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

320 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IN THE NAME OF GOD THE MOSTMERCIFUL, THE MOST
COMPASSIONATE. 0 LORD, GIVE RELIEF AND HELP THROUGH
YOUR POWER AND STRENGTH! THE YEAR 8 AH. THE ACCEPTANCE
OF ISLAM BY 'AMR B. AL-'AS, KHALID B. AL- WALTD AND 'UTHMAN
B. TALHA B. ABU TALIB, MAY GOD BE PLEASED WITH THEM ALL.
Their arrival occurred early in 8 AH, according to what follows.
Part of this has been referred to heretofore in the account given by Ihn Ishaq
following the execution of Abii R%fic, the Jew; this kook place in 5 AH.
However, the ha& al-Bayhaqi gave this information here, following his
account of the 'urnrat al-pada". He narrated through al-W~qidi, "'Abd al-Uamid
b. Jacfar informed us, from his father (who said) that 'Amr b. al-'AS stated, 'I
was stubbornly opposed to Islam. I was present at Radr with the polytheists and
escaped. Then I was present at Uhud and escaped. Finally I was present at
al-khandaq and escaped.
"'I told myself, "What suffering! I swear by God, may Muhammad prevail
over Quraysh!" So I took my assets and moved to al-Raht. And I diminished my
contacts with people. When the al-Hudaybiyya pact was agreed and the Messenger
of God (SAAS) left in peace and Quraysh returned to Mecca, I began saying,
"So Muhammad is going to come to Mecca with his men; Mecca is no place to
be in, nor is al-Ta'if. The best thing to do is to leave." I was then still hostile
to Islam. I think that if all Quraysh accepted Islam, I would not do so.
"'I went to Mecca and gathered together some men of my tribe who saw
things as I did, repeated my views and sought my advice in matters concerning
them. I asked them, "How am I in your view?" They replied, "As our adviser
and our protector, a man of fine character and wise decision."'
"He went on, 'I then told them, "You well know, by God, that I consider this
matter of Muhammad as serious and reprehensible; I have reached a decision."
"What is that?" they asked. "We should go and join the Negus", I told them,
"and live with him. If Muhammad prevails, we will be there with the Negus; and
we would be far better off under his control than under that of Muhammad. And
if Quraysh prevail, they already know us well."
""'This is the right decision (they responded)." I told them, "Then gather
up presents for him." The gift he most appreciated from our land was leather.
So we gathered much leather for him, then left and went to the Negus. While we
were there, who should arrive but 'Amr b. Umayya al-Damri. The Messenger of
God (SAAS) had sent him with a document he had prepared marrying him to
Umm Habiha, daughter of Abii Sufyan. He went in to see the Negus and then
came out again. I told my companions, "That is 'Amr b. Umayya al-Dam. If I
had gone in to the Negus and asked him for him, and he had given hi
to me
and I had cut off his head, then Quraysh would have been delighted and I would
have been rewarded for killing Muhammad's emissary."
"'I did go in to the Negus and bowed down before him as I was accustomed
to do. He said, "Welcome to my friend! Have you brought something as a gift