This is one of the classic chapters of Decline and Fall, and also one of the classic accounts of the life of Mahomet (sic) and the early years of Islam. It is very readable – for once, Gibbon is not assuming much prior knowledge from the reader, and so he shows off his own reading in the best possible way. Although it’s obviously a geographical jump away from the main narrative, I think I would heartily recommend it to anyone wondering if Gibbon is for them – as long as they are prepared to go through 81 pages, including 187 footnotes.