[Machine] Narrated by Abu Rafi, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, may ﷺ : I was a servant to Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib and I had already embraced Islam, along with Umm al-Fadl. Abbas also embraced Islam but he kept his conversion a secret due to fear of his people. Abu Lahab, on the other hand, had turned away from the Battle of Badr and sent Akhtab ibn Hisham in his place. Akhtab owed a debt to Abbas, so he asked him to cover his debt in return for joining the battle. Abbas agreed, and when news of the battle arrived, Allah inflicted punishment upon Abu Lahab. I was weak at that time and I used to carve these (stone) vessels in a small room. Abu Lahab passed by me and, by Allah, I was sitting in the room carving the vessels while Umm al-Fadl was by me. Abu Lahab saw her and started dragging her by her legs. I said to him, "This is Umm al-Fadl, the sinner, the wife of Abbas, and you see her dragging on the ground?" He replied, "O nephew! Go away and mind your own business." So, Abu Lahab went away and sat next to the pillar in front of the room, with his back towards me. People said, "This is Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith." Then Abu Lahab called me saying, "O nephew! Come here." I went to him and he said, "O nephew! Look at the people. How did they react?" I said, "By Allah, they did not move except when we met them and they attacked us and we defended ourselves. They killed us as they pleased and captured us as they pleased."

By Allah, when I saw the people, I could not bear it. I took the pillar of the room and said, "By Allah, these are the angels." Abu Lahab raised his hand to slap me, but I ducked and his blow struck my face instead. Umm al-Fadl witnessed this and she held him back. I then picked up a piece of the pillar and hit him with it, causing a deep wound on his head. She said, "You enemy of Allah, have you oppressed him when you see his master absent?" Abu Lahab became submissive and, by Allah, he did not live for more than seven nights before Allah struck him with a disease that killed him. His sons left him for two or three nights until they buried him. A man from Quraish said to his sons, "Aren't you ashamed? Your father has died and you have left him in his house." They replied, "We fear this disease." Quraish used to avoid the disease like they would avoid the plague. The man said, "I will go with you." They replied, "By Allah, they only washed him by throwing water at him from distant places and then they carried him and threw him on top of a wall. They stoned him to death."  

عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ كُنْتُ غُلَامًا لِلْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَكُنْتُ قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَأَسْلَمَتْ أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ وَأَسْلَمَ الْعَبَّاسُ وَكَانَ يَكْتُمُ إِسْلَامَهُ مَخَافَةَ قَوْمِهِ وَكَانَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ قَدْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ بَدْرٍ وَبَعَثَ مَكَانَهُ الْعَاصَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ وَكَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ اكْفِنِي هَذَا الْغَزْوَ وَأَتْرُكُ لَكَ مَا عَلَيْكَ فَفَعَلَ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْخَبَرُ وَكَبَتَ اللهُ أَبَا لَهَبٍ وَكُنْتُ رَجُلًا ضَعِيفًا أَنْحِتُ هَذِهِ الْأَقْدَاحَ فِي حُجْرَةٍ وَمَرَّ بِي فَوَاللهِ إِنِّي لَجَالِسٌ فِي الْحُجْرَةِ أَنْحِتُ أَقْدَاحِي وَعِنْدِي أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ إِذِ الْفَاسِقُ أَبُو لَهَبٍ يَجُرُّ رِجْلَيْهِ أُرَاهُ قَالَ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عِنْدَ طُنُبِ الْحُجْرَةِ فَكَانَ ظَهْرُهُ إِلَى ظَهْرِي فَقَالَ النَّاسُ هَذَا أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ فَقَالَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ هَلُمَّ إِلَيَّ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي فَجَاءَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عِنْدَهُ فَجَاءَ النَّاسُ فَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِمَا فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي كَيْفَ كَانَ أَمْرُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ لَا شَيْءَ وَاللهِ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ لَقِينَاهُمْ فَمَنَحْنَاهُمْ أَكْتَافَنَا يَقْتِلُونَنَا كَيْفَ شَاءُوا وَيَأْسِرُونَنَا كَيْفَ شَاءُوا وَايْمُ اللهِ لَمَا لُمْتُ النَّاسَ قَالَ وَلِمَ؟ فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ رِجَالًا بِيضًا عَلَى خَيْلٍ بُلْقٍ لَا وَاللهِ مَا تَلِيقُ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَقُومُ لَهَا شَيْءٌ قَالَ فَرَفَعْتُ طُنُبَ الْحُجْرَةِ فَقُلْتُ تِلْكَ وَاللهِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَرَفَعَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ يَدَهُ فَلَطَمَ وَجْهِي وَثَاوَرْتُهُ فَاحْتَمَلَنِي فَضَرَبَ بِيَ الْأَرْضَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَامَتْ أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ فَاحْتَجَزَتْ فَأَخَذْتُ عَمُودًا مِنْ عُمُدِ الْحُجْرَةِ فَضَرَبْتُهُ بِهِ فَفَلَقْتُ فِي رَأْسِهُ شَجَّةً مُنْكَرَةً وَقَالَتْ أَيْ عَدُوَّ اللهِ أسْتَضْعَفْتَهُ إِنْ رَأَيْتَ سَيِّدَهُ غَائِبًا عَنْهُ؟ فَقَامَ ذَلِيلًا فَوَاللهِ مَا عَاشَ إِلَّا سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ حَتَّى ضَرَبَهُ اللهُ بِالْعَدَسَةِ فَقَتَلَتْهُ فَلَقَدْ تَرَكَهُ ابْنَاهُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةً مَا يَدْفِنَاهُ حَتَّى أَنْتَنَ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ لِابْنَيْهِ أَلَا تَسْتَحِيَانِ إِنَّ أَبَاكُمَا قَدْ أَنْتَنَ فِي بَيْتِهِ؟ فَقَالَا إِنَّا نَخْشَى هَذِهِ الْقُرْحَةَ وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ يَتَّقُونَ الْعَدَسَةَ كَمَا يُتَّقى الطَّاعُونُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ انْطَلِقَا فَأَنَا مَعَكُمَا قَالَ فَوَاللهِ مَا غَسَّلُوهُ إِلَّا قَذْفًا بِالْمَاءِ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ ثُمَّ احْتَمَلُوهُ فَقَذَفُوهُ فِي أَعْلَى مَكَّةَ إِلَى جِدَارٍ وَقَذَفُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحِجَارَةَ  

[Machine] We set out in the month of Hajj that we had pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , at Al-Aqaba, with the polytheists of our people. With us was Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur, our elder, and our leader. When we reached the outskirts of the desert, he said, "O people, you know that I have seen a vision, and I don't know if you agree with me on it or not." We asked, "What is it, O Abu Al-Bashar?" He said, "I saw that I was praying towards this structure (the Kaaba) instead of facing my back to it." We said, "No, by Allah, you should not do that, for we have heard that our Prophet, ﷺ , only prays towards the Sham (the Levant)." He said, "By Allah, I will always pray towards it." Whenever the time for prayer came, he would face the Kaaba, and we faced the Sham, until we reached Makkah. Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur said to me, "O cousin, come with us to the Messenger of Allah so that we may ask him about what we have done on this journey. For I have found something different in myself compared to all of you." So we went to the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , and we met a man near Al-Abtah, and we said to him, "Show us the way to Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib." He asked, "Do you know him if you see him?" We said, "No, by Allah, we don't know him, nor have we seen the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ ." He asked, "Do you know Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib?" We answered, "Yes, we know him, for we used to trade with him." He said, "When you enter the mosque, look for Al-Abbas, for he is the man with him." So we entered the mosque, and the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , and Al-Abbas were sitting on one side of the mosque. We greeted them and sat down. The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , asked, "Do you know these two men?" When they hesitated, he said, "This is Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur, the leader of his people, and this is Ka'b bin Malik." Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have seen a vision on this journey that I wanted to ask you about, so that you may tell me what I should do." The Prophet, ﷺ , asked, "What is it?" He replied, "I saw that I should not turn my back on this structure (the Kaaba) while praying, so I prayed towards it." The Prophet, ﷺ , said, "You were on the right direction, and if you had been patient with it, it would have been enough for you." Then he returned to the direction the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , used to face (towards the Sham), and his family kept saying that he died facing it, but we know better. He went back to the direction the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , used to face, and he prayed with us towards the Sham.  

خَرَجْنَا فِي الْحِجَّةِ الَّتِي بَايَعْنَا بِهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ الْعَقَبَةَ مَعَ مُشْرِكِي قَوْمِنَا وَمَعَنَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ كَبِيرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِظَاهِرِ الْبَيْدَاءِ قَالَ يَا هَؤُلَاءِ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَأَيًا مَا أَدْرِي أَتُوَافِقُونِي عَلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا؟ قُلْنَا مَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْبَشَرِ؟ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنِّي أُصَلِّي إِلَى هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةِ وَلَا أَجْعَلُهَا مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَفْعَلُ مَا بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ نَبِيَّنَا ﷺ لَا يُصَلِّي إِلَّا إِلَى الشَّامِ قَالَ فَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لِمُصَلٍّ إِلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ وَتَوَجَّهْنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لِي الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي انْطَلَقْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ عَمَّا صَنَعْنَا فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا فَلَقَدْ وَجَدْتُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْهُ بِخِلَافِكُمْ إِيَّايَ فَخَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَقِيَنَا رَجُلٌ بِالْأَبْطَحِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ تَدُلُّنَا عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ وَهَلْ تَعْرِفَانِهِ إِذَا رَأْيُتَمَاهُ؟ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ مَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَلَمْ نَكُنْ رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَهَلْ تَعْرَفَانِ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ وَقَدْ كُنَّا نَعْرِفُهُ كَانَ يَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْنَا بِالتِّجَارَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمَا الْمَسْجِدَ فَانْظُرَا الْعَبَّاسَ فَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي مَعَهُ فَدَخَلْنَا الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَالْعَبَّاسُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ جَالِسَانِ فَسَلَّمْنَا وَجَلَسْنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَلْ تَعْرِفُ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ؟» فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ سَيِّدُ قَوْمِهِ وَهَذَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْسَى قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ «الشَّاعِرَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا رَأَيًا قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهُ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي عَمَّا صَنَعْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ لَا أَجْعَلَ هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةَ مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ فَصَلَّيْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «قَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَى قِبْلَةٍ لَوْ صَبَرْتَ إِلَيْهَا» فَرَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَهْلُهُ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا وَنَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ قَدْ رَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ فَصَلَّى مَعَنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ  

[Machine] We set out in the Hajj in which we pledged our allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Al-Aqaba, along with the polytheists of our people. Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur, our elder, and our leader were with us. When we were in the desert plain, he said, "O people, do you know that I have seen something, but I do not know if you will agree with me or not?" We said, "What is it, O Abu Al-Bashar?" He said, "I saw that I should pray towards this structure and not make it behind me." We said, "No, by Allah, do not do what we have heard that our Prophet ﷺ does not pray except towards Sham (Greater Syria)." He said, "By Allah, I will pray towards it." And whenever the time for prayer approached, he would face the Ka'bah and we would face Sham until we reached Makkah. Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur said to me, "O nephew, come with us to the Messenger of Allah so that we can ask him about what we have done in this journey. I found something in myself that differed from you, so we went to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. We met a man in Al-Abtah and said to him, "Guide us to Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib." He said, "Do you know him if you see him?" We said, "No, by Allah, we do not know him, and we have not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He said, "Do you know Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib?" We said, "Yes, and we know him. He used to come to us for trade." He said, "When you enter the mosque, look at Abbas. He is the man with him." So we entered the mosque and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abbas were sitting in one corner of the mosque. We greeted him and sat down. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do you know these two men?" When we were nervous, he said, "Yes, this is Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur, the leader of his people, and this is Ka'b ibn Malik." Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have seen something in this journey that I wanted to ask you about, so you can inform me of what I have done." He said, "What is it?" He said, "I saw that I should not make this structure behind me, so I prayed towards it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You were upon the Qiblah (direction of prayer) that if you endured it." So he returned to the Qiblah of the Messenger of Allah and his family while we were saying that he died on it, and we knew better about it. He returned to the Qiblah of the Messenger of Allah and prayed with us towards Sham.  

خَرَجْنَا فِي الْحِجَّةِ الَّتِي بَايَعْنَا بِهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ الْعَقَبَةَ مَعَ مُشْرِكِي قَوْمِنَا وَمَعَنَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ كَبِيرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِظَاهِرِ الْبَيْدَاءِ قَالَ يَا هَؤُلَاءِ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَأَيًا مَا أَدْرِي أَتُوَافِقُونِي عَلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا؟ قُلْنَا مَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْبَشَرِ؟ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنِّي أُصَلِّي إِلَى هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةِ وَلَا أَجْعَلُهَا مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَفْعَلُ مَا بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ نَبِيَّنَا ﷺ لَا يُصَلِّي إِلَّا إِلَى الشَّامِ قَالَ فَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لِمُصَلٍّ إِلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ وَتَوَجَّهْنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لِي الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي انْطَلَقْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ عَمَّا صَنَعْنَا فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا فَلَقَدْ وَجَدْتُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْهُ بِخِلَافِكُمْ إِيَّايَ فَخَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَقِيَنَا رَجُلٌ بِالْأَبْطَحِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ تَدُلُّنَا عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ وَهَلْ تَعْرِفَانِهِ إِذَا رَأْيُتَمَاهُ؟ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ مَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَلَمْ نَكُنْ رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَهَلْ تَعْرَفَانِ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ وَقَدْ كُنَّا نَعْرِفُهُ كَانَ يَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْنَا بِالتِّجَارَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمَا الْمَسْجِدَ فَانْظُرَا الْعَبَّاسَ فَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي مَعَهُ فَدَخَلْنَا الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَالْعَبَّاسُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ جَالِسَانِ فَسَلَّمْنَا وَجَلَسْنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَلْ تَعْرِفُ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ؟» فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ سَيِّدُ قَوْمِهِ وَهَذَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْسَى قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ «الشَّاعِرَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا رَأَيًا قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهُ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي عَمَّا صَنَعْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ لَا أَجْعَلَ هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةَ مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ فَصَلَّيْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «قَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَى قِبْلَةٍ لَوْ صَبَرْتَ إِلَيْهَا» فَرَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَهْلُهُ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا وَنَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ قَدْ رَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ فَصَلَّى مَعَنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ  

[Machine] We went out in the month of Hajj in which we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Al-Aqaba. Our people, along with us, were the elderly Bara' bin Ma'rur and our leader. When we reached the outskirts of the desert, he said, "O people, you know that I have seen a vision. I do not know if you would agree with me or not?" We asked, "What is it, O father of mankind?" He said, "I saw that I was praying towards this structure (meaning Al-Quds) and I did not consider it to be from among me. We said, "No, by Allah, do not do what we have been informed about our Prophet, ﷺ , that he only prays towards Ash-Sham.” He said, "By Allah, I will face it (Al-Quds) during prayer." And whenever prayer time would come, he would turn towards the Ka'bah, while we would turn towards Ash-Sham until we reached Makkah. Then, Bara' bin Ma'rur said to me, "O son of my brother, come with us to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so that we may ask him about what we have done in this journey. For I found in myself something different from what you all found in yourselves." So we went to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and we met a man at the door. We said to him, "Show us the way to Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib." He asked, "Do you recognize him if you see him?" We said, "No, by Allah, we do not recognize him, nor have we seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." He asked, "Do you recognize Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib?" We said, "Yes, we do. We know him as he used to trade with us." Then he said, "When you enter the mosque, look for Al-Abbas. He is the man accompanying him." So we entered the mosque and saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Al-Abbas sitting on one side of the mosque. We greeted them and sat down. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do you know these two men?" When we hesitated, he said, "This is Bara' bin Ma'rur, the leader of his people, and this is Ka'b bin Malik." Then Al-Abbas said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , "O Messenger of Allah, I have seen a vision during this journey and I would like to ask you about it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, "What is it?" He replied, "I saw that I should not make this structure (Al-Quds) part of me during prayer. So I prayed towards it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You were on the right path, and if only you could have endured it." Then he turned towards the Qibla of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his family, as they say, "He died upon it." And we know best about it. He returned to the Qibla of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and prayed with us towards Ash-Sham.  

خَرَجْنَا فِي الْحِجَّةِ الَّتِي بَايَعْنَا بِهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ الْعَقَبَةَ مَعَ مُشْرِكِي قَوْمِنَا وَمَعَنَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ كَبِيرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِظَاهِرِ الْبَيْدَاءِ قَالَ يَا هَؤُلَاءِ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَأَيًا مَا أَدْرِي أَتُوَافِقُونِي عَلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا؟ قُلْنَا مَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْبَشَرِ؟ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنِّي أُصَلِّي إِلَى هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةِ وَلَا أَجْعَلُهَا مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَفْعَلُ مَا بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ نَبِيَّنَا ﷺ لَا يُصَلِّي إِلَّا إِلَى الشَّامِ قَالَ فَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لِمُصَلٍّ إِلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ وَتَوَجَّهْنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لِي الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي انْطَلَقْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ عَمَّا صَنَعْنَا فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا فَلَقَدْ وَجَدْتُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْهُ بِخِلَافِكُمْ إِيَّايَ فَخَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَقِيَنَا رَجُلٌ بِالْأَبْطَحِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ تَدُلُّنَا عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ وَهَلْ تَعْرِفَانِهِ إِذَا رَأْيُتَمَاهُ؟ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ مَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَلَمْ نَكُنْ رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَهَلْ تَعْرَفَانِ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ وَقَدْ كُنَّا نَعْرِفُهُ كَانَ يَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْنَا بِالتِّجَارَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمَا الْمَسْجِدَ فَانْظُرَا الْعَبَّاسَ فَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي مَعَهُ فَدَخَلْنَا الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَالْعَبَّاسُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ جَالِسَانِ فَسَلَّمْنَا وَجَلَسْنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَلْ تَعْرِفُ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ؟» فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ سَيِّدُ قَوْمِهِ وَهَذَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْسَى قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ «الشَّاعِرَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا رَأَيًا قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهُ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي عَمَّا صَنَعْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ لَا أَجْعَلَ هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةَ مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ فَصَلَّيْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «قَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَى قِبْلَةٍ لَوْ صَبَرْتَ إِلَيْهَا» فَرَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَهْلُهُ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا وَنَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ قَدْ رَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ فَصَلَّى مَعَنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ  

[Machine] We set out during the pilgrimage season in which we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Al-Aqaba. The polytheists of our people, along with the senior members of our community, including the Prophet's cousin Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur, went with us. When we reached the outskirts of the wilderness, he said, "O people, you know that I have seen a vision and I do not know if you will agree with me or not." We asked, "What is it, O Abu Al-Bashar?" He said, "I saw that I am praying towards this structure and I do not take it as my Qibla. We responded, "No, by Allah, you should not do what we have been informed that our Prophet ﷺ does not pray except towards Ash-Sham (the Levant)." He said, "By Allah, I am going to pray towards it." He used to face the Ka'bah when the time for prayer came, but we faced Ash-Sham until we reached Makkah. Then Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur said to me, "O my nephew, go to the Messenger of Allah and ask him about what we have done on this journey, for I have noticed a difference between him and you." So, we went to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we met a man at the entrance of At-Tan'im. We asked him to direct us to Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib. He asked, "Do you recognize him if you see him?" We replied, "No, by Allah, we do not recognize him, nor have we seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." He then asked, "Do you recognize Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib?" We replied, "Yes, we do. We are familiar with him as he used to visit us for trade." He said, "When you enter the Masjid, look for Al-Abbas, for he is the man accompanying him." So, we entered the Masjid and found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Al-Abbas sitting to the side. We greeted them and sat down. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do you recognize these two men?" When he paused, we replied, "Yes, this is Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur, the leader of his people, and this is Ka'b bin Malik." Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur then asked, "O Messenger of Allah, I have seen something in this journey that I wanted to ask you about, so you could inform me of what I have done." The Prophet ﷺ asked, "What is it?" Al-Bara' replied, "I saw that I should not take this structure as my Qibla, so I prayed towards it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You were upon a previous Qibla, if you had been patient and continued to pray towards it." So, the Prophet ﷺ returned to the previous Qibla and his family and companions were saying that he had died upon it, and we were more aware of him. He returned to the previous Qibla and performed the prayer with us facing Ash-Sham.  

خَرَجْنَا فِي الْحِجَّةِ الَّتِي بَايَعْنَا بِهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ الْعَقَبَةَ مَعَ مُشْرِكِي قَوْمِنَا وَمَعَنَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ كَبِيرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِظَاهِرِ الْبَيْدَاءِ قَالَ يَا هَؤُلَاءِ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَأَيًا مَا أَدْرِي أَتُوَافِقُونِي عَلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا؟ قُلْنَا مَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْبَشَرِ؟ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنِّي أُصَلِّي إِلَى هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةِ وَلَا أَجْعَلُهَا مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَفْعَلُ مَا بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ نَبِيَّنَا ﷺ لَا يُصَلِّي إِلَّا إِلَى الشَّامِ قَالَ فَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لِمُصَلٍّ إِلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ وَتَوَجَّهْنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لِي الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي انْطَلَقْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ عَمَّا صَنَعْنَا فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا فَلَقَدْ وَجَدْتُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْهُ بِخِلَافِكُمْ إِيَّايَ فَخَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَقِيَنَا رَجُلٌ بِالْأَبْطَحِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ تَدُلُّنَا عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ وَهَلْ تَعْرِفَانِهِ إِذَا رَأْيُتَمَاهُ؟ قُلْنَا لَا وَاللهِ مَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَلَمْ نَكُنْ رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَهَلْ تَعْرَفَانِ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ وَقَدْ كُنَّا نَعْرِفُهُ كَانَ يَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْنَا بِالتِّجَارَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمَا الْمَسْجِدَ فَانْظُرَا الْعَبَّاسَ فَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي مَعَهُ فَدَخَلْنَا الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَالْعَبَّاسُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ جَالِسَانِ فَسَلَّمْنَا وَجَلَسْنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَلْ تَعْرِفُ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ؟» فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ سَيِّدُ قَوْمِهِ وَهَذَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْسَى قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ «الشَّاعِرَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَعْرُورٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا رَأَيًا قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهُ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي عَمَّا صَنَعْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ لَا أَجْعَلَ هَذِهِ الْبَنِيَّةَ مِنِّي بِظَهْرٍ فَصَلَّيْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «قَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَى قِبْلَةٍ لَوْ صَبَرْتَ إِلَيْهَا» فَرَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَهْلُهُ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا وَنَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ قَدْ رَجَعَ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ فَصَلَّى مَعَنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ