n the north of Arabia and
Governor of Amman in the Ghassanide territory announced his conversion
to Mohammad by a despatch in A.H. 8.]

[Footnote 83: They have already been described at page 46. Their
deputation waited upon Mohammad on his return from Tabuk.]

[Footnote 84: Descendants of Anmar of the Kahtanite stock.]

[Footnote 85: A sub-tribe of Azd at Yemen.]

[Footnote 86: Already described under Bani Azd.]

[Footnote 87: Bani Hamadan of the Kahtanite descent. An important tribe
in the east of Yemen.]

[Footnote 88: A Christian branch of the Bani Bakr who inhabited Yemama.

"The account of the embassy of the Bani Hanifa is more decidedly
unfavourable to Christianity, but its details appear of doubtful
authority. Moseilama, the false Prophet, was among the number, and there
are some unlikely anticipations of his sacrilegious claims.

"As the embassy were departing, Mahomet gave them a vessel in which were
the leavings of the water with which he had performed his lustration;
and he said,--'_When you reach your country, break down your church, and
sprinkle its sight with this water, and make in its place a mosque_'....

"The story appears to me improbable, because nowhere else is Mahomet
represented as exhibiting such antagonism to Christians and their
churches when they submitted themselves to him."--Muir's Life of
Mahomet, Vol. II, pp. 303-4, _footnote_. The author changes his opinion
in the fourth volume of his work and says: "I have there stated (in Vol.
II) the story to be improbable. But I am now inclined to think that
during the last year or two of Mahomet's life, there was quite enough of
antagonistic feeling against Christianity as it presented itself in the
profession of the Arab and Syrian tribes to support the
narrative."--Life of Mahomet by Sir W. Muir, Vol. IV, page 218,
_footnote_.

This is a mere presumption on the part of the writer, and there is no
proof of Mohammad's antagonism towards Christianity at any period of his
life except against those who waged war with him. The following verse of
the Koran will show how far I am true:--

"Verily they who believe (Moslems), and they who follow the Jewish
religion, and the Christians and Sabeites, whoever of those believeth in
God and the Last Day, and doth that which is right shall have their
reward with their Lord: Fear shall not come upon them, neither shall
they be grieved."]

[Footnote 89: Also a Christian tribe in Yemen descended from th