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same year which had witnessed the defeat of the Christian power in Arabia by the idolaters of Mecca, about two months after that event, and whilst Abrahah still occupied the throne of Yaman, gave birth to one of the greatest enemies the church has ever experienced. The grandfather of Muhammed was the same Abdolmotalleb who had opposed the arms of Abrahah, who was not only the chief of the tribe of Koreish, but appears to have been related to the royal family of Hamyar. The history of Muhammed prior to his assumption of the character of a prophet is exceedingly obscure, perhaps we may venture to say entirely unknown. The earliest Arabian writers who have composed his life lived at least some centuries after the events they relate;