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,353 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,354 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.355 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-hukm356 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].’
THE EVENTS OF THE EIGHTH YEAR AFTER THE FLIGHT OF
THE LORD OF PROPHECY—U. W. B.357
According to all the biographers, Khâled B. Alwolyd and A’mru B. Ala’ass and Ttolhah B. Ttolhah Ala’bdary were during this year adorned with the decoration of the Faith. Khâled says that at the time when the apostle of God had proceeded to Mekkah with the intention of performing the visitation, and had arrived in Ghusân, the Qoraish issued from the sanctuary for the purpose of repelling him, and had also arrived in that locality. ‘One day I saw the apostle of God holding the prayers of fear with his companions, and although I desired to injure them [i.e., the Musalmâns] on that occasion, and was unable to do so, I knew that the Almighty was the protector and defender of the apostle and of his friends, that he would soon vanquish his opponents, and would be granted the victory.’
It is related in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb that there is a tradition of Khâled B. Wolyd wherein he is said to have spoken as follows: ‘When the eternal decree, predestined by Allah that I should become a Musalmân, was to be fulfilled, He inspired me with love for the professors of Islâm, but especially on the day when the prophet was holding the prayer of fear on his march to Hodaybiah in the station of Ghuttfân. I desired to get him into my power, and, being unable to succeed, I knew that he was protected by Divine grace, and that he would soon overpower us. When peace had been concluded between us and him, I apprehended that power and dignity had departed from the Qoraish, but I could not go to the Najjâshy [Negus of Abyssinia] because he had become a follower of Muhammad; accordingly I conceived the intention to betake myself to Heraclius and to make a profession of the Christian or the Jewish religion.’ The writer of these pages says that as Khâled B. Wolyd knew that whoever uttered the formula of monotheism gained the favour of Allah and the apostle, and that the line of forgiveness and oblivion would be drawn over the record of his transgressions, he ought, after love for the professors of Islâm had prevailed in his heart, immediately to have waited upon the apostle of God and uttered the profession of the Faith, without intending to go to Heraclius, or vacillating between the adoption of the Christian or the Jewish religion; and therefore the tradition is more credible wherein no allusion occurs to the love he bore towards the professors of Islâm during the time of ignorance. The [true] knowledge, however, is with Allah.
In short, Khâled says: ‘When I thought of going to Heraclius, I again considered whether I ought not to remain in our own country, to see what would come forth from the curtain of futurity. On that occasion the apostle of God was marching to Mekkah to hold the predestined visitation (O’mratu-l-qadzâ). I absented myself, but my brother Wolyd B. Alwolyd, who had arrived in Mekkah with his lordship the apostle of God, was searching for me; as, however, he was unable to find me, he sent me a letter with the information that his holy and prophetic lordship had remembered me, and had said: “Khâled is an excellent, noble, and glorious individual. One like him cannot have remained ignorant of my mission; had he but visited me, I would have shown him much civility, would have raised his position in life, and would have held him in higher esteem than many other men.” He also wrote: “Dear Brother,—I am astonished that thou becomest not a Musalmân, and still travellest in the desert of aberration, without atoning for bygones. Delay not to attain this felicity [of professing Islâm], but strive to gain it quickly, for thou hast already lost many advantages. Farewell.”’ Khâled says: ‘When I had learnt the contents of this letter love for Islâm induced me to start to Madinah, and in conformity with the maxim, “First a companion and then the journey,” I went to Ssafuwân B. Ommyah and spoke to him as follows: “O Abu Wohb, seest thou not that we have not a crumb of bread left, and that the rumour of Muhammad’s success is permeating the whole world? If thou deemest it fit, we shall hasten to wait on Muhammad, because his honour is our honour.” Ssafuwân, however, laid the hand of refusal upon my request, mentioned great difficulties, and said: “If no other person of the Qoraish is left except myself I shall not follow Muhammad.” Then I said to myself: “I cannot expect this man to accompany me, because his father and brother have been killed on the day of Bedr.” After that I met Akramah B. Abu Jahl, and invited him to walk on the straight road, but he likewise rejected my advice. Having despaired of the acquiescence of these two men, I saw O’thmân B. Ttolhah and read to him the pages of exhortation. He accepted my invitation, and we departed together to Madinah. When we arrived in Hara we found there A’mru B. Ala’ass, who questioned us, and when we informed him of the object of our journey, he said: “I have also come from Abyssinia for the same purpose.” Then we travelled with him, and entered Madinah in his company. When his lordship the apostle became aware of our arrival, he said to his companions: “The Mekkans have thrown to you their very heart’s blood.”’ Khâled continues: ‘When we arrived in Madinah we exchanged our travelling clothes for handsome ones, intending to hasten and to meet the apostle of God. On the way my brother Wolyd came up to us, and said: “Come quickly; the apostle of God has heard of thy arrival and is much pleased therewith, waiting for thy appearance.” I took my brother’s advice and hastened our progress till I reached the august assembly of his lordship the apostle. When the blessed eye of that prince alighted on me he smiled.
| Distich: | A fairy killed men with sweet smiles; I said to her: “Kill me too.” But she smiled again. |
Then I said: “Greeting to thee, O apostle of Allah!” He appeared somewhat surprised, and I continued: “I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.” He rejoined: “Glory and praise be to God, who has directed thee, O Khâled. I perceived thou art intelligent and wise, and entertained hopes that God would lead thee to the good road.” I answered: “O apostle of God, thou hast seen how much I resisted the truth in the infidel regions. Intercede for me with God the Most High, that He may forgive my past transgressions.” He continued: “O Khâled, the profession of Islâm blots out all former sins.” I said: “Nevertheless, be thou my intercessor.” Then he said: “O God, pardon the sins formerly committed by Khâled B. Wolyd.” After that also A’mru B. Ala’ass and Ttolhah B. O’thmân B. Abu Ttolhah Abdary made their profession of the faith.’
GHAZWAH OF DHÂT-ASSILÂSIL.
There is a tradition of Wâqidi that A’mru B. Ala’ass said: ‘When I became ennobled by professing the Faith I said: “O apostle of God, I have for some time tried to demolish the castle of Islâm; but now I should like to leave some traces of my profession of the Faith.”’ That prince replied: ‘I shall send thee to a locality, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.’ It is related that while A’mru was waiting to be appointed to a command the information reached the exalted audition of the best of men that a number of the Bani Qadzaa’h had agreed to attack a certain region belonging to the professors of Islâm. The prophet accordingly despatched A’mru B. Ala’ass with three hundred men to extirpate the opponents, appointing him to command those troops, to march to Wâdy-l-qara, and to halt in a serai called Silâsil. When A’mru had departed from Madinah and marched against the idolaters, he heard that another detachment of the Bettâraqah had made common cause with the Bani Qadzaa’h, and being disquieted by this news, he sent a courier to his lordship with the information and a request for aid. The apostle of God thereon despatched a company, in which also Ssiddyq and Fârûq were enrolled, to reinforce A’mru, appointing Abu O’baydah to be the commander thereof, and at the time of parting his holy and prophetic lordship ordered the latter not to disagree with his companions in arms. When this second detachment joined A’mru B. Ala’ass, he said to O’baydah: ‘As thou hast come to assist me, thou must hold prayers in my rear [I being the leader].’ O’baydah, however, replied: ‘Thou art the commander of the troops which arrived first, and I of those which arrived now.’ A’mru objected also to this arrangement; but as O’baydah kept in mind the injunction of the apostle of God, he abstained from quarrelling, and held his prayers in the rear of A’mru.
After A’mru had thus been reinforced by Abu O’baydah, he began to plunder the country of the opponents, and captured much cattle, whereon the army returned satisfied to Madinah, and was admitted to the felicity of kissing the feet of his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.
It is related that when A’mru waited on the prince of existences—to whom be the most excellent greetings—his lordship asked how the warriors of Islâm had obeyed and agreed with each other, whereon A’mru expressed his entire satisfaction with them. The prophet then likewise asked the troops how A’mru had behaved towards them in that expedition, and they all remembered him with gratitude, but, nevertheless, conveyed to the exalted audition of his lordship the information that he had one morning held prayers in a state of pollution [which made them invalid]. When the apostle desired to know the particulars of this affair, A’mru replied: ‘That day was very cold; I was in fear for my life, and therefore failed to perform the religious ablution; and the Lord God Almighty has said: “Do not commit suicide.”’ The apostle of God smiled at these words, and said: ‘Look out how you may procure deliverance for yourselves [from sin].’
It is related that A’mru, having been the commander of the troops in the above expedition, among whom were both Ssiddyq and Fârûq, he imagined that his holy and prophetic lordship loved him more than those two blessed individuals. Hoping to obtain certainty on this point, he once asked: ‘O apostle of God, what person lovest thou most?’ He replied: ‘A’ayshah.’ A’mru continued: ‘I ask about men.’ He answered: ‘My father’ [Abu Bakr]. He further asked: ‘Who comes after him?’ He said: ‘O’mar.’ Thus A’mru continued to ask until the apostle of God had mentioned with his wonderfully eloquent tongue the names of all his friends, so that A’mru learnt that command, or authority over the army, implies an honour, but not a greater degree of the love of his lordship the prophet.
THE GHAZÂ OF MOWTAH.
The author of the Mostaqadza relates that, according to the ‘Names of Places,’ Mowtah with Hamza is the name of a village of Bolqâr in the country of Syria, and that without Hamza it means a state of lunacy or swoon. In the commentary of Ebn Hajar we read that most of the traditionalists spell Mowtah with Hamza, but that it is not hamzated by some. Wâqidi says: ‘The reason for this campaign was that his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had sent a letter to the Governor of Bossra [in Syria], which was to be delivered to him by Hâreth B. O’mayr Azdy; but when the letter had reached Mowtah, he was met by Shorahbyl B. A’mru Ghasâny, who was one of the Amirs of the Qayssar, and who asked him: “Where art thou travelling to?” He replied: “To Syria.” Then Shorahbyl caused him to be slain, and this was the only one of the envoys of the best of prophets and apostles who was killed. When his lordship was informed of this event he became angry, informed the people of the murder of Hâreth, and ordered Musalmân troops to march to Syria and attack the enemy. Accordingly preparations for a campaign were made by order of his lordship, and an army of three thousand men assembled in a place called Jaraf. When all the arrangements of the troops of Islâm had been completed, his lordship held matutinal prayers and addressed them as follows: “I appoint Zayd B. Hârethah to be your commander; and if he be killed, Ja’fer B. Abu Ttâleb is to take his place. If Ja’fer falls, A’bdullah B. Ruâhah is to command you; and if he be likewise slain, the professors of Islâm are to elect one of their own number to be their general.” On that occasion there was a Jew present, who said: “O father of Qâsim, if thy claim to prophecy be true, every man whom thou hast mentioned as a commander will be killed; because when the prophets of the children of Esrâyl sent an army against the enemy, and appointed even one hundred individuals in this manner, they were all slain.” After that the Jew said also to Zayd: “O Zayd, I assure thee that, if Muhammad be a [true] prophet, thou wilt not return from this expedition.” Zayd replied: “I bear witness that he is a prophet, veracious and beneficent.” When the army of Islâm marched, his holy and prophetic Iordship accompanied it as far as Thanyatu-l-wodaa’, where he halted. The Musalmân troops being drawn up around him, his lordship said: “Fight in the name of Allah the Most High and Glorious, killing His and your foes who are in Syria. There you will find men who live in monasteries, separated from mankind. Do not injure them. Spare also the lives of all women and suckling babes. Do not fell date or other trees, and do not destroy houses.”’
It is related that A’bdullah B. Ruâhah said: ‘O apostle of God, order me to do something.’ He accordingly said: ‘Thou art going to a town where there is but little adoration; therefore thou must pray much.’ A’bdullah continued: ‘O apostle of God, order me to do something more.’ He then added: ‘Think much of God, for He will aid thee in all thy petitions.’
Zayd B. Arqum says: ‘I was living in the shadow of A’bdullah B. Ruâhah’s protection and obeyed him, and I never saw a man taking better care of orphans than he did. When he went to Mowtah I accompanied him, and was mounted in his rear when we travelled. Whilst on this journey he recited one night verses which wafted the odour of martyrdom to my nostrils, so that I began to weep; but he calmed me, saying: “My son, what injury will it be to thee if God the Most High grants me martyrdom, and I am delivered of this world and of its vicissitudes?” After this conversation he alighted from the camel, prostrated himself, and prayed much, with several flexions. After he had terminated his devotions to the Supreme Judge and Granter of Requests, he said to me: “Son, it is probable that God the Most High and Glorious will respond to my prayers, and will allow me to taste the beverage of martyrdom, conferring that sweet pleasure upon me.”’
It is related that when Shorahbyl, who was the assassin of Hâreth, had been informed of the approach of the army of Islâm, he made preparations for war and contention by assembling an army, the numbers whereof covered the mountains and the plains. The Musalmâns, on their part, marched till they arrived in Wâdy-l-qara, where they halted, and to which place Shorahbyl despatched his brother Sadûs with fifty men for the purpose of reconnoitring; but they were surprised by the Musalmâns, who killed Sadûs. When Shorahbyl was apprised of the death of his brother he became frightened, took refuge in a fort, and sent his other brother to the Qayssar, who was at Balqâ, to ask for reinforcements. The Qayssar accordingly sent a great multitude to aid Shorahbyl, who was also joined by the idolaters of the Arab tribes, so that the numbers of the opponents surpassed one hundred thousand. When the Musalmâns heard this news they halted at the station of Moghân, consulted each other, and said: ‘We must submit the state of affairs to the cognizance of the apostle of God, who will be able either to recall us or to send us reinforcements.’ A’bdullah B. Ruâhah, however, encouraged the troops, and spoke to them as follows: ‘O people, are you disliking an object for attaining which you have left your country, namely, martyrdom? Verily, we have never gained a victory by the multitude of our numbers. On the day of Bedr our army was very small, and we had not more than two horses; but Allah the Most High has not refused us the victory. Now we must all agree to fight unanimously, because there are only two issues, i.e., victory or martyrdom. If the former is our share, no one will complain; and if the latter, we shall go to paradise and meet our friends who have been honoured with martyrdom.’ The Musalmâns approved of the proposal of A’bdullah, marched towards the enemy, and reached the village of Mowtah.
Abu Haryrah358 says: ‘At Mowtah I beheld the army of Heraclius. The great number of our opponents and their [bright] accoutrements dazzled my eyes. Thâbet B. Aqdâm said to me: “Abu Haryrah, perchance thou art amazed at the great number of the enemy.” I replied: “Yes.” He continued: “Thou hast been present at Bedr, where God the Most High and Holy has vouchsafed us the victory not by the magnitude, but by the smallness, of our numbers.”’
It is related that when the two armies approached each other, and the lines were drawn out—
Distich: The sea of contest boiled,
And the warriors roared.
Zayd B. Hârethah grasped the standard, placed the foot of bravery into the plain of contest, and fought till he attained martyrdom by a spear-wound. After him Ja’fer B. Abu Ttâleb took charge of the banner, capered forward on his horse, and attacked the foes, who overpowered him and sliced off his right hand, whereon Ja’fer held the flag with his left; but when that was likewise cut off he clenched the banner with [the stumps of] his arms, till a [Byzantine] Greek struck his waist with a sabre and divided him in twain. Then A’bdullah snatched up the banner, and fought till he [also] attained martyrdom. Thâbet B. Aqdâm the Anssâri thereon grasped the flag, and exclaimed: ‘O Musalmâns, name a commander!’ The professors of Islâm accordingly elected Khâled B. Alwolyd, and when he took the command after Thâbet had likewise fallen the Musalmâns began to flee, despite of all his entreaties [to the contrary]. When, however, one of the valiant professors of Islâm exclaimed ‘It is better to be slain in battle than to run,’ the Musalmâns were comforted, returned, and fought till night. The next morning Khâled arranged the lines, and changed the position of the army in such a manner that the enemies thought the Musalmâns had obtained reinforcements. Therefore they became afraid and fled. Khâled then pursued the fugitives, and displayed great feats of prowess. It is related that Khâled said: ‘On that day my sword broke in my hand, but I had a Yemeni sabre left.’ After Khâled had terminated his pursuit of the enemy he turned towards Madinah; but besieged during the march a fort, the inhabitants whereof had slain a Musalmân when the army was advancing to Mowtah. The fort having been conquered, a number of the wicked, who were dwelling in that locality, met their deaths at the hand of Khâled.
It is related that when the two armies, i.e., the Musalmâns and the forces of Shorahbyl, were standing opposite to each other the curtain [of separation] disappeared, so that the battle-field became visible to his holy and prophetic lordship, who informed the companions concerning the state of those who were at Mowtah, saying: ‘Zayd has taken the flag and was struck; then Ja’fer took it and was struck; then Ebn Ruâhah took it and was struck.’ The prince of the righteous—u. w. b.—continued to speak thus, whilst tears were flowing from his blessed eyes upon his blessed cheeks. He continued: ‘After Ebn Ruâhah [had also fallen] a sword of the swords of God the Most High and Glorious snatched up the banner, and the victory was gained by His power.’ By the sword of God he meant Khâled B. Wolyd, who was on that day surnamed ‘the sword of God.’ His lordship said with reference to Ja’fer B. Abu Ttâleb: ‘He has entered paradise, and God the Most High has given to Ja’fer two wings of red rubies, instead of his two hands, so that he may fly wherever he likes, and for this reason he will be surnamed “the flying Ja’fer.”’ A’bdullah B. A’bbâs says: ‘One day Asmâ, the daughter of O’mys and wife of Ja’fer, was sitting in the assembly of his lordship the refuge of the apostolate— u. w. b.—when the latter exclaimed: “O Asmâ, this is Ja’fer B. Abu Ttâleb, who has arrived with Jebrâil and Mykâyl, bringing salutations and the following news: ‘When I fought the enemy I received seventy-two wounds. I held the banner in my right hand, but that was cut off; then I took it in my left, which was likewise cut off. God the Most High has, however, given me two wings in lieu of my hands, so that I may fly about in paradise with Jebrâil and Mykâyl wherever I like, and that I may eat those fruits of paradise which are most palatable to me.’” Asmâ replied: “Let Ja’fer rejoice at whatever the Creator has bestowed upon him, but I fear that if I repeat the above words to the people they will accuse me of falsehood. If thou, O apostle of God, impartest to them the information, they will certainly believe and will acknowledge his excellency.” Accordingly, when the companions had assembled around his lordship, he narrated a portion of the virtues of Ja’fer at the request of Asmâ.’
It is on record that three or four days after the apostle of God had informed his companions about the events of Mowtah the news of the battle between the enemies and the Musalmâns arrived in Madinah, and when one of the combatants of Mowtah, Ya’ly B. Sanyah by name, entered the august assembly of his lordship the prince of the world, the latter asked: ‘Ya’ly, shall I give thee news, or wilt thou give us some?’ Ya’ly replied: ‘O apostle of God, give thou the news.’ His holy and prophetic lordship thereon narrated the state of affairs, and Ya’ly exclaimed: ‘I swear by that God who has sent thee in reality that thou hast omitted none of the events of the people.’ His lordship continued: ‘God, whose name be blessed and sanctified, had taken up the region and placed it before my eyes, to let me see the battle-field of my companions.’ There is likewise a tradition of Asmâ, the relict of Ja’fer, that she said: ‘On the day when the news of my husband’s martyrdom arrived I was tanning a hide, and after that I washed the heads and faces of my children, Muhammad and A’bdullah, whom I afterwards suckled. A short time had elapsed when the apostle of God entered the house and asked for the children of Ja’fer, whom I then produced. He kissed and smelled them, then he took them into his arms and fondled them. I perceived, however, signs of grief on his blessed forehead, and asked: “O apostle of God, perhaps thou hast received news about Ja’fer?” He replied: “Yes; my cousin and brother Ja’fer has attained martyrdom, and my friends were slain with him.”’ Asmâ continues: ‘I rose. My great distress and impatience caused me to break out in wailings, so that most of the women of Madinah assembled in my house, and the apostle of God exclaimed: “Asmâ, speak no nonsense, and strike not thy breast.” He then departed, with his heart full of sorrow and his eyes full of tears, to the house of Fattimah Zohrah, whom he found also weeping and lamenting for the loss of Ja’fer.’ Asmâ says: ‘The heart-burning of the apostle of God increased when he saw the tears of his darling, but he said: “If you bemoan any person [after this], bemoan him as you do Ja’fer.”
Distich: Luckless eye! where is thy gory stream?
If thou canst weep blood for Ja’fer, do so!
His lordship then continued: “Prepare food for the family of Ja’fer, because they are mourning for their relatives, and have no time for cooking.”’ A’bdullah B. Abu Bakr says: ‘On account of this hint of the prince of existences—to whom the most excellent greetings—regarding the family of Ja’fer, the custom of sending victuals to grief-stricken persons has survived till our times in Madinah.’ The author of the Mostaqadza relates that, according to a statement in the Ssahyh of Bokhâry, whenever Ebn O’mar greeted the son of Ja’fer, he said to him: ‘Salutation to thee, O son of him who has two wings!’
Wâqidi states that the apostle of God gave to the family and children of Ja’fer three days to mourn for him, and that afterwards he went to their house, saying: ‘Weep no longer for my brother Ja’fer, and distress not his children any more.’ It is related of A’bdullah, the son of Ja’fer, that he said: ‘When we were brought to the apostle of God a stream of bitter tears flowed from our eyes, and all our limbs trembled. When he beheld our miserable condition the wounds of his heart again bled, and his sorrow increased. He ordered a barber to shave our heads, and said: “Muhammad, the son of Ja’fer, resembles my uncle Abu Ttâleb, but A’bdullah is the darling of the people and of the creation. He is like me in features and in manners.” Then he took me by the hand, raised it, and said: “O Lord, give pious successors to Ja’fer, and vouchsafe them Thy blessing.” Then our mother approached the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—representing our helpless and unprotected condition, so that he began to weep. He then asked: “Fearest thou that misfortune and poverty will overtake them whilst I am their protector in this world and in the next?”’ A’bdullah says: ‘One day the apostle of God saw me selling a sheep, and exclaimed, “O God, bless his transaction!” And after that I became very lucky in buying and selling.’
It has been noticed above that one of the conditions [of the Treaty] of Hodaybiah was that the Musalmâns should not injure any allies of the Qoraish, and the latter were to deal in the same way [towards the allies of the Musalmâns]. At that time the Khozaa’h, to whom the ancestors of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb had belonged, presented their compact to his lordship, who, being aware of their connection with A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, admitted them at their own request into the league, so that every treaty concluded during the time of ignorance should be even more binding in the time of Islâm. At that time also the Bani Bakr entered into an alliance with the Qoraish, although before the promulgation of Islâm enmity had subsisted between these two clans —i.e., the Bani Bakr and the Khozaa’h—and they had waged war against each other. After the mission they became so apprehensive of the success of the apostle of God that they ceased quarrelling with each other. When, however, in consequence of the Treaty of Hodaybiah, the idolaters were liberated from their apprehensions concerning the Musalmâns, they relapsed into their former enmity, which happened as follows: One day a man of the Bani Dhyl, who are a portion of the Bâni Bakr, spoke insulting words about the apostle—u. w. b.—which were heard by a slave of the Bani Khozaa’h, who reprimanded the above-named individual, but was grievously beaten by him. After that the man of the Bani Dhyl took refuge with the Bani Bakr and the Bani Nafâsah [the latter being a subdivision of the former], endeavouring to induce them to attack the Bani Khozaa’h. They assented, and also desired the Bani Madyh to aid them, who, however, refused to comply. The Bani Bakr then returned to the Qoraish, who broke their treaty with the lord of apostleship, and assisted the Bani Bakr with arms and other appliances of war. Some of the Qoraish nobles, such as Sohayl B. A’mru, and Hoyttab B. A’bdu-l-u’zza, and Akramah B. Abu Jahl, and Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, and Mukraz B. Hafass, went even so far as to disguise their persons, tying veils over their faces, and joining in this manner their confederates, the Bani Bakr, with whom they surprised the Bani Khozaa’h in the night, the result being a dreadful contest, which was carried even into the territory of the sanctuary, and twenty men of the Khozaa’h were slain. In their distress the latter spoke as follows to Naofel B. Moa’wiah, who was the chief of the Bani Bakr: ‘O Naofel, fear God and respect His sanctuary!’ Naofel replied: ‘Your admonition is worthy of regard, but at present I have no occasion to fear God, because you have been accustomed to steal the goods of the pilgrims to the sanctuary, and now you have been punished for it.’ When the Bani Khozaa’h became tired of struggling and fighting, they threw themselves into the mansion of Râfi’. Then Hodzayl B. Warqâ Khozaa’y and the Bani Bakr, as well as the Qoraish nobles, thinking that nobody had recognised them, went to their respective domiciles.
After the idolaters of Mekkah had committed this act of treachery, they repented of what they had done, and were sorry for having broken their covenant. Accordingly, Hâreth B. Heshâm and A’bdullah B. Abu Rabya’h went to Abu Sofyân B. Harb, and said: ‘An event has taken place which cannot be concealed, and a calamity has occurred which we must remedy. For if we cannot arrange this affair, Muhammad will take up arms against us, and will shed our blood to avenge those of the Khozaa’h who have been slain.’ Abu Sofyân replied: ‘My wife Hirda has dreamt a dream which frightens me greatly.’ They asked: ‘What was it?’ He continued: ‘She dreamt that she had seen blood flowing from the direction of the Hajbon359 towards Mekkah, until it reached the sanctuary, where it stagnated awhile and then disappeared.’ This vision augmented also the fear of the hearers, and Abu Sofyân continued: ‘I swear by God that the slaughter was committed neither by my advice nor approbation, but Muhammad and his companions will think that I have been the originator of that untoward affair and blameworthy event. I must therefore go to Madinah and renew the peace ere the information reaches Muhammad.’ In short, the opponents were greatly dismayed, and Abu Sofyân made preparations for his journey.
It is related that on the morning which preceded the night of the defeat of the Bani Bakr, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—addressed to Ssiddyqah [i.e., A’ayshah] the following words: ‘Verily, a misfortune has befallen the Khozaa’h.’ A’ayshah replied: ‘O apostle of God, thinkest thou that the Qoraish will dare to break the peace after they have been subdued by the sword?’ He replied: ‘They break the treaty to fulfil the purpose of God.’ She asked: ‘What purpose is it, O prince of existences?’ He answered: ‘It will be a good one.’ It is related that Maymûnah—u. w. b.—said: ‘When the apostle came out from the water-closet, he exclaimed: “Aid, aid!” I asked: “O apostle of God, with whom art thou conversing?” He replied: “The speaker of these Rajaz verses is one of the Bani Ka’b, of the tribe Khozaa’h, who asks aid from me, and says: ‘The Qoraish have assisted the Bani Bakr in their night-attack upon us.’”’ It is related that when three days had elapsed after this event, A’mru B. Sâlem Khozaa’y arrived in Madinah with forty men of his friends, and when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—was sitting in the mosque with his companions, he was admitted to the felicity of kissing his feet, and standing opposite to that prince, he recited an elegy relating the destruction of the peace by the Qoraish, the transgression of the Bani Bakr, and the weakness of the Khozaa’h. After this elegy had been completed, the apostle of God said: ‘I thank thee, A’mru.’ Then he rose, dragging his blessed Redâ [wrapper] after himself on the ground, and said: ‘May I not receive help, if I do not give help to the Bani Ka’b in the same way as I would help [to save] my own life!’ At the same time he also dismissed the Khozaa’h men, ordering them to disperse in the Wâdys. In some biographical works it is also narrated that when the Khozaa’hs had informed his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—that Anus B. Wohum had derided him, and that they were angry for it, his lordship exclaimed: ‘Let his blood be shed.’ When Anus heard this news he came to Madinah with Naofel B. Moa’wiah, and recited in the august assembly of his lordship the Mussttafa an elegy of homage and excuse, after which Naofel said: ‘O apostle of God, thou pardonest the transgressions of all who have sinned against thee. Indeed, there is not a man of us who had not borne enmity to thee while we were in ignorance, but through thee we have obtained [Divine] guidance. O apostle of God, the people are accusing Anus falsely.’ The apostle of God, however, retorted: ‘Do not inculpate the people falsely. Because in Tahâmah, far and wide, I have not met with more veracious men.’ Naofel then became silent, and his lordship continued: ‘I pardon Anus.’ Naofel said: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee.’ The author of these pages remarks that there are objections against [the correctness of] this tradition, but as the present work is merely a compendium, he refrains from recording them in this place.
Chroniclers narrate that before Abu Sofyân had arrived in Madinah his lordship said: ‘I fancy Abu Sofyân is coming to advise me to renew our treaty, and to prolong the stipulated time of the peace; but he shall return disappointed and sad.’ When Abu Sofyân arrived in Madinah, after duly performing the journey, he went, according to one tradition, first to his daughter Omm Jamilah—who had been enrolled in the ranks of the mothers of the Musalmâns360 —and was about to sit down on the bed of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—but Omm Jamilah folded up the bed, whereon Abu Sofyân asked: ‘Daughter, considerest thou me unworthy of the bed, or the bed of me?’ She replied: ‘This is the bed of the prince of the clean and the pure, but as thou art allied to idolatry and defilement, I have not considered thee worthy to sit on the bed.’ Abu Sofyân continued: ‘Evil has befallen thee since we separated, because thy good manners are changed, and thy noble qualities altered.’ She, however, rejoined: ‘I thank Allah that He has blessed me with Islâm, and has bestowed upon me the favour of [Divine] guidance. I am amazed that thou who art the leader of the Qoraish and the prince of thy nation, a man enjoying glory, possessing the government, endowed with intelligence and penetration, hast not become a Musalmân, but worshippest a stone, which can neither see nor hear, and from which neither evil can be feared nor good can be expected.’ Abu Sofyân rejoined: ‘In addition to thy impudence, thou askest me to apostatize from the religion of my ancestors and forefathers, to abandon their gods, to adopt the religion of Muhammad, and to follow him.’ After uttering these words he left the house of his daughter, and met his lordship; but though he insisted much on the renewal of the treaty and the prolongation of the truce, he received no satisfactory reply. Then he went to Abu Bakr with the same proposal, but he replied: ‘I have no authority.’ Therefore he applied in a despondent and sad mood to O’mar, who gave him an angry reply. Then Abu Sofyân applied to the exalted threshold of the princess of the women of this world, namely, Fattimah Zohrah—u. w. b.—saying: ‘I request thee to take us under thy protection.’ She, however, replied: ‘I am a woman, and my protection is of no account.’ But Abu Sofyân continued: ‘Thy sister Zaynab had given quarter to her husband Abu-l-a’ass, and Muhammad respected it.’ Fattimah rejoined: ‘I undertake no affair without the command of the apostle of God.’ Abu Sofyân continued: ‘Instruct [thy sons] Hasan and Hosayn to endeavour to attain my purpose.’ Fattimah said: ‘My children are small, and can do nothing without the permission of his lordship.’ Then Abu Sofyân went to A’li, and said: ‘O father of Hasan, thou art more closely related to me than others, and must intercede for me with Muhammad, that he may renew our treaty, and prolong the armistice.’ But A’li replied: ‘Woe betide thee, O Abu Sofyân, for trying to bring on a negotiation which his lordship the apostle dislikes.’ Abu Sofyân said: ‘I am distressed, and do not know how to act. Tell me what to do, for I am helpless.’ A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.— replied: ‘Thou art the prince of the nation, and canst do nothing better than to rise in the midst of the people and to exclaim: “I have induced the people on both sides to agree to the prolongation of the armistice.”’ Abu Sofyân asked: ‘Shall I be successful if I act as thou sayest?’ A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—replied: ‘I do not know whether thou wilt attain thy purpose by this means, but I know of no other means.’ Abu Sofyân accordingly rose in a solemn assembly, and exclaimed: ‘O ye people, be ye aware, and let it be known unto you, that I have got men on both sides to agree to my proposal, and that I believe Muhammad will not reject my petition.’ After that he went to the assembly of the lord of existences—u. w. b.— represented his case, and said: ‘O Muhammad, I do not think thou wilt reject my petition.’ But his lordship uttered nothing in reply, except the words: ‘O Abu Sofyân, thou sayest so.’ Then Abu Sofyân returned to Mekkah, but his absence having been prolonged, the Qoraish imagined that he had adopted the orthodox religion and abandoned idolatry. After duly traversing the distance, Abu Sofyân arrived in Mekkah, entering his house during the night. His wife Hinda said: ‘Thou hast stayed so long that the people are suspicious of thy having become a follower of Muhammad. Nevertheless, all will be right if thy journey has been successful.’ Abu Sofyân then narrated to Hinda what had happened to him, but she struck his breast with her foot, saying: ‘An evil ambassador art thou! A’li has made sport of thee!’ In the morning Abu Sofyân paid a visit to two idols, called Asâf and Nâylah, and after having offered a sacrifice and sprinkled the blood thereof on their heads, he said: ‘As long as I am alive I shall not cease to worship you.’ From this proceeding the Qoraish concluded that he had remained steadfast in unbelief and aberration. The idolaters thereon asked him how he had succeeded, and what he had effected in his business. But after Abu Sofyân had narrated everything, they said: ‘Thou hast done nothing and hast accomplished nothing. Thou hast neither brought news of war, that we may prepare for it and be ready, nor of peace, that we may sit down comfortably in our houses. A’li, the son of Abu Ttâleb, has made fun of thee by instructing thee to afford protection, and to give quarter on both sides.’
After Abu Sofyân had departed from Madinah with the intention to go to Mekkah, his lordship the apostle began to make preparations for an expedition to Mekkah, and informed Ssiddyq the greater of his purpose, with the injunction to reveal it to no one, and uttered with his wonderfully eloquent tongue the following words with reference to the Qoraish: ‘O God, blind their eyes, so that they may not see us except suddenly!’ Then he despatched couriers to the encampments and the Arab tribes around Madinah, inviting them and every man who believed in the Lord of Glory and in the day of the resurrection to make his appearance in Madinah on the first day of the month Ramadzan perfectly ready and armed. He also ordered the companions to make preparations for the campaign, to get ready the arms and appliances of war; he also ordered that no pilgrims should go to Mekkah, lest they might convey to the Qoraish the news of the approach of the professors of Islâm.
Meanwhile, however, Hâttub B. Abu Ttoba’h wrote a letter to the Qoraish princes as follows: ‘His holy and prophetic lordship is engaged in preparations for a campaign and collecting an army. Most likely the destination of his lordship is no other than Mekkah. I desired to oblige you, and have therefore indited this epistle. Farewell!’ Hâttub had given this letter to a woman, who concealed it in her hair, and departed to Mekkah. Jebrâil having informed his lordship of this matter, he called A’li B. Abu Ttâleb, Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm, and O’mar Yâser, to whom he said: ‘Go as far as Raudzat Khâkh, and there you will find a woman carrying a letter. Capture that woman and bring the letter.’ When A’li the Commander of the Faithful and the other [two] companions arrived in Raudzat Khâkh, they [found and] asked the woman for the letter, but she denied having one. Being unable to find it, they intended to return, but A’li, the son of Abu Ttâleb, exclaimed: ‘I swear by God that the apostle of Allah has not told me an untruth.’ He then drew his sword and threatened to kill the woman, and she, being frightened, pulled out the letter from its place of concealment and handed it to A’li, who carried it to his lordship. The latter immediately summoned Hâttub, and asked: ‘What has led thee to this step?’ Hâttub replied: ‘O apostle of God, I swear by Allah that I believe in Him and His prophet, and that in this matter I have not changed or altered my religion, nor become a hypocrite! I am one of the confederates, but not of the clansmen of the Qoraish; and have no one in the sanctuary to take care of my family and of my property, contrary to all the refugees [Mohâjer] who are enrolled among thy companions, every one of whom has relatives in that country to take care of his possessions. My object in writing this letter was to oblige the Qoraish, so that the sight of that epistle might induce them not to forget to mind my family and property.’ His lordship the prophet said to the companions: ‘Be ye aware and know that Hâttub has told you the truth!’ O’mar B. Alkhattâb, however, turned to Hâttub, and said: ‘May Allah slay thee! Hast thou written a letter to inform the Qoraish, despite thy being aware of the apostle’s orders that the roads be watched, lest news of his approach might be divulged among the Qoraish?’ Then Fârûq [i.e., O’mar] said to the lord of termination: ‘O apostle of God, allow me to strike off the head of this hypocrite!’ But that prince appeased O’mar, saying: ‘He was present at Bedr! And verily God has appeared to the combatants of Bedr, saying, “Do what you like, and you will certainly be forgiven!” According to another tradition, he added, “and paradise is due to you,” and the blessed chapter, “O ye believers, do not consider my enemies and your enemies as your friends!”361 till the end was revealed with reference to this matter.’ In some biographical works we read that he ordered him to be expelled from the mosque, and that several persons placed their hands on his back to push him out ignominiously. On that occasion the culprit looked piteously back at the blessed face of his lordship, and the latter said to the people: ‘Turn him back!’ And to him: ‘I have pardoned thy crime. Ask God the Most High and Glorious to forgive thy transgression, and commit no such act another time.’ It is related that Hâttub was one of the great Mohâjer companions, a learned and intelligent man, but that the above act had been committed by him through inadvertence. His lordship had sent him to Maqoqush, the Governor of Alexandria, as has been already mentioned above.
There is a tradition of Hâttub that he said: ‘When I arrived in Alexandria, Maqoqush invited me one evening along with his magnates, and the following conversation ensued between us:
‘M.: Is thy master a prophet?
‘I: Yes; he is an apostle of God.
‘M.: Why did he not curse the Qoraish when they exiled him, that God the Most High should destroy them?
‘I: Was I’sa, the son of Maryam, a prophet?
‘M.: He was indeed an apostle.
‘I: Then why did he not curse his people when they took hold of him and desired to crucify him?
‘M.: Thou speakest the truth! Thou art a sage, and comest from a sage!’
Chroniclers relate that his lordship the apostle had determined to march to Mekkah, and had despatched Ayshâ B. Ruhdzah with Kalthûm B. Alyamyn for the purpose of enlisting troops, to the Bani Ghuffâr and Dhomayrah. He sent Moa’ql B. Sanân and Na’ym B. Masu’d to invite the Shaja’, and appointed A’bdullah B. O’mayr Mazany to call the tribe Mazynah. Hajjâj B. Ghullât Solmy he sent to the Bani Solym and ordered A’ryâdz B. Sardar to go to the tribe Bani Ka’b, appointing Ebn Maktûm to be his own lieutenant in Madinah. Of the ladies, sitting in the apartments of piety and innocence, he selected Omm Solmah to enjoy the honour of accompanying him. According to a certain tradition, he started from Madinah on the tenth of the month Ramadzan and made a halt near the well of Abu O’baydah, where the victorious army was reviewed, and having been numbered, it was found to consist of seven hundred Mohâjer, who possessed three hundred horses. There were three standards; one being held by the victorious lion of God, A’li Bin Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.—the second by Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm, and the third by Sa’d B. Woqqâss. The number of Anssâr attached to the heaven-aspiring retinue amounted to four thousand, and they possessed five hundred horses. Of the Mazynah, one thousand men had arrived with one hundred cuirasses and one hundred horses. Of the people of Aslam four hundred men attained the felicity of combating for the religion, and of the Bani Ka’b five hundred men were counted. According to another tradition, however, his lordship distributed the victorious standards in the station of Qadyr among the Mohâjer and Anssâr; in which place also nearly one thousand lancers of the Bani Solym, most of whom were mounted on horses, joined the army of Islâm. Also a great number of combatants from other tribes, the mention whereof would only lengthen this narrative, enjoyed the happiness of accompanying the lord of apostleship.
A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, who had with his family, children and property, departed from Mekkah for the purpose of emigrating, was honoured by being allowed to kiss the blessed fingers of the apostle of God, who was delighted to meet him, told him to send his baggage back to Mekkah, but himself to remain, and said: ‘This is thy last emigration in the same way as my prophetship is the last.’ During the march, Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb and A’bdullah E. Ommyah Almoghyrah, the former of whom was the son of the apostle’s uncle, and the latter of his aunt, waited on his lordship, who first reproached them—because while he was yet in Mekkah these two relatives had insulted him much—but as his august nature was disposed for mercy and liberality, he at last took them into the shadow of his protection and mercy. It is related that Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth was not only a cousin, but also the milk-brother of his lordship, but when he received his mission, Abu Sofyân became unfriendly, manifested enmity, and derided the apostle of God as well as his noble companions. On a certain occasion the Musalmâns of Madinah asked Hasân B. Thâbet to deride Abu Sofyân likewise in return, but Hasân replied: ‘I cannot do that without the permission of the apostle of God;’ and when he requested the latter to grant him license to do so, he replied: ‘How could I allow thee to insult my brother and cousin?’ Despite this kindness, Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth made in all his battles common cause with Abu Sofyân B. Harb and the Qoraish; nor did he omit to do anything which might injure his lordship. Afterwards he went to Greece and obtained an audience of the Qayssar [i.e., Byzantine emperor], who asked him: ‘Who art thou?’ He replied: ‘I am Abu Sofyân B. Hâreth B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb.’ The Qayssar continued: ‘If thou speakest the truth thou art the son of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, the uncle of Muhammad B. A’bdullah.’ Then Abu Sofyân thought within himself: ‘Though I have fled from Islâm, have made this great journey, and have arrived in Greece, where no one knows me, I am nevertheless not compared with anyone except with Muhammad.’ The words of the Qayssar had, however, produced love for Islâm in the heart of Abu Sofyân. Therefore he returned from Greece, and met, with his family and children, the army of Islâm, in the station of Abuâbah, where he attempted several times to obtain an interview with the apostle of God, but the latter was estranged from him, and when the Musalmâns perceived this, they were likewise estranged from him. Some of them even insulted him, and Abu Sofyân, being greatly distressed, approached his lordship with humility and contrition, excited his pity, and was received into favour. Some allege that at the intercession of Omm Solmah his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—pardoned the crimes of Ebnu-l-hâreth and of A’bdullah Abu Ommyah.
Authentic reports have it that when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—arrived and halted in Marâ Al-tzahrân, which is at a distance of four farsangs from Mekkah, his lordship ordered during that night as many fires to be kindled in the camp as there were combatants, so that according to the tradition recording the smallest number, at least ten thousand men were present in the heaven-aspiring retinue of the lord Muhammad—u. w. b.
The Qoraish knew nothing of the approach of his lordship, but they repented of what they had done, and feared his vengeance immensely. Meanwhile Abu Sofyân B. Harb, Hodhayl B. Warqâ and Hakym B. Huzâm had sallied out from Mekkah to reconnoitre. It is recorded in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb that when the army of Islâm halted in Marâ Al-tzahrân it consisted, according to one tradition, of ten, and according to another of twelve thousand men, every one of whom had that night been ordered by his lordship to kindle a fire. Up to that time the Qoraish knew nothing of the intention of the prophet, but they were under great apprehensions, because they suspected that his lordship would march against them. Therefore they said to Abu Sofyân: ‘Go thou out to reconnoitre, and if thou encounterest Muhammad ask him for a truce.’ But the writer of these pages says that this condition must not be insisted on [to have been made by all the Qoraish] because in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb, as well as in all the other biographical works, it is recorded that after Abu Sofyân had returned to Mekkah, and had brought the news of the truce, the princes of the Qoraish, such as Akramah B. Abu Jahl and Ssafuwân B. Ommyah fought a great battle against the army of Islâm, as shall be narrated in these pages, if it pleaseth God the Most High. According to the injunction of the idolaters to Abu Sofyân to ask for a truce, and after his obtaining it by his skill in negotiation, it is not likely that a conflict with the army of Islâm would have taken place, nor do any of the biographical works, which have come under the notice of the author of these pages, mention this condition. Allah, however, is most wise.
The arrangers of the gems of information have strung the pearls of words on the thread of eloquence as follows: When A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb beheld the multitude of fires which had been kindled at Marâ Al-tzahrân, he exclaimed: ‘Woe will betide the Qoraish if the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—enters Mekkah in wrath, not granting them quarter. Verily, if this takes place, the Qoraish will be extirpated, and no trace of them will remain.’ After this apprehension had overwhelmed his luminous mind, he mounted the private mule of his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—and went to a place called Arakah, hoping to meet a wood-carrier or a milk-seller going to Mekkah, to send information concerning the state of affairs. While he was continuing his journey towards the honoured sanctuary in order to save the denizens thereof from the tempest of the sea of enmity, and to pilot them to the shore of pacification, by inducing them to sue for quarter, and thus to save themselves from the calamity of being slain by the professors of the Faith, Abu Sofyân and his companions, who had been despatched to reconnoitre, happened to arrive near Marâ Al-tzahrân, and to observe the fires of the professors of Islâm from an eminence. This spectacle confused them, and Abu Sofyân said to Hodhayl B. Warqâ: ‘We have never seen such fires, nor heard of such an army.’ Hodhayl replied: ‘These are the Khozaa’h people, who have collected an army, and who have lit the fires of battle.’ Abu Sofyân rejoined: ‘I swear by Allah that the Bani Khozaa’h are less in number, and that this fire and army cannot be theirs.’ Meanwhile A’bbas [came up], recognised the voice of Abu Sofyân in this conversation, and exclaimed: ‘O father of Hanttalah.’ The former, also knowing the voice of the latter, said: ‘This is the father of Fadzl.’ A’bbâs replied: ‘Yes.’ Abu Sofyân continued: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! What event is this?’ A’bbas replied: ‘Woe to thee! This is the apostle of God with ten thousand men, and woe to the Qoraish! But:
Distich: He deserves to fall into the hands of the foe
Who takes not the advice of the friend.’
Abu Sofyân replied: ‘What is the use of reproaches? If thou canst aid us, do so. What is the remedy in this emergency?’ A’bbâs continued: ‘By Allah! if the apostle of God obtains the victory, he will order thy head to be struck off, despite the meekness, generosity, and forgiveness peculiar to him. The remedy is, that thou bestride this mule in my rear, to enable me to convey thee into the assembly of the lord of prophecy—u. w. b.—and to ask quarter for thee.’ Abu Sofyân rode the mule as he had been told, whereon Hodhayl returned with Hakym to Mekkah. When A’bbâs passed through the camp, the men near each fire rose and said: ‘Who can this man be that passes at this unseasonable time?’ After, however, looking well at him, they said: ‘This is the uncle of the prophet who is riding the mule of his lordship, and is passing by.’ When A’bbâs reached the tent of O’mar B. Alkhattâb, the latter said nothing, although a big fire was near; but after A’bbâs had passed, his eye alighted on Abu Sofyân, whom he recognised. Accordingly he leapt up, shouting: ‘O enemy of God, praise be to Allah for having allowed thee to fall into my hands, without their being tied by truce or quarter.’ After uttering these words he drew his sabre, beginning to run, and intending to obtain permission from his lordship to slay Abu Sofyân before the arrival of A’bbâs. The latter, however, guessing the intention of O’mar, likewise arrived immediately after him, and O’mar spoke as follows: ‘O apostle of God, behold, Abu Sofyân has fallen into our grasp without [obtaining] a safe-conduct or [making] the profession of the Faith. I crave permission to sever his head from his body.’ A’bbâs, however, interposed, saying: ‘O apostle of God, I have granted quarter to Abu Sofyân, and have taken him under my protection.’ O’mar nevertheless advanced to whisper something into his lordship’s ear; but A’bbâs forestalled him, and, embracing the blessed head of the apostle of God, said: ‘This night we shall not tell him anything insulting.’ And after O’mar had made several efforts more to kill Abu Sofyân, A’bbâs said: ‘O’mar, thou art so very anxious to slay him because he is one of the Bani A’bd Menâf. Had he been of the Bani A’dy, thou wouldst not have been so pressing.’ O’mar rejoined: ‘O A’bbâs, do not say that, because on the day thou hast become a Musalmân thy profession of Islâm had made thee dearer to me than my own father Khattâb.’ After the contention between O’mar and A’bbâs had become protracted to some length, his holy and prophetic lordship pacified them, saying: ‘A’bbâs, let Abu Sofyân remain this night with thee, and bring him to me in the morning.’ Accordingly, when the world-illuminating sun had lit up the inhabited quarter of the globe, like the caskets of the hearts of believers, A’bbâs brought Abu Sofyân into the assembly of the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—who exclaimed: ‘Woe to thee, O Abu Sofyân! Has not the time arrived for thee to know that no image is worthy of adoration but God the Most High and Glorious?’ Abu Sofyân said: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! How great must be thy gentleness, liberality, and good nature, that, despite the insults and persecutions I have heaped upon thee, thou nevertheless treatest me so kindly! I know that there is no other God but the Most High, because if there were one he might have helped us now.’ His lordship continued: ‘Has not the time arrived for thee to know that I am the prophet of God?’ Abu Sofyân replied: ‘Heretofore I had some doubt of it in my mind.’ But A’bbâs interrupted him, saying: ‘Woe to thee, Abu Sofyân! Make no long speeches, but pronounce the formula of monotheism, or else O’mar will immediately step in and despatch thee with his scimitar.’ Then Abu Sofyân uttered, nolens volens, the words: ‘I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’ According to the tradition of Wâqidi, Abu Sofyân was that night admitted to an audience, in which he remained standing, and his lordship said to him: ‘Woe to thee, Abu Sofyân! Has the time not arrived for thee to bear witness that there is but one God, and that I am His apostle?’ Abu Sofyân replied: ‘How kind thou art, O father of Qâsim; how meek and good-natured! As to the matter that there is but one God, I believe it; for had there been another besides Him he would have helped us on the day of Bedr and of Ohod. But as to thy being the apostle of Allah, I swear by Him that I have something in my mind.’ Then A’bbâs exclaimed: ‘By Allah! he is the apostle of God, and he will immediately order thee to be killed, except thou bearest witness that there is but one God, and that Muhammad is His prophet.’ Then Abu Sofyân became a Musalmân. Wâqidi also relates that during the said night A’bbâs took Abu Sofyân to his own dwelling, by order of his holy and prophetic lordship. In the morning, when Ballâl proclaimed the matutinal prayers and the shouts o the army of Islâm, who seconded him, were heard by Abu Sofyân, he was troubled, and asked A’bbâs what voices these were. He replied that they were a call to prayers. Abu Sofyân then asked: ‘How many prayers do you hold during one day and night?’ A’bbâs replied: ‘Five.’ Abu Sofyân exclaimed: ‘I swear by Allah that this is much.’ In some traditions we read that when the morning dawned, and Ballâl called the people to prayers, a commotion took place, and Abu Sofyân, thinking that they were in search of him, asked Abbâs: ‘What is the matter?’ A’bbâs replied: ‘This is a movement for prayers.’ When the professors of Islâm were at their orisons with the apostle of God, Abu Sofyân said: ‘Whatever Muhammad does the people are likewise doing.’ A’bbâs replied: ‘Yes; and I imagine they will destroy thy people to morrow.’ A’bbâs relates that when Abu Sofyân beheld the Musalmâns, on the occasion of the apostle’s—u. w. b.—performing his religious ablution, holding out their hands for the water [falling from Muhammad], and smearing it on their heads and faces for a blessing, he said: ‘I swear by Allah that I have never seen the Qayssar or the Kesra enjoy such honour.’ In short, after Abu Sofyân had become a Musalmân, A’bbâs said: ‘O apostle of God, Abu Sofyân is a man fond of dignity and pomp. Appoint him to something, that he may be exalted and honoured among the Qoraish.’ Thereon his lordship replied: ‘Whoever enters the house of Abu Sofyân will be safe; whoever throws away his arms will be safe; whoever locks his door will be safe; and whoever enters the mosque of the sanctuary will be safe.’ Muhammad E. Esahâq relates that when his lordship said, ‘Whoever enters the house of Abu Sofyân shall be safe,’ Abu Sofyân replied: ‘My house is not large enough.’ Then that prince said: ‘And whoever enters the Ka’bah shall be safe.’ Abu Sofyân continued: ‘The Ka’bah is not large enough.’ Then his lordship said: ‘Whoever locks his door will be secure.’ Abu Sofyân exclaimed: ‘That is large enough.’ And when he had departed to Mekkah, with the permission of his holy and prophetic lordship, A’bbâs spoke to the apostle of God as follows: ‘Abu Sofyân has not seen the army of Islâm fully and completely, so as to become impressed by its strength, and I fear when he returns to Mekkah he will become a traitor and offer resistance; therefore I think it will be proper to retain him in this place, that he may behold the glorious army with its arrangements, and be awed by seeing the defenders of Islâm.’ His lordship approved of this advice, and said to Abbâs: ‘Overtake Abu Sofyân, and detain him in a narrow spot, that the army of God may pass in review before him.’ Accordingly A’bbâs hastened after Abu Sofyân, and when he was near him he shouted: ‘O father of Hanttalah!’ Having become suspicious, Abu Sofyân asked: ‘O ye Bani Hâshem, are you harbouring treachery in your minds?’ A’bbâs replied: ‘The adherents of prophets are no traitors, and I want thee merely to halt in a place to see the army of God march with their weapons, accoutrements, and appliances of war, which they have in readiness to attack the enemies and opponents and to punish the idolaters.’ A’bbâs then took Abu Sofyân to a narrow passage, whereon his lordship issued orders to the troops to array themselves in the same way as they had started from Madinah, and to march by him in separate battalions. The first brigade which passed was that of Khâled B. Wolyd, with one thousand men of the Bani Solym, who considered the battle-field to be a joyous assembly, and imagined that a day of fighting was like a night of wedding. In that brigade there were two standards, one being held by A’bbâs B. Mardâsy, and the other by one of the companions. When Abu Sofyân beheld them, he asked A’bbâs: ‘Who are these?’ and the latter replied: ‘Khâled B. Alwolyd.’ Abu Sofyân continued by way of slight, ‘What! this youth?’ Abbâs said, ‘Yes.’ When Khâled arrived opposite to Abu Sofyân, he uttered the Takbyr thrice in a loud voice, and passed on. After Khâled B. Alwolyd came Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm with five hundred Arab heroes carrying a black standard. When this legion arrived near Abu Sofyân it likewise shouted the Takbyr, and he asked A’bbâs: ‘Who is the general of this battalion?’ The latter replied: ‘Zobayr.’ Abu Sofyân asked: ‘The son of thy sister?’ Abbâs said: ‘Yes.’ After Zobayr came three hundred men of the Bani Ghuffâr, and their banner was carried by Abu Dhar Ghuffâry. When they passed near Abu Sofyân they shouted the Takbyr as before. He questioned A’bbâs concerning them, and received the information he wanted. Then the Bani Ka’b B. A’mru arrived, who possessed five hundred celebrated troopers, and their flag was carried by Bashyr B. Sofyân. When Abu Sofyân asked about the name and fame of that company, he said: ‘They are the confederates of Muhammad—u. w. b.’ When the Bani Ka’b had likewise marched by, shouting the Takbyr, one thousand of the tribe Mazynah arrived with three standards, and when Abu Sofyân recognised his own tribe, he said: ‘I have nothing to do with them.’ After that the people of Jahannyah arrived, and were followed by three hundred men of the Shuja’ with one standard. Then came the Bani Leith, the Bani Hamzah, and the Bani Sa’d B. Bakr. When A’bbas informed Abu Sofyân about the Shuja’, the latter said: ‘Of all the Arabs, these people have been the greatest enemies of Muhammad.’ To his remark Abbas replied: ‘But God the Most High and Glorious has inspired them with love for Islâm, which was a favour and a benefit from the Boundless Giver.’ Abu Sofyân then said: ‘O father of Fadzl, it seems Muhammad has not yet passed.’ A’bbâs replied: ‘No; and if thou beholdest the imposing train in the midst whereof the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—is, thou wilt be convinced that no one can resist his army.’ According to another tradition, Abu Sofyân asked A’bbâs about every tribe which passed, and, after receiving information, he said: ‘I have nothing to do with them.’ When the forces had marched by, the august cavalcade of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—appeared all of a sudden, consisting of nearly five thousand celebrated and noble Mohâjer and Anssâr.
Verses: They had Davidian362 cuirasses on their breasts,
And flint-splitting scimitars at their sides.
All had lances from Khatt,363
All had Indian swords,
Riding Arab horses and camels;
Every one of them was a hero of his time,
A hundred times more brave than Rustam or Esfendyâr.364
Abu Bakr Ssiddyq rode on one side of his lordship, and on the other Asyd B. Khadzyr, with both of whom he was conversing. The eyes of Abu Sofyân, who had beheld the magnificence and numbers of the army of Islâm, being dazzled, he said in his confusion to A’bbâs: ‘I have never seen nor heard of an army as strong as this. O A’bbâs, the power of thy brother’s son has become great!’ A’bbâs replied: ‘This is apostleship and prophecy, not kingdom and power!’ It is related that on the said day Sa’d B. A’bâdah, who carried the standard of the Anssâr, preceded his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—with one thousand of them at a short distance, and that when they arrived opposite to Abu Sofyân they shouted: ‘Abu Sofyân, this day! This day is the battle! This day the sanctuary will be delivered! This day Allah will humble the Qoraish!’ Then they turned to their companions, exclaiming: ‘O ye men of Rûs and Khazraj! take vengeance this day for the battle of Ohod!’ Abu Sofyân said to A’bbâs: ‘Joyful is the day of battle!’ But when Sa’d B. A’bâdah had passed by after thus threatening Abu Sofyân, his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—arrived with his intimate companions near Abu Sofyân, who shouted: ‘O apostle of God, hast thou issued orders that thy own people be slain?’ His lordship said: ‘No.’ Abu Sofyân continued: ‘I hope God—whose name be blessed and exalted—and the consanguinity subsisting between thee and the Qoraish, will hinder thee from shedding their blood, and that thou wilt be kind and forgiving towards thy relatives; for, verily, thou art the most beneficent and compassionate of men!’ His lordship replied: ‘Sa’d has spoken those words heedlessly and wrongly. This day is a day of joy and mercy. This is the day on which God— whose name be praised and exalted—will cause the Qoraish to be honoured. To-day Allah the Most High and Glorious will increase the magnificence of the house of the Ka’bah by dressing it up with curtains.’ O’thman B. O’ffân and A’bdu-r-rahman A’wuf, however, replied: ‘O apostle of God, we are not sure whether Sa’d will not inflict a calamity on the Qoraish.’ The apostle of God thereon ordered Qays B. Sa’d to take the banner away from his father, and in some traditions it is related that he commanded A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—to take the standard from Sa’d B. A’bâdah.
After all the Musalmâns had defiled in front of Abu Sofyân, some said to him: ‘Now thou must go to Mekkah and intimidate the Qoraish to become Musalmâns, so that they may be delivered from the grasp of death.’ Abu Sofyân then departed in the greatest haste to the sanctuary. On that day so much dust was raised by the quadrupeds of the victorious army, that it ascended higher than the tops of the mountains.
The conquest of Mekkah is narrated in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb as follows: The Qoraish were not cognisant of his lordship’s approach, and when they beheld Abu Sofyân arriving in great haste, they met, and asked him: ‘What is the news, and what is the cause of this dust?’ He replied: ‘Woe to you! Muhammad has arrived with a numerous army, clad in iron and steel, and most of his troopers are heroes whom no one can resist. He, nevertheless, has promised to spare the life of every man who enters my house, throws away his arms, or locks his dwelling, or takes refuge in the mosque of the sanctuary.’ They replied: ‘The curse of Allah be on thee! What news is this thou hast brought us?’ When Hinda, the spouse of Abu Sofyân, who had come out to meet him, heard her husband speaking in the above manner, she lost her patience, took hold of his beard, reviled him, and shouted: ‘O family of Ghâleb, kill this old fool that he may not utter such words!’ But Abu Sofyân replied: ‘Insult me as you like, but I swear that you will be killed unless you profess the Faith. Return, therefore, to your houses, lock the door, and say nothing more.’
In the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb there is a statement [about the approach of the army of Islâm] which has been recorded above, but some of its portions are for their interest inserted in this place also [as follows]: When the army of Islâm had arrived in Marâ Al-tzahrân, which is four farsangs distant from Mekkah, it halted, and was found to consist of ten thousand, but according to another tradition of twelve thousand men, every one of whom his lordship ordered to light a fire that night. The Qoraish had till that time obtained no information about the prophet— u. w. b.—but they were afraid, because they knew that he intended to go to Mekkah. They therefore despatched Abu Sofyân to reconnoitre, and told him, in case he should encounter Muhammad, to ask quarter for them. Abu Sofyân B. Harb, and Hakym B. Huzâm, and Hodhayl B. Warqâ left Mekkah, and advanced till they reached the top of a hill near Marâ Al-tzahrân, and perceived that the whole country was [as it were] on fire. After relating this scene, the author of the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb states that there is a tradition of A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb that he said: ‘When I perceived that night the fires at Marâ Al-tzahrân, I said to myself: If the prophet goes to Mekkah with this army, ere the Qoraish ask him for quarter they will be cut up, and will be annihilated. Accordingly I mounted his lordship’s own private mule and proceeded as far as the place called Arâk, my intention being to find either a wood-carrier, a milk-seller, or a beggar going to Mekkah, and to inform him of the state of affairs, so as to warn the inhabitants to consider their position. I, however, suddenly heard and recognised the voice of Abu Sofyân and Hodhayl conversing with each other, and exclaimed: “O father of Hanttalah!” He likewise knew my voice, and asked: “Is this the father of Fadzl?” I said: “Yes.” He continued: “What are these fires, and to whom do they belong?” I replied: “Woe to thee! This is the apostle of God with ten thousand men.” He queried: “What is our remedy?” I replied: “Bestride this mule in my rear.” Hodhayl and Hakym then returned to Mekkah, but Abu Sofyân, who had not yet become a Musalmân, nor obtained quarter, stopped.’ The author of these pages considers it strange that, although the writer of the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb had believed and recorded it in his work, that Hakym B. Huzâm and Hodhayl B. Warqâ had received information from A’bbâs—u. w. b.—about the numbers of the army of Islâm, and the manner of the approach of the best of men, and had returned [with that information] to Mekkah, he nevertheless alleges that the Qoraish possessed no knowledge of his lordship’s approach, and that when they beheld Abu Sofyân arriving in haste, they met him and asked: ‘What is the news, and why this dust?’ The author of these pages says that as the Qoraish had remained ignorant of the approach of the apostle of God, the tradition, according to which Hodhayl and Hakym were in the company of Abu Sofyân at Marâ Al-tzahrân, and were also honoured by being admitted to kiss the carpet of his holy and prophetic lordship, will be the correct one. Allah, however, knows best the true state of the matter.
It is related that as the various detachments passed by Abu Sofyân, they continued to march in the same manner till they arrived in Dhu Ttawa, where they halted till the apostle of God arrived with the principal Mohâjer and Anssâr. When the blessed eyes of his lordship scanned that great army assembled under his victorious banners, he remembered his unhappy and forlorn condition at the time of his Flight; and having placed his august forehead on the cover upon the back of his camel, he offered, mounted as he was, the prostration of gratitude, saying: ‘Thanks be to the Lord, who conveys me after a short time with so numerous and brave an army to Mekkah, to conquer it and to govern it!’ After that he ordered Zobayr to march into Mekkah from its upper portion, and the standard belonging to his lordship to be conveyed to the Hajûn, but no further, till he joined it in person. That prince also ordered Khâled B. Wolyd to march into Mekkah with the battalions of Aslam and Ghuffâry, with all the heroes of the age, from the lower portion thereof, whilst he himself proceeded with a company of his intimate friends by another route to the place of their destination. Orders were also issued that no individual be allowed to insult or to attack the inhabitants of the sacred city in any manner whatever; but in the event of any heedless or shameless persons daring to assail the victorious army, they were to be repelled and restrained in a composed and quiet way.
It is related that when Akramah B. Abu Jahl, and Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, and Sohayl B. A’mru heard of the approach of Khâled B. Alwolyd, they made, with a number of valiant men of the Bani Bakr, of the Bani Alhâreth, and of the Bani Hazyl, preparations for attacking him, and hastened to meet him. The two opposing parties actually encountered each other in a place called Ja’dyah, came to blows, and continued fighting till they reached Harurah, which is near the sacred mosque, where twenty-eight of the opponents were sent to hell by the scimitars of the combatants for the religion, and ten men of the battalion of Khâled tasted the beverage of martyrdom.
Ebn Hanttalah, who was a celebrated champion among the idolaters, rushed, protected by a cuirass and helmet, on a fleet horse, like an iron mountain, towards the camp of Khâled B. Alwolyd; but when he reached the place called Ja’dyah and beheld the army of Islâm, he was overpowered by fear, and all his limbs quaked. He alighted from his courser, threw away his helmet with his cuirass, and ran till he arrived on the threshold of the Ka’bah. Another company of heretics fled to the tops of the mountains, to which the Musalmâns pursued them. On that occasion Abu Sofyân and Hakym B. Huzâm exclaimed: ‘O ye Qoraish people, do not carelessly expose yourselves to be killed. Every one who enters his house will be safe, and every one who throws away his arms will be safe.’ Accordingly the idolaters threw away their weapons and took refuge in their houses, the Musalmâns collecting the arms for their own use. Meanwhile the prince of former and of latter times arrived at Thabyah, which is near the sanctuary, and, perceiving a cloud of dust, he asked about the cause of it, and was told that it arose from Khâled B. Alwolyd’s battle with the idolaters. When the opponents had been put to flight, Khâled B. Alwolyd was admitted to the honour of foot-osculation; and when his lordship reminded him of the prohibition to fight, he replied: ‘They first attacked us, and we were obliged to defend ourselves.’ His lordship was satisfied with the reply.
In some traditions it is recorded that when the apostle of God arrived in Mekkah it was brought to his notice that Khâled B. Alwolyd, having unsheathed the scimitar of vengeance, was engaged in slaying the people. His lordship therefore called one of his friends, and said: ‘Go and tell Khâled to cease killing the inhabitants.’ But when the messenger reached Khâled, he said [on the contrary]: ‘The orders of the apostle of God to thee are to attack them with the sword, and to grant quarter to no one.’ Therefore Khâled slew on that day seventy of the opponents. It is related that when Khâled was admitted to kiss the most noble and exalted carpet, his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—asked: ‘Why hast thou acted contrary to my orders, after I had sent thee a messenger to stop the slaughter?’ Khâled replied: ‘O apostle of God, thy messenger told me to destroy them with the sword.’ His lordship then summoned the courier, and asked: ‘What have I told thee?’ He replied: ‘Thou hast said, “Order Khâled to cease to slay.” I was about to utter these words, when I perceived a man whose head touched the sky, but whose feet were on the ground. He had a dagger in his hand, which he placed on my breast, saying: “Tell Khâled to work among them with the sword, and if thou obeyest not I shall kill thee with this poniard.” ’ Hereon the apostle of God exclaimed: ‘Allah is true, and His apostle is true. On the day when my uncle Hamzah was killed I said: “If I vanquish the Qoraish I will slay seventy of them.” On that day God the Most High and Glorious prohibited me from retaliating in this manner; but to-day He wanted to fulfil the words of His apostle.’
It is related that his lordship had ordered his private tent to be pitched on the Hajûn, and that his companions obeyed. When his lordship entered it he washed his head and body from dust. After that he bathed, donned his cuirass, put on his helmet, mounted a camel, and rode to the sacred mosque. On his right hand rode Ssiddyq Akbar [i.e., Abu Bakr], and on his left Asyd B. Khadzyr, with Ballâl B. Ryâh and O’thmân B. Ttolhah, all of whom attended on the heaven-aspiring stirrup. Muhammad B. Moslamah was leading by the bridle the camel of his lordship, who recited the Surah ‘Verily we have granted thee a manifest victory.’365 They reached the sanctuary in this manner, his lordship arriving therein without opposition. Having illuminated the sacred mosque with the light of his presence, he touched the black stone with his crooked staff, and opened his wonderfully eloquent mouth by shouting the Takbyr, wherein the army of Islâm joined him. This exclamation inspired with fear the young and the old among the Qoraish, who were contemplating the army of Islâm from the tops of the mountains. After having completed the ceremony of circumambulating the Ka’bah, his lordship alighted and purified the Ka’bah from idols. Biographical works are filled with the accounts of this proceeding, and [with the narrative] that three hundred and sixty idols, the greatest whereof was Hobal, had been erected by the idolaters around the Ka’bah. In some copies we read that Eblis had fixed the bases of all these idols underground with lead, but that, nevertheless, when the apostle of Allah touched them with the lance or stick he had in his hands, and uttered the words: ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has departed,’ the idols fell on their faces at the mere touch of the staff. It is said that on this day every idol which happened to be in the houses of the polytheists of Mekkah fell to the ground. On that occasion the lord of apostleship ordered A’li—u. w. b.—to throw down Hobal, and to break to pieces Asâf and Nâylah. According to another tradition, Asâf had been erected in Ssana’â, but Nâylah on [Mount] Marwah. Asâf B. A’mru had been a man of the tribe of Jorham, and Nâylah, the daughter of Sohayl, also belonged to that tribe. They had committed adultery with each other in the [very] house of the Ka’bah, and therefore God the Most High had changed them into stone. The Qoraish, however, actually adored these two statues in their complete folly and aberration. When these two idols were broken a nude black woman issued from one of them, whereon his holy and prophetic lordship said: ‘This is Nâylah. But she will never any more be worshipped in your country.’ There is a tradition ascribed to A’bdullah B. A’bbâs—u. w. b.—that whenever his lordship pointed on that day to the face of an idol, the same immediately fell on its back, and whenever he pointed to the back it fell on its face. It is an authentic report that the Mekkans had placed several large idols in a high place, which could not be reached with the hands, and that when his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—entered the house of the Ka’bah with A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—and perceived the idols, A’li said: ‘O apostle of God, place thy blessed foot on my shoulder and bring down the idols.’ His holy and prophetic lordship, however, replied: ‘O A’li, thou canst not bear the weight of prophecy. Place thy foot on my shoulder, and undertake this business.’ A’li obeyed, and when his foot was on the shoulder of the apostle of God—u. w. b.—the latter asked: ‘A’li, how feelest thou?’ A’li replied: ‘I feel as if all obstacles had vanished, and as if my head were touching the leg of the throne of God, and that I could attain any object to which I stretch forth my hand.’ His lordship asked: ‘O A’li, hast thou reached what thou hast wished?’ A’li replied: ‘I swear by that God who has sent thee in truth, that I fancy, if I wished, I could touch the sky with my hand.’ It is related that after A’li had thrown down the idols, he sprang from his lordship’s back to the ground and smiled. His lordship having asked him for the cause of his hilarity, he replied: ‘Because I have jumped from a high place, and feel no pain.’ His lordship asked: ‘O A’li, how couldst thou feel pain, since Muhammad has lifted thee up, and Jebrâil has taken thee down?’ On the day when Hobal was broken, Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm said to Abu Sofyân: ‘The idol of Hobal to which thou hast prayed, and of which thou hast boasted on the day of Ohod, is broken.’ Abu Sofyân replied: ‘Let me alone, and do not blame me, for this would not have happened if Muhammad had another partner in deity.’
It is related that the key of the house of the Ka’bah was with Sollâfah, the daughter of Sa’d, some of whose sons had been slain in the battle of Ohod, as has been narrated above; and when his lordship stayed in the sacred mosque he said to Ballâl: ‘Go to O’thmân B. Ttolhah, whose mother is Sollâfah, and tell him to bring the key of the Ka’bah.’ O’thmân accordingly went to his mother and asked for the key, but Sollâfah hesitated to surrender it, saying: ‘If they take the key from you, they will never surrender it again.’ O’thmân, however, expostulated with his mother; and as he did not return for a long time, his lordship despatched Ssiddyq and Fârûq to bring the key. They obeyed, but stopped at the door of the house, where O’mar exclaimed: ‘O’thmân, come out; the apostle of God is waiting.’ When Sollâfah knew on what errand Abu Bakr and O’mar had come, she said to O’thmân: ‘Take the key, my son, and give it to them. For it is better that thou take it than Yatym and A’dy.’ By these two names Sollâfah alluded to the genealogy of Ssiddyq, which ended with Yatym, and that of Fârûq, which ascended to A’dy. After O’thmân had received the key from his mother, he carried it to the mosque of the sanctuary, and the apostle of God stretched out his hand to take it from him. A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, however, rose and said: ‘O apostle of God, as thou hast appointed me to be superintendent of the Zamzam, bestow upon me also the chamberlainship of the Ka’bah.’366 When O’thmân heard these words he hesitated to give up the key. His lordship then said: ‘Give the key to me;’ and O’thmân still vacillated, drawing back his hand again, when A’bbas repeated his request. His holy and prophetic lordship hereon exclaimed: ‘O’thmân, if thou believest in God the Most High and Glorious and in the day of judgment, thou wilt give the key to me.’ Then O’thmân said: ‘Here it is. Take it, O trustee [of the house] of God.’ After that they opened the door of the house; his lordship the refuge of termination —u. w. b.—entered it and performed his devotions. In several biographical works it is recorded that when the door of the Ka’bah was opened the apostle of God entered it, and after praying with two flexions he took his position on the threshold of the house, touching with his hands both the doorposts and also holding the key, and that on this occasion A’li the Commander of the Faithful advanced a few steps, saying: ‘O apostle of God, bestow the chamberlainship of the house on a member of thy family in the same way as thou hast done with the superintendence of the [well] Zamzam.’ Then his lordship called O’thmân, and said: ‘Take the key of the Ka’bah, for this day is a day of beneficence and fidelity.’ Some allege that his lordship spoke [to O’thmân] as follows: ‘Take it, ye sons of Ttolhah, and keep it for ever and ever. No one shall deprive you thereof, except by way of injustice.’ Commentators and biographers are of opinion that on this occasion the verse ‘Verily Allah commandeth you to restore the deposits to whom they belong’367 was revealed. Some, however, have another tradition about the taking of the key; but as the author of this work desires brevity, he has been satisfied with the mention of one only. The U’lamâ of biographies narrate that on this occasion, when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had taken hold of the two doorposts, the majority of the chiefs of the Qoraish and grandees of Mekkah stood in lines around the Ka’bah, waiting for orders concerning themselves, whereon that prince uttered the following words with his pearl-dropping lips: ‘Praise be to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise.’ But according to another tradition he said: ‘There is no God but Allah only, who has no partner. He has fulfilled His promise and aided His servant.’ According to another tradition, he said: ‘He aided His army, and disappointed the confederates. Allah has warded off [the companions of] the elephants [formerly] from Mekkah, and has [now] appointed over it His apostle and His faithful people.’ After that he asked the inhabitants of Mekkah: ‘What say you, and what think you of me?’ They replied: ‘We speak well and we think well of thee, O noble brother and son of a noble brother. Verily thou hast obtained power over us.’ There being no allusion to the story of Yusuf [Joseph] in the reply of the Mekkans, his lordship said: ‘I tell you what my brother Yusuf said: “Let there be no reproach cast on you this day. Allah forgiveth you, because He is the most merciful of those who show mercy.”368 He also said: “Depart, for ye are free.” ’ Then he preached a very eloquent and rhetorical sermon. Although he was not a writer, he drew the pen of abrogation over the customs and usages of [pre-Islamitic] ignorance, and abolished the arduous decrees concerning retaliation and blood mulcts, as well as the claims [for ransom] current before the promulgation of Islâm, saying: ‘Every claim for blood and property made in the time of ignorance is [now] placed under my foot, and I abolish it, except the service of the Ka’bah and the purveyorship of the pilgrims.’ He also said: ‘O ye Qoraish, God the Most High and Glorious has deprived you of the boast of ignorance, and of the pride and glorification wherewith ye domineered over other men. Abandon your haughtiness, for all men and sons of Adam are made of clay. They are brothers, and enjoy no advantage over each other, except according to their [respective] piety and abstinence.’ Then he recited the verse: ‘O ye men, verily we have created you male and female, and have made you peoples and tribes that you may know each other. Verily he of you who is most pious is most honoured in the sight of Allah. For Allah is wise and knowing.’369 When the time of the matutinal prayers was at hand his holy and prophetic lordship ordered Ballâl to mount to the top of the Ka’bah and to proclaim it. When the idolaters heard the voice of Ballâl, some of them, such as Heshâm, the brother of Abu Jahl, and Hukm B. Ala’ass, uttered improper sentiments; but Abu Sofyân B. Harb, who was present, said: ‘I say nothing, but I believe that if I speak one word this gravel will not report it to Muhammad.’ Jebrâil, however, descended, and informed the apostle of God concerning the assemblage of that company, whereon his lordship summoned those men, and repeated to every one of them what he had said. They were confused, but uttered the formula of monotheism, and Abu Sofyân exclaimed: ‘As for myself, O apostle of God, I have said nothing.’ And the prophet—u. w. b.—laughed.
We know for a certainty that, after his holy and prophetic lordship had prohibited the victorious army from killing any of the inhabitants of Mekkah, he treated the latter kindly, whereon the Anssâr said to each other: ‘This man, namely, the apostle of God, has gained the affection of the people as well as of his clansmen, and is fond of his birthplace.’ Meanwhile the signs of Divine revelation began to manifest themselves on the august person of his lordship, and when the celestial inspiration had irradiated him, he addressed [reproaches to] the Anssâr: ‘You have spoken so and so?’ But they denied it; and he continued: ‘[You said,] “God forbid that we should vacillate! We are the servants of God and of His apostle. We have exiled ourselves for His and for thy sake. We shall adhere to thee in life and death.” ’ Hereon the Anssâr began to weep [for joy], and said: ‘By Allah! we have spoken those words because we are attached to God and to His apostle.’ His lordship then said: ‘God the Most High and His apostle are believing you, and are asking your pardon.’
We know from authentic traditions that, before the apostle of God entered Mekkah, he ordered eleven men and six women to be captured and slain, no matter where they would be found, and no matter if within or without the limits of the sanctuary. One of the men [to be killed] was A’bdu-l-u’zza B. Khanttal, and the reason for shedding his blood was that he had become a Musalmân before the conquest of Mekkah, but had nevertheless wantonly killed a believer, had apostatized, and had fled to Mekkah. The details of this affair are as follows: When Ebn Khanttal had arrived in Madinah and had become a Musalmân, his lordship called him by the name of A’bdullah, and sent with him a man of the tribe Khozaa’h to collect the Dzakât [legal alms] in a certain tribe, and a man attended on him as a servant during the journey. One day Ebn Khanttal told this Khozaa’y to prepare food for him, which he would eat as soon as he awoke. This fellow, however, was lazy, and when Ebn Khanttal awoke he found nothing to eat, but, on the contrary, the Khozaa’y himself carelessly asleep. This sight added to Ebn Khanttal’s fire of hunger the fire of anger, and his passion so overpowered him that he slew his companion. After that he considered that if he were to return to Madinah the apostle of God would punish him; he therefore apostatized, and returned to Mekkah with the quadrupeds he had obtained as tributary alms. On the day the city was conquered he armed himself and fought against Khâled B. Wolyd; afterwards, however, he fled from the battle, and took refuge in the house of the Ka’bah, as has been recorded above. Whilst his holy and prophetic lordship was engaged in circumambulating the Ka’bah, one of his companions, having caught sight of the man, exclaimed: ‘Lo, here is Ebn Khanttal, who has taken hold of the curtains of the Ka’bah.’ Then his lordship ordered him to be killed.
Another man of this kind was [A’bdullah] the milk-brother of O’thmân B. O’ffân B. Abu Ssarâj, who dwelt at Madinah, and was by the exalted command [of the prophet] engaged in writing down the Divine revelation, but he committed treachery in writing the glorious Qurân, by altering the words thereof. On a certain occasion he said: ‘Muhammad B. A’bdullah knows not what he is speaking, and I say whatever I like, and write it down for him. Indeed, the Divine revelation comes down upon me in the same way as it comes down on him.’ When his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—became aware of his felony, A’bdullah ran off to Mekkah, and on the day of the conquest thereof he requested Othmân to intercede for him with the prophet, so as to save his life. Accordingly some days afterwards O’thmân took him into the august assembly, and upon the strength of the obligation he was under to his mother [who had suckled them both] he asked his lordship to grant him quarter, but received no answer. O’thmân having several times reiterated his petition without obtaining any reply, he approached that prince, took his blessed head into his arms, and said: ‘O apostle of God, thou hast given A’bdullah to me!’ After he had thus begged for a long time, the apostle of God said: ‘Yes.’ When O’thmân had departed from the assembly with A’bdullah B. Sa’d, his lordship said to those present: ‘What has hindered any one of you from rising and spilling the blood of that dog?’ A’bâd B. Bashar then said: ‘I swear by that God who has sent thee to the people that I was expecting a wink of the eye from thee! Had I not understood that thou hast slightly assented [to the request], I would have struck him down with my sword!’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘It is not becoming in a prophet to commit treachery by a wink of the eye.’ It is related that after A’bdullah had obtained pardon he again made profession of the Faith, and some of his adventures will be narrated in the record of the Khalifate of O’thmân, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.
A third man of this class was Howyrath B. Nafyr, who had with his unhallowed tongue greatly derided his lordship. When Mekkah was taken, and he had heard that people were searching for him, he left his house after A’li —who stood at the door of it—had gone away, and tried to conceal himself, but was overtaken on the road by the Commander of the Faithful, who executed the orders of the prince of men and demons with reference to him [and slew him].
Another individual of this kind was Maqys B. Sabâbah, and the reason for shedding his blood was as follows: His brother Heshâm had come to Madinah and had professed the Faith, but in the Ghazwah of Martasa’ one of the Anssâr mistook Heshâm for an idolater and slew him. When Maqys had learnt this, he came from Mekkah to avenge the blood of his brother, and his lordship ordered the Anssâr to pay the blood-ransom to him, after receiving which, and after becoming a Musalmân, Maqys [nevertheless] watched his opportunity, slew the murderer of his brother, apostatized, and fled to Mekkah, where he was on the day of the taking thereof engaged in a secret locality carousing with a number of idolaters. One of the companions, however, discovered that assembly, and made an end of his treachery with a good scimitar.
Another fellow of this kind was Hayar B. Alaswad, who had [formerly] much distressed his lordship, one of his misdeeds being that which he had committed with reference to Zaynab, the daughter of the apostle of God, as has been recorded above. On the day when Mekkah was taken the Musalmâns could not find Hayar, and when that prince returned to Madinah Hayar entered the august assembly, uttered the formula of monotheism, acknowledged the prophecy of his lordship, made profession of the Faith, took hold of the skirts of apology, and his crimes were pardoned by his lordship.
Another man of this class was Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, who had manifested great enmity towards the apostle of God. When he heard that sentence of death had been pronounced upon him he fled from Mekkah on the day it was taken, and endeavoured to reach the haven of safety by way of the sea. When O’mayr B. Wohb Hajmy represented his case to the world-adorning mind of the lord of existences, he requested that Ssafuwân might be pardoned, and after his petition was granted he pursued, overtook, and informed the latter of his success; but Ssafuwân was astonished, and exclaimed: ‘I swear by God that I shall not return until thou bringest me a sign from Muhammad.’ Accordingly his lordship gave either his turban or his shawl to O’mayr to show to Ssafuwân. The former obeyed, and also induced the latter to make a profession of the Faith and to return to Mekkah, where he was admitted to the presence of the best of men, and spoke to him as follows: ‘O Muhammad, O’mayr tells me that thou hast given me quarter for two months. Is this true or not?’ The prophet replied: ‘O Ssafuwân, I have given thee quarter for four months.’ Ssafuwân had, despite his idolatry, been present, and had attended on the heaven-aspiring stirrup in the Ghazwah of Ttâyf and of Honayn. When his holy and prophetic lordship was returning, and had arrived in the place called Jaghrânah, he discovered a pass full of cattle, and Ssafuwân was looking intently at the beauty of the sheep, as if wishing to devour them with his eyes. His lordship, guessing the thoughts of Ssafuwân, said to him: ‘O Ssafuwân, I present thee with all these.’ After the latter had taken possession of the sheep and camels, he exclaimed: ‘There is no soul as kindly disposed as the soul of a prophet.’ Then he made his profession [of the Faith] on that very spot.
Another man of this class was Ka’b B. Zohayr, who had ridiculed his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.— and had fled on the day of victory, thus saving his life. At last, however, love for Islâm prevailed in his heart, and he started with his brother Bahyr B. Zohayr to wait on his lordship, but before reaching the place of their destination he sent his brother in advance to propitiate his lordship. Bahyr, having been admitted to the felicity of foot-osculation, made a profession of the Faith, and knowing that Ka’b’s doing so would likewise be acceptable, he interceded on that score for him. Ka’b arrived in Madinah in the ninth year after the Flight, became a Musâlman, composed an elegy in praise of his lordship the best of men, and was received into his intimacy.
Another man of this kind was A’bdullah B. Alzaba’ry, who had always insulted the Musalmâns and incited the idolaters to attack them; but when he heard what orders his holy and prophetic lordship had issued concerning him, he fled on the day Mekkah was conquered and went in the direction of Bakhrân. At last, however, the love of Islâm prevailed over his mind, so that he repented of what he had said and done, and returned from Bakhrân with the intention of kissing the threshold of prophecy. When he arrived, the apostle of God recognised him from a distance, and said: ‘Ebn Zaba’ry is coming, and the light of Islâm is shining from his face.’ When Ebn Zaba’ry came nearer, he exclaimed: ‘I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that thou art the apostle of Allah. Thanks and praises be to Allah, who has guided me to Islâm! O apostle of God, I have offended thee many times, but now I repent of everything, and ask thy pardon. Order anything thou listest, for thou art the master of my life.’ His lordship replied: ‘Praise be to Allah who has guided thee to Islâm! Be aware that the profession of Islâm blots out all other crimes.’
Another man of this kind was Hâreth B. Al-tâla’h, and the reason for shedding his blood was that he had much tried to injure and to insult the apostle. Therefore Ali the commander of the faithful—u. w. b.—having caught him, slew him on the day Mekkah was taken.
Another fellow of this sort was Wahshy, the murderer of Hamzah, whom the Musalmâns were anxious to kill, and therefore he fled on the day of the conquest of Mekkah to Ttâyf. After some time, however, he was, with a number of other men of that region, admitted to the felicity of kissing the feet of his lordship the apostle, whereon he said: ‘I testify that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’ His lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—asked: ‘Art thou the murderer of Hamzah?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ His lordship continued: ‘Sit down and narrate the murder of my uncle Hamzah.’ After Wahshy had narrated the event, his lordship said: ‘Let me not see thee any more.’ Accordingly, Wahshy henceforth avoided to meet the apostle of God, but during the Khalifate of Ssiddyq Akbar [i.e., Abu Bakr] he joined the army of Khâled B. Alwolyd to attack Moseylamah the liar, who was vanquished at Hadyqatu-lmout, and whom he killed with the same dagger with which he had slain Hamzah. It is related that Wahshy said: ‘I killed the best of men during the time of ignorance, and the worst of them during the time of Islâm.’ Some chroniclers have narrated the affair of Wahshy in another manner in their books, but their details would only lengthen this account.
Another man of this kind was A’kramah the son of Abu Jahl, and his blood was to be shed because during the lifetime of his father he had been his partner in persecuting his lordship. After the decease of his progenitor he marched in an army with Abu Sofyân and other idolaters against his holy and prophetic lordship, and against the Musalmâns. A’bdullah B. Zobayr has a tradition that in the year of the conquest of Mekkah, A’kramah B. Abu Jahl fled to Yemen for fear of being punished by the professors of Islâm. He had an intelligent wife, O’mm Hakym by name, who was the daughter of Hâreth B. Heshâm, Hâreth being the brother of Abu Jahl. On the occasion when the women of Mekkah paid homage to his holy and prophetic lordship, and made their profession of Islâm, O’mm Hakym said to that prince: ‘The son of my uncle [i.e., my husband] has fled to Yemen for fear of thee, and I appeal to thy kind disposition to grant him pardon.’ His lordship replied: ‘I grant him the pardon of Allah. Let no one injure him who encounters him.’ Then O’mm Hakym went in search of A’kramah and found him near the shore, embarked in a vessel ready to sail, and on her making signs from the land A’kramah ordered a boat and approached her. O’mm Hakym exclaimed: ‘Son of my uncle, I come from the best of men. Return! return! he has granted thee pardon.’ It is related that A’kramah heard with the greatest pleasure the tidings of the forgiveness of the prophet of latter times—u. w. b.—and asked O’mm Hakym: ‘Daughter of my uncle, thou hast besought him to forgive me; and has he granted me pardon despite all the injuries and insults which I have heaped on him?’ O’mm Hakym rejoined: ‘Yes; his kindness surpasses description and explanation. Return, and do not jeopardize thy life [by flight].’ A’kramah assented, and, being overpowered with lust, whilst they were travelling desired to have connection with his wife, but she replied: ‘I am a monotheist, and have been invested with the ornament of the Faith, but thou art an idolater, and void of the light of religious knowledge. I shall not allow thee to enjoy me until thou hast become a Musalmân.’ A’kramah said: ‘It is a very great matter which hinders thee to join me.’ When A’kramah had reached the vicinity of Mekkah, his lordship was apprised of his approach by Divine inspiration, and said to his friends: ‘A’kramah, the son of Abu Jahl, is coming to you as a believer and a Mohâjer. You must not insult [the memory of] his father, for to speak evil of a dead man may insult a living one, although it cannot injure the dead one.’ Meanwhile O’mm Hakym put a veil on her face, and betook herself with her spouse to his lordship’s tent, which she entered after obtaining admission, and said: ‘O apostle of God, I have brought A’kramah.’ His lordship jumped up for joy in such a manner that his blessed Redâ fell from his back, and he gave permission to A’kramah to enjoy the happiness of kissing his fingers. When A’kramah entered, his lordship resumed his seat, and the former, standing opposite to him, spoke as follows: ‘O Muhammad, this woman says that thou hast granted me pardon, and that I have nothing to apprehend from thy wrath?’ He replied: ‘She spoke truth, and thou art forgiven.’ A’kramah then said: ‘I testify that there is no God except Allah alone, who has no partner, and I testify that thou art His servant and His apostle.’ He then drooped his head, perfectly abashed, and continued: ‘O apostle of God, thou art the most veracious and the most honest man, but we have accused thee of falsehood on account of our great wretchedness and ignorance.’ His lordship said: ‘Ask whatever thou likest, and I shall comply with thy request as far as I am able.’ Hereon A’kramah said: ‘I ask thee to pray to the Lord of Glory to forgive me for every kind of enmity I have manifested towards thee, and for every step I made to elevate the banner of infidelity and to strengthen the professors of idolatry in order to show enmity to thee, and to blot out and to pardon every transgression committed by me either openly or secretly with reference to thee!’ Accordingly his lordship lifted up his hands in prayer, asking God the Most High to pardon A’kramah all the sins he had himself enumerated. The latter continued: ‘O apostle of God, I swear by God that for every dirhem I spent during the time of ignorance to obstruct the religion of God the Most High, I shall disburse two for the promotion thereof, and that for every one of the friends of Allah the Most High whom I have murdered during the time of my infidelity I shall slay two of His foes.’ It is said that after A’kramah had become ennobled by the robe of Faith he made great efforts to extinguish the blaze of infidelity and wickedness, until the time when he tasted the beverage of martyrdom in the Ghazwah of Ajnadyn, during the Khalifate of Fârûq [i.e., O’mar].
It is related that on the day when Mekkah was taken, A’kramah had killed a Musalmân and had fled. When this was brought to the notice of his lordship the best of men, he smiled, but those who were present wondered, and said: ‘O apostle of God, what wisdom is there in laughing in this case?’ He replied: ‘I have been informed that the slayer and the slain will grasp each other’s hands, and will thus enter paradise.’ This explanation intensified the amazement of the companions, because A’kramah had been a very prominent infidel, and they thought he was very far from professing Islâm. Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss relates that when A’kramah fled on the day on which Mekkah was taken he embarked in a vessel intending to sail to Yemen, but the waves of the sea became agitated, and the people who were in the ship said to each other: ‘Sit down, for your God will not ward off anything from you.’ A’kramah, however, poured forth his orisons to the courts of the Omnipotent Sovereign, saying: ‘O Lord Most High, I promise that if I am saved from this calamity I shall go to Muhammad and become one of his adherents.’ When the storm had abated A’kramah [disembarked and] made his appearance in the assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—and professed the Faith. Some have related that when the sea became stormy the captain of the ship said to A’kramah: ‘Make a sincere profession!’ The latter rejoined: ‘What must I do, or what must I say?’ The captain continued: ‘Say: “There is no God but Allah, because in this place no one can save us except the Lord of the inhabitants of the world.” ’ A’kramah asked: ‘Meanest thou the God to the acknowledgment of whose unity Muhammad is inviting us? But I have fled to avoid uttering these words.’ It is related in some biographical works that at the time when A’kramah was proceeding to Yemen by sea, he happened to read on the ship’s side the words: ‘Thy people are liars; for He is God;’ and though he tried much to efface them, he was unable to do so. Some allege that he scraped off these words several times, but that they reappeared again. Then he said, ‘This is a Divine command,’ requested the vessel to be turned back, and this having been done, he left it, went to Mekkah, and having been admitted to the foot-osculation of the lord of existences, he made his profession of the Faith.
Of the women, concerning whom the sentence of capital punishment had been decreed by the court of prophecy, one was Hinda, the mother of Moa’wiah, who had disembowelled Hamzah, and had masticated his liver on the day of Ohod. When, however, Mekkah had been conquered, she joined the women who went to pay homage to the apostle of God, and having tied a veil over her face, she entered the august assembly unknown to anyone, made her profession of Islâm, removed the covering from her face, and said: ‘I am Hinda, the daughter of O’tbah.’ His lordship replied: ‘Having arrived as a Musalmân, thou art welcome.’ Hinda thereon manifested love and sincerity, his holy and prophetic lordship opened his blessed mouth with congratulations towards her, and accepted her profession of Islâm.
Among the number of the [condemned] six women, there were also two slave-girls of Ebn Khanttal who had been singing songs in derision of the apostle of God. One of them was killed and the other fled, but some time afterwards obtained pardon. The name of the slain girl was Qarynah, and of her who had become a Musâlman, Qaranâ. Another person of this kind was also the freed slave of Ebn Khanttal, who was killed on that day. Another was Sârah, the manumitted slave of the Bani Al-muttalleb, who was, according to the assertion of the author of the Kamelu-t-tawarikh, slain on the day of the conquest of Mekkah. The sixth of them, Omm Sa’d, was likewise killed on that day.
SOME EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING HIS LORDSHIP’S
SOJOURN AT MEKKAH.
It is related that on the second day after the conquest, a man named Jundab, of the tribe Badyl, arrived in Mekkah, and Farash B. Ommyah Ka’by pierced him with a sword, so that his bowels fell out. Jundab leant awhile against a wall, and [his soul] departed to the next world. When his lordship heard of this act, he preached a very eloquent sermon to this effect: ‘From the day on which Allah the Most High created the heavens and the earth, He prohibited the blood of the inhabitants of Mekkah to be shed till the day of the resurrection. No pious servant who believes in God is permitted to shed blood in Mekkah, nor is any Musâlman allowed to fell trees, to pull out grass, or to hunt in Mekkah.’ He continued: ‘If anyone says that it is licit to shed blood in Mekkah because the apostle of God has fought there and has shed blood, tell him that ere this it was not licit to anyone, nor shall it be so afterwards. Nor was it permitted to me except during one hour of the day, after which the inviolability of the sanctuary again returned to its former condition. O ye Khozaa’h people, abstain from murder! I order you to pay the blood-mulct for this slain man, and if hereafter you again kill somebody, his heirs shall have the option either to retaliate or to accept the blood-ransom.’ Let it not remain hidden that the following words of the prince of the pious, ‘It was not licit to me to spill blood, except during one hour of the day,’ refer to the circumstance narrated in traditions, that on the day of the conquest of Mekkah some of the Qoraish vagabonds had assembled at the instigation of their chiefs and had kindled the fires of slaughter, and that by order of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—the victorious army had, for the purpose of exterminating them, drawn forth the arm of power from the sleeve of bravery, but had after the expiration of one hour terminated the carnage, likewise by the command of that prince; the tradition being to the purport that after the world-adorning mind had been informed that the Qoraish perished, he ordered the troops to sheath their scimitars and to cease [fighting], the Khozaa’h tribe alone excepted, which had permission to kill every man of the Bani Bakr whom they could lay hold of.
One of the events which took place at the time of the conquest of Mekkah was that Khâled B. Alwolyd had been ordered to sally forth with thirty troopers to destroy the idol temple of U’zza, which he did by marching to Nakhlah, accomplishing his purpose, and again returning. When he made his report, his lordship asked: ‘Hast thou seen anything in that place?’ He said: ‘No.’ His lordship added: ‘Thou hast not yet annihilated U’zza.’ Khâled accordingly returned to the locality in anger, drew his sword, and made inquiries about U’zza. He then discovered [the statue of] a nude black woman with dishevelled hair, whom he approached, uttering the words: ‘Thou art not to be believed nor to be praised! Allah has humbled thee!’ and cut her in twain with his sword. Thereon he returned and informed the prophet of what he had done, and his lordship said: ‘That [statue of a woman] was U’zza, who will no longer be worshipped in your country.’
Further, Sa’d B. Zayd Ashhal was sent to the idol-temple of Menât to demolish it, this being an idol worshipped during the time of ignorance by the tribes Awus, Khazraj, and Ghusân. When Sa’d entered the temple of Menât he beheld a black naked woman with dishevelled hair coming out of it, striking her breast and lamenting; but Sa’d finished her with one blow of his sword, and having demolished the temple, he was made happy by being allowed to wait on the prince of existences.
Further, after Khâled B. Wolyd had returned from Nakhlah, he was ordered to march to Yalmalam and to make inquiries about the tribe Hozaymah, who had during the time of ignorance slain the uncle of Khâled, whose name was Ghâk B. Moghyrah, and also A’wuf, the father of A’bdu-r-rahman, which event had taken place as follows: The last-named two individuals had returned from a trading excursion to Yemen, and had arrived in Yalmalam, in which place the greediness for their property impelled the Bani Hozaymah to murder them and to take possession of their goods. When Khâled B. Wolyd arrived, with one hundred and fifty Mohâjer and Anssâr, as well as the Bani Salym, in the vicinity of the habitations of the Bani Hozaymah, the latter became suspicious, and having for a precaution donned their armour, they went out to meet Khâled, who asked them: ‘Who are you?’ They replied: ‘We are Musalmâns professing the Muhammadan religion.’ Khâled continued: ‘Why are you armed, and why have you come out to meet me?’ They replied: ‘There is enmity between us and between an Arab tribe; we thought that perhaps you might be of that tribe.’ This subterfuge was not accepted, and Khâled said: ‘Put away your arms.’ They obeyed, whereon Khâled ordered their hands to be tied to their backs, and each prisoner was taken charge of by one of his companions. During the night Khâled issued orders to slay all the captives, and they were executed by the Bani Salym, the Mohâjer and the Anssâr refusing to co-operate. One, however, of the Bani Hozaymah [escaped and] reached the august assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—to whom he represented what had taken place. There is a tradition to the effect that as soon as the Bani Hozaymah had thrown away their arms by order of Khâled he immediately assailed them, and put nearly thirty of them to death. In short, when his lordship the apostle had been apprised that Khâled B. Alwolyd had slain a number of men who were accustomed to worship in their mosques, he rose, turned his glorious countenance towards the Qiblah of prayer, and exclaimed thrice: ‘O God, I am innocent of what Khâled has done.’ Then he sent a great deal of property by A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—to pay the blood-ransom and for the goods destroyed to the Bani Hozaymah, intending to make good the error of Khâled B. Alwolyd, and thus to offer some consolation to that unfortunate tribe. A’li Murtadza— u. w. b.—obeyed orders, and consoled the Bani Hozaymah. After he had returned from Yalmalam, and the prophet had become convinced that the Bani Hozaymah were satisfied, he pardoned the act of Khâled at the intercession of one of his friends. It is said that A’bdullah B. Abu Khudâr Aslamy was in that expedition, and that a youth of the prisoners of the Bani Hozaymah had been surrendered to him, and requested him to take him to one of the tents of the women for something he had to do there. A’bdullah complied with the request of the youth, who entered a tent, spoke a few words, and recited some distichs to a woman, who answered him. Then A’bdullah took the youth to the camp of Khâled, and when he had been slain by order of the latter, the woman arrived, threw herself on the corpse, and moaned till she surrendered her soul to the Creator. When the people who had been present in the expedition informed the august mind of this event, his lordship remarked: ‘There was not one compassionate man among you.’
THE GHAZWAH OF HONAYN.
Wâqidy has related that when the apostle of God had conquered Mekkah, the nobles of the tribes Hoâzân and Thaqyf said to each other: ‘Muhammad has vanquished the Qoraish, and after he has completed their subjugation he will probably turn against us; therefore it will be suitable that we attack him ere he prepares his army and marches towards us.’ After this consultation the tribe Hoâzân entrusted Mâlek B. A’wuf Annassry—who was in the vigour of youth, and celebrated for his liberality and munificence—with the supreme command. The Bani Nassr, the Bani Khashym, the Bani Sa’d B. Bakr, and a number of the Bani Hallâl obeyed him, but the clans Ka’b and Kallâb, of the tribe Hoâzân, refused to do so. The chiefs of the Thaqyf also prepared an army and joined Mâlek B. A’wuf. Some allege that on this occasion the commander of the Thaqyf was Qâreb B. Alaswad; others, however, assert that their chief was Kunânah B. A’bd Shumâlyl Thaqfy. In fine, thirty thousand men had agreed to attack his holy and prophetic lordship, and took Woryd B. Ussamad—who was blind, one-handed, and sixty years of age, but distinguished by his great intelligence among the young and the old—along with them on their march. When they arrived in Awttâs, Woryd heard the crying of the children, the voices of females, and the bellowings of cattle, and asked: ‘What sounds are these which I hear?’ The people replied: ‘Mâlek B. A’wuf has brought the families and property of the combatants along with the army.’ Hereon Woryd called Mâlek, and asked him his reasons for bringing all these. Mâlek replied: ‘To induce the troops to be valiant in battle, for the sake of protecting their relatives, lest by becoming separated their name and reputation might be jeopardized. If their property is with them, they will fight bravely to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy, and in this manner they will also be hindered from fleeing.’ Woryd rejoined: ‘This is a mistaken opinion and a vain hope, because if circumstances compel the people to flee nothing will retain them, and if thou gainest the victory it will be solely attributable to the valour of the swordsmen and lancers. If, however, the contrary takes place, only disgrace and shame will fall to thy lot.’ He further asked where the Ka’b and the Kallâb clans were, and was told that they had not joined the army. Then he said: ‘Luck and activity have abandoned you; for if this had been a day of honour and exaltation to you the Ka’b and the Kallâb would not have stayed away. Would to God you had followed their example, and had not embarked in this business!’ After that he asked: ‘What chiefs of the people are present?’ And being told that A??mru B. A’amer and A’wuf B. A’amer were there, he said: ‘What can be expected from these two sheep?’ During this conversation Woryd also said to Mâlek: ‘It will be proper to remove the women, children, and property of the army to a strong fortress, and to march to the battle only with brave combatants.’ Mâlek, however, rejected this advice, and said: ‘O Woryd, thou art old. Dotage has overtaken thee, and thou knowest not what thou sayest.’ Woryd replied: ‘O ye Hoâzân tribe, Mâlek will disgrace you. Your wives, children, and property will fall into the hands of the enemy, whereon the dust of shame and misfortune will cover you. He will abandon you, and will run into the fort of Ttâyf. Discard him and return.’ These words made the people inclined to follow the old man’s advice. Mâlek, however, exclaimed: ‘O ye Hoâzân tribe, obey me, and mind not what anyone else says.’ Then he drew his sabre, leant with his breast against it, saying: ‘If you do not obey me, I shall fall on this sword so that it will come out at my back.’ The Hoâzân said: ‘If we are rebellious he will commit suicide, from a feeling of wounded honour. Woryd, being old, blind, and weak, is unable to command us, and we know of no other man able to do it.’ They therefore disregarded Woryd and adhered to Mâlek, who marched with them to Honayn.
When his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—was informed of the approach of the enemy, he despatched A’bdullah B. Abu Hadzar Aslamy to reconnoitre and to bring correct information. He also ordered the victorious army to make preparations for battle, and appointed A’bbâs B. Asyd to be his lieutenant in Mekkah. According to one tradition he marched with twelve thousand men—ten thousand of which belonged to his own army, and two thousand of those who had been liberated at Mekkah—and according to another with sixteen thousand, to Honayn. On that occasion he demanded one hundred cuirasses from Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, and the latter queried: ‘O Muhammad, wilt thou take them forcibly, or as a loan?’ His lordship replied: ‘As a loan.’ Then Ssafuwân loaded the cuirasses on his own camels, and sent them to that prince. A’bdullah B. Abu Hadzar obeyed orders, visited the camp of the enemy, and returned with the information that he had seen great numbers of men, with an immense quantity of arms and property; whereon his lordship answered, with a smile: ‘I hope all that property will become the plunder of the Musalmâns.’
It is said that Mâlek B. A’wuf had sent three men to spy out the army of Islâm; but they returned with fear and trembling, and when Mâlek asked them for the reason of their trepidation, they said: ‘When we arrived near the army of Muhammad we beheld men dressed in white riding piebald steeds, and we have never before seen men like them. It will now be proper for thee to return; for if thy army encounters those men, it will become as frightened as we are, and will flee.’ Mâlek, however, reproved the spies and kept them near himself, lest they might divulge what they had seen. Then he despatched another spy, who returned with the same news as the preceding ones. Mâlek persisted in his enmity in spite of this strange information [about the celestial warriors on piebald horses], until he was defeated.
It is said that when Ssiddyq Akbar scanned the multitudes of the army of Islâm, he said: ‘This day we shall not be conquered on account of the paucity of our army.’ Some biographers allege that these words had been uttered by another companion; but when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—heard them he was displeased, and on account of those words God the Most High and Glorious put the army of Islâm to flight in the beginning, to convince the people that victory can be gained only by the favour of the Omnipotent Sovereign, and not by great numbers; and with reference to this subject the verse ‘Verily, Allah has given you the victory,’ etc., was revealed.
Mâlek B. A’wuf had entered the Wâdy of Honayn before the arrival of the army of Islâm, leaving his troops in ambush, and ordering them to rush upon the Musalmâns as soon as they perceived them. The prophet reviewed his army just before the impending battle, giving a standard to O’mar B. Alkhattâb, another to A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.— another to Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss, and so on to the chief of each Arab tribe, and marched against the enemy. The passage, however, being narrow, the army of Islâm entered the Wâdy of Honayn in separate detachments by numerous routes. The opponents were watching their opportunity, attacked the Musalmâns suddenly, and so confused them that they fled. The first brigade which commenced to run was that of the Bani Salym, with the multitudes under Khâled B. Alwolyd, most of whom had no arms [having thrown them away in their flight?]. The defeat was so general that but a small number remained around the person of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—with the following heroes: A’li—u. w. b.—A’bdullah B. Masu’d, Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb with the children of Ja’fer, and Rabya’h with the sons of A’bbâs, Quthan and Fadzl, and Asâmah B. Zayd with his brother and the brother of his mother, Omm Ayman. When his holy and prophetic lordship perceived that his companions acted according to the proverb, ‘The tenets of apostles cannot put a stop to flight,’ he desired to comfort them with the words: ‘Do thou [O prophet] bear [the insults of thy people] with patience, as [our] apostles who were endued with constancy bore [the injuries of their people],’370 and to induce them to remain steadfast in the battle. He therefore several times repeated, with his pearl-dropping mouth, the words: ‘O ye helpers of Allah, and helpers of His prophet, I am the servant and the apostle of Allah.’ According to another tradition he said: ‘Where to, O men?’ The confusion of the Musalmâns was, however, so great that not one of them looked back. On that occasion the apostle of God impelled the camel on which he was mounted to move towards the enemy; but Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth took hold of its bridle, and A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, catching hold of the heaven-aspiring stirrup, would not allow him to proceed. Hereon his lordship shouted: ‘I am the prophet! I do not lie! I am the son of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb.’
Jâber—Allah reward him!—says: ‘We marched as far as the Wâdy of Honayn, where the enemy was concealed in ambush in a gorge. All of a sudden we perceived a multitude, armed with swords and lances, rushing at us and putting us all to flight, so that no man cared for another man. The apostle turned to the right side of the Wâdy, to which place also nine of the Bani A’bd-ul-Muttalleb hastened, and guarded him, taking up their positions around his camel. On that occasion Mâlek B. A’wuf exclaimed: ‘Point out Muhammad to me!’ And when he learned where the prophet was, he hastened towards him, but Ayman, the son of Omm Ayman, obstructed his way, and fought with him till he attained martyrdom. After that Mâlek tried much to approach the apostle of God, but his horse refused to move.
It is related that when the Musalmâns had fled and were dispersed, the Qoraish idolaters and a number of Mekkans, who had been compelled nolens volens to embrace Islam on the day the city was taken, rejoiced and vented their feelings of envy, uttering expressions resembling those of Abu Sofyân B. Harb, who said: ‘The companions of Muhammad are flying so furiously that they will halt nowhere until they reach the seashore.’ Another man exclaimed: ‘Good news to thee, O Ssafuwân: Muhammad and his friends have fled from the battle-field!’ And Kaldah B. Hanbal, the maternal brother of Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, said: ‘This is a day on which sorcery becomes useless.’ But Ssafuwân replied to everyone, saying: ‘Be silent! May Allah break thy jaws! If a man of the Qoraish is my ruler, I am more pleased than when one of the Hoâzân becomes governor.’
There is a tradition of Muhammad B. Esahâq that Shaybah B. O’thmân B. Abu Ttolhah stated as follows: ‘When the prophet marched to Honayn I was also present, intending to wreak vengeance upon him if opportunity served for the deaths of my father and brother, who had been killed at Ohod. When the two armies met, and the Musalmâns had been put to flight, but the apostle of God had remained, I alighted from my camel, bared my sword, and intended to attack him from the right side; I, however, caught sight of A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb standing in a white cuirass which shone like silver, and cleaning the dust from the person of that prince. I then said to myself: “This is the uncle of Muhammad, and I can do nothing to him on this side. Then I meant to rush at him from the left, but there I perceived his uncle’s son, Abu Sofyân B. Alhâreth, protecting him, and saw that I could not touch him with a lance in that direction. Accordingly, I determined to get at him with my sword from the rear, but I perceived a flame of fire, like lightning, which intervened between him and me, so that I was nearly burned. This so frightened me that I covered my eyes with my hands, and that very instant his lordship happened to cast a glance at me, saying: “O Shaybah, come nearer!” When I approached he placed his hand on my breast, and exclaimed: “O God, drive away Satan from him!” I swear by God that then his lordship became dearer to me than my own ears and eyes. Then I began to fight the infidels by order of his lordship, and if at that time my father had been alive, and had been an enemy of the apostle of God, and had encountered me, I would have slain him.’
It is said that in the morning of the day of Honayn, when the Musalmâns had been dispersed, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—said to A’bbâs, who had a strong voice: ‘Call our friends in this manner: “O ye Anssâr, O ye companions of brownness, O ye companions of the chapter of the cow.”’371 Abbâs obeyed, and the companions who heard his exclamation hastened from all directions to wait upon the prince of existences, whom they found to be safe. The first crowd who enjoyed the felicity of kissing the heaven-aspiring stirrup consisted of a number of Anssâr, whom his lordship asked: ‘Are there any others with you?’ They replied: ‘No; but if thou wilt go to Rak A’mâd, we shall not fail to serve thee, and to place our very lives at thy disposal.’ After that the army became victorious, as God the Most High has said in the glorious Qurân: ‘Allah afterwards sent down His security upon His apostle and upon the faithful, and sent down troops [of angels] which ye saw not,’ etc., to the end of the verse.372
It is related that when the companions had, in consequence of the call of O’thmân [supra A’bbâs], assembled around the apostle of God to the number of nearly one hundred, they again attacked the enemy with perfect confidence, and his lordship exclaimed: ‘Now the furnace of war is heated, and the fires of the battle are kindled.’ During the contest the apostle of God alighted from his camel, took up a handful of earth, saying, ‘The countenances are touched,’ and, in fact, there was not a single eye into which some of that earth had not entered, and some traditions have it that their mouths were filled with earth. After that he mounted a camel, and implored the Lord of Glory to vouchsafe him the victory. Then the breeze of conquest wafted over the army of Islâm, and the infidels fled in confusion. There is a tradition that his lordship ordered his camel to stoop, and that he took up a handful of earth in this position. There is also a statement that he had taken up the earth by order of Jebrâil, and some allege that A’li took up a handful of soil according to the command, which he handed to the prince of the inhabitants of the world. Jâber the Anssâri states: ‘The noise of the gravel, which the apostle of God projected in the battle of Honayn, at the faces of the idolaters, so struck my ears that I imagined sand was being poured out from the sky into a dish;’ and this event is referred to in the blessed verse: ‘Neither didst thou, O Muhammad, cast [the gravel into their eyes] when thou didst [seem to] cast it; but Allah cast [it], that He might prove the true believers by a gracious trial from Himself.’373 There is also a tradition that in the said battle every stone and every tree assumed in the eyes of the opponents the shape of a trooper pursuing them. There is a tradition of Jobayr B. Motta’m that he said: ‘When the Musalmâns drew their swords and attacked the infidels, I perceived something black descending from the sky, which fell down between us and the enemy. Looking closely at the object, I discovered it to be a mass of black ants, which became so numerous that they filled the length and breadth of that Wâdy. In connection with this circumstance the glorious companions overpowered the professors of heresy and of hypocrisy, but I entertain no doubt that those ants were angels.’ Sa’yd, the son of Jobayr, states: ‘God the Most High and Glorious sent five thousand [angels?] to aid us.’ It is related of Mâlek B. Awus that he said: ‘Some of my people who were present in the battle have related that when his holy and prophetic lordship threw a handful of gravel against us there was not a single man on our side whose eyes it had not touched. Our hearts began to trepidate, and great confusion overwhelmed us. Between the sky and the earth I perceived men dressed in white garments and mounted on piebald horses. They had sashes on both shoulders, and we became so frightened that we were unable to look at them.’ It is on record that after the termination of the battle one of the opponents asked: ‘Where have those men dressed in white and mounted on piebald horses gone to, by whose efforts alone we have been defeated?’ When these words were reported to the august mind of his lordship he said: ‘They were angels.’
It is related that in the Wâdy of Honayn an idolater, Abu Jardal by name, was riding towards the Musalmâns on a camel. He was a fearless warrior and great shedder of blood, so corpulent and tall that none of the Arabs dared to encounter him in single combat, or to attack him. In his perfect self-confidence and pride Abu Jardal was on that day reciting Rajaz verses and challenging an opponent; the victorious companions, however, hesitated to fight him, but all of a sudden the lion of attack, and son of the Mussttafa’s uncle [i.e., A’li] rushed on Abu Jardal, and slew that obdurate wretch with his bright scimitar in such a manner that the sanguinary planet Mars was astonished, the professors of Islâm were comforted, and the idolaters discomfited.
Four men of the victorious army attained the honour of martyrdom, seventy of the opponents departed to hell, and the Hoâzân, with the Thaqyf, fled from the battle-field in the most abject manner. On that day six thousand cloaks, twenty-four thousand camels, forty thousand Oqyas of silver, and more than forty thousand sheep, fell into the hands of the professors of monotheism and piety. In consequence of this victory, many hypocrites and heretics became adorned with the decoration of the Faith, entered the circle of adherence to his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—and placed their heads on the line of obedience.
After the companions had again become victorious in the battle, by an increase of Divine favour, the opponents dispersed in three directions. One detachment proceeded with Mâlek B. A’wuf to the fort of Ttâyf, another fled into the Battyn [low country] of Nakhlah, and the third hastened to Awttâs in order to guard the property there. His lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—whose luminous mind was the depository of the evident signs [i.e., verses of the Qurân] despatched Abu A’amer Asha’ry with a detachment, in which was also Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm and Abu Mûsa Asha’ry, the cousin of Abu A’amer, in pursuit of the fugitives towards Awttâs. The Musalmân forces overtook the opponents after traversing the necessary distance, and used their swords and lances to gain the approbation of God the Most High. While, however, the fire of contention and battle was raging, Abu A’amer, the commander of the glorious army, attained the honour of martyrdom, while Abu Mûsa, making the best use of the weapons for piercing and striking, put the infidels to flight, and Woryd B. Ussamad, the general of the idolaters, or, according to another tradition, Ebn Al-da’h, departed to hell.
This victory became the cause of many others, and the victorious troops hastened in due order to the foot-osculation of the prince of former and of latter times. After Mâlek B. A’wuf had been put to flight, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—ordered the spoils to be collected in the place called Joghrân, in order to distribute them as an opportunity occurred, the surveillance over the plunder and the captives being meanwhile entrusted to A’bâd B. Bashar the Anssâry. One of the prisoners was Asmâ, the daughter of Hâreth B. A’bdu-l-’uzza, whom the companions treated harshly in her captivity, although she repeatedly assured them that she had been the milk-sister of the prophet. They would not believe her, but at last placed her on a camel and conveyed her to the exalted presence of his lordship, to whom she said: “I am thy foster-sister, O apostle of God.’ He replied: ‘There must be a sign to prove it.’ Accordingly she mentioned some circumstances in her remembrance, and as soon as the prophet recognised her he leapt up from his seat, and, spreading out his sacred Redâ, honoured Asmâ with a seat thereon. Tears trickled from his sacred cheeks, and he inquired about Halymah, as well as about her husband. Asmâ replied: ‘It is a long time since they have departed from this to the next world.’ His holy and prophetic lordship continued: ‘If thou art inclined to remain with us thou wilt be honoured and respected, but if not I shall give thee something wherewith to return to thy country.’ But according to the proverb, ‘The love of one’s country is a part of religion,’ Asmâ preferred to depart, and was presented by his lordship with one girl, three slaves, camels, and sheep. Kasyl reports that there exists a tradition to the effect that when Asmâ became adorned with the decoration of the Faith, and returned to her country, her people said: ‘Why hast thou not asked the apostle of God to pardon the trespass of Bajâd?’ This man was a connection of Halymah, and his crime consisted in having one day cut a Musalmân to pieces and burnt him. His lordship had therefore issued orders—on the occasion when he sent his victorious troops in pursuit of the fugitives of Honayn—to capture Bajâd. This having been done, the man was kept prisoner till Asmâ arrived and interceded for him at the request of her people, whereon he was pardoned. His lordship questioned Asmâ also about her other relatives, and she replied: ‘My brother, sister, and uncle are still living.’ His lordship said: ‘Return and live with thy people in Joghrân, for I shall go to Ttâyf, shall meet you again next year in Joghrân, and make arrangements for your subsistence.’ Accordingly, when his lordship paid a visit to Asmâ and to her people in the just-named place, he presented her and her relatives with a great deal of property and cattle.
THE GHAZWAH OF TTÂYF.
It has been narrated above that a number of idolaters had left the battle-field in dismay with Mâlek B. A’wuf and had gone to Ttâyf. Some of those people were of the tribe Hoâzân and some of the Thaqyf, who had, before the battle and subsequent flight, strengthened and provisioned that citadel for a whole year; accordingly they garrisoned and closed it, being again prepared for war. When this information came to the knowledge of his lordship, who was the promulger of the signs of mercy [i.e., verses of the Qurân], he concluded to march in that direction and to conquer the fort. He then entrusted A’li B. Abu Ttâleb— u. w. b.—with the glorious standard, and sent Abu O’baydah Jurrâh, or according to another tradition Khâled B. Alwolyd, with one thousand valiant combatants for a vanguard, and marched after them himself to Ttâyf with the rest of the army. During the journey the castle of Mâlek B. A’wuf, near which the army passed, was burnt by order of the prophet, who arrived at his destination after performing the march, and encamped near the fort, the garrison of which, however, poured forth a shower of arrows, wounding numerous Musalmâns; therefore, the august camp was shifted to a position where the mosque of Ttâyf stands at present. On that occasion Ttofayl B. A’mru, who had gone to demolish the idol-temple of Dhu-l-Kayf, returned, and joined the victorious army with four hundred men of his own people and tribe, who carried with them appliances needed for a siege. His holy and prophetic lordship also ordered his glorious companions to fell the date-trees and to destroy the vineyards of the neighbourhood. Perceiving these operations, the people of the fort began to lament and to implore his lordship to show mercy for the sake of God and the poor cultivators, and to order the soldiers to cease felling the trees; but his lordship replied: ‘I abandon them to the mercy of God.’ During this siege, which lasted eighteen or, according to others, forty days, great battles took place, so that many of the glorious companions were wounded; twelve of them tasted the beverage of martyrdom, and one of the martyrs of Ttâyf was A’bdullah B. Abu Bakr Ssiddyq. While the siege lasted his lordship one day issued orders for a proclamation to be made to the effect that, ‘Everyone coming from the fort to us shall be free,’ in consequence of which nearly twenty slaves came down, attained the felicity of carpet-osculation, and were all manumitted by his lordship, who delivered their necks from the yoke of slavery, allotting each of them to a Musalmân, who had to provide for him. Afterwards, when the people of Ttâyf waited upon the prince of this world, professed the Faith, and surrendered the keys of the fort, they said: ‘O apostle of God, restore to us our slaves.’ His lordship replied: ‘They are freemen of the God of mankind, and will never again be your serfs.’ It is related that during the siege of Ttâyf his holy and prophetic lordship — u. w. b. — called A’li B. Abu Ttâleb and communicated many secrets to him, whereat the people were astonished, and said to each other: ‘The prophet of God has told many wonderful and long secrets to the son of his uncle.’ But when his lordship heard this, he said: ‘I did not tell him mysteries, but God the Most High did’—meaning, ‘I spoke to A’li by the command of God.’
Distich: Parrot-like I was kept before a mirror;
What the eternal master told me to say, I said.
It is related that during the siege of Ttâyf his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—once had a dream, in which he saw a large pitcher full of milk, or, according to another tradition, of fresh butter, and before he stretched forth his hand to taste it a cock made its appearance, which touched the pitcher with its beak and emptied all its contents. When his lordship narrated this dream to Ssiddyq [i.e., Abu Bakr], who was an excellent interpreter, he replied: ‘O apostle of God, this vision means that thou art not allowed to take the fort this year.’ His lordship believed Ssiddyq, and replied: ‘Thou hast spoken the truth, for I have myself thus explained my dream.’
It is related that Khowlah, the spouse of O’thmân B. Motta’wun, requested the apostle of God to give her the trinkets and ornaments of the daughter of A’ylân and of the daughter of Sohayl when he conquered the fort, because these two women were, by their great property and numerous camels, distinguished above all the other women of Ttâyf. His lordship, however, replied: ‘How can I give thee the ornaments of even one of these two women, since we are not allowed to take the fort?’ She reported these words to the great Fârûq [i.e., O’mar], and he also asked: ‘O apostle of God, is it certain that the fort will not be taken?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ O’mar accordingly issued marching orders with the consent of his lordship, and the professors of Islâm being displeased with them, asked: ‘How can we return without having taken the fort?’ His lordship rejoined: ‘Then fight!’ The companions therefore attacked the fort, but again returned after receiving many wounds. His lordship then said: ‘To-morrow we shall march away, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.’ This time, however, the victorious army was greatly pleased, and marched away from the fort the next day.
It is related in some biographies that, while the siege of Ttâyf was being carried on, his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—appointed A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—with a number of glorious companions to make excursions into the country, and to destroy every idol they could find. The lord A’li—u. w. b.—obeyed orders and started, but encountered on the road a number of valiant men of the tribe Khusha’m, among whom there was a man so confident of his strength that he came out from among the people desiring to fight a duel, and as none of the professors of Islâm ventured to fight that idolater in single combat, A’li B. Abu Ttaleb—u. w. b.—at last responded to the challenge, despite of the protests of Abu-l-a’ass B. Rabyi’, who was the son-in-law of the apostle of God, and who said: ‘It is not proper that the commander of the force should begin the combat, seeing that there are so many others. The Commander of the Faithful, however, replied: ‘No other man is willing to go, and if I am slain, thou must take the command.’ Thereon A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—met the traitor, and sent him with one stroke of his bright scimitar to the abode of perdition; afterwards he destroyed all the idols of the Bani Hoâzân and of the Bani Thaqyf which were in that region. The apostle was waiting for his return near the gate of the fort of Ttâyf, and as soon as the prince of saints had terminated his business, he joined the august camp, was received by the seal [i.e., the last] of prophets—u. w. b.— with the exclamation of the Takbyr, and was led into privacy, where the communication of mysteries, alluded to above, took place. Ja’ber relates that while the prophet and A’li were closeted together, O’mar entered, and said: ‘O apostle of God, tellest thou secrets to A’li?’ And when his lordship gave the reply already mentioned [above], Fârûq repented of his question, returned, and said to himself: ‘I fear this opposition will end like that of Hodaybiah.’ A man who had been present in the Ghazwah of Ttâyf said: ‘When we were marching away, I rode by the side of the apostle of God, and happened to wear heavy sandals on my feet. The two camels accidentally approached each other so closely that my sandal touched his blessed leg, whereon his lordship struck my foot with his whip, saying: “Go a little further, because my leg is aching.” The next day, however, he sent a man to call me, and I said to myself: “Yesterday my sandal gave him pain, and possibly he will punish me to-day.” But when I obtained the honour of foot-osculation, he said: “Yesterday I struck thy foot with my whip, and to-day I have summoned thee to accept the reparation.” And he gave me fifty Bunhahs.’374 Another companion says: ‘When the apostle of God arrived in the locality of Qurn, he rode the she-camel Qasswy, and I was riding by his side. His lordship, desiring to strike the animal with his whip, accidentally struck me, then looked at me, and asked: “Has my whip touched thee?” I said: “Yes, O apostle of God; may my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee;” and when we halted at Joghrânah [supra Joghrân] he gave me one hundred and twenty sheep as a reparation, and, beginning with this capital of the sheep, I became [gradually] a man of property and opulence.’