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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 41 1
Bilzl standing behind the door. He asked hi, 'Where was it that the Messenger
of God (SAAS) prayed?' Bilal pointed to the spot. 'Ahd All& commented, 'I
forgot to ask him how many prayer prostrations he had made."'
Imm Abad related from Hushaym, quoting various persons, including Ibn
'Awn, from Nxfi', from Ibn Wmar, who said, "The Messenger of God (SAAS)
went in accompanied by al-Fad1 h. 'Ahbas, Usma h. Zayd, Uthmm b. Talha
and Bilal. He gave orders to Biizl who shut the door upon them. He stayed inside
for a period of time, and then he came outside."
Ihn Wmar stated, "The first of them I met was Bilzl and I asked hi, 'Where
was it that the Messenger of God (SAAS) prayed?' 'It was over here', he replied,
'between the two columns."'
I note that it is established in the ~ahih collection of al-Bukhari and elsewhere
that the Prophet (SAAS) prayed inside the kacba with its door behind his hack,
positioning himself with two columns on his right, one on his left and three to
his rear. At that time the ka'ba had six columns. There was a distance of some
three arms-lengths between himself and the western wall.
Ihn Hishm stated, "And a certain scholar related to me that the Messenger of
God (SAAS) entered the kacba at the conquest of Mecca accompanied by Bihl,
whom he ordered to make the call to prayer. Abii Sufym b. Harh, 'Atmh h.
Usayd and d-Harith b. Hisham were seated in the courtyard of the kacba. 'Attxb
said, 'God honoured (my father) Usayd by not having him hear this; had he done
so, it would have enraged hi.' Al-Haith h. Hishm commented, 'I swear by
God, if I had known he was right, I would have followed him!' Ahii Sufym
added, 'I'll say nothing. If I were to speak, these stones would report on me!'
"Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) came outside and said, 'I know what
you said,' and he then related their comments to them. Al-Harith and 'Attab
declared, 'We testify that you are the Messenger of God! There was no one with
us who overheard this for us to say he repeated it to you."'
Yiinus b. Bukayr quoted Ibn Ishaq as having related from his father, who
said, "A member of the family of Jubayr h. Muc'im related to me that when the
Messenger of God (SAAS) entered Mecca, he gave orders to Bilal, who climbed
on to the roof of the ka'ba and there made the call to prayer. One of the sons of
Sacid b. al-'A$ said, 'God honoured Sa'id by taking him away before he heard
this black man on the roof of the ka'ba."'
'Abd d-Razzaq stated, from Ma'mar, from Ayyiib that Ibn Ahii Mulayka said,
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) gave orders to Bilal who made the call to prayer
on the day of the conquest of Mecca on top of the ka'ba and that one of the
Quraysh men said to al-Hwith h. Hishm, 'Do you see where that black man has
climbed?' He (al-Hwith) replied, 'Leave him alone; if God dislikes him, He will
change him."'
Yiinus h. Bukayr and others quoted Hisham h. Wrwa as quoting his father as
saying that the Messenger of God (SAAS) gave orders to Bild on the day of the