Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/43

 16 and taking others prisoners. The Beni ʿAbs and Dhubyān fled to Ṭoleiḥa, and joined his army at Al-Buzākha. Thereupon Abu Bekr confiscated their pasture-lands to be in all time to come a reserve for the stud and camels of the State. The rebels after a time tendered their submission, and eventually found ample compensation in the conquered lands beyond Arabia.

Satisfied with this success, the Caliph returned to Medīna. The army by this time was refitted. The tithes had begun to come in from neighbouring tribes in token of submission. Medina was no longer in peril, and the Citizens breathed freely. But a heavy burden still lay upon the Caliph. Save a remnant here and there, faith was vanishing, and the Arabs throughout the Peninsula were relapsing into apostasy. Yet Islām was to be the Faith of all Arabia;—"Throughout the land there shall be no second creed," was the behest of Moḥammad upon his deathbed. False prophets must be crushed; rebels vanquished; apostates reclaimed or else exterminated; and the supremacy vindicated of Islām. It was, in short, the mission of Abu Bekr to redeem the dying Prophet's words.

With this great purpose, Abu Bekr went forth a second time to Dhuʾl Ḳaṣṣa, and summoned there the whole available forces of Islam and all the loyal Chieftains. These he divided into eleven independent Columns, and over each appointed ‘a distinguished leader, to whom (following the example of his Master) he presented a banner. Arabia was parcelled out, and each detachment given a quarter to reclaim, with marching orders where to begin and what course to take. Thus Khālid was to subdue Ṭoleiḥa; and ʿIkrima with Shurahbīl, Museilima. Al-Muhājir was sent to the Yemen; Al-ʿAlā to Al-Baḥrein; Ḥodheifa to Mahra; and ʿAmr against the Beni Kodāʿa. By this great scheme, in course of time no spot would be left unconquered. The troops retained at home were few; but few were needed now.

Having despatched the various expeditions, Abu Bekr returned to Medīna. There his first concern was to publish a summons to apostate tribes, commanding them everywhere to repent and submit themselves, on which condition they should be pardoned and received back into Islām.