his Lord, Who aids him; so keep hold of his stirrup‐strap until you die, for by Allah he is upon the truth.”

I then asked, “Did he not used to tell us that we shall go to the House and circumambulate it?” He answered, “Indeed. But did he say that you would go there this very year?” I replied, “No.” He said, “Then you will surely go to it and will circumambulate it.”

Al-Zuhri relates that ʿUmar said, “Because of this I later performed many deeds (to atone).”

When the drafting of the treaty was finished, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Rise, slaughter your sacrificial animals, then shave your heads.” By Allah, not a single man among them stood up, even though he repeated the command three times. When no one rose, he entered upon Umm Salama and told her what he had encountered from the people. She said, “O Prophet of Allah, would you like them to comply? Go out without speaking a word to anyone, sacrifice your camel, and then call for your barber to shave you.”

He went out and, without uttering a word, did exactly that. When the Companions saw what he had done, they rose, sacrificed, and began shaving one another—so distressed that some were on the verge of killing each other out of grief.

Then believing women came to him, and Allah revealed: “When believing women come to you as emigrants, test them…” up to His words, “…and do not hold fast to the bonds of disbelieving women” (al-Mumtaḥana 60:10). On that day ʿUmar divorced two of his wives who were still idolaters; one was later married by Muʿāwiya and the other by Ṣafwān ibn Umayya.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then returned to Medina. Shortly thereafter Abū Baṣīr, a man from Quraysh who had accepted Islam, arrived. The Quraysh sent two men after him, saying, “Honor the covenant you made with us.” The Prophet handed him over to them, and they set out with him until they reached Dhū’l-Ḥulayfa, where they stopped to eat some dates.

Abū Baṣīr said to one of the men, “By Allah, I see that your sword is extremely fine.” The man drew it and said, “Indeed, by Allah, it is excellent; I have tried it time and again.” Abū Baṣīr said, “Let me have a look at it.” The man handed it over, whereupon Abū Baṣīr struck him until he lay lifeless. The other fled, running all the way to Medina, entered the mosque and cried out, “By Allah, my companion has been killed and I am as good as dead!”

Presently Abū Baṣīr arrived and said, “O Prophet…”