from Abyssinia, making his way to Mecca, accompanied by the elephant. When the Arabs heard of this, they regarded it as a grave matter and considered it their duty to fight him. A king of Yemen named Dhu Nafar set out against him with those of his people who obeyed him. He fought Abrahah, but Abrahah defeated him and took Dhu Nafar captive. Dhu Nafar said, “O King, do not kill me, for sparing my life will be better for you than killing me.” So Abrahah spared him and bound him securely. Abrahah was a forbearing man.
He then continued on until, when he drew near the land of Khath'am, Nufayl ibn Habib al-Khath'ami came out against him with Khath'am and the Yemeni tribes that had joined him. They fought Abrahah, but he defeated them and captured Nufayl. Nufayl said, “O King, I am a guide familiar with the land of the Arabs, and I pledge on behalf of my people to hear and obey.” So Abrahah spared him, and Nufayl went with him as his guide. When he passed by Ta'if, Mas'ud ibn Mu'attib came out to him with men of Thaqif and said, “O King, we are your servants; you will find no opposition from us. You seek only the House in Mecca, and we shall send with you someone to guide you to it.” They therefore sent with him Abu Righal, one of their clients. He proceeded on until he reached al-Mughammas (1), where Abu Righal died. His is the grave that is stoned. From al-Mughammas, Abrahah sent an Abyssinian man named al-Aswad ibn Mas'ud at the head of his cavalry, ordering him to raid the people's livestock. Al-Aswad seized the property of the people of the Sacred Precinct, including two hundred camels belonging to Abd al-Muttalib.
Abrahah then sent Habaṭah al-Himyari to the people of Mecca, saying, “Ask for their chief, then convey to him the message for which I have sent you. Tell him that I have not come to fight; I have come only to destroy this House.” He went forth and entered Mecca, where he met Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim. He said, “The king has sent me to tell you that he has not come to fight, unless you fight him. He has come only to destroy this House and then depart from you.”
Abd al-Muttalib replied, “We have neither the intention nor the strength to fight him. We can only leave him to what he has come for. This is the Sacred House of Allah and the House of His beloved friend Abraham, peace be upon him. If He protects it, then it is His House and His sanctuary; but if He leaves him free to do so, then by Allah, we have no power against him.”
He said, “Come with me to the king.” Some scholars related that he seated him behind him on the mule he was riding, and some of Abd al-Muttalib's sons rode with him, until they reached the camp. Dhu Nafar was a friend of Abd al-Muttalib, so Abd al-Muttalib came to him and said, “O Dhu Nafar, do you have any means (2) to help us in what has befallen us?” He replied, “What means does a captive have, when he does not feel safe from being killed morning or evening? But I shall send to Unays, the elephant's keeper, for he is a friend of mine. I shall ask him to do whatever good he can for you with the king and to emphasize your importance and standing before him.” He then sent for Unays, who came to him. Dhu Nafar said to him, “This is the chief of Quraysh, the owner of