his belly; then, later that night, he came and hung it (1) upon the curtains of the Kaʿbah, so the people feared them because of the bloodshed that had occurred between them.

Ibn Isḥāq (2) said: Yazīd ibn Rumān related to me from ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr, who said:

When Quraysh resolved to march, they remembered the feud that had existed between them and Banū Bakr, and that nearly made them turn back. Satan then appeared to them in the form of Suraqah [ibn Mālik] ibn Juʿshum al-Mudlijī—one of the nobles of Banū Kinānah—and said, “I stand as your guarantor that Kinānah will not come at you from the rear with anything you detest.” So they set out in haste.

I say: This is the meaning of the Almighty’s words (3):

“Do not be like those who left their homes in boastful arrogance, showing off to people and barring others from the path of Allah. Allah is fully aware of what they do. And when Satan made their deeds seem fair to them he said, ‘No one can defeat you today, for I am at your side.’ But when the two hosts came within sight of each other he turned on his heels and said, ‘I am clear of you; I see what you do not see; I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.’” [Al-Anfāl: 47–48]

He—may Allah curse him—deceived them until they set out, travelling with them stage by stage, attended by his troops and banners, as more than one narrator has reported, only to abandon them to their deaths. When he saw resolve, and the angels descending to grant victory, and when he beheld Gabriel, he turned on his heels and said, “I am clear of you; I see what you do not see; I fear Allah.” This is like His, exalted be He, saying (4):

“The likeness of Satan is that of the Devil who says to a human being, ‘Disbelieve,’ but when he disbelieves he says, ‘I am clear of you; I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.’” [Al-Hashr: 16]

The Almighty also says (5):

“Truth has come and falsehood has vanished; indeed, falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” [Al-Isrāʾ: 81]

Thus, when Iblīs—may Allah curse him—saw the angels descending to bring victory that day, he fled; he was the first to run, after having been the very one who urged them on and offered them protection, deluding them with promises and hopes—yet Satan promises them nothing but deception.

Yūnus (6) relates from Ibn Isḥāq: Quraysh set out with both riders and walkers—nine hundred and fifty fighting men—in addition to two hundred horses which they led. Two slave-girls accompanied them, beating tambourines and singing satirical verses against the Muslims, while each day naming those who provided food for Quraysh.

Al-Umawī (7) reports that the first to slaughter camels for them, when they departed Mecca, was Abū Jahl, who slaughtered ten. Then Umayyah ibn Khalaf slaughtered nine at ʿUsfān; Suhayl ibn ʿAmr slaughtered ten at Qudayd; and from Qudayd they turned toward the watering-places