Cadijah’s conversion was speedily followed by the avowed declaration of Waraka in favor of the new doctrine. The ex-priest of Christ professed to see in Mohammed the _Paraclete_, or Comforter, promised in the Gospel, and even ventured to support this view upon etymological grounds of somewhat extraordinary character. The Arabic word _Mohammed_ is synonymous with the Greek περικλῠτὸς (i.e. _very famous_), which, by an easy change of letters, may be turned into παράκλητος! The next converts to Mohammed’s new faith were, his servant ZEID, who was positively bribed to it by the promise of freedom; his youthful cousin ALI BEN ABU TALEB, a boy of eleven, and not likely, therefore, to entertain any very deep religious conviction either way; and the wealthy and universally esteemed ABDALLAH BEN OTHMAN-AL-KOREISH, called afterwards ABU BEKR (i.e. _the father of the maiden_); most probably from the circumstance that his daughter AYESHA, born 613, became one of Mohammed’s wives after the death of Cadijah. By the weight and influence of Abu Bekr, ten of the most respectable citizens of Mecca were induced to join the creed of Islam, among whom were Othman, who became afterwards Mohammed’s son-in-law. It had taken three years to accomplish these fourteen private conversions; and, guided probably by the advice of Waraka, the prophet had not yet ventured upon a public profession and propaganda of his creed. In the beginning of 615, however, Waraka died; and the bolder spirit of Mohammed, freed from the restraining influence hitherto exercised by that cautious man, aspired henceforward openly to the dignity of the apostolic office.