IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 107Al-Kalbi went on to state, "And they (Kinda) said, 'have you come to us to
keep us from our gods and have us go to war with the Arabs? Remain with your
people. We have no need of you!'
"He then left them and went to Bakr b. W2il. He asked, 'Who are these
people?' 'They are pan of Bakr b. W@il.' 'From which sub-tribe?' he asked. He
was told, 'From the Bann Qays b. Thaqaba.'
"'How many are they?' he asked.
'"Very numerous,' he was told.
"'How would their protection be?' he asked.
"They replied, 'We border on Persia; we have no protection from them or for
them.'
"He told them, 'Grant God custody over yourselves and He will keep you safe
until you descend upon their homes, marry their women and enslave their chil-
dren. Then give praise to God three and thirty times, then give thanks to Him
three and thirty times, and say He is most great four and thirty times.'
"'Who are you?' they asked.
"'I am the Messenger of God,' he replied. Then he left.
"When he had left," al-Kalbi said, "his uncle Abii Lahab had been following
him and telling people, 'Do not accept what he says.' When he passed by them,
they asked, 'Do you know this man?' He replied, 'Yes, he's from our 6lite. What
about hi makes you ask?' They told him what he had offered them, saying, 'He
claims to be the Messenger of God.' Aba Lahab commented, 'Take no account
of whatever he says. He's crazy, and talks off the top of his head.'
"'We saw that,' they commented, 'when he spoke as he did about Persia!"'
Al-Kalbi stated, "'Abd al-Rahmm alLcAmiri told me that elders of his tribe said,
'The Messenger of God (SAAS) came to us when we were at the Wka fair. He
asked, "From whom are these people?" We replied, "From the Bann 'Amir b.
Sa'Sa'a." "From which sub-hibe?" he asked.
"'We responded, "From the Banii Ka'b b. Rabi'a."
"'He asked, "How would protection be with you?"
"'We replied, "The best imaginable; we are invincible."
"'He stated to them, "I am the Messenger of God, and I am coming to you to
protect me until I fulfil the mission of my Lord. I would not force any of you to
anything."
"'They asked him, "From which part of Quraysh are you?"
""'From the family of 'Abd al-Muc{alib," he replied.
'""What are your relations with the 'Abd Maria" they asked.
"'"They were the &st to deny and to drive me away," he told them.
"'"Well, we will neither drive you away nor believe in you; but we will pro-
tect you until you fulfil your Lord's mission."
"'So he took residence with them while they were attending the fair. And then
Bayhara b. Fifish al-Qushayri came to them and said, "Who is this man I now
see with you; I don't know him?"