IMAM ABU ALFIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 259caravan; God, however, brought the Muslims into contact with their enemies
unexpectedly."'
Al-Bukhm is alone in giving this.Ibn Ishaq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) made his way out towards
Mecca via the upper part of Medina. His path then led by al-'Aqiq, Dha
al-Hulayfa and Ulat al-Jaysh. From there he passed by Turban, Malal, Ghamis
al-Hamm, Sukhayrat al-Yamaria, al-Sayyda, Fajj al-Rawha' and Shunnka, this
being the direct route.
"Arriving at 'Irq al-Zabiyya he met a bedouin. They asked him about other
people, but received no news from him. The Muslims told him, 'Pay your
respects to the Messenger of God! (SAAS).' The man asked, 'Do you have the
Messenger of God (SAAS) among you?' 'Yes,' they replied. The man then did
greet him, but asked, 'If you're the Messenger of God, then tell me what is inside
the belly of this female camel of mine.' Salama b. Salaria b. Waqsh responded,
'Don't you put questions to the Messenger of God! (SAAS). Come on over
to me, and I'll tell you that. You mounted her and so she has a little goat inside
her belly from you!' The Messenger of God (SAAS) commented, 'You've used
obscene language to the man!' He then turned away from Salama.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) made a halt at Sajsaj, where there is the well
of al-Rawha1, and proceeded on to al-Munsaraf, where he left the Mecca road
which goes to the left and took that to the right, towards al-Naiyya, heading for
Badr. He continued on this path for some way, crossing a valley called Ruhqm,
between al-Nzziyya and the al-Safrs' pass. He crossed through the pass, then
emerged from it and continued to near al-Safral. From there he sent Basbas b.
'Amr al-Juhani, an ally of the Banii Sa4da, and 'Adi b. Aba al-Zaghbal, an ally
of the Bana al-Najja, on to Badr to seek any news of Abii Sufyan Sakhr b. Harb
and his caravan."
Miisa b. Wqba stated that he had dispatched them both before he left Medina
and that when they returned and reported on the status of the caravan, he sent
people ahead to it.
If what both Miisa b. Wqha and Ibn Ishaq stated is correct, then he sent them
forward twice. But God knows best.
Ibn Ishsq, God bless him, went on, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) pro-
ceeded ahead and approached al-Saffl", a village set between two mountains. He
asked what were the names of the two mountains and was told that one was called
Muslih and the other Mukbri'. He then asked about the people living on them
and they were named as the Banii al-N% and the Banii Huraq, two sub-mibes of
Ghifw. The Messenger of God (SAAS) did not lie these names, thinking them
an illL0men,5~ and so he left them and al-Saf@ to his left, making his way along
a valley called Dhafirsn. Having gone through it, he made camp."
58 The words murlrh and mukhhn'can both be rnterpreted as "he who defecates", ai-nrir means
fire, and hutrig means conflagration