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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 413
the idhkharl"plant, Messenger of God, its use is essential in burials1'* and inside
homes.' The Messenger of God (SAAS) was silent a moment, then agreed,
'Except for the al-idhkhar; harvesting it is allowed."'
A lie or similar badith comes from Ibn Jurayj, quoting 'Abd al-Karim - he
being the son of Maik al-Jazari - from qkrima, from Ibn CAbbas, which gives
Aba Hurayra as the narrator of the words of the Prophet (SAAS).
Al-Bukhzri is alone in giving this hadith with the line of transmission quoted
above. This account is mursal, incomplete in its chain, as is that of the second
lime.
This and similar accounts are cited by those who maintain that Mecca was
conquered by force of arms, along with their reference to engagements that
occurred at al-Khandarna, reported above. At that battle some 20 Muslims and
polytheists were killed; that the evidence from it is clear is the position of most
scholars.
It is well known that alShafi'i held that Mecca was taken peacefully, since it
was not distributed as booty and because the Messenger of God (SAAS) stated
the night of its conquest, "Whoever enters the home of Abii Sufym will be
secure; whoever enters the sanctuary will be secure; whoever locks his own door
will be safe."
The proper place for discussion of this issue, if God Almighty so wishes it, is
with reference to the work Kitzb al-Ahkam.
Al-Bukhari stated that it was related to him by Sa'id b. Shurahbil, quoting
al-Layth, from al-Maqburi, from Abn Shurayh al-Khuza'i, who said that he
asked 'Amr b. Sacid, who was about to dispatch groups of fighters into Mecca,
"0 amir, 'Commander', please permit me to report a statement made by the
Messenger of God (SAAS) the day following the conquest of Mecca. My ears
heard, my heart knew and my eyes saw him as he spoke it. He praised and
thanked God, then said, 'It was God, not men who made Mecca a sanctuary. It
is not lawful for anyone who believes in God and the last day to shed blood nor
to cut down trees within it. And should anyone seek permission to fight therein
because the Messenger of God (SAAS) fought there, then tell him, "God gave
permission to His messenger but gave none to you." And He only allowed this
to me for a short period. Its sanctity has reverted today to what it was before. Let
those here present inform of this those absent."'
Abii Shurayh was then asked, "What did CAmr reply to you?" Abii Shurayh
responded, "He said, 'I know this better than you do. The sanctuary does not
provide refuge to anyone who has sinned, nor to a murderer in flight, nor to
anyone seeking to escape payment of the jizya"', the polkax."'
114. The schoenantum plant, an odoriferous msh.
115. Other texts of al-Bum give the word ul-qup, "blacksmith"; rather than ul-defn, "burial",
as here. The plant's use as an essential fuel seems implied.
116. An alternative reading of al-Bukhiiri's text substitutes ol-kharbe, "having caused damages".