The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

228 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
he was informed that Wthma had been killed, 'We'll not leave before engaging
the enemy in battle!"'
Ibn Is@q went on, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) then called upon the
men to pledge allegiance to him. This pledge, the baycat al-?&wan, the 'willing
pledge', was made beneath a tree. People would say that the Messenger of
God (SAAS) received a pledge of allegiance unto death. Jzbir b. 'Abd Allah,
however, used to say, 'The Messenger of God (SAAS) did not have us pledge
allegiance unto death, but had us swear that we would not flee.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) received their pledge and the only Muslim
present who abstained from it was al-Jadd b. Qays, brother of Bann Salama. Jzbir
b. 'Abd Allah used to say, 'I swear, I can almost see him now, standing glued to
the side of his camel, trying to hide from everyone.'
"Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) received the news that the report about
'Uthma was false."
Ibn Hisha stated, "Wakic recounted, from Ismacil b. Aba Khalid, from
al-ShaBi, that the first man to make the bayhr al-riban to the Messenger of
God (SAAS) was Aha Sinm al-Asadi.
"And a reliable source related to me a tradition from Ibn Abii Mulayka, from
Ibn Wmar, that the Messenger of God himself (SAAS) made the pledge for
Wthman, clapping one of his hands to the other."
This tradition mentioned by Ihn Hisha with this line of authority is weak,
however, it is confirmed in both sahib collections.
Ibn Ishaq went on, "Al-Zuhri stated, 'Quraysh then sent Suhayl h. 'Amr,
brother of Bann '&mir b. LuJayy, to the Messenger of God (SAAS), telling him,
"Go to Muhammad and make peace with him. The only condition for peace
with hi
is that he withdraw from us this year. By God, the Arabs shall never
say that he entered it by compulsion!"'
"Suhayl b. 'Amr went to the Messenger of God (SAAS), who said, seeing him
approach, 'The enemy wanted peace when they dispatched this man.'
"When Suhayl reached the Messenger of God (SAAS) he spoke with him at
length; they reconciled and made peace. The matter having been concluded,
with nothing hut a document remaining to be drawn up, Wmar jumped up and
went over to Aba Bakr. He asked hi, 'Abn Bakr, is he not God's messenger?'
'Indeed yes,' he replied. 'And are we not Muslims?' he asked. 'Indeed yes,'
Ahn Bakr replied. 'And are they not polytheists?' 'Indeed yes,' he agreed. 'So
why should we agree to something that demeans our religion?' Wmar asked. Aha
Bakr replied, 'Obey whatever he says; for I testify that he is the Messenger of
God.' Wmar added, 'I too testify that he is the Messenger of God.'
"He (Wmar) then went to the Messenger of God (SAAS) and asked him,
'Are you not the Messenger of God?' 'Yes, indeed.' 'And are we not Muslims?'
'Indeed yes.' 'And are they not polytheists?' 'Indeed yes.' 'So why then should we