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

IMAM ABU ALFIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATH~R 263
There was a revelation in the Qur'iin concerning Sacd's words, "Just as your
Lord brought you forth from your home with the truth. A group of the believers
are reluctant" (s~rat al-Anfal; VIII. v.5).
Al-Umawi related this in his work on the military expeditions and he added,
after his words, "and take from our wealth whatever you wish" the phrase "and
give us what you wish. And what you take from us will be dearer to us than what
you have left. Whatever orders you give us we will follow completely. And, I
swear, if you were to go on until you reached &Bark of Ghamdm, we would go
with you."
Ibn Ishiiq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) travelled on from Dhafan
and traversed the passes called al-Asziir. From there he went down to a town
called al-Diibba, leaving d-Hamiin on his right. This is a huge sandhill, like a
mountain, and from there he went on down to near Badr. He and another man
then rode on further."
Ibn Hishm stated that this man was Ahn Bakr.
Ihn Ishiiq went on, "This was related to me by Muhammad b. Yahy b.
Hahbiin. They went on and finally stopped near an old bedouin sheikh. He asked
him about Quraysh and about Muhammad and his Companions and what news
he had of them. The old man replied, '1'11 not tell you until you tell me to whom
you belong.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) replied, 'You tell us and we'll tell you.' The
sheikh asked, 'This for that?' 'Yes,' he agreed.
"The old man then said, 'I have been told that Muhammad and his
Companions left on such and such a day. And if the person who told me this
spoke the truth, then today they should be at such and such a place.' This was the
name of the very place where the Messenger of God (SAAS) actually was. 'And,'
he went on, 'I was told that Quraysh left on day sc-and-so. And if the person who
told me this spoke the truth, then today they should he at such-and-such.' This
was the place where Quraysh then were.
"When he had finished his report, he asked, 'And who are you?' The
Messenger of God (SAAS) replied, 'We are from md, "water".' He then left. As
he did so the old man was asking, 'What's that about md? You mean you're from
the the water, of Iraq?'"
Ihn Hishm said that this man's name was Sufyiin &Dam.
Ibn Isbq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) then returned to his
Companions. That evening he dispatched 'Ali b. Abii Tzlih, d-Zuhayr h.
al-'Awwm and Sa'd b. AbO Waqqiis, along with a number of his men, to the well
at Badr to seek news; it was Yazid h. RiimZn who told me this, from Wrwa h.
al-Zubayr.
"They came across a watering-party of Quraysh among whom were Aslam, a
youth of the Banti al-Hajjiij, along with 'Arid Abii Yass, a youth of the Banii
al-'AS h. Sa'id. They brought them back and questioned them, while the