[Machine] "Umayyah said to me, O Abu Sufyan, if we separate from the group, can we talk? I said, yes. So we separated and he said to me, O Abu Sufyan, which of the women is Utbah ibn Rabi'ah married to? I said, which of the women is Utbah ibn Rabi'ah married to? He said, the one who is fair and avoids injustice and forbidden things. I said, yes. He said, and is he old and noble? I said, yes, he is old and noble. He said, age and nobility are adorned by each other. So, I said to him, you lied. Age does not increase except in honor. He said, O Abu Sufyan, this is a word I have never heard anyone say to me since I became a Muslim. Do not hurry until I inform you. He said, tell me. I said, in my books, I used to find mention of a prophet who will be sent from our land. I used to think, or rather, I did not doubt that it was him. But when I consulted the learned people, I found that he was from Banu Abd Manaf. So, when you informed me of his age, I knew that he was not still a prophet when he passed forty and revelation did not come to him. Abu Sufyan said, Time has dealt harshly with anyone it has struck. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has received revelation, and I went on a trade caravan from Quraysh seeking Yemen. I passed by Umayyah ibn Abi Salt and I said to him mockingly, O Umayyah, the Prophet whom you were waiting for has come out. He said, indeed, it is true, so follow him. I said, what prevents you from following him? He said, nothing prevents me from following him except shame from the people of Ta'if. I used to tell them that I am him, then they would see me following a young man from Banu Abd Manaf. Then Umayyah said, O Abu Sufyan, if I go against him, I will be tied up like a prisoner until I am brought to him and he will judge me as he wishes."  

لِي أُمَيَّةُ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ إِنْ نَتَقَدَّمْ عَنِ الرُّفْقَةِ فَنَتَحَدَّثْ؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَفَعَلْنَا فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ أَيُّهُنَّ عَنْ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ؟ قُلْتُ أَيُّهُنَّ عَنْ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ؟ قَالَ كَرِيمُ الطَّرَفَيْنِ وَيَجْتَنِبُ الْمَظَالِمَ وَالْمَحَارِمَ؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَشَرِيفٌ مُسِنٌّ؟ قُلْتُ وَشَرِيفٌ مُسِنٌّ قَالَ السِّنُّ وَالشَّرَفُ أزْرَيَا بِهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ مَا ازْدَادَ سِنًّا إِلَّا ازْدَادَ شَرَفًا قَالَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ إِنَّهَا لَكَلِمَةٌ مَا سَمِعْتُ أَحَدًا يَقُولُهَا لِي مُنْذُ تَنَصَّرْتُ لَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيَّ حَتَّى أُخْبِرَكَ قَالَ هَاتِ قَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَجِدُ فِي كُتُبِي نَبِيًّا يُبْعَثُ مِنْ حَرَّتِنَا هَذِهِ فَكُنْتُ أَظُنُّ بَلْ كُنْتُ لَا أَشُكُّ أَنِّي هُوَ فَلَمَّا دَارَسْتُ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ إِذَا هُوَ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ فَنَظَرْتُ فِي بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ أَحَدًا يَصْلُحُ لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ غَيْرَ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ فَلَمَّا أَخْبَرْتَنِي بِسِنِّهِ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِهِ حِينَ جَاوَزَ الْأَرْبَعِينَ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَضَرَبَ الدَّهْرُ مَنْ ضَرَبَهُ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَخَرَجْتُ فِي رَكْبٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ أُرِيدُ الْيَمَنَ فِي تِجَارَةٍ فَمَرَرْتُ بِأُمَيَّةَ بْنِ أَبِي الصَّلْتِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ كَالْمُسْتَهْزِئِ بِهِ يَا أُمَيَّةُ قَدْ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تَنْتَظِرُ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ حَقٌّ فَاتَّبِعْهُ قُلْتُ مَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنَ اتِّبَاعِهِ؟ قَالَ مَا يَمْنَعُنِي مِنَ اتِّبَاعِهِ إِلَّا الِاسْتِحْيَاءُ مِنْ نَسَيَاتِ ثَقِيفٍ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُحَدِّثُهُنَّ أَنِّي هُوَ ثُمَّ يُرِيَنَّنِي تَابِعًا لِغُلَامٍ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ أُمَيَّةُ وَكَأَنِّي يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ إِنْ خَالَفْتُهُ قَدْ رُبِطْتُ كَمَا يُرْبَطُ الْجَدْيُ حَتَّى يُؤْتَى بِكَ إِلَيْهِ فَيَحْكُمَ فِيكَ مَا يُرِيدُ