with my family, my children, and all who obey me?” They answered, “Indeed.” He went on, “Then this man has offered you a sound and right-guided proposal; accept it and let me go to him.” They said, “Go to him.”

So he went and began speaking with the Prophet ﷺ, repeating more or less what he had just said to Budeil. He remarked, “Muhammad, tell me: if you annihilate your own people, have you ever heard of an Arab who wiped out his own lineage before you? And if the matter turns against you, by Allah, I see only faces—and a motley crowd—who are apt to run away and leave you.”

Abu Bakr ﵁ burst out, “Go suck the clitoris of al-Lat! Do you think we would turn tail and forsake him?” Urwah demanded, “Who said that?” They answered, “Abu Bakr.” He replied, “By Him in whose hand is my soul, were it not for a favor you once did me that I have not yet repaid, I would have answered you for that.”

Urwah continued talking to the Prophet ﷺ, and whenever he spoke he would seize the Prophet’s beard. Meanwhile al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah was standing over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, sword in hand and helmet on. Each time Urwah reached for the Prophet’s beard, al-Mughīrah struck his hand with the flat of the sword and said, “Take your hand away.” Urwah lifted his head and asked, “Who is that?” They said, “Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah.” He exclaimed, “You treacherous man! Am I not still striving to settle the blood-money for your treachery?”

Al-Mughīrah had once accompanied a group in the time of ignorance, killed them, and taken their property. When he later embraced Islam, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Your Islam I accept, but as for the money—I have nothing to do with it.”

Urwah then began scrutinizing the Prophet’s companions. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ never spat without it falling into the palm of one of them, who would wipe it over his face and skin. Whenever he ordered them to do something, they rushed to comply; when he performed ablution they crowded round, almost fighting over the water he used; when he spoke they lowered their voices in his presence, and they did not fix their gaze on him out of reverence.

Urwah returned to his people and said, “My people, by Allah I have been a delegate to kings: I have visited Caesar, Chosroes, and the Negus. By Allah, I have never seen a king whose companions revere him as Muhammad’s companions revere Muhammad. By Allah, he never spits except that it falls in