Life of Muhammad — Page 153
sa 153 that as he was not present at H udaibiya, a new peace will have to be signed by Muslims. The Prophet sa thought it unwise to answer this plea. Ab u Sufy a n ra became excited, went to the mosque and announced: "O People, I renew, on behalf of the Meccans, our assurance of peace to you" ( Zurq a n i ). The people of Medina did not understand this speech. So, they only laughed. The Prophet sa said to Ab u Sufy a n ra , "Your statement is one sided and we cannot agree to it. " In the meantime, the Prophet sa had sent word to all the tribes. Assured that they were ready and on the march, he asked the Muslims of Medina to arm themselves and prepare. On the 1 st January, the Muslim army set out on its march. At different points on their way, they were joined by other Muslim tribes. Only a few days' journey had been covered, when the army entered the wilderness of F a r a n, Its number — exactly as the Prophet as Solomon had foretold long before — had now swelled to ten thousand. As this army marched towards Mecca, the silence all around seemed more and more ominous to the Meccans. They persuaded Ab u Sufy a n ra to move out again and find out what the Muslim design was. He was less than one day's journey out of Mecca when he saw at night the entire wilderness lit up with camp-fires. The Prophet sa had ordered a fire in front of every camp. The effect of these roaring fires in the silence and darkness of the night was awful. "What could this be?" Ab u Sufy a n ra asked his companions, "Has an army dropped from the heavens? I know of no Arab army so large. " They named some tribes and at every name Ab u Sufy a n ra said, "No Arab tribe or people could have an army as large. " Ab u Sufy a n ra and his friends were still speculating when a voice from the dark shouted, "Abu H anzala ra "! ( H an z ala was a son of Ab u Sufy a n ra. ) " ‘ Abb a s, are you here?" said Ab u Sufy a n ra. "Yes, the Prophet's sa army is near. Act quickly or humility and defeat await you," replied ‘ Abb a s ra.