Page:Bury J B The Cambridge Medieval History Vol 2 1913.djvu/356

328 already developed, independently of Islām, a sense of their superiority to other races and were eager to overrun the neighbouring countries. On this question it is difficult to pronounce a definite opinion, since nearly all our information about the Arabs of that period comes through Muslim channels. But in any case there can be no doubt that in the diffusion of Islām the national feelings of the Arabs played a very important part.

On the other hand, we must not fall into the error of ignoring the extraordinary influence exerted by the Prophet over his disciples, an influence which was apparently due quite as much to his moral as to his intellectual qualities. The confidence which he inspired may seem to us undeserved, but it is only just to acknowledge that he used his immense power much oftener for the purpose of restraining than for the purpose of stimulating fanaticism.