the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “This man belongs to a people who revere the sacrificial animals, so send them out before him.” The animals were sent out, and the people came forward to meet him, reciting the talbiyah. When he saw this, he said, “Glory be to Allah! Such people ought not to be barred from the House.”

When he returned to his companions, he said, “I saw the sacrificial animals garlanded and marked, so I do not think they should be barred from the House.”

They then sent al-Hulays ibn Alqamah to him. At that time, he was the chief of the Ahabish. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him, he said, “This man belongs to a people devoted to worship, so send the sacrificial animals before him, that he may see them.” When he saw the sacrificial animals coming down the side of the valley, wearing their garlands, their hair worn away from being kept so long, he returned to Quraysh without reaching the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, out of reverence for what he had seen. He said, “O assembly of Quraysh, I have seen something that it is not lawful to prevent: sacrificial animals wearing their garlands, their hair worn away from being held back too long from the place of their sacrifice.”

They said to him, “Sit down. You are only a Bedouin with no knowledge.” Al-Hulays became angry at this and said, “O assembly of Quraysh, by Allah, this is not what we allied ourselves with you for, nor what we made a covenant with you for: that you should bar from the House of Allah one who comes to it revering it. By Him in whose Hand is the soul of al-Hulays, you must let Muhammad proceed to that for which he has come, or I shall march forth with the Ahabish as one man.” They said to him, “Enough, al-Hulays. Restrain yourself until we secure terms with which we are satisfied.”

Then a man among them, named Mikraz ibn Hafs, stood up and said, “Let me go to him.” They said, “Go to him.” When he came in view of them, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “This is Mikraz, and he is a wicked man.” He began speaking with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. While he was speaking with him, Suhayl ibn Amr arrived. Ikrimah said: When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him, he said, “Your affair has now become easier for you.”

Al-Zuhri said in his narration: Suhayl ibn Amr came and said, “Come, let us draw up a document between us and you.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, summoned Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and said to him, “Write: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’”

Suhayl said, “As for al-Rahman, by Allah, I do not know what it is. Rather, write: ‘In Your name, O Allah,’ as you used to write.”

The Muslims said, “By Allah, we shall write nothing but: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’”

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Ali, “Write: ‘In Your name, O Allah.’” Then he said, “Write: ‘These are the terms agreed upon by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.’”

Suhayl said, “By Allah, had we known that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have barred you from the House or fought you. Rather, write: ‘Muhammad ibn Abdullah.’”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Allah, I am indeed the Messenger of Allah, even if you deny me. Write, O Ali: ‘Muhammad ibn Abdullah.’”