The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 1 of 4

138 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
would know one another; the most noble of you in God's sight are the most
pious. God is indeed knowing, informed" (sgrat al-Hujurat, XLIX, v.13). And I
am the most pious of Adam's sons and the most noble of them with God.
Without boast.
"'God then made the tribes into buyat, clans, and placed me in the best of
them. This relates to God's words. "God wants only to remove from you
what is unclear, 0 people of the house, purifying you thoroughly" (sfirat
al-Ahz~b, XXXIII, v.33). And I and the people of my house are purified of
sin.'"
This hadith is somewhat strange and objectionable.
Al-HM and al-Bayhaqi related from a fzadith from Mwmad b. Dhakwm,
the uncle of the son of Hmd b. Zayd, from 'Amr b. Dim, from Ibn Wmar who
said, "We were sitting in the courtyard of the Prophet (SAAS) when a woman
passed by. Someone said, 'That's the daughter of the Messenger of God (SAAS)!'
Abii Sufym then commented, 'Muhad's presence in Banii Hashi is like a
sweet basil plant amidst rotten garbage!' The woman hurried off and informed the
Prophet (SAAS).
"Soon the Messenger of God (SAAS) arrived, his face showing his anger. He
said, 'What's the meaning of certain statements reaching me about people? God
created all seven heavens and chose the highest for whomsoever of his creatures
he wished to dwell there. Then he created all living things and chose from them
mankind. From mankind he chose the Arabs and from them Mudar. From
Mudar he chose Quraysh and from them the Banii Hashim. From Banii Hashi
he chose me. I am the choicest of the chosen; so whoever loves the Arabs, it is
through loving me that he loves them. Whoever hates the Arabs, it is through
hating me that he hates them."'
This too is a strange hadith.
It is established in the sahih collection of al-Bukhri that the Messenger of
God (SAAS) said, "I am (to be) lord of Adam's sons on Judgement Day, without
boasting."
Al-Aim and al-Bayhaqi recounted from a hadith of Mnsa b. CUbayda that
'Amr b. CAbd All& b. Nawfal related to hi
from al-Zuhri, from Abii Wsama or
Abii Salama, from CA'isha, God bless her, who said that the Messenger of God
(SAAS) stated, "Gabriel said to me, 'I searched the earth from east to west but
found no man superior to Muhammad; and I searched the earth from east to
west hut found no tribe superior to the Banii Hashi.'"
The ,h&Jiq al-Bayhaqi said, "These traditions, even though the transmitters of
some are unreliable, do substantiate one another. And the message of all does
relate back to the hadith of Wathila b. al-Asqac. But God knows best."
On this subject Aha Talib spoke the following verses in praise of the Prophet
(SAAS):