Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
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'92 The <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Muhammad</strong><br />
beside him.' They clapped their hands and said, 'Do you want to make<br />
all the gods into one God, <strong>Muhammad</strong>? That would be an extraordinary<br />
thing.' Then they said one to another, 'TJ.1is fellow is not going to give<br />
you anything you want, so go and continue with the religion <strong>of</strong> your fathers<br />
until God judge between us.' So saying they departed.<br />
Abu Tiilib said, 'Nephew, I don't think that you asked them anything<br />
extraordinary.' On hearing this the apostle had hopes that he would accept<br />
Islam, and he said at once, 'You say it, uncle, and then I shall be able to<br />
intercede for you on Resurrection Day.' Seeing the apostle's eagerness he<br />
replied, 'Were it not that I fear that you and your father's sons would be<br />
abused after my death and that Quraysh would think that I had only said<br />
it in fear <strong>of</strong> death, I would say it. I should only say it to give you pleasure.'<br />
As his death was near, al-'Abbiis looked at him as he was moving his lips<br />
and put his ear close to him and said, 'Nephew, by God, my brother has<br />
spoken the word you gave him to say.' The apostle replied, 'I did not<br />
hear it. J<br />
God revealed concerning the people who came to him with their propo-<br />
').79 sals: '~ad. By the renowned Quran, Nay, those who disbelieve are in pride<br />
and schism' as far as the words 'Does he make the gods one God. This is<br />
an extraordinary thing. Their chiefs went <strong>of</strong>f saying: Go and remain true<br />
to your gods. This is a thing designed. We bave not heard <strong>of</strong> this in the<br />
last religion,II (meaning Christians because they say) 'Verily God is the<br />
third <strong>of</strong> three." 'This is nothing but an invention." Then Abu Tiilib died.<br />
THE APOSTLE GOES TO THAQIF TO SEEK HELP<br />
In consequence <strong>of</strong> the growing hostility <strong>of</strong> Quraysh after Abu Tiilib's<br />
death the apostle went to Tii'if to seek help from Thaqif and their defence<br />
against his tribe. Also he hoped that they would receive the message which<br />
God had given him. He went alone.<br />
Yazid b. Ziyiid told me from <strong>Muhammad</strong> b. Ka'b al-Quraci: 'When the<br />
apostle arrived at al-Tii'if he made for a number <strong>of</strong> Thaqif who were at<br />
that time leaders and chiefs, namely three brothers: 'Abdu YiilayJ, Mas'ud,<br />
and I:Iabib, sons <strong>of</strong> 'Amr b. 'Umayr b. 'Auf b. 'Uqda b. Ghiyara b. 'Auf b.<br />
Thaqif. One <strong>of</strong> them had a Quraysh wife <strong>of</strong> the B. Jumal). The apostle<br />
sat with them and invited them to accept Islam and asked them to help<br />
him against his opponents at home. One <strong>of</strong> them swore that he would tear<br />
up the covering< <strong>of</strong> the Ka'ba if God had sent him.' The other said,<br />
"Could not God have found someone better than you to send I" The third<br />
said, "By God, don't let me ever speak to you. Uyou are an apostle from<br />
God as you say you are, you are far tad-important for me to reply to, and if<br />
you are lying against God if is not right that I should speak to you [" So<br />
the apostle got up and went, despairing <strong>of</strong> getting any good out <strong>of</strong> Thaqif.<br />
l Sura 38. 1-6. 1 Sura 5. ".<br />
3 Sura 38.6. 4 For this idiom see Tab. GloH., S.V. mara!.<br />
The <strong>Life</strong> oj <strong>Muhammad</strong><br />
I h 193<br />
ave been told that -he said to ther "S' I<br />
h<br />
0, ,CClIlg t lat )'OU<br />
1<br />
have actc j<br />
ave, (eep the mattcr secret" f h 1 h . -( as you<br />
about it so that t _ , ,o~ e was oat that his people should hear<br />
But they' did not hde y \\OUldd be stldll further emboldened against him (225)<br />
a so an stine up their 10 t' d 1 . . 280<br />
and cry after him'l .' u S an s aves to lI1sult him<br />
refuge~in an ()rch'1~~\1)e~o~lr~\\dca~1~ together, and compelled him to take<br />
who \\ie . . , 'I . gll;~5 to t. tha h. Rahi'a and hIS hrother Shavba<br />
and he ~l~~eItf~l: ~~: ~l~~~i 1Fe lo~as who kId followcd him \\'cnt b~ck,<br />
\vatched him, observing \~'h~t ~le '~1:'~I:e ~n~ S'~tl.thcre while the two men<br />
told that tl _ ( 0 en ure rom the local louts I Was<br />
her "\\71 :e apostle had met the wornan from the B. }umah and 'said to<br />
I', T lat has befallen us from your husband's people:"<br />
\\ hen the "pOstle rcachnd " 't I . 1 .<br />
I I<br />
. ' sa'e y 1e sal( , so I am told "0 G 1 1'1<br />
comp am <strong>of</strong> my weakness Ii I >, .' OC, to lee<br />
Most ?vTcrcif I Th _' tt e resource, and 10wlIDess before men. 0<br />
u , ou art the Lord <strong>of</strong> the weak I TJ<br />
To \vhol11 wilt Thou confide me ~ T [' an(. IOU art m,Y Lord.<br />
. () one a ar \vho \\'111 I ' " ; ()<br />
an enemy to \vh) TI ) . 111SlJSe me. r to<br />
. - ,( In lOU last given pOwer Over me;: I r Tl<br />
angry wah me I care not Thv f: " ' . .' , lOU art not<br />
in the light <strong>of</strong> l'h . . ~