Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 403
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 403 their arms. The Holy Prophet was grieved at the intelligence, raised his hands to heaven, and adjured, ‘Lord, I am innocent in Thy sight of that which Khalid has done. ’ To prove the sincerity of his displeasure, he sent Ali with money to make compensation for the slain. Mecca had fallen, but this did not bring peace. The Holy Prophet’s march against Mecca had been so sudden that the first intimation of it that reached the surrounding tribes was the fall of the town. They were greatly agitated by the news, and felt that th e time had come for the last effort to be put forth against Islam. The great Hawazin tribe occupied the ranges and slopes of the hilly country south - east of Mecca, and with their numerous branches and affiliated clans spread themselves over the wide steppe s beyond Taif. That city inhabited by Bani Thaqeef of the same descent was their centre, and its inhabitants, devoted to idol - worship and closely connected with Mecca, feared the rapidly growing power of Islam. Accordingly they sent an urgent summons to al l the branches of Hawazin stock to assemble, with a view to checking effectively the further spread of Islam. Having appointed a rendezvous at Autas, a valley in the mountain range north - east of Taif, they began rapidly to assemble there. This movement compelled the Holy Prophet to cut short his stay at Mecca. Although the city had cheerfully accepted his authority, all its inhabitants had not yet embraced Islam. The Holy Prophet intended to leave their conversion to be accomplished gradual ly without compulsion. He left Muaz bin Jabal, well skilled in the Holy Quran and all questions of religious practice, to instruct the people of Mecca in the tenets and