Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (سيرة 2/116)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

‘Allah will bring him.’ He added, ‘A man of his calibre cannot be ignorant of Islam. Had he turned the blows he deals and the vigour he shows to stand with the Muslims against the polytheists, it would have been far better for him, and we would have placed him ahead of others. So, my brother, make up for what you have missed.’

When his letter reached me I became eager to leave, and my desire for Islam increased all the more. In my sleep I saw myself in a land that was cramped and barren; then I went out to a land that was broad and green. I said, ‘This is surely a vision.’

When we arrived in Medina I said, ‘I shall relate it to Abu Bakr,’ so I told him. He said, ‘Your coming forth, by which Allah has guided you to Islam, is its meaning, and the constriction stands for polytheism.’

He went on: Once I had resolved to set out for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ I asked, ‘Who will accompany me to Muhammad?’ I met Safwan ibn Umayyah and said, ‘Abu Wahb, do you not see the situation we are in? We used to be like molars—firm and unshaken—yet Muhammad has now prevailed over Arabs and non-Arabs alike. If we were to go to Muhammad and follow him, his honour would be our honour.’ He refused in the strongest terms and said, ‘Even if no one but me were left, I would never follow him.’ We parted, and I said to myself, ‘This is a man whose brother and father were killed at Badr.’

I then met Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and said to him what I had said to Safwan; he answered exactly as Safwan had answered. I said, ‘Then keep what I have told you to yourself.’

I returned home and ordered that my riding camel be brought out until I could meet ‘Uthman ibn Talha. I said, ‘He is a friend of mine.’ I told him, and he said, ‘Yes. Today I have firmly resolved—and am even more eager—to set off. My camel is already kneeling at Fakh.’

He continued: We arranged to meet at Ya’jij and set off in the last part of the night; dawn had not yet broken when we met at Ya’jij. We rode on until we reached al-Haddah, where we found ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. He said, ‘Welcome, gentlemen.’ We replied, ‘And to you.’ He then related his story.

He said: Our arrival was in Safar of the eighth year AH. By Allah, from the very day I embraced Islam the Messenger of Allah ﷺ never preferred anyone over me in any matter that pressed upon him.

يأتي الله به. فقال: ما مثله جهل الإسلام، ولو كان جعل نكايته وجده مع المسلمين على المشركين كان خيرا له ولقدمناه على غيره، فاستدرك يا أخي ما قد فاتك. فلما جاءني كتابه، نشطت للخروج، وزادني رغبة في الإسلام، وأرى في النوم كأني في بلاد ضيقة جدبة، فخرجت إلى بلاد خضراء واسعة، قلت: إن هذه لرؤيا. فلما قدمنا المدينة، قلت: لأذكرنها لأبي بكر، فذكرتها، فقال: هو مخرجك الذي هداك الله للإسلام، والضيق هو الشرك. قال: فلما أجمعت الخروج إلى رسول الله ﷺ، قلت: من أصحاب إلى محمد؟ فلقيت صفوان بن أمية، فقلت: يا أبا وهب، أما ترى ما نحن فيه، إنما كنا كأضراس، وقد ظهر محمد على العرب والعجم، فلو قدمنا على محمد فاتبعناه فإن شرفه لنا شرف. فأبى أشد الإباء، وقال: لو لم يبق غيري ما اتبعته أبدًا. فافترقنا وقلت: هذا رجل قتل أخوه وأبوه ببدر. فلقيت عكرمة بن أبي جهل فقلت له مثل ما قلت لصفوان، فقال لي مثل ما قال صفوان. قلت: فاكتم ذكر ما قلت لك. وخرجت إلى منزلي، فأمرت براحلتي أن تخرج إلى أن ألقى عثمان بن طلحة. فقلت: إن هذا لي صديق، فذكرت له، فقال: نعم، إني عمدت اليوم، وأنا أزيد أن أغدو، وهذه راحلتي بفخ مناخة. قال: فاتعدت أنا وهو بيأجج، وأدلجنا سحرا، فلم يطلع الفجر حتى التقينا بيأجج، فغدونا حتى انتهينا إلى الهدة، فنجد عمرو بن العاص بها، فقال: مرحبا بالقوم. فقلنا: وبك. فذكر الحديث. وقال: كان قدومنا في صفر سنة ثمان، فوالله ما كان رسول الله ﷺ من يوم أسلمت يعدل بي أحدا من أصحابه فيما حزبه.