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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~ R 37
We preferred to refrain from mentioning it openly here lest it come to the
attention of those unable to place it in context. The origins of the story are,
however, present in the ~ahih collections.
Al-Bukhari stated, "Abo Macmar related to us, quoting 'Abd al-Warith,
quoting Ayyiib, from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Abbas, who said, 'The Prophet (SAAS)
prostrated himself in prayer having recited sfirat al-Najam, and all the Muslims,
the polytheists and men and spirits alike prostrated too."'
Al-Bukhari is unique in giving this tradition; Muslim does not relate it.
Al-Bukh~ri also stated, "Muhammad b. Bashshz related to us, as did Ghundar
and Shu'ba, from Abii Ishaq, who said, 'I heard al-Aswad say, quoting 'Ahd
Allah, "The Prophet (SAAS) recited sfirat al-Najam in Mecca and prostrated in
prayer. And those there with him also prostrated except for one old man who
picked up a handful of dust or dirt which he raised to his forehead, saying, 'This
suffices for me.' And later I saw him killed as an unbeliever.""'
Muslim related this, as did Abii Daiid and al-Nasa'i, from a hadidh from Shu'ba.
Imam Ahmad (b. Hanbal) stated that Ibrahim recounted to him, saying,
"RahhZh related to us, from Macmar, from Ibn Tawiis, from 'Ikrima b. Khdid,
from Jacfar b. al-Mutyalib b. Abii Wada'a, who heard his father say, 'The
Messenger of God (SAAS) recited siirat ul-Najam in Mecca and then prostrated,
and all those there with him did the same. But I lifted up my head, declining to
prostrate.' Al-Muyelib had not then accepted Islam. After that he never heard
anyone recite siirat al-Najam without him prostrating along with the reciter."
Al-Nasz'i related this from 'Abd al-Malik h. 'Abd al-Hamid, from the account
of Ahmad b. Hanhal.
It may be gathered from this account and the preceding one that this man did
prostrate, but then raised his head in pride. However, the old man whom Ibn
Masciid considered an exception did not prostrate at all. But God knows best.
What is implied here is that when the narrator saw that the polytheists had
prostrated themselves in imitation of the Messenger of God (SAAS) he believed
that they had accepted Islam, made peace with him and that there was no longer
any dispute between them.
The news of that quickly spread and reached the Emigrants in Abyssinia, and
they believed it to be true. A group ofthem, hoping that was so, came back, while
another group remained there. Each of them was well intentioned and correct in
acting as they did.
Ibn Ish~q gave the names of all of them that returned. These were: CUthmW
h. 'Affan and his wife Ruqayya, daughter of the Messenger of God (SAAS), Aha
Hudhayfa b. Wtba b. Rabica and his wife Sahla, daughter of Suhayl, 'Abd Allah
works of tradition, to have immediately followed the reference to the goddesses of pre-Islam,
al-Lat, al-Wzza and Manat, in snrat al-Najm, v.19,20. These extra verses, nut in the Qur'an but
preserved in the tradition literature, suggest that these goddesses are gharaniq and that their
intercession is to be hoped for on judgment day.