Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (سيرة 1/128)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

people, obey me today and you may disobey me thereafter. By Allah, I have just heard from this man words the like of which my ears have never heard before, and I do not know how to answer him.

Ibn Ishaq said: Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad related to us from Muhammad ibn Kaʿb al-Qurazi, who said: I was informed that when Hamzah embraced Islam they said to ʿUtbah ibn Rabiʿah, “Abu al-Walid, speak to Muhammad.” So he went to him and said, “Nephew, you know the breadth of your standing among us and your noble lineage. Yet you have brought your people a momentous affair: you have set them at odds with one another, declared their reasoning foolish, and condemned their gods. So listen to me.” He replied, “Speak, Abu al-Walid.” ʿUtbah said, “If you want wealth, we will gather it for you until you are the richest of us. If you seek honor, we will make you our leader and grant you kingship. And if what comes to you is a spirit, we will seek medical help for you.” When he finished he said, “Now listen to me.” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “I will.” Then he recited:
“Ha Mim. A revelation from the All-Merciful, the Compassionate; a Book whose verses are set out clearly…” [Fussilat 41:1-3]
—and he went on. ʿUtbah listened in silence, leaning back on his hands behind him, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached the verse of prostration, whereupon he prostrated. Then he said, “You have heard, Abu al-Walid; now do as you wish.”

He returned to his companions, and some of them said, “By Allah, Abu al-Walid is coming back with a face different from the one he left with.” When he sat down they asked, “What is behind you?” He replied, “I bring news that I have heard words the like of which I have never heard before. By Allah, it is neither poetry, nor sorcery, nor soothsaying. People of Quraysh, obey me—leave this man to what he is upon and keep away from him, for by Allah his words will have great consequences. If the other Arabs overcome him, they will have spared you the task; but if he prevails over the Arabs, then his sovereignty is your sovereignty, his honor your honor, and you will be the happiest of people because of him.” They said, “By Allah, he has bewitched you with his tongue!” He replied, “That is my view of him; do whatever you think best.”

قوم أطيعوني في هذا اليوم واعصوني فيما بعده، فوالله لقد سمعت من هذا الرجل كلاما ما سمعت أذناي قط كلاما مثله، وما دريت ما أرد عليه. قال ابن إسحاق: حدثنا يزيد بن أبي زياد، عن محمد بن كعب القرظي، قال: حدثت أن عتبة بن ربيعة، لما أسلم حمزة قالوا له: يا أبا الوليد كلم محمدا. فأتاه فقال: يابن أخي إنك منا حيث علمت من البسطة والمكان في النسب، وإنك أتيت قومك بأمر عظيم، فرقت به بينهم، وسفهت أحلامهم، وعبت به آلهتهم، فاسمع مني. قال: قل يا أبا الوليد. قال: إن كنت تريد مالا جمعنا لك، حتى تكون أكثرنا مالا، وإن كنت تريد شرفا سودناك وملكناك، وإن كان الذي يأتيك رئيا طلبنا لك الطب. حتى إذا فرغ قال: فاسمع مني. قال: أفعل. قال: ﴿حم، تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ﴾ [فصلت: ١-٣] ، ومضى، فأنصت عتبة، وألقى يديه خلف ظهره معتمدا عليهما يسمع منه، فلما انتهى رسول الله ﷺ إلى السجدة سجد، ثم قال: "قد سمعت يا أبا الوليد فأنت وذاك". فقام إلى أصحابه، فقال بعضهم: نحلف والله لقد جاءكم أبو الوليد بغير الوجه الذي ذهب به. فلما جلس قالوا: ما وراءك؟ قال: ورائي أني سمعت قولا، والله ما سمعت مثله قط، والله ما هو بالشعر ولا بالسحر ولا بالكهانة، يا معشر قريش أطيعوني، واجعلوها بي، خلوا بين هذا الرجل وبين ما هو فيه فاعتزلوه، فوالله ليكونن لقوله نبأ، فإن تصبه العرب فقد كفيتموه بغيركم، وإن يظهر على العرب، فملكه ملككم، وعزه عزكم، وكنتم أسعد الناس به. قالوا: سحرك والله بلسانه. قال: هذا رأيي فيه فاصنعوا ما بدا لكم.