‘Do not answer him.’

Then he asked, ‘Is the son of Abū Quhāfah among them? Is the son of Abū Quhāfah among them?’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Do not answer him.’ He then asked, ‘Is the son of al-Khattāb among them?’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Do not answer him.’

He then told his companions, ‘As for these men, you have been rid of them.’ But ‘Umar(1)—may Allah be pleased with him—could not restrain himself and said, ‘You lie, enemy of Allah! Those whom you named(2) are still alive, and there yet remains for you what will grieve you.’

He replied, ‘This day is in return for the day of Badr.’

‘Umar said, ‘They are not equal: our slain are in Paradise, while yours are in the Fire.’

Then Abū Sufyān began chanting:

‘Rise high, Hubal! Rise high, Hubal!’

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Will you not answer him(3)?’

They asked, ‘What shall we say?’

He said, ‘Say: Allah is higher and more majestic.’

Abū Sufyān said, ‘We have al-‘Uzzā, while you have no ‘Uzzā.’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Will you not answer him(4)?’

They asked, ‘What shall we say?’

He said, ‘Say: Allah is our Protector, while you have no protector.’

Abū Sufyān then said, ‘You will find mutilation among the slain. I did not order it, nor did it displease me.’”(5)

Thus, at that time, the polytheists’ army inquired only about the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—Abū Bakr, and ‘Umar. Had the polytheists feared ‘Alī, ‘Uthmān, Talhah, al-Zubayr, or others like them, or had these men supported the Messenger as Abū Bakr and ‘Umar did, the army would have asked about them just as it asked about those three. For the motive for asking(6) was present, and the impediment