Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

The Conquest of Khyber

Khyber is a township 90 miles north of Medina, in a
harra or volcanic tract, well-watered with many springs issuing forth from its basaltic
rocks. It has an excellent irrigation system and produces rich harvests of dates and
grain.

Long before the time of the Prophet of Islam, the
valley of Khyber and other valleys in its north and south, were colonized by the Jews. As
noted before, these Jews were not only the best farmers of the country, they were also its
leaders in industry and business, and they enjoyed a monopoly of the armaments industry.

In the times of the Prophet, the best arsenals of
Arabia were all in Khyber. Those Jews who had been banished from Medina, had also
resettled in Khyber, and they were noted for their skills in metallurgy.

Betty Kelen

The Qaynuqa were banished from Medina. Chiefly they
were metalworkers, having learned the art of beating out the splendid shining armor, the
moon-curved swords and sun-catching helmets that glorified warfare in the desert. They
made fine bronze armor, beaten and burnished, with helmets to match and gleaming swords
whose swift cut could make the very air whistle. (Muhammad – the Messenger of God)

The Jews of Khyber also heard about the Treaty of
Hudaybiyya and its terms. Just as the Quraysh in Makkah and Umar bin al-Khattab and some
other "hawks" among the Muslims in Medina had interpreted the treaty as the
"surrender" of the Muslims, so also did the Jews of Khyber consider it a symptom
of the incipient decline of the power of the State of Medina. Banking on this theory of
"decline," they began to instigate the Arab tribes between Khyber and Medina to
attack the Muslims. One of these tribes was the Ghatafan, the allies of the Jews of
Khyber.

They began to send their raiding expeditions into
the pastures around Medina. One of these pastures belonged to the Prophet himself. On one
occasion, the son of Abu Dharr el-Ghiffari was grazing the camels of the Prophet when the
Ghatafan struck. They killed him, and captured his mother who was with him, and they drove
with them the herd of camels. The Muslims, however, were able, just in time, to overtake
the marauders and to rescue the wife of Abu Dharr el-Ghiffari.

Muhammad decided to put an end to these gratuitous
provocation. He thought that it would not be prudent to wait until the Jews and their
allies laid another siege to Medina, and that it would be better to forestall them. He,
therefore, ordered the Muslims to mobilize, and to march on Khyber.

In September 628 the Prophet left Medina with 1600
soldiers. Some Muslim women also accompanied the army to work as nurses and to give first
aid to the wounded and the sick.

Khyber had eight fortresses. The strongest and the
most important of them all was the fortress of al-Qamus. The captain of its garrison was a
famous champion called Merhab. He had, under his command, the best fighting men of Khyber,
and they were the best-equipped soldiers of the time in all Arabia.

Muhammad Husayn Haykal

The campaign of Khaybar was one of the greatest. The
masses of Jews living in Khaybar were the strongest, the richest, and the best equipped
for war of all the peoples of Arabia. (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935)

The Muslims, however, were able to capture all the
fortresses of Khyber except al-Qamus which proved to be impregnable. Muhammad send Abu
Bakr on one occasion, and Umar on another, with hand-picked warriors, to attempt the
conquest of al-Qamus. Both made the attempt and both failed. Some other captains also
tried to capture the fortress but they also failed. These repeated failures began to
undermine the morale of the army.

Muhammad realized that something dramatic had to be
done to restore the wilting morale of the Muslims, and immediately. And when one more
attempt to capture al-Qamus had also aborted, his mind was made up, and he declared:
"Tomorrow I shall give the banner of Islam to a hero who loves God and His Apostle,
and God and His Apostle love him. He is one who attacks the enemy but does not run, and he
will conquer Khyber."

The companions knew that the prediction of the
Messenger of God would come true, and that Khyber would be conquered on the following day.
Everyone of them, therefore, became a candidate for the glory and honor of conquering it.
Many of them were kept awake all night by the ambition to become "the beloved of God
and His Apostle," and to become the hero who would capture Khyber.

On the following morning, the companions gathered in
front of the tent of the Prophet. Each of them was decked out in martial array, and was
vying with others in looking the most impressive figure.

Presently, the Messenger of God came out of his
tent, and the vast throng began to show signs of restlessness. Each of the companions
tried to make himself more conspicuous than others in the hope of catching the eye of the
master. But the latter didn't appear to notice any of them and only posed one question:
"Where is Ali?"

Ali at this time was in his tent. He knew that if he
was the "beloved of God and His Apostle," then he, and no one else would capture
the fortress of al-Qamus. The Prophet sent for him.

When Ali came, the Prophet solemnly placed the
banner of Islam in his hand. He invoked God's blessings upon him, prayed for his victory,
and bade him farewell. The young hero then advanced toward the most formidable fortress in
all Arabia where the bravest of the Hebrew warriors were awaiting him. He fought against
them all, overcame them, and planted the banner of Islam on its main tower.

When the conqueror returned to the camp, the
Messenger of God greeted him with smiles, kisses and embraces, and prayed to God to bestow
His best rewards upon His lion.

Ibn Ishaq

Burayda b. Sufyan b. Farwa al-Aslami told me from
his father Sufyan b. Amr b. Al-Akwa: the Apostle sent Abu Bakr with his banner against one
of the forts of Khyber. He fought but returned having suffered losses and not taken it. On
the morrow he sent Umar and the same thing happened. The Apostle said: "Tomorrow I
will give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Apostle. Allah will conquer it by his
means. He is no runaway." Next day he gave the flag to Ali. (The Life of the
Messenger of God)

Edward Gibbon

North-east of Medina, the ancient and wealthy town
of Khyber was the seat of the Jewish power in Arabia: the territory, a fertile spot in the
desert, was covered with plantations and cattle, and protected by eight castles, some of
which were esteemed of impregnable strength. The forces of Mohammed consisted of 200 horse
and 1400 foot: in the succession of eight regular and painful sieges, they were exposed to
danger and fatigue, and hunger; and the most undaunted chiefs despaired of the event. The
Apostle revived their faith and courage by the example of Ali, on whom he bestowed the
surname of the Lion of God, perhaps we may believe that a Hebrew champion of gigantic
stature was cloven to the chest by his irresistible scimitar; but we cannot praise the
modesty of romance, which represents him as tearing from its hinges the gate of a fortress
and wielding the ponderous buckler in his left hand (sic). (The Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire)

Washington Irving

The city of Khyber was strongly defended by
outworks, and its citadel, Al-Kamus, built on a steep rock, was deemed impregnable. The
siege of this city was the most important enterprise the Moslems had yet undertaken. When
Mohammed came in sight of its strong and frowning walls, and its rock-built citadel, he is
said to have prayed for Lord's succor in capturing it.

The siege of the citadel lasted for some time, and
tasked the skill and patience of Mohammed and his troops, as yet little practiced in the
attack of fortified places. Mohammed directed the attacks in person; the besiegers
protected themselves by trenches, and brought battering-rams to play upon the walls; a
breach was at length effected, but for several days every attempt to enter was vigorously
repelled. Abu Bakr at one time led the assault, bearing the standard of the Prophet; but,
after fighting with great bravery, was compelled to retreat. The next attack was headed by
Omar ibn Khattab, who fought until the close of day with no better success.

A third attack was led by Ali, whom Mohammed armed
with his own scimitar, called Dhu'l-Fiqar, or the Trenchant. On confiding to his hands the
sacred banner, he pronounced him "a man who loved God and His Prophet; and whom God
and His Prophet loved; a man who knew not fear, nor ever turned his back upon a foe."

And here it may be well to give a traditional
account of the person and character of Ali. He was of the middle height, but robust and
square, and of prodigious strength. He had a smiling countenance, exceedingly florid, with
a bushy beard. He was distinguished for an amiable disposition, sagacious intellect, and
religious zeal, and, from his undaunted courage, was surnamed the Lion of God.

Arabian writers dwell with fond exaggeration on the
exploits of Khyber, of this their favorite hero. He was clad, they say, in a scarlet vest,
over which was buckled a cuirass of steel. Scrambling with his followers up the great heap
of stones in front of the breach, he planted the standard on the top, determined never to
recede until the citadel was taken. The Jews sallied forth to drive down the assailants.
In the conflict which ensued, Ali fought hand to hand with the Jewish commander,
Al-Hareth, whom he slew. The brother of the slain advanced to revenge his death. He was of
gigantic stature; with a double cuirass, a double turban, wound round a helmet of proof,
in front of which sparked an immense diamond. He had a sword girt to each side, and
brandished a three-pronged spear, like a trident. The warriors measured each other with
the eye, and accosted each other in boasting oriental style. "I," said the Jew,
"am Merhab, armed at all points, and terrible in battle." "And I am Ali,
whom his mother, at his birth, surnamed Al-Haider (the rugged lion).

The Moslem writers make short work of the Jewish
champion. He made a thrust at Ali with his three pronged lance, but it was dexterously
parried; and before he could recover himself, a blow from the scimitar, Dhu'l-Fiqar
divided his buckler, passed through the helm of proof, through double turban, and stubborn
skull, cleaving his head even to his teeth. His gigantic form fell lifeless to the earth.

The Jews now retreated into the citadel, and a
general assault took place. In the heat of the action the shield of Ali was severed from
his arm, leaving his body exposed; wrenching a gate, however, from its hinges, he used it
as a buckler through the remainder of the fight.

Abu Rafe, a servant of Mohammed, testified to the
fact: "I afterwards," says he, "examined this gate in company with seven
men and all eight of us attempted in vain to wield it."

(This stupendous feat is recorded by the historian
Abul Fida. "Abu Rafe," observes Gibbon, "was an eye-witness; but who will
be witness for Abu Rafe?" We join with the distinguished historian in his doubt yet
if we scrupulously question the testimony of an eye-witness, what will become of history?)
(The Life of Mohammed)

Sir William Muir

The Jews rallied round their chief Kinana and posted
themselves in front of the citadel Camuss, resolved on a desperate struggle. After some
vain attempts to dislodge them, Mohammed planned a general attack. "I will give the
eagle," he said – the great black eagle – "into the hands of one that
loveth the Lord, and His Apostle, even as he is beloved of them; he shall gain the
victory. Next morning the flag was placed in Ali's hands, and troops advanced. At this
moment, a soldier stepped forth from the Jewish line, and challenged his adversaries to
single combat: "I am Merhab," he cried, "as all Khyber knows, a warrior
bristling with arms, when the war fiercely burns." Then Ali advanced saying: "I
am he whom my mother named the Lion; like a lion of the howling wilderness. I weigh my
foes in a giant's balance."

The combatants closed, and Ali cleft the head of
Merhab in two. The Moslem line now made a general advance, and, after a sharp conflict,
drove back the enemy. In this battle, Ali performed great feats of prowess. Having lost
his shield, he seized the lintel of a door, which he wielded effectually in its stead.
Tradition, in its expansive process, has transformed this extemporized shield into a
gigantic beam, and magnified the hero into a second Samson. The victory was decisive, for
the Jews lost 93 men; while of the Moslems only 19 were killed throughout the whole
campaign. (The Life of Mohammed, London, 1877)

R.V.C. Bodley

He (Mohammed) began the campaign (of Khyber) by
reducing individually the minor strongholds. When this was done, he marched against
Al-Kamus, the main fortress of Khaibar. It was a formidable looking place with frowning
walls built out of the living rock. All accesses were strongly fortified, and within the
ramparts was a well-equipped and well-provisioned garrison.

Siege warfare was unfamiliar to these nomads
accustomed to desert raiding. However, Mohammed had a number of improvised siege engines
put together on the spot. The most effective of these were palm-trunk battering rams
which, eventually, made a small breach in the walls.

Into this Abu Bakr led a heroic attack, but he was
driven back. Then Omar tried, but while he reached the mouth of the breach, he had to
retire, losing most of his men. Finally, Ali went up against the wall, bearing the black
standard. As he charged, he chanted: "I am Ali the Lion; and like a lion howling in
the wilderness, I weigh my foes in the giant's balance."

Ali was no giant, but he made up for his lack of
height by his great breadth and prodigious strength. Today he was formidable in a scarlet
tunic over which he wore his shining breastplate and backplate. On his head gleamed a
spiked helmet encrusted with silver. In his right hand he brandished Mohammed's own
scimitar, Dhu'l-Fiqar, which had been entrusted to him with the black banner.

Again and again Jewish veterans rushed at Ali. Again
and again they staggered away with limbs or heads severed. Finally, the champion of all
the Hebrews, a man called Merhab, who towered above the other warriors, planted himself
before Ali. He wore a double cuirass, and round his helmet was a thick turban held in
place by an enormous diamond. He was girt with a golden belt from which swung two swords.
He did not use these, however, and killed right and left with a long three-pronged spear.
For a moment the battle paused and the combatants rested on their arms to watch the duel

Marhab, like Goliath of Gath, had never been
defeated. His size alone frightened opponents before they came close to him. His barbed
fork disheartened the most skilled swordsman.

Marhab attacked first, driving at Ali with his
trident. For a moment, Ali, unaccustomed to this form of weapon gave ground. Then he
steadied himself and fenced with the Hebrew. A feint and a parry sent the spear flying.
Before Merhab could draw one of his swords, Ali's scimitar had cloven his head through his
helmet and turban so that it fell on either side of his shoulders. The Jews, seeing their
champion dead, retreated into the city. Mohammed gave the signal for a general assault.
The Moslems surged forward. Ali led the onslaught. He had lost his shield during the duel
and, to replace it, had torn a door from its hinges, which he carried before him. (The
Messenger – the Life of Mohammed, 1946)

Muhammad Husayn Haykal

Realizing that this was their last stand in Arabia,
the Jews fought desperately. As the days went by, the Prophet sent Abu Bakr with a
contingent and a flag to the fortress of Na'im; but he was not able to conquer it despite
heavy fighting. The Prophet then sent Umar bin al-Khattab on the following day, but he
fared no better than Abu Bakr. On the third day, the Prophet called Ali ibn Abu Talib,
and, blessing him, commanded him to storm the fortress. Ali led his forces and fought
valiantly. In the engagement, he lost his armor and, shielding himself with a portal he
had seized, he continued to fight until the fortress was stormed by his troops. The same
portal was used by Ali as a little bridge to enable the Muslim soldiers to enter the
houses within the fortress... (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935)

The Results of the Conquest of Khyber

The conquest of Khyber is a landmark in the history
of Islam as it is the beginning of the Islamic State and Empire. The Indian historian, M.
Shibli, says in his biography of the Prophet:

Khyber was the first campaign in which non-Muslims
were made the subjects of the Islamic State. It was the first time that the principles of
government in Islam were defined and applied. Therefore, Khyber is the first successful
campaign of Islam.

At Khyber, the nascent Islamic State acquired new
subjects and new territories. It was the beginning, not only of the Islamic State but also
of its expansion. If the conquest of Khyber is the beginning of the Islamic State, then
Ali ibn Abi Talib, its conqueror, is its principal architect.

Before the conquest of Khyber, the Muslims were
destitutes or semi-destitutes. Khyber suddenly made them rich. Imam Bukhari has quoted
Abdullah bin Umar bin al-Khattab as saying: "We were hungry at all times until the
conquest of Khyber." And the same authority has quoted Ayesha, the wife of the
Prophet, as saying: "It was not until the conquest of Khyber that I could eat dates
to my heart's content."

The Muhajireen in Medina had no means of making a
living and therefore had no steady income. They had barely managed to survive until the
conquest of Khyber. Once Khyber was conquered, there was a sudden change in their
fortunes.

Montgomery Watt

Until the capture of Khyber the finances of the
Islamic community were precarious, and the Emigrants lived partly off the charity or
hospitality of the Helpers. (Mohammed, Prophet and Statesman)

Khyber spelled the difference for the Muslim
community between abject poverty and material abundance.

S. Margoliouth

When the Muslims came to apportion their spoils they
found that the conquest of Khaibar surpassed every other benefit that God had conferred on
their Prophet. (Mohammed and the Rise of Islam, 1931)

The conquest of Khyber conferred unlimited benefits
upon the Muslims; some of them were:

1.Immense quantities of gold and silver that the
Jews had been accumulating for many generations.

2.The finest arsenals of Arabia containing the
newest weapons of the times such as swords, spears, lances, maces, shields, armor, bows
and arrows.

3.Vast herds of horses, camels and cattle, and
flocks of sheep and goats.

4.Rich arable lands with palm groves.

Sir John Glubb

The people of Khyber, like those of Medina, made
their living by agriculture, particularly the date palm. Even today, the tribes have a
saying, "To take dates to Khaiber," which means the same as our expression,
"To carry coals to Newcastle." Khyber was said to be the richest oasis in the
Hijaz. (The Life and Times of Mohammed)

After the surrender of the Jews in Khyber, the
Prophet had to make some new arrangements for the administration of the newly-won
territories.

S. Margoliouth

Presently Mohammed bethought him of the plan which
became a prominent institution of Islam. To kill or banish the industrious inhabitants of
Khaibar would not be good policy, since it was not desirable that the Moslems, who would
constantly be wanted for active service, should be settled so far from Medina. Moreover,
their skill as cultivators would not equal that of the former owners of the soil. So he
decided to leave the Jews in occupation on payment of half their produce, estimated by
Abdullah son of Rawahah at 200,000 wasks of dates. (Mohammed and the Rise of Islam,
1931)

One mighty stroke of Ali's sword solved the economic
problems of the Muslim community, and put an end to its poverty forever. He also put an
end to the dependence of the Muslims upon a fickle and temperamental nature, to feed them,
once he delivered the fertile lands of Khyber to them.

There is yet another sense in which the campaign of
Khyber was of immense importance not only to the Muslims of the time of the Prophet but
also to the generations of the future. It was a departure, for the first time, from the
classical tradition of Arabian warfare. The Arab mode of fighting was often chivalrous but
most often inefficient. The Arabs knew less than nothing about strategy, and all that they
knew about tactics was hit-andrun. They placed their hopes of victory in their ability
to catch their victims by surprise. For centuries, they had fought against each other, and
had consistently followed the ancient pattern of hit-and-run, with no variation in
tactics. We have seen how a trench checked an army of ten thousand warriors, and
immobilized it at the siege of Medina in A.D. 627. The greatest captains of the idolaters
like Khalid bin Walid and Ikrama bin Abu Jahl were baffled by the moat, and became
helpless before it.

All this was to change after Khyber. Ali ibn Abi
Talib taught the Muslims the art of laying siege to, and of capturing fortified positions.
He taught them how to map out the strategy of a campaign, and how to fight pitched and
decisive battles like disciplined armies. At Khyber, Ali placed the key to the conquest of
the whole world in the hands of the Muslims.

The Estate of Fadak

Fadak was another Jewish settlement near Khyber. The
people of Fadak voluntarily sent their representatives to the Prophet offering to
negotiate the terms of surrender. He accepted their offer of surrender, and gave them the
right to stay on their lands as subjects of the Islamic State. Fadak was acquired in this
manner without any effort on the part of the army of the Muslims. It was, therefore,
considered to be the private property of the Prophet.

Muhammad Husayn Haykal

The wealth of Khaybar was to be distributed among
the members of the Muslim armed forces according to rule because they had fought to secure
it. The wealth of Fadak, on the other hand, fell to Muhammad, as no Muslims and no
fighting were involved in its acquisition. (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935)

In the early days of the history of Islam, the
Muslims, when they were still in Makkah, were very poor, and had no means of making a
living. Khadija, the wife of the Prophet, fed and housed most of them. She spent all her
wealth on them so that when she died, there was nothing that she could leave for her
daughter, Fatima Zahra. Now when the estate of Fadak was acquired by the Prophet, he
decided to make it a gift to his daughter as a recompense for the great sacrifices her
mother had made for Islam. He, therefore, gave the estate of Fadak to his daughter, and it
became her property.

The Jews of Wadi-ul-Qura and Tayma, other oases in
Hijaz, also agreed to surrender to the Prophet on the same terms as those of Khyber and
Fadak, and stayed on their lands.

Jaafer ibn Abi Talib

Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was still in Khyber
when his cousin, Jaafer ibn Abi Talib, returned from Abyssinia after an absence of nearly
fourteen years. When Jaafer learned in Medina that his master was in Khyber, he at once
headed there. By a coincidence, his arrival in Khyber, synchronized with the capture of
the fortress of Al-Qamus by his brother, Ali. Muhammad loved Jaafer as his own son. He
threw his arms around him and said: "I do not know what makes me more happy; the
conquest of Khyber or the return of Jaafer."

Muhammad Husayn Haykal

Muhammad was so pleased to be reunited with Ja'far
that he said he could not tell which was the greater: victory over Khaybar or reunion with
Ja'far. (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935)

The Umra or the Lesser Pilgrimage – A.D. 629 (8
A.H.)

One year after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, Muhammad,
the Messenger of God, visited Makkah to perform the pilgrimage. He was accompanied by two
thousand Muslims. As per the terms of the Treaty, the polytheists vacated Makkah for three
days. The Muslims entered the city from the north, and hardly saw any Makkan. The
Messenger of God rode his she-camel, al-Qaswa. His friend, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, held her
reins as he entered the precincts of the Kaaba. He was reading the verses of the chapter
called, Victory, from the Qur’an. Other Muslims were chanting "At Thy command, O
Lord! At Thy command, O Lord!"

When all Muslims had assembled in the concourse of
the Kaaba, Bilal went on top of the building and called Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer)
– the first one in the House of Allah, and two thousand believers responded to his
call.

The polytheists were witnessing the scene from the
heights of the hills surrounding the valley of Makkah. They had never seen such discipline
before, when high-born Muslims were tamely obeying the call of a former slave nor they had
seen such a demonstration of equality and unity. The vast mass of the Muslims moved as one
body, and the Quraysh could see with their own eyes that it was a body in which there were
no distinctions between rich and poor, high and low, black and white, and Arab and
non-Arab. The Quraysh could also see that the brotherhood, equality and unity of men which
Islam fostered, were not theoretical concepts but were very real. It was a most impressive
sight and could not have failed to touch the hearts of even the most hard-bitten
idolaters.

The deportment of the Muslims was exemplary. They
were most anxious not to do anything that was forbidden, and they were most eager to do
only one thing – to obey the commandments of Allah.

And yet this demonstration in the Kaaba of
discipline by the Muslims, was so unrehearsed, so spontaneous. To nothing in this world
was the Arab more allergic than to discipline; but he was transformed, within a few years,
by the magic of Islam. The "touch" of Islam had made him a model of discipline
among the nations of the earth.

M. Shibli, the Indian historian, writes in his
Sira-tunNabi (Life of the Prophet), Volume I, page 504, 11th printing (1976), published
by the Maarif Printing Press, Azamgarh, U.P., India, that at the end of three days, the
leaders of Quraysh called on Ali ibn Abi Talib, and said to him: "Please inform
Muhammad that the stipulated time has passed and he and his followers should, therefore,
leave Makkah." Ali gave the message to the Prophet. The latter immediately complied,
and ordered the Muslims to vacate Makkah whereupon they left Makkah and began their long
march toward home.

The Muslims had performed the Umra, and then they
returned to their homes in Medina. It was at this time that Khalid bin al-Walid and Amr
bin Aas decided to accept Islam. They went to Medina, accepted Islam and joined the ranks
of the Muhajireen. They were both destined to become famous in later days as the generals
of Abu Bakr and Umar bin al-Khattab respectively.

Letters of the Prophet to the Rulers of Neighboring
Countries

In August 629, Muhammad Mustafa, the Messenger of
God, addressed letters to the rulers of the neighboring countries inviting them to Islam.

E. Von Grunebaum

In 629, Mohammed sent letters to six rulers - the
Persian king, the Byzantine emperor, the Negus of Abyssinia, the governor of Egypt, a
Ghassanid prince, and a chief of the Banu Hanifa in south-east Arabia, inviting them to
Islam. (Classical Islam - A History 600-1258)

Muhammad was God's Messenger not only for the Arabs
but for the whole world. It was his duty to deliver God's last message to all mankind, and
he did. Professor Margoliouth, however, considers these letters a prelude to aggression
and conquest. He says:

About the time of the campaign of Khaibar, he
(Mohammed) published his program of world-conquest by sending letters to the rulers of
whose fame he had heard. (Mohammed and the Rise of Islam, 1931)

It is true that the program of Muhammad, the
Messenger of God, was one of "world-conquest," but not by force of arms. His aim
was to conquer the minds and the hearts of men and women, which Islam did in his day, and
is still doing today.

In sending these letters, the Prophet was prompted
by his desire that all men should live in obedience to the commandments and laws of God.
Obedience to those commandments and laws alone can guarantee the peace, happiness and
welfare of mankind in this world, and its salvation in the Hereafter.