Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 139
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 139 the foundation was laid by the Holy Prophet himself on the first day of his arrival in Qaba. While he was still at Qaba, the Muslims of Medina began to speculate with whom the Holy Prophet would stay in Medina. Every family was eager to have the honour of being his hosts. When the Holy Prophet learnt of this, he intimated that he would stay with B anu Najjar to whom Selma, mother of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib, had belonged. After a stay of more than ten days in Qaba, the Holy Prophet started towards the main city on Friday. He was accompanied by a large number of Ansar and Emigrants. He was riding a camel with Abu Bakr behind him. Progress was slow and the time of the noon Pr ayer arrived while they were on the way. The Holy Prophet stopped in the quarter of Banu Salam bin Auf and delivered a sermon and led the Friday Service. The Friday noon Service had already been instituted in Medina, but this was the first Friday Service i n which the Holy Prophet participated himself. After the Service, progress was resumed amidst shouts and songs of welcome. At every step the Holy Prophet was eagerly invited to stay with the Muslim whose house he was passing. He thanked everyone and continued his progress till his camel arrived in the quarter of Banu Najjar, where the men of the tribe were standing armed in rows to welcome him and the girls were singing songs of welcome from the roofs of the houses. Here again the question arose with whom would he stay. Everyone of the tribe was desirou s that he should stay with him. Some of them, in their eagerness, would take hold of the halter of his camel. The Holy