Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 14191 — When the polytheists returned to Makkah

Imam Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates: When the polytheists returned to Makkah, and Allah Almighty had killed those of them whom He willed, Umayr bin Wahb al-Jumahi came and sat with Safwan bin Umayyah in the Hijr. (Safwan) said: "May Allah ruin life after those killed at Badr." Umayr said: "Yes, by Allah, there is no good in life after them. Were it not for a debt upon me which I have no means to repay, and dependants for whom I can leave nothing, I would go to Muhammad myself and kill him if I set eyes on him. I also have a pretext which I can use: I will say that I have come to my captive son." Safwan was pleased on hearing his words and said: "Your debt is upon me, and in maintenance your dependants will be like my dependants; nothing will be too much for me, nor will I be unable to manage it." So Safwan gave him a mount and equipped him, and had Umayr's sword polished and poisoned. Umayr said to Safwan: "Keep my affair hidden for a few days." So Umayr set out until he reached Madinah, dismounted at the door of the mosque, tied his mount, took the sword and headed for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who was sitting with some of the Ansar mentioning the battle of Badr and the blessing of Allah in it, saw him. When Umar saw that he had a sword with him, he was alarmed and said: "This dog, this is the enemy of Allah who stirred up trouble between us on the day of Badr and estimated our numbers for the enemy." Then Sayyiduna Umar 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 with his sword slung on. He is treacherous and wicked, O Prophet of Allah; do not trust him." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring him in." Sayyiduna Umar went out and ordered his companions to go and sit with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and to be on guard when Umayr came in to them. Then Sayyiduna Umar and Umayr came before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Umayr 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 said: "An'imu sabahan" (Good morning), and this was the greeting of the Age of Ignorance. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has honoured us, O Umayr, with a greeting better than yours: our greeting is the greeting of the people of Paradise, al-Salam." 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 what has brought you here, O Umayr?" He said: "I have come for my captive who is with you, for you are our kinsfolk and family." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then why is this sword on your neck?" Umayr said: "May Allah ruin these swords; did they benefit us at all? I simply forgot it (hanging) on my neck when I dismounted. And by my life, I have a sense of honour regarding it (the sword)." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell me the truth, what has brought you here?" He said: "I have come only for my captive." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then what condition did you agree with Safwan bin Umayyah in the Hijr?" Umayr was alarmed and said: "What condition did I agree?" 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 of 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; all praise is for Allah who set me on this path." The Muslims rejoiced at this when Allah guided him, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By the One in whose hand is my soul, at the moment he appeared a pig was dearer to me than Umayr, 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, O Umayr; we will show you kindness." And he said to his Companions: "Teach your brother the Qur'an and free 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 showed me this path and guided me. Now permit me to go to Quraysh and call them to Allah and 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 bin Umayyah 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, and that was what he was hoping for, until a man from Madinah came to them. Safwan asked him, and he said: "He has become a Muslim." The polytheists cursed him and said: "He has abandoned his religion." Safwan said: "I owe it to Allah never to benefit him with any spending and never to speak a word to him." Umayr came to them, invited them to Islam and counselled them sincerely with all his effort, and many people became Muslims.