penalty for killing dogs, cats, frogs, chameleons, crows and owls was the same as that for
killing the Sudras. (R.C. Dutt, Ancient India, Vol. III, pp. 324 qnd 343)
Unworthy treatment of their subjects by the Sasanian Emperors had not been the lot of
the common man in Byzantium, but in their pride and policy to display the titles and
attributes of their omnipotence, the Caesars of Rome had all the signs of their oriental
counterparts.
Victor Chopart writes about the arbitrary rule and majesty of the Roman Emperors. "The
Caesars were gods, but not by heredity and one who rose to power would become divine in
his turn, and there was no mark by which he could be recognized in advance. The transmis-
sion of the title of Augustus was governed by no regular constitutional law; it was acquired
by victory over rivals, and the Senate did no more than ratify the decision of arms. This
ominous fact became apparent in the first century of the Principate, which was merely a
continuance of the military dictatorship."
If we compare the servile submission of the common man of Byzantium and Persia with
the spirit of freedom and pride, as well as the temperament and social conduct of the pre-
Islamic Arabs, we would see the difference between the social life and natural propensities
of the Arabs and other nations of the world.
"May you be safe from frailty", and "Wish you a happy morning", were some of the saluta-
tions very often used by the Arabs to hail their kings. So solicitous were they of preserving
their dignity and pride, honor and freedom that many a time they even refused to satisfy
the demands of their chiefs and rulers. A story preserved by Arab historians admirably de-
scribes the rudimentary Arab virtues of courage and outspokenness. An Arab king de-
manded a mare known as Sikab from its owner belonging to Bani Tamim. The man flatly
refused the request and instantly indited a poem of which the opening lines were:
Sikab is a nice mare, good as gold,
Too precious it is to be gifted or sold.
And, in the concluding verse he said:
To grab it from me, make no effort,
For I am competent to balk your attempt.
There was yet another reason for the advent of the last Prophet (r) in Arabia and it was
the Ka'ba, the House of God, built by Abraham and Ishmael as the center for worship of One
God.
"Lo! the first Sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Becca , a blessed place, a
guidance to the peoples." [Qur'aan 3:96]