VOL 6.6

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq — 'Amr b. 'Ubayd —

al-Hasan b. Abi al-Hasan: When the verse "and warn your

tribe of near kindred" was revealed to the Messenger of God,

he rose up in the Valley and said, "Banu r Abd al-Muttalib, Banu

'Abd Manaf, Banu Qusayy!" Then he named the various groups of

Quraysh, clan by clan, until he had come to the last of them, and

said, "I summon you to God and warn you of his punishment."

Al-Harith — Ibn Sa'd— Muhammad b. 'Umar — Jariyah b. Abi

Imran — 'Abd al-Rahman b. al-Qasim— his father: 147 The Messenger

of God was commanded to proclaim the divine message which

he had received, to declare it publicly to the people, and to summon

them to God.

147. Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, 1:132.22-5.

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f

Quiaysh Begin to Oppose the Messenger of God

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Ibn Ishaq: 148 The Messenger of God proclaimed

God's message openly and declared Islam publicly to his

fellow tribesmen. When he did so, they did not withdraw from

him or reject him in any way, as far as I have heard, until he spoke

of their gods and denounced them. When he did this, they took

exception to it and united in opposition and hostility to him, except

for those of them whom God had protected from error by

means of Islam. The latter were few in number and practiced

their faith in secret. His uncle Abu Talib was friendly to him,

however, and protected him and shielded him from harm. The

Messenger of God continued to do God's work and to proclaim

his message, undeterred by anything. When Quraysh saw that he

would not give them any satisfaction, they objected to his departing

from their ways and denouncing their gods, and, seeing that

Abu Talib protected him, shielded him from harm, and would

not hand him over to them, a number of the nobles of Quraysh, [1175]

consisting of such men as TJtbah b. Rabi'ah, Shaybah b. Rablah,

Abu al-Bakhtari b. Hisham, al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib, al-Walid b.

al-Mughirah, Abu Jahl b. Hisham, al-'As b. Wa'il, and Nubayh and

Munabbih, the sons of al-Hajjaj, 149 went to Abu Talib and said,

“Abu Talib, your nephew has reviled our gods, denounced our -

148. Ibn Hisham, Siiah , 166-8; Ibn Hisham omits the previous section from Ibn

Ishaq.

149. These were leading men from the clans of 'Abd Shams (2}, Asad (2),

Makhzum (2), and Sahm (3). In the politics of pre-Islamic Mecca, these clans tended

to be opposed to Hashim and its associated clans.

94

Muhammad at Mecca

religion, derided our traditional values and told us that our forefathers

were misguided. Either curb his attacks on us or give us a

free hand to deal with him, for you are just as opposed to him as

we are, and we will deal with him for you." Abu Talib gave them

a mild answer and declined courteously, and they left him. The

Messenger of God continued as before, proclaiming the faith of

God and summoning people to it.

After this, Muhammad was estranged from the Quraysh, and

they withdrew from him and harbored a secret hatred for him.

They talked about him frequently amongst themselves and urged

one another against him. Eventually they went to Abu Talib once

again. "Abu Talib," they said, "we hold you in respect among us

on account of your age, your nobility, and your standing. We asked

you to forbid your nephew to attack us, but you did not do so. By

God, we can no longer endure this vilification of our forefathers,

this derision of our traditional values and this abuse of our gods.

Either you restrain him or we shall fight both of you over this until

one side or the other is destroyed," or words to that effect. Then

they left. This breach and enmity with his tribe weighed heavily

on Abu Talib, but he could not reconcile himself to surrendering

the Messenger of God to them or deserting him.

Muhammad b. al-Husayn— Ahmad b. al-Mufaddal — Asbat — al-

Suddi: A number of men of the Quraysh gathered together, including

Abu Jahl b. Hisham, al-'As b. Wa'il, al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib

and al-Aswad b. "Abd Yaghuth, together with a number of other

shaykhs of the Quraysh, and said to one another, "Let us go to Abu

Talib and speak to him about Muhammad, so that he will give us

justice against him and order him to desist from reviling our gods,*

and we will leave him to the god whom he worships, for we fear

that this old man may die and we may do something which the

Arabs will reproach us for and say, 'They let him alone until his

uncle died, and then they laid hands on him.' "

They sent one of their number, whose name was al-Muttalib, 150

to Abu Talib to ask permission for them to enter. He said, "Here

are the shaykhs and nobles of your tribe asking permission to visit

you." He told him to ask them to come in, and when they had

150. This is not, of course, al-Muttalib, the brother of Hashim, who had been

dead for a long time. It may have been al-Muttalib b. Hantab from the clan of

Makhzum.

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95

done so they said, "Abu Talib, you are our elder and our chief, so

give us justice against your nephew and order him to desist from

reviling our gods, and we will leave him to his god."

Abu Talib sent for the Messenger of God, and when he came

in he said, "Nephew, here are the shaykhs and nobles of your

tribe. They have asked for justice against you, that you should

desist from reviling their gods and they will leave you to your

god." "Uncle," he said, "shall I not summon them to something

which is better for them than their gods?" "What do you summon

them to?" he asked. He replied, "I summon them to utter a say-

ing through which the Arabs will submit to them and they will

rule over the non-Arabs." Abu Jahl said from among the gathering,

"What is it, by your father? We will give you it and ten like it."

He answered, "That you should say ; "There is no deity but God."

They took fright at that and said, "Ask for anything rather than

that! " But he said, "If you were to bring me the sun and put it into [1177]

my hand, I would not ask you for anything other than this."

They rose up to leave in anger and said, "By God, we shall revile

you and your god who commands you to do this!" "The chiefs

among them hurried about, exhorting; Go and be staunch to your

gods! This is a thing designed ... "to the words "naught but an

invention." 151

Muhammad turned toward his uncle, who said to him,

"Nephew, why did you go too far with them?" He turned again

toward his uncle and called upon him, saying, "Utter a saying by

means of which I shall testify for you on the day of resurrection.

Say, There is no deity but God/ " He replied, "Were it not that

the Arabs would consider this shameful for you (all), and say that

I was afraid of death, I would grant you this; but I must remain

in the religion of my ancestors." Then came the revelation of the

verse:

You guide not whom you love, but God guides whom he

will. 152

Abu Kurayb and Ibn Waki— Abu Usamah — al-A'mash —

'Abbad — Sa'id b. fubayr— Ibn 'Abbas: When Abu Talib fell ill, a

number of Quraysh visited him, among them Abu Jahl, who said,

151. 38:6-7.

152. 28:56.

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Muhammad at Mecca

"Your nephew is reviling our gods and doing and saying all sorts

of things. Why do you not send for him and forbid him to do this? "

He sent for him, and the Prophet came and entered the room.

There was just room for one man to sit between Abu Talib and

his visitors, and Abu Jahl, being afraid that Abu Talib would be

more sympathetic to him if he sat beside him, leapt up and sat in

that place himself, so that the Messenger of God could not find

anywhere near his uncle to sit down and had to sit by the door.

Abu Talib said to him, "Nephew, how is it that your tribe are

complaining of you and claiming that you are reviling their gods

and saying this, that, and the other?" They showered accusations

upon him, and then the Messenger of God spoke and said, "Uncle,

I want them to utter one saying. If they say it, the Arabs will submit

to them and the non- Arabs will pay the jizyah 153 to them."

They were perturbed at this utterance and said, "One saying? Yes,

by your father, and ten! What is it?" Abu Talib said, "What saying

is it, nephew" He replied, "There is no deity but God." They rose

up in alarm, shaking the dust off their garments and saying, "Does

he make the gods one god? This is indeed an astounding thing."

Then came the revelation beginning with the words just spoken

by these men and ending "they have not yet tasted my doom." 154

These are the exact words of Abu Kurayb's account.

Returning to Ibn Ishaq's narrative. 155

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq — Ya'qub b. Utbah

b. al-Mughirah b. al-Akhnas: He was told that when the

Quraysh said this to Abu Talib, he sent for the Messenger of God

and said to him, "Nephew, your tribe have come to me and said

such-and-such. Spare me and yourself, and do not put a greater

burden on me than I can bear." The Messenger of God thought

that his uncle had changed about him and was going to abandon

him and hand him over, and that his determination to aid him and

stand by him had weakened, so he said, "Uncle, if they were to

place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, on condition

that I should abandon (carrying on) my preaching before God

gave it the victory or I died in the attempt, I should not abandon

153. The jizyah was the poll tax paid by members of "protected minorities"

[dhimmis) under the Caliphate.

154: 38:5-8-

155. Ibn Hisham, Shah, 168-70; Tabari omits a poem ascribed to Abu Talib.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

97

it." Then the Messenger of God burst into tears and wept, and

rose up. When he turned away, Abu Talib called him back and

said, "Come here, nephew." The Messenger of God came up to

him, and he said, "Go, nephew, and say what you like. By God, I

will never hand you over for any reason."

When the Quraysh discovered that Abu Talib had refused to

abandon the Messenger of God and to hand him over, and was

determined to break with them on this issue and become their

enemy, they brought TJmarah b. al-Walld b. al-Mughirah to him

and said, I have been told, "Abu Talib, this is TJmarah b. al-Walid,

the bravest, most poetically gifted and most handsome young man

in Quraysh. Take him, and his intelligence and his support are

yours. Take him as a son, and he is yours; and hand over your

nephew who has opposed your religion and the religion of your

forefathers, who has sowed discord among your tribe and who has

derided their traditional values, and we shall kill him. A man for

a man."

Abu Talib said, "This is an evil bargain which you are offering

me. Will you give me your son so that I can feed him for you,

while I give you my son so that you can kill him? By God, this

shall never be." Al-Mut'im b. 'Adi b. Nawfal b. 'Abd Manaf said,

"By God, Abu Talib, your tribe have treated you fairly, and have

tried hard to avoid putting you in an unpleasant situation. I do

not think that you wish to accept any proposal from them." Abu

Talib replied to al-Mut'im, "By God, they have not treated me

fairly. You have decided to abandon me and to support the rest of

the tribe against me. Do what you think fit." These, or something

like them, were his words.

After this, the situation deteriorated, hostility became more bitter,

and people withdrew from one another and showed open hatred

to one another. Then the Quraysh incited one another against

those in their various clans who had become Companions of the

Messenger of God and had accepted Islam with him. Every clan

fell upon those of its members who were Muslims, tormenting

them and trying to force them to leave their religion. God protected

his Messenger from them by means of his uncle Abu Talib

who saw what the Quraysh were doing among the Banu Hashim

and the Banu al-Muttalib and called on them to follow him in

protecting and defending the Messenger of God. They gathered

98 Muhammad at Mecca

round him, stood by him, and responded to his call to defend the

Messenger of God, with the exception of Abu Lahab. Abu Talib

was overjoyed when he saw how serious they were in supporting

him and how solicitous they were for him, and he began to praise

them and to extol the Messenger of God's merits and his standing

among them in order to reinforce their decision.

The Emigration to Abyssinia

'All b. Nasr b. 'All al-Jahdami and 'Abd al-Warith b. 'Abd al-Samad

b. 'Abd al-Warith — 'Abd al-Samad b. 'Abd al-Warith — Aban al-

'Attar — Hisham b. 'Urwah — 'Urwah: He wrote to 'Abd al-Malik

as follows, referring to the Messenger of God: When he summoned

his people to the guidance and light which had been revealed

to him and for which God had sent him, they did not withdraw

from him at the beginning of his preaching, and were on

the point of listening to him. When, however, he spoke of their

idols, some wealthy men of Quraysh who had come from al-Ta'if

took exception to this and reacted strongly against him, not liking

what he said. They instigated those over whom they had influence

against him, and the mass of the people turned away from

him and abandoned him, except for those of them whom God protected,

and these were few in number. Matters remained thus as

long as God willed, and then their chiefs conspired together to seduce

from God's religion those of their sons, brothers, and fellow

clansmen who had followed him. It was a trial which severely

shook the people of Islam who had followed the Messenger of

God. Some were seduced, but God protected from error those

whom He wished to protect. When the Muslims were treated in

this way, the Messenger of God commanded them to emigrate

to Abyssinia. In Abyssinia there was a righteous king called the

Negus in whose land no one was oppressed and who was praised

for his righteousness. Abyssinia was a land with which Quraysh

traded and in which they found an ample living, security, and a

good market. When the Messenger of God commanded them to

do this, the main body of them went to Abyssinia because of the

coercion they were being subjected to in Mecca. His fear was that

they would be seduced from their religion. He himself remained,

and did not leave Mecca. Several years passed in this way, during

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99

which Quraysh pressed hard upon those of them who had become

Muslims. After this, Islam spread in Mecca and a number of their

nobles entered Islam. 156

Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari): There is a difference of opinion as to the

number of those who emigrated to Abyssinia in this, the first emigration.

Some say that there were eleven men and four women. 157

Those who say this:

Al-Harith — Ibn Sa'd — Muhammad b. Umar — Yunus b. Muhammad

al-Zafari — his father — a man of his tribe,- also 'Ubaydallah b.

'Abbas al-Hudhali — al-Harith b. al-Fudayl: Those who emigrated

in the first emigration did so by stealth and in secret, and numbered

eleven men and four women. They went to al-Shu'aybah,

some riding and some walking. As they arrived, God caused two [1182)

merchant ships to halt there for the Muslims, and in these they

were carried to Abyssinia for half a dinar. This took place in the

month of Rajab in the fifth year from the time of the Messenger of

God's commissioning as a prophet. Quraysh set out in pursuit of

them and reached the sea at the place where the Muslims had embarked,

but did not capture any of them. The emigrants said, "We

came to Abyssinia and were hospitably lodged by the best of hosts.

We had security to practice our religion, and we worshipped God

without being persecuted and without hearing unpleasant words."

Al-Harith — Muhammad b. Sa'd-Muhammad b. Umar-Yunus

b. Muhammad — his father; also 'Abd al-Hamid — Muhammad b.

Yahya b. Hibban: The names of this group, men and women,

were: Uthman b. 'Affan and his wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of

the Messenger of God; Abu Hudhayfah b. Utbah b. Rabi'ah and

his wife Sahlah bt. Suhayl b. 'Amr,- al-Zubayr b. al-'Awwam b.

Khuwaylid b. Asad; Mus'ab b. Umayr b. Hashim b. 'Abd Manaf

b. 'Abd al-Dar,- 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf b. 'Abd 'Awf b. al-Harith

b. Zuhrah; Abu Salamah b. 'Abd al-Asad b. Hilal b. 'Abdallah b.

'Umar b. Makhzum and his wife Umm Salamah bt. Abi Umayyah

b. al-Mughirah b. 'Abdallah b. Umar b. Makhzum,- Uthman b.

Maz'un al-Jumahi; 'Amir b. Rabi'ah al-'Anzi (from the tribe of

'Anz b. Wa'il, not from that of 'AnazahJ, the confederate of the

156. Reading dakhala fihi for fiha of the printed text. This is part of the letter to

the Caliph 'Abd al-Malik.

157. For the emigrations to Abyssinia, see Introduction, p.46. The two following

passages from al-Waqidi are found in Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, 1:136. 9-137.1.

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Muhammad at Mecca

Banu 'Adi b. KaT), and his wife Layla bt. Abi Hathmah; Abu Sabrah

b. Abi Ruhm b. 'Abd al-'Uzza al-'Amirl; Hatib b. 'Amr b. 'Abd

Shams; Suhayl b. Bayda', from the Banu al-Harith b. Fihr; and 'Abdallah

b. Mas'ud, the confederate of the Banu Zuhrah.

Abu fa 'far (al-Tabari): Others say that those Muslims who went

to Abyssinia and emigrated there, apart from their children who

went with them when they were young or were born there, were

eighty-two men, if 'Ammar b. Yasir, who is doubtful, is included

among them.

Those who say this:

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq: 158 The Messenger

of God saw the sufferings which were inflicted on his Companions

and saw that, although he himself was spared such treatment

by virtue of his standing with God and his uncle Abu Talib, he

could not defend his Companions against the sufferings they were

experiencing. He therefore said to them, “Why do you not go to

Abyssinia? There is a king there under whom no one is oppressed,

and it is a land of truth. Stay there until God creates a relief from

the situation in which you find yourselves." Thereupon the Messenger

of God's Muslim Companions went to Abyssinia, fearing

they might be seduced and fleeing to God with their religion. This

was the first emigration in Islam.

(1184] The first Muslims to emigrate were as follows: from the Banu

Umayyah b. 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Manaf, 'Uthman b. 'Affan b.

Abi al-'As b. Umayyah, accompanied by his wife Ruqayyah, the

daughter of the Messenger of God. From the Banu 'Abd Shams,

Abu Hudhayfah b. 'Utbah b. Rabl'ah b. 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Manaf,

accompanied by his wife Sahlah bt. Suhayl b. 'Amr, one of the

Banu 'Amir b. Lu'ayy. From the Banu Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzza b.

Qusayy, al-Zubayr b. al-'Awwam. After this, Ibn Ishaq gives the

same list of people as al-Waqidl, except that he says: From the

Banu 'Amir b. Lu'ayy b. Ghalib b. Fihr, Abu Sabrah b. Abi Ruhm

b. 'Abd al-'Uzza b. Abi Qays b. 'Abd Wudd b. Nasr b. Malik b. Hisl

b. 'Amir b. Lu'ayy; but some people say that this was not so and

that it was Abu Hatib b. 'Amr b. 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Wudd b. Nasr

b. Malik b. Hisl b. 'Amir b. Lu'ayy. He is said to have been the first

of all to go to Abyssinia. Ibn Ishaq makes their number ten, -

158. Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 208-9; T a ban omits Ibn Ishaq's second longer list, 209-

16.

Other Events up to the Hijrah ioi

saying: These ten, according to what I have been told, were the first

Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia.

Then Ja'far b. Abi Talib emigrated, and after that there was

a steady flow of Muslims. They assembled in Abyssinia and remained

there, some coming with their families and some singly,

without their families. Ibn Ishaq then reckons that there were

eighty-two men in all, including the ten I have mentioned by

name, some who had their families and children with them, some

who had children born in Abyssinia, and some who had no family

with them.

Quraysh Show Increased

Hostility to the Messenger of God

Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari): When those of the Messenger of God's Companions

who emigrated to Abyssina had departed, the Messenger

of God remained in Mecca preaching in secret and openly, protected

by God through his uncle Abu Talib and by those of his

clan who answered his call for support. When Quraysh saw that

they had no means of attacking him physically, they accused him

of sorcery, soothsaying, and madness, and of being a poet. They

began to keep away from him those whom they feared might listen

to him and follow him. The most serious step which they are

reported to have taken at that time was the following.

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq — Yahya b. 'Urwah

b. al-Zubayr — his father TJrwah — 'Abdallah b. 'Amr b. al-

'As : 159 I said to him, "What was the worst attack you saw by

Quraysh upon the Messenger of God when they openly showed

their enmity to him?" He replied, "I was with them when their nobles

assembled one day in the Hijr and discussed the Messenger of

God. They said, 'We have never seen the like of what we have endured

From this man. He has derided our traditional values, abused

our forefathers, reviled our religion, caused division among us,

and insulted our gods. We have endured a great deal from him,' or

words to that effect. While they were saying this, the Messenger of

God suddenly appeared and walked up and kissed the Black Stone.

Then he passed by them while performing the circumambulation,

159. Ibid., 1831

102

and as he did so they made some slanderous remarks about him.

I could see from the Messenger of God's face that he had heard

them, but he went on. When he passed the second time they made

similar remarks, and I could see from his face that he had heard

them, but again he went on. Then he passed them the third time,

and they made similar remarks,- but this time he stopped and said,

'Hear, men of Quraysh. By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul

[1186] rests, I have brought you slaughter.' They were gripped by what

he had said, and it was as though every man of them had a bird

perched on his head; 160 even those of them who had been urging

the severest measures against him previously spoke in a conciliatory

way to him, using the politest expressions they could think

of, and said, 'Depart in true guidance, Abu al-Qasim; by God, you

were never ignorant.'

"The Prophet left, and the next day they gathered in the Hijr,

and I ('Abdallah b. 'Amr b. al-'As) was again present. They said to

one another, 'You were talking about the unpleasantness which

you have endured and the things which Muhammad has done to

you, but when he openly said something disagreeable you shrank

from him.' While they were saying this, the Messenger of God

suddenly appeared, and they leapt upon him as one man and surrounded

him, saying, 'Is it you who says this and that?' repeating

what they had heard of his denunciation of their gods and their

religion. The prophet said, 'Yes, I am the one who says that.' "

"Then I saw one of them grabbing his cloak, but Abu Bakr stood

in front of him weeping and saying, 'Woe upon you all! Would you

kill a man because he says, My Lord is God?' 161 Then they left him,

and that is the worst thing I ever saw Quraysh do to him."

Yunus b. 'Abd al-A'la — Bishr b. Bakr — al-Awza'i— Yahya b. Abi

Kathir — Abu Salamah b. 'Abd al-Rahman: I said to 'Abdallah b.

'Amr, "Tell the worst thing which you saw the polytheists do to

the Messenger of God." He said, "'Uqbah b. Abi Mu'ayt came up

while the Messenger of God was by the KaTiah, twisted his robe

round his neck, and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr stood be-

hind him, put his hand on his shoulder, and pushed him away

160. In his translation, Guillaume interprets this as "not one of them but stood

silent and still."

161. Abu Bakr quotes a verse from the Qur'an (40:28) referring to a threat to kill

Moses.

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103

from the Messenger of God. Then he said, 'People, would you kill

a man because he says, My Lord is God? . . . ' to the words 'God

guides not one who is prodigal, a liar?' "

Hamzah Accepts Islam

Ibn Ishaq — a man from Aslam, who had a good memory : 162 Abu

Jahl b. Hisham passed by the Messenger of God as he was sitting by

al-Safa and abused him, reviled him, and spoke to him offensively,

denouncing his religion and trying to humiliate him. The Messenger

of God did not say anything, but a woman client ( mawlah )

of 'Abdallah b. Jud'an al-Taymi, who was in her house above al-

Safa, overheard this. Then Abu Jahl left him, went to the assembly

of the Quraysh at the Kal)ah, and sat down with them. Soon

afterwards, Hamzah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib came up with his bow

slung over his shoulder, on his way back from the hunt. He was a

great huntsman and used to go out for game with his bow and arrows.

When he came back from the hunt he would not go back to

his family until he had circumambulated the Kaljah, after which,

if he passed by an assembly of the Quraysh, he would always

stop, greet them, and talk with them. He was the strongest man

of Quraysh, and the most unyielding. By the time he went past

the woman, the Messenger of God had risen and gone home, and

she said to him, "Abu TJmarah, if only you had seen what your

nephew Muhammad had to endure just now, before you came,

from Abu al-Hakam b. Hisham . 163 He found him sitting here and

reviled him, abused him and spoke to him offensively, and then

left him, while Muhammad said nothing in return."

Hamzah was carried away by a fury, as it was God's will to honor

him in this way, and went off quickly, not stopping to speak to

anyone as he used to do when intending to circumambulate the

KaT^ah, ready to attack Abu Jahl when he saw him. When he entered

the mosque, he saw him sitting among the people and went

up to him. When he was standing next to him he raised his bow

162. Ibn Hisham, Sitah, 184!.

163. Out of politeness, this woman addresses Hamzah by his kunyah (see n. 22)

and refers to Abu Jahal by his, that is, Aba al-Hakam. Since Jahl is not a boy's name,

Abu Jahl is not a proper kunyah but rather a kind of nickname, possibly meaning

"father of violence (or bravado)." His primary name was *Amr. Similarly the name

of Muhammad's uncle Abu Lahab means something like "father of brightness."

[H87]

and gave him a blow with it which split his head open in an ugly

way, and said, "Do you revile him when I am a member of his religion

and say what he says? Return that blow against me if you

can!"

The men of Banu Makhzum (the clan of Abu Jahl), rose up to

come to Abu Jahl's assistance against Hamzah, but Abu Jahl said,

"Leave Abu 'Umarah, for, by God, I insulted his nephew gravely."

Hamzah persevered in his Islam. Quraysh recognized that by

Hamzah's acceptance of Islam the Messenger of God had been

strengthened and that Hamzah would protect him; after this, they

curbed some of their attacks on him.

'Abdallah b. Mas'ud Recites

the Qur'an Aloud to Quraysh

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq — Yahya b. Urwah

b. al-Zubayr — his father: 164 The first to recite the Qur'an aloud

in Mecca after the Messenger of God was 'Abdallah b. Masud.

One day the companions of the Messenger of God were assembled

together and said, "By God, Quraysh have never heard this Qur'an

recited aloud to them. Who will let them hear it?" 'Abdallah b.

Mas'ud said, "I will." They said, "We fear what they will do to

you. What we want is a man who has a clan who will protect him

against them if they seek to harm him." He replied, "Let me do

it. God will protect me."

The next day, Ibn Mas'ud went to the Maqam 165 in the late

morning when the Quraysh were gathered in their groups. When

he was standing at the maqam, he said, "In the name of God,

the Compassionate, the Merciful," raising his voice as he did so,

"The Compassionate has made known the Qur'an. He has created

man." He turned toward them as he recited, and they took notice

of him and began to say, "What is this son of a slave's mother saying?"

Then they said, "He is reciting some of what Muhammad

has brought," and rose up and began to hit him in the face. He

continued to recite as much as God willed that he should, and

then went back to his companions with the marks of their blows

164. Ibn Hisham, Siiah, ioii.

165. Presumably the spot near the Ka'bah known as "the standing place of Abra-

ham" ( maqam Ibrahim). The verses recited are 55:1-3.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

105

on his face. They said, "This is what we feared would happen to

you," but he replied, "The enemies of God were never more despicable

in my sight than they are now. If you wish, I will do the

same thing to them tomorrow." They replied, "No, you have done

enough. You have made them hear what they do not wish to hear. "

Quraysh Boycott the Banu Hashim

and the Banu al-Muttalib 1 **

Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari): When those who had emigrated to Abyssinia

had settled down in the land of the Negus and were living in

security, Quraysh conferred together about taking some action

against those Muslims who had taken refuge there. They then

sent 'Amr b. al-'As and 'Abdallah b. Abi Rabi'ah b. al-Mughlrah

al-Makhzumi to the Negus with many gifts for him and for his

generals, telling them to ask the Negus to hand back those Muslims

whom he had accepted into his country. 'Amr and 'Abdallah

travelled to him on this mission and carried out the task which

their people had entrusted to them, but did not achieve the results

from the Negus which their tribe had hoped for, and went home

in disgrace.

'Umar b. al-Khattab, who was a staunch, sturdy, and mighty

warrior, had accepted Islam, as had Hamzah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib

before him, and the Messenger of God's Companions began to feel

stronger. Islam had begun to spread among the clans, and the Negus

had given protection to those Muslims who had taken refuge

in his country. When all of these things happened, the Quraysh

gathered together to confer and decided to draw up a document

in which they undertook not to marry women from the Banu

Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib, or to give them women in marriage,

or to sell anything to them or buy anything from them. They

drew up a written contract to that effect and solemnly pledged

themselves to observe it. Then they hung up the document in the

interior of the KaT)ah to make it even more binding upon themselves.

When Quraysh did this, the Banu Hashim and the Banu

al-Muttalib joined with Abu Talib, went with him to his valley

and gathered round him there? but Abu Lahab 'Abd al-'Uzza b.

166. There is similar material in Ibn Hisham, Shah, 230-32.

[1189]

(1190]

lo6

'Abd al-Muttalib left the Banu Hashim and went to the Quraysh,

supporting them against Abu Talib. This state of affairs continued

for two or three years, until the two clans were exhausted,

since nothing reached any of them except what was sent secretly

by those of the Quraysh who wished to maintain relations with

them.

It is related that Abu Jahl met Hakim b. Hizam b. Khuwaylid

b. Asad with a slave carrying some wheat which he intended to

take to his aunt Khadijah bt. Khuwaylid, who was with the Messenger

of God in the valley. He hung on to him and said, "Are

you taking food to the Banu Hashim? By God, you and your food

will not move until I disgrace you in Mecca!" Abu al-Bakhtari b.

Hisham b. al-Harith b. Asad came up and said, "What is going on

between you two?" Abu Jahl said, "He is taking food to the Banu

Hashim," but Abu al-Bakhtari replied, "It is food belonging to his

aunt which he has stored and which she has now sent for. Would

you prevent him from taking her own food to her? Let the man

pass." Abu Jahl refused, and in the end they came to blows. Abu al-

Bakhtari took hold of a camel's jawbone, struck him with it, split

his head open, and trampled upon him violently. Hamzah b. 'Abd

al-Muttalib was near by observing this. They did not want the

Messenger of God and his Companions to hear of this and rejoice

at their discomfiture. During all of this period of years the Messenger

of God was calling upon his people in secret and openly, by

night and by day, while the revelation from God was coming to

him continuously, commanding and forbidding, threatening those

who showed open hostility to him, and vindicating the Messenger

of God against those who opposed him .

Quraysh Attempt to Induce the Messenger

of God to Cease His Attacks on Their Gods

It is said that the nobles of his tribe gathered together to speak to

him one day.

Muhammad b. Musa al-Harashl — Abu Khalaf ’Abdallah b. Isa —

Daud — 'Ikrimah — Ibn ’Abbas: Quraysh promised the Messenger

of God that they would give him so much wealth that he would

become the richest man in Mecca, would give him as many wives

as he wanted in marriage, and would submit to his commands.

Other Events up to the Hijrah 107

They said, "This is what we will give you, Muhammad, so desist

from reviling our gods and do not speak evilly of them. If you will

not do so, we offer you one means which will be to your advantage

and to ours." "What is it?" he asked. They said, "You will worship

our gods, al-Lat and al-TJzza, for a year, and we shall worship your

god for a year." "Let me see what revelation comes to me from my

Lord," he replied. Then, the following inspiration came from the

Preserved Tablet:

Say: O disbelievers! I worship not that which you worship;

nor do you worship that which I worship. And I shall not

worship that which you worship, nor will you worship that

which I worship. To you your religion, and to me my religion.

God also revealed:

Say: Do you bid me serve other than God? O fools! . . .

(reciting to the words) . . . Nay, but God must you serve, and

be among the thankful! 167

Ya'qub b. Ibrahim — Muhammad b. Ishaq — Sa'Id b. Mina the

mawla of Abu al-Bakhtari; 168 Al-Walid b. al-Mughirah, al- r As b.

Wa'il, al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib, and Umayyah b. Khalaf met the

Messenger of God and said, "Muhammad, come and let us worship

that which you worship and you worship that which we wor-

ship, and we shall make you a partner in all of our undertakings.

If what you have brought is better than what we already have, we

will be partners with you in it and take our share of it, and if what

we have is better than what you have, you shall be partner with

us in what we have, and you shall take your share of it." Then

God revealed: "Say: O disbelievers . . . (reciting) to the end of the

surah. 169

Satan Casts a False Revelation on

the Messenger of God’s Tongue

The Messenger of God was eager for the welfare of his people and

167. The verses revealed are 109:1-6 and 39:64-66.

168. Ibn Hisham seems to have omitted this section, although Guillaume has

not noticed the (act.

169. 109.

wished to effect a reconciliation with them in whatever ways he

could. It is said that he wanted to find a way to do this, and what

happened was as follows. 170

Ibn Humayd— Salamah — Muhammad b. Ishaq — Yazid b. Ziyad

al-Madani — Muhammad b. KaT) al-Qurazi: When the Messenger

of God saw how his tribe turned their backs on him and was

grieved to see them shunning the message he had brought to them

from God, he longed in his soul that something would come to

him from God which would reconcile him with his tribe. With

his love for his tribe and his eagerness for their welfare it would

have delighted him if some of the difficulties which they made for

him could have been smoothed out, and he debated with himself

and fervently desired such an outcome. Then God revealed: 171

By the Star when it sets, your comrade does not err, nor is

he deceived; nor does he speak out of (his own) desire . . .

and when he came to the words:

Have you thought upon al-Lat and al-TJzza and Manat, the

third, the other?

Satan cast on his tongue, because of his inner debates and what

he desired to bring to his people, the words:

These are the high-flying cranes; verily their intercession

is accepted with approval. 172

When Quraysh heard this, they rejoiced and were happy and

delighted at the way in which he spoke of their gods, and they listened

to him, while the Muslims, having complete trust in their

Prophet in respect of the messages which he brought from God,

did not suspect him of error, illusion, or mistake. When he came

to the prostration, having completed the surah, he prostrated himself

and the Muslims did likewise, following their Prophet, trusting

in the message which he had brought and following his example.

Those polytheists of the Quraysh and others who were in the

1 70. This section is also omitted by Ibn Hisham, perhaps because he felt it was

discreditable to the Prophet.

1 71. Surah 53; the verses quoted are 1-3 and 19-20.

172. An alternative reading to tuitada is turtaja, meaning, "is to be desired or

hoped for."

Other Events up to the Hijrah

109

mosque 173 likewise prostrated themselves because of the reference

to their gods which they had heard, so that there was no one in

the mosque, believer or unbeliever, who did not prostrate himself.

The one exception was al-Walld b. al-Mughirah, who was a very

old man and could not prostrate himself; but he took a handful of

soil from the valley in his hand and bowed over that. Then they

all dispersed from the mosque. The Quraysh left delighted by the

mention of their gods which they had heard, saying, "Muhammad

has mentioned our gods in the most favorable way possible, stating

in his recitation that they are the high-flying cranes and that

their intercession is received with approval."

The news of this prostration reached those of the Messenger of

God's Companions who were in Abyssinia and people said, "The

Quraysh have accepted Islam." Some rose up to return, while others

remained behind. Then Gabriel came to the Messenger of God

and said, "Muhammad, what have you done? You have recited to

the people that which I did not bring to you from God, and you

have said that which was not said to you." Then the Messenger

of God was much grieved and feared God greatly, but God sent

down a revelation to him, for He was merciful to him, consoling

him and making the matter light for him, informing him that

there had never been a prophet or a messenger before him who desired

as he desired and wished as he wished but that Satan had cast

words into his recitation, as he had cast words on Muhammad's

tongue. Then God cancelled what Satan had thus cast, and established

his verses by telling him that he was like other prophets

and messengers, and revealed:

Never did we send a messenger or a prophet before you but

that when he recited (the Message) Satan cast words into his

recitation (umniyyah).G od abrogates what Satan casts. Then

God established his verses. God is knower, wise. 174

173. The sacred area around the Ka*bah was not, of course, an Islamic mosque

at this period, though the word masjid, "place of prostration, mosque," seems to

have been applied to it.

174. 22-52. The translation deviates here from that of Pickthall in order to

make it correspond with what is required by Tabari's account. The meanings for

tamanna and umniyyah, "recite" and "recitation," are well attested (see Lisan

s.v. M-N-Y). An alternative rendering for this verse would be: "Never did we send

a messenger or a prophet before you but that when he formed a wish Satan threw

(some vanity) into his desire — "

Thus God removed the sorrow from his Messenger, reassured

him about that which he had feared and cancelled the words

which Satan had cast on his tongue, that their gods were the highflying

cranes whose intercession was accepted with approval.

He now revealed, following the mention of "al-Lat, al-Uzza and

Manat, the third, the other," the words:

Are yours the males and his the females? That indeed

were an unfair division! They are but names which you have

named, you and your fathers . . .

to the words:

to whom he wills and accepts. 175

This means, how can the intercession of their gods avail with

God?

When Muhammad brought a revelation from God cancelling

what Satan had cast on the tongue of His Prophet, the Quraysh

said, "Muhammad has repented of what he said concerning the

position of your gods with God, and has altered it and brought

something else." Those two phrases which Satan had cast on the

tongue of the Messenger of God were in the mouth of every polytheists,

and they became even more ill-disposed and more violent

in their persecution of those of them who had accepted Islam and

followed the Messenger of God.

Those of the Companions of the Messenger of God who had left

Abyssinia upon hearing that Quraysh had accepted Islam by prostrating

themselves with the Messenger of God now approached.

When they were near Mecca, they heard that the report that the

people of Mecca had accepted Islam was false. Not one of them

entered Mecca without obtaining protection or entering secretly.

Among those who came to Mecca and remained there until they

emigrated to al-Madlnah and were present with the Prophet at

Badr, were, from the Banu 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Manaf b. Qusayy,

TJthman b. 'Affan b. Abi al-'As b. Umayyah, accompanied by his

wife Ruqayyah the daughter of the Messenger of God; Abu Hudhayfah

b. 'Utbah b. RabTah b. 'Abd Shams, accompanied by his

wife Sahlah bt. Suhayl; together with a number of others numbering

175. 53:21-23,26, Tabari explains dizd, "unfair," as meaning 'awja, "crooked.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

ni

thirty-three men.

Al-Qasim b. al-Hasan — al-Husayn b. Daud — Hajja — Abu Mashar —

Muhammad b. KaT> al-Qurazi and Muhammad b. Qays:

The Messenger of God was sitting in a large gathering of Quraysh,

wishing that day that no revelation would come to him from God

which would cause them to turn away from him. Then God revealed:

By the Star when it sets, your comrade does not err, nor is

he deceived . . .

and the Messenger of God recited it until he came to:

Have you thought upon al-Lat and al-TJzza and Manat, the

third, the other?

when Satan cast on his tongue two phrases:

These are the high flying cranes; verily their intercession

is to be desired . 176

He uttered them and went on to complete the surah. When he

prostrated himself at the end of the surah, the whole company

prostrated themselves with him. Al-Walld b. al-Mughirah raised

some dust to his forehead and bowed over that, since he was a

very old man and could not prostrate himself. They were satisfied

with what Muhammad had uttered and said, “We recognize that

it is God who gives life and death, who creates and who provides

sustenance, but if these gods of ours intercede for us with him,

and if you give them a share, we are with you."

That evening Gabriel came to him and reviewed the surah with

him, and when he reached the two phrases which Satan had cast

upon his tongue he said, "I did not bring you these two." Then

the Messenger of God said, "I have fabricated things against God

and have imputed to Him words which He has not spoken." Then

God revealed to him:

And they indeed strove hard to beguile you away from

what we have revealed to you, that you should invent other

than it against us . . .

176 . Surah 53. This version of the false verses has la-turja, "to be desired or

hoped for."

to the words:

and then you would have found no helper against us. 177

He remained grief-stricken and anxious until the revelation of

the verse:

[1196] Never did we send a messenger or a prophet before you . . .

to the words . . . God is knower, wise. 178

When those who had emigrated to Abyssinia heard that all the

people of Mecca had accepted Islam, they returned to their clans,

saying, "They are more dear to us"; but they found that the people

had reversed their decision when God cancelled what Satan had

cast upon the Messenger of God's tongue.

The Boycott Is Repealed

Ibn Humayd— Salamah— Ibn Ishaq. 179 Then a number of the

Quraysh took steps to repeal the agreement which the Quraysh

had drawn up amongst themselves directed against the Banu

Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib. The most creditable part in this

was played by Hisham b. 'Amr b. al-Harith al- 'Amiri of 'Amir b.

Lu'ayy. He was the son of the maternal half-brother of Nadlah b.

Hashim b. 'Abd Manaf, and he went to Zuhayr b. Abi Umayyah

b. al-Mughirah b. 'Abdallah b. 'Umar b. Makhzum, whose mother

was 'Atikah bt. 'Abd al-Muttalib, and said, "Zuhayr, are you content

to eat food, wear clothes, and marry women while your ma-

ternal uncles are in the condition in which you know them to

be, unable to buy or sell, and unable to give or take in marriage?

I swear by God that if they were the maternal cousins of Abu al-

Hakam b. Hisham 180 and you were to call on him to do what he has

called on you to do, he would never agree to do it." "For goodness'

sake, Hisham," he replied, "What can I do? I am only one man. By

God, if I had another man with me I would take steps to repeal it

and would continue until I had had it repealed." "You have found

177 - 773 / 75 -

178. 22:52.

179. Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 247-49.

180. This is the man usually called Abu Jahl, who was one of the most vehement

opponents of Muhammad.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

113

a man," he said. "Who?" he asked. "Myself," he replied. Then

Zuhayr said, "Find me a third man."

So he went to al-Mut'im b. 'Adi b. Nawfal b. Abd Manaf and

said to him, "Mut'im, are you content that two clans of the Banu

Abd Manaf are perishing while you look on, 181 agreeing with

Quraysh on the matter? By God, if you allow them to do this,

you will find that they will soon do the same to you." He replied,

"For goodness' sake, what can I do? I am only one man." "You

have found a second," he said. "Who?" he asked. "Myself," he

replied. Then he said, "Find me a third." "I have already done so,"

he replied. "Who?" he asked. "Zuhayr b. Abi Umayyah," he said.

Then he said, "Find me a fourth."

So he went to Abu al-Bakhtari b. Hisham and said the same to

him as he had said to al-Mut'im b. Adi. He answered, "Is there

anyone who will help in this?" "Yes," he said. "Who?" he asked.

He said, "Zuhayr b. Abi Umayyah and al-Mut'im b. Adi, and I am

with you." "Find me a fifth," he said.

Then he went to Zam'ah b. al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib b. Asad,

spoke to him, and reminded him of how closely they were related

to him and of his duty to them. He said, "Is there anyone who

will help in this matter in which you are calling upon me to take

part?" "Yes," he replied, and named them.

They promised to meet him at Khatm al-Hajun, which is in the

high ground above Mecca. When they gathered there, they agreed

upon their course of action, and pledged themselves to deal with

the document and to have it repealed. Zuhayr said, "I will be the

first to begin and will be the first to speak." The next morning

they went to their groups, and Zuhayr appeared in a gown, circumambulated

the Kaliah seven times, and then went up to the

people and said, "People of Mecca, shall we eat food, drink drink,

and wear clothes while the Banu Hashim are perishing, neither

buying nor selling? By God, I shall not sit down until this unjust

document which severs relationships is torn up." Abu fahl, who

was at one side of the mosque, said, "You lie, by God. It shall not,

be torn up." Zam'ah b. al-Aswad said, "By God, you are a greater

liar. We did not approve of its being written when it was written."

181. 'Abd Manaf had four sons, ancestors of four clans. The two who are perishing

are Hashim and al-Muttalib. Mut'im belongs to a third, Nawfal, and the fourth is

'Abd Shams.

114

Then Abu al-Bakhtari said, "Zam'ah has spoken the truth. We do

not approve of what was written in it, and we do not acknowledge

it." Then al-Mut'im b, 'Adi said, "You have both spoken the truth,

and anyone who says otherwise is lying. We are full of guilt for it

before God and for what is written in it." Hisham b. 'Amr said

much the same. Then Abu Jahl said, "This is something which

has been decided during the night, and which has been decided

elsewhere than in this place." Abu Talib was sitting at one side of

the mosque. Al-Mut'im b. 'Adi went up to the document to tear

it up, and found that it had been eaten by termites except for the

part on which had been written, "In your name, O God." These

were the words with which the Quraysh prefaced their documents

when they wrote anything.

I have heard that the writer of the document which the Quraysh

drew up against the Messenger of God and his relatives from the

Banu Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib was Mansur b. Ikrimah b.

Hashim b. 'Abd Manaf b. 'Abd al-Dar b. Qusayy. (For having done

so) his hand withered.

The Messenger of God Is Subjected to Further Insults

The rest of the emigrants remained in Abyssinia until the Messenger

of God sent 'Amr b. Umayyah al-Damri to the Negus for

them. He transported them in two ships and brought them to the

Messenger of God while he was in Khaybar after al-Hudaybiyah.

The total number of those who came in the two ships was sixteen

__ __ 182

men.

The Messenger of God continued to live in Mecca with

Quraysh, calling them to God secretly and openly, enduring their

molestation of him, their calling him a liar, and their derision of

him. Things came to such a pitch that one of them, it is said,

[1 1 99J would throw a sheep's womb upon him as he was praying or would

throw it into his cooking pot when it was set up for him. Finally, I

have been told, he took a large stone and sheltered behind it when

he prayed.

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Ibn Ishaq— TJmar b. 'Abdallah b. -

182. This final return was early in the year 7/628. Many others had returned

before Muhammad left Mecca.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

115

'Urwah b. al~ Zubayr — TJrwah b. al-Zubayr . 183 The Messenger of God

used to bring this out on a stick when it was thrown into his house

and stand at his door and say, "Banu 'Abd Manaf, what protection

is this?" Then he would throw it into the road.

The Deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah

After this Abu Talib and Khadijah died in a single year.

Ibn Humayd— Salamah — Ibn Ishaq : 184 This was three years before

his emigration to al-Madinah. Their death was a great affliction

to the Messenger of God. This is because after the death of

Abu Talib, Quraysh went to greater lengths in molesting him than

they had ever done during his lifetime. One of them even poured

dust upon his head.

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Ibn Ishaq — Hisham b. TJrwah — his father:

When that foolish person poured dust upon the Messenger of

God's head, he went into his house with the dust still on his head.

One of his daughters stood next to him washing off the dust and

weeping, while the Messenger of God said to her, "Do not weep,

daughter, for God will protect your father." The Messenger of God

used to say, "Quraysh never did anything unpleasant to me until

Abu Talib died."

The Messenger of God Goes to al-Ta’if

When Abu Talib died, the Messenger of God went to al-Ta'if to

seek support and protection against his own people from Thaqif.

It is said that he went to them alone.

Ibn Humayd — Salamah — Ibn Ishaq — Yazld b. Ziyad — Muham-

mad b. Kab al-Qurazi : 185 When the Messenger of God reached al-

Ta'if, he went to a group of men of Thaqif who were at that time

the chiefs and nobles of the tribe. They were three brothers, 'Abd

Yalayl b. 'Amr b. TJmayr, Mas ud b. 'Amr b. TJmayr, and Habib

b. 'Amr. b. TJmayr. One of them had a wife from Quraysh, from

183. Ibn Hisham, Sic ah, 277.

184. Ibid., 277.

185. Ibid., 279-81. Thaqif was the dominant tribe in al-Ta' if. They had been

forced into an alliance with the Meccans, and Muhammad may have hoped that

anti-Meccan feeling would lead men to support him.

[1200]

the Banu Jumah. He sat down with them and called them to God,

and spoke to them of the requests which he had come to them to

make, (that is,) that they should come to his aid in defense of Islam

and take his side against those of his own tribe who opposed him.

One of them said, "If God has sent you, I will tear off the covering

of the Kaljah;" another said, "Could God find no-one but you to

send?" and the third said, "By God, I shall never say a single word

to you, for if you are a messenger from God as you say, you are too

important for me to reply to you, and if you are lying against God,

it is not right for me to speak to you."

The Messenger of God rose up and left them, despairing of getting

any good out of Thaqif. I have been told that he said to them,

"If that is your decision, do not tell anyone about it," for he did

not want his tribe to hear about this matter and be emboldened

against him. However, they did not comply with his request, but

incited against him their ignorant rabble and their slaves, who reviled

him and shouted at him until a crowd gathered and forced

him to take refuge in a garden belonging to 'Utbah b. RabTah and

Shaybah b. Rabi ah, who were in it at the time . 186 Those of the

rabble of Thaqif who had followed him went back, and he went

to the shade of a trellised vine and sat there while the two sons

of Rabi'ah watched him, seeing what he had to endure from the

rabble of Thaqif.

I have been told that the Messenger of God met that woman

from the Banu Jumah 187 and said to her, "What have I had to endure

from your husband's relatives?" I have been told that when

he felt secure the Messenger of God said, "O God, I make complaint

to You of the weakness of my power, the fewness of my

expedients, and the contempt in which I am held by men. O most

merciful of the merciful, You are the Lord of the oppressed, and

You are my Lord. To whom will You entrust me? To a stranger

who will regard me with displeasure or to an enemy to whom

You have given power over me? If You are not angry with me, I do

not care, but Your protection is wide enough for me. I take refuge

in the light of Your countenance by which the darkness is -

186. These were two Meccans of the clan of 'Abd Shams. Many wealthy Meccans

had property in al-Ta'if because, being higher up in the mountains, it had a much

better climate.

1 87. The wife of one of the leaders of Thaqif with whom he had been speaking.

Other Events up to the Hijrah

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illuminated, and in which this world and the next are rightly ordered,

refuge from the descent of Your anger upon me or the falling of

Your wrath upon me. You shall have satisfaction from me until

You are content. There is no might and no power except in You."

When the two sons of Rabi'ah, TJtbah and Shaybah, saw

what had happened to him, they were moved by pity for their

kinsman 188 and, calling a Christian slave of theirs named 'Addas,

they said to him, "Take a bunch of these grapes, put it in this

dish, take it to that man, and tell him to eat of it." 'Addas did so,

went up to him and put it before the Messenger of God. When he

stretched out his hand he said, "In the name of God," and then

ate. 'Addas looked him in the face and said, "By God, these words

are not used by the people of this country." The Messenger of God

said to him, "From what country do you come, 'Addas, and what

is your religion?" He replied, "I am a Christian, from the people

of Nineveh." The Messenger of God said, "From the town of the

righteous man Jonah the son of Matta ?" 189 "How do you know [1202]

about Jonah the son of Matta?" he asked. The Messenger of God

replied, "He is my brother. He was a prophet, and I am a prophet."

'Addas bent down before the Messenger of God, kissing his head,

his hands, and his feet. The two sons of Rabi'ah said one to the

other, "As far as your slave is concerned, Muhammad has cor-

rupted your slave for you." When 'Addas came back to them they

said to him, "Woe betide you, 'Addas, what made you kiss that

man's head, hands, and feet?" He replied, "Masters, there is no

one better in the world than that man. He has told me something

which none but a prophet knows." They said, "Woe betide you,

'Addas, do not let him turn you away from your religion. Your

religion is better than his."

The Messenger of God Returns to Mecca

When the Messenger of God despaired of getting any positive response

from Thaqif, he left al-Ta'if to return to Mecca. When he

was at Nakhlah, he rose in the middle of the night to pray, and, as

God has told, a number of the jinn passed by. Muhammad b. Ishaq

says that he was told that they were seven jinn from Nasibln of

188. As being all descendants of 'Abd Manaf.

189. In the Bible his father is called Amittai.

the Yemen. 190 They listened to him, and when he had completed

his prayer they went back to their people to warn them, having

believed and responded to what they had heard. God mentioned

their story when he said:

And when we inclined toward you certain of the jinn, who

wished to hear the Qur'an and, when they were in its presence,

said: Give ear! and when it was finished, turned back

to their people, warning. They said: O our people! We have

heard a scripture which has been revealed after Moses, confirming

that which was before it, guiding to the truth and a

right road. O our people! respond to God's summoner and believe

in him. He will forgive you some of your sins and guard

you from a painful doom. 191

God also said:

Say: It is revealed to me that a company of the jinn gave

ear, and they said: It is a marvellous Qur'an.

[1203] Muhammad (Ibn Ishaq) says that he has heard that the names of

the jinn who listened to the revelation were Hassa, Massa, Shasir,

Nasir, Ayna al-Ard, Aynayn, and al-Ahqam. 192

Then the Messenger of God came back to Mecca, and found

that its people were even more determined to oppose him and to

abandon his religion, except for a few weak people who believed

in him. Some say that when the Messenger of God left al-Ta'if for

Mecca 193 a certain Meccan passed by, and the Messenger of God

190. This phrase seems incorrect, since the well-known Nasibin is on the border

between eastern Syria and Turkey. Another version of the story reads "on their way

from Naslbin to the Yemen" (see Leiden text, footnote).

1 91. 46:29-31. Tabari gives only the beginning and the end of this passage, but it

has been given in full to make the story more intelligible. The following verse is

72:1.

192. These names are not vocalized in the text and the forms given here are

hypothetical; the fifth and sixth names are particularly dubious.

193. This story implies (though there is no explicit statement) that following the

death of Abu Talib, Muhammad had been deprived of the protection of his own

clan of Hashim by the new chief Abu Lahab. For this reason he had to obtain the

protection of another clan before he could return to Mecca in safety. Al-Akhnas

b. Shariq, though technically a confederate from al-Ta'if, appears to have been the

leading man of the Meccan clan of Zuhrah. Suhayl b. 'Amr was chief of the clan of

'Amir. When he speaks of Banu Kah he means all the main clans of Quraysh except

his own and al-Harith b. Fihr (see table in the Introduction, p.xxx). Al-Mut'im

In his translation, Guillaume regards the whole story as

derived by Tabari from Ibn Ishaq, but in this he appears to be mistaken. The introductory words "some say..." ( dhakaia ba'duhum) indicate a different unspecified

source. It is unlikely, too, that Ibn Hisham would have omitted the story at this

point (Ibn Hisham, Sizah, 281), if it had been present in Ibn Ishaq, since he gives

the gist of it in his own additional note at an earlier point (Ibid., 251).

Other Events up to the Hijrah

119

said, "Will you deliver a message which I entrust to you?" He

agreed, and he said, "Go to al-Akhnas b. Shariq and say to him,

'Muhammad asks you if you will give him protection so that he

can deliver the message of his Lord.' The man went to him and delivered

the message, and al-Akhnas replied, "The confederate does

not give protection against the men of pure blood." He went back

to the Prophet and gave him this reply. Muhammad then asked

him if he would go back again, and when he indicated that he

would, said, "Go to Suhayl b. 'Amr and say to him, 'Muhammad

asks you if you will give him protection so that he can deliver the

message of his Lord.' " He went to him and delivered the message,

and he replied, "The Banu 'Amir b. Lu'ayy do not give protection

against the Banu KaT)." The man went back to the Prophet and

gave him this reply. Muhammad asked him if he would go back

yet again, and when he indicated that he would, he said, "Go to al-

Mut'im b. 'Adi and say to him, 'Muhammad asks if you will give

him protection so that he can deliver the message of his Lord.' "

Al-Mut'im replied, "Yes, let him enter."

The man went back and told him this, and the next morning

al-Mut'im b. 'Adi, his sons, and his brother's sons appeared wearing

their weapons and entered the mosque. When Abu fahl saw

him, he said, "Are you offering protection to someone or following

a call to arms?" "I am offering protection," he said. Abu Jahl

replied, "We shall protect whomever you protect." The Prophet

entered Mecca and remained there. One day he went into the sacred

mosque while the polytheists were by the KaTiah. When Abu

Jahl saw him he said, "This is your prophet, Banu 'Abd Manaf ." 194

To this TJtbah b. Rabi'ah said, "Is there anything wrong with there

being a prophet or a king from among us?" The Prophet was told

of this or heard it, and he went to them and said, "As for you, Utbah b.

Rabi'ah, by God, you were not angered on behalf of God or

b. 'Adi was head of the clan of Nawfal, and had been one of those instrumental

in ending the boycott.

194. The designation Banu 'Abd Manaf includes the clans of 'Abd Shams and

Nawfal as well as Hashim and al-Muttalib. Pride in his ancestry makes TJtbah b.

Rabi'ah (of 'Abd Shams) defend Banu 'Abd Manaf against the taunt of Abu Jahl.

[1204]

120

Muhammad at Mecca

his Prophet, but were angered on behalf of your own pride; and

as for you, Abu Jahl b. Hisham, by God, not long will pass before

you laugh little and weep much; and as for you, council (mala') of

Quraysh, by God, not long will pass before you will enter unwillingly

into that which you dislike."