The Future For Islam

110 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

of yours? That man, Quvayy, who drove the rest of them away and brought in
his own people from all over and sertled them in Mecca, took over the temple
and set Quraysh in the dwellings? The man who was therefore known as L'the
unifier", and about whom a poet spoke the verse,

"Was it not your father who was called 'the unifier',
by whom God brought together the tribes of Fihr?"'
"Abii Bakr replied, 'No.'
"'Were not 'Abd Manaf, the ultimate giver of advice, and Abii al-Ghawif,
the great leader, of your stock?'
"Abti Bakr replied, 'No.'
"'And 'Amr b. 'Abd Mansf Hsshim, who prepared bread and meat into the
dish al-tharid for his people and all of Mecca, was he not of you? The one of
whom the poet said,

"'Amr al-'Ulz prepared the al-tharid for his people,

while the men of Mecca were destitute and under famine,

To him they attribute both the journeys, that of the

winter and that of the summer,

Quraysh were as an egg which when split open came to have

its best part, its yoke, as the 'Abd Mansf.

(They are) the wealthy, as is no other known, and they

are those who say 'come on in' to the guests.

They are those who strike down pure-white sheep, those

who protect the innocent with their swords.

How line for you, if you stay at their abode; they will

protect you from all ills and accusations."'

"'No,' responded Abti Bakr.
"'Then,' the youth continued, 'you must be related to 'Abd al-Mutib, that
venerable man of much praise, controller of the Mecca caravan, and feeder of the
birds of the skies and the wild beasts, of the lions in the desert, he whose face
shies forth like a moon on a dark night?'
"'No,' said Abii Bakr.
"'Then you must be of those who have the privilege of the @.?!a?' (The sig-
nalling to the pilgrims to move from Araf~t to Minx.)
"'No,' said Abo Bakr.
"'Perhaps of those who have the privilege of the hqaba? (The guardianship of
the holy places.)
"'No,' said Aba Bakr.
"'Then those with the privilege of the nadwa?' (Making an address to the pil-

grims.)
"'No,' said Abn Bakr.
"'Then you must be of those who have the privilege of the srgaya? (The pro-
vision of drink for the pilgrims.)