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

262 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
"He went on, 'The Messenger of God (SAAS) said, "This is the place where
so and so shall fall. He then placed his hands on the ground here and here." And
no one effaced the place where the Messenger of God (SAAS) had placed his
hand."'
Muslim related this from Aba Bakr, from 'Affnn in a similar form.
Ibn Aba Hntim related in his Tafifr (Exegesis), as did Ibn Mardawayh, and the
wording is his, through 'Abd AUnh b. Lahi'a, from Yazid b. Aba Habih, from
Aslam, from Aba 'lmrm, who said he had heard Aba Ayyab al-An~nri say, "The
Messenger of God (SAAS) said, while we were in Medina, 'I have received
information that Aha Sufynn's caravan is approaching. Do you want us to go out
against it in the hope that God will grant it to us as booty?' We replied, 'Yes.'
"'And so he went forth as did we too. When we had travelled for a day or two,
he asked us, "What should we do about their force? They have been informed of
our advance." We replied, "No; we just don't have the strength to do battle with
them. We came seeking the caravan."
"'Again he asked what we thought of engaging them in battle and we replied
as before."
"'Then al-Miqdxd h. 'Amr arose and said, "In such case we would not say to
you what Moses' people told him - that is, 'You and your Lord can go off and
fight; we're staying here."'
"'We wished that our people, the "Helpers", had spoken as al-Miqdsd
had done, preferring that to great wealth. And then God the Almighty and
Glorious made revelation to His Messenger, with the words, "just as your Lord
brought you forth from your house with the truth. A group of the believers are
reluctant"'" (siirat al-Anfal; VIII, v.5).
He then related the rest of the hadith as above.
Ibn Mardawayh also related, through Muhammad h. 'Amr h. 'Alqama b.
Waqqn~ al-Laythi, from his father, from his grandfather, who said, "The
Messenger of God (SAAS) went forth to Badr and, having gone as far as
al-Rawhx', there he addressed his force. 'What do you think?' he asked them.
Abii Bakr replied, '0 Messenger of God, we have heard that they are so-on and
so-forth.' Again he asked them what they thought, and Wmar responded as Abn
Bakr had done. But he asked a third time what they thought.
"Sa'd b. Mugdh then asked him, '0 Messenger of God, is it us you ask? By
Him who honoured yon and sent down the Book to you, I've never travelled this
road before and so have no knowledge of it. But if you were to travel on to Bark
al-Ghiiiid, in Yemen, we'd accompany you. We'll not he like those who
told Moses, "Go off with your Lord and fight; we're staying here." Instead, you
go off with your Lord and fight, and we will follow you. And if you proceeded
for one purpose and God gave you another, then recognize what God has
charged you with and proceed. Make or break with whomever you wish, make
war or peace with whomever you wish, and take from our wealth whatever you
wish."'