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

174 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
a group, without the boy's presence, they would remain unsatisfied, whereas
when the Prophet would eat with them they would be well satisfied. When
serving his family a daytime meal he would tell them to wait till the boy's arrival.
When the Messenger of God would arrive and eat with them, they would get
satisfied, and part of the food would remain uneaten. But if he did not eat with
them they would remain unsatisfied. Abii TSib would say, 'You are clearly
blessed.'
"In the morning the other boys would arise bleary-eyed and dishevelled while
the Messenger of God (SAAS) would get up bright-eyed and with his hair in
place."
Al-Hasan b. 'Arafa stated that 'Ali b. Thabit related to him from Talha b.
(Amr that the latter heard 'Ap' b. Abii RabbSh report having heard Ibn (Abbzs
say, "Abii Tdib's family would get up in the morning with bleary, dirty eyes,
while the Messenger of God (SAAS) would get up bright-eyed and with his hair
neatly groomed."
Early each morning Abii Tab would bring to the boys their food platter and
they would all sit down and snatch at it. The Messenger of God (SAAS),
however, would keep his hand away and not grab at the food along with them.
When his uncle saw this he set food aside for him alone.
Ihn Ishaq said, "Y&'ya b. 'Abd All& b. al-Zubayr related to me that his
father told hi that there was a certain man of Lihb who could predict the
future. Whenever he came to Mecca the men of Quraysh would take their boys
to him to see and predict their futures."
He went on, "So Abij Talib brought the Messenger of God (SAAS) to him
when he was still a boy, along with some others. The fortune-teller looked at the
Messenger of God, but then something engaged his attention. When finished
with that, he said, 'Bring that boy over to me!' When Abii Tdib saw how
interested the man was in him, he took him away. Then the man exclaimed,
'Woe on you! Bring back to me that boy I saw earlier; by God, he has a big
future ahead of hi! '
"But Abii Tdib humed away with him."
Section: The journey of the Prophet (+WAS) with his uncle Abn Tzlib away to
Syria and on what transpired with the monk Bahirz.
Ibn IshZq stated that thereafter Aha Talib left with a trading caravan for Syria.
As he was preparing to depart and assembling the goods, the Messenger of God
(SAAS) began to miss him badly, or so they claim.
So Aba Tnlib took pity on him and said words to the effect that, "By God, 1'11
take him away with me and never he parted from hi, just as he will not be
parted from me! "