4 A R A 
been filled up by Amru, prince of the Jorhamites. This 
well is by the Arabs called Zemzem ; which fome derive 
from her calling to Ilhmael, when Ihe fpied it, in the 
Egyptian tongue, Zem, Zem, i. e. Stay, Stay ; though others 
afcribe it to' a different origin. The water of this well, 
which is on the ea(t fide of the Caaba, in Mecca, is highly 
reverenced; being not only drunk with particular devo¬ 
tion by the pilgrims, but alfo lent in bottles to molt parts 
of the Mahometan dominions. 
Abdallah, the father of Mahomet, was a younger fon of 
Abdal Motalleb, and remarkable for liis beauty. In his 
24th or 25th year, he married Amina, the daughter of 
Waheb, the fon of Abdal Menaf. She is reprefented as 
the molt beautiful, prudent, and virtuous, woman of her 
tribe; and confequently the molt worthy of Inch an ex¬ 
traordinary perfon as Abdallah. He died young, and, in 
his father’s life-time, left his widow and infant fon in very 
mean circumftances. Abdal Motalleb was, therefore, 
obliged to take'care of his grand fon Mahomet; which he 
not only did during his life, but at his death enjoined his 
eldeft fon Abu Taleb to provide for him for the future. 
Abu Taleb was extremely kind to his nephew, and in- 
llructed him in the bufinefs of merchandife ; for which 
purpofe he took him into Syria when he was but thirteen 
years of age, recommending him to Khadijah, a noble and 
rich widow, for her faftor ; in whole fervice he behaved 
fo well, that file married him, and thus railed him to an 
equality with the richeft in Mecca. 
Though Mahomet had probably formed a defign of in¬ 
troducing his new religion pretty early, he did not avow 
it till the fortieth year of his age. The grand article of 
his faith was, the unity of the divine nature, which he 
pretended was violated by the Jews and Chriflians no lefs 
than by the Pagans; for which reafon, he refolved to make 
an attempt to refcue the world from the ignorance and 
fuperftition which prevailed at that time. This reforma¬ 
tion he intended fhould begin in his own family; and 
therefore, having retired with his houfehold to a cave in 
mount Hara, near Mecca, he there opened the fecret of 
his million to Khadijah : acquainting her that the angel 
Gabriel had juft appeared to him, and told him that he 
was appointed the apollle of God. Khadijah, her coulin 
Waraka Ebn Nawfal, Ali the (bn of Abu Taleb, and Abu 
■ Beer, a man of very confiderable authority among the Ko- 
reifii, were the firfi: converts to his new doctrine, and pro- 
mifed to fupport him in it, at the hazard of their lives. 
Mahomet, therefore, entered upon his apofiolic function 
with uncommon diligence, and loon gained over his uncle 
Hamza, and Omar Ebn A 1 Khattah, a perfon very much 
efteemed, and who before had been his violent oppofer. 
The Koreilh, however, came to a refolution to proferibe 
all who fliould embrace Mahomet’s dodtrine. In confe- 
qtience of this refolution, the Mojlems, as his followers were 
called, were treated with great leverity ; and the Koreilh 
entered into a folemn league or covenant again!! the Hafiie- 
mites, and the family of Abdal Motalleb in particular, en¬ 
gaging themfelves to contract no marriages with them, nor 
to have any manner of communication with them other- 
wife; and, to give this the greater weight, they reduced 
it into writing, and laid it up in the Caaba. Upon this, 
the tribe became divided into two fadtions; and all the 
family of Hafliem, both Modems and unbelievers, repair¬ 
ed to Abu Taleb as their head ; except only Abdal Uzza, 
the fon of Abdal Motalleb, who, out of hatred to his ne¬ 
phew, went over to the oppofite party. After this, the 
authority of Abu Taleb v/as fcarcely (Efficient to protect 
Mahomet from the fury of the Koreilh, who made fre¬ 
quent attempts upon his life. 
The two fadtions into which the tribe of Koreilh was 
divided, fubfifted for five years, when they were put an 
end to by a very ftrange accident. Mahomet told his 
uncle Abu Taleb, that God had manifeltly (hewed his dis¬ 
approbation of the 'covenant entered into againfl them, by 
fending a worm to eat out every word, of their covenant 
except the name of God. With this- particular Abu Taleb 
B I A. 
immediately acquainted the Koreifn ; offering, in cafe it 
proved falfe, to deliver up his nephew to them; but, if 
it fiiould prove true, he infilled that they ought to lay 
slide their animofity, and annul the league they had made 
againfl the Hafhemites. To this they acquiefced ; and, 
going to infpedt the writing, found it to be as Abu Taleb 
had told them; the words “ In thy name, O God,” being 
the only ones which remained. On fo remarkable a proof 
of the divine difpleafure, the league was immediately an¬ 
nulled, and all ails of hoflility between the two parties 
ceafed. After this event, Mahomet remained with his 
uncle Abu Taleb, who furvived the reconciliation only 
about eight months. The fame year alfo died Khadijah, 
Mahomet’s wife. Her death, as well as that of his uncle, 
proved a great detriment to his affairs ; for the Koreilh, 
notwithflanding the former reconciliation, began now to 
perlecute him with more violence than ever. He was 
therefore obliged to fly for flielter to A 1 Tayef, and was 
expoled to great danger : however, lie gained many con¬ 
verts, and among!! them lix of the Jewilh tribe of Khaz- 
raj; who, on their return home, failed not to fpeak much 
in commendation of their new religion, and exhorted their 
fellow-citizens immediately to embrace it. Thefe con¬ 
verts of the tribe of Khazt ai are by the Arab writers called 
Al Anfar, Al Anfarii, or Anfars ; that is, afliflants, favour¬ 
ers, fupporters, &c. becaufe they allifted and fupported 
the prophet when he was purfued to the very brink of de- 
ftruclion. They firfi met Mahomet on a little hill called 
Al Ahabah, where a temple Hood, and where they firfi took 
an oath to exert themfelves in fupport of their new apollle 
and his religion. An uninterrupted friendfiiip and har¬ 
mony reigned for a long time amongft the members of the 
Jewilh tribes of Khazraj, Koreidha, and Nadir, whole 
great progenitor, fay the Arabs, was Aaron the fon of 
Ararara. Mahomet therefore inlinuating himfelf into the 
good opinion of the Anfars, they readily embraced his re¬ 
ligion, and proved of very confiderable fervice to him. 
Hie Koreilh, finding that Mahomet had confiderably 
extended his influence, and hearing of the league con¬ 
cluded with the Anfars, refolved, in a council, to put an 
end to his life. To accomplilh this with the greater fafe- 
ty, they agreed that a man fiiould be chofen out of every 
tribe, and that each fiiould have a blow at him; that fo 
the guilt of his death might fall equally on all the tribes ; 
and thus the Hafliemites would be prevented from reveng¬ 
ing the death of their kinfman, as they were much infe¬ 
rior in power to the reft of the tribes put together. Ma¬ 
homet now directed his companions to repair to Medina, 
where they might be alfured of protection. This they ac¬ 
cordingly did: but he himfelf, with Abu Beer and Ali, 
remained behind. The confpirators, therefore, aftembled 
at the prophet’s door; but he, to amufe them, ordered 
Ali to lie down in his place, and to wrap himfelf up in 
his green cloak ; this Ali complied with, and Mahomet 
efcaped to the houfe of Abu Beer. The confpirators, in 
the mean time, perceiving through a crevice Ali wrapped 
up in the green cloak, took him for Mahomet, and watch¬ 
ed there till morning, when Ali arofe, and they found 
themfelves deceived. The prophet then retired with Abu 
Beer to a cave in mount Thur, a little fouth of Mecca, 
where he had ftill a more narrow efcape, and with great 
difficulty let out for Medina. The Koreilh, being inform¬ 
ed of the route he had taken, lent a party after him, un¬ 
der the command of Soraka Ebn Malec ; but, as the Arab 
hiftorians tell us, Soraka’s horfe fell down when he at¬ 
tempted to feize Mahomet. Upon this he recommended 
himfelf to the prophet’s prayers, and remounted his horfe 
without hurt His companions, however, urging him to 
make another attempt, his horfe fell down witli him a le- 
cond time ; upon which he returned to Mecca, without 
offering any farther violence to Mahomet, who arrived 
without more moleftation at Medina, and was received 
with the greatefi demonllrations of joy. 
From the circumflance of tiiis flight, which happened 
in the 6z2d year of Chrift, the fifty-fourth year of Maho¬ 
met’s 
