270 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD"He circled the camp on his horse and returned, saying, 'They are approxi-
mately 300 men in number; but be patient while I check out whether they have
any others hidden or in reserve."'
"He rode far off into the valley hut saw nothing. So he came back and told
them, 'I saw nothing more; but what I did see, 0 Quraysh, was camels bearing
death. The Yathrib mounts hear imminent death. They are people whose only
aid and refuge is their swords. I swear I don't foresee any of them being killed
before he kills one of you. And if they do kill of you a like number as their own,
what good will it be to live after that? Consider carefully.'
"When Hakim h. Hizm heard that he walked through the force to Wtha b.
Rabi'a and said, 'Al-Walid, you are a leader and a commander of Quraysh; do
you wish to be remembered with pride by your people until the end of time?'
"'How do you mean, Hakim?' he asked. 'Take your force hack and deal with
the issue of your ally 'Amr b. d-Hadrami.' 'Consider it done,' he agreed, 'you
have my guarantee of it. He was under my protection and so it is my duty to pay
his bloodwit and provide compensation for what was taken from him. Go and
talk to Ibn d-Hawaliyya - meaning Abn Jahl - he is the only one I fear might
make trouble.'
"Wtba then arose to speak, saying, '0 Quraysh, by fighting Muhammad and
his Companions you will accomplish nothing. If you do attack him, each of you
will always he looking at others who will dislike looking back at you; you will be
known to have killed their cousin or a member of their tribe. Go home and leave
Muhammad up to the other Arabs. If they kill hi that will be accomplishing
your aims and if otherwise, he will find you not to have been exposed to (the risk
of) what you now plan.'
"Hakim went on, 'So I went on to Abti Jahl whom I found to have put on a coat
of mail and was getting it ready. I told hi, "Abn d-Hakam, Wtha has sent me to
you." And I told him what he had said. He replied, "I swear, his lungs filled with
terror when he saw Muhammad and his men. By God, we will not return until
God decides the issue between us and Muhammad. Wtha is not sincere in what
he says. He sees Muhammad and his men as fodder for camels awaiting slaughter,
and his own son is there among them. He's scaring you for his own sake."'
"Abn Jahl then sent for 'Amir h. al-Hadmi and told him, LThis ally of yours
wants our force to return home. Yet you see before you your vengeance; stand
up and demand your rights for the slaying of your brother.'
"'Amir b. d-Hadmi arose, uncovered his head and proclaimed, 'Woe for
'Amr! Woe for 'Amr!'
"And so the mood for warfare became heated and the attitude of the Quraysh
force hardened and they became set in their evil course, while Wtba's advice was
ignored.
"When Aha Jahl's words 'his lungs filled with terror' reached Wtha, he
exclaimed, 'That fellow with the filthy yellow backside will find out whether it's
me or him whose lungs filled in terror!'