The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

98 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
from Muhammad b. Ishaq, from someone else who told him, from Wrwa b.
al-Zubayr, from 'Abd All& b. Ja'far, who said, 'When Abn Tdib died, a foolish
fellow of Quraysh stood in the way of the Messenger of God (SAAS), and threw
dirt at him. He, the Messenger of God (SAAS), then returned home and one of
his daughters came and wiped the dirt from his face, weeping. He told her,
"Don't cry, daughter; God will protect your father.""'
He is supposed to have said during this conversation that Quraysh did not
engage in any reprehensible actions against him until the death of Abii Tdib, at
which point they began (to harass him).
Ziy%d al-Baka'i related this from Muhammad b. Ishaq, from Hishzm b.
Wrwa, from his father, with an incomplete chain of authorities. But God knows
best.
Al-Bayhaqi also related, from alLH2kim and others, from al-Asamm, from
Ahmad b. 'Abd al-Jabbzr, from Yanus b. Bukayr, from Hisham b. Wrwa, from
his father, that the Messenger of God (SAAS) said, "Quraysh remained cowards
until Aba Tdib died."
He then related this from d-Hakim, from al-Asamm, from 'Abbas al-Diiri,
from Yahya b. Ma'in, who said, "We were related by Wqba al-Majdar, from
Hisham b. Wrwa, from his father, from 'A'isha, that the Prophet (SAAS) said,
'Quraysh remained cowards until Abii Tdib died."'
The ha& Abii al-Faraj b. d-Jawzi related with a chain of authorities from
Tha'laba b. Suqayr and Hiakim b. Hizam who both said, "When Abn Tzlib and
Kbadija died, five days apart, he suffered two tragedies together. He kept to his
house and rarely went out. @raysh treated hi worse than they would have ever
intended before.
"News of this reached Abii Lahab, who came to him and said, '0 Muhammad,
pass on freely as you want. Do whatever you did when Abii Tdib was alive. No,
by al-Lat, I swear no harm will befall you before I die.'
"Ibn al-Ghaymla insulted the Messenger of God (SAAS), and so Abii Lahab
went to him and punished him and he went off yelling, '0 tribe of Quraysh, Aba
'Utba has become a Sabian!' Quraysh men then came and stood before Aba
Lahab. He told them, 'I have not left the faith of 'Abd al-Muttalib. But I will
prevent my nephew from being harmed and ensure his own freedom of action.'
"They commented, 'You have done well and right, and maintained your
family ties.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) thereafter spent a period of some days coming
and going without interference from Quraysh who respected Aba Lahab.
But eventually Wqba b. Abii Mu'ayt and Abii Jahl went to Ahu Lahab and asked
him, 'Has your nephew told you where your father has been sent?'
"Aba Lahab then asked him, 'Muhammad, where has 'Abd al-Mutyalib been
sent?'
"He replied, 'With his people.' So Abci Lahab went out to 'Uqba and Aba Jahl
and told them, 'I did ask him. And he replied, "With his people."'