after an hour of the night had passed. They would thus spend the night supplied with fresh milk (1)—milk from their flock and milk heated with hot stones (2)—until ‘Āmir called the flock away (3) while it was still dark before dawn. He did this each of those three nights.

Allah’s Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—[and Abū Bakr] (4) hired a man from Banū al-Dīl, belonging to Banū ‘Abd ibn ‘Adī, as an expert guide. The term khirrīt means one skilled in finding the way (5). He was associated (6) (7) with the family of al-‘Ās ibn Wā’il al-Sahmī and followed the religion of the unbelievers of Quraysh. Nevertheless, they trusted him, handed over their two riding camels to him, and arranged to meet him (8) at the cave of Thawr after three nights. He brought them their riding camels on the morning following those three nights. ‘Āmir ibn Fuhayrah and the guide then set out with them, and the guide took them along the coastal route.”

“Ibn Shihāb said: ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Mālik al-Mudlijī, the nephew of Surāqah ibn Mālik ibn Ju‘shum, informed me that his father had told him that he heard Surāqah ibn Ju‘shum say:

‘Messengers from the unbelievers of Quraysh came to us, offering, for Allah’s Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—