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 mild and conciliatory, labouring with indefatigable industry in the work of Proselytism. The first convert was his wife Khadijah, on repeating to her a passage pretended to be revealed by the angel, and which is generally supposed to include the first five verses of the 96th chapter; from esteeming him as a husband, she admitted his claims as a prophet. At her solicitation, her cousin, who was versed in the Scriptures, became the next convert, then his slave Zeid, whom he presented with liberty, a practice still prevalent among the Moslems towards slaves who embrace their faith: his cousin and pupil, Ali, son of Abu Taleb, next followed, who has sometimes been dignified with the title of the first of Believers: after him succeeded Abu-beker, with five principal men of the city, all in the space of about three years.

About this time Mohammed pretended a