O’MRATU-L-QADZÂ [PILGRIMAGE BY DIVINE PREDESTINATION].

When his holy and prophetic lordship had by the decree of Divine providence victoriously returned from Khayber and from Wâdy-l-qara to Madinah, he sent out forays to the tribes dwelling around Mekkah and Madinah. After that he ordered his friends to prepare themselves for a march to the pilgrimage of Divine predestination, enjoin­ing all the companions who had been present at the peace of Hodaybiah to take part also in this expedition, and not to absent themselves under any pretext whatever. Accord­ingly, all who were alive complied, and joined the heaven-aspiring retinue; and besides the covenanters of the oath of Radzuwân,* three hundred men in addition girded up their loins for the above expedition. In short, his lordship appointed Abu Dhar Ghuffâry to be his lieutenant in Madinah, and marched with ten thousand men and one hundred horses of noble breed, with many weapons, such as helmets, cuirasses, swords, and sixty or seventy camels,* in the month of Dhu-l-qa’dah, in the seventh year after his blessed Flight, with the intention of perform­ing the visitation gladly and joyfully in Mekkah. It is related that the apostle gave the noble steeds in charge of Muhammad B. Moslamah, and the arms to Bashyr B. Sa’d, attaching a number of men to these two blessed individuals and causing them to march in advance. Some said: ‘O apostle of God, one of the conditions of peace was not to bring any arms to Mekkah, except swords in their scabbards.’ He replied: ‘We shall not carry these [weapons] to the sanctuary, but we take them as a pre­caution, in case the people should act contrary to the treaty, and break it.’ When Bashyr B. Sa’d and Muham­mad B. Moslamah arrived at Marâ Al-tzuhrân, the Qoraish who were there saw them and knew that his lordship would arrive after them. They accordingly ran to Mekkah on the wings of speed, and informed the Qoraish of what was taking place. They went to the tops of mountains and sent Mukraz B. Hafass to ask his lordship on the road what was his intention in bringing arms. He, how­ever, received the reply already mentioned above. Mukraz then returned, and conveyed the news to the idolaters to pacify their minds. The apostle of God thereon ordered the camels destined for sacrifice to be stationed at Dhu Towa, and established his arsenal in another place called Battin Mâhaj, and after having appointed a detachment to guard it, he mounted his she-camel Qasswy, and the pro­fessors of Islâm marched in the wake of his lordship the best of men, some walking and some riding with their swords girded; and they entered Mekkah by way of Menah, uttering the customary Talabyah.* His lordship, mounted as he was, entered the mosque of the sanctuary, A’bdullah B. Ruâhah holding the bridle of the she-camel Qasswy. Then his lordship uttered the Talabyah with his blessed tongue, and touched the black stone with the hooked stick he had in his hand; then, mounted as he was, he circum­ambulated the Ka’bah, the companions likewise touching the stone with their sticks by order of his lordship, and walking around the Ka’bah. He ordered them to progress swiftly during the three first, and, according to the usual custom, during the four last circumambulations. The reason for celerity during the first three turns was because the idolaters of Mekkah had said: ‘People have arrived with Muhammad whom the fever of Yathrab and the insalubrity of Madinah have rendered lazy, weak, powerless, and lean.’ When, however, the Qoraish had perceived from the mountain that the professors of Islâm were agile, swift, strong, and healthy, they said to each other: ‘The fellows whom we imagined to be disabled by the fever of the country of Yathrab are wonderfully healthy and strong.’

It is related that when his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—had terminated the sacred ceremonies, he appointed Ja’fer B. Abu Ttâleb to sue for the hand of May­mûnah, the daughter of Hâreth Hallalyah, who was the sister of the wife of A’bbâs. Maymûnah having subordi­nated her own will to that of A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, he gave her in marriage to his lordship. Sa’d B. Masyb relates that when the apostle of God had performed the ceremonies of the visitation [of the sacred spots] he entered the house of the Ka’bah and ordered Ballâl to mount on the roof, and to proclaim the time of the forenoon prayers. A’kramah B. Abu Jahl, having heard the voice of Ballâl, said: ‘Verily Allah has blessed [my father] Abu-l-hukm* by sparing him from hearing the voice of this slave, and what he is saying;’ and every one of the idolaters had something opprobrious to say. Some allege that his lordship had sent a man to the Qoraish to ask permission for entering the house of the Ka’bah; but that they refused, on the pretext of its not having been mentioned in the treaty of peace. Thereon the apostle of God ordered Ballâl to go on the roof of the Ka’bah, and to invite the people to prayers; but during the three days of the sojourn of the professors of Islâm in Mekkah, Ballâl had been only once ordered to do so. After the three stipulated days had elapsed, Sohayl B. A’mru and Hoyttab B. A’bdu-l-u’zza went on the fourth day to that prince, and said: ‘The time appointed for thy stay has expired. Depart, therefore, from our country.’ His lordship replied: ‘How would it be if you were to allow me to celebrate my wedding with Maymûnah among you, and to give you a banquet?’ They replied: ‘We have need neither of thee nor of thy food, O Muhammad. We adjure thee by Allah and by our treaty to leave our country.’ Sa’d B. A’bâdah, who was present, felt aggrieved by the incivility of Sohayl and Hoyttab, saying to the former: ‘Thou hast lied. Mayest thou have no mother. For this country belongs neither to thee nor to thy father, and we shall not leave it, except by our own good pleasure.’ The apostle of God smiled, quieted Sa’d, ordering at the same time notice of the departure to be given, and prohibiting any of the companions to remain that night in Mekkah. His lordship accordingly started towards Madinah, but left his freed slave, Abu Râfi, in the sanctuary, to convey his spouse Maymûnah after him to Madinah.

It is related that Omm Ommârah, daughter of Hamzah, the prince of martyrs—u. w. b.—was with her mother, Omm Solmah, living in the noble city of Mekkah, her birthplace. The lord A’li—u. w. b.—spoke to his lordship the apostle as follows with reference to her: ‘Why should we depart and leave the daughter of our uncle Hamzah among the idolaters? We ought to place her in the howdah of Fattimah and take her to Madinah.’ This was done; but when they arrived in Madinah a dispute arose between A’li—u. w. b.—and Ja’fer and Zayd B. Hârethah because each of them desired to be her protector. Zayd B. Hârethah, who was the executor of Hamzah, said: ‘She is my cousin,’ because when the Mohâjer entered into a league brotherhood was established between Hamzah and Zayd. Then Ja’fer said: ‘Omm Ommârah is my uncle’s daughter, and her aunt is in my house.’ A’li said: ‘She is the daughter of my uncle, and Fattimah, the darling of his lordship, is in my house; and she is the most worthy to take care of Omm Ommârah, especially as I am the cause of her having been brought from Mekkah.’ The just-named three blessed individuals came to high words, and quarrelled so loudly that they awakened his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—from sleep, and he spoke as follows after he had been apprised of the subject of their contention: ‘I shall judge between you;’ and considering the position of each of them, he first said to A’li: ‘Thou art mine, and I am thine.’ To Ja’fer he said: ‘Thou resemblest my nation and my nature.’ To Zayd he said: ‘Thou art our brother and our freed man.’ Then he spoke to Ja’fer as follows: ‘Thou art the fittest to keep Omm Ommârah, because her aunt is in thy house, and an aunt is in the place of a mother.’ He added: ‘Marry not a woman whose paternal or maternal aunt is already thy wife.’ At these words Ja’fer rejoiced so much that he began hopping on one leg round the apostle of God, who asked him for the reason of such a proceeding; whereon Ja’fer replied: ‘O apostle of God, a person whom thou hast made glad is cutting these antics!’

In this year [i.e., the seventh of the Flight] his lordship the refuge of termination sent a letter to Khaylah B. Abham, who was the last of the Ghusân kings in Syria, inviting him to profess Islâm, and he complied as soon as he had become acquainted with the [contents of the] exalted epistle. He also wrote a reply and sent gifts to his lordship, and was still a professor during the Khalifate of Fârûq the greater [i.e., Omar]. In those days he once came to circumambulate the Ka’bah, but for a reason which will also be recorded in this volume he fled from Madinah, apostatized and joined the Byzantine emperor. During this year Qowdah B. A’mru Judhâmy, who was the first-named emperor’s governor at O’mmân, in the Bulgarian country, also became a Musalmân, and having written a letter to his lordship, he gave it to an attendant, Masu’d B. Sa’yd by name, who also carried presents from him to Madinah. When this epistle reached the august assembly his lordship ordered it to be read, and the contents thereof were as follows: ‘I have made the profession of the Faith and confessed the unity of God. I know thee to be the same true prophet whose advent was predicted by I’sa [Jesus], the son of Maryam. Farewell!’ When the apostle of God received this information he showed much kindness and respect to Masu’d, ordered Ballâl to take him to his own house and to prepare a repast for him. The presents of Qowdah consisted of a white mule, a tunic of brocade embroidered with gold, etc., which his lordship accepted, and sent him the following reply: ‘Muhammad, the apostle of Allah, to Qowdah B. A’mru. But after [the usual com­pliments I say]: Thy envoy has arrived, has brought thy gifts, and has informed us of thy good health. Verily Allah has pointed out to thee the right way. If thou followest it, obey God and His prophet, observe the appointed times of prayer, and pay the Dzakât!’ [i.e., legal alms]. Then he ordered Ballâl to give five hundred dirhems to the envoy and dismissed him. Let it not remain hidden that historians consider Qowdah to have become Governor of Syria after the demise of Hâreth B. Abu Shammâr Ghusâny, and that the latter died in the eighth year after the Flight. According to this statement it would appear that Qowdah had become a Musalmân in the eighth year or after it. As, however, biographers [considered more reliable] have stated that Qowdah professed Islâm before the eighth year, the author of this work has followed them, although this discrepancy cannot be reconciled. Allah, however, is most wise.

In this year his lordship the refuge of the apostolate— u. w. b.—appointed A’bdullah B. Ruâhah over a detach­ment of troops and sent him to Aa’m. In that expedition also Abu Qotâdah and Muhkum B. Kutâmah were present. During the march they met A’amer Allassant Allashja’y, who had made his profession of the Faith, and was going to wait upon his lordship the apostle of God. When he met the companions he saluted them like a professor of Islâm, but they gave no reply, and Muhkum slew him. When this news reached his lordship the best of men, and Muhkum was admitted to the honour of kissing his feet, his lordship reproached him, saying: ‘Why hast thou killed a Musalmân?’ Muhkum replied: ‘Because A’amer had feigned to be a Musalmân to escape death.’ His lord­ship continued: ‘Hast thou slit open his heart and ascer­tained his intention and will? The tongue is the inter­preter and ambassador of the heart.’ The apostle of God then cursed Muhkum, who surrendered his life to the grasper of souls after the expiration of one hour. After he had been interred he was thrown out of his grave, which having happened thrice, the people at last concealed his body under stones, whereon his lordship said: ‘The earth covers worse men than Muhkum, but God the Most High wanted to show you the esteem in which he holds martyrs [such as A’amer].’