IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHiR 181b. Ismacil h. Aba al-Ward, quoting Ihr&im b. Sirma, quoting Yahys b. Sacid,
from Ishaq b.'Ahd Allah b. Aba Tabs, from Anas, who said, "The Messenger
of God (SAAS) came to Medina, and when we entered the anjltr came along with
other men and women and said, 'Come to us, 0 Messenger of God.' He replied,
'Leave my camel unimpeded; she has received a command.'
"She knelt at the door of Aha Ayyiih and servant girls of the Bana al-Najjxr
came out sbiking drums and chanting, 'We are girls of the Banii al-Najjar; how
wonderful if Muhammad were our neighhour.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) then came out to them and asked, 'Do you
love me?' They replied, LOh yes, 0 Messenger of God!' 'And I,' he said, 'by
God, love you all! By God, I love you all!"'
This is a strange tradition from this source. None of the authorities on tradi-
tion relate it, though al-H&m gave it in his Mustadrak as will he related.
Al-Bayhaqi stated, L'Abii 'Ahd al-RGmm al-Sulami related, quoting Aha
al-Q%im (Abd at-Rabm h. Sulayman al-N&h%, the Qur'an-reciter in Baghdad,
that Wmar b. al-Hasan al-Halahi related to him, quoting Aha Khaythama
al-Ma~isi, and 'isa h. Yiinus related, from 'Awf al-Acrabi, from Thumzma, from
Anas, who said, 'The Prophet (SAAS) passed by a quarter where the Banii
al-Najjw lived. And there were servant girls striking drums and chanting,
"We are girls of the Banii al-Najjar; how wonderful if
Muhammad were our neighhour.""'The Messenger of God (SAAS) commented, "God knows that my heart loves
you all!"'"
This was related by Ihn Mzja, from Hishm h. 'Ammw, from <isa b. Yanus.
In the jahih of al-Bukhi%ri it is stated from Macmar, from 'Abd al-Waith, from
'Ahd al-'Aziz, from Anas, who said, "The Prophet (SAAS) saw the women and
boys coming - I believe he said that it was a wedding procession. So he stood up
in full view and said, '0 God, these are the people I love most of all.' He repeated
this three times."
Imm Ahmad stated, "'Ahd al-Samad h. 'Ahd al-Wwith related to us, quoting
his father, who quoted 'Abd al-'Aziz h. Suhayb, who quoted Anas b. Mdik, as
follows: LThe Messenger of God (SAAS) set out for Medina with Aba Bakr rid-
ing behind hi on the same mount. Aha Bakr was an elderly man who was well
known, whereas the Messenger of God (SAAS), was youthful and not known.
"'If a person met Ahii Bakr and said, "Aha Bakr, who is that man in front of
you?" He would reply, "This man is showing me the path."
"'He would think he was referring to him showing him the road, hut what he
really meant was "the path of good".
'"Ahii Bakr looked hack and saw a horseman had caught up with them. So he
said, "0 Prophet of God, a rider has caught up with us!" The Messenger of God
(SAAS) turned around and said, "0 God, bring him down!" The man's horse