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At the conclusion of this farewell pilgrimage, as it was called, being
the last he ever made, Mahomet reformed the calendar in two points: In
the first place, he appointed the year to be exactly lunar, consisting
of twelve lunar months; whereas before, in order to reduce the lunar to
the solar year, they used to make every third year consist of thirteen
months. And secondly, whereas the ancient Arabians held four months
sacred, wherein it was unlawful to commit any act of hostility, he took
away that prohibition, by this command, "Attack the idolaters in all the
months of the year, as they attack you in all." (_Koran_, ix.)
In the eleventh year of the Hegira there arrived an embassy from Arabia
Felix, consisting of about one hundred who had embraced Islamism. The
same year Mahomet ordered Osama to go to the place where Zaid his father
was slain at the battle of Muta, to revenge his death. This was the last
expedition he ever ordered, for, being taken ill two days after, he died
within thirteen days. The beginning of his sickness was a slow fever,
which made him delirious.
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