Mohammed's Administrations and Reforms.—The finan cial requirements of Mohammed's state were of the simplest kind, for there is no trace of any governmental department hav ing been instituted by him. As despot of Medina he combined the functions of legislator, administrator, general and judge; his duties in the last three capacities were occasionally dele gated to others, as when he appointed a governor of Medina during his absence, or leaders for expeditions. The newly con verted communities he left to manage their internal affairs as before, only sending occasional envoys to discharge special duties, especially instruction in the Koran and the principles of Islam and to collect the Alms: quite towards the end of his life he appears to have sent persons to the provinces to act as judges.
What afterwards proved the main source of revenue in Islamic States dates from the taking of Khaibar; for the rent paid to the State by tolerated communities for the right to work their land developed long after Mohammed's time into a poll-tax for Unbelievers (see CALIPHATE, and MOHAMMEDAN INSTITUTIONS), and a land-tax for all owners of land. Of the Prophet's reforms the three most important were his attempt to break down the blood-feud or system of tribal responsibility for homicide, whereby one death regularly led to protracted wars ; his abolition of infanticide, which is condemned even in early Suras of the Koran; and, if tradition be right, the granting to women of the right to inherit property. The "Condition of Islam" whereby adultery was forbidden is said to have been ridiculed at the time, on the ground that this practice had never been approved. Against these services we must set the abrogation of some valuable practices. His unfortunate essay in astronomy, whereby a calendar of twelve lunar months, bearing no relation to the seasons, was introduced, was in any case a retrograde step. He also permitted himself a slight amount of bloodshed in Mecca itself, and that city perhaps never quite recovered its sacrosanct character. Of more serious consequences for the development of the community was his encouragement of the shedding of kindred blood in the cause of Islam ; his assassinations of enemies were afterwards quoted as precedents. No less unfortunate was the recognition of the principle whereby atonement could be made for oaths.
of these political motives was the principle which long survived, that the conquest of a state was consummated by possession of the former monarch's wife or daughter; another, as had been seen, the desire to obtain the securest possible hold on his ministers. Of the members of this harem the only prominent one is `A'isha, married to the Prophet shortly after the Flight, when she had scarcely passed the period of infancy, but who appears to have been gifted with astuteness and ambition that were quite beyond her years, and who maintained her ascendancy over the Prophet in spite of the fact that many carping criticisms of his revelations are attributed to her. In her arms apparently he died, and on her statements we have to rely for what we know of his last hours.
The traditional description of Mohammed is "of middle height, greyish, with hair that was neither straight nor curly; with a large head, large eyes, heavy eyelashes, reddish tint in the eyes, thick-bearded, broad-shouldered, with thick hands and feet." He was in the habit of giving violent expression to the emotions of anger and mirth, and during his last years exhibited great physical and intellectual activity.
Chronological Table of Chief Events in the Life of Mohammed'.
570. Birth.
595. Marriage with Khadija.
610. Commencement of Call.
613. Public Appearance.
616. Persian conquest of the nearer East.
? 617. Flight of his followers to Abyssinia.
? 618-619. Siege in Mecca. Retractation and subsequent repudia tion. Death of Abu Talib and Khadija.
? 62o. Flight to Tail.
622. July 16. Beginning of the Muslim era.
622. Sept. 20. Arrival at Kuba after the Flight.
632. Jan. 27. Death of his son Ibrahim.
June 7. Death of Mohammed.