Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 351
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 351 On entering the city, Uthman received the protection of a cousin, and went straightway to Abu Sufyan and the other chiefs. ‘We come,’ he told them, ‘to visit the Holy House, and to honour it, and to perform worship there. We have brought sacrificial animal s with us and after slaying them we shall depart in peace. ’ In confirmation he produced the writing that the Holy Prophet had furnished him, which was inspected with keen interest by the chiefs, but they adhered to their resolve that the Muslims should not enter Mecca that year. When Uthman sought to persuade them, they told him that he could, if he chose, visit the Ka’aba and perform the circuits, but that they had sworn that this year the Muslims could not enter the precincts of their city. Uthman decline d their offer to him and started to make ready to return to the Muslim camp. A section of Quraish, thinking that they might thereby obtain better terms, detained Uthman and his companions in Mecca. As his return was delayed, a rumour spread among the Musli ms that the Meccans had murdered Uthman. Anxiety and alarm overspread the camp. The Holy Prophet himself began to suspect treachery; taking his stand - under the shade of an acacia tree, and surrounded by the whole body of the pilgrims, he required a pledge from them of faithful service, and that they would stand by Uthman to the death. Everyone rushed forward enthusiastically to take the pledge. When all had taken the solemn oath, striking each one the palm of his hand on that of the Holy Prophet, he himsel f struck his own right hand upon his left, observing, ‘This is the hand of Uthman; for if he had been here, he would not have lagged behind anyone in making this holy bargain, but he is at the time occupied with the work of God and