was confirmed 
by Hadje Abdallah, who met the Sheik twenty-seven years ago at 
Mecca, and had much conversation with him. 
Abdul Waheb was too able a man to leave neglected any means 
of increasing the activity of his followers ; following, therefore, the 
example of Mohammed, and fully aware of the influence which self- 
interest has over the human mind, he added to the inducements of 
religious zeal, the temptation of plunder, by declaring, that all the 
property belonging to those who were unconverted, was unholy, 
and to be confiscated for the use of their conquerors. Numbers, 
therefore, to save their property, professed themselves Wahabee 
