IMAM ABD A1.-FTDK, ISM~T'TL IBN KATH~R 171The ha$% al-Bayhaqi recounted from a hadirh of Yahya b. Zakariyya' b. Aba
Za'ida from Muhammad h. 'Abd al-Ra$man b. Abii Layla who related it to him,
quoting 'Abd al-R&man h. al-Asbahani, who said, "I heard CAhd al-Ralpnzm
b. Aha Layla quote Abii Bakr, 'the Trusting', as saying, 'I left Mecca with
the Messenger of God (SAAS) and we reached a bedouin encampment. The
Messenger of God (SAAS) noticed one tent off to one side and went towards
it. When we dismounted we found that the only person there was a woman. She
said, "0 fellow slave of God, I'm just one woman, alone; you should go to our
chief if you want hospitality." He made no response to her, it being evening by
then, and a son of hers arrived herding some goats. She told hi, "Take these
goats over to those two men with this knife and tell them, 'My mother says that
you should slaughter these and eat and feed us too.'"
"'When he arrived, the Messenger of God (SAAS) told him, "Take the knife
away and bring a bowl." He replied, "But this ewe has not been with a male and
has no milk." "Go and do it," he told him. When he had brought back a howl the
Messenger of God (SAAS) wiped the ewe's teat and it gave milk, filling the bowl.
He then said, "Take this to your mother." She drank till she was satisfied and
the lad returned. Now he told the boy, "Take this ewe away and bring me
another." He did so and then brought a third ewe, did as before, and then the
Messenger of God (SAAS) himself drank.
"'We stayed there that night, then left. She used to refer to him as
al-Mubarak, "the blessed one". Her flock multiplied and eventually she brought
them all in to Medina. Aba Bakr happened to pass by and he recognized her son
and the son said to his mother, "Mother, that's the man who was with
al-Mubarak, 'the blessed one'." She came over to him and asked, "0 fellow slave
of God, who was that man with you?" He asked, "You don't know who he is?"
"No, I don't," she replied. "He is the Prophet of God," he told her. "Please, take
me in to him," she asked.
"'He did so and the Messenger of God (SAAS) gave her food and gifts.'"
Ibn 'Abdiin added in his account of this, "She said, 'Lead me to him.' And so
she came with me and gave to the Messenger of God (SAAS) some sour cheese
and some bedouin goods. And he gave her clothing and gifts in return."'
The account stated, "And I am certain he said, 'And she accepted Islam."'
The chain of authorities for this is good.
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "This story is similar to that of Umm Ma'bad and it is
evident that she is the one referred to here. But God knows best."
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "The Aba CAbd All~~h informed us, as did Abii Bakr
Ahmad b. al-Hasan al-@di, both of whom said, 'Aha al-'Ahbas al-Asamm
related to us, quoting al-Hasan h. Mukrim, Aba Ahmad Bishr b. Muhammad
alSukkari, quoting 'Abd al-Malik h. Wahb al-Mudhhiji, quoting Abjar b.
al-Sabah, from Abn Ma'bad al-Khuzaci, that the Messenger of God (SAAS),
when he left by night, emigrating in the company of Aba Bakr, 'Amir h.