'Come let us curse each other and lay the curse of Allah on those that lie.' Finally they agreed to pay the poll-tax which all non-Muslims had to give.¹ This event is referred to in the following verses of the Qur'an:— ²

Verily, Jesus is as Adam in the sight of God. He created him of dust; He then said to him, 'Be—and he was.'
The truth is from thy Lord. Be not thou, therefore, of those who doubt.
As for those who dispute with thee about Him, after the knowledge ³ hath come to thee, say, 'Come, let us summon our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, and ourselves and yourselves. Then will we invoke and lay the curse of God on those who lie.' Sura Al-'Imran (iii) 52-4.

The idea of settling the matter by imprecation was a curious one, but it shows how strong the conviction of the truth of his own position was in the mind of Muhammad. Some Jewish tribes also submitted, and promised to give regularly the tax required of them. Muhammad then returned home from this his last expedition and reached Madina at the close of the year A.D. 630.

Whilst some of the Muslims now at Madina and many of the Bedouins held back, the more earnest Muslims had been very eager to aid in the war against the Christian Syrians and the disaffected Arab tribes, but carriage and supplies

could not be provided for all. Those whose services could not be utilized in the expedition to Tabuk (ante, p. 157) wept bitterly, and were ever after called al-Baka'un—'The Weepers.' They are told that no blame attaches to those:—

To whom when they came to thee thou didst say, 'I find not wherewith to mount you,' and they turned away their eyes shedding floods of tears for grief, because they found no means to contribute. Sura At-Taubah (ix) 93.

But amongst those who went some were halfhearted. One said to his friends: 'This man wants to conquer the forts and districts of the country of Syria, which is not likely to happen.' Then one who was present rebuked the speaker and said that he hoped some verse would be revealed concerning such wicked conversation. Meanwhile, Muhammad had been supernaturally informed of this murmuring. On knowing this, the Hypocrites were afraid and said that they had spoken only in fun. Then came the revelation:—

The hypocrites are afraid lest a Sura should be sent down concerning them, to tell plainly what is in their hearts. Say: Scoff ye, but God will bring to light that which ye are afraid of.
And if thou question them, they will surely say, 'We were only discoursing and jesting.' Say : What! do ye scoff at God, ¹ and His signs, and His Apostle?
Make no excuse: from faith ye have passed to infidelity. If we forgive some of you, we will punish others; for that they have been evil-doers. Sura At-Taubah (ix) 65-7.