An Outline of Early Islamic History — Page 3
3 two and later their tribes went to war. The war lasted for forty years. Arabs had no schools and no books. Except for a few, no one knew how to read and write. Sons, horses and poets were greatly prized among them. The birth of a daughter brought on great grief. Some of them buried their female children alive. The Arabs were v ery loyal to their tribes. They kept slaves and were proud of their families. They were cruel in war and had no mercy for the enemy, not even for women and children. But they were very brave. They had no fear of death and were kind to strangers. Abraham Four thousand years ago, the Prophet Abraham came from Egypt to Arabia. He brought his wife Hajira and child Ismail with him to a desolate place where Mecca now stands. God had commanded him to leave the two in the deserts. Abraham gave his wife and child some dates and some water and left them in the care of God. The scanty rations were soon finished. The child Ismail was thirsty but there was no sign of water anywhere around. Seven times Hajira ran between the two hills, Safa and Marva. She found no water. Then lifting her eyes to the sky, she prayed to God. Soon a voice spoke, “God has heard thee. ” She hurried back to the child. There she saw a spring of water close by his feet. The two were saved. Hajira thanked God for His great mercy. Soon Banu Jurham, an Arab tribe settled on the spot. When Ismail grew up, he took a girl of this tribe for his wife.