In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
A Summary of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).
'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah engages in dialogue with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
When Hamzah and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them both, embraced Islam,
the cause of Islam was strengthened by them.
The Quraysh sent 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
to negotiate with him, so that he might offer him something and receive something in return.
Ibn Ishaq narrated in the Seerah,
on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi, who said:
I was told that 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, who was a leader,
said one day while sitting among the assembly of the Quraysh,
while the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was sitting alone in the mosque:
"O assembly of the Quraysh,
shall I not go to Muhammad,
speak to him, and propose some matters to him,
perhaps he might accept some of them,
so we give him whatever he wishes and he leaves us alone?"
This was when Hamzah had embraced Islam,
and they saw the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, increasing and growing in number.
They said, "Yes, O Abu al-Walid,
go to him and speak to him."
So 'Utbah went to him,
until he sat down beside the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
and said:
"O son of my brother,
you are among us in the position you know regarding your standing in the clan,
and your status in lineage.
You have brought your people a grave matter,
by which you have divided their unity,
belittled their wisdom,
insulted their gods and their religion,
and declared their ancestors who have passed away to be disbelievers.
So listen to me,
I will propose some matters to you for your consideration,
perhaps you may accept some of them."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Speak, O Abu al-Walid,
I am listening."
He said:
"O son of my brother,
if you only intend by what you have brought of this matter to acquire wealth,
we will collect from our wealth for you,
until you are the wealthiest among us.
If you seek honor through it,
we will make you our leader,
so that we will not decide any matter without you.
And if you seek kingship through it,
we will make you our king.
But if this which comes to you is a vision you see,
and you cannot rid yourself of it,
we will seek medicine for you,
and we will spend our wealth on it,
until we cure you of it;
for sometimes a spirit may overcome a man,
until he is treated for it."
When 'Utbah finished,
and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had listened to him,
the Messenger of Allah said:
"Have you finished, O Abu al-Walid?"
He said, "Yes."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Then listen to me."
He said:
"I will."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
Ha-Mim.
“A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful,” (41:2)
“A Scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a Lecture in Arabic for people who have knowledge,” (41:3)
A bearer of glad tidings and a warner.
“Good tidings and a warning. But most of them turn away so that they hear not.” (41:4)
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, continued reciting it to him.
When 'Utbah heard it from him,
he listened intently,
and placed his hands behind his back, leaning upon them as he listened to him.
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, reached the place of prostration in it,
and he prostrated.
Then he said:
"You have heard, O Abu al-Walid, what you have heard,
so it is up to you."
In the narration of al-Bayhaqi in his Dala'il,
until the Messenger reached [the verse],
“But if they turn away, then say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt (which fell of old upon the tribes) of A'ad and Thamud;” (41:13)
'Utbah placed his hand over his mouth,
and implored him by the ties of kinship to stop.
Then 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah rose from the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
and went to his companions.
Some of them said to others:
"We swear by Allah,
Abu al-Walid has come to you with a face different from the one he left with."
When he sat with them, they said:
"What is behind you, O Abu al-Walid?"
He said:
"Behind me
is that I heard a speech,
by Allah, I have never heard the like of it.
By Allah, it is neither poetry, nor sorcery, nor divination.
O assembly of the Quraysh,
obey me and leave this matter to me,
and leave this man alone to what he is engaged in,
and stay away from him.
For by Allah, this speech I heard from him will have a great consequence.
If the Arabs overcome him,
then you have been spared by others.
But if he prevails over the Arabs,
then his kingdom is your kingdom,
and his honor is your honor,
and you will be the happiest of people because of him."
They said:
"He has bewitched you, by Allah, O Abu al-Walid, with his tongue."
He said:
"This is my opinion regarding him,
so do as you see fit."
A Summary of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).
Authored by the Sheikh,
Musa ibn Rashid al-'Azimi.
Presented by the Mawaddah Association,
in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
If the longing of the worlds for one another is long,
the longing toward you has no limit.
And may Allah not let the caller be raised,
and may the remainder be moved.