Suraqa was now convinced that the Prophet (r) was protected against him and he would
not in any case triumph over the latter. He called out saying that he was Suraqa Ibn Ju’shum
and that he would not inflict any harm to them. The Prophet (r) ordered Abu Bakr to ask
him what he wants from them. Suraqa replied, “Write for me a warrant of security.” The-
reupon the Prophet (r) ordered ‘Amir Ibn Fuhayrah to write the warrant which he wrote on
a piece of tanned leather or bone. Suraqa preserved the document as a memento of sorts.
(Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, pp. 489-90; Al-Bukhaari, Chap. Hijratun Nabi)
The Prophet of God (r) had been driven out of his homeland and the enemy pursuing him
was after his blood, but his mind’s eye was envisioning the day when his followers would be
ascendant upon the realms of the Caesars and Chosroes. In those adverse circumstances, in
the darkest hour of his life, he made a prediction of the bright times ahead. To Suraqa he
said, “Suraqa, how will you feel when you will put on Chosroes’ bracelets?”
God has indeed promised succor, victory and prosperity to His Prophet (r) and the trium-
phant ascendancy of His Religion of Truth.
“He it is who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that
He may cause it to prevail over all religions, however much the disbelievers may be
averse.” [Qur'an 9:33]
Those who cannot see beyond the material agency of causes and effects would shrug their
shoulders at this prediction: the Quraysh discarded the forebodings of the Prophet (r) as
incredulous and inconceivable, but the foreseeing Prophet (r) was peeping into the future:
“Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.” [Qur'an 13:31]
And the events took shape exactly in the same way as the Prophet (r) had foretold to Su-
raqa. When Persia was conquered and the tiara, robe and the bracelets of Chosroes were
brought to ‘Umar, he sent for Suraqa and asked him to put on the royal dress. (Al-Isti'ab,
Vol. II, p. 597)
Suraqa took the warrant of security for he was by then convinced of the victory of the
Prophet (r). He offered some provisions and utensils, but the Prophet (r) accepted nothing
from him. He simply said to Suraqa, “Keep our whereabouts secret.”
THE BLESSED GUEST
Abu Bakr and the Prophet (r) passed by the tent of Umm M’abad, a woman of Khuza’a,
who had a milk ewe but its udder had dried up owing to drought. God’s Messenger wiped its
udder with his hand and mentioning the name of God the most High. He prayed that Umm
M’abad might have a blessing in her ewe. It then gave a flow of milk. He first gave Umm
M’abad and others a drink until all of them were fully satisfied, then he drank knowing
everyone was through. He milked it the second time around and when the vessel was full,
left it with her. When Abu M’abad came back and his wife told him about the prodigious