IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~~L IBN KATH~R 281med hard to get him to tell their numbers, hut he refused. The Prophet (SAAS)
then asked how many camels they were slaughtering for food. He replied that it
was ten each day. The Prophet (SAAS) then said, "Their force numbers 1,000;
each slaughtered camel would feed 100 men and their attendants."
"'That night rain drizzled down on us and we moved beneath a tree and took
shelter from the rain beneath leather shields. The Messenger of God (SAAS) set
about praying to his Lord, saying, "0 God, if this force is destroyed, You will
not be worshipped."
"'When dawn came, he called out, "Come to prayer, O worshippers of God!"
The men emerged from beneath the tree and the leather shields, and the
Messenger of God (SAAS) prayed with us and urged the men on to battle. He
then said, "The Quraysh force is over behind those red slopes of the mountain."
"'When the enemy force drew near and we lined up to face them, there was
one man among them mounted on a red camel. The Messenger of God (SAAS)
called out, "'Ali, summon Hamza!" This Quraysh man was the closest to us. The
Messenger of God (SAAS) asked, L'Who is it on the red camel?" When Hamza
came, he said the man was Wtba h. Rabi'a. He was advising them against going
to war, telling them, "Tie it up to my head; tell people, 'Wtba b. Rabi'a turned
cowardly.' Though you well know I'm no more cowardly than any one of you."
"'Abii Jahl heard of this and said, "You say this? I swear, were it anyone else
who spoke thus, I would set my sword upon him! Your lungs have filled your
belly with fear!"
'"He (Wtba) then said, "You dare to revile me, you yellow-bottomed one!
You will discover today which one of us is cowardly."
"'Wtba, his brother Shayba and his son al-Walid went forth challengingly and
called out, "Who will come and oppose us?" Some young warriors from among
the Helpers stepped forward, but Wtba called out, "We don't want them. We
will do battle against our own relatives of the Bana 'Abd al-Muttalib."
"'At this the Messenger of God (SAAS) said, "Off yon go, Hamza, and you
'Ali and you too, Wbayd Allah h. al-H&th h. al-Murlalih."
"'God then killed Wtba and Shayba, sons of Rabi'a, and al-Walid, Wtba's
son. Wbayda was wounded; of their men we killed 70 and took 70 p risoner. '
"'One of the Helpers brought in alLCAbb% b. al-Mutmlih as a prisoner, and
al-'Abhbbas said, "0 Messenger of God, this is not the man who captured me. A
bald, fine-looking man on a piebald horse whom I had not seen with your men
was he who took me prisoner." The Helper insisted, "No; it was I who captured
him, O Messenger of God!"
'"But he replied, "Keep quiet! God gave you the help of a noble angel."'
"'Ali went on, 'Of the Banii 'Ahd al-Muttalib we captured alLCAbbb, Wqayl
and Nawfal b. al-Hxrith."'
This account is good. It corroborates what is given above and will come here-
after. Imxm Abad alone gives it in full. Aba Dz'ad gave part of it, quoting a
hadith of Isrz'il.