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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~L IBN KATHIR 195
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) then called out, 'Ibn Salm, come on out to
them!'
"When he did so he addressed them as follows, '0 Jews, fear God! By God
other than whom there is none, you do certainly know that he is the Messenger
of God, and that he brings you the truth.' They replied, 'No, you are lying!'
Thereupon the Messenger of God (SAAS) sent them away."
Those are the words used in the above account.
In one version the text states, "when he came out before them and gave testimony
to the truth they said, 'You are the worst of us, and the son of the worst of
us!' And they spoke ill of him. He then said, '0 Messenger of God, this is what
I was fearing.'"
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "The ha& Aha 'Abd All* told us, quoting al-Asamm,
quoting Muhammad b. Ishnq al-SanQni, quoting CAbd AUsh b. Abn Bakr, quoting
Humayd, from Anas, who said, "Abd Allnh b. Salm heard of the arrival of
the Prophet (SAAS) while he was out in some land he owned. He went to the
Prophet (SAAS) and said, "I shall ask you three things for which only a prophet
would know the answers. They are: What are the signs of the Day of Judgement?
What is the finest food that the people of paradise would eat? And what causes a
child to resemble his father or his mother?"
"'He replied, "Gabriel told me of these previously." "What, Gabriel?" he
asked. "Yes," he replied. "But," commented 'Abd Allnh b. Salnm, "he is the
angel who is the enemy of the Jews." The Messenger of God (SAAS) then
recited, "Whoever is the enemy of Gabriel, who surely revealed it to your heart
by God's permission" (srlrat al-Baqara; 11, v.97).
"'He then said, "Regarding the signs of the Day of Judgement, the first will
be a fire that comes at people from the East and leads them to the West. As
for the prime food of paradise eaten by those that are there, that is a plentitude
of whale's liver. And if the male's liquid precedes that of the female, he will
resemhle the child, while if the female's liquid precedes that of the male, she will
resemhle the child."
""Abd All* b. Salm exclaimed, "I testify that there is no god but God and
that you are the Messenger of God; 0 Messenger of God, the Jews are a people
of liars. If they learn of my accepting Islam before you ask them about me, they
will lie to you."
"'The Jews arrived and the Messenger of God (SAAS) asked them, "What
kind of man is the (one of you named) 'Abd AUsh?" They replied, "He is the best
of us and the son of the best of us; he is our leader and the son of our leader."
"What," he then asked, "would you say if he were to accept Islam?" They
replied, "May God spare him from that!"
""Abd Allah then came forth and said, "I give testimony that there is no god
but God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." They said, "You are
the worst of us, and the son of the worst of us!" And they spoke ill of him.