The eighth year of the flight is famous in the history of the prophet’s life, because his followers, for the first time, came into conflict with the forces of the Christian empire.  The battle of Mutah resulted in defeat of the Moslems, and, consequently, details have been suppressed.  It was part of Mohammed’s policy to counteract the demoralising influence of defeat by immediately attempting a fight in which victory was assured.  This, to my mind, justified war on any pretext or grievance.  In this case he conceived the idea of invading Mecca, and, although minor incidents justify his decision to a slight degree, his breach of the treaty adds to the evidence that is derogatory to his character.

The pilgrimage of the year before had been organised by him with the view of impressing the Meccans of his power, and was decidedly successful.  When he with his ten thousand troops approached the city, fear caused submission on the part of the leader of the city forces, and after some slight skirmishing with a section of the community, which preferred to show active disapproval of the ignominious surrender, the city was won.  Every idolatrous element of the Kaaba worship was swept away, and, although its pagan associations were negatived, it was sanctified to the service of Islam, and is still its only altar.  The city was invested with a more sacred significance than it had ever occupied under the pagan system.  It was never again to be defiled by the spilling of human blood, the prophet insisting upon this with admirable inconsistency!  He showed his gratification in many acts of statesmanlike condescension, and seems at this time to have considered himself to be the ruler of all Arabs.  Although it is improbable that Mohammed was aware of it, the significance he attached to the Holy City, by teaching that the Caaba was a heavenly built edifice, was to become the means of consolidating his system, in spite of national and racial distinctions.  In its precincts, pilgrims from India, Persia, China, Russia, Turkey, and other lands where Islam has its devotees, mingle with the wild Bedouin of the desert in one common brotherhood, and worship, in unity of faith and form, Allah, the great and merciful.

After its capture, the fierce warlike Bedouin nomadic tribes made strenuous and courageous attempts to win back the city, but the Moslem forces were invariably successful, and, in time, Mohammed returned to Medinah more triumphant than ever.  Eventually Taif, which had successfully resisted a siege, submitted peacefully to the prophet’s claims, and the subjugation of the whole of Arabia followed.

An ingenious system of taxation was imposed upon all tribes submitting to Mohammed.  The natural prejudice that universally exists against taxation (!) was overcome, because it was instituted as a religious rather than a statutory obligation.  Thus the regular payments of alms became one of the five acts of faith imposed upon all believers.  The other acts are:  confession of creed, prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage.