's arrival at Medina, admits in a
foot-note (p. 32, Vol. III), that "as yet we have no distinct
development of the intention of Mahomet to impose his religion on others
by force: it would have been dangerous in the present state of parties
to advance this principle."

[Sidenote: 38. Comment on the above quotation.]

It will appear from the foregoing statements that in each of the three
distinct periods of Mohammad's sojourn in Medina, _i.e._, the first two
years, the fifth year, and the eighth year, Sir W. Muir has himself
admitted that Mohammad had no intention to impose his religion by force,
and did not profess to force people to join Islam, or punish them for
not embracing it, and that the conversion of the people at Medina was
gradually accomplished without compulsion, and the same course he
followed at his taking of Mecca. Then there is no room left for the
uncalled for and self-contradictory remark of Sir W. Muir, that at
Medina "Intolerance quickly took place of freedom; force, of
persuasion." Up to the end of the eighth year when Mecca was captured,
there was admittedly no persecution or constraint put in requisition to
enforce religion. Mohammad breathed his last early in the eleventh year.
During the two years that intervened, the din of war had ceased to
sound, deputations continued to reach the Prophet from all quarters of
Arabia, and not a single instance of intolerance or compulsory adoption
of faith is found on record.[196]

Mohammad, neither sooner, nor later, in his stay at Medina, swerved
from the policy of forbearance and persuasion he himself had chalked out
for the success of his mission. At Medina, he always preached his
liberal profession of respect for other creeds, and reiterated
assurances to the people that he was merely a preacher, and expressly
gave out that compulsion in religion was out of question with him.

These are his revelations during the Medina period. "Verily, they who
believe (Moslems), and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the
Christians, and the Sabeites,--whoever believeth in God and the last
day, and doeth that which is right, shall have their reward with their
Lord: and fear shall not _come_ upon them, neither shall they be
grieved."

_Sura II_, 59.

"And say to those who have been given the Scripture, and to the common
folk, Do you surrender yourselves unto God? Then, if they become
Moslems, are they guided aright; but if they turn away, then thy duty is