close to his cell—a spot they had often used for encampment whenever they passed by (1). He prepared a meal for them and invited them to it. What moved him to call them was that, as he watched them approach, he saw a cloud shading the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and only him, until they halted beneath a tree. He then noticed that same cloud settle over the tree, whereupon its branches bent over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so that he could rest in their shade. When Baḥīrā saw this, he descended from his cell, ordered that the food (2) be brought out, and sent word to them, saying, “People of Quraysh, I have prepared a meal for you, and I would like all of you to attend. Let no one stay behind—old or young, free or slave—for by doing so you will honor me.”

One man responded, “You surely have something on your mind, Baḥīrā; you have never done this before. What is different today?” He replied, “I simply wish to honor you; you have a rightful claim upon me.”

(3) The company therefore gathered around him, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained behind with the baggage under the tree because of his youth. When Baḥīrā looked at the group he did not see the signs he knew from his texts; he kept looking, but the cloud was over none of them except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Baḥīrā then said, “People of Quraysh, let no one among you absent himself from my meal!” They replied, “No one has stayed back except a boy, the youngest of us, who is with the baggage.” He said, “Call him to share my food. How improper that you all attend while one person remains behind—especially when I consider him the most precious among you!” They said, “By Allah, he is indeed of the noblest lineage among us; he is the son of this man’s brother—meaning Abu Ṭālib—and is a descendant of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib.” Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib remarked, “By Allah, it would indeed be disgraceful of us that—”