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

270 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
of the demon-spirits are no more; we have been pelted with shooting stars - all
for a Prophet whose name is Ahmad!'
"'You have misled us, by God!' I exclaimed. I turned the face of my sheep
away, urging them towards my people, and I then saw a man who told me of the
appearance of the Prophet (SAAS)."
Aba Nu'aym mentioned this account as such, without elaboration. He then
stated that Wmar b. Muhammad b. Jacfar related to him, quoting Ihrzhim b.
al-Sindi, quoting al-Nadr h. Salama, quoting Muhammad h. Maslama
al-Makhziimi, quoting Yahyz h. Sulaymzn, from Hakim b. 'At2 al-Zafari, who
is of Banii Sulaym, descended from Rashid b. 'Ahd Rahhihi, from his father,
from his grandfather, from Rzshid b. 'Abd Rabbihi, who said, "The idol known
as SuwaC was at al-Mi'lzt, one of a group worshipped by the tribes of Hudhayl
and Banti Zafar b. Sulaym." Banti Zafar dispatched Rashid b. 'Abd Rabhihi with
a gift for Suwzc from Sulaym.
Rashid went on, "At dawn I attended an idol before the idol Suwzc. As I did
so, all of a sudden a voice rang out from its belly, 'How strange! How very
strange that a prophet should come forth from the family of 'Ahd al-Muwb
who would ban fornication, usury and sacrificing to idols! And the skies are
being guarded and we are being pelted by shooting stars! How shmge! How
very strange!' Then another idol screamed out from deep within itself,
'Al-Dim% has been abandoned, and he used to be worshipped! The Prophet
Ahmad has come forth. He says the prayers, orders the payment of alms, fasting,
piety, and kindness to relatives.' Then another voice shouted from the belly of
another idol:
'He who has inherited the prophethood and the true religion after Mary's son is of
@raysh, rightly guided
A prophet come to inform of what is past, and what is today the truth, or
tomorrow."'
Rashid went on: "Next dawn I attended SuwaC and there were two jackals
licking all around it and eating what had been sacrificed to it. And they were
directing their urine on to it."
At this Rashid b. CAbd Rabbihi spoke the verse:
"Is this a lord upon whose head two jackals urinate? Whoever has jackals urinate
upon him is disgraced!"
"This occurred at the time of the emergence of the Prophet (SAAS), his
migration to Medina and his acceptance by the people. And so Rashid left and
made his way to the Prophet (SAAS) in Medina, taking along a dog he had with
him. Now at that time Rashid's name was Zdim, tyrant, evil-doer, and that of
his dog Rzshid, rightly guided. The Prophet (SAAS) asked him what his name
was. He replied 'Zalim'. 'And what is your dog's name?' 'Bshid,' he replied.