Rawżat al-ṣafā fi sīrat al-anbiya' va-'l-muluk va-'l-hulafa' - The Rauzat-us-Safa (Rehatsek), Part 2, Volume 2

LARGESSES OF THE APOSTLE OF MEN AND DEMONS, AND
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPOILS OF HONAYN.

When the apostle of God encamped in Joghrânah, he scattered gifts with his blessed hands, and bestowed rich presents on a number of new Musalmâns who had been surnamed Mûlfat Qulûb. It is related that when the ready cash of the spoils was brought to his lordship, Abu Sofyân, who was very covetous, made good use of the opportunity, presented himself in the august assembly, and said: ‘O apostle of God, this day thou art the richest man among the Qoraish!’ His lordship smiled, whereon Abu Sofyân, intent on his own profit, continued: ‘Give me some of this property.’ Then his lordship ordered forty Oqyas of silver to be given to him, to which also one hundred camels were added. Abu Sofyân hereon said: ‘Rejoice my son Yazid with a gift.’ Hereon, at a signal of his lordship, the same amount was bestowed on Yazid. Abu Sofyân was, however, not yet satisfied, and asked: ‘Where is the share of my son Moa’wiah?’ His lordship then ordered forty Oqyas of silver and one hundred camels to be given to Moa’wiah likewise. Then Abu Sofyan exclaimed: ‘May my mother and father be a sacrifice for thee! I swear by Allah that thou art liberal in war and in peace, and that thou hast been most bountiful and kind; may God reward thee!’ In the same way he bestowed one hundred camels on Hakym B. Huzâm, and added at his request one hundred more. Every one of the Arab chiefs, such as Sohayl B. A’mru, and Ssafuwân B. Ommyah, and Hoyttab B. A’bdu-l-u’zza, and Asyd B. Hârethah Thaqfy, and Hâreth B. Heshâm the brother of Abu Jahl, and Qays B. A’dy, and Afza’ B. Hâbes Yatmy, and O’tbah B. Hossyn Farâzy, were rejoiced with a present of one hundred camels each. Others, like Heshâm B. A’mru A’amery, and Makhranah B. Naofel, and Sa’yd B. Marbuu’, who were not comprised in the above number, received fifty camels each. There are, however, two opinions on this subject among the U’lamâ, some alleging that these gifts were bestowed from the fifth part, and others that they were given from the whole booty.

It is related that on the above occasion A’bbâs B. Murdâs Aslamy received [not more than] four camels, and was grieved on that account. In his anger he recited some distichs, which his lordship overheard, turned to A’li Bin Abu Ttâleb and said: ‘Get up and rescind his tongue from me!’ A’li obeyed, took A’bbâs by the hand, went away with him, and A’bbâs asked: ‘Wilt thou cut off my tongue?’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘I shall do what the apostle of God has commanded me.’ Thus they proceeded till they arrived where the flocks of camels were. A’li then said to A’bbâs: ‘Choose one hundred from these camels.’ A’bbâs replied: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! How liberal, beneficent and knowing you are!’ A’bbâs says: ‘On that occasion A’li spoke to me as follows: “The apostle of God had given thee four camels, because he considered thee to be one of the number of Anssâr, Mohâjer, and intimate friends. If, therefore, thou art inclined to be considered one of those who partook in the Flight and afforded aid, thou must be content with four, but if thou desirest to be numbered with the Mûlfat Qulûb, take one hundred camels.” I rejoined: “What sayest thou in this matter?” And A’li continued: “It will be better for thee to be satisfied with the gift of God and of the apostle, and not to be deceived by the goods of this world, which are only unrighteous gain:”

Distich:

Aspire to high ends, because God and the people Will esteem thee according to thy aspirations.

A’bbâs continues: ‘I said to A’li: “I shall agree to whatever thou likest, and as thou art second only to the apostle, I shall obey thy orders.”’

In a tradition it is stated that when the prince of existences —u. w. b.—had gladdened the hearts of the Qoraish princes and of all the Arab chiefs with abundant gifts, to attach them more to Islâm, and to [make them content at] their being [now] Musalmâns, he gave nothing at all either to the nobles, or to any of the Anssâr, on account of the trust and confidence he had reposed in them. Some of them, nevertheless, vented their feelings of anger and grief by expressing to each other sentiments like the following: ‘He bestows these gifts on the Qoraish and on all the tribes, but we receive nothing.’ According to another tradition, they said: ‘This man, having arrived among his relatives and cousins, wishes to do them good; but wherever there is work and trouble, he sends us to undergo it, although our swords have been dripping with the blood of these idolaters.’ When his lordship heard of this state of things, he ordered the Anssâr to congregate in a tent, excluding all other persons. He then addressed them as follows, after offering praises and thanksgivings to the Almighty: ‘O ye Anssâr, what words are these I have heard about you? Have you uttered them or not?’ The principal men of that assemblage then replied: ‘O prophet of God, our old men and chiefs have said nothing, and only youths have spoken in that manner.’ His lordship continued: ‘Have I not come to you when you were in a fiery pit from which God the Most High has delivered you?’ The Anssâr said: ‘Yes; thanks be to Allah and to His prophet.’ According to another tradition, however, he said: ‘Have I not found you in aberration, and has not the Most High guided you through me?’ The Anssâr having acknowledged the verity of the assertions of the promulgator of truth, he continued: ‘Have you not been foes to each other, and has not God made you friends through my instrumentality? Have you not been few, and God has made you many? Have you not been destitute, and has not the Most High made you rich?’ The Anssâr approved of all these sentiments, and the prophet— u. w. b.—asked: ‘O ye Anssâr, why do you not answer me?’ They queried: ‘What reply can we give thee; may our fathers and mothers be a sacrifice to thee! Thou hast conferred obligations and favours upon us, and He who knows all secrets is a witness to these words.’ The apostle of God continued: ‘Say whatever you like, and be veracious.’ They replied: ‘Thou hast come to us when the people were accusing thee of falsehood but we knew thee to be truthful. No one cared for thee, but we have helped and assisted thee. Thou hast been expelled from thy country, but we have received thee in ours. Thou wast poor and destitute, but we were liberal towards thee. Thou hast come in fear, but we have given thee security.’ His lordship rejoined: ‘What you say is all true.’ At these words the Anssâr began to weep; the old men among them arose, and, being ennobled by kissing the hands and knees of the prophet—u. w. b.—they said: ‘O apostle of Allah, we are pleased with God and with His prophet. Let Him distribute our private property if He likes, because our minds are not bent on the goods of this world. Our grief and fear was to be separated from thee, and not on account of the smallness of our possessions.’ His holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—replied: ‘The Qoraish are yet near to ignorance; I desired to remedy their misfortune and to rivet their hearts to the Faith.’ According to another tradition, he said: ‘O ye Anssâr, be not angry, for I give property to the Mûlfat Qulûb, but you I leave with your Faith, and trust to your perfect sincerity. Do you agree that others return to their homes with camels and sheep, but you with the apostle of God. I swear by Allah that what you return with is better than what the [other] people return with.’ After that he said: ‘To Ja’yl B. Sorâqah, who is one of my poor but sincere and illustrious companions, I have given nothing; but to every one of the O’tbahs and Afza’hs I have given one hundred camels, although Ja’yl is more dear to me than a world full of O’tbahs and Afza’hs. I am certain of his profession of Islâm, and [by bestowing gifts on the others] my intention was to gain the people over, and to induce them to make a profession of the Faith. I mean, nevertheless, to write a document to the effect that after my decease Bahrayn—a better place than which does not exist among the localities God the Most High has vouchsafed to allow us to conquer —should be your own peculiar domain.’ Now the Anssâr again commenced to lament and to weep, saying: ‘O apostle of God, after thy decease we have no need of this world, nor of the goods thereof. May the day never arrive when the shadow of thy favour will be removed from above our heads!’ His lordship rejoined: ‘There is no remedy against that day. After my time, when difficulties beset you, you are to remain steadfast and patient, that you may meet Allah and His prophet without shame and confusion. Your portion will be the lake Kawthar,³⁷⁵ the length and the breadth whereof is as large as the distance between Ssana’â and O’mân, and the number of its vessels exceeds that of the stars.’ According to another tradition, he said: ‘After me you will encounter [various] events, but you must remain steadfast till you meet me near the lake.’ He also said: ‘The Anssâr are my intimate friends, and the confidants of my secret. If the people walk one way, and the Anssâr another, I shall follow the latter. O God, pardon the Anssâr, and the children of the Anssâr, and pardon the Anssâr!’ Then the Anssâr began to weep so vehemently for joy and gladness that their moustaches were moistened [by their tears]. They poured forth their thanksgivings to God the Most High that they had not been decoyed by [the love of] riches, and that they had not apostatized from God and from the apostle.

It is related that a number of the Hoâzân, who had arrived at Joghrânah to kiss the feet of his holy and prophetic lordship, became Musalmâns, and informed his lordship that the rest of their tribe had made profession of Islâm, and said: ‘O apostle, we have families and clans, nor are the calamities and troubles which have befallen us unknown to thee. Oblige us now, and have mercy on us. May Allah reward thee!’ It is related that among the nobles of those people the foster-uncle of his prophetic lordship and Zobayr B. Ssaru Sa’dy, the spokesman of that tribe, made their appearance in the august assembly, and said: ‘O apostle of God, we had entrusted Hâreth B. Abu Shammar Ghusâny and Nu’mân B. Mundhar with our government, which has at present fallen into thy hands. They dealt with us justly and mercifully; and now we expect from thy kind disposition that thou wilt restore to us the property and the captives thou hast taken among us, because some of these are thy foster-aunts on the paternal and the maternal side. As thou art the best security, withdraw not thy favour from us, have mercy on us unhappy ones, and abandon us to our affairs, because all affairs depend upon thy kindness.’ His lordship the prince of existences replied: ‘I delayed the division of the spoils, because I waited for your arrival and your negotiation on this subject. You have, however, arrived too late, and you see how many people are with me. Nevertheless, of all kinds of words, I love the true ones best. Make, therefore, your choice, and take back either your property or the captives.’ They replied: ‘We cannot abandon our families and children, taking sheep or camels instead of them, and cannot speak one word on this subject.’ His lordship replied: ‘I have reserved for you the share of the Bani A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and I shall ask the people to surrender their portion to you. When I hold the matutinal prayers you must rise and ask me to intercede for you with the Musalmâns.’ After the meridian devotions the Hoâzân people did what the apostle had told them; and, first uttering praises to God with his pearl-dropping lips, his lordship addressed the congregation as follows: ‘Your brothers have come to us penitent and as Musalmâns. I have decided to restore to them their captives. Let, therefore, everyone who is inclined to comply do so; and let everyone who is not inclined to part with his share retain it; and we shall give him in lieu thereof a portion of the property which God the Most High has been pleased to bestow on us.’ All, however, who were present in the assembly replied: ‘O apostle of God, we unanimously and gladly agree to thy proposal.’

In some historical works it is recorded that when the tribe Hoâzân asked in the assembly of the apostle of God for the restitution of their property, his lordship said: ‘I give you my share and that of the Bani Hâshem.’ Hereon the Mohâjer rose and exclaimed: ‘Our share belongs to the lord of prophecy.’ These words were likewise repeated by the Anssâr; but Afza’ B. Hâbes, the leader of the [Bani] Salym, and O’tbah B. Hossyn Farâzah, the chief of the Bani Farâzah, said: ‘We and our people do not agree with this statement.’ A’bbâs B. Murdâs then said: ‘I and the Bani Salym do not agree with this assertion.’ The Bani Salym, however, accusing him of falsehood, said: ‘Whatever belongs to us belongs to the apostle of God.’ Then his holy and prophetic lordship said: ‘To everyone who refuses [to part with his share] I shall give six camels for every prisoner [whom he will now surrender] from the first booty which God the Most High vouchsafes to bestow on us.’ When the glorious companions beheld the endeavours of his lordship to get the prisoners released, they liberated all of them. Meanwhile his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—asked the Hoâzân people: ‘Where is Mâlek B. A’wuf?’ They said: ‘In the fort of Ttayf.’ His lordship continued: ‘If he comes to us and makes a profession of Islâm, we shall restore to him his family and property, and moreover give him a present of one hundred camels.’ As soon as this news was communicated to Mâlek, he joyfully made his appearance at Joghrânah, was made happy by being allowed to kiss the feet of his lordship the apostle, and was adorned with the decoration of the Faith. His lordship not only kept his promise, but appointed Mâlek to be governor of his own and of several other tribes, and then dismissed him.

On the 12th of the month Dhu-l-qa’dah, in the eighth year [after the Flight], his lordship donned the Ehrâm³⁷⁶ for the pilgrimage, and departed from Joghrânah to Mekkah, where he performed the ceremonies, appointed E’tâb B. Asyd governor of the city, and left Moa’adh B. Jabal there, with Abu Mûsa Asha’ry, to strengthen the foundations of the edifice of Islâm, and to explain the laws and tenets of the religion, he having himself first also instructed them. He appointed Abu Sofyân B. Harb to be governor of Bahrân, which is situated in Yemen, and sent with him Kathyr B. A’bdullah as his assistant. After terminating these affairs the prince of existences again departed from Mekkah, returned to Joghrânah, distributed the spoils there, and arrived in Madinah at the end of the month Dhu-l-qa’dah.

One of the events of this year was that four men of the Bani Tha’lebah were made happy by being allowed to wait on the prince of this world, and to speak as follows: ‘We are envoys from our people, and we have heard that Islâm cannot be perfect without exile.’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘Be pious wherever you are, and your [profession of] Islâm will be perfect, nor will it be the least injured on account of your not having undergone exile.’ They were, by order of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— received in the house of Ramlah, the daughter of Alhâreth, and hospitably entertained for several days. Then every one of them was presented with four Oqyas of silver and dismissed.

In this year Zaynab, the daughter of the apostle of God, departed from the mansion of frailty to that of eternity. A bier was made for her, which was the first ever used in Islâm. She had been the wife of Abu-l-a’ass B. Rabyi’, by whom she had two children, namely A’li, whom his holy and prophetic lordship allowed to sit behind himself on the same camel when Mekkah was conquered, and thus entered the city. That boy had almost reached the age of puberty when he bade farewell to this perishable world. The other was the girl Amâmah, whom A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—married after the decease of Fattimah Zohrah—u. w. b.—who had herself recommended him to do this. During this year Ebrâhim, the son of the prophet, was born, and when this news was conveyed to his lordship by Abu Râfi’, he presented him with a slave and an Aqyqah.³⁷⁷ When the head of Ebrâhim was shaved his lordship distributed alms of silver, weighing as much as the hair, which was afterwards buried.

GHAZWAH OF TABUK, AND EVENTS OF THE NINTH YEAR
AFTER THE FLIGHT.³⁷⁸

One of the events of this year was that his lordship the best of men sent A’li B. Abu Ttâleb with one hundred troopers to the tribe Bani Ttây to destroy the idol-temple of Falas, which was in their country. The companions attended the stirrups of this exalted personage, started, and reached one morning the Ttây tribe without the cognizance of the latter. They began the work of plunder and demolition by burning the temple and razing it. The professors of Islâm obtained much booty, as well as a great number of camels; but Hâttim Ttây, the chief of the people, who is so well known that he need not be described in this place, fled and took refuge in Syria. After A’li the Commander of the Faithful had separated one-fifth of the spoils, he distributed the remainder among the glorious companions. The daughter, however, of Hâttim, who was a beautiful woman, he did not allot to anyone, but conveyed to Madinah, and kept her in the house where it was customary to lodge prisoners. One day, when his holy and prophetic lordship was walking to the mosque, the daughter of Hâttim stepped out from the house, accosted him on the road, and said: ‘O apostle of God, my father has perished, and my protector has disappeared. Have mercy on me, and God will have mercy on thee.’ The apostle of God asked: ‘Who is thy protector?’ She said: ‘My brother A’dy.’ He rejoined: ‘That man is a fugitive from Allah and from His prophet.’ Having uttered these words, he hastened to his destination. Next day, when his lordship passed by, the daughter of Hâttim reiterated her petition, but received the same answer. The third day, when he passed near the door of that house, the daughter of Hâttim advanced, in spite of her despair and hopeless condition, saying: ‘O apostle of Allah, I am the daughter of the prince and chief of my tribe. My father has departed to the eternal world, and my brother has fled to Syria. Have mercy on me and liberate me, that God the Most High and Glorious may have mercy on thee.’ This time her petition was responded to, and his lordship made arrangements for surrendering her to a number of her neighbours on their arrival in Madinah, which actually took place after the expiration of a few days, his lordship investing her with a garment of honour, bestowing on her various benefits, and rejoicing her with many favours, he gave her permission to depart with that company wherever she liked. The daughter of Hâttim departed, however, to Syria, where she met A’dy B. Hâttim, blamed him in many ways, and related to him her adventures; and when A’dy was discussing with his sister the propriety of meeting his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—she replied: ‘Muhammad is either a prophet or a king, and in either case it is incumbent on thee to visit him.’ This chief of the Ttây tribe accordingly travelled to Madinah, where he arrived when his lordship happened to be in the mosque. When he entered the former asked him: ‘Who art thou?’ He replied: ‘A’dy B. Hâttim Ttây.’ A mosque, however, not being a fit place to converse with a professor of idolatry, his lordship rose, returned to his sacred mansion, and was followed by A’dy. On the road a feeble old woman met and stopped the apostle of God, and conversed a long time with him till he satisfied her wishes. When A’dy beheld this great condescension on the part of the seal of prophets—u. w. b.—he said to himself: ‘This is a characteristic of prophets and apostles.’ After the apostle of God had terminated his conversation with the old woman he walked to his sacred habitation, which he entered, and threw down a bolster of goat-leather stuffed with fibres of the date-tree for A’dy to sit upon, saying: ‘Take a seat in this place.’ A’dy refrained at first, but complied at last, on account of the entreaties of the apostle of God; and when he to whom the words Lao lâka³⁸¹ had been addressed took his place on the bare ground A’dy said to himself: ‘This act is also not one of kings and sovereigns, but one of the good qualities of prophets and of apostles.’ After both had sat down the lord of apostleship said: ‘O A’dy, thou hast professed such and such a religion and sect, but hast done such and such an act which is not licit in thy religion and sect.’ By these words A’dy was convinced that his lordship was an inspired prophet, and the latter continued: ‘O A’dy, perhaps the smallness of the means and the greatness of the necessities of the Musalmâns hinders thee from professing Islâm. I swear by Allah that riches will soon become so plentiful among them that there will be no persons found to take possession of them. Or perhaps the great number of the opponents and the paucity of the professors of Islâm prohibit thee from embracing it? I swear by God that if thy life is prolonged thou wilt see the professors of Islâm very numerous and their enemies very inconsiderable, so that even a woman will be able to mount a camel and to arrive from Qâdesyah to circumambulate the Ka’bah, and will fear no one except God the Most High and His prophet. Or perhaps, because thou seest the power and government in the hands of the foes of our religion, thou art unwilling to embrace it? I swear by God that the time is at hand when thou wilt hear of the white castles of the country of Babel having been conquered by the Musalmâns.’

It is related of A’dy, that he said: ‘After the apostle of God had uttered the above words, he invited me to make a profession of Islâm, whereon I was adorned with the decoration of the Faith, and after the demise of the prophet I lived to see the fulfilment of two of the predictions he had made. One of them was the conquest of the castles, and the other the travelling of a lone woman to Mekkah, and I have no doubt that the third will also be fulfilled.’ Let it, however, not remain concealed from the intelligent reader, that A’dy was made happy by kissing the feet of his lordship in the tenth year after the Flight, but for the sake of the context this conversion has been [now] inserted.

One of the events of this year was that during it his holy and prophetic lordship swore an oath that he would, during one month, not have any intercourse or association with his spouses. For this oath various reasons have been assigned, and one of them is as follows: On a certain day the apostle condescended to enter the apartment of Hafssah, the daughter of O’mar B. Alkhattâb, who had, however, on that day, by permission of the apostle of God, left the house on a visit to her father, and the house being empty, his lordship took in his concubine, the Copt Mâryah, and had sexual connection with her. Meanwhile Hafssah returned from her father’s house, found the door of the room locked, and was compelled to wait till his lordship opened it and came out. When Hafssah found what had taken place [in her absence] she began to weep, and said: ‘O apostle of God, holdest thou sexual connection with a slave-girl in my absence and on my bed?’ The prophet, noticing the agony of Hafssah, asked: ‘Art thou willing that I should make [intercourse with] Mâryah unlawful to me?’ She replied: ‘I am willing.’ Accordingly his lordship made her society illicit to himself, but ordered Hafssah to keep the matter secret, which she promised to do for the sake of expediency. But when his lordship the apostle of God went away, she could no longer conceal her joy, and communicated the secret to A’ayshah in the following words: ‘O A’ayshah, glad tidings to thee. The prophet will henceforth abstain from having intercourse with the Coptic slave-girl.’ Accordingly, when A’ayshah was made happy by waiting on his holy and prophetic lordship, she said to him ironically: ‘O apostle of God, have intercourse with the Coptic slave-girl during my turn, so that the time of thy other wives may not be taken up with her.’ Meanwhile Jebrâil descended with the verses of the Chapter of Prohibition,³⁸² in consequence whereof his lordship said to Hafssah: ‘Have not I told thee not to reveal this secret to anyone, and not to divulge it?’ Hafssah asked: ‘Who has informed thee of this?’ His lordship rejoined: ‘The omniscient and all-seeing God.’³⁸³ As he had, on account of the above event, been reproached by several of his wives, he was displeased, and refrained from associating also with the others during one month, in order to punish them all. Another cause for this proceeding was that the mothers of the Faithful [i.e., the wives of Muhammad] had asked his lordship the apostle of the Lord of the universe for various sums of money to purchase garments which could not be easily procured, and in proof of this [disagreement between the prophet and his wives] it may be adduced that one day Abu Bakr Ssiddyq arrived at the door of the holy and prophetic mansion, where he perceived a number of the companions sitting, none of whom had obtained the felicity of an interview [with the prophet]. Ssiddyq, however, obtained admission, and O’mar B. Alkhattâb, who had after him reached the door of the august chamber, was likewise admitted to the honour of kissing the hands of his lordship. On that occasion grief and pain had so overpowered the most noble mind of the favourite of Allah the Most High, on account of the various claims of his wives who were the mothers of the Musalmâns, that he spoke to no one. Fârûq, who knew the state of the matter and desired to make his lordship laugh, therefore said: ‘O apostle of God, recently my wife, the daughter of Khârejah, asked me for some money, whereon I rose and struck her on the neck; and I wish thou hadst beheld the scene.’ The apostle of God smiled at the words of O’mar and said: ‘My wives are on my neck. They ask for money, and want things which I do not possess.’ These words so excited Ssiddyq Akbar that he rose and struck the neck of [his daughter] A’ayshah with his fist, and Fârûq, imitating him, gave also a blow to his own daughter, Hafssah, both reproving their daughters in the following strain: ‘Are you asking from the apostle of God things which he does not possess?’ Hereon A’ayshah and Hafssah swore an oath that they would never ask the prophet for anything he did not possess. Nevertheless, as his wives troubled him more than he could endure, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—separated himself from them, sojourned one month in the upper room of his mosque, keeping at the door a slave, Ryâh by name, whom he ordered to admit no one without permission. When the news had spread in Madinah that the prophet had divorced his wives, every one of the companions who heard it visited the mosque.

It is related of Fârûq that he said: ‘When I heard this rumour I hastened to the mosque, where I beheld a number of the companions seated near the pulpit and weeping. I remained with them for a while, but deep grief overpowered me, so I got up, went to the room of the mosque, and asked Ryâh to procure me an interview [with the prophet]. He attempted to do so several times, but in vain, and received no answer. I therefore said in a loud voice: “Ryâh, I believe the apostle of God thinks I have come to intercede for the crime of Hafssah. I swear by God that if he tells me to strike off her head I shall not disobey his orders!” Saying these words, I departed, but suddenly heard Ryâh exclaiming: “O’mar, come; thou hast obtained admittance.” I then returned, entered, saluted him, and said before taking a seat: “O apostle of God, hast thou divorced thy wives?” He replied: “No,” whereon I uttered the Takbyr in a loud voice.’ Solmah says: ‘When the sound of the Takbyr reached our house, we knew what he had said to the apostle of God, and what answer he had received.’

In short, after twenty-nine days had elapsed since the departure of his lordship the refuge of termination— u. w. b.—he left the room of the mosque and entered the house of A’ayshah, who met that prince, saying: ‘O apostle of God, thou hast sworn an oath that thou wilt not return to us before a month has elapsed, but since the time of thy departure only twenty-nine days have as yet expired.’ His lordship replied: ‘Sometimes a month has twenty-nine days.’ The writer of these pages observes that this matter has also been recorded in other ways in voluminous books.

During this year the lapidation of Sabya’h A’ameryah took place, which happened as follows: Three years before the just-mentioned date an A’ameryah woman made in the august assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—a confession of having committed adultery, and requested him to judge her according to the religion, to purify her from her sin. His lordship answered: ‘Return; pray to Allah for pardon, and trust to His mercy if you sincerely repent.’ Sabya’h continued: ‘O apostle of God, desirest thou to turn me away as thou hast sent away such-and-such a woman, seeing that I am pregnant from adultery?’ He asked: ‘Art thou with child from adultery?’ She said: ‘Yes.’ His lordship continued: ‘Wait till the delivery takes place.’ She was thereon given in charge of one of the Anssâr till she gave birth to a child. When that event had taken place it was reported to the apostle of God —u. w. b.—who said: ‘We cannot stone her now, considering that her infant is young, and there is no one to suckle it.’ Some time afterwards Sabya’h weaned the child, put a piece of bread into its hand, brought it thus into the august assembly, and requested the law of the religion to be put in force. His lordship then gave the child of Sabya’h to a Musalmân, and ordered her to be placed into a pit up to the breast, whereon he gave the signal for lapidation. Khâled B. Alwolyd thereon approached Sabya’h in front, and struck her with a stone; but some drops from the wound thus inflicted having touched his face, Khâled cursed her. His lordship, however, quieted him, and said: ‘I swear by that God in the power of Whose grasp my soul is, that Sabya’h has repented; and that if the Tamghâchy³⁸⁴ had done this penance he would have been forgiven.’ When the bird of the soul of Sabya’h flew to the gardens of paradise, the cage of her body was, by order of the lord of termination, prayed over and buried in another spot.

GHAZWAH OF TABUK.

Some have alleged that Tabuk is the name of a place between Hajar and the first limits of Syria; others, however, insist that it is the name of a fort; whilst others maintain that it is the name of a fountain, and that the army of Islâm having terminated its march in that locality, the campaign became known by the name of the Ghazwah of Tabuk. The reason for undertaking this expedition was because a caravan had arrived in Madinah from Syria, bringing from that country oil and flour, as also the news that the Governor of Greece and ruler of that country had collected an army so numerous that the plains and mountains could scarcely hold it; that many Christians and Arabs had joined the [Byzantine] Greeks, and that they were all marching to Madinah.

In the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb it is recorded that biographers— Allah have mercy on them!—give the following reason for the Ghazwah of Tabuk: At that time a caravan had arrived from Syria with oil and white flour, bringing also the information that the Emperor of Greece, having collected a large army, which was joined by the Arabs of Najd, Hazân, Ghasân, and other tribes, was marching to Madinah, and had already reached Bulqâr. According to another tradition, the Christian Arabs had written to [the emperor] Heraclius to the following effect: ‘The country of the man who pretends to be a prophet has been overtaken by famine and dearth, the possessions of his adherents are destroyed, and his country might be easily taken.’ Accordingly he [i.e., Heraclius] appointed one of the Greek chiefs, named Qobâd, with an army of forty thousand men to conquer Madinah. There is a tradition, that when this information was communicated to the prophet—u. w. b.—a Jew said: ‘O father of Qâsim, if thou art really a prophet, thou must go to Syria, because it is the country of the resurrection and of the prophets.’ At any rate, however, the lord of apostleship [whether he intended to act according to this advice or not] ordered his companions to get ready for a march against the Greeks, and sent circulars round to the tribes, who had attained the honour of professing Islâm, to be ready. His lordship, however, was always in the habit of keeping the destination of the army secret, lest the enemy might obtain information; but he made an exception in the Ghazwah of Tabuk, which he proclaimed, because the distance was great, the heat intense, the foes numerous, and provisions scarce, so that, considering all these circumstances, the people might come fully prepared. For this reason the army was called ‘the host of trouble,’³⁸⁵ and historians, biographers, commentators, etc., narrate that the distress was so great that ten men had but one camel, which they rode by turns; the majority of the soldiers had no other provisions except old broken dates, barley full of weevils, and rancid grease. On that march water was so scarce that, despite the paucity of quadrupeds, the people were obliged to slaughter camels to moisten their lips with the water they obtained from them. The men had even been unwilling to start from Madinah, because the season of the maturity of their dates was just approaching, and they desired to repose in the shade and to enjoy their fruits. Here ends the extract from the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb, which, according to the opinion of the author of these pages, contains numerous misstatements, the most flagrant whereof is that, according to which his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—disregarded the heat, the calamity of the famine, the scarcity of water, the dearth of provisions, and the unwillingness of his companions, and had undertaken this expedition solely on account of what the Jews told him, and had again returned from Tabuk without entering Syria. Therefore intelligent and learned persons will do well to omit that tradition from their statements and not to copy it. Greeting to him who follows [Divine] guidance.

In short, when the august decision to march on an expedition to Syria had become a fixed determination with the lord of existences—u. w. b.—he sent Borydah B. Alkadzyb to the Bani Salym to collect troops; he despatched Abu Dhar Ghuffâry to the Bani Ghuffâr, and in the same manner he caused others of his companions to depart to their tribes for the same purpose. After that he appointed some companions to provide for the destitute warriors of the glorious army, and they assisted them according to their power. Abu Bakr, however, excelled all the other benefactors of the nation by spending his whole property for the sake of the religion of God; and O’mar B. Alkhattâb considered himself happy to surrender one moiety of everything he possessed. It is related that when the apostle of God ascended the pulpit and invited the rich to aid in fitting out the Arab army and relieving the poor, he referred them to the rewards of the next world. O’thman B. O’ffân, who was distinguished by his opulence among the glorious companions, arose and agreed to present one hundred camels, laden with provisions, to the destitute portion of the army. When his holy and prophetic lordship repeated his exhortation, O’thmân added one hundred camels more, which number he augmented at the third invitation to three hundred. Some biographers have narrated that the same benefactor added one thousand mithqâls of pure gold to the camels; others, however, assert that he engaged himself to provide for one third of the army, the whole of which amounted to thirty thousand men. Then his lordship the best of men said: ‘Hereafter O’thmân will never feel the want of property for what it has now effected.’ In some books we read that when O’thmân brought the thousand mithqâls of gold into the joyous assembly of the apostle of God, his lordship said: ‘O God, be pleased with O’thmân B. O’ffân, for I am pleased with him.’

There is a tradition that A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’wuf had brought a sum of four thousand dirhems to the apostle of God, and said: ‘I possessed eight thousand dirhems, and I have brought one half of that sum, wishing to gain the approbation of Allah, but the other moiety I have left for [the use of] my family and children.’ His lordship replied, with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: ‘May the Most High bless thee for what thou hast given, and for what thou hast retained.’ This wish of the apostle—u. w. b.—was responded to, and the wealth of that man became so great, that when he departed from the perishable to the imperishable world, each of the four wives whom he left after his death received eighty thousand mithqâls of gold for her share when the time of mourning had elapsed. All the noble Anssâr and Mohâjer also disbursed large sums of money, and many ladies parted with their trinkets and ornaments to fit out the army. When all the troops were in readiness, his holy and prophetic lordship assembled and reviewed them outside of Madinah, in the place called Thânyâtu-l-wodâa’, on which occasion he appointed Abu Bakr to be Commander-in-chief and Emâm of the army, which, however, a number of hypocrites, and also three Musalmâns, refused to join.

It is related that A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl, the hypocrite, came out from Madinah with his confederates and encamped at Dhabûb, but again returned with a number of hypocrites and Jews as soon as his holy and prophetic lordship had marched away from Thânyâtu-l-wodâa’, and said: ‘Muhammad has gone to fight the Greeks, and thinks it will be an easy matter; but I swear by God that I am of opinion that his companions will be scattered about the world as prisoners, dragging their yokes and fetters.’ When the retreat of A’bdullah had been brought to the august notice of his holy and prophetic lordship, he said: ‘Had he been knowing, he would not have stayed away from us.’ Another company of hypocrites associated with the army in that campaign for the sake of plunder; but with reference to their arrival and return unfavourable reports became current, which shall be narrated if it pleaseth God the Most High. It is related that when the apostle of Allah—u. w. b.—marched from Madinah he left A’li B. Abu Ttâleb there to watch over the mothers of the Musalmâns; but as the hypocrites of that city had said, ‘Muhammad has not taken A’li with him, because he is on bad terms with him,’ the Commander of the Faithful went after his lordship as soon as he had heard the gossip of the hypocrites and heretics, and obtained the felicity of an interview in the place called Jarf, where he explained what had taken place, and wished to participate in that campaign, but his lordship replied: ‘O A’li, art thou willing to stand in the same relation to me as Harûn [Aaron] stood to Mûsa [Moses], only that there will be no other prophet after me?’

It is certain that in Thânyâtu-l-wodâa’ the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—distributed the standards, and conferred the great banner on Abu Bakr Ssiddyq, another on Zobayr B. Ala’wwâm, and another on Awus. The flags of the Khazraj he bestowed on Asad B. Alkhattyr and on Abu Dujâjah the Anssâry. When the army was reviewed in that locality it was found to amount to thirty thousand men, as mentioned above. Some allege that it consisted of eighty, and a few assert that it numbered one hundred thousand combatants, ten thousand of whom were mounted on horses, and that they had twelve thousand camels with them. In this expedition Khâled B. Alwolyd commanded the vanguard, Abu Jaud Ttolhah B. A’bdullah the right, and A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’wuf the left wing. After the army had started from Thânyâtu-l-wodâa’, a number of soldiers deserted in every halting-place, so that the friends and companions used to say, ‘Such-and-such a man has returned;’ but that prince replied: ‘Do not mind him. If there be any good in him, the Most High will probably cause him to join you again; but if not, Allah has shown you a favour by delivering you of his company.’

When the army had marched the required distance it arrived at Tabuk, where it halted two months by order of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—resting from the toil and fatigue of the evening and morning [marches]. Meanwhile it became evident that the rumours current in Madinah about the intention of the Greeks to attack the professors of Islâm had no foundation whatever; nor could the least sign of the Qayssar or of the Greek army be perceived. Accordingly his lordship the refuge of prophecy— u. w. b.—consulted the chief Anssâr and Mohâjer about invading Syria and attacking the inhabitants thereof; and among the companions O’mar B. Alkhattâb rose, saying: ‘O apostle of God, if thou orderest us to proceed in that direction we shall obey, because we are all in attendance on thy heaven-aspiring stirrup.’ His lordship replied: ‘If I had received [Divine] orders I would not have consulted you.’ O’mar continued: ‘O apostle of Allah, the Emperor of Greece has great armies, numerous as locusts, provided with all the appliances of war, and they are assembled in the shadow of his sovereign power. There is not a single Musalmân among them; thou hast this year arrived near them; the rumour of thy power and dignity must have spread in that country, so that fear and trepidation have overpowered the Greeks. Nevertheless, if thou returnest this time and undertakest the war next year, it will be more suitable.’ This opinion of Farûq the greater being in conformity with that of the prophet, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—concluded to march back to Madinah. It is related that when Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, heard that the apostle of God had arrived in Syria and was encamped in Tabuk, he appointed a man of the Bani Ghusân to pay a visit to the camp of the Musalmâns and to bring information about the qualities and characteristics of the lord of prophecy—u. w. b.—such as the redness of his eyes, the seal of prophecy, the giving and receiving of alms, and the like. The man obeyed, went to Tabuk, and returned to Heraclius after having made full inquiries, and described to the Qayssar all the properties and circumstances of the apostle of God. Heraclius thereon assembled the nobles and magnates of Greece, and ordered them to abandon Christianity and to embrace the sublime religion; but the Greeks were so amazed at the words of the Qayssar that they feared his sovereignty was drawing to an end; therefore he no longer pressed his views upon them, but secretly made his profession of the Faith, and was blessed with felicity in both worlds.

KHÂLED B. ALWOLYD GOES TO DAUMATU-J-JANDAL.

At the time his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— was staying in Tabuk he ordered Khâled B. Alwolyd to march with four hundred and twenty troopers against Akydar B. A’bdu-l-melik, the governor of Daumatu-j-jandal, and Khâled replied: ‘O apostle of God, sendest thou me among the Bani Kallâb with a few companions?’ That prince, however, replied with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: ‘Thou wilt probably soon capture Akydar in the hunting ground without the toil of war.’ Khâled accordingly obeyed, and marched to the fort of Daumatu-j-jandal, and arrived one night in a fine moonshine in the vicinity of the fort of Akydar, who happened at that time to be engaged on the top of it in eating and drinking wine with his spouse. On that occasion a [wild] mountain-cow happened to arrive near the gate of the fort, which it commenced to butt against with her horns. The lady, whose name was Rabâb, approached the margin of the platform, and perceiving what was going on beneath, she said to her husband: ‘Hast thou ever beheld such a sight?’ He replied: ‘No.’ Rabâb further asked: ‘Hast thou ever allowed such game to escape?’ He said: ‘No.’ Then Akydar, being very fond of hunting mountain-cows, came down from the terrace of the kiosk, and ordered a horse fit to pursue the cow to be saddled, whereon he departed with his brother and several other men to chase the mountain-cow. Not aware that he was about to fall into the hands of Khâled, and into the grasp of the hunter of fate, Akydar left the fort, and the cow fled, he pursuing her on horseback. Khâled, however, who had been watching his opportunity, attacked and captured Akydar, whose companions ran away and took shelter in the fort, which Modzbâr, another brother of Akydar, then put in a state of defence.

As his holy and prophetic lordship—may Allah bless him and his family—had ordered Khâled to bring Akydar alive in case he should capture him, unless he refused, Khâled said to him: ‘If thou art willing, I grant thee thy life, and shall convey thee to his lordship the refuge of prophecy on condition that thy people deliver the keys of the fort to me and open the gate thereof, and that thou surrenderest to me one thousand camels, eight hundred horses, four hundred spears, and four hundred cuirasses, whereon I shall allow thee to retain thy fort as before.’ Akydar complied with the proposal of Khâled. His brother first refused, but at last opened the gate of the fort, and both brothers hastened, in the company of Khâled, to kiss the feet of the Lord of apostleship—m. A. b., etc.— According to one tradition, the brothers attained the felicity of professing the Faith as soon as they had arrived in Madinah, but according to another, that prince settled the poll-tax³⁸⁶ upon them, and allowed them to depart. But Allah knows best.

THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE DURING THE EXPEDITION OF
TABUK, AND OTHER AFFAIRS.

It is recorded in biographical works that Dharya’h B. Thâbet, and a number of men who were as great hypocrites as himself, waited during the march one day on the apostle of God—m. A. b., etc.—and conversed [in secret] among themselves as follows: ‘Just see, this man wants to conquer the forts and districts of the country of Syria, which is not very likely to happen.’ Then Ashja’yi, who was among them, said: ‘I swear by God that I should like each of us to receive one hundred lashes as a punishment for this opinion, and that some verses of the Qurân might be revealed with reference to us, and to our wicked conversation.’ Meanwhile the prince of existences had been divinely informed from the invisible world concerning the blamable sentiments of the hypocrites, and said to O’mmâr Yâser: ‘Save that company, for they are burning; ask them what they have just now said, and if they deny it, inform them of the words they have uttered.’ O’mmâr obeyed, and reported to those men what his holy and prophetic lordship had said, whereon they became confused and ashamed. They went to the apostle of God, begged his pardon, and Dharya’h B. Thâbet pretended that they had spoken in fun only. Hereon the blessed verse, ‘If you ask them, they will answer: We have been joking and playing. Say: You have derided Allah and His prophet,’³⁸⁷ was revealed. It is related that Mohsan was among the number of those whom he [i.e., the prophet] forgave, and that he prayed to God to allow him to attain the honour of martyrdom, and that his grave should remain unknown. The arrow of this petition struck the target of response, for Mohsan was killed in the battle of Yamâmah, and his body was not found afterwards.

Another wonderful event [in the campaign of Tabuk] was that when the army of Islâm, who attended on the heaven-aspiring stirrups of his lordship the master of existences—u. w. b.—arrived in Wady-l-qara, and halted near the cave [lit. chamber] of Thamûd, that prince forbade the people to drink the water of that locality, or to perform therewith the religious ablution, and ordered them to tie up the knees of the camels. All the Musalmâns obeyed, except one individual of the Bani Sua’dah, who had gone away to answer a call of nature, and another of the same tribe who had left his tent and departed in search of a stray camel. The first suffered from suffocation, and the second was thrown by the wind on mount Ttây; whilst during that night the wind was blowing hard, the man who suffered from suffocation [asthma ?] was conveyed into the miracle-working presence of the best of men, and in consequence of the orisons of that prince, God the Most High and Glorious delivered him of his complaint. When the apostle of God—u w. b.—had returned to Madinah, the owner of the camel was, by the [people of Mount] Ttây, brought there as a present.

Another miracle was that when the Musalmâns had passed Hajar, and were complaining to his lordship that they had no water, he turned his face towards the Qiblah of prayer, lifted up his blessed hands, whereon in that clear atmosphere and hot weather clouds made their appearance in various directions, and having united with each other, poured forth water enough to slake the thirst of all the companions and to fill all the water-bags. On account of his great joy and gladness the apostle shouted the Takbyr, whereon the clouds again vanished, the sun appeared, and that prince exclaimed: ‘I testify that I am the apostle of Allah.’ It is related that on this occasion the Musalmâns said to a man who was a noted hypocrite: ‘Come, make a sincere profession of the Faith, for now thou hast no excuse.’ That shameless fellow, however, replied: ‘Is there anything extraordinary in a cloud passing and raining?’

Another miracle was that the camel of the apostle of God had been lost in a certain halting-place, and that when some companions searched for it in the desert they met a Jew of the Bani Qaynuqaa’, who had become a hypocrite after professing Islâm, and whose name was Zayd. In this halting-place O’mmârah B. Hozâm, who was a native of A’qâbah, and had been present at Bedr, said: ‘How is it that Muhammad gives news about heaven, and says that he is a prophet, but knows not where his she-camel is?’ That very moment the prince of the children of Adam was by the light of prophecy informed of the above words, repeated them in his august assembly, and said to O’mmârah: ‘By Allah, I know only that of which God the Most High informs me. Now God has revealed to me where my camel is. Go to such and such a Wâdy, for my camel is there, and its bridle is fixed to a tree.’ Several companions accordingly went to that Wâdy, and discovered the she-camel in the position described by his lordship. When O’mmârah returned to his dwelling, he narrated the event to the people of the station, and one of them said: ‘Before thy arrival Zayd had spoken such and such words [reviling the prophet].’ Hereon O’mmârah immediately struck Zayd with his fist, and exclaimed: ‘I was not aware that there was such a great calamity and wickedness in my house.’ After that he expelled Zayd from his habitation and no more associated with him.

Another miracle was that during this march his holy and prophetic lordship said one day: ‘To-morrow we shall reach the spring of Tabuk, but no one must touch the water thereof.’ Mu’adhar—A. r. h.—says: ‘The next day we arrived there in the forenoon, but two men had preceded us, had drunk, and had thereby caused the water to disappear. His lordship asked them: “Have you touched the water?” They said: “Yes.” Therefore the prophet—u. w. b.—reproved these two individuals and cursed them. After that he ordered a little water to be taken from the spring, and to be put into a vessel, in which he washed his glorious hands and mouth. Then he poured the water back into the spring, and the water, which had been extremely scanty before, became very copious by this proceeding, so that the thirst of the whole army was slaked therewith.’

Another miracle was the prediction uttered with reference to Abu Dhar Ghuffâry, which happened as follows: This man had departed to Tabuk after his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—but as his camel became disabled on the road, he took his luggage on his back and continued the journey. When the apostle of God was halting in the station of Tabuk, Abu Dhar having been perceived at a distance, the companions reported that they had seen him approaching, whereon the apostle of God said: ‘This is Abu Dhar.’ When he had come nearer, [also] the companions recognised him, and exclaimed: ‘We swear by God that this is Abu Dhar.’ On his entering the assembly, that prince rose, welcomed him and said: ‘May God the Most High have mercy on Abu Dhar, because he lives alone, will die alone, and will be buried alone.’ Then he inquired about the circumstances of Abu Dhar, who stated the reason of his tardy arrival. It is related that O’thmân sent, during the time of his Khalifate, Abu Dhar away from Madinah to Ryza—for a purpose which shall be related in these pages if it pleaseth Allah the Most High— where he lived alone, isolated and separated from his friends, until he was overtaken by a mortal disease, having no one with him except his wife and slave. He said to them: ‘When you have washed and shrouded my corpse, place it in a coffin on the public road, and say to the first company of camel-riders who shall happen to pass: “This is Abu Dhar, the companion of the apostle of God,” whereon they will aid you to bury me.’ His wife and slave obeyed his injunction, and the first company which passed the spot was one of Musalmâns, with A’bdullah B. Masu’d —u. w. b.—and a number of persons from E’râq, who were going on pilgrimage to Mekkah. A’bdullah asked about the bier, wept sore on being informed, and said: ‘The apostle of God has spoken the truth that thou wilt live alone, die alone, and be buried alone.’ Thereon some respectable men alighted from their camels and interred him. May God bless them all.

Another miracle was the prediction uttered with reference to A’bdullah Dhu Abajâdyn, who was an orphan boy possessing no worldly goods, but was taken care of by his uncle, who lived in Hajar. When he grew up he became a possessor of camels, sheep, as well as of male and female slaves. In the time of ignorance he was called A’bdu-l-u’zza, but was always very desirous to pronounce the formula of monotheism, and to be enrolled among the attendants on the exalted threshold of prophecy. The fear, however, of his uncle, who was an obstinate idolater, restrained him a long time [from carrying out his intention], but he waited patiently; and when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had terminated the campaign of Honayn and had again returned to Madinah, A’bdullah said to his uncle: ‘I have for a long time been expecting thee to make a profession of Islâm, but have hitherto perceived no signs of it. I for my part have no confidence in this perishable life, and I hope thou wilt allow me to utter the formula of the testimony, and to illuminate the casket of my heart with the light of monotheism.’ His uncle, however, replied: ‘I swear by God that if thou becomest a Musalmân and followest Muhammad, I shall take back everything I gave thee, and even deprive thee of thy Redâ and thy Izâr, and turn thee away naked.’ Dhu Abajâdyn said: ‘By Allah! I have abandoned idolatry, and I am going to be a Musalmân. I shall believe in Allah and His prophet, renouncing all worldly possessions, which we must at last abandon by compulsion. Take all my goods and chattels.’ After saying these words A’bdullah gave up all his property, threw away his Redâ and his Izâr from his body, and went naked to the house of his mother, to whom he revealed his anxiety to embrace Islâm, and asked for clothes. His mother gave him a striped carpet named Abajâ, which A’bdullah divided in twain, using one half as a Redâ and the other as an Izâr. Thus he turned his steps, with the purest and sincerest motives, to the threshold of his lordship the Mussttafa, and took rest in the mosque of the apostle of God. When his lordship had terminated his prayers he conversed as usual with the people, and, his joy-boding eyes alighting on A’bdullah, he asked him: ‘Who art thou?’ He replied: ‘I am called A’bdu-l-u’zza, of such and such a tribe.’ His lordship replied: ‘Thy name will be Dhu Abajâdyn. Lodge with us.’ Accordingly A’bdullah became a guest of that prince, and began to study the Qurân, which he used to recite in the mosque with a loud voice. One day O’mar B. Alkhattâb said: ‘O apostle of God, this Arab is reciting the Qurân aloud, and disturbs the readings and devotions of the people.’ But the prophet said: ‘Let him, O’mar, for he has come out as a confederate and exile for the sake of God and of His apostle.’ At the time when the Musalmâns were making preparations for the Ghazwah of Tabuk, A’bdullah entered the august assembly, and said: ‘O apostle of God, pray that I may become a martyr by fighting for the religion of God.’ His lordship said: ‘Go and bring a piece of bark.’ Thereon A’bdullah fetched a piece of bark from a date-tree, which the apostle tied to the arm of A’bdullah, saying: ‘O God Most High, I make his blood illicit to the infidels.’ A’bdullah said: ‘O apostle of God, that was not my request.’ His holy and prophetic lordship continued: ‘When thou marchest forth with the intention of combating for the religion of God the Most High, thou wilt become affected with a febrile distemper, which will take thee out of this world, and thus make thee a martyr.’ Accordingly, when A’bdullah proceeded in attendance on the heaven-aspiring stirrups of his lordship the apostle to Tabuk, and the army, arriving there, rested itself, he was attacked by fever, and died in a couple of days. On the day of his interment Ballâl the Muedhdhin held a lamp in his hand, the lord of existences stepped into the grave, and Ssiddyq with Fârûq lowered the corpse into it. After A’bdullah had been buried his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—said: ‘O God, I was pleased with him this night; be Thou also pleased with him.’ A’bdullah B. Masu’d, having heard these words, said: ‘Would to God I were the tenant of this grave.’ The author of this work says that the manifest signs and great miracles worked by his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—during the Ghazwah of Tabuk were so numerous that this compendium cannot contain them, but that whoever may be desirous of becoming acquainted with them all ought to peruse biographical works.

SARIAHS TO THE WÂDY-URRAML.³⁸⁸

THE ARRIVAL OF THE WOFÛD.³⁹⁰

During this year [i.e., the ninth year after the Flight] when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had returned from Tabuk, crowds upon crowds arrived from the various Arab tribes, were blessed by making a profession of the Faith, and made happy by meeting the apostle of God. The numbers of those persons amounted to such multitudes that this year was surnamed ‘the year of the Wofûd.’ It was the custom of his lordship the apostle, on the arrival of each Wofod, to don nice robes, to order his companions to dress in clean clothes, and to adorn themselves with costly garments. He also ordered the Wofûd to be accommodated in good and clean houses, and to be entertained in the most hospitable manner. On their departure they were presented with gifts and provisions, so that they returned to their countries and dwelling-places full of joy and gratitude.

Among the number of the Wofûd, who were during this year admitted to the felicity of the hand-kiss, was also the Wofod of the Bani Murrah, which took place as follows: Thirteen individuals of the tribe Murrah had arrived together, made a profession of Islâm, and addressed the prophet as follows: ‘O apostle of God, we are the kinsmen and relatives of thy people, because we are connected with the district [lit., flag] of the Bani Ghâleb.’ His holy and prophetic lordship smiled at this assertion, and asked: ‘What is the state of your country?’ But as those people suffered from dearth and famine, they requested his lordship to pray for them. His lordship accordingly turned his face towards the Qiblah of petition and said: ‘O God, water them with rain!’ He then ordered Ballâl to rejoice every one of them with ten Oqyahs of silver, and honoured their chief, whose name was Hareth B. A’wuf, with a gift of twelve Oqyahs of silver. When that company had attained their purpose and returned to their tribe, they learned on inquiry that the very day when the above prayer had been uttered, a beneficent rain had actually fallen in their country.

Another Wofod was that of A’amer B. Ssa’ssa’h, which took place as follows: ‘A’amer B. Attafyl B. Mâlek B. Ja’fer B. Kallâb and Arbad B. Rabya’h or Arbad B. Hatys —according to two different traditions—had arrived during this year with a company of the Bani A’amer in Madinah. But A’amer had previously made an arrangement with Arbad which he expressed in the following words: ‘While I engage Muhammad in conversation thou must approach him from the rear, and relieve us of all our apprehensions by despatching him with thy sword.’ When they entered the august assembly, A’amer said: ‘O Muhammad, what will be my lot if I become a Musalmân?’ His lordship replied: ‘That of Musalmâns.’ A’amer continued: ‘Make me thy successor after thy demise.’ His lordship said: ‘That position cannot be attained by thy nation or tribe.’ A’amer continued: ‘If thou wilt not comply with my demand, then appoint me to be the commander and governor of the inhabitants of the desert.’ But the apostle of God placed the hand of refusal upon the breast of his petition, and said: ‘I shall make thee officer and commandant of a detachment of cavalry, and employ thee to fight for the religion of God.’ A’amer said: ‘I am at present the chief of such a company, and I swear by God that I shall go and collect an army of infantry and cavalry, numerous as locusts, to calculate the number whereof will exceed the powers of imagination, and shall attack thee therewith.’ After uttering these words, A’amer departed from the august assembly with Arbad, whom he reproached for having omitted to do what he had promised, but Arbad replied: ‘I swear by God that I intended to strike Muhammad with my sword, but thou wast between him and me.’ When these two wicked men had gone away, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—cursed them. His prayer met with the honour of response, so that A’amer as well as Arbad were punished for their wicked intentions and evil deeds; the latter was, by a decree of Divine providence, struck dead by lightning; and the former became affected with a gland swelling in his throat. Alighting in a journey at the house of a Salulyah woman, he said to himself: ‘This gland is like the gland of the camel of death,’ and again departing from the house of the woman, he mounted his horse, but departed to hell whilst on this journey.

Another Wofod was that of the Bani Asad, ten men of whom had arrived in Madinah, had become Musalmâns, and, desiring their merit to become known, said: ‘We have started on the journey in a year of famine and distress; we performed the journey without being attacked by foes, and have arrived in this country by our own free will and choice, and we have embraced Islâm.’ With reference to this event, the blessed verse, ‘They upbraid thee that they have embraced Islâm; rather Allah upbraideth you that he hath directed you to the Faith if ye speak sincerely,’³⁹¹ was revealed.

Another Wofod was that of the Bani Albakâ, wherein also Moa’wiah B. Thôr B. A’bad B. Albakâ, who was one hundred years old, is said to have been present with his son Bashar. Moa’wiah spoke to the world-adorning mind of his holy and prophetic lordship—blessing, etc.— as follows: ‘I request thee to place thy auspicious hand on some of the limbs of my son Bashar, who stands to me in the relation of a son to his father, and has treated me very kindly.’ That prince accordingly touched his head and face, presented him with several goats, and pronounced a blessing upon them; and it is related that when famine and distress befell the country of the Bani Albakâ, the people of Moa’wiah remained free from the affliction thereof.

Another Wofod was that of the Bani Najyb, thirteen men of which tribe arrived, bringing the legal alms due for their property and cattle. His holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—was highly pleased with their arrival, and issued orders for their accommodation in a good place. When they informed his lordship that they had brought their share of the Dzakât, he replied: ‘Take it back to your country and distribute it among the poor and needy.’ They, however, rejoined: ‘We have brought only what was over and above the necessities of the poor.’ It is related that when the Wofod of the Bani Najyb made inquiries about all the duties and obligations of the religion, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—granted them longer interviews, and was more kind to them than to other people. He also gave them more presents than to others, and asked them: ‘Is there any one among you who has not received his gift?’ They replied: ‘There is a young man, inferior in age to all of us, and we have left him in our lodgings to take care of our baggage and cattle.’ His lordship said: ‘After you have returned to your quarters you must send that youth to me.’ They did as they were bidden, and when the young man entered the august assembly, he said: ‘O apostle of God, I am one of that company which has just waited on thee. Their necessities and requests have been responded to; please to comply also with my petition.’ His lordship asked: ‘What is thy request?’ The youth continued: ‘I swear by God that I have not left my country and arrived here with the intention of obtaining worldly goods from thee such as thou hast vouchsafed to bestow upon the others. But my reason for troubling thee is, that thou pray to God the Most High to wash off the volumes of my transgressions with the water of pardon, and to save, by the outpourings of forgiveness, this my body of clay from the fire of hell; also to relieve my heart of all covetousness for mundane possessions, and to make me content with poverty.’ When his holy and prophetic lordship—t. b. o. A. o. h. a. o. h. f.—became aware of the high aspirations of this individual more exalted than those of his peers, he uttered the following prayer with his blessed mouth, which was the interpreter of Divine mysteries: ‘O God, pardon him, have mercy on him, and cause his riches to dwell in his heart.’ Then he presented him with an amount equal to the sum of what all his companions had received; whereon those men returned to their tribe. It is related that during the Hajjatu-l-wodaa’ [the pilgrimage of valediction] his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—afterwards [again] met some of those individuals at Menâ, inquired about the young man, and they replied: ‘O apostle of God, we have never seen nor heard of a man more happy or noble than he, but in the balance of his aspirations the whole world, with all its contents, weighs not more than a gnat.’ Though numberless Wofûd had arrived during this year in the honoured city of Madinah, only the above ones have been recorded in this work, lest it should become too prolix. Farewell.

DEATH OF A’BDULLAH B. ABU SALÛL.

In the month Showâl of the ninth year after the Flight, A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl the hypocrite fell sick, and died in the month Dhu-l-qa’dah of the same year. While he was sick, his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—condescended to visit him, and on his deathbed his lordship said to him: ‘I have warned thee not to love the Jews, but thou hast not followed my advice.’ A’bdullah replied: ‘Though Asa’d B. Zarârah hated them, his enmity to them could not keep off death from him. O apostle of God, this is not the time for recriminations. The moment of my departure is at hand. I request thee to be kind enough to accompany my bier when I die, and to make me a present of a robe wherein to shroud me.’ It happened that on this occasion the apostle of God—u. w. b.—had two robes on his body, one of which did not touch it, and which he intended to give to A’bdullah; the latter, however, requested him to present him with the nether one, and his lordship assented. He then said again: ‘O apostle of God, I hope thou wilt pray near my bier, and wilt ask God to pardon my sins.’ And his lordship agreed. Authors of biographies—A. h. m. o. t.—relate that the apostle of God —u. w. b.—was present when the corpse of Ebn Abu Salûl was being washed and shrouded, conversing with his son, who was a sincere believer. When the bier of A’bdullah was conveyed to a place called Hanâyr, his lordship rose to accompany it, and to pray over the body; O’mar, however, jumped up from his place, taking hold of the skirts of the prophet—u. w. b.—saying: ‘O apostle of God, wilt thou pray for him despite his having uttered such-and-such words on a certain day?’³⁹² His holy and prophetic lordship replied: ‘O’mar, let go my skirts.’ But O’mar still continuing his solicitations, his lordship said: ‘Option has been left to me to pray seventy times for their pardon or not. Had I known that I might obtain pardon for A’bdullah by uttering more than seventy prayers, I would do so.’ By these words he alluded to the blessed verse, ‘Ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask. If thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will by no means forgive them.’³⁹³ In fine, the apostle of God prayed for A’bdullah, and he had not yet left the place of prayer when God the Most High revealed the verse, ‘Neither do thou ever pray over any of them who shall die, neither stand at his grave,’ to the end of the verse,³⁹⁴ before the corpse of A’bdullah was committed to the earth. In the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb it is recorded that after Ebn Abu Salûl had been buried, his lordship went to the grave, ordered the body to be taken out, embraced its head, and threw some of the blessed saliva of his mouth into its mouth. The writer of these pages says that there is a difference between this tradition and another, according to which the verse ‘Neither do thou pray over any of them’ was revealed before the burial of A’bdullah, although the author of the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb likewise asserts it to have been revealed before the interment. It is related that when the hypocrites saw the humility manifested by Ebn Abu Salûl on his deathbed towards his lordship, a great many of them were blessed by professing the religion. By the perusal of detailed works anyone may ascertain how the lord of apostleship— u. w. b.—visited Ebn Abu Salûl, who had no equal in hypocrisy, and what had induced that prince to show him so much kindness and favour.

SSIDDYQ [i.e., ABU BAKR] AND A’LI THE COMMANDER OF
THE FAITHFUL GO TO THE CITY OF MEKKAH.

During this year Abu Bakr departed, by order of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—to Mekkah, and A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—likewise started after him. The U’lamâ of biographies state that about the end of the month Dhu-l-qa’dah of the ninth year after the Flight the lord of apostleship intended to go on pilgrimage; but as it had reached the august hearing of his lordship that the idolaters were in the habit of circumambulating the house of Allah during the season of the pilgrimage in the same manner as in the time of ignorance, and in a state of perfect nudity, he was so disgusted that he felt disinclined to come in contact with them himself, but appointed Ssiddyq Akbar to the command of more than three hundred companions, and ordered him to go to Mekkah in order to teach the people the ceremonies of the pilgrimage and to recite to them the beginning of the Surah Berât,³⁹⁵ as far as forty verses. Abu Bakr accordingly donned the Ehrâm in the place Dhu-l-hayfah, and started in conformity with the orders he had received. Meanwhile, Jebrâil descended and brought to his lordship information from the Lord of Glory to the following purport: ‘No one is to promulge the [Divine] message, except thyself and A’li,’ but according to another tradition, ‘except thyself or one of thy men.’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.— being in the whole nation and tribe the nearest relative of the apostle of God, his lordship said to him: ‘Follow Abu Bakr, and take from him the commencement of the Surah Berât, which thou art to recite to the people at the time of the pilgrimage. Inculcate to the crowd also the following four maxims: 1. No person will enter paradise unless adorned with the decoration of the Faith. 2. No person is to encompass the Ka’bah in a state of nudity. 3. After this year no professor of idolatry and aberration shall go on pilgrimage. 4. All infidels and idolaters who have made a truce with God and His prophet, shall abide thereby till the expiration of it, and after that they shall obtain a respite of four months; but if after the expiration of this second period they do not become Musalmâns, it will be licit to take their property and to shed their blood.’ Jâber B. ’Abdullah, the Anssâry, who likewise went on pilgrimage with Ssiddyq, says: ‘When we arrived in A’rj, and the time for matutinal prayers was at hand, Abu Bakr Ssiddyq went forward to lead the devotions; but he had not yet begun them when he heard the noise made by the private camel of the lord of apostleship. He therefore stopped, and said: “This is the voice of the she-camel of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—and possibly his lordship has been ordered to go on pilgrimage; let us wait, therefore, and pray with him.” After a short time, however, A’li— u. w. b.—arrived, riding on his lordship’s camel, and Abu Bakr asked him: “Hast thou arrived as commander, or commanded?” He replied: “I am commanded; but give me the beginning of the Surah Berât, because I have been ordered to read those verses to the people, and to inform them of the four maxims.” Ssiddyq, therefore, surrendered those verses to him, and then held the prayers.’ Jâber continues: ‘When we arrived in Mekkah Abu Bakr one day preached a sermon before the Tarrawiah,³⁹⁶ and taught the people the ceremonies of the pilgrimage. A’li got up, read the Surah Berât to the multitude, and rehearsed the four maxims. To each succeeding company to which Abu Bakr preached and explained the commandments, A’li likewise delivered his injunctions.’ It is related that when A’li informed the people of the four maxims, one man exclaimed: ‘If the oaths that have passed between us and thy uncle’s son were to be dissolved, I swear that we would follow thee.’ But A’li—u. w. b.—replied: ‘If I were not afraid to offend the apostle of God, who told me to undertake nothing till I return to him, I would certainly kill thee.’ It is related that when A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—arrived in Mekkah, he drew his sword, and said: ‘I swear by God, that no one shall perform the circumambulation naked, or I shall chastise him with the sword.’ Then every one who was in a state of nudity dressed himself, and those unwilling to do so abstained from circumambulating the house.

It is related that after Ssiddyq and A’li had terminated their business, they returned to Madinah, and the former asked his lordship: ‘What have I done that thou hast prohibited me to read the Surah Berât?’ He replied: ‘O Abu Bakr, thou hast done nothing to incur blame. Thou hast been my companion in the cave,³⁹⁷ and thou wilt be my companion when I shall stand on the bank of the lake Kawthar;³⁹⁸ but Jebrâil had come and said: “No one shall do it except thou, or one belonging to thee.” ’ In the Aa’lâmu-l-warâ it is related that A’li overtook Abu Bakr on the road, and that the latter asked him: ‘O A’li, what has happened? Perhaps something has been revealed with reference to me?’ A’li replied: ‘No; but the apostle of God—u. w. b.—has ordered me to take from thee the Surah Berât, and to read it to the idolaters.’ Hereon Abu Bakr retraced his steps, and spoke to the apostle of God as follows: ‘Verily, thou hast given me hopes that I would accomplish something whereat the people would be astonished, but thou hast revoked thy injunction when I was about to execute it. Has any [verse of the] Qurân been revealed with reference to me?’ The prophet replied: ‘No; but the faithful one [i.e., Gabriel] brought me the following words from the God the Most High: “Only thou, or a man belonging to thee, must do it.” But A’li belongs to me; he is my brother, my legatee, my heir, and my successor in the family and among my people. When I shall be no more he will pay my debt and fulfil my promise.’

THE ARRIVAL OF WOFÛD [i.e., DEPUTATIONS] WITH LAUDABLE
INTENTIONS.

In this year, likewise, Wofûd arrived from all directions in Madinah, and were ennobled by kissing the feet of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. Among these were also the Bani Ghâmad, who encamped near Baqyi, and hastened to the assembly of the prince of the world, leaving a young man to take care of their baggage. When they had attained the honour of kissing the carpet, and made their profession of the Faith after the customary salutations, his lordship ordered a book to be written for them, which contained the ordinances of the religion, with the principles and practice thereof. His lordship then asked those persons whether they had left anyone behind in their lodgings, and they replied: ‘We have left one in our lodgings who is younger than any of us.’ His lordship replied: ‘He has fallen asleep; a thief has entered your lodging, and has stolen one of your travelling-bags.’ One of them replied: ‘No one of those persons has a travelling-bag except myself.’ His lordship continued: ‘The guardian of your place has again got hold of the travelling bag, and is taking care of it.’ When the Wofod of the Ghâmed people left the august assembly and returned to their lodgings, they asked the young watchman what had happened in their absence. He replied: ‘I had fallen asleep after your departure, and a man who had been watching his opportunity stole the travelling-bag, but I jumped up from my sleep, pursued him, and found that he had entered a pit wherein he had buried the travelling-bag. Accordingly I took it out, and brought it again to our lodgings.’ Those men then said to the youth: ‘The apostle of God has informed us of this matter, and we bear testimony to the truth of his apostleship.’ After saying these words, they again waited on the prince of existences—u. w. b.—and represented the fact to him, whereon the said youth was likewise ennobled by kissing the august carpet and acknowledging the unity of God the Most High and the prophetship of the lord of apostles— u. w. b.

Another of the Wofûd of this year was that of Jaryr B. A’bdullah Albahly, which took place as follows: A’bdullah attained, with one hundred and fifty men of his tribe, the felicity of meeting his holy and prophetic lordship and of professing Islâm. Before the arrival of that company the lord of apostleship had said to his friends: ‘A man having the signs of nobility on him will make his appearance.’ After his lordship had communicated this information, Jaryr B. A’bdullah arrived with his people and made a profession of Islâm. His lordship asked him: ‘Wilt thou become my adherent, acknowledge the unity of God—whose name be exalted—and my apostolate? Promisest thou to hold prayers, to pay the legal alms, to keep the fast of Ramadzân, to obey my governor, and to love all Musalmâns, even if they were Abyssinian slaves?’ Jaryr made a covenant to observe all these injunctions, and when his lordship asked him about the state of the tribes related to and dwelling near him, he replied: ‘O apostle of God, the religion of Islâm has become current among them; the people have destroyed their idol-temples, and are worshipping in mosques.’ His lordship continued: ‘What is the condition of the idol-temple of Dhu-l-khalyfah?’ Jaryr replied: ‘The idol-temple of Dhu-l-khalyfah is [standing] as before.’ The apostle of God asked: ‘O Jaryr, wilt thou relieve my mind of it?’ Jaryr said: ‘O apostle of God, it was always my wish that this business should fall to my lot, and that no one else should demolish it.’ The apostle of God said: ‘Go and destroy that idol-temple.’ Jaryr replied: ‘O apostle of God, it is very far from here to Dhu-l-khalyfah. I cannot mount a horse to reach it quickly, because every horse I ride throws me; and if I mount a camel it will take a long time to arrive there.’ After Jaryr had said these words his holy and prophetic lordship exclaimed: ‘O Lord, give him a guide, and cause him to be guided.’ It is related of Jaryr that he said: ‘When his lordship had prayed for and dismissed me I departed, and I swear by that God who has sent Muhammad in truth that I mounted an unruly, fleet charger, but I found him gentle under my thighs, like a lamb. I travelled day and night till I reached my destination, set the idol-temple on fire, and razed it to the ground. Then I despatched a courier to Madinah, to inform his lordship of what I had done.’ It is related that after the burning and destruction of the idol-temple the inhabitants of Dhu-l-khalyfah attained the nobility of Islâm. The treasury belonging to that temple contained much property and perfumes, all of which were brought to Madinah. When his holy and prophetic lordship heard what had taken place, and that the idol-temple had been demolished, he rejoiced greatly, invoking a benediction upon Jaryr and his tribe. It is related that the just-mentioned individual was six cubits high, so that when he sat on horseback his feet were trailing on the ground; he was also remarkably beautiful, and O’mar B. Alkhattâb surnamed him the Yusuf [Joseph] of the [Musalmân] people.

Another Wofod was that of the Bani Hanyfah, who alighted on their arrival in Madinah at the mansion of Ramlah, the daughter of Alhâreth, by order of the apostle of God, and thereon attained the felicity of kissing the most holy carpet and making a profession of Islâm. Moseylamah the liar was one of that company, and likewise accepted the religion, but when he returned to Yamamah he was led astray by Satan, relapsed again, laid claim to prophecy, and said: ‘The God of Muhammad has made me a partner in prophecy with Muhammad.’ Thereon a great number of rebels and enemies believed him. He allowed his followers to neglect prayer, to drink wine, and to practise usury. In lieu of the glorious Qurân he composed nonsense which was far from elegance and oratory. He despatched two of his misguided adherents as envoys to the lord of this world and the next, and sent by them an epistle, the contents whereof are, according to the tradition of the author of the Mostaqadza, as follows: ‘From Moseylamah the apostle of God, to Muhammad the apostle of God. But after [the usual compliments I state]: Verily I have been made a partner with thee in this matter. One half of the earth will belong to us, and the other to the Qoraish. The nomadic Arabs will belong to thee, and those settled in towns to me; but the Qoraish are a treacherous race.’ When the envoys of Moseylamah arrived in Madinah and presented the letter, his holy and prophetic lordship became angry, and, exhibiting the wooden toothpick he held in his hand, said: ‘I swear by God that if he were to ask this from me I would not give it to him.’ Then the apostle of God asked the envoys: ‘What do you say?’ They replied: ‘We say what Moseylamah says.’ His lordship continued: ‘If it were not illegal to kill envoys I would slay you.’ Then he ordered the following answer to be written to Moseylamah: ‘From Muhammad the apostle of Allah, to Moseylamah the liar. Greeting to him who follows [Divine] guidance! Verily I have received thy letter, which attributes a falsehood and a lie to God. For He causeth those of His servants to inherit the earth whom He liketh, and the pious will have a blessed end.’ It is related that when both these letters were shown to a learned Arab, he averred that the second looked like the epistle of a prophet. The author of this work says that if Divine favour seconds his intention he will soon narrate in these pages the going of Khâled B. Alwolyd to Yamamah, and explain how Moseylamah the liar was killed.

During this year Firuz Daylamy, who was a son of the Najjâshy’s daughter, became a Musalmân. This Firuz is the same who killed Aswad B. I’sa, who claimed to be a prophet; but as many of the chief historians state that Aswad was slain during the Khalifate of Ssiddyq Akbar— u. w. b.—and not during the life-time of the prophet— u. w. b.—that event will be narrated with those that took place during the reign of the just-mentioned Khalif, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High. In this year Bâdân, the Governor of Yemen, whose profession of Islâm has been recorded above, departed from this perishable to the imperishable abode, and his lordship having been informed of this event, he made the following distribution: To the son of Bâdân he assigned a portion of the province, another to A’amer B. Shammâr Hamdâny, another to Abu Mûsa Asha’ry, another to Ali B. Ommyah, and another to Ma’adh B. Jabul.

A’LI THE COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL—U. W. B.—PROCEEDS
TO YEMEN, AND THE DEEDS OF THAT EMÂM OF THE AGE.

During this year the Mussttafa—u. w. b.—appointed Ali Murtadza—u. w. b.—to go to Yemen, and ordered him to encamp in the place Qubâ, so that those destined to serve under his command might join him. He tied a standard for the Commander of the Faithful with his own prosperous hands and fixed two streamers on the top thereof; one being in front, about a cubit long, and the other in the rear, one span in length. He attached three hundred brave men to the Commander, saying: ‘O A’li, I send thee away, and am sorry to part with thee!’ and continued: ‘O A’li, invade the country of the enemies, but fight them not, until they attack thee. Invite them to utter the words “There is no God but Allah.” If they accept them, teach them to pray, and to give alms to the poor among them; and if they assent, injure them in no way whatever.’ It is related that when A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—was about to depart to Yemen, he said: ‘O apostle of God, thou sendest me to the country of people who have received a book [i.e., Jews and Christians]; but I am young, and not very well acquainted with the judicial commandments and ordinances of our religion.’ Then his lordship placed his august hand on the breast of A’li, and said: ‘O God, strengthen his tongue and create a new heart in him!’ Wherefore he became so accomplished in judicial matters that his lordship said: ‘The most skilled among us in religious law is A’li.’ There is a tradition that when the apostle of God— u. w. b.—took leave of A’li, he said: ‘By Allah! if God the Most High bestows guidance on a single individual by means of thee, thou wilt fare better than anyone that the sun ever rose or shone upon.’ In fine, A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—marched with three hundred valiant men to Yemen, and when the glorious army had reached its destination, it obtained much plunder. It is related of Barâ B. Ghâreb that he said: ‘When we arrived in the vicinity of Yemen, we discovered traces of the army of the opponents, and when A’li Murtadza had completed his prayers, he drew up the army in battle-array, entered the plain, and read to the inhabitants the letter of the apostle of God, inviting them to accept the orthodox religion; and among the inhabitants of Yemen the tribe Hamdân at once attained the nobility of Islâm. A’li then wrote a letter to his lordship the refuge of termination— u. w. b.—wherein he explained what had taken place, and that prince was so rejoiced by the news that he performed the prostration of gratitude. In some books we read that when the victorious army of the Commander of the Faithful was roaming about in all directions collecting plunder, A’li —u. w. b.—appointed Borydah B. Alhassyb to guard the spoils, and marched against the opponents, whom he encountered, and invited to accept the religion. They, however, refused to comply, stretching out their hands for arrows and stones. The Commander therefore halted awhile, and afterwards again invited them by wise arguments and counsel to accept the way of truth, but in vain. Perceiving that nought remained but to fight them, he drew up his forces in battle-array and handed the flag to Masu’d B. Sanân Solmy. While both parties were thus engaged in getting ready, a man of the Madhaj tribe, Madân by name, entered the lists from the side of the enemy, but Aswad Khozaa’y rushed upon him like a furious lion and sent him to the fire of hell with one blow of his scimitar. After that A’li the Commander of the Faithful— u. w. b.—entered the battle-field, and when twenty idolaters had been slain, the rest whom the sword had spared took to flight. His lordship the Commander of the Faithful then advanced further, invited those people to accept Islâm, whereon they became Musalmâns, and said: ‘If thou orderest us to attack those who have not adopted Islâm, nor intend to do so, we shall obey thee. Our property is at thy disposal. Take from it the portion due to God, that we may be absolved from further disbursements.’ He complied with their request, distributed the spoils, separated one-fifth thereof, and appointed Abu Râfi’ to guard it. Then he proceeded on the wings of celerity to Mekkah, because his holy and prophetic lordship had departed to the sanctuary, as will be narrated by-and-by.

Biographical works are replete with accounts that before A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—had started, the apostle of God sent Khâled B. Wolyd to Yemen, and that afterwards he despatched the former to supervise the latter. Some allege that he had despatched A’li merely to receive one-fifth of the spoils which Khâled had collected. There is a tradition of Borydah B. Alhassyb that he said: ‘I was present in that expedition, and was an enemy to A’li. When one-fifth of the booty had been separated, A’li picked out for himself a maiden, distinguished above all the others in beauty and amiability, associated with her, and then washed himself. After that I asked Khâled B. Alwolyd: “Seest thou what that man A’li is doing?” I also said to A’li: “O father of Hasan, what is this?” He replied: “Seest thou not that this girl, which was in the fifth part of the spoils, and fell to the share of the family of Muhammad, became afterwards the portion of the family of A’li, and I had intercourse with her.” ’ Borydah continues: ‘When I attained the happiness of waiting on the prince of existences— u. w. b.—I represented what had taken place, and he replied: “O Borydah, perhaps thou art an enemy of A’li?” I said: “Yes.” He continued: “Be not his enemy; for if thou wilt like him, thy friendship will increase. The portion of A’li in the fifth amounted to more than this girl.” ’ Others, again, have a tradition that Borydah said: ‘When I represented the circumstance to the apostle of God, his blessed countenance became excited, and he said: “Harbour no evil suspicions about A’li, for he belongs to me, and I to him. He is your master; and when I am dead, A’li will be the master of every one whose master I am.” ’ Borydah continues: ‘After that I loved A’li more than anyone else.’

In some books it is related that after the Ghazwah of Tabuk, A’mru B. Ma’dy Karibu-z-zobaydy came to Madinah, and presented himself in the assembly of his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—who spoke to him something about the day of the resurrection, in consequence whereof he became a Musalmân, and many of his people followed his example. On that occasion A’mru discovered Abu Sha’th Alkhosha’y, the murderer of his father, whom he caught by the neck and brought to his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—to revenge himself on him by the command of that prince; but the apostle of God said: ‘Islâm abrogates every custom which existed in the time of ignorance.’ This reply so displeased A’mru B. Ma’dy that he apostatized and returned to his own country; on the road, however, he plundered a company of the Bani Alhâreth B. Ka’b and then joined his tribe. When the prince of existences had heard this news, he despatched A’li B. Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.—with a number of Mohâjer against the Bani Zobayd, who were of the people of A’mru. At the same time he despatched Khâled B. Alwolyd against a certain Arab tribe, with orders that when the cavalry of A’li—u. w. b.—and of Khâled joined each other, the former should be the commander of both. In fine, A’li Murtadza appointed Khâled B. Sa’yd Ala’ass, and Khâled B. Alwolyd appointed Abu Mûsa Asha’ry, to command the vanguard of their respective forces, both of which thereon separated, and marched to their destinations. The troops that were with Khâled likewise separated into two parties, one of them marching to Yemen, and the other joining the Bani Zobayd. When A’li the Amir of the Faithful—u. w. b.—learnt what had taken place, he sent a messenger to Khâled B. Wolyd with the following order: ‘Thou art to stop at the place in which my courier meets thee.’ Khâled, however, paying no attention to this order, A’li the Commander of the Faithful ordered Khâled B. Sa’yd to overtake Khâled B. Alwolyd, and to stop him, wherever he might find him, until the Amir reached him. Khâled B. Sa’yd obeyed, and when the Amir reached the cavalry of Khâled B. Wolyd he sharply reproved him for his disobedience, and then marched against the tribe of A’mru B. Ma’dy Karab, to whom his people said: ‘O father of Thûr, what thinkest thou of the Qoraish youth who is coming to levy duties and taxes from thee?’ A’mru replied: ‘He will learn that in any place he meets me.’ When the two opposing parties encountered each other, A’mru B. Ma’dy stepped into the battle-field and shouted for a champion, whereon the Commander of the Faithful got ready to fight him, but Khâled B. Sa’yd exclaimed: ‘O father of Hasan, may my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! wilt thou allow me to punish A’mru?’ The Amir, however, replied: ‘If thou considerest it thy duty to obey me, thou wilt remain quiet in thy place, so that I may fight him.’ Khâled accordingly obeyed, and the Commander, arriving opposite to A’mru, uttered a shout so loud as to frighten A’mru that he fled, whereon the victorious army attacked the opponents, killing the brother and nephew of A’mru, as well as capturing his wife, with several other women. After the most noble mind of the Commander of the Faithful had been set at rest with reference to the enemies, he returned, but left Khâled B. Sa’yd in the locality to collect the legal alms, and ordered him to spare the life of every fugitive returning and becoming a Musalmân.

After the departure of A’li B. Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.— A’mru B. Ma’dy Karab went to Khâled B. Sa’yd and became a Musalmân [again]; he also requested the latter to liberate his family from bondage, which was done. After A’li the Commander of the Faithful had gained the victory in that expedition, he selected a maiden for his own use from the fifth part of the spoils, but as soon as Khâled B. Wolyd had heard of this, he forthwith despatched Borydah to inform the apostle of Allah—u. w. b.—of what A’li had done. Borydah obeyed, and handed Khâled’s letter containing the accusation against A’li to the lord of prophecy, who became excited on learning what had taken place, and his blessed countenance glowed with anger, whereon Borydah said: ‘O apostle of God, if thou allowest people to commit such transgressions, the efforts of the Musalmâns will be rendered nugatory.’ His holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—however, replied: ‘Woe betide thee, Borydah! thou hast committed hypocrisy with reference to A’li. Verily A’li B. Abu Ttâleb is allowed to take from the spoils whatever I am allowed to take. A’li B. Abu Ttâleb is the best of men. For thee and for thy tribe he will be the best man to succeed after me, as well as for the whole nation. O Borydah, take care not to be the enemy of A’li; for God the Most High will be thy enemy.’ Borydah says: ‘On that occasion I wished the earth would open and swallow me, and I exclaimed: “May Allah protect me from the wrath of the apostle of God! O apostle of Allah, implore pardon for me; for after this I shall never harbour enmity against Ali, nor speak evil of him.” Then the apostle of God prayed that I might be forgiven.’ Borydah says: ‘After that I loved A’li more than anyone else.’ The author of the book Aa’lâmu-l-warâ says that Ebn Hanbal has narrated this story in his Masnad.

KA’BU-L-AKHBÂR MAKES HIS PROFESSION OF ISLÂM BY THE
BLESSING OF THE WORDS OF THE LION OF ATTACK—U. W. B.

There is a tradition that when A’li the Commander of the Faithful—to whom salutation—sojourned in the country of Yemen, preached, and taught the ordinances of Islam, and Ka’bu-l-akhbâr had been informed of his eloquence, he donned a robe, mounted a camel, and proceeded in company of one of the U’lamâ of the Jews, who was his co-religionist, to the assembly of the Amir, who, at the time they entered, happened to be preaching and uttering the words, ‘There are men who can see in the night, but not in the day,’ and Ka’bu-l-akhbâr said: ‘He speaks the truth.’ Afterwards the illustrious Commander said: ‘Whoever gives with a short hand will be requited with a long hand.’ Ka’b again manifested his approbation, but his Jewish companion asked him how he could approve of sentiments the meaning whereof is ambiguous? Ka’b, however, replied: ‘The man who sees in the night, but not in the day, is he who believes in the first book [i.e., the Pentateuch] but not in the last [i.e., the Qurân]. He who sees neither in the night nor in the day is a man who believes in neither; and the other assertion is [likewise] plain, because with God the Most High and Glorious alms are acceptable, and He returns them abundantly.’ Meanwhile a mendicant begged something from Ka’b, who immediately divested himself of his cloak and surrendered it to him. The Jewish priest was so displeased with this act that he immediately left Ka’b, and returned to his home. After his departure a woman approached Ka’b, and said: ‘Who will give me his camel, and will take mine instead?’ Ka’b replied: ‘If thou wilt give me thy cloak in addition to it, I shall agree to the exchange.’ The woman having assented, Ka’b donned her cloak, mounted the camel, went after the priest, and when he had reached him, said: ‘Who gives with a short hand is requited with a long hand.’ Then Ka’b again returned, waited on the Amir, and inquired about his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. A’li complied with his request, beginning to enumerate the qualities of his lordship, but Khâled smiled, and when A’li the Commander of the Faithful asked him for the reason, he replied: ‘I smile because in ancient books we find the qualities of Muhammad to agree with those thou art describing.’ Then Ka’bu-l-akhbâr made his profession of the Faith, and learnt the ordinances of Islâm from A’li the Commander of the Faithful according to the best of his ability, remained in Yemen, made it his business to propagate the doctrines and tenets of the noble religion, but came to Madinah during the Khalifate of O’mar the Commander of the Faithful, and always regretted having failed to wait on his lordship the best of created beings. It is, however, related in the history of Ebn Hamdan that at the time when O’mar Alkhattâb marched to Aylyâ, K’abu-l-akhbâr was dwelling in Syria, and that when the victorious banners of that Khalifah occupied the country, Ka’bu-l-akhbar made haste to wait on him, and to make his profession of the Faith; but Allah the Most High knoweth best.

REVELATION OF THE BLESSED VERSE OF ‘IMPRECATION,’ AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE INHABITANTS OF NAJRÂN FOR THE PURPOSE OF A TREATY OF AMITY.

During this year peace was concluded between his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—and between the Christians of Najrân, which happened as follows: The apostle of God had written a letter to the Christians of Najrân, and had invited them to make a profession of Islâm. They consulted with each other, selected fourteen men from among themselves, and despatched them to Madinah to obtain authentic information about the prince of existences, and to communicate the same to them. In this Wofod [deputation] there were three distinguished individuals, one of whom was A’bdu-l-masyh [servant of the Messiah], surnamed A’aqubat; he was the Amir, the adviser, and the governor of the Christians of Najrân. The second was a man who had numerous retainers and great property; his name was Yahun, and his surname Sayid. The third was Abu-l-hâreth B. A’lqomah, a scholar and teacher enjoying high dignity and great respect among the Christians. The Greek kings had built churches for him, and paid him a stipend. Abu-l-hâreth had a brother, named Karaz B. A’lqomah, who was also one of the fourteen. While travelling the mule of Abu-l-hâreth excelled [the others], and Karaz said: ‘Let him excel who is farthest, namely, Muhammad.’ Abu-l-hâreth replied: ‘Excel thou rather.’ Karaz asked: ‘Why sayest thou so, O brother?’ Abu-l-hâreth rejoined: ‘I swear by Allah that Muhammad is the apostle of God, whom we were expecting.’ Karaz asked: ‘If such be the case, why makest thou not a profession of the religion of Muhammad? And what hindereth thee from following him?’ Abu-l-hâreth replied: ‘To agree with Muhammad would entail the enmity of our people; for if we were to do such a thing, we would no longer be respected by the Christians, who would take away all the gifts and possessions which they have given us.’ These words engendered love for Islâm in the heart of Karaz; he impelled his camel quickly, and made his profession of Islâm as soon as he attained the felicity of the hand-kiss.

It is related that when the inhabitants of Najrân came to Madinah they wore gold rings on their fingers, and laid aside their travelling apparel, in lieu whereof they donned silk garments, and, trailing their skirts on the ground, thus entered the mosque of the apostle of God, and saluted him. That prince, however, would not return their greeting nor look at the Christians. They therefore, following the custom of their religion, turned their faces eastward and engaged in prayers; nor did any person present interrupt them, by order of his holy and prophetic lordship. When they had terminated their devotions they approached the apostle, but received no answer to all their speeches. They therefore departed from the mosque sad and disappointed, going to seek an interview with O’thman B. O’ffân and A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’wuf, with whom they had previously been acquainted. They explained their case to them, and said: ‘What are we to do now? Must we return to our country, or wait a couple of days?’ Then O’thmân and A’bdu-r-rahman asked A’li the Commander of the Faithful, who had been present during this interview: ‘O father of Hasan, what is thy opinion concerning these men?’ He replied: ‘They must put away their gold rings from their fingers, and exchange their garments for the clothes they wore on their journey.’ Or, according to another tradition: ‘They must put on their costume of monks, and thus enter the august assembly.’ The Christians accordingly followed the directions of A’li the Commander of the Faithful— u. w. b.—waited on the prince of apostles, and saluted him, whereon his lordship opened his blessed mouth in reply to them, and said: ‘I swear by that God who has sent me in reality to mankind, that when these men first entered they arrived in the company of Satan.’ His lordship then honoured them with compliments, and invited them to make their profession of Islâm; but the Christians refused, and uttered unconnected words. On that occasion their bishop asked: ‘O Muhammad, what thinkest thou of our Lord the Messiah?’ That prince replied: ‘He was a servant of God and a prophet.’ The bishop continued: ‘Thinkest thou that I’sa—u. w. b.—had a father who begat him?’ His lordship said: ‘No.’ The bishop asked: ‘Then how sayest thou that he was a servant and a created being, whereas thou canst not see any created being without a father?’ But his lordship said: ‘This day I shall not reply to your questions. Remain in this city until you receive the answer to your inquiry.’

The next day the following verse was revealed: ‘Verily the likeness of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him out of dust, and then said unto him, Be, and he was. [This is] the truth from thy Lord; be not therefore [one] of those who doubt; and whoever shall dispute with thee concerning him after the knowledge which hath been given thee, say [unto them], Come, let us call together our sons, and your sons, and our wives, and your wives, and ourselves, and yourselves; then let us make imprecations,³⁹⁹ and lay the curse of Allah on those who lie.’ Then his lordship the refuge of termination —u. w. b.—called the men of Najrân, and recited to them the verse which had just been revealed. They, however, remained stedfast in their belief, denying the truth of the Qurân, and when his lordship perceived the obstinacy and resistance of the Christians, he said to them: ‘Come, let us make imprecations, and lay the curse of Allah on those who lie.’ The Christians, however, replied: ‘Give us respite this day, that we may go and consider, and make our imprecations to-morrow.’ His lordship complied with their request, the Christians returned to their lodgings, and said to A’aqubat, who was their adviser and counsellor: ‘What do circumstances require and what must we do? We shall act according to what seems best to thee.’ A’aqubat replied: ‘O ye Christian people, you know full well as a certainty that Muhammad is an inspired prophet, and that he has given you a convincing argument about I’sa—u. w. b. Leave off, therefore, making imprecations. By Allah, no sect had ever made [mutual] imprecations with a prophet, and lived after that; and if you make imprecations with him, you will all perish. As, however, you do not mean to abandon your religion, enter into negotiations with him, and get him to agree to your being allowed to pay the poll-tax.’ After they had all assented to this proposal, the Wofod proceeded next morning to the sacred habitation, at the moment when his lordship the refuge of termination was just coming out from his august chamber, leading Hasan, the son of A’li B. Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.— by the hand, with that of Husayn, the [other] son of A’li— u. w. b.—under his arm, followed by A’li and Fattimah— u. w. b.—and saying to them: ‘When I finish the prayers you must say Amen.’ After the Christians had seen these five persons, heard the prayers and the Amen, they were overwhelmed with fear and terror. Hereon Abu-l-hâreth, who was their scholar and spokesman, said: ‘My friends, I behold a man who is able to move a mountain from its place if he willeth. You must, therefore, not make imprecations with him, or else you will bring on your own destruction. I believe that if you dispute with him, not a single Christian will be left alive in the world.’ After they had considered the matter for a while, they said to the apostle of God: ‘We shall not make imprecations with thee.’ Hereon that prince invited them to accept Islâm, and when they refused, he said: ‘Then prepare for war and bloodshed.’ They replied: ‘We have not the strength to resist the Arabs, but we promise to pay thee every year two thousand garments; in the month Ssafar one thousand, and in the month Rajab one thousand, the price of every garment being forty dirhems; on condition that we be allowed to retain our religion and to live under thy protection.’ His lordship agreed to these conditions, and having written a treaty of peace, handed it to the Christians.

In some books we read that when the verse of ‘imprecation’ was revealed the Christians consulted with each other about returning next day and making imprecations. When, however, they had left the august assembly and had returned to their lodgings, the bishop said to them: ‘If Muhammad causes his family and children to be present at the imprecation, you must abstain therefrom, because it would bring calamity on the Christians; but if he brings only his friends with him, you may hold the imprecation.’ When the apostle of God came out in the morning from his chamber, leading Hasan and Husayn, the sons of A’li, followed by the latter with Fattimah, A’aqubat, and Sayd, and Abu-l-hâreth, who were the chiefs of the Christians, made their appearance. The bishop asked: ‘Who are these persons accompanying Muhammad?’ Being told that they were A’li, his cousin and son-in-law, with his wife, the mother of these two children, all the most excellent and noble of mankind, the bishop continued: ‘I swear by God, in the grasp of whose power my life is, that I see persons whose request God would grant if they were to pray for the removal of a mountain. Make no imprecations with Muhammad, for he has come with his family and is trusting in God. If you make imprecations against him your times will be changed, your country will be abased, and no Christian will be left on the face of the earth. Were it not for fear of the Qayssar, I would be the first to profess Islâm. You must make a treaty of peace with Muhammad, and agree to what both parties might decide upon.’ When the prophet—u. w. b.—arrived near that company he sat down on his haunches and invited them to make imprecations.’ The bishop, however, said: ‘I swear by God, he is on his knees as prophets are accustomed to sit during imprecations, and the truth is on his side.’ The Christians, who had heard these words of their bishop, said: ‘O father of Qâsim, we shall not utter imprecations against, but will make peace with thee.’ Thereon the treaty was concluded between the two parties as recorded above, and when the negotiation had come to an end, the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—said to the bishop: ‘I see thee returning to thy quarters, falling asleep, and afterwards placing the bridle on thy camel, putting that before which ought to be behind.’ When the bishop went to his dwelling he slept. Then he rose, carelessly placed the reins in the wrong way on his camel, but, perceiving his mistake, he exclaimed: ‘I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’ It is related that on the above occasion the apostle of God said with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: ‘I swear by Allah, in whose power my life is, that misfortune would have befallen the people of Najrân had they made imprecations against me, because God the Most High would have changed them into monkeys and hogs. Fire would have rained upon them from this Wâdy, and God the Most High would have extirpated the inhabitants of Najrân before the expiration of one year. In the Kashafu-l-ghummah there is a tradition of A’ayshah that she said: ‘The apostle of God came out in a cloak of black fur, and after him Hasan, whom he put into it; then came Husayn, whom he likewise placed under it. Then A’li said: “Verily God desires to remove sinfulness from you, and to purify you with a perfect purification.”’⁴⁰⁰

HAJJATU-L-WODAA’ [PILGRIMAGE OF VALEDICTION].

During the year his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. —went on pilgrimage, which took place as follows: After the apostle of God had determined to go to Mekkah, he sent messengers to the Arab tribes who had attained the nobility of Islâm that he was about to proceed to the sanctuary, and that all persons desirous to go on pilgrimage were to leave their habitations and to join him. When this news had spread far and wide, numbers of people beyond all calculation started for Mekkah, and were in attendance on the heaven-aspiring stirrup to learn the ceremonies of the visitation. When the crowds had assembled his lordship started, according to one tradition, on Sunday, the twenty-fifth of the month Dhu-l-qa’dah, and according to another he departed on Monday from Madinah; but another tradition states that he performed his ablution on the first day of the said month, anointed his blessed countenance with oil, combed his propitious head, perfumed his unparalleled body, laid aside his garments, donned himself in two Izârs, issued from his august apartment, held the ordained prayers with four flexions at noon in the mosque of Madinah, and departed to Dhu-l-khalifah. When he arrived in that place he held the omitted post-meridian prayers, and selected nearly one hundred camels for the sacrifice. One of these he himself consecrated, and put on the garlands with his own blessed hands, appointing Nahyah B. Jundal to take care of the others. Nahyah says: ‘I asked his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—what I was to do in case a camel should be in danger of perishing. And he replied: “Slaughter it, and having sprinkled its garland with blood, place its trappings on Yemen-cloth, but neither thou nor thy companions must eat of the flesh thereof.”’

On that occasion Fattimah—salutation to her—and all the other mothers of the Musalmâns were seated in howdahs, and had the felicity of accompanying the prophet. According to a certain tradition, one hundred and fourteen thousand persons were in that journey attending on the heaven-aspiring stirrup, and after his lordship had held the second prayers at Dhu-l-khalifah, he mounted his private camel Qasswy and tied on the Ehrâm. Jâber the Anssâry says: ‘When I arrived in the retinue of the apostle of God at Dhu-l-khalifah, Asmâ, the daughter of O’mys, gave birth to Muhammad B. Abu Bakr, and sent to his lordship a message asking him what she was to do with the breathings?⁴⁰¹ He sent the reply: “Tie up thy womb with something, but do not disregard thy Ehrâm [state of a pilgrim], and utter the Talabbyah.” The Talabbyah is comprised in the following words: “I await Thy commands, O Allah! I await Thy commands! Thou hast no partner! I await Thy commands! For praise and glory are due to Thee! Thou hast no partner!”’

After travelling over the distance he arrived in Dhu Towa, where he held the matutinal prayers, and leaving that place, he entered Mekkah from the upper portion, proceeded to the mosque of the sanctuary, saluted the black-stone, and encompassed the house [of the Ka’bah], proceeding quickly during the three first, and according to the usual manner during the four last circumambulations, i.e., slowly. On that occasion he drew forth his sacred Redâ from under his right arm, and threw it over his left shoulder. After the circumambulation he turned his propitious face to the place of Ebrâhim, and recited the blessed verse, ‘Consider the place of Ebrâhim as a place of prayer,’ with his wonderfully eloquent tongue. Between the Ka’bah and the place of Ebrâhim he prayed with two flexions, during the first of which he recited the Fâtehah [first chapter of the Qurân] and ‘Say, O ye unbelievers.’⁴⁰² During ths second he recited the Sûrah Ikhlâss,⁴⁰³ proceeded to the black-stone, touched it, and came out by the gate of Ssafâ. When he arrived in the last-mentioned place he recited the blessed verse, ‘Moreover, Ssafâ and Merwah are [two] of the monuments of Allah,’⁴⁰⁴ and said: ‘I begin wherewith Allah the Most High has begun,’ and ran between Ssafâ and Merwah. When he entered Ssafâ, he turned his blessed face to the Qiblah of prayer, looked towards the house of the Ka’bah, and said: ‘There is no God but Allah alone. He has no partner. To Him belong the kingdom and the glory. He causes people to live and to die, and He is the living One who dies not. He is omnipotent. There is no God but Allah alone. He kept His promise, aided His servants, and He alone put the confederates to flight.’ Then he prayed, and thrice repeated the just-mentioned words. After that he proceeded to Merwah, went quickly through the Wâdy, and then again went slowly, acting in Merwah as he had done in Ssafâ. When he had finished running, he issued orders that everyone who had no [animal for] sacrifice should divest himself of the Ehrâm and be free, but put it on again on the day of Tarawiah; but that anyone possessing an animal for sacrifice should abide in his Ehrâm till the day of the slaughter. Then he said: ‘Had I known before what I know now, I would not have brought any sacrificial animals with me, but would have purchased them in Mekkah, would have laid aside my Ehrâm, and at present be free like yourselves; but as I have the animals with me, I cannot be delivered [of the Ehrâm] until I have slaughtered them.’ Fattimah Zohrâ —u. w. b.—and several other mothers of the Musalmâns having no sacrificial camels with them, they were freed of the Ehrâm, as also the companions who had no animals to sacrifice. Meanwhile also A’li the Commander of the Faithful had arrived from Yemen, bringing several camels for presentation to his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. —and that prince asked him: ‘With what intention hast thou tied on the Ehrâm?’ He replied: ‘O apostle of God, as thou hast not told me thy intention, I said: “O Allah, I have tied on the Ehrâm with the same intention wherewith Thy apostle has tied it on.”’ The prophet replied: ‘I have tied on the Ehrâm for the pilgrimage, and have brought with me sacrificial camels. Abide thou also in thy Ehrâm, and be my partner in the presentation-camels.’ On that occasion A’li Murtadza—u. w. b.—saw that Fattimah—u. w. b.—was dressed in a handsome robe, and had collyrium round her eyes. He therefore asked why she had freed herself [from the obligations of the Ehrâm], but the princess of the women of this world— u. w. b.—replied: ‘I have put away the Ehrâm by order of the prophet.’

The apostle of God—u. w. b.—remained from Sunday till Thursday, the eighth of Dhu-l-hejjah, i.e., four days, and went on the said Thursday with the Musalmâns to Menah, where he rested, holding the daily prayers as well as the vespertine and dormitory ones. He spent also the night in that locality, and held the matutinal prayers in the morning, and went after sunrise to A’rafat, where he entered a tent prepared for him in the place called U’rwah. There he remained till the sun began to decline, whereon he mounted his she-camel Qasswy and entered the lower portion of the Wâdy, where he preached a sermon mounted as he was, and said during it: ‘Ye are prohibited to shed each other’s blood, to take each other’s property, or to quarrel during this sacred day and month.’ He also said: ‘Be aware that I have trodden under foot the customs of the time of ignorance, and any murders committed during it can now no longer be avenged. The first retaliation which I have ordered to be abrogated was the one for the murder of Rabya’h B. Alhâreth B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, the son of my father’s brother. I have abolished the blood-mulct of the time of ignorance, and the first which I thus abrogate is that for A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, that I may be the first who shows how to abstain from taking blood or property [in retaliation].’ After that he uttered with his wonderfully eloquent tongue several precepts about keeping women, and continued: ‘I leave something with you, which if you follow it you will not err, namely, the Qurân.’ He also said: ‘You shall be questioned about me on the morrow of the resurrection. You will be asked, “How has Muhammad dealt with you? How has he promulged his message and the commandments?” What reply will you give?’ They answered: ‘On that day we shall bear witness that thou hast fulfilled the conditions of thy apostleship, hast discharged the duties wherewith thou hast been entrusted, and hast not omitted to promulge any of the laws of direction, nor the needful admonitions.’ When that prince heard these words he lifted his index-finger to heaven, and then, pointing to the ground, he exclaimed thrice: ‘O Allah, I bear testimony [to what the people have now said].’ After that the call to prayers and the Eqâmet⁴⁰⁵ were proclaimed. He led the devotions, the Eqâmet was repeated, and he again held prayers with the assembled multitude. After that he mounted his camel, entered the Maqaf,⁴⁰⁶ turned his face to the Qiblah, engaged in devotions, and continued them till sunset.

Ebn A’bbâs says: ‘When the apostle of God stood in the Maqaf, I saw him raising his blessed hands and touching his propitious countenance with his palms, saying: “The most excellent prayer of mine, and of the prophets who were before me, is this: “There is no God but Allah alone, who has no partner. His is the kingdom and the glory, and He is omnipotent.”’ In some biographical works it is mentioned that there is a difference of opinion among the U’lamâ whether that prince was fasting on the day of A’rafat or not. The argument of those who believe that he did not fast is that Ommu-l-fadzl, the mother of A’bdullah B. A’bbâs, had said: ‘At the time when his lordship was standing in the Maqaf I sent him a pitcher of milk, of which he drank, and the people who saw it knew that he was not fasting.’ On this day, also, the blessed verse, ‘To-day I have perfected your religion, and have completed my favour to you, and have granted you Islâm for a religion,’⁴⁰⁷ was revealed. It is related that on the said day he remained till sunset in A’rafat. Then he caused Asâmah B. Zayd to mount behind him, and held the bridle of Qasswy so short that the camel’s head touched the pillow which was in front of his lordship; but when she began to ascend he slackened the reins, so that the camel went up easily. When he arrived at Mazdalfah he held the sunset and evening prayers, with the Adhân⁴⁰⁸ and Eqâmet, spending the night in Mazdalfah. In the morning, when it was yet dark, he held prayers, went to the holy monument,⁴⁰⁹ stood with his face towards the Qiblah, uttering the Takbyr, the Tahlyl,⁴¹⁰ and the Tawahyd,⁴¹¹ and remaining until the day had fairly dawned. He left the holy monument before the sun rose, and after it had risen the Qoraish also departed. When his lordship went away he allowed Fadzl B. A’bbâs, who was a son of Ssabyh Alwojah, to mount behind him; but as they were riding Fadzl looked every now and then towards the women of Bahrayin, who were just passing, and that prince with his blessed hand turned the head of the young man away from them in another direction. When they arrived in the valley of the ceremonies he impelled his camel quickly, and proceeded through the middle road to Hamratu-l-a’qabah Kabra. When he reached the last-named place he halted in the centre of the Wâdy, where he threw seven stones, and shouted the Takbyr at the throwing of each. On this day he preached at Menâ, prohibiting bloodshed, rapacity, and quarrelling in the same way as he had done on the day of A’rafat. He also described the coming of the Dujjâl⁴¹² his figure, and qualities. He also imparted advice on many other subjects. When he had terminated his sermon he hastened to the Manahar,⁴¹³ where the sacrificial camels of the apostle of God had been kept, together with those brought by A’li from Yemen, which amounted to nearly one hundred. Of these he killed sixty-three with his own hands, according to the number of the years of his age, and ordered A’li to slaughter the rest. Then he got his blessed head shaved, and distributed the sacred hairs thereof among his companions and wives. Some of the companions likewise shaved, whilst others merely clipped their hair. For the former his lordship uttered three prayers, and for the latter one prayer, in the same way as on the day of Hodaybiah, for mercy and pardon. He ordered also a little flesh to be taken from every one of the camels sacrificed, and to be cooked in a pot. The noble one of the family of B. Ghâleb—u. w. b.—⁴¹⁴ partook of that meat and broth with A’li B. Abu Ttâleb, because he had made him his partner and associate in the sacrifice. After that A’li the Commander of the Faithful distributed, by order of his lordship, the meat and hides of the camels among the people, and paid the wages of the butchers from other sources. When he was freed from [the restrictions and ceremonies of] the Ehrâm, he rode to Mekkah, encompassed the Ka’bah, held the earlier prayers, went to the well Zemzem, and said: ‘O sons of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, draw water from the well Zemzem; and if I feared not that the people would overpower you, I would draw with you.’ Then a bucket was brought for his lordship to drink.

When his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had terminated the ceremonies of the pilgrimage, he remained for some days in the noble city of Mekkah, and then departed to the honoured town of Madinah. After traversing the proper distance, he arrived in Ghadyr Khumm, which is in the vicinity of Hajfah. In that place he halted, held matutinal prayers, turned his face to the companions, and said: ‘Are we not above the believers themselves?’ But, according to another tradition, he said: ‘It seems to me that I am called to the eternal world, and that I have complied. Let it be known unto you that I leave two important matters with you, one of which is more important than the other; I mean the Qurân and the members of my house. Take care how you deal with these things after my decease, and how you respect them. For these two subjects will not be separated from each other until they meet me on the bank of the Kawthar.’ Then he continued with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: ‘Verily, Allah the Most High is my Lord, and I am the lord of the believers.’ He then took A’li’s hand, exclaiming: ‘A’li is the master of those whose master I am. O Allah, his family is my family; his friends are my friends. I injure those who injure him, and I befriend those who aid him. Truth is with him, wherever he is.’ The author of these pages says that with reference to this matter, the statement in the Aa’llâmu-l-warâ and of the Rabyi’-l-abrâr is as follows: When his holy and prophetic lordship arrived in Ghadyr Khumm on his return from Mekkah, he ordered a place to be cleaned under some trees, and the saddles of the camels to be collected and placed in one heap. Then Ballâl proclaimed prayers by order of his lordship, the people assembled, that prince mounted the heap of saddles, and was at his own desire followed also by A’li, who stood on his right side. After that his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b. —poured forth with his propitious tongue praise and gratitude to the Lord of Glory, exhorted the people, informed them of his own [approaching] death, and said: ‘I am called to the mansion of eternity. I shall soon comply, and leave you. I leave, however, two things with you, and if you take hold of them you will not go astray. These two things are the book of Allah and my family, which will not separate from each other until they join me on the bank of the lake Kawthar.’ Then he said: ‘O ye multitude of people, who is nearer to you than your own souls?’ They all replied: ‘God the Most High and His apostle.’ He continued: ‘To whomsoever I am nearer than his own soul, to him also A’li is nearer than his own soul.’ Then he took off A’li from the pack-saddles of the camels in such a manner that the foot of A’li was on the top of the knee of the prophet, and said: ‘Whose lord I am, A’li is also his lord. O Allah, love him whom he loves, and hate him whom he hates. Assist any one who befriends him, and injure everybody who injures him.’ Then he came down and sat in his own tent, ordering A’li to sit in another. After that he ordered numbers of persons to go to the tent of A’li and to congratulate him. After they had done so, the mothers of the Believers also went to A’li—u. w. b.— by order of the lord of existences—u. w. b.—and felicitated him. Of the number of the companions present, O’mar B. Alkhattâb said: ‘Blessed art thou, O A’li; for thou hast been exalted by my lord and by the lord of all the believers of both sexes.’

It is related that when his holy and prophetic lordship had, after performing the journey, arrived in the vicinity of Madinah, and his blessed eye alighted on the glorious country, he exclaimed: ‘There is no God but Allah. He has no partner. His is the kingdom and the glory, and He is omnipotent. We turn to God, praise and worship Him. God has fulfilled His promise, has aided His servants, and He alone has put to flight the confederates.’ During this year Ebrâhim, the son of the apostle of God, died in his infancy, and [with reference to this event] A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’wuf says: ‘The apostle of God took me by the hand, led me to the bedside of Ebrâhim, and embraced his beloved son, who was in a dying state, and when he perceived him in this condition he wept. I said: “O apostle of God, do not weep; for thou hast prohibited us to weep.” But the apostle of God replied: “I have forbidden you to lament and to cry, to strike your faces and to tear your garments; but to weep is mercy, and he who has no mercy will receive no mercy, O Ebrâhim. Were not the promise of God true, and that all who live must die, I would certainly be more sad than I am. But, although I am grieved to part with thee, and shed tears, I say nothing against the will of God the Most High.”’ Barâ Ebn Ghâreb says: ‘Ebrâhim died when he was sixteen months old; the prophet prayed over his corpse, and said: “Ebrâhim has a nurse in paradise, who will complete his suckling time.”’ On the day of his death the sun became darkened, and the people said that an eclipse had taken place on account of this event. His lordship, however, observed: ‘Sunshine and moonshine are two indications of the signs of God the Most High and Glorious, and they are eclipsed for the death of no one. If, however, you behold an eclipse, let it become an occasion of prayer to you, that it may be removed.’

EVENTS OF THE ELEVENTH YEAR AFTER THE FLIGHT,⁴¹⁵ AND DEATH OF HIS LORDSHIP THE PRINCE OF INSPIRED MESSENGERS—U. W. B.

The U’lamâ of biographies—Allah have mercy on them! —have said that when his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—had returned to Madinah from the pilgrimage of valediction, he fell sick, and [never quite] recovered again, and that when the news of his indisposition had spread near and far, some persons laid claim to prophecy, such as Moseylamah B. Thamâmah Hanfy, and Aswad B. Ka’b B. I’sa, and Ttolhah B. Khowylad Asdy, and Shujaa’ B. Hâreth B. Sowyd Tamymy. But as, according to the unanimous consent of traditionalists and biographers Moseylamah, and of historians Aswad, were both killed during the time of [the Khalifate of] Ssiddyq, this affair will be narrated in detail among the events of that period, and as Ttolhah as well as Shujaa’ likewise put forth their claims at that time, their adventures will likewise be narrated on the said occasion, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.

One of the events of this year was that on Monday, the twenty-sixth of the month Ssafar, his lordship issued orders to a number of Musalmâns to make preparations for marching against the [Byzantine] Greeks, and that the next day he called Asâmah B. Zayd, and said to him: ‘I appoint thee Amir over this army. March in the direction of Mowtah, where thy father was slain. Attack the enemies, set fire to their habitations and goods. Make haste to surprise the people before the news reaches them; nor must thou remain there long if Allah the Most High grants thee victory over them, but return quickly. Take also guides with thee, and despatch spies in advance.’ On Wednesday, the twenty-eighth of Ssafar, that prince had a violent fever and headache, and on Thursday he tied, despite of his malady, the banner [of command] with his own propitious hands for Asâmah, saying: ‘In the name of Allah, for the religion of Allah, fight those who are unbelievers!’ Asâmah went out with the standard, which he gave to Borydah B. Alhassyb, and made him the commander of the army. Asâmah halted in the place Haraf to wait till all the forces were assembled, and his lordship the prophet also ordered Ssiddyq, Fârûq, Dhu-n-nûryn and other chiefs of the Mohâjer and nobles of the Anssâr, to march in that expedition with Asâmah. This arrangement, however, displeased many of the companions, and disapproving of it, they said: ‘The apostle of God has made that boy the governor of the Mohâjer, and of such a [distinguished] company.’ When the words of the malcontents had been reported to the favourite of the Boundless Sovereign, he became very irate, tied a cloth over his blessed head, and left his mansion, despite the headache and fever he was suffering from, ascended the pulpit, and said, after offering praises and thanksgivings: ‘O ye people, what words of yours do I hear with reference to the commandership of Asâmah? If you blame him this day for being the commander, you have undoubtedly blamed his father when he was in command of the Sariah of Mowtah! I swear by Allah that Zayd was worthy of the command, and that after him his son is likewise worthy thereof! Accept, therefore, in good part what I say about him. He is one of the best among you.’ After saying these words his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—came down from the pulpit and returned to his august apartment. This happened on Sunday, the tenth Rabyi’ anterior, on which day the men appointed to serve under Asâmah also visited his lordship in crowds to take leave, and then hastened to the camp. On that day also the malady of the apostle of God increased, and on the eleventh of the same month Asâmah left his army to wait upon his lordship, whose bedside he approached, and kissed his head and hands, but the disease had so augmented that his lordship was unable to speak; he, however, raised his hands to heaven, and then placed them on Asâmah. The latter says: ‘I knew that he was praying for me.’ After that Asâmah went from the apartment of the apostle of God to the camp, spent the night there, and next morning again paid a visit to his lordship. At that time the apostle of God felt better, and when he dismissed Asâmah, he said: ‘Go with the blessing of Allah!’ He accordingly returned to the camp and issued marching orders, but when he was in the act of mounting [his horse], he received a message from his mother, Omm Aymen, that the apostle of God was in his last agony. Thereon Asâmah returned, and the companions likewise. The campaigns of Asâmah during the Khalifate of Ssiddyq will soon be narrated, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.

Now we shall go to the end of the matter. In most biographical works it is recorded that Ssiddyqah⁴¹⁶ said: ‘On a certain night during the month Ssafar the apostle of God awoke from sleep and desired to go out, whereon I asked: “May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! Where art thou going?” He replied: “I am commanded to pray for pardon in the Baqyi’ cemetery.” He then took his freed man Abu Mûyah to accompany him, but according to another tradition he went with Abu Rafi’, under whose orders Abu Mûyah was.’ Abu Mûyah says: ‘When we arrived in the cemetery of Baqyi’ he prayed for the people buried there, and uttered so many good wishes in their favour that I longed to be one of them, in order to share in the [effects of the] prayers he offered. After that he harangued the dead as follows: “May ye enjoy well the favours which you have received as a gift of God. Blessed be the place by the infinite graces whereby ye have departed [to the next world], and have been delivered from the dissensions which have beset the people like dark clouds following each other, the first whereof have joined the last, and the end whereof is worse than the beginning.”’ In fine, Abu Mûyah says: ‘When his lordship had ceased speaking, he turned to me, and said: “O Abu Mûyah, the world and its treasures have been offered to me, and I have been left the option to remain in the world, and after that to enter paradise or to meet my Lord.” I said: “O apostle of God, may my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! Thou hast selected the treasures of the world, the abode therein, and after it paradise.” But he replied: “I have elected [to meet] my Creator, and after that [to dwell in] paradise; I renounce the treasures of the world, and everything else except God.”’

It is related of Ssiddyqah that she said: ‘When the apostle of God was well, I heard him say that every prophet was, before his departure, allowed the option between this and the next world; and when the lethal disease had subdued his exalted nature, he occasionally exclaimed: “[I am] with those prophets, saints, and martyrs whom Thou hast favoured, and they are the best companions [for me].” After that he said: “With the highest companions.” Then I knew that his lordship had been left the option, and that he had selected the eternal world.’ There is a tradition that on a certain night the prophet had been ordered to go to Baqyi’, and to pray for those who were buried there. That prince obeyed, and when he returned from Baqyi’ to the house he fell asleep. Then he was again told to pray for the dead at Baqyi’, and he did so for the second time, returned to his august apartment, but fell asleep again, and he was yet rejoicing when he was again ordered to go and to pray for the martyrs. His lordship therefore hastened in the direction of Ohod, and having prayed for them in that place, he returned, but was afflicted by a headache, in consequence whereof he wrapped his head up in a turban.⁴¹⁷ It is said that after he had implored pardon for the persons interred at Baqyi, he informed his friends of his own departure, and in the Moqassadu-l-warâ we read that on Wednesday, when two nights of the month Ssafar were still remaining, his lordship was attacked by fever in the house of Maymûnah very violently, but whenever the disease abated he came out and prayed with the people; in the contrary case, however, he used to send word to them to pray without him; but the fever became so strong and continuous that it deprived him of consciousness.

In the Aa’llâmu-l-warâ we read that the prophet began to feel unwell on Saturday or Sunday, during the end of the month Ssafar, took hold of the hand of A’li, and, preceded by a number of friends, arrived at Baqyi’, where he said: ‘Greeting to you, O denizens of the tombs. May you enjoy what is coming. Troubles have arrived like pieces of a dark night; the former are connected with the latter, and they follow each other.’ Then he said: ‘Be it known unto you that Jebrâil recites the Qurân to me once every year; but this year he has done it ten times. I know he has done this, because my end is at hand.’ He also said: ‘O A’li, I have been left the choice to receive the treasures of this world and to remain therein, or to dwell in paradise, but I have elected to meet God the Most High, and [after that to dwell in] paradise. When I expire thou art to wash my body, and to cover my pudenda, so that no one may see them without being struck with blindness. After having washed my body, thou art to drink the water remaining in the cavity of my navel, and of the cavities of my eyes, that thou mayest inherit the knowledge of the prophets of former and of latter times.’ After that he returned to his house, and was sick three days. On Wednesday he came out and went to the mosque, but his head was tied up, and he reclined against A’li the Commander of the Faithful, who was on the right, and against A’bbas, who sat on the left side of the pulpit. After praising God the Most High, he said: ‘O ye people, be it known unto you that the time has indeed come for me to depart from among you. Therefore, every one to whom I am indebted must tell me, so that I may pay him.’ Then a man rose and said: ‘O apostle of God, I have a claim on thee, and thou hast told me that thou wilt give me money.’ The prophet replied: ‘Fadzl, give him the three Oqyahs which I handed to thee.’ Then he came down and went home. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday he mounted the pulpit and preached as follows: ‘O ye people, verily between God the Most High and yourselves there is nothing by which you may obtain something or ward off evil, except [good] works. O ye people, no one is to lay false claims, or to wish for anything but the truth. I swear by that God who has sent me in reality to mankind, that He rewards mankind for [good] works only, or from His mercy —glory be to Him! Had I, who am a prophet, committed sin, I would have perished.’ Then he raised his hands and said: ‘O God Most High, have I promulged Thy message or not?’ This he repeated thrice, and came down, held the prayers, and afterwards sitting [a while] with the people, he went to the house of Omm Solmah, where he remained one or two days. Then Ssiddyqah came and requested him to go to her house, actually taking him there; but the disease of his lordship increased.

The author of these pages states that the above account is that of the Aa’llâmu-l-warâ, but all the U’lamâ of biography and historiographers have a tradition of Ssiddyqah that she said: ‘The beginning of the sickness of the apostle of God was in the house of Maymûnah, and when the day of my turn⁴¹⁸ arrived he came to my apartment. I also had the headache, and said, “O my head!” and he replied: “How would it be if thou wert to die before me, and I were to shroud and to bury thee, and to pray over thy body?” My jealousy, however, made me retort: “O apostle of God, this is thy wish, and I think that on the very day of my burial thou wouldst celebrate a wedding with another wife in my apartment.” He smiled at this remark, and said: “But I exclaim, O my head!” These words implied that Ssiddyqah would recover, but that his lordship would die of his malady.

Ssiddyqah continues: ‘After that the apostle of God returned to the house of Maymûnah, and his disease augmented.’ It is related that while in the house of Maymûnah his lordship was overpowered by his malady, and that the mothers of the Musalmâns [i.e., his wives] hastened to wait upon him, desiring to be his nurses; but he several times repeated the words: ‘Where shall I be to-morrow?’ They ascertained that he desired to go to the apartment of Ssiddyqah, and all assented. There is, however, also an opinion current that the prophet—u. w. b.—uttered the above words as if asking permission from the ladies, sitting in the chambers of modesty, to go to the house of Ssiddyqah. At all events, his pure spouses having assented to his wish, his lordship departed from the house of Maymûnah, leaning with one hand on A’bbâs, and with the other on A’li the Commander of the Faithful, trailing his blessed feet along the ground, till he reached the house of Ssiddyqah, where he fell asleep on the couch of debility. Some allege that his lordship was taken up in his Redâ, and conveyed to the [various] apartments of the mothers of the Musalmâns, as he had been accustomed to go at the time when he visited each of them in her turn. A’bdullah B. O’mar says that Ssiddyq had requested the apostle of God to be allowed to nurse him in sickness, but his lordship replied: ‘O Abu Bakr, if I allow others besides my wives to take care of me during my malady, their calamity will be greater; but thy reward is with Allah the Most High and Glorious.’

Omm Solmah says: ‘The apostle of God during his sickness tied a turban on his blessed head, mounted the pulpit, and first implored pardon for the martyrs of Ohod, and after that he ordered the doors of the houses of the companions which faced the mosque to be shut, except that of A’li—u. w. b.—saying: “I cannot do without his company, nor he without mine.” O’mar, however, said: “O apostle of God, wilt thou permit me to leave only a crevice, large enough to see thy coming out from thy house through the hole?” His lordship being disinclined to consent, one of the friends asked: “O apostle of God, what was the reason for ordering the doors to be opened, and afterwards to be shut?” And his lordship said: “They were neither opened nor shut by my orders.”’

Ssiddyqah says: ‘In the agony of his disease, the apostle of God sometimes moaned and sometimes rolled on his side, whereon I said: “O apostle of God, if any of us were to do such things thou wouldst surely become angry.” He replied: “O A’ayshah, my disease is extremely violent. Verily, God the Most High and Glorious sends heavy and great calamities upon Musalmâns and virtuous persons; nor is there a single believer whom evil does not befall, were it only as much as a thorn in his foot; but for that reason God the Most High exalts His dignity.”’ There is also a tradition that Ssiddyqah said: ‘I had never seen a more violent distemper than that of the apostle of God.’ It is related that one of the companions said: ‘I paid a visit to the prophet, and on that occasion he was covered with a Qottyfah,⁴¹⁹ which I touched, and found so warm that I could not feel his body, whereat I was so astonished that I exclaimed: “Praise be to Allah!” And his lordship said: “No persons suffer greater calamities than prophets; and their misery being double, their reward is likewise so. God the Most High and Glorious had so tried some of them with poverty and want that they possessed but one garment for wear either in the day or night. The joy of some of them was, nevertheless, greater in their misfortune than your joy [in your prosperity].”’

The mother of Bashar B. Barâ says: ‘During the mortal disease of the apostle of God I was at his bedside, and he had a burning fever. I said: “O apostle of God, I never saw anyone having such a fever.” He replied: “It is because my reward will be double.” Then he asked: “O mother of Bashar, what are the people saying with reference to my malady?” I replied: “The people imagine that the blessed body of the apostle of God suffers from pleurisy.” He observed: “It is not in conformity with the favour and beneficence of God the Most High and Glorious to subject His apostle to that disease, because that malady is one of the tricks of Satan, and Satan has no power over me; but this sickness is a sequel of the poisoned meat which I ate with thy son in Khayber. These pains I have repeatedly felt, but now the time is at hand when the thread of my life will be cut in twain.”’

There is a tradition of A’bdullah B. Masu’d, that one month before his decease his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—had assembled his companions in the apartment of Ssiddyqah, and said: ‘God the Most High and Blessed salutes you, bestows His mercy on you, keeps you, destroys anything that may injure you, cares for your sustenance, presents you with everything advantageous in the religion and in the world, grants you a place in the shadow of His protection, preserving you from all calamities and evils. I recommend you to be abstemious, and to beware of the evil consequences of heedlessness. I pray to Allah to guard you, and I make Him—whose magnificence be glorified— my successor over you. I recommend you to fear God the Most High, whose apostle I am. Do not oppress or injure believers; for God has warned me and you of the “eternal world” till the end of the verse.’⁴²⁰ He also said: ‘Is not the habitation of the proud in hell?’ When he had finished his injunctions, I asked: ‘O apostle of God, when will the time of thy departure be?’ He replied: ‘It is near at hand. The time to separate from my companions and to meet the Lord of lords, and the mansion of recompense, has arrived.’ I asked: ‘O apostle of God, who will wash thee?’ He said: ‘The men of my family nearest related to me.’ I continued: ‘Of what shall we make thy winding-sheet?’ He said: ‘Wrap me in the same clothes which I have now on my body, or in Egyptian garments, or in a Yemeni dress.’ I continued: ‘Who shall pray over thee?’ And, being overpowered by my feelings, I wept. The apostle of God also wept, and said: ‘Be ye quiet and not confused, for God will have mercy with the efforts you made in the cause of religion for the apostle of the Lord of both worlds, and will reward you. When you have washed me you must wrap me in funeral garments, place me on a stage, leave the latter on the margin of the grave, and recede therefrom for an hour, because the first to pray over my body will be Jebrâil—u. w. b.—after him Mykâyl—u. w. b.—then Esrâfil —u. w. b.—then A’zrayil—u. w. b. [about these see Index, Part 1, Vol. I., of this series]—and then the host of angels. Allow afterwards the crowds of the people to approach and to pray. The men of my family are to begin to pray for me, then the women of my family, and after that yourselves. Salute my absent friends, and greet all who will embrace my religion from this day till the day of the resurrection.’ Abu Sa’yd Hadhary says that in his mortal sickness the apostle of God came out one day from the apartment of A’ayshah, mounted the pulpit, preached a sermon, and, exhorting his companions on that occasion, said: ‘God the Most High and Glorious has given to His servant the choice between this world and His reward, but he has selected the latter.’ At these words Abu Bakr commenced to weep, and we wondered what occasion there was for crying at this information; at last, however, we learnt that he had by his high intellect and penetration understood that the servant here meant was the prophet himself. He also said in that sermon: ‘Verily, had I taken a friend besides my Creator, I would have selected Abu Bakr for my friend. Brotherhood, however, in Islâm is a perfect advantage, and this rank and dignity he has attained.’ It is related of Ssiddyqah that she said: ‘In manners, behaviour, and excellent qualities I have never seen a person resembling the apostle of God—u. w. b.—more than Fattimah—u. w. b.—and whenever she paid him a visit he rose to honour her, went to meet her, and caused her to take her seat in his own place. When the apostle of God visited Fattimah—u. w. b.—she acted in the same manner towards him. In his last sickness he called his beloved daughter, and when Fattimah—u. w. b.—approached his lordship, the apostle of God said, ‘Welcome, my daughter,’ seated her by his side, and whispered something into her ear which made her cry; but thereon the apostle of God again secretly conversed with her, and she smiled as if pleased.’ A’ayshah relates: ‘On that occasion I said to Fattimah: “I never saw grief so quickly changed to joy as now. What is the reason for it?” Fattimah, however, refused to yield any information, and said: “I shall not reveal the secret of the prophet—u. w. b.” When the apostle of God had departed from this perishable to the imperishable world, I asked her: “What were the words the apostle had spoken to thee?” She replied: “On the first occasion he said: ‘Jebrâil used to recite the Qurân to me once every year; this year, however, he has done so ten times, and I think my death is at hand.’ Therefore I cried. On the second occasion he said: ‘Thou wilt be the first person of my family who will meet me.’ At these words I rejoiced.”’ Some allege that the prince of this world—u. w. b.—uttered both the above sentiments in the first conversation with Fattimah, and that he said in the second: ‘Art thou not willing to be the princess of the women inhabiting paradise?’ After that he said: ‘Jebrâil has informed me that no Musalmân woman will enjoy higher dignity than my daughter.’

The U’lamâ of biographies have related that at the time when the sickness of the apostle of Allah increased, and the companions assembled in his apartment, he exclaimed: ‘Bring an inkstand, with a sheet, that I may write⁴²¹ something which will never be lost after me.’ Some desired to comply with this order, while others said: ‘Will the words be like those he utters from the violence of his disease, or serious ones?’ O’mar said: ‘Pain and suffering have overpowered the apostle of God, and we possess the Qurân which we approve of.’ Many agreed with the opinion of O’mar, while others insisted on the production of the writing materials asked for, so that a dispute arose, which was carried on with great confusion and noise. Hereon his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—said: ‘Go away from me; for it is unseemly to quarrel in the presence of a prophet.’ He nevertheless added: ‘I enjoin you three things: The first is, that you expel the idolaters from Mesopotamia; the second is, that when you are visited by deputations [Wofûd] of Arabs, you make them presents, as I was in the habit of doing.’ Suleymân, who has his account from Sa’yd B. Jobayr, says: ‘I know that Sa’yd B. Jobayr did not think proper to divulge the third injunction, although he excused himself by saying: “The cobwebs of oblivion are impairing my mind.”’ A’bbâs says: ‘It was a great misfortune that some of the companions would not allow the apostle of God to write his last will.’ There is a tradition that when his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—was overpowered by disease, he said: ‘Pour on me water from seven bags, filled from seven wells, and mayhap I shall be relieved and go out of the house to exhort the people.’ This having been actually done, that prince felt relieved, went out from the house, and held prayers with the people, preached a sermon, and after having offered praises to the Most High, he asked pardon for the martyrs of Ohod, whereon he continued: ‘Verily the Anssâr are my intimate friends. Honour those of them who are good, and forgive those who are bad. I swear by Allah, in whose power my life is, that I love them. They have done their duty; they have acted honestly and bravely.’ Some historians narrate that when the Anssâr perceived the disease of his holy and prophetic lordship increasing day by day, they were distressed and confused, so that most of them roamed, with heavy hearts and bloodshot eyes, around the mosque of his lordship, because they were unable quietly to remain in their houses, and to withdraw the feet of gravity under the skirts of patience. A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb with his son Fadzl, and A’li B. Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.—entered the august apartment after each other, and informed his lordship of what was going on. The apostle of God thereon erected himself and sat upright on the couch by the aid of his friends, and asked what the Anssâr were saying. A’li B. Abu Ttâleb replied: ‘The Anssâr say: “We are afraid and terrified that the apostle of God will leave this world, and we do not know what will become of us.”’ When the sentiments of the Anssâr had become known to the prince of the righteous, he rose, and placing one of his hands upon the back of A’li —u. w. b.—and the other upon that of Fadzl, he trailed his blessed feet along the ground, and was preceded by A’bbâs. They walked in this way till they entered the mosque, where the prophet sat down on the first step of the pulpit. When the Musalmâns heard of this, they assembled in the mosque; and after he had praised, glorified, and thanked God the Most High, he spoke as follows: ‘O my people, I hear that you fear I shall die. Is there any prophet who remained alive for ever, that I should likewise remain with you for ever? Be it known unto you that I and you must return to God the Most High and Glorious. I enjoin you to act kindly towards the first Mohâjer. I recommend the Mohâjer and yourselves to live amicably with each other.’ Then he recited the Sûrah Wala’ssir,⁴²² and said: ‘All well-ordered affairs and their success depend upon the permission of Allah the Most High. Let nothing induce you to act hastily in any matter, because the Lord, whose name be blessed and exalted, is rash in nothing and for no one. Whoever attempts to overcome the decree of Allah the Most High will be overcome thereby, and whoever tries to deceive Allah the Most High will himself be deceived and disappointed.’ He recited also the blessed verse: ‘Were ye ready, if you had been put in authority, to act wickedly on earth and to deny your relatives?’⁴²³ Then he said: ‘O ye Mohâjer, I recommend you to deal kindly and amicably with the Anssâr; for they have kept ready for you the place of your flight and the locality of our exile, namely, Madinah, and have professed the Faith before you met them. They shared with you their gardens and the fruits thereof. They received you in their houses and gave you places in their lands. They preferred to relieve your necessities rather than their own, and jeopardized their lives for you. Let any man who becomes their governor be the friend of those who treat them well, and disregard the wishes of those who bear them ill-will.’ Then he continued: ‘O ye Anssâr, after my decease other people will be preferred to you.’ The Anssâr asked: ‘O apostle of God, how shall we deal with them?’ He replied: ‘Be patient until you join me on the bank of the Kawthar.’ When the conversation had reached this stage, A’bbâs requested permission to speak, and said: ‘O apostle of God, issue orders also with reference to the Qoraish.’ His lordship said: ‘I enjoin the Qoraish to obey my successor; the people to obey the Qoraish; the good and the virtuous to follow the good and the virtuous; and the bad and the wicked to follow the bad and the wicked.’ After these delightful sentiments he added a few injunctions to the Qoraish, and then returned to his august apartment. Fadzl B. A’bbâs says: ‘During the time the apostle of God was sick, he one day wrapped his head in a turban, took me by the hand, left the house, went to the mosque, ascended the pulpit, ordered Ballâl to assemble the people, and said: “I desire to exhort the Musalmâns, tell them therefore, This is the last injunction of the apostle of God with reference to you.” Ballâl obeyed, and promulged in the public places of Madinah the orders he had received. When the people heard the voice of Ballâl and his invitation, they left their houses and shops open as they were, and hastened to wait on the prince of the world. The young and the old, the small and the tall, hastened to the mosque, where the crowd was so large that scarcely two persons more could have entered it. After his lordship had offered praises and thanks to God the Most High, he said: “I shall soon depart from among you; let everyone whom I have injured in body or mind arise and plead for retaliation, and let everyone to whom I owe any money take it from my property; and let no one say: ‘I am afraid that if I take revenge the apostle of God will hate me and will be my enemy.’ Such is not my nature. I am far from harbouring such feelings. I love him most who requires me to pay him what I owe him, or who absolves me from all liability, that I may depart to the forgiving Sovereign with a free and spotless conscience, and I believe you will not disapprove of what I have now uttered.”’ Fadzl continues: ‘After these words he came down from the pulpit, held the matutinal prayers, ascended the pulpit again, and reiterated his former challenge, whereon a man arose and said: “O apostle of God, thou owest me three dirhems.” That prince replied: “I do not think thou art a liar, nor do I wish anyone to swear an oath who proffers such claims, but tell me how I owe thee these dirhems.” The man said: “O apostle of God, one day a poor man spoke to thee, and thou hast ordered me to give him three dirhems.” His lordship then said: “Fadzl, give him three dirhems.” After that his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—said: “O ye men, let every one who owes me anything pay it to-day, and do not let him say: ‘I am ashamed of the scorn of the world,’ for the scorn of this world is easily endured, but not that of the next.” On this occasion a man rose, and said: “I have unjustly appropriated three dirhems for my own use from the spoils.” Being asked why he had done this, he said: “I was in want of money.” The prophet continued: “Fadzl, take that sum from him.” He then said: “Let any man who is subject to the qualities worthy of blame inform me of them, that I may pray for him.” Accordingly an individual rose, and said: “O apostle of God, I am a liar, a profligate, and addicted to much sleep.” He exclaimed: “O God, present him with veracity, and dispel his sleep whenever he desires to indulge therein.” Then another man rose, and said: “O apostle of God, I am a liar and a hypocrite, nor is there any sinful act which I have not perpetrated.” Here O’mar interrupted him, saying: “O man, thou hast disgraced thyself.” But his lordship said: “It is more easy to support disgrace in this world than in the next. O God Most High, make him veracious and give him Faith. Turn his heart from evil to good.” Then O’mar uttered something, which made him smile and say: “O’mar is with me and I with O’mar, and the truth is with O’mar wherever he may be.”’

A’li the Commander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—said: ‘In his last sickness the prophet issued his injunctions, and when he had terminated them the Sûrah “When the aid of Allah shall come”⁴²⁴ was revealed, and I said: “O apostle of God, this injunction seems to be valedictory.” He replied: “Yes, O A’li, for my heart is distressed in this world.” Then he sat down, closed his eyes awhile, and when he again awoke he said: “O Jebrâil, aid me, and fulfil thy promise.” After that he called me near himself, placed his head in my lap; his august countenance was changed, and his open forehead perspired amply. Fattimah, who saw what was taking place, jumped up distressed, took the hands of Hasan and Husayn, and exclaimed: “O my father, who will after thy decease cast a glance of pity at the state of thy daughter Fattimah? Who will cherish thy grandsons Hasan and Husayn? Who will instruct A’li? Who will deal with the people that will come from various countries? O father, may my life be a sacrifice for thine! Woe to my ears which will never hear thy sweet speech, and to my eyes which will never behold thy pleasant countenance!” When his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—heard the groans and lamentations of Fattimah—u. w. b.—he opened his eyes, called her, placed his blessed head on the bosom of his beloved daughter, and said: “O God Most High, vouchsafe patience to Fattimah.” Then he said: “O Fattimah, I congratulate thee, for thou wilt join me before any other person. O light of my eyes, thy father is in the agony of death.” Fattimah then began to weep and to lament aloud, losing all her self-possession.’ A’li continues: ‘I said: “O Fattimah, be quiet, and do not strew salt on the wound of the apostle of God.” That prince, however, said: “Allow her to shed tears for her father.” Then he closed his propitious eyes. Fattimah—u. w. b.—said to Hasan and Husayn: “Arise, and go to your dear [grand] father; perhaps he may give you some advice.”’ According to another tradition, however, she said: “Mayhap he will give you something which will pacify your hearts.” The two darlings then approached the apostle of God by the advice of their mother, and Hasan asked: “O my noble grandfather, how can we endure being separated from thee, and to whom can we confide our distress? Who will, after thy departure, show kindness to me, to my mother, to my father, and to my brother? Who will treat the people and thy wives as kindly as thou wast accustomed to do, and who will take care of them?” At these words the mothers of the believers, who were present near the bedside of that prince, raised a shout of distress.

A’li B. Abu Ttâleb says: ‘I wept from grief, and a number of the companions, who were in attendance at the door of the apartment, as steadfastly as the ring attached to [the door of] it, exclaimed: “O Muhammad, who will console thy people when thou art gone?” They said: “O A’li, open the door, that we may once more behold the propitious countenance of the apostle of God, and cast a glance at the world-adorning pulchritude thereof.” The apostle of God, hearing the shrieks and lamentations of the companions, said: “O A’li, open the door for my friends.” I obeyed; whereon the principal Mohâjer and Anssâr entered, whom his lordship immediately admonished to be patient and quiet, saying: “Ye are the cream of the people, and the essence of the inhabitants of the world. Although your appearance on earth happened to be the last of all nations, your entrance into paradise will take place before all the others. Be ye steadfast and constant in keeping the ordinances of God, make the Qurân your guide, and do not neglect the commandments of the religion.” Then he said: “O God, I have finished.” He closed his blessed eyes, drops of perspiration appeared on his august countenance, and I made a sign to the companions to leave the apartment. Hereon A’ayshah asked for advice, and he said: “O A’ayshah, you must remain quietly in your houses and be patient, as God the Most High says, ‘And your houses.’” Uttering these words he wept, so that the tears of his lordship kindled the fire of misfortune in the hearts of all who were present, and Omm Solmah asked: “As all thy sins are forgiven, why weepest thou?” He replied: “Indeed, I wept from compassion for my people.” Then he congratulated Fattimah, and she asked him: “Where shall I find thee on the day of the greatest fear [i.e., on the day of the resurrection]?” His lordship said: “Thou wilt find me at the tree beneath the flag of Ahmad, whilst I shall be engaged in praying to the Merciful One, to forgive all nations.” She asked: “If I do not find thee there, where shall I seek thee?” He replied: “Near the bridge Sserâtt, when I shall be standing there to pray for them and to plead for their safety.”⁴²⁵ She continued: “If I cannot find thee there either, where must I seek thee?” He said: “Near the Balance, where I shall be engaged in praying for peace.” She continued: “If I do not meet thee in that place either, where will you be?” He rejoined: “On the brink of hell, where I shall be standing to ward off the calamity of fire from my people.” Fattimah having thus been comforted, he closed his propitious eyes again. Next morning, at dawn, Ballâl shouted the [usual] call to prayers, and his lordship said: “Go, that everyone who likes may pray.” After he had thrice repeated these words, Ballâl said aloud: “Come to prayers; may Allah have mercy on thee!” He, however, replied: “Let me alone, for I am in my last struggle and agony of death!”’

It is related that during his sickness, when the time of prayers was at hand, his lordship used to send out Ballâl until he himself arrived to pray with the people. In his last sickness, however, he was, on account of the great violence thereof, unable to leave the house for three days; and there is a tradition that in his last sickness his lordship omitted seventeen public prayers. Some allege that at the time of the dormitory prayers Ballâl went to the door of the apartment of the apostle of God, and exclaimed: ‘Prayers, O apostle of God!’ but that his lordship was too sick to come. Those of the Sonna⁴²⁶ maintain that he said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to pray with the people.’ A’ayshah, however, said: ‘Abu Bakr is in a state of great distress and melancholy. When he stands in thy place and begins to recite the prayers he will be overpowered by his tears. Therefore he is unable to lead the prayers. How would it be if thou wert to entrust O’mar with this duty?’ Although A’ayshah repeated this suggestion several times, his lordship insisted, saying: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to hold the prayers,’ but the responsibility rests with the narrator. When A’ayshah perceived that her wish would not be complied with, she instigated Hafssah, the daughter of O’mar, to say to the apostle of God: ‘Order O’mar to hold the prayers with the people.’ He, however, again rejoined: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to hold the prayers with the people!’ After his holy and prophetic lordship had intimated his wish that Abu Bakr should hold the prayers, two men went out to Ballâl and informed him of it. The latter thereon returned weeping and crying aloud: ‘Would to God I had died before this time, instead of seeing the apostle of God in this condition!’ Then Shâ Omm Abu went to Abu Bakr, and said: ‘The command has gone forth from the court of prophecy that you pray with the people.’ Accordingly Abu Bakr rose with the intention to pray, but when he looked at the Mahrâb⁴²⁷ and saw that the prince of existences—u. w. b.—was not there, he wept so violently that he fainted, and the wailings and lamentations of the congregation were so awful that the Mahrâb and pulpit groaned from pain; and how beauteous is the saying:

Distich:	In my prayers I remembered the arch of thy eyebrow;
	I lost my senses, and even the Mahrâb groaned!

When the tumult of the companions had reached the august hearing, he asked Fattimah Zohrâ: ‘What noise is this?’ She replied: ‘O apostle of God, thy friends are weeping for being separated from thee.’ Then his lordship called A’li B. Abu Ttâleb and A’bbâs B. A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and, leaning upon them, proceeded to the mosque, where he held prayers, and, after terminating them, said: ‘O my people, ye are under the protection and guardianship of Allah, whose name be glorified! May the Lord most high be my successor over you. You are to be pious, fearing the Lord most high, obeying and honouring Him; and I am about to depart from this world.’ In some traditions—and the responsibility rests with their narrators—we read that when Ballâl had informed the apostle of God of the time for prayers being at hand, the prophet ordered A’bdullah B. Rabya’h to tell the people to hold the prayers. He obeyed, and when he came out from the apartment he met O’mar, to whom he said: ‘Hold the prayers with the people.’ O’mar accordingly went to the Mahrâb, and began to lead the prayers; but when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—heard the recitation of O’mar, he asked: ‘Is not that the voice of O’mar?’ The persons near him replied: ‘Yes.’ Then he said: ‘God will do this to the believers,’ and, putting out his head from the window of the apartment, he thrice repeated with his wonderfully eloquent tongue the words: ‘No; Abu Bakr must hold prayers with the people.’ This, however, is the assertion of the adherents of the Sonna. O’mar, therefore, stopped praying, and asked A’bdullah B. Rabya’h: ‘Has not his lordship told thee that I am to hold the prayers with the congregation?’ He replied: ‘His lordship has mentioned no name, but as I have not seen Abu Bakr among the friends, I told thee to lead the prayers, because I considered thee to be more fit for that office than the others.’ O’mar rejoined: ‘I knew not that such was the case, or else I would not have undertaken to officiate.’

It is related that one day during the last sickness of the apostle of God—u. w. b.—A’li came out from that prince, and that the companions asked him: ‘How is the apostle of God to-day?’ He replied: ‘Thanks be to Allah, he is in the best condition.’ A’bbâs, however, taking hold of A’li’s hand, whispered to him: ‘After three days the prophet—u. w. b.—will reach the propinquity of the mercy of the Lord of both worlds, because I perceive the sign of death upon him. It will, therefore, be proper for us to go to him, and to ask him who is to be his successor. Should he appoint one of ourselves, it will be all well and good, but if it be another, we must have a compact with him.’ A’li, however, refused to agree to this proposal, and said: ‘If we are not admitted at present to the successorship, we shall never obtain it afterwards. I swear by Allah that I shall not put this question to his lordship, nor covet the honours of this world.’

It is related that the apostle of God sometimes fainted during his malady, and that on one of these occasions his pure spouses administered to him medicine which they poured into his blessed mouth, and it gave him no pain. When, however, he had recovered from his fit, he learnt what had taken place, and asked of what the medicine consisted. They replied: ‘Of a little Indian aloe, some saffron, and a drop of oil.’ He continued: ‘Who told you to do this?’ They said: ‘Asmâ, the daughter of O’mys, who also said that this was a fever which had come to you from Abyssinia.’ His lordship rejoined: ‘What disease do you think I have, that you give me this medicine?’ They said: ‘We feared it was the pleurisy.’ He said: ‘That disease is from Satan, and God the Most High has not surrendered me to the power of Satan. Therefore every person whom I now see in this room must swallow some of that medicine, except A’bbâs, whom I excuse.’ Accordingly, by the command of that prince, all the women poured the medicine into each other’s mouths, and would not excuse even Maymûnah, although she was fasting at that time.

It is related that three days before the death of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—Jebrâil came down [from heaven] and said: ‘O Muhammad, the Creator greets thee, but asks thee about a matter He knows better than thou. He asks thee how thou feelest?’ His lordship replied: ‘O faithful spirit of God, I am unhappy and suffering.’ After two or three days Jebrâil came again, and a conversation took place between them as before. On the third day Jebrâil again made his appearance at the door of the august apartment, with Esma’il [Ishmael], who is the commander of seventy thousand angels, and with A’zrayil. When Jebrâil had finished his questions, he said: ‘Behold, the angel of death is standing at the door, and asking permission to enter, nor has such a thing ever happened to anyone before thee, neither will it happen after thee.’ His lordship said: ‘O Jebrâil, allow him to enter.’ The angel of death, having obtained admittance, entered, saluted, and said: ‘O Muhammad, Allah the Most High has sent me to wait on thee and not to disobey thee. If thou wilt allow me, I shall take hold of thy pure soul and shall convey it to the upper world, or else I shall return [without it].’ The apostle of God looked at Jebrâil as to what he should say, and the Faithful Spirit spoke: ‘O Muhammad, God the Most High is anxious to see thee.’ Accordingly, the apostle of God beckoned to A’zrayil to execute the behest he had received, and Jebrâil said to his lordship: ‘Farewell, Ahmad! Henceforth I shall no more alight on earth to bring revelations or messages from the Most High, whose name be glorified. On thy account alone I visited the world.’

For thee we travel,
Secrets to unravel;
Speak only for thee,
Or silent remain we.

A’bdullah B. A’bbâs relates that on the day when his lordship the apostle died, God the Most High and Glorious had spoken to A’zrayil as follows: ‘Descend from heaven to earth; go to my favourite, Muhammad, but take care not to accost him discourteously, or to grasp his soul without his permission.’ Accordingly, the angel of death departed with one thousand celestial spirits of his assistants, all of them being mounted on piebald horses, and wearing garments encrusted with precious gems, and arrived in our world after traversing the proper distance. A’zrayil assumed the form of an Arab, halted at the door of the apartment of the apostle of God, and said: ‘Salutation to thee, chief of the prophets and mine of apostleship! Will you allow me to enter, may the mercy of Allah be upon you?’ On that occasion Fattimah, who was sitting at the bedside of his lordship, replied: ‘The apostle of God is engaged with his own condition, and it is impossible to meet him.’ The angel of death then again asked for permission and received the same answer; the third time, however, he asked for admittance in so loud a voice that everyone present in the sacred dwelling trembled for fear on account of the dreadfulness thereof. Thereon the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—who had been in a trance, recovered consciousness, opened his blessed eyes, and asked: ‘What is the matter with you?’ Having been informed of what had taken place, he asked: ‘O Fattimah, wast thou aware to whom thou hast spoken?’ She replied: ‘God and His apostle know it best.’ He continued: ‘This is the angel of death, the destroyer of pleasures, the terminator of aspirations and of hopes. He disperses assemblies, makes orphans of children, and widows of wives.’ Fattimah rejoined: ‘O father, the city is destroyed!’ He then took her hand, pressed it to his blessed bosom, and kept his eyes closed for a long time, so that those who were present thought his noble spirit had taken flight to the throne of the Almighty, and Fattimah, placing her mouth to the ear of that prince, whispered, ‘O my father!’ but, receiving no answer, continued: ‘O my father, may my life be a sacrifice for thine! Consider my state, and speak one word to me.’ Thereon his holy and prophetic lordship opened his eyes, and said: ‘O my daughter, cease to weep, for the bearers of the throne are weeping because thou weepest.’ Then he wiped, with his blessed hand, the tears from the face of his beloved daughter. Trying to pacify her, and to impart glad tidings to her, he said: ‘O God, vouchsafe fortitude to her, that she may bear our separation.’ Then he said to her: ‘When my spirit is being grasped [by the angel of death], pronounce the words: “We belong to Allah, and to Him we shall surely return.”⁴²⁸ O Fattimah! whatever calamity befalls a man, he will be requited for it.’ Fattimah, however, rejoined: ‘O apostle of God, what person, or what thing, could be an equivalent for the loss of thee?’ After that his lordship again closed his eyes, and Fattimah continued: ‘O father!’ The apostle of God replied: ‘Hereafter thy father will be subject to no affliction nor pain; because every grief to which human beings are subject depends upon their connection with their mortal bodies; this, however, is now about to be dissolved, and the words “Return to thy Lord willingly or not” have reached my ears, O my soul! After these words it would be a shame to remain a denizen of this earth. Thou wilt hasten to be received into the propinquity of the mercy of the Lord of both worlds, wilt behold and enjoy all the blessings of paradise, and wilt suffer neither pain nor grief any more.’ In fine, when the apostle of God—u. w. b.—had terminated his allocution to Fattimah Zohrâ—u. w. b.—A’ayshah approached, and requested him to impart to her his last wish, whereon he said: ‘O A’ayshah, I have imparted it to thee yesterday, and it is the same to-day. Walk according to the commandments of God the Most High, and remember me.’ A’ayshah most readily assented to, and even forestalled, all the injunctions of his lordship. Then Hafssah approached him, and he spoke to her in the same manner as to A’ayshah. After that he said to his darling Fattimah: ‘Bring thy sons.’ She then led Hasan and Husayn to the apostle of God. They saluted him and remained standing opposite to him. When, however, they had contemplated their noble grandfather in this condition, they wept very loudly, and the tongue of the circumstances expressed the feelings of both in the following distich:

I die—not to see him—for fear;
God forbid that he should disappear.

They cried so much that all present were moved to tears. The Emâm Hasan placed his face on the blessed countenance of his lordship the best of men, and the Emâm Husayn laid his head on the bosom of that prince. The apostle of God opened his blessed eyes, looked mercifully and compassionately on them, fondling and kissing them, and enjoined everyone to love them. After that he ordered A’li into his presence, who obeyed, and sat down near his couch. The apostle raised his head from the pillow, the Lord A’li approached, reclined with his head upon the blessed hand of the prophet, and his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—said: ‘O A’li, I am indebted to such and such a Jew, for such and such a sum of money, which I have borrowed from him, to fit out the expedition under Asâmah. I beseech thee to repay him. O A’li, the first person who will meet me on the lake Kawthar wilt be thou. After my demise many afflictions will come; grieve not, however, but rather be patient and suffer. When thou beholdest the people coveting the goods of this world, aspire thou to the blessings of the next.’

In some traditions it is related that his holy and prophetic lordship asked for writing materials from A’li— u. w. b.—but the Commander, fearing he might expire before he carried out his intention, said: ‘O apostle of God, give me any orders thou likest, because I am able to remember them.’ His lordship then said: ‘The prayers which your right hands possess.’⁴²⁹

There is a tradition of Jâber B. A’bdullah the Anssary that during the Khalifate of O’mar, Ka’bu-l-akhbâr asked him: ‘O’mar, what were the last words spoken by the apostle before he died?’ O’mar replied: ‘Ask A’li B. Abu Ttâleb.’ Ka’b accordingly questioned A’li, who replied: ‘When his lordship reclined on my breast, and placed his head on my shoulder, he said: “The prayers! The prayers!”’ And Ka’b rejoined: ‘This is the last injunction of prophets. They are commanded to do so, and their mission amounts to this.’ A’li continued: ‘When the apostle of God uttered these words, and the saliva from his blessed mouth fell upon me, his condition became suddenly changed, and I was grieved to see him in that state; I therefore called out to A’bbâs: “Help me!” He accordingly approached me, and we laid that prince down on his couch.’

We read in some biographical works that when A’zrayil entered the sacred mansion in the form of an Arab, he said: ‘Salutation to thee, O prophet! God the Most High and Glorious sends thee His greeting, and orders me not to grasp thy soul without thy consent till Jebrâil arrives.’ Then the Lord of Glory spoke to the possessor of hell as follows: ‘The pure spirit of my friend Muhammad is about to be conveyed to heaven. Extinguish the fire of hell!’ To the Hûris with large eyes the following revelation was communicated: ‘Adorn yourselves. For the soul of Muhammad will arrive.’ The denizens of the altitudes, and the dwellers in the upper world, were ordered to stand in lines, and the Faithful Spirit [Jebrâil] received the following order: ‘Go to the earth, to Muhammad my favourite.’ Jebrâil obeyed, and made his appearance weeping at the bedside of the prophet, whereon his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—said to him: ‘My friend, wilt thou abandon me in this condition?’ Jebrâil replied: ‘O Muhammad, I congratulate thee, for I have brought thee news which will please thee.’ His lordship asked: ‘What good news hast thou brought?’ He replied: ‘The fire of hell has been extinguished, the gardens of paradise have been adorned, the Hûris with large eyes are decorated, and the angels are drawn up standing in lines, and waiting for the advent of thy soul.’ His lordship replied: ‘This is all well and good, but tell me something that will rejoice and delight my soul.’ Jebrâil continued: ‘None of the prophets nor any of their followers are allowed to go to paradise until thou and thy people have entered it.’ His lordship said: ‘Increase my joy.’ And Jebrâil said: ‘O Muhammad, the Lord Most High, whose name be blessed and exalted, will grant thee several things, which He has not vouchsafed to bestow on any of the noble prophets; the lake Kawthar; the laudable spot; intercession for thy people will be granted to thee, and on the morn of the resurrection many of thy adherents will be restored to thee to rejoice thee.’ The apostle of God said: ‘Now my heart has become glad, and my eyes lit up.’ Then he turned his face to A’zrayil, and said: ‘Come nearer, and do what thou hast been ordered to do.’ The angel having thus obtained permission from his lordship, engaged in the operation of severing his lordship’s pure spirit from his body. When the agony of death had so overcome him that the hue of his blessed countenance sometimes turned red and sometimes yellow, he dipped his hand into a cup of water which was near him, passed it over his face, and said: ‘O God, help me in my last agony!’ As the perspiration covered his glorious face, he continued to wipe it off, sometimes with his right and sometimes with his left hand, until the governor of the city of life [i.e., the soul] withdrew his hand from ruling his incomparable body.

It is related that when this prince was in his last agony he looked at the ceiling of the apartment, raised his hand, and said: ‘The Most High is my Companion!’ He then dropped his hand again, and departed to the eternal world. On that occasion the inmates of the nuptial chambers of modesty raised shrieks of lamentation and wailing. Fattimah Zohrâ said: ‘Alas, my father, thou hast responded to the call of the Almighty! Alas, my father, the gardens of paradise are thy dwelling-place! Alas, my father, thy death makes Jebrâil exclaim: “O apostle of God! O prophet of mercy! We shall receive no more revelations!” Nor will Jebrâil visit us. O God Most High, cause the soul of Fattimah to join his soul! O God Most High, cause me to participate in the reward of Thy favourite, and do not exclude me on the day of the resurrection from his intercession!’ And Ssiddyqah cried aloud: ‘Alas for the prophet who has preferred poverty to riches, and destitution to opulence!—

O my heart, truth teaches you
To prefer poverty to riches.

‘Alas for the pious man who never slept during whole nights on the couch of rest from grief for the sins and transgressions of his people; who constantly practised patience, who never ceased to combat evil passions, who never gave a thought to forbidden things, who was never morose, who never closed the gates of beneficence and liberality against the poor and destitute! His brilliant teeth were broken by stones which his miserable foes had thrown at him! His forehead of happy presage was enveloped in the turban of the vicissitudes of the times! His blessed stomach was for two consecutive days deprived of the nourishment even of barley bread!’

It is related that when the holy soul of his lordship had departed from his unparalleled body, the males of the family entered the august apartment, and a curtain was suspended between them and the ladies. A voice, the owner of which could not be discovered, then uttered the following words: ‘Salutation to you, O ye members of the family! The blessing and mercy of God be on you! All who live must die, but you shall receive your reward for all your calamities and misfortunes from the Supreme Judge. Be comforted, trust in the Lord, and take refuge with Him. Because, indeed, he only is struck by misfortune who is excluded from Divine favour.’ When this allocution had ceased, A’li B. Abu Ttâleb—u. w. b.—asked the companions: ‘Do you know the speaker?’ They replied: ‘No.’ He said: ‘It was Khizer,⁴³⁰ who has brought us consolation.’ It is related that when a number of companions, who were in the mosque, heard the wailings and lamentations of the females on account of the death of his lordship the refuge of termination, they were so confused that some became dumb, some mad, and some fell sick. It is on record that when his lordship the receptacle of the apostolate expired, O’mar B. Alkhattâb shouted to the people, and swore that the apostle of God had not died, but had fallen into a trance like Moses. He said: ‘I swear by Allah that his lordship will yet remain alive in this world until he cuts off the tongues of the liars and hypocrites.’

There is also a tradition that the hypocrites of Madinah said: ‘Had Muhammad been a prophet, he would not have died’; whereon O’mar, who had heard these words, drew his sword from the scabbard, took up his position at the door of the mosque, and exclaimed: ‘I shall cut any man in twain who asserts that the apostle of God has departed from the perishable to the imperishable world.’ When some professors of Islâm heard these words of O’mar, doubts arose in their minds whether his lordship had died or not. On that occasion Asmâ, the daughter of O’mys, placed her hands between the shoulders of the prophet—u. w. b.— could not find the seal of prophecy, and exclaimed: ‘Verily the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—has taken leave of the perishable world, because the seal of prophecy has disappeared.’ These words convinced many persons that this prince had departed from this world.

It is said that when his holy and prophetic lordship expired, Abu Bakr happened to be in his own house; but when he heard of the dreadful event he quickly departed, looked in the apartment of A’ayshah, and exclaimed: ‘Alas for Muhammad! alas, he is dead!’ He arrived weeping in the mosque of his lordship the refuge of termination, where he found the people in great distress. He looked at no one, but went to the house of A’ayshah, lifted the Redâ from the blessed countenance of the apostle of God, and kissed some of the limbs of his lordship, saying: ‘Thou art to me like a father; thou art sweet whether living or dead.’ Then he left the sacred mansion, and beheld O’mar standing among the people and shouting: ‘The apostle of God has not died.’ Abu Bakr then requested O’mar to sit down, but ineffectually; therefore he exclaimed: ‘O man, verily the prophet has expired. Knowest thou not that God the Most High, whose name be praised, has said in the glorious Qurân, “Verily thou wilt die, as they have died,” and also, “We have not created any human being immortal before thy time”? Verily he has died, and they are immortal [in the next world].’ After that Abu Bakr mounted the pulpit of the best of men; the people left O’mar alone, and assembled around Abu Bakr, who first preached a sermon, commencing with the praises of God the Most High, and regret for the decease of the prince of existences. Then he said: ‘Be it known to those who worshipped Muhammad that he is verily dead; and be it known to those who worship God that Allah is eternal, and dies not.’ After these words he recited the blessed verse, ‘Muhammad is but an apostle, who was preceded by other apostles; and if he dies or is killed, will ye retrace your steps?’⁴³¹ till the end. He also repeated the verse, ‘Verily thou [O Muhammad] wilt be dead, and they will be dead.’ O’mar says: ‘I swear by Allah that I imagined I had not heard this verse ere it was uttered by Abu Bakr; I began to tremble, and fell to the ground.’ It is related that after the sermon of Abu Bakr the people were convinced that the apostle of God had expired, and therefore they exclaimed: ‘We belong to Allah, and to Him we shall surely return.’⁴³² Then Abu Bakr endeavoured to console and to solace the members of the family, telling them that it was now their duty to wash, to shroud, to arrange, and to inter the body of his lordship. Then he hastened with O’mar and with Abu O’baydah Jurrâh to the Saqayfah⁴³³ of the Bani Saa’d, because he had heard that the chief Anssâr had assembled there for the purpose of appointing a successor [to Muhammad], as will be related afterwards.