1021 — Abū Ahmad also narrated to us, saying: Mukram narrated to us, saying: Yahyā ibn Qurra al-Khuzā'ī, then al-Ka'bī, narrated to me. Yahyā said:

When the caller proclaimed in Mecca that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had departed, there was not a single house belonging to the polytheists whose occupants were not roused and awakened by the caller’s cry. When morning came, they gathered together and asked one another, “Did you hear what happened last night?”

They replied, “Yes, we heard it.”

They said, “Your companion’s route has now become clear to you. He is on the road to Syria, along the route by which your provisions reach you, at the two tents of Umm Ma'bad in Qudayd. Pursue him and bring him back before he enlists the hounds of the Arabs against you.”

They therefore assembled a large cavalry detachment, which set out in pursuit of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, until they reached Umm Ma'bad. She had embraced Islam and become a devout Muslim. They questioned her about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, but she feared for him because of them and feigned incomprehension. She said, “You are asking me about something I had never heard of before this year.” She was speaking truthfully, for she had heard of it only from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. “Are you telling me that a man informs you about what is in heaven? I am indeed alarmed by you. Unless you leave me, I shall certainly call my people against you!” ⦗1504⦘

They departed without learning which way the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had gone. Had Allah, the Most Generous, decreed that they should ask the ewe, “Who milked you?” it would have replied, “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,” for it had been made a witness. But Allah, the Most Generous, caused the thought of questioning the ewe to escape them. Instead, they questioned Umm Ma'bad, and she concealed his whereabouts from them.

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Ibn Sā'id narrated this hadith to us in the Book of the Proofs of Prophethood, from Mukram and others, in an abridged form in the chapter on the proofs of prophethood.

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, may Allah Most High have mercy on him, said: Abū Ubayd and others discussed the uncommon expressions in the hadith of Umm Ma'bad. I shall therefore mention their explanations, for they are beneficial and increase the reader in knowledge and understanding.

His words at the beginning of the hadith, “The party had exhausted their provisions and were enduring winter hardship”: “They had exhausted their provisions” means that their food supplies had run out. “Enduring winter hardship” means that they were continually journeying during winter, the season in which drought prevails and circumstances become difficult for the Bedouins.

His words concerning the ewe, “She spread her hind legs before him,” mean that she opened the space between her legs to be milked. ⦗1505⦘

His words, “He called for a vessel large enough to make the small party lie down,” mean one that would satisfy their thirst until they grew heavy and lay down. A small party consists of between three and ten people.

His words, “He milked into it in a copious stream”: a copious stream means a continuous flow. Allah—Majestic and Exalted—said:

“And We sent down from the rain clouds pouring water.” [al-Naba': 14]

That is, water flowing abundantly.

His words, “until its bright froth rose over it,” mean that the brightness of the milk rose above the vessel—namely, the gleam of its froth. She meant that he filled it.

His words, “He gave his Companions to drink until they were fully satisfied,” mean until they had drunk their fill and complete satiety had settled upon them.

His words concerning the she-goats, “all sharing the same emaciation,” mean that thinness had afflicted them all, leaving none useful or fit for breeding. The expression derives from sharing: they all shared in the condition, so each had her portion of it.

His words, “The sheep are away,” mean that they were far off in the pasture. One says that something has gone away when it has become distant, and something is also said to be away when it is alone and separate.

Then she described the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to her husband, Abū Ma'bad. He said, “Describe him to me.”

She said:

“I saw a man whose comeliness was manifest, with a radiant face and a fine build. Neither thinness marred him nor did gauntness at the flanks detract from him. He was handsome and well-proportioned. His eyes were intensely dark, his eyelashes were long and curved, his voice had a rich huskiness, his neck was stately and long, and his beard was thick. His eyebrows were long and joined. When silent, dignity enveloped him. When ⦗1506⦘ he spoke, he rose in stature and splendor crowned him. From afar, he was the most beautiful and splendid of people; from near, he was the most handsome and delightful. His speech was sweet, neither meager nor excessive, as though his words were beads cascading from a string. He was of medium height—neither conspicuous through excessive tallness nor dismissed by the eye for shortness—a bough between two boughs. Of the three, he was the most pleasing to behold and the finest in stature. He had companions who surrounded him: when he spoke, they listened attentively, and when he commanded, they hastened to carry out his command. He was diligently served and well attended, neither scowling nor unjust.”

Her expression “radiant face” means that his face shone brightly. Her words “neither thinness marred him” mean that slenderness did not blemish him. Her words “nor did gauntness at the flanks detract from him” refer to leanness at the waist.

“Handsome” means comely and radiant. One says that a man is manifestly handsome and bears the mark of beauty. “Well-proportioned” also means handsome, and proportion denotes beauty. The intense darkness refers to the blackness of the eyes.

Regarding her words “his eyelashes had a curve,” the reading ataf, with the letter ayn, was deemed more plausible by them. It means that the eyelashes grow long and then curve. If read with the letter ghayn, it is pronounced ghataf. Those who read it with ayn said ⦗1507⦘ that the term also applies to an ear that inclines back toward the head and whose tip bends.

Her words “his voice had a rich huskiness” mean that there was a slight huskiness in his voice and that it was not shrill. It is related that Ibn Umar would raise his voice in the talbiya until his voice became hoarse from reciting it; that is, his voice grew husky.

The poet said:

[Wāfir meter]

The throats have grown hoarse from wailing.

Her words “his neck was stately and long” mean that it was long. A horse is described as having a stately neck when its neck is long and upright.

Her description of him as “joined-browed” means that his eyebrows were long and fine. Length and fineness constitute elegant brows, while joined brows are those that extend until their ends meet. It is also said that “open-browed” describes brows that are separate, leaving a clear space between them.

Her words “when he spoke, he rose in stature” mean that he raised his head or his hand.

Her description of his speech as “decisive, neither meager nor excessive” means that it was moderate—neither too little nor too much. ⦗1508⦘

Her description of him as “of moderate stature” means, as Anas ibn Mālik related, that he was neither short nor tall.

Her words “nor dismissed by the eye for shortness” mean that no one would consider him insignificant or look down upon him.

Her words “diligently served” mean that others served him; the attendants are assistants who serve a person.

Her words “well attended” derive from the expression “I mustered for so-and-so in this matter,” meaning that one prepared and made arrangements for him.

Her words “neither scowling” mean that his face was not frowning. “Nor unjust” means that he was not an oppressor. He was not unjust—peace and blessings be upon him.