This is the story of young Hassem, the son of a powerful sheik, set at the beginning of Hegira. When the youngster's uncle is murdered, Hassem decides to go to Mecca with a view to finding the culprit and punishing him. But what he discovers there is not the murderer but the prophet Muhammad. Touched by grace, Hassem converts to the new religion and comes back to his village to propagate the new faith. Which is not to his father's liking, since the Muslim religion is opposed to feudal rights and privileges. The infuriated sheik curses his son and starts persecuting the new converts.—Guy Bellinger