seems to have been wise in her generation,and, after the prophet had avoided her for a month, there was a meeting and a reconciliation. As for those who had suspected the innocence of Ayesha, for them there were fourscore scourges laid on their naked backs in a manner far from light, for the new revelation held that whoso accused a female of adultery without being able to produce four witnesses to testify to the fact, should be thus scourged. Had it not been for the revelation, the incident might well have proved a distressing calamity for Ayesha.
Abu Sofian was by no means an ordinary man. During the year of truce, he formed a confederacy of the Arab tribes, welding with them the Jews expelled by Mahomet, and his gathered army numbered no less than ten thousand. With this force, he proposed to march on Medina. In the meantime, a converted Persian had taught Mahomet what to him was a new trick in warfare, and trenches were made. To the followers of Abu Sofian, trench warfare caused as much consternation as did the use of poison gas in the world war. To hide behind a trench seemed the essence of cowardice and so the two armies faced one another, neither daring to attack, flinging back and forth insults and challenges. In the end there was no bloodshed to speak of. A few minor assaults took place, but the would-be invaders eventually retired and Mahomet was left free to pursue his course.
Another marriage was consecrated shortly
