Arabia, the land which brought forth Muhammad, which is so well known to the world to-day, was once like an island separate from the earth. The world had no connection whatsoever with it, it had neither the way of import nor export. Riches had not shown its shadow nor had civilization, war trodden upon its soil. It had not a very agreeable climate so that one could expect beautiful products. There were no such places of interest as might attract the world, neither were there forests or water to be found. Life depended upon rain only. The mountains, the rocky land, the hot wind, the malarial air, sandstorms, the desert, dates and thorns were the few things which Arabia possessed. Neither in the field was corn nor in the jungles were there fields. This was the land of Arabia in its whole existence.

The civilization of the Egyptians and the science and art of the Greeks were unknown to the Arabs. Nature was the only food for their intellect; it was bare among the world's lands. They lived in the mountains, the deserts, in simple shelters, their roof the sky. Their religion in the true sense of the word was nothing; some worshipped fire, others prayed to planets, many believed in several gods and everywhere idolatry was found. Some merely hankered after magic, some spent their whole life seeking phenomena. If there was any place to worship God it was the temple of Abraham. But this home, which seems to have been predestined by the Creator for the descent of the stream of God, was also turned by the idolaters into a shrine where no trace of the Infinite was left. Each family had a separate God. Some had Habal, some had Safa, others had Aza as their God, another had Naela for his worship. In this way each home had its peculiar idol. The sun of knowledge was covered by the clouds of darkness. It was black on the tops of Haran.

All their manners and customs were barbarous, everyone was engaged in robbery and theft, throughout quarrels and fights their life was led. Each one had his own law, they were free in killing and destroying lives - as free as the wild animals of the jungle. If they would once strike no one could compel them to work. If they would once fight no one could make peace between them. If two persons had inharmony among them their split would embitter hundreds of families. If one soul was raising his head from the ordinary level the whole village stood up in opposition. The war of Bakra and Taghlab continued for half a century in which, without any serious reason, the whole of Arabia was involved. There was quarrel dividing the loot after a theft, about letting a horse walk ahead of another horse; among some people there were complaints about coming and going to places, about allowing a person to take water. In this way every day there was a fight among them and at each little cause the sword was drawn. When a daughter was born in any house the mother was overwhelmed with shame; as soon as she would see the furious eyes of her husband she would go with fear and bury the infant alive, regarding it as a serpant. Gambling was the occupation of the day, drink their only delight; there was passion, foolishness. In short in every respect their condition was bad. In this way they had lived for many centuries; in this way even their virtues were overwhelmed with sin.

Suddenly the pride of Allah was touched by this degradation. The cloud of his mercy approached the mountains of Mecca, which ground was so showered with this blissful rain that it produced the ideal of the universe who was prophesied by the holy ones for ages in the past.

-oOo-