13.1 Islam in Yathrib When news reached Yathrib that the Messenger had been able to escape from Quraysh and was making his way towards them, the Muslims of Yathrib waited with both hope and fear in their hearts. They knew the journey was long and that their enemies were numerous and powerful. Every day they would go to the outskirts of the city in the hope of welcoming their honored guest. Mohamed's Companions, whom he had sent on before him, were dedicated men of understanding and vision. Many of the people of Yathrib became Muslim through their teaching, and the following incidents show how certain of the nobles of Yathrib entered into Islam. Two of the Messenger's Companions, Musab ibn Umayr and Asad ibn Zurara, were sitting by a wall teaching the Koran to a group of the men of the city. Two Yathribi nobles seeing their clansmen gathered around the two strangers were disturbed at the sight. "Go and drive these two men away before they make fools of our common people. I can't go because one of them is my cousin," one said to the other. Off went the man with the intention of driving them away, but when he approached, Musab invited him to sit down and listen. "If you like what you hear, well and good," he said, "but if you do not, then you can take the people away." The Yathribi noble found this an equable proposition, so he stuck his spear in the ground and sat down to listen. He got up convinced of the truth of Islam and returned to his friend in a very different manner from how he had left. His companion was furious and went to drive away the foreigners himself. He too was invited to sit and listen as his friend had been and, like his friend, he got up a Muslim. The second of these two men, Sad ibn Muadh, was to play a distinguished role in the support of the Prophet and fight in many a battle for Islam. After becoming Muslim, he went immediately off to his clan. "Banu Abdul- Ashhal," he said, "what do you think of me?" "You are our greatest man,” they answered, “noblest in birth, wisest in judgment, and keenest in perception." "Forbidden to me is speech to any of you, man or woman, until you believe in Allah and His Prophet." So all Banu Abdul-Ashhal entered into Islam, all its men, women, and children.