ded. The land as usual was given out to Muslim followers, or the
Jews were allowed to keep their holdings, provided they paid half the
produce as tribute to Mahomet. Half the conquered territory, however, was
reserved exclusively for the Prophet, constituting a sort of crown
domain, whence he drew revenues and profit. Thus was temporal wealth
continually employed to strengthen his spiritual kingdom and put his
faith upon an unassailable foundation.

The expedition to Kheibar saw the promulgation of several ordinances
dealing with the personal and social life of his followers. The dietary
laws were put into stricter practice; the flesh of carnivorous animals
was forbidden, and a severer embargo was laid upon the drinking of
wine--the result of Mahomet's knowledge of the havoc it made among men in
that fierce country and among those wild and passionate souls.
Henceforward also the most careful count was kept of all the booty taken
in warfare, and those who were discovered in the possession of spoil
fraudulently obtained were subject to extreme penalties. All spoil was
inviolate until the formal division of it, which usually took place upon
the battlefield itself or less frequently within Medina. The Prophet's
share was one-fifth, and the rest was distributed equally among the
warriors and companions. Since Islam derived its temporal wealth chiefly
by spoliation, the destiny of its plunder was an important question and
gave rise to frequent disputes between the Disaffected and the Believers
which are mentioned in the Kuran. By now, however, the malcontents were
for the most part silenced, and we hear little disputation after this as
to the apportionment of wealth.

With the return to Medina came the inaugury of Mahomet's extension of
diplomacy--the dream which had filled his mind since the tide of his
fortunes had turned with the Kureisch failure to capture his city. The
year 628, the first year of embassies, saw his couriers journeying to the
princes and emperors of his immediate world to demand or cajole
acknowledgment of his mission. A great seal was engraved, having for its
sign "Mahomet, the Prophet of God," and this was appended to the strange
and incoherent documents which spread abroad his creed and pretensions.

The first embassy to Heraclius was sent in this year summoning him to
follow the religion of God's Prophet and to acknowledge his supremacy. At
the same time the Prophet sent a like missive to the Ghassan