Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth

544 The Life of Muhammad
daughter who had with her 'Ali's little son !:Iasan crawling in front of her.
He appealed to 'Ali on the ground of their close relationship to intercede
with the apostle so that he would not have to return disappointed; but he
answered that if the apostle had determined on a thing it was useless for
anyone to talk to him about it j so he turned to Fatima and said, '0 daughter
of Muhammad) will you let your little son here act as a protector between
men so that he may become lord of the Arabs for ever /' She replied that
her little boy was not old enough to undertake such a task and in any case
808 none could give protection'against God's apostle. He then asked for 'Ali's
advice in the desperate situation. He said, I I do not see anything that can
really help you, but you are the chief of B. Kinana, so get up and grant
protection between men and then go back home.' When he asked if he
thought that that would do any good he replied that he did not, but that
he could see nothing else. Thereupon Abu Sufyan got up in the mosque
and said, '0 men, I grant protection between men.' He then mounted his
camel and rode off to Quraysh who asked for his news. He said that
Muhammad would not speak to him, that he got no good from Abii
Qu\1afa's son, and that he found 'Umar an implacable enemy (795). He had
found'Ali the most helpful and he had done what he recommended, though
he did not know whether it would do any good. He told them what he had
done and when they asked whether Muhammad had endorsed his words,
he had to admit that he had not. They complained that 'Ali had made a
fool of him and that his pronouncement was valueless, and he said that he
could find nothing else to do or say.
The apostle ordered preparations to be made for a foray and Abu Bakr
came in to see his daughter