Caab

, or Cab-Ben-Zohair, a distinguished Arabian poet, was one of the rabbis among those Arabians who had embraced Judaism. Mahomet, irritated by a satirical poem which Caab had written against him and his new sect, made war on the Jewish Arabian tribes, in hopes of seizing him and putting him to death. Caab, however, contrived to escape his fury, until Mahomet had made himself master of Arabia, when he had the art to be reconciled to him, turned Mahometan, and altered his poem by inserting the name of Abubeker wherever that of Mahomet occurred; and as these concessions did not seem to effect a complete reconciliation, he wrote a poem in favour of one of his mistresses, which was so successful that Mahomet received him into friendship, and bestowed on him his own mantle, which the caliph Moavias purchased when he came to the throne, and it became the dress of his successors on state occasions. Caab is also said to have had a considerable hand in drawing up the Alcoran. According to Herbelot he died in the first year of the hegira, or A. C. 622. An edition of his poem in praise of Mahomet was published under the title “Caab Ben-Zohair carmen panegyricum in laudem Mohammedis, &c.” Leyden, 1748, 4to, with an eloge by Albert Scultens. ¹