The Muslims said, “By God, don’t write anything except for In the name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate!”
“Write: In your name, O Lord,” ordered the Prophet, and then he said, “This is what Muḥammad the Messenger of God negotiated.”
“By God,” Suhayl objected, “if we had recognized you as being the Messenger of God, then we would neither have barred you from the Sacred House nor fought against you! Rather, write: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh.”
“By God, I am indeed the Messenger of God,” replied the Prophet, “but if you disbelieve, write: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh.”
Al-Zuhrī added: And that was due to the Prophet’s declaration, “I will grant them any course of action that magnifies the sanctity of God.”
The Prophet said, “Let it be stipulated that you grant us access to the Sacred House, so that we may circumambulate it.”
“We can’t have the Arabs saying that we gave in under pressure; rather, that pilgrimage can wait until next year,” replied Suhayl. So it was written. Then Suhayl continued, “And let it be stipulated that none of our men may come to you, even if they have accepted your religion, without you returning them to us.”
“Glory be to God!” said the Muslims, “How can a person be sent back to the Pagans when he has come to Medina seeking protection as a Muslim?”66
At that very moment, Abū Jandal ibn Suhayl ibn ʿAmr67 came forward shackled in his bonds. He had fled from the lowlands of Mecca and thrown himself before the Muslims. Suhayl then exclaimed, “This one, O Muḥammad, is the first one I’ll charge you to return to me!”
“We have not yet finished the written agreement,” replied the Prophet.
“By God, then, I will never draw up a treaty with you,” retorted Suhayl.
“Hand him over to me,” the Prophet demanded.
“I will not release him to you!” Suhayl declared.
“In that case,” the Prophet said, “we have released him to you!”
Abū Jandal then cried out, “O Muslims! Shall I be sent back to the Pagans after I have come to you as a Muslim? Do you not see how I have been treated?” Indeed, Abū Jandal had been severely tortured for his belief in God.
2.3.7
فقال عمر بن الخطّاب: والله، ما شككتُ منذ أسلمت إلّا يومئذ. قال: فأتيت النبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم، فقلتُ: ألستَ نبيّ الله حقًّا؟
قال: بلى.
قلت: ألسنا على الحقّ وعدوّنا على الباطل؟
قال: بلى.
قلت: فلِمَ نعطي الدنيّة في ديننا؟
فقال: إنّي رسول الله ولست أعصيه، وهو ناصري.
قلت: أولست كنت تحدّثنا أنّا سنأتي البيت، فنطوف به؟
قال: بلى، فأخبرتُك أنّك تأتيه العام؟
قلت: لا.
قال: فإنّك آتيه ومطوّف به.
قال: فأتيتُ أبا بكر، فقلتُ: يا أبا بكر! أليس هذا نبيّ الله حقًّا؟
قال: بلى.
قلتُ: ألسنا على الحقّ وعدوّنا على الباطل؟
قال: بلى.
قلتُ: فلِمَ نعطي الدنية في ديننا إذًا؟
قال: أيّها الرجل! إنّه رسول الله وليس يعصي ربّـه وهو ناصره. فاستمسكْ بغَرْزِه حتّى تموت. فوالله إنّا١ لعلى الحقّ.
قلت: أوليس كان يحدّثنا أنّا سنأتي البيت ونطوف به؟
قال: فأخبرك أنه سيأتيه العام؟
قلت: لا.
قال: فإِنّـك آتيه ومطوّف به.
قال الزهريّ: قال عمر: فعملت لذلك أعمالًا.
١ مم؛ ط،بخ: إنه.
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said, “By God, until that day, I had never once had doubts since becoming Muslim, so I went to the Prophet and asked:
“‘Are you not truly God’s prophet?’
“‘Yes,’ he said.
“‘Are we not in the right and our enemies in the wrong?’
“‘Yes,’ he said.
“‘Then why,’ I asked, ‘do we wrap our religion in disgrace?’
“‘I am indeed the Messenger of God,’ he said, ‘and I do not disobey Him. He is the one who grants me victory.’
“‘Did you not tell us that we would come to the Sacred House and circumambulate it?’
“‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but did I inform you that you would come to it this year?’
“‘No,’ I said.
“He said, ‘But you will indeed go to it and circle around it.’”
ʿUmar said, “Then I came to Abū Bakr and asked,
“‘O Abū Bakr! Is this not truly the prophet of God?’
“‘Yes,’ he said.
“I asked, ‘And are we not on the side of truth and our enemies on the side of error?’
“‘Yes,’ he said.
“‘Then why,’ I asked, ‘do we wrap our religion in disgrace?’
“He replied, ‘Listen, man! He is indeed the Messenger of God! He does not disobey his Lord, and He is the one who grants him victory. So hold tightly to his
