Hidāyat al-Ḥayārā - Ibn al-Qayyim - (الكتاب/231)

Hidāyat al-ḤayārāIbn al-Qayyim

the son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib should stay behind while we eat.” Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib then stood up, embraced him, and led him over until he seated him at the meal, the cloud still drifting above his head. Baḥīrā kept watching him intently, examining features on his body that matched the descriptions he possessed.

When they had finished eating, the monk approached and said, “Young man, I adjure you by al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā to tell me what I ask.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Do not ask me by al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā; by Allah, I have never hated anything more than them.” The monk said, “Then, by Allah, answer what I ask.” He answered, “Ask whatever you wish.” The Prophet ﷺ began to reply, and every answer agreed with what the monk already knew. Then the monk looked between his eyes, uncovered his back, and saw the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders exactly as described; he kissed the very spot of the seal.

Quraysh said, “Muhammad clearly holds a special rank with this monk.” Abu Ṭālib, noticing the monk’s behavior, began to fear for his nephew. The monk asked Abu Ṭālib, “What is this boy to you?” He said, “He is my son.” The monk replied, “This boy’s father cannot still be alive.” Abu Ṭālib said, “Rather, he is my nephew.” The monk asked, “What happened to his father?” He answered, “He died while his mother was pregnant with him.” “And his mother?” “She passed away recently.” The monk said, “You have spoken the truth. Take your nephew back to his homeland and guard him from the Jews, for by Allah, if they see in him what I see, they will seek to harm him. Your nephew is destined for a tremendous future that we find in our scriptures. I have delivered my counsel to you.”

When they had finished their trading, Abu Ṭālib set out quickly with him. Some Jews had seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and recognized his description; they planned to kill him. They went to Baḥīrā and informed him. He sternly forbade them, saying, “Do you truly find his description in your books?” They replied, “Yes.” He said, “Then you have no way to reach him.” They accepted his warning and left him, and Abu Ṭālib returned—

يتخلَّف ابنُ عبد المطَّلِب من بيننا. ثم قام إليه فاحتضنه وأقبل به حتى أجلسه على الطعام، والغَمَامة تسير على رأسه، وجعل بَحِيْرًا يلحظُه لحظًا شديدًا، وينظر إلى أشياءَ في جسدِه قد كان يجدها عنده في صفته. فلما تفرَّقوا عن الطعام قام إليه الراهب فقال: يا غلام أسألك بحق اللَّات والعُزَّى إلا ما أخْبَرْتَنِي عمَّا أسألك؟ فقال رسولُ الله ﷺ: "لا تسألني باللَّات والعُزى، فواللهِ ما أبغضتُ شيئًا بعضَهُما" قال: فبالله إلا أخبرتني عمَّا أسألك عنه، قال: "سَلْنِي عما بَدَا لك". فجعل رسولُ الله ﷺ يخبره فيوافق ذلك ما عنده، ثم جعل ينظر بين عينيه، ثم كشف عن ظهره فرأى خَاتَمَ النبوة بين كتفيه على الصفة التي عنده، فقبَّل موضع الخاتم. وقالت قريش: إنَّ لمحمدٍ عند هذا الرَّاهب لقَدْرًا. وجعل أبو طالب -لما يرى من الراهب- يخاف على ابن أخيه. فقال الرَّاهب لأبي طالب: ما هذا الغلام منك؟ قال: هو ابني. قال: ما ينبغي لهذا الغلام أن يكون أَبوه حيًّا، قال: فابن أخي. قال: فما فعل أبوه؟ قال: هَلَكَ وأمُّه حُبْلى به. قال: فما فعلتْ أمُّه؟ قال: تُوُفِّيَتْ قريبًا، قال: صدقتَ، ارجعْ بابن أخيك إلى بلده، واحْذَرْ عليه اليهودَ، فوالله لئن عَرَفُوا منه ما أعرَف ليَبْغُنَّه عَنَتًا، فإنه كائنٌ لابن أخيك هذا شأنٌ عظيم نجده في كتابنا، واعلمْ أنِّي قد أدَّيتُ إليك النصيحةَ. فلما فرغوا من تجارتهم خرج به سريعًا، وكان رجال من يهود قد رأوا رسول الله ﷺ وعرفوا صفته، فأرادوا أن يغتالوه، فذهبوا إلى بَحِيْرًا فذكروا له أمره. فنهاهم أشدَّ النهي، وقال لهم: أتجِدُونَ صفته؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: فما لكم إليه سبيل. فصدَّقوه وتركوه، ورجع أبو طالب فما