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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDS ISMA?L IBN KATH~ R 307
'Abd AJlah went on, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) went back inside without
giving him any response. Some people said he was going to do as Aba Bakr had
suggested, others that he would take Wmar's advice, still others that he would take
that given by 'Abd AEh b. Raw*. Then he came out to them and said, 'God
softens the hearts of men concerning Him, so that they become softer than soft. And
God hardens the hearts of men so that they become harder than stone. You, Aba
Bakr, are like Abraham who said, "Whoever follows me is of me, and whoever disobeys
me, then You are Forgiving, Merciful" @rat Zbrzhim; XIV, v.36). You, Abii
Bakr, are like Jesus, who said, "If You punish them, they are Your servants; if You
forgive them, then You are the AU-Powerful, the Wise" (swat al-M8rda; V, v.118).
You, Wmar, are lie Noah, who said, "0 Lord, do not leave on the earth any place
for the unbelievers" @rat Niih; LXXI, v.26). And Wmar, you are likeMoses, who
said, "0 God, destroy theu wealth and make their hearts hard, for they will not
believe until they see the painful punishment" (swat Yfinus; X, v.88). You are a
support. Let none be exempt from either ransom or having their head smitten."'
'Abd Allsh continued, "I asked, 'Except for Suhayl b. Bayda? For I have heard
him talk of Islam.'" He went on, "But he remained silent."
'Abd All& then said, "And I was never more afraid that there should fall upon
me some stone from heaven than I was that day, until he said the words 'Except
for Suhayl b. Bayda'."
He went on, "And so God revealed, 'It is not proper for a prophet to take
captives before he has caused slaughter in the land. You desire the things of this
world, while God wishes for the after-life; and God is All-Powerful, AM-Wise.
And were it not for a decree'" (siirat al-Anfzl; VIII, v.67-8).
Al-Tirmidhi related it thus, as did al-H%kii, from a hadith of Aba Mugwiya.
Al-Hakim stated, "The chain of authorities is authentic, though they (al-Bukari
and Muslim) did not narrate it." Also, Ibn Mardawayh related it through 'Abd
All& b. Wmar and Abii Hurayra in similar words. And it is similarly related
from Abii Ayyiib al-Ans%i.
Ibn Mardawayh related, and so did al-H&m in the al-Mustadrak, (The
Cornpendrum), from a hadith of 'Ubayd Allah b. Masa, (as follows), "Isra'il
related to us, from Ibrzhim b. Muhajir, from Mujahid, from Ibn Wmar, who
said, 'When the prisoners were taken at the battle of Badr, d-'Abbas was among
them; he was captured by a Helper.' He went on, 'The Helpers had warned him
they would kill hi. That information reached the Messenger of God (SAAS)
who said, "I did not sleep tonight because of my uncle d-'Abbas. The Helpers
are saying they are going to kill him."' Wmar asked, 'Should I go to them?'
'Yes,' he replied.
"Wmar went to the Helpers and asked them to release al-'Ahhas to him. They
replied, 'No; by God we'll not release him!' Wmar then asked them, 'What if
that is the pleasure of the Messenger of God?' They replied, 'If that is his
pleasure, then take hi.' So Wmar did take him and when he had control over
hi, Wmar asked him, ''Abbns, accept Islam! I swear, for you to accept Islam