264 , THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Messenger of God (SAAS) was standing praying. The youths told them they
were water carriers sent to bring them water.
"The Muslim force disliked what they said and, believing they were under
the command of Aba Sufym, beat them. After they had been severely beaten,
the youths said that they were from Aba Sufyan. The Muslims then released
them.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) bowed and prostrated in prayer twice and
said, 'When they spoke the truth you beat them and when they lied you released
them! They did speak the truth, by God. They are of Quraysh. Now, you two,
tell me about Quraysh!' They responded, 'They are beyond that sandhill you can
see over on the far side of the valley.' That sandhill was called al-'Aqanqal.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) asked them, 'How many men do they have?'
'Very many,' they replied. 'How many in number?' he asked. 'We don't know,'
they answered. 'How many camels do they slaughter each day?' he next asked.
'Some days nine, others ten,' they told him. The Messenger of God (SAAS)
concluded, 'So their force must be between 900 and 1000 men.'
"He then asked them, 'What Quraysh nobles do they have among them?'
"They replied, 'Wtba b. Rabi'a, Shayba b. Rabi'a, Aba al-Bukhtari b.
Hishm, Hakim b. Hizm, Nawfal b. Khuwaylid, al-Harith b. 'Amir b. Nawfal,
TuCayma b. 'Adi b. Nawfal, al-Nadr b. al-H~th, Zam'a b. al-Aswad, Aba Jahl
b. Hishm, Umayya b. Khalaf, Nabih and Munabbih, two sons of al-Hajjaj,
Suhayl b. 'Amr and 'Amr b. 'Abd Wudd.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) went out to his men and told them, 'This
Mecca has thrown at you slices of its very liver!'"
Ibn Ishaq stated, "Basbas b. 'Amr and 'Adi b. Aba al-Zaghba' had gone on ahead
to Badr and halted at a hill near the well. They then took a water-skm they had
and went to fetch water. Majdi b. 'Amr al-Juhani was there at the well and 'Adi
and Basbas heard two girls from the village laying claims on the water. The one
under obligation was saying to her companion, 'The caravan will arrive tomorrow
or the day after. I will work for them, then pay you what I owe you.' Majdi
answered, 'You are right.' He then made a settlement between them.
"'Adi and Basbas overheard that, mounted their camels and left, riding back
to the Messenger of God (SAAS) and telling him what they heard.
"Aba Sufyw led the caravan cautiously ahead to the well and asked Majdi b.
'Amr, 'Did you see anyone?' He replied, 'I saw no one suspicious, except for two
riders who dismounted over at that hill, took water in a skin they had, then left.'
"Aba Sufy3.n made his way to where they had dismounted and picked up
some of the droppings of their camels, broke it up and found it contained date-
stones. He then said, 'I swear this is from feed of Yathrib.'
"He then hurried back to his men, struck his camel to direct it away from the
road and headed it towards the sea coast, leaving Badr to his left and moving off
at top speed.