—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in its shade, and I went out to scout the area around him. Just then, I saw a shepherd approaching the rock with his sheep, seeking the same shelter we had sought. I met him and asked: “To whom (1) do you belong, boy?”

He replied: “To a man from the city”—meaning Mecca (2)—“a man of Quraysh.” He named him, and I recognized him. I asked him: “Do your sheep have any milk?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Will you milk one for me?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said, and took hold of a sheep. I said [to him] (3): “Brush the hair, dust, and debris off its udder.” Then he milked a little milk for me into a wooden bowl he had with him.

I also had, he said, a small leather water vessel (4), which I filled with water (5) for the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to drink (6) from and use for ablution.

I then went, he said, to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—not wishing to wake him, but found that he had already awakened. I poured water onto the milk until the milk at the bottom was cool, then said: “O Messenger of Allah, drink some of this milk.” He drank until I was satisfied.

Then he said: “Is it not time to set out?”

“Yes,” I replied. So we set out after the sun had passed (7) its zenith, and Surāqah ibn Mālik pursued us. We were, he said, on firm ground (8), so I said: