350 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADAl-Bukh%i stated, "Qutayba related to us, quoting al-Layth, from Bukayr,
from Sulayman h. Yasar, from Aba Hurayra, who said, 'The Messenger of God
(SAAS) sent us on a mission and told us, "If you should find so-and-so and so-
and-so, then burn them in the fire." Later, as we were about to leave, he told us,
"I ordered you to burn them in the fire; hut only God punishes by the fire, so if
you find them, execute them.""'
Ibn Ishnq related that Aha alLCAs remained an unbeliever in Mecca while
Zaynab resided with her father in Medina. This was the situation until, shortly
before the conquest (of Mecca) Aha al-'As left on a business trip on behalf of
Quraysh. On his way hack from Syria a raiding party met and overcame his
caravan, and took all they had, though he escaped. He then went by night to his
wife Zaynab and asked protection from her, which she gave him.
"When, next morning, the Messenger of God (SAAS) went forth for the
prayer and spoke the words, Allzhu Akbar, God is most Great! and the people
repeated this, someone cried out from the women's ranks, "0 people, I have
given protection to Abo alLCAs b. al-Rahic!"
"When the Messenger of God (SAAS) had finished the prayer, he turned to
the worshippers and asked, 'Did you hear what I heard?' 'Yes, we did,' they
answered. He then said, 'I swear by Him who holds the soul of Muhammad in
His hands, I heard nothing of this until I heard it when you did. And the lowest
ranked Muslim may give protection on behalf of all.'
"He then went to his daughter Zaynab and said to her, 'Daughter, treat him
with honour; but let him not come close to you, for you are not lawful to him.'
The Messenger of God (SAAS) then sent word that what had been taken from
him should he returned, and they did so, keeping nothing hack.
"Aha alLCAs then took it and returned with it to Mecca. There he paid off each
person to whom he had a debt, making sure that he had omitted no one. He asked
them, 'Quraysh, do I owe any of you money you have not yet received?' They
responded, 'No, may God reward you well! We have found you to he fair and
honourable.'
"He then said, 'I now bear witness that there is no god but God and that
Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. I swear that the only thing that
prevented my accepting Islam while I was with him was my concern that you
would think that I was doing so only to appropriate your property. God having
returned it to you and I being free of it, I now accept Islam.'
"He then returned to the Messenger of God (SAAS)."
Ibn Ishaq stated, LLDa'iid b. al-Husayn related to me, from %ma, from Ibn
'Abbs, who said, 'The Messenger of God (SAAS) returned Zaynab to her former
marriage without further ceremony."
This hadith was related by Imam Ahmad, Aba Da'iid al-Tirmidhi and Ibn
Majah from an account given by Ihn Ishaq. Al-Tirmidhi stated, "There is noth-
ing wrong with its chain of authorities."