Chapter of the Raid of Dhi Qarad

When 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn ibn Hudhayfah ibn Badr al-Fazari or his son raided the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, with a group of horses from Ghatfan in the forest.

References

• Tabaqat Ibn Saad (2:80), also known as Al-Ghabah.
• Sirat Ibn Hisham (3:239).
• Sahih Bukhari (5:130).
• Muslim by An-Nawawi (12:173).
• Maghazi al-Waqidi (2:537).
• Ansaab al-Ashraf (1:167).
• History of At-Tabari (2:596).
• Ibn Hazm (201).
• Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah (4:105).
• Nihayat al-Arab (17:201).
• Sharh al-Mawahib (2:148).
• Uyun al-Athar (2:113).
• As-Sirah al-Halabiyyah (3:4).
• As-Sirah ash-Shamiyyah (5:149).

Dhi Qarad with a fathah on the qaf and it is said with a dammah: water, near a well from Madinah following the lands of Ghatfan, or it is said: at a distance of a day from it.

Narrations of the Expedition of Dhi Qarad

The author here mentions it after Uhud, before Khaybar, and most books state that it was before Uhud. Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih that it was three before Khaybar, and he narrated it after Uhud, before Khaybar. Al-Bayhaqi presented it to be before Khaybar and counted Uhud. Ibn Hajar supported this and said, "This is also supported by what Imam Ahmad and Muslim narrated from the hadith of Iyas bin Salama bin Al-Akwa' from his father, where he mentioned the story of Uhud and then the story of Dhi Qarad. At the end of it he said, 'So we returned - meaning from the expedition - to Al-Madinah, and by Allah, we stayed in Al-Madinah only for three nights until we headed to Khaybar'."

As for Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad bin Umar, and Ibn Sa'd, they said, "The Expedition of Dhi Qarad was in the year six before Uhud." Muhammad bin Umar and Ibn Sa'd mentioned it to be in Rabi' Al-Awwal and it was said to be in Jumada Al-Awwal. Ibn Ishaq said it was in Sha'ban. He also said, "The Expedition of Bani Lihyan was in Sha'ban of the year six. Then when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) returned to Al-Madinah, he did not stay for more than a few nights until Uyaynah bin Hisn launched a raid on his camels. Ibn Kathir said, "What Al-Bukhari mentioned is more similar to what Ibn Ishaq mentioned." Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi said, following Abu Umar, "The people of Sir agree that the Expedition of Dhi Qarad was before Uhud, which is what was narrated by Salama and they are among some of the narrators."

He said, "It is possible to reconcile by saying that it is possible that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led a small group headed by Salama bin Al-Akwa' to Khaybar before its conquest. Hence, Salama reported about himself and those who went out with him, where he said: 'We went out to Khaybar.' It is also supported by Ibn Ishaq mentioning that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led to it Abdullah bin Rawaha twice before its conquest."

Al-Hafiz said, "The context of the hadith does not accept this reconciliation because after he said, 'We went out to Khaybar with the Messenger of Allah,' then he mentioned that his uncle got into a dispute with the people, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Among the riders.' This includes the fight of his uncle with Marhab and the killing of Amir, and other events that happened in the expedition of Khaybar where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) headed to it. Therefore, what is authentic is more correct than what the people of Sir mentioned.

Al-Hafiz said, "It is possible in reconciling the narrations to say that the raid of Uyaynah bin Hisn on Al-Liqa' happened twice, the first as mentioned by Ibn Ishaq and it was before Uhud, and the second after Uhud but before heading to Khaybar.

Salama Rescue of the Flock of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)

Salama ibn Akwa reported: "I left before the Fajr prayer while the flock of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was being grazed at Dhi Qarad, and I met a young boy from the tribe of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf. He told me, 'The flock of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has been taken.' I asked: 'Who took it?' He said: 'Ghatafan.' I shouted three loud shouts until I heard what was between the two lava plains of Madinah. I rushed towards them face down until I caught up with them. They were fetching water and I started throwing stones at them saying: 'I am the son of Akwa... Today is the day of breastfeeding,' and I kept pursuing them until I rescued the flock from them and I took back thirty camels from them."

Context and Further Details

• Salama's actions resulted in rescuing the flock taken by the Ghatafan tribe.
• In another narration by Muslim, Salama followed them from dawn till dusk.
• "Al-luqah" refers to the female camels providing milk and "al-luqoh" denotes young camels, according to Ibn Sa'd.
• The day of breastfeeding signifies a specific time related to camels.
• Salama's persistence led to the recovery of the camels and the retrieval of thirty camels from the thieves, as per a version in Sahih Muslim.

Story of the Prophet's Encounter during the Ghazwah of Dhat al-Riqa'

In this narration, it is mentioned that during the Ghazwah of Dhat al-Riqa', the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encountered a group of people who were thirsty. The Prophet prevented them from accessing the water until they were forced to leave. The incident involves the Prophet being offered water mixed with milk by a man named Abdul Rahman, who was later killed by another man named Abu Qatadah. The Prophet then rode two captured horses back to Medina.

Key Events

• The Prophet Muhammad encountered a group of people who were thirsty during the Ghazwah of Dhat al-Riqa'.
• The Prophet prevented the people from accessing the water until they were compelled to leave the area.
• One man named Abdul Rahman offered the Prophet water mixed with milk, but he was later killed by another man named Abu Qatadah.
• The Prophet rode two captured horses back to Medina after the incident.

For further details, the story is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Ibn Ishaq also mentioned a similar account in his writings.

Encounter with the Messenger of Allah

In the morning, I set out to follow their trace until I rescued it from them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) along with some of his companions arrived. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! The people are thirsty; we rushed them to water them." He replied, "O son of the bent one, you have held back, so march forward. The people are at Ghatafan's watering place."

Encounter during a Raid with the Messenger of Allah

I reached Medina from Hudaybiyah with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I and Rabah, a servant, were leading horses to Talhah to water them with the camels. When we reached Ghals, Abdur-Rahman ibn Uwaynah attacked the Messenger of Allah's camels, killing a herder. He drove them off with some men on horseback. I told Rabah, "Stay on this horse, catch up with Talhah, and inform the Messenger of Allah that his mounts have been switched. I stood on a hill facing Medina and called out three times 'Ya Sabahah!' Then I followed the group with my sword and lance, engaging with them. When the trees thickened, a knight approached me, and I sat under a tree trunk for cover. I threw and struck. No knight got close without getting dismounted. I kept throwing and saying...

*Note: The quotes are extracted from various narrators for authenticity.

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

Abu Al-Akwa' said: "Today is the day of suckling, so I met a man and threw my spear at him while he was on his camel. My spear struck the man until it reached his shoulder. I said: Take it, and I am Abu Al-Akwa', and today is the day of suckling. When I was by a tree, I burned them with arrows, and when they sought refuge in the mountain pass, I pelted them with stones. My status remained the same as theirs, following and raiding them until nothing created by Allah behind the Prophet, peace be upon him, was left without my intervention. I continued to throw at them until they threw more than thirty spears and more than thirty shields, sizing me up but landing nothing on me. Each time they missed, I hurled stones at them and gathered them on the path of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. When the morning light shone upon them, they received reinforcements.

Regarding the additional part of the text: It was added to strengthen the generality of the statement. It is called "zaidah" because the sentence would remain correct without it, as in the phrase 'ma khalaqa Allahu ba'ira' (what Allah created [is] a camel). The term 'min' in 'min dhahri rasoolillahi' (from behind the back of the Messenger of Allah) provides clarification. It means that I stayed with them until I extracted every camel they took from the camels of the Messenger of Allah.

Continuation of the text: "I left none of the camels until I took them back from their hands."

ثم اتبعتهم حتى ألقيت عليهم أكثر من ثلاثين رمحًا وأكثر من ثلاثين بُردة

حتى إذا امتد الضحى أتاهم

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

Regarding 'Uyaynah ibn Badr al-Fazari: I kept pace with them as they were passing through a narrow mountainous path. Then, I ascended the mountain and found myself above them. 'Uyaynah asked, "What is that I see?" They replied, "This is the path of hardship that we have been following since the sorcery separated us until now. Everything is in our hands, but he has placed it behind his back." 'Uyaynah then said, "If it were not that he seeks something behind him, I would have forsaken you." He then told me, "Go to him, a group of you." A group of four from them stood up and ascended the mountain. When I heard their voices, I asked them, "Do you recognize me?" They replied, "Who are you?" I said, "I am the son of Akwaa, who has glorified the face of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. None of you desires to reach me, and I do not seek you to avoid being caught by you." A man from them said, "I think he means us." So, they returned, and he said, "I did not leave my position until I saw the horsemen of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, weaving through the trees. The foremost among them was al-Akram al-Asadi, followed by Abu Qatadah al-Farisi, who was followed by Abu Qatadah al-Makdad al-Kindi. They veered away, and I descended from the mountain to confront al-Akram. I grabbed the reins of his horse and said, "O Akram, warn your people, meaning, alert them because I do not believe they will spare you. Stand firm until the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his companions catch up." He complied. Being left alone, he approached Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Uyaynah, who embraced him, and Abdur-Rahman turned towards the horse of al-Akram. Abu Qatadah followed Abdur-Rahman. They had a disagreement, and Abu Qatadah attacked Abdur-Rahman, killing him. Then, Abu Qatadah rode al-Akram's horse. I went back to chase the people until I could no longer see the dust raised by the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and they vanished before the midday heat, behind a mountain.

Translation of the Classical Arabic Text

Story of Salamah ibn Hisham

In a water spring known as "Dhu Qarad," they intended to drink from it. They saw me coming behind them so they moved away from it. In the valley of Dhi Shar and the setting of the sun, I caught up to a man and threw him down. I said, "Take him, and I am the son of Al-Akwa'. Today is a day of nursing." The man said, "May his mother lose him! Al-Akwa' is earlier in the morning." I replied, "Indeed, he is a real enemy to himself." The man whom I had thrown down on his back, I followed with another arrow which pierced him twice and brought down two horses, which I then drove towards the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) while they were drinking from the spring of Dhu Qarad. The Prophet was with around five hundred men. Bilal had just slaughtered a camel from what I had left behind, and he was roasting the liver and hump for the Prophet.

I went to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah, allow me to select one hundred men from your companions, and I will go after the disbelievers by surprise. Not a single one of them will escape; I will kill them all." He replied, "Did you really want to do that, O Salamah?" I said, "Yes, by the One who honored your face." The Prophet laughed until I saw his molar teeth in the daylight and then said, "They are at a watering place in Ghatfan now." A man from Ghatfan approached and said, "Pass by so-and-so of Ghatfan," but when they saw the dust, they withdrew and fled. In the morning, the Prophet said, "Today, our best horsemen are Abu Qatadah, and our best men are Salamah." The Prophet then gave me the arrow of a man and a horseman, and he put me behind him on his she-camel, heading back towards Madinah.

In between us and Madinah, near Dhamrah and a man from the Ansar who was always at the back called out, "Is there anyone who can outpace the Messenger of Allah to Madinah?" He repeated this several times with me behind the Prophet. I said to him, "Will you not show honor to a noble-person and not fear a man of nobility?" He replied, "No, except for the Messenger of Allah." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, by my parents, allow me to compete with the man!" He responded, "If you wish." I then rushed towards him, dismounting from my ride and tying the camel's legs.

Encounter on the Journey to Medina

As I left the she-camel behind, I tied a shawl around its neck, or perhaps two shawls, in order to race myself. I advanced until catching up with him, I grabbed him between his shoulders with my hands and said, 'I beat you, by Allah.' He laughed and replied, 'I think not until we reach Medina.' (Narrated by Muslim in Sahih, on the authority of Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah)

The Swift Journey

It is narrated that Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasār claimed that this battle occurred after the Lihyan tribe's raid, where they seized some livestock, including a woman fleeing on a camel from the Prophet's camels. She mounted the camel and brought it back, as reported by Abu Abd Allah al-Hafiz in al-Maghazi. (Narrated by Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbar)

Ambush at Khaybar

Upon returning from the Lihyan expedition, the Prophet Muhammad only rested for a few nights before the Banu Fazarah launched an ambush at Huwaytibah against a detachment from their tribe. Among them was Uyainah ibn Hissin ibn Hudhayfah ibn Badr al-Fazari, lying in wait for the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in a forest. (Narrated by Muslim in Kitab al-Jihad wal-Siyar)

Translation of the Arabic Text

Upon reading the passage in classical Islamic Arabic, the text narrates an event where Ghaafar and his wife killed Ghaafariyah and took his wife as captive. They then carried the booty to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The first person to spot them was Salamah ibn Amr ibn Al-Akoo' Al-Aslami while he was with his bow, intending to enter the dense thickets. As he approached the farewell trees, he noticed horses among the camels and realized they were the enemy. He shouted "Wasebaaha" which alarmed the people. The news reached the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who shouted in the city of Medina, "O horses of Allah, ride!" The first rider who came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was Al-Miqdad ibn Amr Al-Bahrani of Banu Zuhrah. Horsemen followed him until they reached the enemy.

The narrative continues with Abu Qatadah, the brother of Banu Salimah, killing Habeeb ibn Qutaybah. Ukashah ibn Muhsen ibn Amr was also killed alongside his father while riding a camel. The Muslims swiftly retaliated, with one man from Banu Asad, known as Al-Akram, leading the charge and catching up to the enemy. He urged the inhabitants of Al-Laki'ah to wait for the Meccan and Medinan immigrants to join them. However, Al-Akram was slain, and his horse continued running until it came to Arriyah in Banu Abd al-Ashhal. There he encountered more enemies, including Salamah ibn Al-Akoo'. Salamah resisted fiercely, declaring his lineage and courageously combating the aggressors. Despite losing some camels, the ideal was to drive the enemy away until people arrived to help. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, eventually descended upon the mountain of Thani Qurad and engaged in battle.

The Encounter with the Tribe of Ghatafan

In this narration, Al-Akwa‘ says to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Let me take a hundred men by their necks.” The Prophet replies that they are confined in Ghatafan. The Prophet then stays there for a day or two and distributes one sheep each to his companions. Afterward, the Prophet returns to Madinah.

The Story of the Woman and her Sacrifice

Abdullah ibn Ka‘b ibn Malik narrates that the Prophet receives news from a woman of the Ghifari tribe. She tells the Prophet that she has vowed to sacrifice a she-camel if Allah saves her from harm. The Prophet smiles and tells her that there is no vow in disobedience to Allah. He then advises her to return to her family without carrying out the vow.

The Camel named Adba' and its Owner

Imran ibn Husayn claimed that the camel mentioned in the story is Adba'. This camel belonged to a man from the tribe of Bani ‘Aqil, and it later passed into the possession of the Prophet.

Story of the Man with the Camel and the Woman's Vow

Once, a man was captured while a woman's camels were taken. The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by the man, riding a donkey with a velvet saddle. The man complained about being captured along with the woman's camels due to his previous experience during Hajj. The Prophet comforted him, assuring him that he would be rescued. The Prophet then encountered the two men from his companions who had been captured.

After attesting to his faith, one of the men was declared victorious by the Prophet for his timely declaration of faith. Feeling hungry, the man requested food and water, which the Prophet provided, understanding his needs. The captors carried the men away, and while traveling, they were ambushed by the polytheists, who took the captured woman and the camels. The woman, in desperation, rode a docile she-camel toward the city, intending to sacrifice it to Allah upon survival.

Upon returning, the Prophet was informed of the woman's vow. Displeased with her method of fulfilling the vow, the Prophet explained the consequences of such actions and the importance of keeping promises only in obedience to Allah. The story illustrates the Prophet's compassion and wisdom in handling difficult situations.

Incident of Abu Qatadah and Mus'adah

Musa ibn 'Uqbah mentioned that 'Uyainah ibn Badr al-Fazari launched an attack on the outskirts of Medina with the people of the city or near it. It is said that Mus'adah al-Fazari was the leader of the group. The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him went out with the Muslims seeking them. Sa'd ibn Zaid, the brother of Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal, led a group of eight and caught up with the attackers. Abu Qatadah embraced Mus'adah and killed him. Abu Qatadah took a red cloak from him, wore it, and identified Mus'adah with it. The Muslims then pursued the attackers, and the Prophet and his companions found Abu Qatadah's body. Seeing Abu Qatadah's cloak on the slain attacker, they mistook him for Abu Qatadah. However, the Prophet clarified the mistake and recovered Abu Qatadah's belongings.

Conflict and the Battle

The Prophet's cavalry caught up with the enemy, and a fierce battle ensued, during which they rescued the captured, defeated the enemy, and Abu Qatadah killed Mus'adah's wife, and on that day, the valiant Muslims, including Muhriz ibn Nadlah, were killed. He was killed by the Obar tribe. 'Ukkashah ibn Mihsan fought and killed Obar and his son 'Amr, who were said to be brothers.

Account of Witnesses

Abu al-Hasan ibn al-Fadl al-Qattan narrated from Abu Bakr ibn 'Attab who narrated from Al-Qasim ibn Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah al-Jawhari who narrated from Ibn Abu Uwais who narrated from Isma'il ibn Ibrahim ibn 'Uqbah who narrated from his uncle Musa ibn 'Uqbah about the incidents concerning Abu Qatadah, Mus'adah, and the killing of the brave Muhriz ibn Nadlah and 'Ukkashah ibn Mihsan and his son by Obar.

Hadith on the Horse of Abu Qatadah

Narrated by Abu 'Abdullah Al-Hafiz: Abu Ja'far Al-Baghdadi informed us, saying: Abu 'Ulatha told us, saying: My father informed us, saying: Ibn Lahi'ah narrated to us, saying: Abu Al-Aswad reported to us from 'Urwah. He mentioned it but did not mention it from Sa'd ibn Zaid.

Also narrated by Abu 'Abdullah Al-Hafiz: Abu Ahmad Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Habib Al-Azraqi from Marw informed us, saying: Saif ibn Qais ibn Raihan Al-Marwazi told us, saying: 'Ikrimah ibn Qatadah ibn Abdullah ibn 'Ikrimah ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Qatadah Al-Ansari informed us, saying: My father narrated to us from his father, from Abdullah ibn Abi Qatadah that Abu Qatadah bought his horse from Dhi'babb which entered the city. He met Mas'adah Al-Fazarī who asked him about the horse. Abu Qatadah replied that he intended to tie it with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who responded, "How easy it is for you to kill and how daring you are!" Abu Qatadah replied, "I ask Allah - exalted and majestic - to make me meet you while I am on it." The Prophet said, "Ameen."

One day, Abu Qatadah was feeding his horse dates at the edge of its saddle cloth. It lifted its head and flattened its ears. Abu Qatadah said, "By Allah, it has sensed the scent of horses." His mother said to him, "By Allah, my son, we were never interested in horses during the pre-Islamic period, so how is it now after Allah brought Muhammad (peace be upon him)?"

The horse lifted its head again, flattened its ears, and Abu Qatadah said, "By Allah, it has sensed the scent of horses." He then placed its saddle, mounted it, took his weapon, and headed towards a place called Az-Zawra'. He met a companion who told him that his horse got tired, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) had already gone in search with his companions. Upon seeing the Prophet with his companions, they greeted him, and the Prophet told Abu Qatadah to move on.

Abu Qatadah's Brave Stand in Battle

Abu Qatadah narrated: "I went out (in battle), and a man came towards me, challenging me. I did not realize that we were attacking the army. He said to me: 'O Abu Qatadah! What do you say? The people have no strength for us against them.' Abu Qatadah replied: 'I say I will stand until the Prophet, peace be upon him, comes. I want to tie one end of my waistband tight and the other end strong.' Abu Qatadah then leaped forward, split the group, and was hit by an arrow in his forehead. Abu Qatadah pulled out the arrow, thinking he had removed the iron from his head."

Abu Qatadah continued: "I proceeded, and a Persian on a fast horse appeared with a large shield on his face. He challenged me, and I accepted. He said: 'What type of duel do you prefer: wrestling, spear throwing, or sword fighting?' I replied: 'That is up to Allah and you.' He chose sword fighting, and we dismounted, tied our mounts, and faced each other. After a fierce battle, when the victory seemed near, I realized that I was among the brave. We had treated our wounds until we reached Mas'adah's weapon. I struck at him with my sword, and upon seeing his sword fall, he said: 'Abu Qatadah, have mercy.' I refused, and he asked me to spare his mother. I replied: 'Fire is for the young calves.' I then killed him, stripped his clothes, wore them, grabbed his weapon, mounted his horse, and galloped back towards the army."

Abu Qatadah's valor in battle was demonstrated further when he encountered his nephew, leading a group of seventeen riders. He charged at them, aimed his spear at his nephew, and attacked him, inflicting a deep wound. Abu Qatadah then exposed his nephew's identity, and upon fearing a retaliatory attack, he bravely held his ground.

The Encounter of Abu Qatadah with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Introduction

In this encounter, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions approached the enemy's camp, causing the enemy soldiers to flee in fear. As they reached the enemy camp, a horse belonging to Abu Qatadah was recognized.

The Recognition

One of the companions pointed out that the horse belonged to Abu Qatadah, to which the Prophet (peace be upon him) expressed concern about the possibility of him being involved in fighting against them.

The Revelation

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the distinctive mark on the horse did indeed match Abu Qatadah's. The Prophet (peace be upon him) expressed relief and praised Abu Qatadah as a brave warrior.

The Removal of Suspicion

Even though there was initial suspicion, it was resolved when Abu Qatadah removed his armor to reveal a benign wound, thus verifying his identity and loyalty.

The Blessings

The Prophet (peace be upon him) then blessed Abu Qatadah, praising him as a leader of cavalry and praying for the blessings of Allah upon him and his descendants. He even pointed out a mark on Abu Qatadah's face, indicating a significant blessing.

Conclusion

The encounter ended with the removal of suspicion, mutual respect, and blessings bestowed upon Abu Qatadah by the Prophet (peace be upon him).