IMAM ABD AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHiR 111"'No,' said Aha Bakr.
"'Are you then of those with the privilege of providing the ri@da?' (The pro-
visioning of the pilgrims.)
"'No,' replied Aha Bakr.
'"Are you then of those who give bounteous aid?'
"'No,' said Aba Bakr and he pulled his bridle out of the hands of the youth,
who then quoted the line,'Sometimes it happens that distinction is moved on
down, at other times up.'"Then he commented, 'Well, I swear, 0 Brother of Quraysh, if you had con-
tinued to hold out I would have proven you to belong to the lowest class of
Quraysh, not to its blite!'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) now came over to us, smiling," 'Ali went on,
"and I commented to Abn Bakr, 'Well, this bedouin has turned out to be a disaster
for you!' 'Yes indeed, Abn al-Hasan,' Aba Bakr replied, 'And, there's never a
catastrophe without another that follows, and calamity is compounded by words.'"
'Ali continued his account, "We then went on to a meeting underway marked
by calm and dignity. There were sheikhs of high rank and fine appearance there.
Aha Bakr went forward and made greeting.'' "And," 'Ali commented, "Abn
Bakr was always in the vanguard of good.
"Aha Bakr asked them, 'From whom are you?' They replied, 'We are of the
Bana Shaybm h. Tha'laha.'
"Aba Bakr turned to the Messenger of God (SAAS), and commented, 'I
swear, no one has more 'izz, power, in their people than these do."'
In other accounts the words 'udhr, responsibility, and ghurar, experience, are
substituted for the word 'izz, power, in the preceding sentence.
'Ali's account goes on, "Among this group were Mafraq h. 'Amr, Hani' b.
Qabisa, al-Muthannn h. Haitha and al-Nu'm%n h. Shurayk.
"The man most comparable to Aba Bakr was Mafriiq b. 'Amr; he was their
most eloquent. He wore his hair in two braids that came down to his chest. He
sat closest to Aha Bakr.
"Aha Bakr asked him, 'How many are you in number?'
"Mafraq replied, 'We are more than 1,000 strong; and "a few men can't heat
l,OOOn, as they say.'
"'And how would protection he with you?'
"'We go to the limit; and "every people has a forefather," (i.e. "we are proud
and noble"),' Mafraq responded.
"Aha Bakr asked, 'And how is it when you make war with your enemies?'
"Mafriiq answered, 'When we meet in battle, we are the angriest of men. We
take greater pride in our steeds than our sons, care more for our swords than our
sperm; victory rests with God. Sometimes He grants us victory, sometimes
others victory over us. You seem to be a member of Quraysh?'