Abu Sofian, his implacable foe, was at this time governor of the city.  He was both incensed and alarmed at the spreading growth of the new faith, and held a meeting of the chief of the Koreishites to devise some means of effectually putting a stop to it.  Some advised that Mahomet should be banished the city; but it was objected that he might gain other tribes to his interest, or perhaps the people of Medina, and return at their head to take his revenge.  Others proposed to wall him up in a dungeon, and supply him with food until he died; but it was surmised that his friends might effect his escape.  All these objections were raised by a violent and pragmatical old man, a stranger from the province of Nedja, who, say the Moslem writers, was no other than the devil in disguise, breathing his malignant spirit into those present.

At length it was declared by Abu-Jahl that the only effectual check on the growing evil was to put Mahomet to death.  To this all agreed, and as a means of sharing the odium of the deed, and withstanding the vengeance it might awaken among the relatives of the victim, it was arranged that a member of each family should plunge his sword into the body of Mahomet.

It is to this conspiracy that allusion is made in the eighth chapter of the Koran: 

“And call to mind how the unbelievers plotted against thee, that they might either detain thee in bonds, or put thee to death, or expel thee the city; but God laid a plot against them; and God is the best layer of plots.”

In fact, by the time the murderers arrived before the dwelling of Mahomet, he was apprised of the impending danger.  As usual, the warning is attributed to the angel Gabriel, but it is probable it was given by some Koreishite, less bloody-minded than his confederates.  It came just in time to save Mahomet from the hands of his enemies.  They paused at his door, but hesitated to enter.  Looking through a crevice they beheld, as they thought, Mahomet wrapped in his green mantle, and lying asleep on his couch.  They waited for a while, consulting whether to fall on him while sleeping or wait until he should go forth.  At length they burst open the door and rushed toward the couch.  The sleeper started up; but, instead of Mahomet, Ali stood before them.  Amazed and confounded they demanded, “Where is Mahomet?” “I know not,” replied Ali sternly, and walked forth; nor did anyone venture to molest him.  Enraged at the escape of their victim, however, the Koreishites proclaimed a reward of a hundred camels to anyone who should bring them Mahomet alive or dead.

Divers accounts are given of the mode in which Mahomet made his escape from the house after the faithful Ali had wrapped himself in his mantle and taken his place upon the couch.  The most miraculous account is, that he opened the door silently, as the Koreishites stood before it, and, scattering a handful of dust in the air, cast such blindness upon them that he walked through the midst of them without being perceived.  This, it is added, is confirmed by the verse of the thirtieth chapter of the Koran:  “We have thrown blindness upon them, that they shall not see.”  The most probable account is that he clambered over the wall in the rear of the house, by the help of a servant, who bent his back for him to step upon it.[50]