Tripoli’s Bahira remained a holy man whose murderers were Muhammad’s companions

Evidence

Tripoli did not suppose that Bahira apostatised, but said that he remained a holy man, and taught Muhammad to believe in one God and to love Jesus Christ and His Mother. It is here that Tripoli’s version merges into the Sergius legend, while continuing to treat Bahira as personally innocent. … Muhammad then obtained the patronage of a rich merchant, acted faithfully as his agent, prospered in his service and often visited Bahira. When ultimately Muhammad became rich and powerful, he sent for Bahira and kept him as his adviser until his companions murdered him out of jealousy. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 509

Categorization

• XREF: The image of jealous companions murdering the innocent Christian adviser rehearses a stock pattern about Islam and violence that resonates with the vault’s treatment of how Islam is narrativized.