Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 14189 — When the polytheists returned from Badr

Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates: When the polytheists returned from Badr to Makkah, and Allah Almighty had killed those of them whom He killed, Umayr bin Wahb came until he reached Safwan bin Umayyah in the Hijr. Safwan said: "May Allah make life wretched after those killed at Badr." Umayr said: "Yes, by Allah, there is no good in life any more. Were it not for a debt upon me which I find no means to repay, and my dependants behind me for whom I have nothing, I would go to Muhammad and kill him if I set eyes on him, for I have a pretext with them; I would say: 'I have come for this captive son of mine.'" Safwan was pleased with his words and said: "Your debt is upon me, and in maintenance your dependants will be equal to my dependants. How could it be that I have the means and we fail them?" So Safwan gave him a mount and equipped him, and armed him with Safwan's sword, which was polished and poisoned. Umayr said to Safwan: "Keep my affair hidden for a few nights." Then Umayr set out until he reached Madinah, dismounted at the door of the mosque, tied his camel and took the sword (to target) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him; he was with a group of the Ansar talking about the battle of Badr and giving thanks for the blessing of Allah. When Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Umayr bin Wahb with the sword, he was alarmed and said: "The dog has come to you! This is the enemy of Allah who stirred up (the fire of war) between us and estimated our numbers for the enemy." Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got up, went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "This is Umayr bin Wahb; he has entered the mosque carrying weapons. He is a wicked, treacherous man. O Messenger of Allah, do not trust him." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring him to me." So Sayyiduna Umar and Umayr entered, and (Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)) ordered his companions to go in to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and to be on guard against Umayr when he came in to them. So Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab and Umayr bin Wahb came before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Sayyiduna Umar had his sword with him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Umar: "Move back from him." When Umayr came near, he greeted him in the manner of the Age of Ignorance, saying "In'am sabahan" (Good morning). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has honoured us with a greeting better than yours, and has made our greeting 'al-Salam', and that is the greeting of the people of Paradise." Umayr said: "Your knowledge of it is quite recent." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has given us something better in its place. So, O Umayr, what has brought you here?" He said: "I have come concerning my captive who is with you; be lenient with me regarding him, for you are my kinsfolk and family." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then why is this sword on your neck?" Umayr said: "May Allah ruin these swords; they did not benefit us at all. I simply forgot that it was hanging on my neck when I dismounted. And by my life, I (too) have a sense of honour." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell me truthfully, what has brought you here?" He said: "I have come only for my captive." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then what condition did you agree with Safwan bin Umayyah al-Jumahi in the Hijr?" Umayr was alarmed and said: "What condition did I agree with him?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You took it upon yourself, for him, that if you killed me he would support your children and pay off your debt, but Allah stands between you and that." Umayr said: "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no true deity except Allah. O Messenger of Allah, we used to deny you regarding the revelation and the news that came to you from the heavens. This conversation that took place between me and Safwan in the Hijr is exactly as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has stated; no one knew of it except me and him, and then Allah informed you of it. So I believe in Allah and His Messenger, and all praise is for Allah who brought me to this place." The Muslims rejoiced greatly when Allah guided him. Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When he (first) appeared, even a pig was dearer to me than he was, and today he is dearer to me than some of my own sons." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sit down; we will show you kindness," and he said: "Teach your brother the Qur'an," and he freed his captive for him. Umayr said: "O Messenger of Allah, I strove with all my might to extinguish the light of Allah, so all praise is for Allah who set me on this path. Now permit me to go to Quraysh and invite them to Islam; perhaps Allah will guide them and save them from destruction." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him permission, and he went to Makkah. Safwan began saying in the gatherings of Quraysh: "Rejoice at a victory that will make you forget the battle of Badr." And he kept asking every rider who came from Madinah whether anything new had happened there, hoping for what Umayr bin Wahb had said, until a man from the people of Madinah came to him. Safwan asked him, and he said: "He has become a Muslim." The polytheists met him and said: "He has abandoned his religion." Safwan said: "It is binding upon me never to benefit him with any spending and never to speak a word to him." Umayr came to them and invited them to Islam and counselled them sincerely, and many people became Muslims.