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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA'
ISMAC~L IBN KATHiR 181
Al-Bayhaqi said that the hafiz Aha 'Abd All* and Aha Sacid b. Aba 'Amr
informed him that Aha al-'Abbas Muhammad h. Ya'qfib told them that
Muhammad h. Ishaq al-Saghani related to him, quoting Muhammad b. Bukayr
al-Hadrami, quoting 'Abd al-Raban h. 'Abd Allah al-Dashtaki, quoting 'Amr
b. Abo Qays, from Simak, from 'Ikrima, who said that Ibn 'Ahbns related to
him from his father that he would carry stones to the ka'ba when Quraysh was
building it. Quraysh divided up into two groups, with the men transporting the
stones and the women the mortar mix.
He went on: "I was with my nephew, carrying the rocks, wearing our shirts
around our necks; when we came up to other people we covered up. While I was
walking along with Muhammad in front of me, he fell down and stretched out
flat on his face. I hurried along, threw down my rocks, meanwhile he was looking
up to heaven. 'What's wrong?' I asked. He got up and took his shirt, saying, 'I
was forbidden from walking uncovered."' Ibn 'AhbS went on, "I hid this from
the others for fear they would say (he) was mad."
Al-Bayhaqi related from a tradition of Yiinus h. Bukayr, from Muhammad b.
Ishaq, that Muhammad b. 'Abd All* b. Qays b. Makhrama related to him, from
al-Hasan h. Muhammad h. CAli h. Aho Talih, from his father and from his
grandfather, 'Ali b. Aba Tdib, who said that he heard the Messenger of God
(SAAS) say, "I wasn't interested in performing those things with women that
people during thejahrliyya used to do; except, that is, on two nights on which
God, Almighty and Glorious is He, restrained me.
"One evening I and a young man of Mecca were watching some sheep helonging
to some people there. I said to him, 'Would you keep an eye on my sheep so I
can go into Mecca and spend an evening there like other lads?' 'Sure,' he
replied. So I went into town and stopped at the first house where I heard the
music of tambourines and flutes. I asked what was going on and was told that a
man and woman had married. So I sat down to watch. But God struck my ears
and, I swear, next thing I knew I was being awakened by the sun's touch. I went
back to my friend, who asked what I had done. I replied, 'I didn't do a thing.'
Then I told him what I had seen.
"Then one other night I asked hi
to watch my sheep so I could go to a party.
He agreed, so I went off to Mecca and heard the same as I had the previous occasion.
Again I was told that there was a marriage and so sat down to watch. But
God again struck my ears and, I swear, I was later awakened by the sun's touch.
"When I returned to my friend he asked what I had done. 'Not a thing,' I
replied, and then I told him what had happened. And, by God, I never tried or
returned to anything like that thereafter right up to when Almighty and
Glorious God honoured me with His prophethood."
This is a very strange tradition. It could be about 'Ali himself, with the final
words "up to when Almighty and Glorious God honoured me with his prophethood"
having been added. But God knows best.