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

316 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
didn't really believe it until I saw the prisoners. The Messenger of God (SAAS)
had assigned to Wthmzn a share in the spoils."
Al-W~qidi stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) following his return from
Badr, performed the evening prayer at al-Athi1.68 When he had finished one
rakca he smiled. Someone later asked why he was smiling and he replied that he
could see Michael with dust on his wing, who had smiled at him and said, 'I was
looking for the rest.' And Gabriel had come to him when he had finished fighting
the enemy at Badr, riding a mare, its forelock knotted and the furrows of its
head covered with dust. He had said, '0 Muhammad, my Lord has sent me to
you and told me not to leave you until you are content. Are you content?' 'I am,'
he had replied."
Al-Waqidi stated, "They related that the Messenger of God (SAAS) sent
Zayd b. Haritha and 'Abd Allah b. Rawzha ahead from al-Athil and they arrived
on Sunday in the heat of late morning. 'Abd Allah b. Rawaha parted from Zayd
b. Hsritha at al-CAqiq and began calling out, still on his mount, '0 Helpers,
rejoice at the safety of the Messenger of God (SAAS), and at the killing and capture
of the polytheists! The two sons of Rabi'a have been killed, along with the
two sons of al-Hajjzj, Abii Jahl, Zum'a b. al-Aswad and Umayya b. Khalaf, while
Suhayl b. CAmr has been taken prisoner!'
"'Asim b. 'Adi stated, 'I went up to him and accompanied him, saying, "Is that
the truth, Ibn Raw*a?" He replied, "It certainly is! And tomorrow the
Messenger of God (SAAS) will arrive with the prisoners in chains." He then
went to the homes of the Helpers, one after the other, in the upper part of the
town, telling them the good news. The children chanted along with him, "The
evil Abii Jahl is dead!" He continued on until he reached the home of the Bano
Umayya, when Zayd b. Hwitha arrived on the camel called al-QasmP belonging
to the Messenger of God (SAAS) announcing the good news. When he reached
the prayer shrine he shouted, still mounted, 'Wtba and Shayba, the two sons of
Rabi'a have been killed! And the two sons of al-ajjxj! Umayya b. Khalaf is dead,
as are Abn Jahl, Abii al-Bakhmi, and Zam'a b. al-Aswad. Suhayl b. 'Amr Dhii
al-Anyzb has been taken captive, along with many others!'
"Some people refused to believe Zayd and began saying, 'Zayd b. Hiwitha has
only come because he's been defeated!' This confused and scared the Muslims.
"Zayd arrived when we had finished levelling the earth over Ruqayya, the
daughter of the Messenger of God (SAAS), at al-Baqic, and one of the hypocrites
commented to Usama, 'Your master has been killed, and all those with him!'
Another said to Abii Lubzba, 'Your friends have scattered, and they'll never unite
around him again. His Companions have died for hi, and Muhammad has been
killed. This we know to be his own camel. And Zayd is so confused he doesn't
know what he is saying. He's come in defeat.' Abii Lubzba said, 'God will refute
what you are saying.' The Jews commented, 'Zayd has only come in defeat '
68 A place near Medina, between Badr and wad^ al-Saw