وَعَنْ عُرْوَةَ قَالَ : ثُمَّ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ ، وَأَسْلَمَ ، وَغِفَارٍ ، وَجُهَيْنَةَ ، وَبَنِي سُلَيْمٍ ، وَقَادُوا الْخُيُولَ حَتَّى نَزَلُوا بِمَرِّ الظَّهْرَانِ ، وَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ بِهِمْ قُرَيْشٌ ، وَبَعَثُوا بِحَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ ، وَأَبِي سُفْيَانَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَقَالُوا : خُذْ لَنَا مِنْهُ جِوَارًا أَوْ آذِنُوهُ بِالْحَرْبِ .
فَخَرَجَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، وَحَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ فَلَقِيَا بُدَيْلَ بْنَ وَرْقَاءَ فَاسْتَصْحَبَاهُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَا بِالْأَرَاكِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ - وَذَلِكَ عِشَاءً - رَأَوُا الْفَسَاطِيطَ وَالْعَسْكَرَ ، وَسَمِعُوا صَهِيلَ الْخَيْلِ فَرَاعَهُمْ ذَلِكَ وَفَزِعُوا مِنْهُ .
وَقَالُوا : هَؤُلَاءِ بَنُو كَعْبٍ حَاشَتْهُمُ الْحَرْبُ ، فَقَالَ بُدَيْلٌ : هَؤُلَاءِ أَكْثَرُ مَنْ بَنِي كَعْبٍ مَا بَلَغَ تَأْلِيبُهَا هَذَا ، أَفَتَنْتَجِعُ هَوَازِنُ أَرْضَنَا ؟ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَعْرِفُ هَذَا أَيْضًا ، إِنَّ هَذَا لِمِثْلُ حَاجِّ النَّاسِ . وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَدْ بَعَثَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ خَيْلًا تَقْبِضُ الْعُيُونَ ، وَخُزَاعَةُ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ لَا يَتْرُكُونَ أَحَدًا يَمْضِي .
فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ عَسْكَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَخَذَتْهُمُ الْخَيْلُ تَحْتَ اللَّيْلِ ، وَأَتَوْا بِهِمْ خَائِفِينَ الْقَتْلَ ، فَقَامَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ إِلَى أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَوَجَأَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ ، وَالْتَزَمَهُ الْقَوْمُ وَخَرَجُوا بِهِ لِيُدْخِلُوهُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَخَافَ الْقَتْلَ .
وَكَانَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ خَالِصَةً لَهُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ، فَصَاحَ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ : أَلَا تَأْمُرُوا لِي إِلَى عَبَّاسٍ ؟ فَأَتَاهُ عَبَّاسٌ فَدَفَعَ عَنْهُ ، وَسَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ إِلَيْهِ ، وَمَشَى فِي الْقَوْمِ مَكَانَهُ ، فَرَكِبَ بِهِ عَبَّاسٌ تَحْتَ اللَّيْلِ فَسَارَ بِهِ فِي عَسْكَرِ الْقَوْمِ حَتَّى أَبْصَرُوهُ أَجْمَعُ .
وَقَدْ كَانَ عُمَرُ قَدْ قَالَ لِأَبِي سُفْيَانَ حِينَ وَجَأَ عُنُقَهُ : وَاللَّهِ لَا تَدْنُو مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - حَتَّى تَمُوتَ .
فَاسْتَغَاثَ بِعَبَّاسٍ ، فَقَالَ : إِنِّي مَقْتُولٌ . فَمَنَعَهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ يَنْتَهِبُوهُ ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى كَثْرَةَ النَّاسِ وَطَاعَتَهُمْ قَالَ : لَمْ أَرَ كَاللَّيْلَةِ جَمْعًا لِقَوْمٍ . فَخَلَّصَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ مِنْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ، وَقَالَ : إِنَّكَ مَقْتُولٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُسْلِمْ وَتَشْهَدْ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . فَجَعَلَ يُرِيدُ يَقُولُ الَّذِي يَأْمُرُهُ الْعَبَّاسُ فَلَا يَنْطَلِقُ لِسَانُهُ ، فَبَاتَ مَعَ عَبَّاسٍ .
وَأَمَّا حَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ ، وَبُدَيْلُ بْنُ وَرْقَاءَ فَدَخَلَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَأَسْلَمَا ، وَجَعَلَ يَسْتَخْبِرُهُمَا عَنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ .
فَلَمَّا نُودِيَ بِالصَّلَاةِ - صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ - تَحَسَّسَ الْقَوْمَ ، فَفَزِعَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ ، فَقَالَ : يَا عَبَّاسُ ، مَاذَا تُرِيدُونَ ؟ قَالَ : هُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَتَيَسَّرُونَ لِحُضُورِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ . فَخَرَجَ بِهِ عَبَّاسٌ ، فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُمْ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ قَالَ : يَا عَبَّاسُ ، أَمَا يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا فَعَلَوْهُ ؟ فَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : لَوْ نَهَاهُمْ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ لَأَطَاعُوهُ .
قَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : فَكَلِّمْهُ فِي قَوْمِكَ هَلْ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ عَفْوٍ عَنْهُمْ ؟ فَأَتَى الْعَبَّاسُ بِأَبِي سُفْيَانَ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، هَذَا أَبُو سُفْيَانَ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : يَا مُحَمَّدُ ، إِنِّي قَدِ اسْتَنْصَرْتُ إِلَهِي ، وَاسْتَنْصَرْتَ إِلَهَكَ ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُكَ إِلَّا قَدْ ظَهَرْتَ عَلَيَّ ، فَلَوْ كَانَ إِلَهِي مُحِقًّا وَإِلَهُكَ مُبْطِلًا لَظَهَرْتُ عَلَيْكَ . فَشَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ .
فَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَأْذَنَ لِي آتِيَ قَوْمَكَ فَأُنْذِرَهُمْ مَا نَزَلَ وَأَدْعُوَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ . فَأَذِنَ لَهُ ، فَقَالَعَبَّاسٌ : كَيْفَ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ؟ بَيِّنْ لِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَمَانًا يَطْمَئِنُّونَ إِلَيْهِ .
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - : " تَقُولُ لَهُمْ : مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، وَمَنْ جَلَسَ عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَوَضَعَ سِلَاحَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ ، وَمَنْ أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ بَابَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ " .
فَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَبُو سُفْيَانَ ابْنُ عَمِّنَا ، وَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ مَعِي فَلَوِ اخْتَصَصْتَهُ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ؟ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - : " مَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ " . فَجَعَلَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ يَسْتَفْقِهُهُ ، وَدَارُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ بِأَعْلَى مَكَّةَ " وَمَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ وَكَفَّ يَدَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ " . وَدَارُ حَكِيمٍ بِأَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ .
وَحَمَلَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - عَبَّاسًا عَلَى بَغْلَتِهِ الْبَيْضَاءِ الَّتِي كَانَ أَهْدَاهَا إِلَيْهِ دِحْيَةُ الْكَلْبِيُّ ، فَانْطَلَقَ عَبَّاسٌ بِأَبِي سُفْيَانَ قَدْ أَرْدَفَهُ . فَلَمَّا سَارَ عَبَّاسٌ بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي أَثَرِهِ ، فَقَالَ : " أَدْرِكُوا عَبَّاسًا فَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ " .
وَحَدَّثَهُمْ بِالَّذِي خَافَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَدْرَكَهُ الرَّسُولُ فَكَرِهَ عَبَّاسٌ الرُّجُوعَ وَقَالَ : أَيَرْهَبُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنْ يَرْجِعَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ رَاغِبًا فِي قِلَّةِ النَّاسِ فَيَكْفُرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ ؟ ، فَقَالَ : احْبِسْهُ . فَحَبَسَهُ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : أَغَدْرًا يَا بَنِي هَاشِمٍ ، فَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ : إِنَّا لَسْنَا نَغْدِرُ ، وَلَكِنَّ لِي إِلَيْكَ بَعْضَ الْحَاجَةِ ، قَالَ : وَمَا هِيَ أَقْضِيهَا لَكَ ؟ قَالَ : تُفَادِهَا حِينَ يَقْدَمُ عَلَيْكَ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَالزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ ، فَوَقَفَ عَبَّاسٌ بِالْمَضِيقِ دُونَ الْأَرَاكِ مِنْ مَرٍّ ، وَقَدْ وَعَى أَبُو سُفْيَانَ مِنْهُ حَدِيثَهُ ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - الْخَيْلَ بَعْضَهَا عَلَى أَثَرِ بَعْضٍ ، وَقَسَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - الْخَيْلَ شَطْرَيْنِ فَبَعَثَ الزُّبَيْرَ ، وَرَدِفَهُ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ بِالْجَيْشِ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ وَغِفَارٍ وَقُضَاعَةَ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : رَسُولُ اللَّهِ هَذَا يَا عَبَّاسُ ؟ قَالَ : لَا ، وَلَكِنْ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فِي كَتِيبَةٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ ، فَقَالَ : " الْيَوْمَ يَوْمُ الْمَلْحَمَةِ الْيَوْمَ تُسْتَحَلُّ الْحُرُمَةُ " .
ثُمَّ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي كَتِيبَةِ الْإِيمَانِ : الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ . فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وُجُوهًا كَثِيرَةً لَا يَعْرِفُهَا ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَكْثَرْتَ - أَوِ : اخْتَرْتَ - هَذِهِ الْوُجُوهَ عَلَى قَوْمِكَ ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - : " أَنْتَ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ وَقَوْمُكَ ، إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ صَدَّقُونِي إِذْ كَذَّبْتُمُونِي وَنَصَرُونِي إِذْ أَخْرَجْتُمُونِي " .
وَمَعَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - يَوْمَئِذٍ الْأَقْرَعُ بْنُ حَابِسٍ ، وَعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مِرْدَاسٍ ، وَعُيَيْنَةُ بْنُ حِصْنِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ الْفَزَارِيُّ ، فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُمْ حَوْلَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَ : مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ يَا عَبَّاسُ ؟ قَالَ : هَذِهِ كَتِيبَةُ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَمَعَ هَذِهِ الْمَوْتُ الْأَحْمَرُ ، هَؤُلَاءِ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالْأَنْصَارُ ، قَالَ : امْضِ يَا عَبَّاسُ ، فَلَمْ أَرَ كَالْيَوْمِ جُنُودًا قَطُّ وَلَا جَمَاعَةً .
فَسَارَ الزُّبَيْرُ فِي النَّاسِ حَتَّى وَقَفَ بِالْحَجُونِ ، وَانْدَفَعَ خَالِدٌ حَتَّى دَخَلَ مِنْ أَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ فَلَقِيَهُ أَوْبَاشُ بَنِي بَكْرٍ فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ فَهَزَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ، وَقَتَلُوا بِالْحَزْوَرَةِ حَتَّى دَخَلُوا الدُّورَ ، وَارْتَفَعَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ عَلَى الْخَنْدَمَةِ ، وَاتَّبَعَهُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَدَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي أُخْرَيَاتِ النَّاسِ وَنَادَى مُنَادٍ : " مَنْ أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ دَارَهُ وَكَفَّ يَدَهُ فَإِنَّهُ آمِنٌ " .
وَنَادَى أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بِمَكَّةَ : أَسْلِمُوا تَسْلَمُوا ، وَكَفَّهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْ عَبَّاسٍ . وَأَقْبَلَتْ هِنْدُ بِنْتُ عُتْبَةَ فَأَخَذَتْ بِلِحْيَةِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ ثُمَّ نَادَتْ : يَا آلَ غَالِبٍ اقْتُلُوا هَذَا الشَّيْخَ الْأَحْمَقَ . قَالَ : فَأَرْسِلِي لِحْيَتِي ، فَأُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَنْتِ لَمْ تُسْلِمِي لَتُضْرَبَنَّ عُنُقُكِ ، وَيْلَكِ جَاءَ بِالْحَقِّ فَادْخُلِي أَرِيكَتَكِ - أَحْسَبُهُ قَالَ : - وَاسْكُتِي .
رَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ مُرْسَلًا ، وَفِيهِ ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ وَحَدِيثُهُ حَسَنٌ وَفِيهِ ضَعْفٌ .
Urwah narrates: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out with twelve thousand men from the Muhajirun, the Ansar, the tribe of Aslam, the tribe of Ghifar, the tribe of Juhaynah and Banu Sulaym. Horsemen were leading them, until they encamped at Marr al-Zahran, and Quraysh had no knowledge of them. They sent Hakim bin Hizam and Abu Sufyan to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Obtain protection for us from him, or else declare war on them." Abu Sufyan bin Harb and Hakim bin Hizam set out. The two of them met Budayl bin Warqa' and asked him to come along with them, until they reached the place called al-Arak near Makkah. Night had fallen. They saw tents and an army and heard the neighing of horses, and they became alarmed and frightened by it. They said: "These seem to be Banu Ka'b, who have come for war." Budayl said: "Their number is greater than Banu Ka'b. By Allah, we do not recognise this; these are like the pilgrims (countless people)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent some horsemen ahead of him who would seize the spies, and the people of the tribe of Khuza'ah were on the road; they would not let anyone pass. When Abu Sufyan and his companions entered the camp of the Muslims, the horsemen seized them in the night and brought them in. They feared that they might be killed. Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) got up, advanced towards Abu Sufyan and struck Abu Sufyan on the neck. Then the people seized Abu Sufyan and took him along to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Sufyan feared that he would be killed. Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) had been his friend since the Age of Ignorance. He said in a loud voice: "Will you not take me to Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)?" Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and pushed the people away from him. He requested the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to hand Abu Sufyan over to him, and the people went back to their places. In the night Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) mounted Abu Sufyan with him and kept going around the army with him until all the people had seen him. At the time when Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) struck Abu Sufyan on the neck, he had said: "By Allah, you will not come near the Messenger of Allah until you die." So Abu Sufyan had sought help from Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "I will be killed." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade the people from doing anything to him. When Abu Sufyan saw the great number of the people and their obedience, he said: "I have never seen such a gathering of a people as tonight." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) freed him from their hands and said: "If you do not accept Islam and bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, you will be killed." Then he wanted to recite the words that Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was directing him to, but his tongue would not move. He spent that night with Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). As for Hakim bin Hizam and Budayl bin Warqa', the two of them presented themselves before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and accepted Islam, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept asking them about the people of Makkah. When the call to the dawn prayer was given and movement began among the people, Abu Sufyan became alarmed and said: "O Abbas, what is it you people want to do?" He told him: "These are the Muslims, who are glad at the presence of the Messenger of Allah." Then Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) went out with him. When Abu Sufyan saw the conduct of those people, he said: "O Abbas, whatever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commands these people, they carry it out!" Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them food and drink, they would obey the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in that too." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Speak with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about your people, whether he has any room for forgiving them." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) brought Abu Sufyan with him to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! This is Abu Sufyan." Abu Sufyan said: "O Muhammad, I sought help from my god, and you sought help from your God. By Allah, I see that you have prevailed over me. Had my god been true and your God false, I would have prevailed over you." Then Abu Sufyan bore witness that there is no god but Allah Almighty and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! I would like you to give me permission to go to your people and warn them about the situation that has come about, and to call them to Allah and His Messenger." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him permission. Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, what shall I say to them? Make the safety clear for me, so that they may be reassured about it." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Say to them: whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allah Almighty, He alone, who has no partner, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and His Messenger, that person will be counted safe; whoever sits by the Ka'bah and lays down his weapons will be counted safe; and whoever shuts his door will be counted safe." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufyan is our cousin, and he would like to go back with me. It would be fitting if you were to single him out for some favour." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe." Abu Sufyan's house was in the upper part of Makkah. (The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:) "Whoever enters the house of Hakim bin Hizam and holds back his hand will be safe." Hakim's house was in the lower part of Makkah. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) his white mule to ride, which Sayyiduna Dihyah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) had given to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a gift. Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) seated Abu Sufyan behind him and set off. When Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) had set off, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent someone after him and said: "Go to Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and bring him back to me." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told those people about the thing he feared. That messenger went to Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked going back and said: "Does the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fear that Abu Sufyan, seeing how few the people are, will turn back and become a disbeliever after being a Muslim?" The messenger said: "Keep him held back." So Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) held him back. Abu Sufyan said: "O Banu Hashim, is this treachery?" Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We do not commit treachery, but I have something I need from you." He said: "What is it? I will get it done." Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When Khalid bin al-Walid and al-Zubayr bin al-Awwam come before you, you are to see them." So Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) halted at a narrow spot at the place called Marr, short of al-Arak. Abu Sufyan had taken his words to heart. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent the horsemen one after another. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had divided the horsemen into two parts. He sent Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), and after him he sent Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) with the army that belonged to the tribes of Aslam, Ghifar and Quda'ah. Abu Sufyan asked: "O Abbas, is this the Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "No, rather this is Khalid bin al-Walid." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) ahead of him in a small detachment of the Ansar. Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Today is the day of battle, and today the sanctity will be made lawful." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came in the midst of a detachment of the Muhajirun and the Ansar. When Abu Sufyan saw many faces he did not recognise, he asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Have you increased the number of these people over your own people (the narrator is unsure; perhaps the words are) chosen these people?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What you and your people did, you did. These people affirmed my truth when you people denied me, and these people helped me when you people drove me out." The narrator says: At that time al-Aqra' bin Habis, Abbas bin Mirdas and Uyaynah bin Hisn bin Badr al-Fazari were also with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he saw these people around the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he asked: "O Abbas, who are these people?" He told him: "This is the detachment of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and with it is red death; these are the Muhajirun and the Ansar." Abu Sufyan said: "O Abbas, move on. I have never seen armies and a gathering like today's." Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), going along with the people, came and halted at the place called al-Hajun. Sayyiduna Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the city from the lower part of Makkah. Some ruffians of Banu Bakr confronted him, and Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) killed them, and Allah Almighty routed those people. They were killed at the place called al-Hazwarah, until they went into the houses. A group of them came up onto the mountain of al-Khandamah, and the Muslims pursued them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was among those coming in the rear. A herald announced: "Whoever shuts the door of his house and keeps back his hand will be counted safe." Abu Sufyan announced in Makkah: "Accept Islam and you will be safe." In this way Allah Almighty kept them safe through Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Meanwhile Hind bint Utbah came; she seized Abu Sufyan's beard and then cried out loudly: "O family of Ghalib, kill this foolish old man!" Abu Sufyan said: "Let go of my beard. I swear by the name of Allah that if you do not accept Islam, your neck will be struck. Woe to you, the truth has come! Go into your house and keep quiet."
Al-Tabarani recorded it as a "mursal" report. Its chain contains a narrator, Ibn Lahi'ah, whose hadith is hasan (good), and there is weakness in him.