Before the time of Muhammad, there were a few inquirers from amongst the Arabs
who had a strong aversion from idolatry, and who accordingly sought to find
relief in a better faith. Amongst the Jews, and possibly from ancient tradition
still surviving, it was known in Arabia that Abraham was a worshipper of the One
true God. Hence both at Mecca and Medina, and also at Tayif, we find that there
were men who, seeking after the truth, had abandoned the worship of idols;
and these were called Hanefites.
City |
Person |
Medina |
Abu Ameer |
Tayif [Ta'if] |
Ammeya |
Mecca |
Waraca
Obeidallah
Othman
Zeid |
The names of six of these are given in the margin,
some having also followers of their own. Now we hold that these inquirers, and
especially Zeid ibn Amr, had a very marked effect, by their conceptions,
conversation, and example, upon the Prophet, as we find from the contents of the
Qur'an. Of all the authorities on the subject, that of Ibn Ishac and Ibn Hisham as
contained in the Sirat,1 is by far the oldest, and being nearest the Hegira, the
most