Tarikh (al-Tabari) 660
Abu Talib's Guardianship of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
قصة بحيرى قِصَّةُ بَحِيرَى [ نُزُولُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِبُحَيْرَى ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ إنَّ أَبَا طَالِبٍ خَرَجَ فِي رَكْبٍ تَاجِرًا إلَى الشَّامِ، فَلَمَّا تَهَيَّأَ لِلرَّحِيلِ، وَأَجْمَعَ الْمَسِيرَ صَبَّ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ - فِيمَا يَزْعُمُونَ - فَرَقَّ لَهُ ( أَبُو طَالِبٍ ) وَقَالَ: وَاَللَّهِ لَأَخْرُجَنَّ بِهِ مَعِي، وَلَا يُفَارِقُنِي، وَلَا أُفَارِقُهُ أَبَدًا، أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ. فَخَرَجَ بِهِ مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ الرَّكْبُ بُصْرَى مِنْ أَرْضِ الشَّامِ، وَبِهِمَا رَاهِبٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ بَحِيرَى فِي صَوْمَعَةٍ لَهُ، وَكَانَ إلَيْهِ عِلْمُ أَهْلِ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ فِي تِلْكَ الصَّوْمَعَةِ مُنْذُ قَطُّ رَاهِبٌ، إلَيْهِ يَصِيرُ عِلْمُهُمْ عَنْ كِتَابٍ فِيهَا فِيمَا يَزْعُمُونَ، يَتَوَارَثُونَهُ كَابِرًا عَنْ كَابِرٍ. فَلَمَّا نَزَلُوا ذَلِكَ الْعَامَ بِبَحِيرَى وَكَانُوا كَثِيرًا مَا يَمُرُّونَ بِهِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَعْرِضُ لَهُمْ حَتَّى كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْعَامُ. فَلَمَّا نَزَلُوا بِهِ قَرِيبًا مِنْ صَوْمَعَتِهِ صَنَعَ لَهُمْ طَعَامًا كَثِيرًا، وَذَلِكَ فِيمَا يَزْعُمُونَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ رَآهُ وَهُوَ فِي صَوْمَعَتِهِ، يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَهُوَ فِي صَوْمَعَتِهِ، فِي الرَّكْبِ حِينَ أَقْبَلُوا، وَغَمَامَةٌ تُظِلُّهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْقَوْمِ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ أَقْبَلُوا فَنَزَلُوا فِي ظِلِّ شَجَرَةٍ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ. فَنَظَرَ إلَى الْغَمَامَةِ حَيْنَ أَظَلَّتْ الشَّجَرَةُ، وَتَهَصَّرَتْ أَغْصَانُ الشَّجَرَةِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى اسْتَظَلَّ تَحْتَهَا. فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ بَحِيرَى نَزَلَ مِنْ صَوْمَعَتِهِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ: إنِّي قَدْ صَنَعْتُ لَكُمْ طَعَامًا يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، فَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَحْضُرُوا كُلُّكُمْ، صَغِيرُكُمْ وَكَبِيرُكُمْ، وَعَبْدُكُمْ وَحُرُّكُمْ: فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ: وَاَللَّهِ يَا بَحِيرَى إنَّ لَكَ لَشَأْنًا الْيَوْمَ، فَمَا كُنْتَ تَصْنَعُ هَذَا بِنَا، وَقَدْ كُنَّا نَمُرُّ بِكَ كَثِيرًا، فَمَا شَأْنُكَ الْيَوْمَ ؟ قَالَ لَهُ بَحِيرَى: صَدَقْتَ، قَدْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ، وَلَكِنَّكُمْ ضَيْفٌ، وَقَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أُكْرِمَكُمْ وَأَصْنَعَ لَكُمْ طَعَامًا فَتَأْكُلُوا مِنْهُ كُلُّكُمْ. فَاجْتَمِعُوا إلَيْهِ، وَتَخَلَّفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْقَوْمِ، لِحَدَاثَةِ سِنِّهِ، فِي رِحَالِ الْقَوْمِ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ. فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ بَحِيرَى فِي الْقَوْمِ لَمْ يَرَ الصِّفَةَ الَّتِي يَعْرِفُ وَيَجِدُ عِنْدَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، لَا يَتَخَلَّفَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ طَعَامِي؛ قَالُوا لَهُ: يَا بَحِيرَى، مَا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْكَ أَحَدٌ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكَ إلَّا غُلَامٌ، وَهُوَ أَحْدَثُ الْقَوْمِ سِنًّا، فَتَخَلَّفَ فِي رِحَالِهِمْ؛ فَقَالَ: لَا تَفْعَلُوا، اُدْعُوهُ فَلِيَحْضُرْ هَذَا الطَّعَامَ مَعَكُمْ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ؛ وَاَللَّاتِ وَالْعُزَّى، إنْ كَانَ لَلُؤْمٌ بِنَا أَنْ يَتَخَلَّفَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عَنْ طَعَامٍ مِنْ بَيْنَنَا، ثُمَّ قَامَ إلَيْهِ فَاحْتَضَنَهُ وَأَجْلَسَهُ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ. فَلَمَّا رَآهُ بَحِيرَى جَعَلَ يَلْحَظُهُ لَحْظًا شَدِيدًا وَيَنْظُرُ إلَى أَشْيَاءَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ، قَدْ كَانَ يَجِدُهَا عِنْدَهُ مِنْ صِفَتِهِ، حَتَّى إذَا فَرَغَ الْقَوْمُ مِنْ طَعَامِهِمْ وَتَفَرَّقُوا، قَامَ إلَيْهِ بَحِيرَى، فَقَالَ ( لَهُ ): يَا غُلَامُ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ اللَّاتِ وَالْعُزَّى إلَّا مَا أَخْبَرْتَنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْهُ؛ وَإِنَّمَا قَالَ لَهُ بَحِيرَى ذَلِكَ، لِأَنَّهُ سَمِعَ قَوْمَهُ يَحْلِفُونَ بِهِمَا. فَزَعَمُوا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ ( لَهُ ): لَا تَسْأَلْنِي بِاَللَّاتِ وَالْعُزَّى، فَوَاَللَّهِ مَا أَبْغَضْتُ شَيْئًا قَطُّ بُغْضَهُمَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ بَحِيرَى: فَبِاَللَّهِ إلَّا مَا أَخْبَرْتَنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْهُ؛ فَقَالَ لَهُ: سَلْنِي عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ. فَجَعَلَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ مِنْ حَالِهِ فِي نَوْمِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ وَأُمُورِهِ؛ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُخْبِرُهُ، فَيُوَافِقُ ذَلِكَ مَا عِنْدَ بَحِيرَى مِنْ صِفَتِهِ، ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إلَى ظَهْرِهِ، فَرَأَى خَاتَمَ النُّبُوَّةِ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهِ عَلَى مَوْضِعِهِ مِنْ صِفَتِهِ الَّتِي عِنْدَهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَكَانَ مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمِحْجَمِ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ، أَقْبَلَ عَلَى عَمِّهِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا هَذَا الْغُلَامُ مِنْكَ ؟ قَالَ: ابْنِي. قَالَ لَهُ بَحِيرَى: مَا هُوَ بِابْنِكَ، وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِهَذَا الْغُلَامِ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَبُوهُ حَيًّا؛ قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ ابْنُ أَخِي؛ قَالَ: فَمَا فَعَلَ أَبُوهُ ؟ قَالَ: مَاتَ وَأُمُّهُ حُبْلَى بِهِ؛ قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، فَارْجِعْ بِابْنِ أَخِيكَ إلَى بَلَدِهِ، وَاحْذَرْ عَلَيْهِ يَهُودَ، فَوَاَللَّهِ لَئِنْ رَأَوْهُ وَعَرَفُوا مِنْهُ مَا عَرَفْتُ لَيَبْغُنَّهُ شَرًّا، فَإِنَّهُ كَائِنٌ لَابْنِ أَخِيكَ هَذَا شَأْنٌ عَظِيمٌ، فَأَسْرِعْ بِهِ إلَى بِلَادِهِ. [ رُجُوعُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ زُرَيْرٍ وَصَاحِبِيهِ ] فَخَرَجَ بِهِ عَمُّهُ أَبُو طَالِبٍ سَرِيعًا حَتَّى أَقْدَمَهُ مَكَّةَ حَيْنَ فَرَغَ مِنْ تِجَارَتِهِ بِالشَّامِ؛ فَزَعَمُوا فِيمَا رَوَى النَّاسُ: أَنَّ زُرَيْرًا وَتَمَّامًا وَدَرِيسًا، وَهُمْ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، قَدْ كَانُوا رَأَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِثْلَ مَا رَآهُ بَحِيرَى فِي ذَلِكَ السَّفَرِ، الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهِ مَعَ عَمِّهِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَأَرَادُوهُ فَرَدَّهُمْ عَنْهُ بَحِيرَى، وَذَكَّرَهُمْ اللَّهَ وَمَا يَجِدُونَ فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ وَصِفَتِهِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ إنْ أَجْمَعُوا لِمَا أَرَادُوا بِهِ لَمْ يَخْلُصُوا إلَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِهِمْ حَتَّى عَرَفُوا مَا قَالَ لَهُمْ، وَصَدَّقُوهُ بِمَا قَالَ، فَتَرَكُوهُ وَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْهُ: فَشَبَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَاَللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَكْلَؤُهُ وَيَحْفَظُهُ وَيَحُوطُهُ مِنْ أَقْذَارِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، لِمَا يُرِيدُ بِهِ مِنْ كَرَامَتِهِ وَرِسَالَتِهِ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَنْ كَانَ رَجُلًا، وَأَفْضَلَ قَوْمِهِ مُرُوءَةً، وَأَحْسَنَهُمْ خُلُقًا، وَأَكْرَمَهُمْ حَسَبًا، وَأَحْسَنَهُمْ جِوَارًا، وَأَعْظَمَهُمْ حِلْمًا، وَأَصْدَقَهُمْ حَدِيثًا، وَأَعْظَمَهُمْ أَمَانَةً، وَأَبْعَدَهُمْ مِنْ الْفُحْشِ وَالْأَخْلَاقِ الَّتِي تُدَنِّسُ الرِّجَالَ، تَنَزُّهًا وَتَكَرُّمًا، حَتَّى مَا اسْمُهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ إلَّا الْأَمِينُ، لِمَا جَمَعَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ مِنْ الْأُمُورِ الصَّالِحَةِ.
Translation
✧ The Story of Baḥīrā [Abū Ṭālib and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stopping at Baḥīrā] Ibn Isḥāq said: Then Abū Ṭālib set out in a caravan as a merchant to Syria. When he prepared for departure and resolved to travel, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—as they claim—clung to him, and Abū Ṭālib felt compassion for him and said: By Allah, I will take him out with me, and he will not part from me, nor will I ever part from him, or words to that effect. So he set out with him. When the caravan stopped at Buṣrā in the land of Syria, there was a monk there called Baḥīrā in his cell. He had the knowledge of the people of Christianity, and there had never ceased to be a monk in that cell to whom their knowledge came from a book in it, as they claim, which they inherited from one generation to another. When they stopped that year near Baḥīrā—they had often passed by him before, but he would not speak to them or approach them—until that year. When they camped close to his cell, he prepared abundant food for them. That was, as they claim, because of something he saw while he was in his cell. They claim that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, while he was in his cell, in the caravan as they approached, with a cloud shading him from among the people. He said: Then they came and camped in the shade of a tree near him. He looked at the cloud when it shaded the tree, and the branches of the tree bent over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until he was shaded beneath it. When Baḥīrā saw that, he descended from his cell and sent to them, saying: I have prepared food for you, O Quraysh, and I would like all of you to attend, young and old, slave and free. A man among them said to him: By Allah, O Baḥīrā, you have something special today. You never used to do this for us, though we have passed by you often. What is your affair today? Baḥīrā said to him: You have spoken truly; what you say was the case. But you are guests, and I wished to honor you and prepare food for you so that all of you may eat from it. So they gathered to him, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained behind among the people, because of his young age, in the people's baggage under the tree. When Baḥīrā looked at the people, he did not see the description that he knew and had with him. He said: O Quraysh, let none of you stay behind from my food. They said to him: O Baḥīrā, no one who should come to you has stayed behind except a boy, the youngest of the people in age, who remained in their baggage. He said: Do not do that; call him to attend this food with you. A man of Quraysh among the people said: By al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā, it would be a disgrace for us if the son of ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib stayed behind from food among us. Then he went to him, embraced him, and seated him with the people. When Baḥīrā saw him, he began to look at him intently and examine parts of his body that he found from his description. When the people finished their food and dispersed, Baḥīrā went to him and said: O boy, I ask you by al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā to tell me about what I ask you. Baḥīrā said that only because he had heard his people swearing by them. They claim that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: Do not ask me by al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā, for by Allah, I have never hated anything as much as I hate them. Baḥīrā said to him: Then by Allah, tell me about what I ask you. He said: Ask me about whatever occurs to you. He began to ask him about things concerning his sleep, his appearance, and his affairs, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him, and it matched what Baḥīrā had of his description. Then he looked at his back and saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulders, in its place according to the description he had. Ibn Hishām said: It was like the mark of a cupping glass. Ibn Isḥāq said: When he finished, he turned to his uncle Abū Ṭālib and said: What is this boy to you? He said: My son. Baḥīrā said: He is not your son, and it is not appropriate for this boy that his father should be alive. He said: Then he is my brother's son. He said: What happened to his father? He said: He died while his mother was pregnant with him. He said: You have spoken truly. Return with your brother's son to his land, and beware of the Jews concerning him. By Allah, if they see him and recognize in him what I have recognized, they will seek evil for him. For there is a great matter in store for this son of your brother. So hasten with him to his land. [Abū Ṭālib's return with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and what happened with Zurayr and his two companions] His uncle Abū Ṭālib departed with him quickly until he brought him to Makkah when he finished his trade in Syria. They claim, in what people relate, that Zurayr, Tammām, and Darīs—a group from the People of the Book—had seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ just as Baḥīrā saw him on that journey, the one he made with his uncle Abū Ṭālib. They wanted him, but Baḥīrā turned them away from him, reminding them of Allah and what they find in the Book of his mention and description, and that if they agreed on what they intended for him, they would not reach him. He kept at them until they recognized what he said and believed him, so they left him and turned away from him. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew up, while Allah the Exalted guarded him, protected him, and shielded him from the filth of the Age of Ignorance, because of the honor and messengerhood He intended for him. He grew until he became a man, the best of his people in manliness, the finest of them in character, the noblest of them in lineage, the best of them in neighborliness, the greatest of them in forbearance, the most truthful of them in speech, the greatest of them in trustworthiness, and the furthest of them from obscenity and the morals that defile men, out of purity and nobility, until his name among his people was none other than al-Amīn (the Trustworthy), because of the good qualities that Allah gathered in him.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.