Edward Gibbon, an English historian, published The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. This is Chapter 50 of that work. He follows Rome from the prosperous age of Trajan and the Antonines, around the year 100, through the fall of the West and on to the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453.

Chapter 50 takes up description of Arabia and its inhabitants—Birth, character, and doctrine of Muhammad—He preaches at Mecca—Flies to Medina—Propagates his religion by the sword—Voluntary or reluctant submission of the Arabs—His death and successors—The claims and fortunes of Ali and his descendants. The footnotes are not in this reading; what you have is the narrative.