The Syrian feudatories, however, were not permitted to enjoy their triumph in peace.  In October, 629, Amru, Mahomet’s recent convert, was sent to chastise the offenders and exact tribute from them.  He found the task was greater than he had imagined, and sent hurriedly to Medina for reinforcements.  Abu Obeida was in command of the new army, and when he came up with Amru there was an angry discussion as to who should be leader.  Abu Obeida had the precedent of experience and the asset of having been longer in Mahomet’s service than Amru, but he was a mild man, fearful, and a laggard in dispute.  Amru’s impetuous determination overruled him, and he yielded to the compulsion of his more energetic rival, fearing to provoke disaster by prolonging the quarrel.  The hostile Syrian tribes were rapidly dispersed with the increased forces at Amru’s command, and he returned triumphant to Medina.

As a recompense for his yielding of the leadership to Amru, Abu Obeida was entrusted by Mahomet with the task of reducing the tribe of Joheina to submission.  The expedition was wholly successful; the Joheina accepted the Prophet’s yoke without opposition, and their lead was followed later in the year by the Beni Abs Murra and the Beni Dzobian, and finally the Beni Suleim, whose enmity in conjunction with the Beni Ghatafan had done much to prolong the siege of Medina.

The Prophet was exultant.  The year’s successes had surpassed his expectations, and the maturing of his deep-laid plans for the reduction of Mecca by pressure without bloodshed satisfied his ambitious and dominating soul.  He was now master of Hedaz, overlord of Yemen and the Bedouin tribes of the interior as far as the dim Syrian border.

But with all his newly-found sovereignty there was one stronghold which he could neither conquer nor even impress.  On the crowning achievement of subduing Mecca all his hopes were set, and there were no means that he did not employ to increase his power so that its continued resistance might ultimately become impossible.  He strengthened his hold over the rest of Arabia; he won from Mecca as many allies as he could; he continually impressed upon both his followers and the surrounding tribes that the city was his natural home, the true abiding-place of his faith.  Now, having prepared the way, he ventured to ensure the safety thereof by diplomacy and a skilful use of the demonstration of force.  He was strong enough to compel an encounter with the Kureisch which should prove decisive.

In the attack upon the Khozaa, allies of the Prophet, the Beni Bekr, who gave their allegiance to the Kureisch, supplied Mahomet with the necessary casus belli.  He declared upon the evidence of his friends that the Kureisch had helped the Beni Bekr in disguise and announced the swift enforcement of his vengeance.  In alarm the Kureisch sent Abu Sofian to Medina to make their depositions as to the rights of the case and to beg for clemency.  But their emissary met with no success.  Mahomet felt himself powerful enough to flout him, and accordingly Abu Sofian was sent back to his native city discomfited.