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

238 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
'This is sc-and-so; he is from a tribe who much venerate sacrificial camels. Send
them out ro him.' They were put out for him and people greeted him chanting
labbayk? 'at Your service', ('0 Lord'). When he saw this, he said, 'All praise he
to God! It is not right for these people to he kept from the ka'ba.' When he
returned to his companions, he told them, 'I have seen the sacrificial camels
necklaced md decorated with badges, and I don't think they should be kept from
the ka'ba.'
"One of their men, named Miraz h. Haf~, then arose, and said, 'Let me
go to him.' 'Do so,' they told hi. When he approached, the Messenger of God
(SAAS) said, 'This is Miaz; he is an immoral man.' As Mikraz began to speak
to the Messenger of God (SAAS), Suhayl b. 'Amr arrived."
Ma'mar stated, "Ayynh narrated to me, from 'Ikrima, that when Suhayl h.
'Amr arrived, the Messenger of God (SAAS) commented, 'Your problem has
suhhila, "been eased"!"
Ma'mar went on, "Al-Zuhrl stated in his hadith, 'Suhayl then came and said,
"Come on now, write an agreement between us." The Prophet (SAAS) asked
for a document to he brought and said, "Write down: Bismi Alliihi al-rahmiin
al-rahim (in the name of God, the most Merciful and Beneficent)". But Suhayl
objected, "As for that term al-rahmzn, I swear I don't know what that is. Instead,
put down Bismik Alliihmma (In your name, O God), like you used to write."
The Muslims insisted, "By God, we'll write it only Bismi Alliihi al-rahmzn
allahim!" But the Prophet (SAAS) said, "Write down Bismik Alliihumma."
"He then said, 'This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of God, has
determined.' Suhayl objected, 'By God, if we knew you to he the Messenger of
God, we'd not have blocked your access to the ka'ba, nor would we have battled
you. However, write down "Muhammad, son of 'Ahd Allsh." The Messenger
of God (SAAS) then said, 'By God, 1 certainly am the Messenger of God, even
though you call me a liar! Write down "Muhammad, son of 'Abd All2h."'"
Al-Zuhri stated, "This relates to his having said, 'I'll accept any request they
make of me by which the sanctuaries of God are dignified.'
"The Prophet (SAAS) then said, 'on condition that you allow us access to
the ka'ba so that we may circumambulate it.'
"Suhayl objected, 'By God, we'll not have the Arabs say that we accepted
pressure; however, that can happen next year.'
"So he wrote it. Suhayl then said, 'A condition is that any of our men who
come over to you, even if in your religion, you will return to us.'
"The Muslims said, 'Goodness gracious, how could someone he returned
to the polytheists if he came as a Muslim!'
"While this discussion was in progress Ahij Jandal h. Suhayl h. 'Amr came
along, dragging his chains, having escaped from below Mecca, and threw himself
59. A lihlrgy addressed to God by a pilgrim in the ihrzm state.
60. The comment makes a pun on the name Suhayl, from a root meaning to make easy, or
facilitate.