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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHfR 407
grant protection to whomever you protect, Umm Hani'.' He then performed
eight prostrations."
That was in the duhij, the early morning, and so many scholars have thought
that this was the (actual) al-duh~ prayer. Others refer to this as the ~alzt al-fath,
the "prayer at the conquest". And the assertion is made that he would affirm the
taslim,"' after each two rakac~t.
This argues against the view of alSuhayli and others who maintain that the
~aliit al-fat& should consist of eight (prostrations) and one taslim. Sa'd b. Abii
Waqqn~ performed eight prostrations, with one taslim after each two, on the day
of the conquest of al-MadPin, in the palace of Chosroe. And all praise be to God.
Ibn Ishsq stated that Muhammad b. Jacfar b. al-Zubayr related to him, from
Wbayd Abh b. 'Abd Alhh h. Abii Thawr, from Safiyya, daughter of Shayba,
that when the Messenger of God (SAAS) arrived at Mecca and had reassured the
people, he went to the kacba and circumambulated it seven times on his mount,
saluting the dn, the corner with the Black Stone, with a staff he carried in his
hand.
When he had fmished his circumambulations, he called for 'Uthmm b. Talha
and took from hi
the key to the kacba. When it was opened for him, he went
inside, where he found a dove made of wood. He broke it in his hand and threw
it away. He then stood at the door to the kacba, the people having assembled
for him in the mosque.
Miia b. Wqba stated, "He then performed two rakacat and went to zamzam
and looked down into it. He called for water, drank it and performed the
ablutions, people hastening to collect the leftovers of the water he had used. The
polytheists watched him with great interest, saying, 'We never saw or heard of
any king being treated this way!' He pushed back the al-maq~m"Qo where it is
located today, whereas it was previously close to the kacba."
Muhammad b. Ishzq went on, "A scholar related to me that the Messenger of
God (SAAS) stood at the door of the kacba and said, 'There is no god but God
alone! He has no associate. He has kept His promise, has helped His servant and
has defeated the opposing parties alone. Every advantage of ancestry or money
that might he claimed is herewith placed beneath these feet of mine, except
for the guardianship of the kacba and the provision of water to the pilgrims.
Compensation for those who are killed by mistake or incomplete intent by
whip or cudgel shall be compensated following a binding oath of 100 camels, 40
of which shall be pregnant. 0 Quraysh, God has removed from you the false
pride of thejahd~yya period and the veneration of ancestry. All men stem from
Adam, and Adam stemmed from dust.' He then recited the following verse
111. This is the final act in the ritual salah; thereafter the worshipper may resume his normal
activities.
112. The mayan Ibrahim, ''Abraham's station", a pillar upon which Abraham is said to have
stood during the construction of the kacba. It remains to this day a special site of prayer.