Al-Bayhaqī has likewise transmitted this report (1) through the chain of Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Anṣārī, from Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr, from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, from Rabīʿah al-Duʾalī:

“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the market of Dhū’l-Majāz, making his way among the people’s dwellings and calling them to Allah. Behind him stood a squint-eyed man whose cheeks were blazing red, saying, ‘People, do not let this man mislead you away from your religion and the religion of your forefathers!’ I asked, ‘Who is that?’ They replied, ‘That is Abū Lahab.’

Abū Nuʿaym has related the same narration in Dalāʾil (2) through the isnāds of Ibn Abī Dhʾīb and Saʿīd ibn Salamah ibn Abī Ḥisām, both from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, with a similar wording.

Al-Bayhaqī also reported it (3) through Shuʿbah, from al-Ashʿath ibn Sulaym, from a man of Kinānah, who said:

“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the market of Dhū’l-Majāz proclaiming, ‘O people, say: There is no god but Allah and you will prosper!’ Behind him was a man scattering dust over him—it was Abū Jahl—who kept saying, ‘O people, do not let this man deceive you about your religion; all he wants is for you to abandon the worship of al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā.’ ”

In this version the antagonist is named as Abū Jahl; this may be an error, or it may be that sometimes it was one of them and sometimes the other, the two of them taking turns in harassing him ﷺ.

Ibn Isḥāq said (4): Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī told me that the Prophet ﷺ went to Kindah in their quarters, where a leader of theirs called Mulayḥ was present. He invited them to Allah and presented himself to them, but they refused him.

Ibn Isḥāq also said (2): Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ḥuṣayn told me that he ﷺ came to the tribe of Kalb, to a clan of theirs called Banū ʿAbd Allāh. He called them to Allah and presented himself to them, even saying, “O sons of ʿAbd Allāh, Allah has indeed beautified your father’s name,” yet they did not accept what he offered.

One of our companions related to me, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited Banū Ḥanīfah in their dwellings. He invited them to Allah and presented himself to them, but no Arab tribe answered him more harshly than they did.

Al-Zuhrī further told me that he ﷺ approached Banū ʿĀmir ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿah, called them to Allah, and presented himself to them. A man among them named Bayḥarah ibn Firās said, “By Allah, if I could take hold of this young man from Quraysh, I would conquer the Arabs with him!” He then asked, “If we follow you in your cause and Allah gives you victory over those who oppose you, will authority be ours after you?” He replied, “Authority belongs to Allah; He places it wherever He wills.” The man said, “So we would expose our throats to the Arabs on your behalf, and if Allah grants you victory the authority would …”