24.2 Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul The quarrel was stopped immediately, but Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the chief of the Hypocrites, who professed Islam yet plotted against the Muslims whenever he found an opportunity, heard these cries and began to stir up trouble. He said, "We have let the Emigrants into our city and our homes and now they want to drive us out. Fatten your dog and it will eat you. By Allah, when we return to Medina, the noble will drive out the base." He meant that the native inhabitants of Medina would drive out the Emigrants. This would have broken the strength of Muslim unity and power. People began to repeat his words, which spread like an evil wind throughout the camp. They started taking sides; old feuds and old jealousies were fanned. These words went round until they reached the Messenger. Umar ibn Al-Khattab who was with him and who hated anything mean or underhanded said, "Tell Bilal to cut off his head." The Messenger rebuked him gently saying, "Would you have it said that Mohamed kills his confederates?" It was true, to all appearances, that Abdullah ibn Ubayy was Mohamed's ally and counselor. The Prophet taught his Companions not to be suspicious, but to accept of men what they declared about themselves and to leave the rest to Allah. Of unshakeable faith, all the plots and conspiracies against him left him unruffled, for he knew they would not harm him unless it was the will of Allah. In order to cool the flames of sedition and make people stop talking, for talking ill of others is a sin in Islam, he ordered them to rise and march even though they had not had time to rest - a rest was less important than stopping the evil rumors that were spreading amongst them. They marched on and on, and he did not give the order to stop until at the end of the day when they were too tired to think of' Abdullah ibn Ubayy and what lie had said, or the original cause of the quarrel. All was forgotten in the long, forced march.