IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHiR 101"By God, people of this land do not say these words." The Messenger of God
(SAAS) asked him, "Where are you from, 'Addas, and what is your religion?"
He replied, "I am a Christian, and I come from Nineveh."
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) then asked, "You mean from the village of
that pious man Jonah, son of Amittai?"
""Addas asked, "How do you know of Jonah, son of Amittai?"
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) replied, "That man was my brother; he was
a prophet and I am a prophet."
"'<Addas bent low over the Messenger of God (SAAS), kissing his head,
hands and feet.
"'The two sons of Rahi'a said to one another, "He's already corrupted our ser-
vant! "
"'When 'Add% came hack to them, they commented, "What was wrong with
you, 'Addas? Why did you kiss the head, hands and feet of that man?"
'""On all earth there is none finer than this man; he has told me of something
that no one hut a prophet could know," he told them.
""'Be careful", they warned him, "you don't let him turn you from your faith.
Your religion is better than his.""'
Miisa b. Wqha related this similarly hut did not include the prayer and added
the words, LLThe people of Ta'if positioned themselves in two lines along his path
and as he passed by every time he raised and put down a foot they threw stones
at it until his feet began to bleed. His feet streaming with biood, he withdrew and
made his way beneath the shade of a palm tree, completely overcome. In that
garden were Wtba and Shayha, the two sons of Rabi'a. He disliked being at their
place because of their enmity towards God and His Messenger."
Miisa then related the story of 'Addas the Christian much as above.
Imzm Ahmad recounted from Abu Bakr b. Abii Shayha as follows, "Marwan
h. Muc%wiya al-Fazari related to us, from CAbd Allah h. CAbd d-Rahmm
al-Ta'ifi, from CAbd al-wmm b. Khdid h. Aha Jabal alLCAdwmi, from his
father, that he saw the Messenger of God (SAAS) in the winter quarters of
Thaqif standing on a staff or a how, having gone to them seeking their help. The
source said, 'I heard him say, "By the heavens and he who comes by night" @rat
al-Tiiriq; LXXXVI, v.1) up to its end."'
He went on, "So I became aware of it in the jahiliyya, before Islam, while I
was a polytheist, then I recited it after accepting Islam.
"Thaqif summoned me and asked, 'What did you hear from that man?' so I
recited it to them. One of the Quraysh men there with Thaqif said, 'We are very
well acquainted with him; if we knew that what he says is true, we would follow
him."'
It is established in both ~ahih collections, through 'Ahd Allah b. Wahb, who
said, "I was told by Yiinus b. Yazid from Ihn Shihab, who told him, 'It was
related to me by Wrwa h. al-Zuhayr that '&'isha related to him that she said to