Now at the time of Mohammad's assuming the Prophet's office there had been an unusually grand display of numerous falling stars, which at certain periods are known to be specially abundant. At the same time there were good many comets visible in different parts of heavens, which certainly might have smitten with terror these Jinns, _i.e._, the astromancers and soothsayers. There was one comet visible in 602 A.D., and other two appeared in 605 A.D. In 607 A.D. two more comets were visible; another one appeared in 608 A.D. Each of the years 614 and 615 had one comet. There were also comets visible in 617 A.D. (_vide_ Chambers's Descriptive Astronomy). These comets are most probably noticed in the contemporary record (_i.e._ the Koran). A comet is called _Tariq_, or "night comer," in Sura LXXXVI, verse 1; and described as the star of piercing radiance. (_Annajmus Saqib. Ibid_ 3.) The _Kahins_ were very much alarmed at the stupendous phenomena of the falling stars and the comets; and had stopped their soothsaying and divinations. Whenever they used to sit on their places of listening, enchanting, and divination during night-time, looking at the heavens, their eyes met with showers of shooting stars and brilliant comets which bewildered them very much. It is said that the first whose attention was attracted to the unusual shooting stars was a clan of the Sakeefites of Us-Tayif (Ibn Hisham, page 131). These Jinns, when they were converted to Islam at Nakhla near Tayif, expressed their bewilderment from the unusual shower of falling stars and the appearance of numerous comets in their peculiar language:-- "The heaven did we essay but found it filled with mighty garrison and of darting flames." "We sat on some of the seats to listen, but whoever now listeneth findeth a darting flame in ambush for him." "We know not whether evil be meant for them that are on earth, or whether their Lord meaneth true guidance for them."--Sura LXXII, verses 8-10. So the pretenders of hearing the discourses of heavenly bodies being quite harassed by the extraordinary showers of the falling stars, and the appearances of numerous comets, had stopped their divination. This was taken notice of in the Koran:-- "They overhear not exalted chiefs, and they are darted from every side." "Driven off and consigned to a lasting torment; while if one steal by stealth then a glistering flame pursueth him."--Sura XXXVII, verses 8-10. "Save such as steal a hearing, and him do visible flames pursue."--Sura XV, verse 18. "The satans were not sent down with this _Koran_. It beseemed them not, and they had not the power. For they are far removed from the hearing."--Sura XXVI, verses 210-212. As an instance of terror and bewilderment caused by meteors and shooting stars among credulous people, I will quote the following anecdote: