٥ - قال: حدثنا أبو الحسن علي بن بلال المهلبي قال: حدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله بن يونس الربعي  قال: حدثنا الحسين بن محمد بن عامر قال: حدثنا المعلى بن محمد البصري قال: حدثنا محمد بن جمهور العمي قال: حدثنا جعفر بن بشير قال: حدثني سليمان بن سماعة، عن عبد الله بن القاسم ، عن عبد الله بن سنان، عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد، عن أبيه، عن جده عليهم السلام قال: لما قصد أبرهة بن الصباح  ملك الحبشة مكة لهدم البيت، تسرعت الحبشة  فأغاروا عليها وأخذوا سرحا لعبد المطلب بن هاشم، فجاء عبد المطلب إلى الملك فاستأذن عليه، فأذن له وهو في قبة ديباج على سرير له فسلم عليه، فرد أبرهة السلام وجعل ينظر في وجهه، فراقه حسنه وجماله وهيئته . فقال له الملك: هل كان في آبائك مثل هذا النور الذي أراه لك والجمال؟ قال: نعم أيها الملك، كل آبائي كان لهم هذا النور والجمال والبهاء، فقال له أبرهة: لقد فقتم الملوك فخرا وشرفا، ويحق لك أن تكون سيد قومك. ثم أجلسه معه على سريره، وقال لسائس فيله الأعظم وكان فيلا أبيض عظيم الخلق  له نابان مرصعان بأنواع الدر والجوهر، وكان الملك يباهي به ملوك الأرض: أتيني به، فجاء به  سائسه، وقد زين بكل زينة حسنة، فحين قابل وجه عبد المطلب سجد له ولم يك يسجد لملكه، وأطلق الله لسانه بالعربية، فسلم على عبد المطلب. فلما رأى الملك ذلك ارتاع له ، وظنه سحرا، فقال: ردوا الفيل إلى مكانه، ثم قال لعبد المطلب: فيم جئت؟ فقد بلغني سخاؤك وكرمك وفضلك، ورأيت من هيئتك وجمالك وجلالك ما يقتضي أن أنظر في حاجتك، فسلني ما شئت وهو يرى أنه يسأله في الرجوع عن مكة فقال له عبد المطلب: إن أصحابك غدوا على سرح لي فذهبوا به، فمرهم برده علي. قال: فتغيظ الحبشي من ذلك وقال لعبد المطلب: لقد سقطت من عيني، جئتني تسألني في سرحك وأنا قد جئت لهدم شرفك وشرف قومك ومكرمتكم التي تتميزون بها من كل جيل، وهو البيت الذي يحج إليه من كل صقع في الأرض، فتركت مسألتي في ذلك وسألتني في سرحك؟! فقال له عبد المطلب: لست برب البيت الذي قصدت لهدمه، وأنا رب سرحي الذي أخذه أصحابك، فجئت أسألك فيما أنا ربه، وللبيت رب هو أمنع له من الخلق كلهم، وأولى به منهم. فقال الملك: ردوا عليه سرحه، وازحفوا إلى البيت أنقضوه حجرا حجرا، فأخذ عبد المطلب سرحه وانصرف إلى مكة، وأتبعه الملك بالفيل الأعظم مع الجيش لهدم البيت، فكانوا إذا حملوه على دخول الحرم أناخ، وإذا تركوه رجع مهرولا. فقال عبد المطلب لغلمانه: ادعوا لي ابني، فجاؤوا بالعباس، فقال: ليس هذا أريد، ادعوا لي ابني، فجاؤوا بأبي طالب، فقال: ليس هذا أريد، ادعوا لي ابني، فجاؤوا بعبد الله أبي النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فلما أقبل إليه قال: اذهب يا بني حتى تصعد أبا قبيس، ثم اضرب ببصرك ناحية البحر فانظر أي شئ يجئ من هناك وخبرني به. قال: فصعد عبد الله أبا قبيس، فما لبث أن جاء طير أبابيل  مثل السيل والليل فسقط على أبي قبيس، ثم صار إلى البيت، فطاف به سبعا، ثم صار إلى إلى الصفا والمروة، فطاف بهما سبعا، فجاء عبد الله رضي الله عنه إلى أبيه فأخبره الخبر ، فقال: أنظر يا بني ما يكون من أمر هؤلاء  بعد فأخبرني به، فنظرها فإذا هي قد أخذت نحو عسكر الحبشة، فأخبر عبد المطلب بذلك، فخرج عبد المطلب [رحمه الله] وهو يقول: يا أهل مكة اخرجوا إلى العسكر فخذوا غنائمكم. قال: فأتوا العسكر وهم أمثال الخشب النجرة ، وليس من الطير إلا [و] معه ثلاثة أحجار في منقاره ويديه، يقتل بكل حصاة منها واحدا من القوم، فلما أتوا على جميعهم انصرف الطير ولم ير قبل ذلك الوقت ولا بعده. فلما هلك القوم بأجمعهم جاء عبد المطلب إلى البيت فتعلق بأستاره وقال: يا حابس الفيل بذي المغمس * حبسته كأنه مكركس  في محبس تزهق فيه الأنفس وانصرف وهو يقول في فرار قريش وجزعهم من الحبشة: طارت قريش إذ رأت خميسا * فظلت فردا لا رأى أنيسا ولا أحس منهم حسيسا * إلا أخا لي ماجدا نفيسا مسودا في أهله رئيسا 
5. He said: Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Bilal al-Mahlabi reported to me from Abdul Wahid ibn Abdullah ibn Yunus al-Rabée, who reported from al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Amir, who reported from Mualla ibn Muhammad al-Basri, who reported from Muhammad ibn Jamhoor al-Ammi, who reported from Ja’far ibn Bashir, who reported from Sulaiman ibn Samáah, from Abdullah ibn al-Qasim, from Abdullah ibn Sinan, from Abu Abdillah Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon him, from his father, from his grandfather, peace be upon them, who said: When Abraha ibn al-Sabbah, the king of Abyssinia, advanced towards Makkah to demolish the House (of Allah, i.e. Ka’bah), the Abyssinias hastened to raid it and they captured the grazing camels of Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim. Then Abdul Muttalib came to the King, seeking permission to see him, and he was granted. The king was sitting under a silken cupola on his throne. He greeted him, and Abraha returned the greeting, staring at his face. He was impressed by his (Abdul Muttalib’s) grace, handsomeness and appearance. The king said: "Did your ancestors have the same light as this which I see in you and the same comeliness?" He said: "Yes, O king, all my ancestors had this light, comeliness and radiance." So Abraha said to him: "You have indeed superceded the kings in your glory and nobility! And you deserve to be the chief of your people." Then he made him sit with him on his throne, and he sent for the groom, who looked after his huge elephant. The elephant was white and huge, having two tusks studded with pearls and gems, and the king prided over other kings because of it. He said: "Bring the elephant." The groom came with the elephant, flourished with beautiful adornments. When it came to face to face with Abdul Muttalib, it bowed before him, and it had never bowed before the king. And then Allah made it utter in Arabic, so it greeted Abdul Muttaliibn When the king saw this, he was disturbed and considered it a magic. So he said: "Take back the elephant to its place." Then he turned to Abdul Muttalib and asked: "What have you come for? For I know of your generosity and your magnanimity, and I have observed your dignified appearance and comeliness which prepares me to fulfil your need. So ask of me whatever you wish." He thought Abdul Muttalib would ask him to return from Makkah. But Abdul Muttalib said: "Your people have captured my grazing camels and taken them away. So order them to return them to me." He said: The king was furious at this and said: "You have fallen in my estimate. You come to me to ask for your camels, while I am here to destroy your glory and the glory of your people, and to demolish your distinction, which distinguishes you from every other people, and that is the House which people of all lands come for pilgrimage. You did not ask me about it and your are calling for your camels?" Abdul Muttalib said: "I am not the Lord of the House, which you intend to wreck. I am the master of my camels which have been taken away by your people! I have come to ask for that which I own, and as for the House, it has a Lord Who is All-Powerful and mightier than all His creatures, and has more authority over it than others." The king said: "Return his camels, and attack the House, breaking it stone by stone." Then Abdul Muttalib took his camels and preceded to Makkah. The king followed him with his huge elephant and the army to demolish the House. When they pushed the elephant to enter the sanctuary (of Kabah) it stopped, and when they left him, it hurriedly drew back. So Abdul Muttalib told his servants: "Bring me my son." They came with al-Abbas. He said: "I did not mean him. Bring me my son." They came with Abu Talib. He said: "I did not mean him, call my son for me." So they came with Abdullah, the father of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny. When he arrived, he (i.e. Abdul Muttalib) said: "O my son, go and climb the mountain of Abu Qubais, and cast your glance towards the sea, and see what is coming from there and inform me." He said: Abdullah climbed Abu Qubais. After a short while, he saw flights of birds coming, like a storm and darkness of the night, and descended on Abu Qubais. Then they proceeded towards the House, and circled around it seven times. Then they came to al-Safa and al-Marwah, and went to and fro seven times. Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, returned to his father and gave him the news. He said: "O my son, go and see what has become of those people, and then inform me." So he went, and saw them directed towards the army of Abyssinia. He informed Abdul Muttalib about it. Then Abdul Muttalib, may Allah bless him with mercy, proceeded exclaiming: "O people of Makkah! Go towards the army and pick up your share of the spoils." He said: They came upon the army who had become like whittled wood. And every bird had three pebbles in its beak and hands, killing every one of the army with every single pebble. As they came to see all of them, the birds had gone. And nothing like it had ever been seen before or after. When all had perished, Abdul Muttalib came to the House, and clinging to its curtains said: "O One who held back the elephant from al-Mughammas (i.e. a place on the road of al-Taif where Abraha’s guide lived), You indeed held it back, as if it were topsy-turvy. In a strait in which men lose their breath." Then he went away, commenting on the runaway Quraish, and their anxiety over the invading Abyssinians: "The Quraishites flew when they saw the army, and I remained alone, finding no one for comfort, and I never heard even a whisper from them except from my honoured and distinguished brother (who was) made a chief and a leader among his people."