“Even so, O Lord, rend Thou his kingdom from him!” cried Mahomet as he heard the story of his flouting.

His next enterprise was more successful.  The governor of Yemen, Badzan, nominally under the sway of Persia, had separated himself almost entirely from his overlord during the unstable rule of Siroes, son of the warrior Chosroes.  Now Badzan embraced Islam, and with his conversion the Yemen population became officially followers of the Prophet.  Encouraged by the success, Mahomet sent a despatch to Egypt, where he was courteously received and given two slave girls, Mary and Shirin, as presents.  Mary he kept for himself because of her exceeding beauty, but Shirin was bestowed upon one of the Companions.  Although the Egyptian king did not embrace Islam, he was kindly disposed towards its Prophet.

The next despatch, to Abyssinia, is distinguished by the importance of its indirect results.  Ever since the small body of Islamic converts had fled thither for refuge before the persecutions of the Kureisch, Mahomet had desired to convert Abyssinia to his creed.  Now he sent an envoy to its king enjoining him to embrace Islam, and asking for the hand of Omm Haliba in marriage, daughter of Abu Sofian and widow of Obeidallah, one of the “Four Inquirers” of an earlier and almost forgotten time.  The despatch was well received by the governor, who allowed Omm Haliba and all who wished of the original immigrants to return to their native country.  Jafar, Mahomet’s cousin, exiled to Abyssinia in the old troublous times, was the most famous of these disciples.  He was a great warrior, and found his glory fighting at the head of the armies of the Prophet at Muta, where he was slain, and entered forthwith upon the Paradise of joy which awaits the martyrs for Islam.  Not long after his return from Kheibar the Refugees arrived, and Mahomet took Omm Haliba to wife.

During the remainder of 628 the Prophet held his state in Medina, only sending out some of his lesser leaders at intervals upon small defensive expeditions.  His position was now secure, but only just as long as his right arm never wavered and his hands never rested from slaughter.  By the edge of the sword his conquests had been made, by the edge of the sword alone they would be kept.  But it was now necessary only for him to show his power.  The frightened Arab tribes crept away, cowed before his vigilance, but if the whip were once put out of sight they would spring again to the attack.

He now receives the title of Prince of Hadaz, how and by whom bestowed upon him we have no record.  Most probably he wrested it himself by force from the tribes inhabiting that country, and compelled them to acknowledge him by that sign of overlordship.  The year before the stipulated time for Mahomet to repair once more to Mecca was spent in consolidating his position by every means in his power.  He was resolved that no weakness on his part should give the Kureisch the chance to refuse him again the entry into their city.  His position was to be such that any question of ignoring the treaty would be made impossible, and by the time of Dzul Cada, 629, he had carried out his designs with that thoroughness of which only he in all Arabia seemed at that period capable.