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

182 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
then fell, tossed him and stood neighing. The man then said, "0 Prophet of God,
give me your orders!" He replied, "Stay where you are and don't let anyone
catch up with me!"
"'So the man had started off the morning trying to catch the Messenger of
God (SAAS) and by the end of it he was acting as his armed guard!
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) alighted at the edge of the rock lava plain
and sent a message off to the an@r. When they came they greeted the two men
and told them, "Mount up; you will be safe and you will be obeyed."
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) and Abii Bakr then rode on, the an@r all
around them fully armed.
"'In Medina people were saying, "The Prophet of God, has come!" And they
raised their glances to him, repeating that the Prophet had come.
'"He proceeded on and dismounted beside the house of Abii Ayyab.
"'While he was talking to members of its household 'Abd Allah b. Salb
heard of him while working in a palm-grove belonging to his family. He quickly
stopped what he was doing, she38 accompanying him, heard the Messenger of
God (SAAS) then went back to his own people.
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) asked, "Which of our people's houses is
closest?" Ahii Ayyiib replied, "Mine, 0 Messenger of God; this is my house, this
my door." He asked, "Then go and prepare a place for us to rest." He went and
did so, then returned and said, "0 Messenger of God, I have prepared a place
for your siesta. Do come, with God's blessings." They did so.
"'Now that the Messenger of God (SAAS) had arrived, 'Abd Allah b. Salb
came to hi
and said, "I hear witness that you are really the Prophet of God, that
you have brought the truth. The Jews know me to be their leader and the son of
their former leader, their most learned man and son of their former most learned
man. Call them and ask them."
"'When they came the Messenger of God (SAAS) addressed them, "0 Jews,
woe upon you! Fear God! By the God other than whom there is none, you well
know that I am truly the Messenger of God, and that I bring you the truth.
Accept Islam!"
"'But three times they replied, "We do not know this."'"
Al-Bukhari alone relates this thus, on the authority of a Muhammad not
further identified and also from 'Abd al-Samad.
Ibn Ishzq stated, "Yazid b. Aba Habib related to me, from Marthad b. 'Abd
Allah al-Yazani, from Ahii Ruhm alSami%'i, that Aha Ayyab stated, 'When the
Messenger of God (SAAS) took up residence in my house, he lived on the lower
floor while I and Umm Ayyiib lived upstairs. I told hi, ''0 Messenger of God,
I really hate being above you, with you beneath me. Come along and live above,
while we come down to the lower floor."
38. Ibn IsNq's account as elsewhere published refers to his aunt as working with him in the
paln-grave; no doubt the reference is to her in this apparently abbreviated account. Seep. 196.