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

IMAM ABD AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHiR 105
Al-Bayhaqi also related it through Shu'ba, from al-Ash'ath h. Salim, from a
man of Kinwa, who said, "I saw the Messenger of God (SAAS) at the market
of Dhii al-Maja and he was saying, '0 people, say, "There is no god but God"
and you will prosper.' And there was a man behind him tossing dirt at him. This
was Aba Jahl and he was saying, '0 people, do not let this man lead you astray
from your religion. He only wants you to give up worship of al-Lat and
al-'Uzza."'
According to this account, these were words of Aha Jahl. This supposition
might he illusory or it might sometimes have been Aba Jahl and sometimes the
other, Abn Lahah. They might have taken turns in doing such harm to the
Messenger of God (SAAS).
Ihn Ishaq stated, "Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri related to me that the Messenger of God
(SAAS) went to the tribe of Kinda, visiting them in their homes, including one
of their leaders named Mulayh. He invited them to God, Almighty and Glorious
is He, and offered himself to them, but they refused him."
Ibn Ishaq said, "Muhammad h. 'Abd al-Rahman h. 'Abd Allah b. Husayn
related to me that the Messenger of God (SAAS) went to the Banii Kalb in their
homes in a valley of theirs where they were called the Banii 'Abd All&. He
called them to the path of God and offered himself to them, saying, '0 Banii
'Abd Allah, God named well indeed your forefather 'Ahd Allah' (i.e. 'the slave
or servant of God'). But they could not accept from him what he proposed to
them.
"Some of our friends related to me, from 'Abd Allah b. Ka'b b. Malik that the
Messenger of God (SAAS) went to the Bana Hanifa in their homes, called them
to the path of God and offered himself to them. None of the Arabs gave him so
rude a rejection as they did.
"Al-Zuhri related to me that he went to the Banii 'Amir h. Sa'saca and called
them to the path of God, offering himself to them. One of their men, named
Bayhara b. Firiis, replied to him, 'I swear, if I were to have this brave man of
Quraysh, I could eat up the Arabs with him.' He then said to him, 'If we were to
follow your orders and then God gave you victory against those opposing you,
would we have power after you were gone?'
"He replied, 'God controls power and places it where He wishes.'
"Bayhara commented in reply, 'Are we to present our throats to the Arabs in
your defence and then, if God gave you victory, see power go elsewhere than to
us? We'll have nothing to do with you!' And so they refused him.
"When the people there dispersed, the Banii 'Amir returned to a sheikh of
theirs who, being elderly, was unable to attend the fairs with them. When they
returned home they would tell him what had occurred at the fair. That year on
their return he asked them who had been at the fair. They told him, 'A man of
Quraysh, of the family of 'Ahd al-Mutcalib, came to us claiming to be a prophet
and he asked us to defend him and aid him and take him hack to our territory.'