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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~~L IBN KATHiR 139
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Sa'd reported, 'So there I was in their hands when up came a group of
Quraysh among whom was one tall, handsome, fair-skinned man. I told myself,
"If there is any good in any of their men, it has to be him."
"'But when he drew near he raised his hand and struck me hard. I told myself,
"Well, I swear, after this there's no goad in them at all!"
"' Well, there I was in their hands, being pulled along, when one of their men
came up to me and said, "Too bad! Don't you have any pact or protection agreement
with any Quraysh man?" I replied, "Yes, indeed I do. I used to give protection
to Jubayr b. Mut'im and his merchants on business trips and prevent those
of my people who wanted to harm them. And also I protected al-Harith h. Harb
h. Umayya h. 'Ahd Shams." He commented, "Cry out the names of the two men
and tell of your connection to them."
"'So I did this and that man went off to look for those two merchants. He
found them in the ka'ba and told them, "There's a man of Khazraj now out there
in the valley being beaten and calling out for both of you." They asked, "Who is
he?" "He is Sad b. Wbada," he told them. "Well," they said, "he has spoken the
truth. He did protect our merchants from some in his country who wanted to
harm them." "'
The account continues, "The two men then went and released Sa'd from his
attackers, and he fled. The man who struck Sa'd was Suhayl h. 'Amr."
Ibn Hishb stated, "The man who gave him refuge was Aha al-Bakhtari b.
Hisham."
Al-Bayhaqi related with a chain of authorities from Tsa h. Aba b. Juhayr, who
said, "Quraysh heard someone speak out in the night on the mountain of Abii
Qubays, 'If Sacdm (i.e. "two Sags", tr.) be safe, then Muhammad should not
fear any opposition in Mecca.'
"Next morning, Ahii Sufym asked, 'Who is al-Sa'dm? As'ad b. Bakr or Sa'd
b. Hudhaym?'
"The second night they heard someone reciting,
'0 Sa'd, Sa'd of al-Aws, may you be victorious; and
you, 0 Sa'd, Sa'd of Khazraj, a hero.
Answer to hi who d s for guidance and beseech God for
paradise as those who know.
For God's reward to Hi who seeks guidance is gardens of
paradise where birds fly.'
"Next morning Abii Sufya said, 'I swear, it has to be Sacd b. Muqdh and Sa'd
b. Wbada!"'
Ihn Ishaq stated, "When the an@r who had pledged themselves to the
Messenger of God (SAAS) on the night of the second meeting at al-'Aqaba
returned to Medina, they proclaimed their acceptance of Islam.