190body, soul, and posscssions, to the dcfcmc of the Muslim spiritual com-
munity. Another dimension of trus teaching was that the weakness of a
timid or lazy commitment-bordering on potencial treason--can be fo r-
given when hearts sincerely return to the 00e.^19
The DelegationsThe ninth year of Hijrah was named "the year of the delegations": the
Muslim community now enjoyed such power and recognition that envoys
came from all over the Peninsula to draw up alliances or sign covenants.^20
The first to come to the Prophet were the Ranu Thaqif, for Malik had
subjected their city to such a siege that it \vas impossible for them to con-
clude any alliance with the neighboring tribes (most of whom had, any-
way, either embraced Islam or established a covenant with Muhammad).
They declared they wanted to become l\'iuslims, but they w ished to nego-
tiate elements of their faith and practice: they wanted to maintain the cult
of their idol al-Lat and to be exempted from prayer. The Prophet refused
to negotiate about those points, as he did whenever he was asked, for
accepting Islam meant worshiping none but the One God and praying to
Him according to the norms e:;tablished by Revelation and the Prophet'S
example. They eventually accepted the terms of the agreement.
Other envoys from Jewish or Christian tribes also came to the Prophet,
and he did not compel them to accept !slain. For them, as he had done
with the tv.·o northern tribes, he drew up an assistance pact: they would
pay the collective military tax (ji!\ph), and Muhammad and his army
would ensure their protection and defense. Thus, throughout the Peninsula,
the message was clear: the tribes who accepted Islam were to give up any
idea of syncretism, for the Prophet did not negotiate over the fundamen-
tals of faith. As soon as the profession of faith had been pronounced,
religious starnes were to be destroyed, and Islamic practices were to be
fully implemented, from prayer and fasting to the payment of the purify-
ing social tax (zakat) and pilgrimage. \X'hen tribes wanted to remain faith-
ful to their tradition, they dre\y up a pact with similarly clear terms: the
payment of a tax in exchange for protectio n. The Prophet let the clans
and chiefs choose frecly bet\veen these t\vo alternatives, which many of
them did during the months that followed the return from Tabuk.