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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHIR 7 1
had been doing. He told us, 'If you leave now, the month for the hag^ will soon
be upon us and they will not be able to do the same again until next year."'
"Then the devil came to scare his deputies, saying, 'The enemy is all gathered
against you.' His men refused to follow him and so he said, 'I am going forth,
even if no one follows me.'
"Abo Bakr, Wmar, Wthmnn, 'Ah, Talha, al-Zuhayr, Sa'd, 'Abd al-Raban
b. 'Awf, Aha 'Ubayda, Ibn Mas'nd and Hudhayfa left with him, accompanied
by 70 men. They went in pursuit of Aba Sufynn as far as al-Safrn". And God
revealed the verse, 'Regarding those who responded to God and to His messenger
after all the injuries they had suffered, those of them who do good and who are
pious shall have a great reward"' (siirat Al-'Zmr~n; 111, v.171).
This account is also very strange.
Ibn Hishb stated, "Aba Wbayda related to us that when Aba Sufym b.
Harb withdrew after the battle of Uhud, he wanted to return to Medina. But
Safwan b. Umayya advised him, 'No, don't do that. The enemy is thoroughly
enraged and we fear they might engage in battle differently from before. Return
home.' And so they did.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) who was at Hamra' al-Asad when he
received news that they were about to go home, then said, 'By Hi who holds
my soul in His hand, rocks have been assigned them; if they had been greeted
with them, they would have been history!'
"While out there and before his return to Medina, the Messenger of God
(SAAS) captured Mu'awiya b. d-Mughira b. Abn al-'As b. Umayya b. 'Abd
Shams, 'Abd d-Mdik b. Marwzn's grandfather on his mother's side, she
being 'A'isha, daughter of Mu'nwiya, along with Abii 'Azza d-Jumahi. The
Messenger of God (SAAS) had captured this Mu'nwiya at Badr and then
released him. Mu'nwiya asked him, '0 Messenger of God, forgive me!' But he
replied, 'No, by God, you'll not stroke your beard in Mecca and say, "I've twice
deceived Muhammad!" Strike off his head, Zuhayr!' And his head was severed."
Ibn Hisham also stated, "Ibn d-Musayyah was quoted to me as having
said that the Messenger of God (SAAS) stated, 'A believer doesn't get bitten
twice from the same lair; strike off his head, 'Asim b. Thabit!' And his head was
severed."
Ibn Hishan went on, "Mu'awiya b. al-Mughira b. Abn al-'As was given
sanctuary by Wthmzn provided that he remain only three days. Thereafter the
Messenger of God (SAAS) sent Zayd b. Hnritha and 'Am- b. Ysir to capture
him, telling them, 'You'll find hi in such and such a place; kill him!' And they
did so, may God be pleased with them both."
Ihn Ishaq stated, "It was related to me by al-Zuhri that 'Ahd Allah b. Ubayy had
a particular spot (in the mosque) he would occupy each Friday; this position
13. The sanctity of the h0j season would deprive the Meccans of the opportunity of attacking
the Muslims.