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

58 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Ihn Ishaq then stated, "When al-Wdid h. al-Mughira felt the approach of death
he made a request of his three sons Khiilid, Hisham, and al-Walid by name. He
told them, 'Sons, I charge you with three tasks. My blood is on Khuza'a, and do
not leave it unrevenged. I well know that they are innocent of it, hut I fear that
you may he maligned by it later. Thaqif have debts owing me. Don't leave them
alone until you get paid. And my dowry money is with Aba Uzayhir d-Dawsi;
don't let him keep it from you.' Aha Uzayhir had married al-Walid to a daughter
of his but later had kept her from him and had not let him in to her up to the
time he died. And he had taken the money d-Walid had paid for her, which was
her dowry.
"When he died the Bana Makhzam hastened to Khuza'a seeking from them
blood money for al-Walid. They said, 'It was an arrow of one of your men that
killed him!' Khuza'a refused and they spoke angry poetry against one another,
and the situation deteriorated greatly between them. But then Khuzzca did pay
some of the blood-money, and they made peace and reconciled."
Ihn Ishaq stated, "Then Hisham h. al-Walid attacked and killed Abii Uzayhir
while he was at the Dha al-Majxz market.
"He was a chief of his tribe and his daughter was Aba Sufyan's wife. This
happened after the battle of Badr. Yazid h. Aha Sufyan went out and gathered
his men against the Bana Makhzm since his father was then absent. When Ahu
Sufyan returned he was angered by what his son Yazid had done and berated and
struck him for it. He then paid the hlood price for Aha Uzayhir and told his son,
'Did you plan to have Quraysh kill one another over one man from Daws?'
"Hassan h. Thabit wrote an ode goading Aha Sufyiin over the spilling of Aha
Uzayhir's blood. Regarding this poem, Ahti Sufyan commented, 'It's a really had
idea of Hassiin that we should kill one another, now, after our chiefs died at the
battle of Badr.'
"When Khalid h. al-Walid accepted Islam and was present at Ta'if with the
Messenger of God (SAAS), he asked the latter for payment of the interest due
his father from the people of Ta'if."
Ihn Ishaq went on, "Some scholars informed me that the following verses
were revealed about this, '0 you who believe, fear God and give up whatever
interest payments are due, if you are indeed believers"' (siirat al-Bagara; 11;
v.278).
Ihn Ishaq stated, "And we know of no vengeance taken by Aha Uzayhir's
people up to when Islam put an end to conflict between these men. Although
Dirar b. al-Khaffah h. Mirdas al-Aslam~ left with a group of Quraysh men into
Daws territory. There they stayed with a woman named Umm Ghaylw, a freedwoman
of Daws. She would comb the women's hair and prepare brides for
marriage. The Daws wanted to kill the Quraysh for killing Aba Uzayhir, hut
Umm Ghaylan and some women who were with her stood in their way and
protected the Quraysh men."
Al-Suhayli said, "It is said that she hid him inside her clothing."