—of the poets, it still would not sit easily on anyone’s tongue after me that it was poetry. By Allah, he is the truthful one and they are the liars.’

I said to Anīs, ‘Will you look after our affairs so that I may go and see him for myself?’ He answered, ‘Yes, but be on your guard with the people of Mecca, for they have taken a violent dislike to him and wear a scowl for his sake.’

So I went to Mecca. I humbled myself before a man and asked, ‘Where is this person whom you call the ṣābiʾ (renegade)?’ He pointed toward the renegade, whereupon the people of the valley swarmed over me, pelting me with every clod of earth and bone they could find until I collapsed unconscious. When I finally came to, I was as red as an idol from the blood. I made my way to Zamzam, drank its water, washed the blood from myself, and slipped between the Kaʿba and its curtain. Nephew, I remained there thirty days and nights; my only nourishment was the water of Zamzam, yet I grew so stout that the folds of my belly split, and I felt no pang of hunger at all.

One bright, cloudless night when Allah had cast sleep over the heads of the Meccans so that no one was circling the House but two women, they passed by me as they invoked Isāf and Nāʾilah. As they came round again I said, ‘Why not marry one of them to the other?’ They paid no heed to what I said—(in another wording: that did not deter them from what they were saying)—so when they passed a second time I said, ‘They are like blocks of wood, and I am not one to mince my words.’ The two women ran off shrieking, crying, ‘If only one of our men were here!’

They were met by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abū Bakr as the two of them were descending from the mountain. He asked them, ‘What is the matter with you both?’ They replied, ‘The ṣābiʾ is between the Kaʿba and its curtain.’ He said, ‘What did he say to you?’ They answered, ‘He said something that filled our mouths.’

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companion came, touched the Black Stone, and circumambulated the House. When he had completed his prayer, I approached him and was the very first to greet him with the greeting of Islam. He responded, ‘And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.’ Then he asked, ‘From which tribe…’