وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ : ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ أَبَا رُهْمٍ كُلْثُومَ بْنَ الْحُصَيْنِ الْغِفَارِيَّ ، وَخَرَجَ لِعَشْرٍ مَضَيْنَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ، فَصَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَصَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِالْكَدِيدِ - مَاءٍ بَيْنَ عُسْفَانَ وَأَمْجٍ - أَفْطَرَ .
ثُمَّ مَضَى حَتَّى نَزَلَ مَرَّ الظَّهْرَانِ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ، وَأَلْفٍ مِنْ مُزَيْنَةَ وَسُلَيْمٍ ، وَفِي كُلِّ الْقَبَائِلِ عُدَدٌ وَإِسْلَامٌ ، وَأَوْعَبَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالْأَنْصَارُ لَمْ يَتَخَلَّفْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ .
فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مَرَّ الظَّهْرَانِ ، وَقَدْ عَمِيَتِ الْأَخْبَارُ عَلَى قُرَيْشٍ فَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - خَبَرٌ ، وَلَمْ يَدْرُوا مَا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ ، خَرَجَ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، وَحَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ ، وَبُدَيْلُ بْنُ وَرْقَاءَ يَتَجَسَّسُونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ هَلْ يَجِدُونَ خَبَرًا أَوْ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهِ ؟ .
وَقَدْ كَانَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ تَلَقَّى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ ، وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَدْ لَقِيَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَكَّةَ ، وَالْتَمَسَا الدُّخُولَ عَلَيْهِ فَكَلَّمَتْهُ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ فِيهِمَا ، فَقَالَتْ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، ابْنُ عَمِّكَ ، وَابْنُ عَمَّتِكَ وَصِهْرُكَ ، قَالَ : " لَا حَاجَةَ لِي بِهِمَا ، أَمَّا ابْنُ عَمِّي فَهَتَكَ عِرْضِي بِمَكَّةَ ، وَأَمَّا ابْنُ عَمَّتِي وَصِهْرِي فَهُوَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِي بِمَكَّةَ مَا قَالَ " .
فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمَا بِذَلِكَ وَمَعَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ بُنَيٌّ لَهُ ، فَقَالَ : وَاللَّهِ لَتَأْذَنُنَّ لِي أَوْ لَآخُذَنَّ بِيَدِ بُنَيِّ هَذَا ثُمَّ لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالْأَرْضِ حَتَّى نَمُوتَ عَطَشًا وَجُوعًا ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - رَقَّ لَهُمَا ، ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لَهُمَا فَدَخَلَا فَأَسْلَمَا .
فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - بِمَرِّ الظَّهْرَانِ ، قَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ : وَاصَبَاحَ قُرَيْشٍ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مَكَّةَ عَنْوَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَأْمِنُوهُ إِنَّهُ لَهَلَاكُ قُرَيْشٍ [ إِلَى ] آخِرَ الدَّهْرِ .
قَالَ : فَجَلَسْتُ عَلَى بَغْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - الْبَيْضَاءِ ، فَخَرَجْتُ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى جِئْتُ الْأَرَاكَ ، فَقُلْتُ لَعَلِّي أَلْقَى بَعْضَ الْحَطَّابَةِ أَوْ صَاحِبَ لَبَنٍ أَوْ ذَا حَاجَةٍ يَأْتِي مَكَّةَ فَيُخْبِرُهُمْ بِمَكَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَيَسْتَأْمِنُوهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا [ عَلَيْهِمْ ] عَنْوَةً .
قَالَ : فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَسِيرُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَلْتَمِسُ مَا خَرَجْتُ لَهُ ، إِذْ سَمِعْتُ كَلَامَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ ، وَبُدَيْلِ بْنِ وَرْقَاءَ وَهُمَا يَتَرَاجَعَانِ ، وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ يَقُولُ : مَا رَأَيْتُ كَالْيَوْمِ قَطُّ نِيرَانًا وَلَا عَسْكَرًا . قَالَ : يَقُولُ بُدَيْلٌ : هَذِهِ وَاللَّهِ نِيرَانُ خُزَاعَةَ حَشَتْهَا الْحَرْبُ . قَالَ : يَقُولُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : خُزَاعَةُ وَاللَّهِ أَذَلُّ وَأَلْأَمُ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ هَذِهِ نِيرَانَهَا وَعَسْكَرَهَا . قَالَ : فَعَرَفْتُ صَوْتَهُ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا أَبَا حَنْظَلَةَ فَعَرَفَ صَوْتِي ، فَقَالَ : أَبُو الْفَضْلِ ؟ فَقُلْتُ : نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ : مَا لَكَ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي ؟ فَقُلْتُ : وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ ، هَذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي النَّاسِ وَاصَبَاحَ قُرَيْشٍ وَاللَّهِ ! .
قَالَ : فَمَا الْحِيلَةُ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي ؟ قَالَ : قُلْتُ : لَئِنْ ظَفِرَ بِكَ لَيَضْرِبَنَّ عُنُقَكَ فَارْكَبْ مَعِي هَذِهِ الْبَغْلَةَ حَتَّى آتِيَ بِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَأَسْتَأْمِنُهُ لَكَ .
قَالَ : فَرَكِبَ خَلْفِي ، وَرَجَعَ صَاحِبَاهُ ، وَحَرَّكْتُ بِهِ فَكُلَّمَا مَرَرْتُ بِنَارٍ مِنْ نِيرَانِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالُوا : مَنْ هَذَا ؟ فَإِذَا رَأَوْا بَغْلَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالُوا : عَمُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - عَلَى بَغْلَتِهِ .
حَتَّى مَرَرْتُ بِنَارِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ، فَقَالَ : مَنْ هَذَا ؟ وَقَامَ إِلَيَّ ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَبَا سُفْيَانَ عَلَى عَجُزِ الْبَغْلَةِ قَالَ : أَبُو سُفْيَانَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ ؟ ! الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَمْكَنَ اللَّهُ مِنْكَ بِغَيْرِ عَقْدٍ وَلَا عَهْدٍ ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَشْتَدُّ نَحْوَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَرَكَضَتِ الْبَغْلَةُ فَسَبَقْتُهُ بِمَا تَسْبِقُ الدَّابَّةُ الرَّجُلَ الْبَطِيءَ ، فَاقْتَحَمْتُ عَنِ الْبَغْلَةِ ، فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَدَخَلَ عُمَرُ ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، هَذَا أَبُو سُفْيَانَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِغَيْرِ عَقْدٍ وَلَا عَهْدٍ فَدَعْنِي فَلْأَضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنِّي أَجَرْتُهُ ، ثُمَّ جَلَسْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - [ فَأَخَذْتُ بِرَأْسِهِ ] فَقُلْتُ : لَا وَاللَّهِ لَا يُنَاجِيهِ اللَّيْلَةَ رَجُلٌ دُونِي . قَالَ : فَلَمَّا أَكْثَرَ عُمَرُ فِي شَأْنِهِ قُلْتُ : مَهْلًا يَا عُمَرُ ، أَمَا وَاللَّهِ أَنْ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ رِجَالِ بَنِي عَدِيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ مَا قُلْتَ هَذَا ، وَلَكِنَّكَ عَرَفْتَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ رِجَالِ بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ ، فَقَالَ : مَهْلًا يَا عَبَّاسُ ، وَاللَّهِ لَإِسْلَامُكَ يَوْمَ أَسْلَمْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ إِسْلَامِ أَبِي لَوْ أَسْلَمَ ، وَمَا بِي إِلَّا أَنِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ إِسْلَامَكَ كَانَ أَحَبَّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مِنْ إِسْلَامِ الْخَطَّابِ .
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - : " اذْهَبْ بِهِ إِلَى رَحْلِكَ يَا عَبَّاسُ ، فَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَأْتِنِي بِهِ " . فَذَهَبْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَحْلِي فَبَاتَ عِنْدِي فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَوْتُ بِهِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَلَمَّا رَآهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَ : " وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لَكَ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ؟ " . قَالَ : بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي ، مَا أَكْرَمَكَ وَأَحْلَمَكَ وَأَوْصَلَكَ [ وَاللَّهِ ] ، لَقَدْ ظَنَنْتُ أَنْ لَوْ كَانَ مَعَ اللَّهِ غَيْرٌ لَقَدْ أَغْنَى عَنِّي شَيْئًا .
قَالَ : " وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ ، أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لَكَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ؟ " . قَالَ : بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي ، مَا أَحْلَمَكَ وَأَكْرَمَكَ وَأَوْصَلَكَ ، هَذِهِ وَاللَّهِ كَانَ فِي النَّفْسِ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ حَتَّى الْآنَ .
قَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ : وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ ، أَسْلِمْ وَاشْهَدْ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُضْرَبَ عُنُقُكَ ، قَالَ : فَشَهِدَ شَهَادَةَ الْحَقِّ وَأَسْلَمَ .
قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ [ رَجَلٌ ] يُحِبُّ هَذَا الْفَخْرَ ، فَاجْعَلْ لَهُ شَيْئًا ، قَالَ : " نَعَمْ مَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، وَمَنْ أَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، وَمَنْ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ " .
فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ لِيَنْصَرِفَ ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - : " يَا عَبَّاسُ ، احْبِسْهُ بِمَضِيقِ الْوَادِيَ عِنْدَ حَطَمِ الْجَبَلِ حَتَّى تَمُرَّ بِهِ جُنُودُ اللَّهِ فَيَرَاهَا " . قَالَ : فَخَرَجْتُ بِهِ حَتَّى حَبَسْتُهُ بِمَضِيقِ الْوَادِي حَيْثُ أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنْ أَحْبِسَهُ .
قَالَ : وَمَرَّتْ بِهِ الْقَبَائِلُ عَلَى رَايَاتِهَا فَكُلَّمَا مَرَّتْ قَبِيلَةٌ قَالَ : مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ يَا عَبَّاسُ ؟ فَيَقُولُ : بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ ، فَيَقُولُ : مَا لِي وَلِسُلَيْمٍ . قَالَ : ثُمَّ تَمُرُّ الْقَبِيلَةُ فَيَقُولُ : مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ ؟ فَأَقُولُ : مُزَيْنَةُ . فَيَقُولُ : مَا لِي وَلِمُزَيْنَةَ . حَتَّى تَعَدَّتِ الْقَبَائِلُ - يَعْنِي جَاوَزَتْ - لَا تَمُرُّ قَبِيلَةٌ إِلَّا قَالَ : مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ ؟ فَأَقُولُ بَنُو فُلَانٍ فَيَقُولُ : مَا لِي وَلِبَنِي فُلَانٍ .
حَتَّى مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي الْخَضْرَاءِ [ كَتِيبَةٍ ] فِيهَا الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالْأَنْصَارُ لَا يُرَى مِنْهُمْ سِوَى الْحَدَقِ ، قَالَ : سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ يَا عَبَّاسُ ؟ قُلْتُ : هَذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ قَالَ : مَا لِأَحَدٍ بِهَؤُلَاءِ قِبَلٌ وَلَا طَاقَةٌ ، وَاللَّهِ يَا أَبَا الْفَضْلِ ، لَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ مُلْكُ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ الْغَدَاةَ عَظِيمًا . قُلْتُ : يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ إِنَّهَا النُّبُوَّةُ . قَالَ : فَنِعْمَ إِذًا . قُلْتُ : النَّجَاءُ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ .
قَالَ : فَخَرَجَ حَتَّى [ إِذَا ] جَاءَهُمْ صَرَخَ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ : يَا [ مَعْشَرَ ] قُرَيْشُ ، هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِمَا لَا قِبَلَ لَكُمْ بِهِ ، فَمَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، فَقَامَتْ إِلَيْهِ امْرَأَتُهُ هِنْدُ بِنْتُ عُتْبَةَ فَأَخَذَتْ بِشَارِبِهِ فَقَالَتْ : اقْتُلُوا الدَّسَمَ الْأَحْمَسَ ، فَبِئْسَ طَلِيعَةُ قَوْمٍ ، قَالَ : وَيْحَكُمْ لَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمْ هَذِهِ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَ بِمَا لَا قِبَلَ لَكُمْ بِهِ ، مَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، قَالُوا : وَيْحَكَ وَمَا تُغْنِي عَنَّا دَارُكَ ؟ قَالَ : وَمَنْ أَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، وَمَنْ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ . فَتَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ إِلَى دُورِهِمْ وَإِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ . رَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ ، وَرِجَالُهُ رِجَالُ الصَّحِيحِ .
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out. He appointed Sayyiduna Abu Ruhm Kulthum bin al-Husayn al-Ghifari as the overseer of Madinah. He set out on the tenth of Ramadan. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting, and the people with him were fasting too. When he reached al-Kadid, which is a water (spring or pool) between Usfan and Amaj, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) broke the fast. Then he kept going until he encamped at Marr al-Zahran with ten thousand Muslims. A thousand men belonged to the tribes of Muzaynah and Sulaym; several men from every tribe were with him, and all the Muhajirun and Ansar were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); not one of them had stayed behind. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encamped at Marr al-Zahran, Quraysh had no news of it: no news of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had reached them, and they did not know what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to do. That night Abu Sufyan bin Harb, Hakim bin Hizam and Budayl bin Warqa' went out; they wanted to spy and see whether they could find any news or hear anything about it. Somewhere along the way Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) had met the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Before this, Abu Sufyan bin al-Harith bin Abd al-Muttalib and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah bin al-Mughirah had met the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) between Madinah and Makkah. The two of them asked to be admitted to the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) presence. Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about this. She said: "O Messenger of Allah! Your cousin, and your paternal aunt's son who is also your in-law, want to meet you." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I do not want to meet the two of them. As for my cousin, he dishonoured me in Makkah; and as for my paternal aunt's son, who is also my in-law, he said such-and-such things about me in Makkah." When he went out to them with this, Abu Sufyan had his son with him. Abu Sufyan (bin al-Harith bin Abd al-Muttalib) said: "By Allah, either you will give me permission, or I will take this son of mine by the hand and go off to some land where we will die of hunger and thirst." When this reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his heart softened towards the two of them, and he gave them both permission. They entered and accepted Islam. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encamped at Marr al-Zahran, Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Alas for the ruin of Quraysh! By Allah, if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) enters Makkah by force, and that happens before the people of Makkah obtain safety from him, Quraysh will be destroyed forever." The narrator says: I mounted the white mule of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and set out from there until I came to the place called al-Arak. I said (to myself): "Perhaps I may meet one of the wood-gatherers, or a milkman, or someone else on some errand, who will go to Makkah and inform those people of the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) here, so that they may obtain safety from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) enters upon them by force." The narrator says: By Allah, I was riding along on it, looking for someone suited to this task, when I heard the voices of Abu Sufyan and Budayl bin Warqa', the two of them talking together. Abu Sufyan was saying: "I have never seen fires like today's, and never seen so large an army." Budayl was saying: "By Allah, these are the fires of Khuza'ah; war has drawn them here." Abu Sufyan said: "Khuza'ah? By Allah, they are too lowly and too weak for these to be their fires and their army." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I recognised his voice and said: "O Abu Hanzalah!" He too recognised my voice and said: "Abu al-Fadl?" I said: "Yes." He said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, what is the matter?" I said: "Woe to you, O Abu Sufyan! This is the Messenger of Allah present among the people, and, by Allah, now ruin will come upon Quraysh." He said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, then what can be done now?" I said: "If he gets hold of you, he will strike your neck. Ride with me on this mule, so that I may take you to the Messenger of Allah and obtain safety for you from him." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: He mounted behind me, and his two companions went back. I set the mule moving. Whenever I passed by the fire of any Muslims, they would ask: "Who is this?" Then when they saw the mule of the Messenger of Allah, they would say: "The uncle of the Messenger of Allah is riding his mule," until we passed by the fire of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: "Who is this?" He got up and came towards me. When he saw Abu Sufyan sitting on the back part of the mule, he said: "Abu Sufyan, the enemy of Allah! All praise belongs to Allah Almighty, who has given you into our power without any agreement." Then he ran towards the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I too spurred the mule and got ahead of him as an animal can get ahead of a man. I got down from the mule and presented myself before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, this is Abu Sufyan, whom Allah Almighty has given into our power without any pact or agreement. Permit me to strike his neck." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have granted him protection." Then I sat down by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and took hold of his head, and I said: "No, by Allah, tonight no one but me will speak privately with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)." When Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) insisted much about this, I said: "Wait, O Umar! By Allah, if he were a man from Banu Adi bin Ka'b, you would not have said this; but you know that he belongs to Banu Abd Manaf." Umar said: "Wait, O Abbas! By Allah, when you accepted Islam, your accepting Islam was dearer to me than my own father's accepting Islam would have been, had he accepted it. The only reason for this is that I know that your accepting Islam was dearer to the Messenger of Allah than al-Khattab's accepting Islam." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abbas, take him with you to your lodging, and in the morning bring him to me." I took Abu Sufyan with me to my lodging, and he spent the night with me. The next day I took him with me to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw him, he said: "Woe to you, Abu Sufyan! Has the time not yet come for you to bear witness that there is no god but Allah Almighty?" Abu Sufyan said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! How noble you are, how forbearing, how kind to your kin! By Allah, I think that if there were any other god besides Allah Almighty, he would have been of some use to me." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Woe to you, Abu Sufyan! Has the time not yet come for you to know that I am the Messenger of Allah?" Abu Sufyan said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! How forbearing, how noble, how kind to your kin you are! By Allah, this matter has been in my heart for a long time, until this moment came." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said: "Woe to you, O Abu Sufyan! Accept Islam and bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, before they strike your neck." The narrator says: So Abu Sufyan bore true witness and accepted Islam. Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufyan is a man who loves prestige, so grant him something." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Very well: whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe, whoever shuts his door will be safe, and whoever enters the Mosque will be safe." When he turned to leave, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abbas, hold him back in the narrow part of the valley, at the foot of the mountain, until the armies of Allah pass by there and he sees them." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I went out with him until I held him back in the narrow part of the valley, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had ordered me to hold him. Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The various tribes began to pass by there with their banners. Whenever a tribe passed, he would ask: "O Abbas, who is this?" Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) would say: "This is Banu Sulaym," and he would reply: "What have I to do with Banu Sulaym?" Then another tribe passed, and he asked: "Who is this?" I replied: "This is Muzaynah." He said: "What have I to do with Muzaynah?" And so on, until many tribes had passed. Whenever a tribe passed, he would say: "Who are these people?" and I would reply: "These are Banu so-and-so," and he would say: "What have I to do with Banu so-and-so?" Until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed in the midst of the Green Battalion, in which were the Muhajirun and the Ansar; nothing of them could be seen except their eyes. He said: "Subhan Allah! O Abbas, who is this?" I said: "This is the Messenger of Allah among the Muhajirun and the Ansar." He said: "No one has the strength to face these. By Allah, O Abu al-Fadl, your nephew's kingship has become mighty." I said: "O Abu Sufyan, this is prophethood." He said: "Yes, then that is fine." I said: "Now safety lies in going to your people." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then Abu Sufyan went off from there until he came to those people, and he called out at the top of his voice: "O company of Quraysh! Here is Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who has come to you with those whom you do not have the courage to face. Whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe." Abu Sufyan's wife, Hind bint Utbah, got up and came to him, seized him by his moustache and said: "Kill this worthless man; what a bad scout of his people he is!" Abu Sufyan said: "Woe to you! Do not be deceived about yourselves, for that has come to you which you do not have the strength to face. Whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe." The people said: "Woe to you! How many people will fit in your house?" He said: "Whoever shuts his door will also be safe, and whoever enters the Mosque will also be safe." So the people scattered to their houses and to the Mosque.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.