ble years of uncertainty in Islam, in order to
produce among Mahomet's followers a recklessness in battle, and in the
varying fortunes of their life at Medina, born of the knowledge that
their fate was irrevocably decided. They fought for the true God against
the idolaters; this true God held their destinies in his hand; nothing
could be altered. The result was that the Muslim fought with superhuman
daring, and faced overwhelming forces undaunted. But the time came when
Islam had no longer any need to fight, and the doctrine of fatalism still
lived. It sank into mental and physical inactivity, and of that
inactivity, induced by the knowledge that their energies were unavailing,
pessimism was bred. Despotism and fatality are perhaps the purely
personal ideas that Mahomet gave to his political state, the latter
encroaching, however, as most of his secular principles, upon the realm
of philosophy. Indeed, his political rule is inseparable from his
religion, and as a religious leader he is more justly appraised.

In the sphere of religion the raw material was to his hand. At the
inception of his mission Mecca and Central Arabia, though confirmed in
idolatry, still mingled with their rites some distorted Jewish traditions
and ceremonies, while Yemen had embraced the Christian faith for a short
time as a dependency of Abyssinia, but had relapsed into idolatry with
the interference of Persia. Both the border kingdoms to the north,
Palmyra and Hira, were Christian, and in the time of their prosperity had
influenced Arabia in the direction of Christianity. The Christian
Scriptures were known and respected, but these impulses were feeble and
spasmodic, so that the bulk of Arabia remained fixed in its ancient
idolatry.

By far the more enduring influence was that of Judaism. Many Jewish
tribes were settled in Arabia, and the ancient traditions of the Jewish
race, the great figures of Abraham, Lot, and Noah were set vividly before
the eyes of the Arabs. There was every indication that a religious
teacher might use the existing elements of Judaism and Christianity to
produce a monotheistic faith, partaking of their nature, and for a time
Mahomet endeavoured to bring both forms within the scope of his mission.
But compromise, whether with idolaters or Jews, was found to be
impossible, and here religious and political ideals are inextricably
blended. If Mahomet had acquiesced in the Jewish religion, had submitted
to the sovereignty o