LAST OF THE PROPHETS 33
is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the apostle of Allah," would be saved and would share in the spiritual and sensuous delights of paradise; while those who disbelieved would be tormented in the fires of hell in everlasting punishment. The people were warned to seek forgiveness from God the merciful and compassionate, and to flee from the day of judgment which was surely coming. It was a message of great urgency, and we have no reason to doubt that at this stage Mohammed was genuinely sincere.
During this Meccan period, too, he remained the faithful husband of one wife. Khadijah was not only a real homemaker but likewise a great strength and help to him in his public life. She was a powerfully steadying influence. The death of Khadijah, as well as his move to Medina, brought two new factors into the life of Mohammed. In the one case his private life took on a new aspect. Released from the wholesome control of Khadijah, he married ten other lawful wives, of whom the ten year old child-wife, Ayesha, was his favorite. His family life with its many wives became extremely complicated; and his own example became an important factor in determining the future ethical and social standards of life in Islam. Second, his public life entered a new phase and he began to feel his political power.
MOHAMMED AS PROPHET-KING
In Medina, Mohammed became the ruler of a large group of followers. He had hoped to secure the
