Sirat Ibn Hisham 559
The assembly of the Quraysh leaders and their consultation about the affair of the Messenger ﷺ
[ اجْتِمَاعُ الْمَلَأِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَتَشَاوُرُهُمْ فِي أَمْرِ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَلَمَّا رَأَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ صَارَتْ لَهُ شِيعَةٌ وَأَصْحَابٌ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ بَلَدِهِمْ، وَرَأَوْا خُرُوجَ أَصْحَابِهِ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ إلَيْهِمْ، عَرَفُوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ نَزَلُوا دَارًا، وَأَصَابُوا مِنْهُمْ مَنَعَةً، فَحَذِرُوا خُرُوجَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَيْهِمْ، وَعَرَفُوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَجَمَعَ لِحَرْبِهِمْ. فَاجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ فِي دَارِ النَّدْوَةِ - وَهِيَ دَارُ قُصَيِّ بْنِ كِلَابٍ الَّتِي كَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ لَا تَقْضِي أَمْرًا إلَّا فِيهَا - يَتَشَاوَرُونَ فِيهَا مَا يَصْنَعُونَ فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، حَيْنَ خَافُوهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَحَدَّثَنِي مَنْ لَا أَتَّهِمُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ أَبِي الْحَجَّاجِ، وَغَيْرِهِ مِمَّنْ لَا أَتَّهِمُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ: لَمَّا أَجَمَعُوا لِذَلِكَ، وَاتَّعَدُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا فِي دَارِ النَّدْوَةِ لِيَتَشَاوَرُوا فِيهَا فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، غَدَوْا فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي اتَّعَدُوا لَهُ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يُسَمَّى يَوْمَ الزَّحْمَةِ، فَاعْتَرَضَهُمْ إبْلِيسُ فِي هَيْئَةِ شَيْخٍ جَلِيلٍ، عَلَيْهِ بَتْلَةٌ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَى بَابِ الدَّارِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ وَاقِفًا عَلَى بَابِهَا، قَالُوا: مَنْ الشَّيْخُ ؟ قَالَ: شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْدٍ سَمِعَ بِاَلَّذِي اتَّعَدْتُمْ لَهُ، فَحَضَرَ مَعَكُمْ لِيَسْمَعَ مَا تَقُولُونَ، وَعَسَى أَنْ لَا يُعْدِمَكُمْ مِنْهُ رَأْيًا وَنُصْحًا، قَالُوا: أَجَلْ، فَادْخُلْ، فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُمْ، وَقَدْ اجْتَمَعَ فِيهَا أَشْرَافُ قُرَيْشٍ، مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ: عُتْبَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، وَشَيْبَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ. وَمِنْ بَنِي نَوْفَلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ: طُعَيْمَةُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ، وَجُبَيْرُ بْنُ مُطْعَمٍ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ عَامِرِ بْنِ نَوْفَلٍ. وَمِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الدَّارِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ: النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كِلْدَةَ. وَمِنْ بَنِي أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى: أَبُو الْبَخْتَرِيِّ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، وَزَمْعَةُ بْنُ الْأَسْوَدِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَحَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ. وَمِنْ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ: أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ. وَمِنْ بَنِي سَهْمٍ: نُبَيْهٌ وَمُنَبِّهٌ ابْنَا الْحَجَّاجِ، وَمِنْ بَنِي جُمَحٍ: أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ، وَمَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُمْ وَغَيْرُهُمْ مِمَّنْ لَا يُعَدُّ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ. فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: إنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا قَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ، فَإِنَّا وَاَللَّهِ مَا نَأْمَنُهُ عَلَى الْوُثُوبِ عَلَيْنَا فِيمَنْ قَدْ اتَّبَعَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِنَا، فَأَجْمِعُوا فِيهِ رَأْيًا. قَالَ: فَتَشَاوَرُوا. ثُمَّ قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ: احْبِسُوهُ فِي الْحَدِيدِ، وَأَغْلِقُوا عَلَيْهِ بَابًا، ثُمَّ تَرَبَّصُوا بِهِ مَا أَصَابَ أَشْبَاهَهُ مِنْ الشُّعَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ، زُهَيْرًا وَالنَّابِغَةَ، وَمَنْ مَضَى مِنْهُمْ، مِنْ هَذَا الْمَوْتِ، حَتَّى يُصِيبَهُ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ، فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ: لَا وَاَللَّهِ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ. وَاَللَّهِ لَئِنْ حَبَسْتُمُوهُ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ لَيَخْرُجَنَّ أَمْرُهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْبَابِ الَّذِي أَغْلَقْتُمْ دُونَهُ إلَى أَصْحَابِهِ، فَلَأَوْشَكُوا أَنْ يَثِبُوا عَلَيْكُمْ، فَيَنْزِعُوهُ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمْ، ثُمَّ يُكَاثِرُوكُمْ بِهِ، حَتَّى يَغْلِبُوكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِكُمْ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ، فَانْظُرُوا فِي غَيْرِهِ، فَتَشَاوَرُوا. ثُمَّ قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ: نُخْرِجُهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِنَا، فَنَنْفِيهِ مِنْ بِلَادِنَا، فَإِذَا أُخْرِجَ عَنَّا فَوَاَللَّهِ مَا نُبَالِي أَيْنَ ذَهَبَ، وَلَا حَيْثُ وَقَعَ، إذَا غَابَ عَنَّا وَفَرَغْنَا مِنْهُ، فَأَصْلَحْنَا أَمْرَنَا وَأَلْفَتْنَا كَمَا كَانَتْ. فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ: لَا وَاَللَّهِ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ، أَلَمْ تَرَوْا حُسْنَ حَدِيثِهِ، وَحَلَاوَةَ مَنْطِقِهِ، وَغَلَبَتِهِ عَلَى قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ بِمَا يَأْتِي بِهِ، وَاَللَّهِ لَوْ فَعَلْتُمْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَمِنْتُمْ أَنْ يَحِلَّ عَلَى حَيٍّ مِنْ الْعَرَبِ، فَيَغْلِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَحَدِيثِهِ حَتَّى يُتَابِعُوهُ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يَسِيرُ بِهِمْ إلَيْكُمْ حَتَّى يَطَأَكُمْ بِهِمْ فِي بِلَادِكُمْ، فَيَأْخُذَ أَمْرَكُمْ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمْ، ثُمَّ يَفْعَلَ بِكَمْ مَا أَرَادَ، دَبِّرُوا فِيهِ رَأْيًا غَيْرَ هَذَا. قَالَ: فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَاَللَّهِ إنَّ لِي فِيهِ لَرَأْيًا مَا أَرَاكُمْ وَقَعْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدُ، قَالُوا: وَمَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْحَكَمِ ؟ قَالَ: أَرَى أَنْ نَأْخُذَ مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ فَتًى شَابًّا جَلِيدًا نَسِيبًا وَسِيطًا فِينَا، ثُمَّ نُعْطِي كُلَّ فَتًى مِنْهُمْ سَيْفًا صَارِمًا، ثُمَّ يَعْمِدُوا إلَيْهِ، فَيَضْرِبُوهُ بِهَا ضَرْبَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَيَقْتُلُوهُ، فَنَسْتَرِيحَ مِنْهُ. فَإِنَّهُمْ إذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ تَفَرَّقَ دَمُهُ فِي الْقَبَائِلِ جَمِيعًا، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ بَنُو عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ عَلَى حَرْبِ قَوْمِهِمْ جَمِيعًا، فَرَضُوا مِنَّا بِالْعَقْلِ، فَعَقَلْنَاهُ لَهُمْ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ: الْقَوْلُ مَا قَالَ الرَّجُلُ، هَذَا الرَّأْيُ الَّذِي لَا رَأْيَ غَيْرُهُ، فَتَفَرَّقَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَهُمْ مُجْمِعُونَ لَهُ
Translation
✧ [The gathering of the chiefs of Quraysh and their consultation concerning the matter of the Messenger ﷺ] Ibn Isḥāq said: When Quraysh saw that the Messenger of God ﷺ had a party and companions other than themselves and outside their own land, and saw his companions, the emigrants, going out to them, they realized that they had settled in a home and had obtained protection among them. So they feared the departure of the Messenger of God ﷺ to them, and they knew that he had resolved to make war on them. They gathered concerning him in Dār al-Nadwah — the house of Quṣayy b. Kilāb where Quraysh did not decide any matter except in it — to consult one another about what they should do regarding the Messenger of God ﷺ, since they feared him. Ibn Isḥāq said: There related to me one of our companions whom I do not suspect, from ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Najīḥ, from Mujāhid b. Jubayr Abū al-Ḥajjāj, and others whom I do not suspect, from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās ؓ, who said: When they resolved upon that and agreed to enter Dār al-Nadwah to consult about the matter of the Messenger of God ﷺ, they went early on the day they had agreed upon. That day was called the Day of al-Zaḥmah. Iblīs presented himself to them in the form of a venerable old man, wearing a rough cloak, and stood at the door of the house. When they saw him standing at its door, they said, "Who is the old man?" He said, "An old man from the people of Najd who heard of what you have agreed to meet about, and has come with you to hear what you say. Perhaps I will not fail to offer you an opinion and counsel." They said, "Indeed. Enter." So he entered with them. There had gathered in it the nobles of Quraysh: from Banū ʿAbd Shams: ʿUtbah b. Rabīʿah, Shaybah b. Rabīʿah, and Abū Sufyān b. Ḥarb. From Banū Nawfal b. ʿAbd Manāf: Ṭuʿaymah b. ʿAdī, Jubayr b. Muṭʿim, and al-Ḥārith b. ʿĀmir b. Nawfal. From Banū ʿAbd al-Dār b. Quṣayy: al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith b. Kildah. From Banū Asad b. ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā: Abū al-Bakhtarī b. Hishām, Zamʿah b. al-Aswad b. al-Muṭṭalib, and Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām. From Banū Makhzūm: Abū Jahl b. Hishām. From Banū Sahm: Nubayh and Munabbih, the two sons of al-Ḥajjāj. From Banū Jumaḥ: Umayyah b. Khalaf, and those who were with them and others who are not counted among Quraysh. Some of them said to one another: "This man's affair has reached what you have seen. By God, we do not feel safe from him leaping upon us with those from other than us who have followed him. So agree upon a course of action concerning him." He said: So they consulted. Then one of them said: "Imprison him in irons, and lock a door upon him. Then wait for him to meet the same fate as those like him among the poets before him — Zuhayr and al-Nābighah and those of them who have passed away from such death — until what befell them befalls him." The Najdī old man said: "No, by God, this is not a sound plan for you. By God, if you imprison him as you say, his matter will surely go out from behind the door that you have shut upon him to his companions, and they will be on the verge of leaping upon you and snatching him from your hands. Then they will multiply against you because of him until they overpower you in your own affair. This is not a sound plan for you. Consider something else." So they consulted again. Then one of them said: "Let us drive him out from among us and banish him from our land. When he is expelled from us, by God, we do not care where he goes or where he settles, as long as he is absent from us and we are free of him. Then we can set our affairs right and restore our unity as it was." The Najdī old man said: "No, by God, this is not a sound plan for you. Have you not seen the excellence of his speech, the sweetness of his discourse, and his conquest of men's hearts with what he brings? By God, if you did that, you would not be safe from his descending upon some tribe of the Arabs and overcoming them with that — with his words and his discourse — until they follow him in it. Then he would march with them against you until he tramples you with them in your own land, seizes your affair from your hands, and then does to you whatever he wishes. Devise another plan for him besides this." He said: Then Abū Jahl b. Hishām said: "By God, I have a plan for him that I do not think you have yet hit upon." They said, "What is it, O Abā al-Ḥakam?" He said: "I think we should take from every tribe a young man, strong, well-born, and of middling rank among us. Then give each young man of them a sharp sword. Then let them go to him and strike him with them with the blow of one man, and kill him. Thus we would be rid of him. For if they do that, his blood will be scattered among all the tribes, and Banū ʿAbd Manāf will not be able to wage war against all their people. They will accept blood-money from us, and we will pay it for them." He said: The Najdī old man said: "The word is what the man said. This is the plan; there is no plan other than it." So the people dispersed upon that, having agreed upon it.
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