Chief of the Prophets

Chief of the Prophets — Page 222

Chapter Ten 222 If you ask me for the splinter of a palm branch that I am holding, I will not give it to you. Because based on my observation, you will not meet a good end. Ibn ‘Abbās ra says that the above saying of Muḥammad sa was based on a dream, where he saw that he had two gold bangles in his hand and that worried him. In the same dream he was inspired to blow on them. When he did so they both blew away. The bangles represented two liars who would gain strength after him. One would be Aswad ‘Ansī San‘ā’ and the other, Musailamah the Liar. The same year a delegation of the Christians of Najrān consisting of 70 people came to see Muḥammad sa. As usual, Muḥammad sa treated them with great honour and let them stay in Masjid an-Nabawī while a debate took place. When the debate continued until Sunday, Muḥammad sa allowed them to pray in the mosque. Finally, when they did not accept clear arguments, Muḥammad sa invited them to a prayer duel ( Mubāhalah ), but they became apprehensive, and signed a treaty. 1 In the 10 A. H. , a few tribes of Yemen also accepted Islam, and after that almost the entire Arabia came into the fold of Islam. Farewell Pilgrimage, Dhul-Qa‘dah, 10 A. H. In the meantime, the season of the Ḥajj started and Muḥammad sa decided to go for Ḥajj. According to a tradition, 124,000 people attended the Ḥajj that year, and not a single idolater was among them. Only a few years ago, Muḥammad sa used to wander around all alone at the time of Ḥajj to propagate the message of truth and no one listened to him. Whichever group he went to, turned him away calling him names. Whomsoever he told a word of piety responded harshly. But on that day, the massive crowd present there felt great honour to be counted among his followers. 1 Zādul-Ma‘ād by Ibnul Qayyim.