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

164 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
to them, it having dawned on me that my being kept from them was a sign that
the Messenger of God (SAAS) was going to prevail. I told hi, "Your people
have put a price on your head!" and I related to them what people wanted to do
with them. Then I offered them provisions, but they would not accept anything
from me and told me to leave them alone. I asked him if he would write down a
safe conduct for me, and he told 'Amir b. Fuhayra who did so on a piece of
leather. The Messenger of God (SAAS) then left."'
Muhammad b. Ishaq related this same story, from al-Zuhri, from 'Abd
al-Rahm~n b. Mzhk b. Ju'sham, from his father, from his uncle Suraqa.
However, his account has him seeking advice from the divining arrows when he
first left the house, with the arrow telling him what he did not like, that is, that
he should not harm the Messenger of God (SAAS). It went on to mention
his horse stumbling with him on four different occasions. All that related to
his seeking advice from the divining arrows and being told what he did not
likr- that he should not harm him. It has him reassuring them and asking for a
document that would be a token from the Messenger of God (SAAS). The
account states, "He wrote a document for me on a bone, or a scrap of leather, or
a scrap of cloth." He also tells how he went to the Messenger of God (SAAS)
when the latter was at al-Jicr%na on his way back from Ta'if and that he said,
"Today is one of keeping trust and of goodness; let him come near." The account
ends, "So I approached him and accepted Islam."
Ibn Hishm stated, "The man relating this was 'Abd al-R&man b. al-Harith
b. Malik b. Ju'sham.
"And what he said was correct.
"After Suri%qa returned, whenever he met one of the pursuers, he would turn
them hack, saying, 'You've finished in this direction.'
"When it was known that the Messenger of God (SAAS) had arrived in
Medina, Suraqa began telling people what he knew and had witnessed relating
to him, and about what had happened to his horse. He gained some notoriety for
this, and the leaders of Quraysh were afraid he would bring them discredit, and
that that would he the cause of many people accepting Islam. Suraqa was the
leader of the Bana Mudlij. Abn Jahl, God damn him, composed the following
verses to them,
"0 Banii Mudlij, I fear your fool Sursqa misleading
about Muhammad's victory.
Take care that he not divide you so you become split,
after former glory and leadership."
Suraqa spoke the following in answer to Abn Jahl's poetry:
"0 Aba at-Hakam, had you but been witness to what
happened to my horse when its legs sank,
You would have been amazed, and not doubted that