The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 1 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDX' ISMA?L IBN KATHIR 93
into Bann CAbd Mannf and the only person I found worthy of such a mission was
Wtha b. Rabi%. And when you told me of his age, I knew that it was not hi,
since he had passed the age of 40 and bad not received revelation."'
Abn Sufyxn went on: "So destiny struck its blow and revelation came to the
Messenger of God (SAAS). And I left in a party of Quraysh on a business trip to
Yemen, so I passed by Umayya and commented mockingly: 'Well Umayya, the
prophet yon were describing has emerged.'
"'Indeed he is true, you should follow him,' he replied.
"'But what prevents you from following him?' I enquired.
"'Nothing but the embarrassment before the women of Thaqif. I have been
telling them that I was hi, then they would see me a follower of a young man of
Bann CAbd Mannf! '
"Then Umayya continued: 'It's to me as though, Abn Sufyitn, you've defied
hi then have been bound fast like a billy goat and taken to him for whatever
judgement he might want."'
'Abd d-Razznq said that Ma'mar related to him, from al-Kalbi, as follows:
"Umayya was once lying down with two of his daughters present when one of
them got scared and screamed to him. 'What's wrong?' he asked her. She
replied: 'I saw two eagles rip off the roof of the house. Then one of them
swooped down on you and split open your belly while the other perched on top
of the house. The latter asked: "Is he aware?" "Yes," was the response. "Is he
pure?" the eagle asked again. "No," came the answer.'
"He then said: 'This was good expected of your father; but he did it not."'
This was also told from another source in another way. Ishnq b. Bishr said,
from Muhammad b. Ishnq, from al-Zuhri, from Sacid b. al-Musayyib and
Wthmnn b. 'Abd al-Rahmnn, from d-Zuhri, from Sacid b. d-Musayyib that
d-Fzri'a, sister of Umayya b. Abn &Salt, went to see the Messenger of God
(SAAS) after the conquest of Mecca. She was a person of reason, intellect, and
beauty, and the Messenger of God (SAAS) was much impressed by her. One
day he asked her: "Fzri%, do you know any of your brother's poetry?" "Yes
indeed; and even more remarkable than that is what I've seen."
She went on: "My brother was on a journey and after he left he appeared to
me, and came and lay on my bed while I was stripping hair off a piece of hide I
held. Suddenly two white birds - or what seemed like two white birds -
appeared. One alighted at the high window while the other came in and
descended on to him. The latter then made a split between his chest and his
pubic region, put its hand inside him, drew forth his heart, placed it on its palm
then sniffed it. The other bird then asked: 'Is he aware?' 'Yes, he's aware,' the
second replied. 'Is he pure?' it asked again. 'He declined,' answered the second.
Then it replaced his heart where it belonged and the wound was healed in the
twinkling of an eye. Then the two buds were both gone.