It is recorded in the Kazrâni that, according to the tradition of Murta’, Rabyi’ is the name of a well near which the Bani Mossttalaq were encamped, and in the Mostaqadza’ we read that ‘it is the water of a population between Mekkah and Madinah from the region of Qadid to the coast, and the Ghazwah is also called that of the Bani Almossttalaq B. O’ru B. Rabia’ B. Kharjah.’ The cause of this Ghazwah was that Hâreth B. Abu Dharâr, the chieftain of that clan, had invited several Arab tribes to unite with him in attacking his lordship the asylum of the apostolate—u. w. b. His lordship the apostle despatched Buridah* B. Ahassib towards the opponents to bring correct information. He accordingly went among them, but they examined him about the prophet, and he gave gave them a reply appropriate to the circumstances, saying also: ‘I have heard that you intend to wage war against Muhammad, and I have come to offer you my aid, if this report be true.’ The Bani Mossttalaq treated him very respectfully, and said: ‘What thou hast heard is true.’ Buridah continued: ‘I am going to bring an army to join you.’ After uttering these words he left them, hastened to Madinah, and made his report about them. Then his lordship the prophet—u. w. b.—prepared his army, gave the banner of the Mohâjer to the lord A’li B. Abu Tâleb— u. w. b.—and that of the Anssâr to Sa’d B. A’bâdah, ordering O’mar to take charge of the vanguard, Zayd B. Hâreth of the left wing, and retained A’kramah B. Mohssan near himself. In that expedition the Mohâjer had twenty horses, as also the Anssâr; and many hypocrites, allured by the hope of booty, marched on that occasion with the Musalmâns. A spy was taken and brought before Fârûq [i.e., O’mar], who was in command of the vanguard. After being closely pressed, this individual confessed that he had been sent by a chief of the Bani Mossttalaq to reconnoitre the Musalmân army, for the purpose of enabling him to enter the lists of contention with open eyes. O’mar presented that spy also to the most exalted assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship, who examined him about his errand, and proposed to him to embrace monotheism, but that idolater refused to comply; accordingly O’mar liberated that man’s soul, with the permission of his lordship, from the captivity and servitude of his body. When the opponents heard that their spy had been killed they were overpowered by great apprehension and fear, so that all the people of the surrounding country that had gathered around Hâreth now dispersed in every direction, and only the Bani Mossttalaq remained with him. His lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—halted, after traversing the proper distance, at the well of the Bani Mossttalaq. In that journey the mothers of the believers A’ayshah and Omm Solmah were present. The infidels entrusted a man, Ssafuwân by name, with their broken standard, and marched into the plain of contest. When both armies were in battle array, the apostle—u. w. b.—ordered O’mar to turn to the idolaters, and to exclaim: ‘Say, there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah, whereon your lives and your property will be spared.’ But as they refused to comply, his lordship ordered the professors of Islâm to rush upom them immediately. Abu Qotâdah then attacked them and slew the standard-bearer [i.e., commander] of the infidels; Allah the Most High likewise aided the professors of Islâm with His mighty angels, and inspired the hearts of the unbelievers with fear and apprehension. It is related that after the battle one of the Bani Mossttalaq said: ‘On that day we beheld men dressed in white garments and mounted on piebald horses within the ranks of the Musalmân army, and we had never before seen such individuals.’ Jârirah, the daughter of Hâreth B. Abu Dharâr, says: ‘When the apostle of God arrived near us, my father said: “An army is approaching us, which we are unable to resist. I have beheld several horses and weapons in the army of Islâm which my tongue cannot describe.” When I had made my profession of Islâm, and the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—married me, the grandeur and sublimity of the Musalmâns did not strike me as on the first occasion, and I knew that all the fear and awe had been thrown into the hearts of the idolaters by God the Most High, considering that in the said battle [only] ten idolaters were slain, but the others so completely frightened that all that crowd of men and women was captured in the grasp of fate.’ Jârirah, the daughter of Hâreth B. Abu Dharâr, had fallen to the share of Thabet B. Qais Shammâs, but some say that he presented her to his lordship, and others assert that he allowed her to ransom herself. Jârirah waited upon his lordship the best of men, pronounced the confession of Faith, became an adherent of Islâm, and said: ‘Thabet has fixed my ransom so high that I am unable to pay it, I therefore request thee to help me.’ The apostle complied with her prayer, and promised to marry her. Accordingly Jârirah replied: ‘What felicity can be greater than this?’ His lordship then paid the ransom and wedded her. When the noble companions learnt what had taken place, they said to each other: ‘It is not meet that the relatives of the prince of the sons of Adam—u. w. b.—should suffer humiliation and captivity.’ They therefore liberated all the prisoners of the tribe Bani Mossttalaq. A’ayshah says: ‘I do not know any woman who has conferred a greater blessing upon her people than Jârirah.’ The original name of the daughter of Hâreth B. Abu Dharâr was Barah, but his lordship the prince of the righteous changed it to Jârirah.
After the fight with the Bani Mossttalaq, Jahni wantonly struck, during the march, Sanân on the face, whereon the latter shouted: ‘O ye Anssar!’ and the former: ‘O ye Mohâjer!’ Then both parties rushed on each other with drawn swords, and great confusion was about to ensue; at last, however, some of the Mohâjer flattered Sanân for the sake of quelling the disturbance, and succeeded in pacifying him. When the circumstances of this quarrel were brought to the notice of A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl the hypocrite, he blazed up with ire, saying to a number of friends and hypocrites who were in his company: ‘Whatever strength and dignity the Mohâjer possess they have acquired through us. I swear by Allah that their relation to us is like that of a leaf to a tree.’ He further said: ‘If we return to Madinah, he that is nobler will expel him who is meaner.’ By the expression ‘he that is nobler’ that wretch meant his own miserable person, and by ‘him who is meaner’ he intended to designate the precious individuality of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. Then he turned towards the chiefs of his people, such as Mâlek, Sowid and Mu’qab B. Qais and others, saying: ‘All this is the result of your having admitted them into your country and divided your property among them. Had you kept back your possessions from these people, they would not be riding on your necks.’ Zayd B. Arqum the Anssâri, who was present in the assembly of Abu Salûl, spoke, however, despite his youthfulness, boldly against the views of the former, and then hastened to wait upon the prince of this world—u. w. b.—and represented to him what was going on. A number of the principal companions, such as Fârûq [i.e., O’mar], Ssiddyq [i.e., Abu Bakr], Dhu-n-nûryn [i.e., O’thman], Sa’d Abu Woqqâss, Muhammad B. Moslamah, and A’bbâs B. Bashir, were present in the august assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—who considered Zayd’s assertions to flow from interested motives, but he swore an oath that the words he reported had been spoken by A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl. Hereon the apostle exclaimed: ‘Perhaps thou hast not heard well?’ Zayd, nevertheless, insisting on the veracity of his statement, Fârûq shouted: ‘O apostle of God, allow me to strike off the head of that hypocrite!’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘O’mar, if I permit him to be slain many of the princes of Yathrab will tremble!’ O’mar continued: ‘If thou wilt not order the Mohâjer to kill him, allow Muhammad B. Moslamah or A’bâdah B. Bashir, or Sa’d B. Moa’adh, to do so.’ The apostle rejoined: ‘People will say Muhammad is killing his companions; [nevertheless] give them leave to march.’ Accordingly O’mar obeyed orders, despite of the great heat, and no one knew the reason for starting in such warm weather, which was, however, to deprive everyone of the opportunity for holding similar conversations. When his holy and prophetic lordship mounted his she-camel Qasswi, Sa’d B. Moa’adh came forward, and said: ‘Greeting to thee, O prophet, with the mercy of Allah and His blessings! What is the matter with thee that thou hast started at this unpropitious hour?’ His lordship replied: ‘Perhaps you have not heard what your friend has said?’ Sa’d asked: ‘What friend?’ His lordship replied: ‘Ebn Abu Salûl has said that when he arrives in Madinah he who is more noble will expel him who is more mean.’ Sa’d answered: ‘O apostle of God, if thou willest thou canst expel him from Madinah, because he is mean and thou art the noblest of the people; and special nobility is peculiar to God, to thee, and to the believers.’ Some biographers have recorded that the just-mentioned conversation passed between Asyd B. Khudzar and his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. After that Sa’d B. Moa’adh, or Asyd B. Khudzar, according to two different traditions, said to the prophet: ‘Be kind and friendly to him, because before thy august approach the people of Madinah had agreed to place the reins of the important office of government into the grasp of his power and choice. A diadem encrusted with rubies, pearls, and precious gems had been prepared at Madinah, and completed, except one costly gem which Yoshua’, the Jew, possessed and valued very highly on account of the need of the people, and would not sell at any price. Meanwhile the Lord God Most High had adorned and ennobled our country with thy august existence, and the crown of Ebn Abu Salûl remained in the shop of the jeweller. He knows that thou art the cause of his having been deprived of the government, and on account of this disappointment he makes such speeches.’ It is related that the lord of prophecy sent a man to A’bdullah [Ebn Abu Salûl] to reproach him for having uttered the above-mentioned threat; others, however, allege that certain Anssâris said to him: ‘Some of thy words have reached the most exalted prophetic audition, and if they be true thou must hasten to wait upon his lordship, apologize to him, and repent of what thou hast uttered, so that he may intercede for thee with the Almighty. Thou oughtest to be very contrite, because possibly a verse may be revealed concerning thee, wherein Allah the Most High will bring thy falsehood to light. But if those words be not true it will be thy duty to excuse and to free thyself from the aspersion.’ Accordingly Ebn Abu Monâfiq [i.e., E. Abu Salûl] entered the assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—swore that he had never uttered the words reported to his lordship the apostle, and that the assertion of Zayd B. Arqum was mendacious. Some who were present in the prophetic assembly thought that Zayd had purposely uttered a lie, whilst others imagined that he had concocted the story on account of the heedlessness of his youthful age. As A’bdullah [E. Abu Salûl] enjoyed high dignity and respect among his people, they said: ‘O apostle of God, the utterance of a boy with reference to one of our Sheikhs is deserving of no credence.’ Accordingly the apostle of God accepted the excuse of A’bdullah; the Anssâr greatly blamed Zayd, and his uncle said: ‘Thou hast done this only that the apostle—u. w. b.—has, by forgiving A’bdullah, convicted thee of falsehood, has believed a hypocrite, and has raised the enmity of the people against thee.’ During that day and night the army of Islâm continued to march, and halted the next morning when the sun rose. Fatigue had so overpowered the men that every one went immediately to sleep, and that no opportunity remained for discussing the affair of A’bdullah and Zayd. The last-mentioned individual had before this event been accustomed to ride near the body-guard of his lordship, but after it shame and grief kept him at a distance. There is a tradition that Zayd B. Arqum said: ‘I was riding on my horse, and was greatly depressed in spirit, when all of a sudden the apostle—u. w. b.—overtook me, pulled my ear, looked smilingly in my face, and said: “Glad tidings to thee, O Zayd, for God the Most High considers thee to be true, and A’bdullah a liar.” Then he recited the chapter of the hypocrites as far as the verse: “They say, Verily if we return to Madinah, the worthier shall expel thence the meaner.”’* After the veracity of Zayd B. Arqum had become evident, A’bâdah B. Assâmat and Awus B. A’bdullah passed near A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl, and failed to greet him. He therefore reproved them, but those two blessed individuals warned him of the eternal punishment he would have to incur for having sworn a false oath, and Awus said: ‘We shall have nothing to do with thee until thou repentest.’ And A’bâdah added: ‘Come to his lordship, that he may ask the forgiveness of God for thee.’ That heedless and perjured man, however, turned his neck and looked away from A’bdullah, who continued: ‘By Allah! with reference to thee and the turning of thy neck, a verse of the Qurân will be revealed, which shall be recited during prayers;’ and the blessed verse, ‘When it is said unto them, Come, that the apostle of God may ask pardon for you, they turn away their heads, and thou seest them retire big with disdain,’* is confirmatory of the above assertion.
It is said that A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl had a son of the same name who obeyed God and the prophet, being very different from his father. When this young man heard Fârûq requesting the apostle to appoint Muhammad B. Moslamah or some other Anssâr to kill A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl, he approached his lordship, and said: ‘If thou intendest to slay my father, order me to do it, and I swear by Allah that ere thou risest from the assembly I shall bring his head to thee. By Allah! the men of the Khazraj [tribe] know that of all of them I have acted the best towards my father, and that since a certain time he takes neither food nor drink from the hands of anyone except from me; and I fear, O apostle of God, that if another man attempts to kill him, and I see it, consanguinity [or, rather, filial duty] will compel me to avenge his death on that person, and that I shall for such a deed obtain eternal punishment in hell. Thy favour, however, and thy forgivingness are great.’ The apostle—u. w. b.— replied: ‘O A’bdullah, it is not my intention to kill thy father, nor have I ordered anyone to do so, and as long as he remains among us I shall treat him well.’ When A’bdullah, the son of A’bdullah E. Salûl knew that the life of his father was to be spared, he uttered some distich, the translation of which [from the Arabic] is as follows:
‘The world is full of marvels, but more wonderful are
The words I heard O’mar saying to the prophet:
“Order some one to bring Ebn Abu’s head to thee!”
I said to the apostle: “If he is to be killed, order me to do it.”
My arm is strong and my heart is firm,
My resolution is stancher than iron and ore.’
It is related in the Mostaqadza that when Ebn Abu Salûl arrived near Madinah, and desired to enter that prosperous region, his son A’bdullah took hold of his horse’s bridle, stopped it, and said: ‘I swear by God that I shall not allow thee to enter this town unless by the permission of the apostle of God, because he is the most noble of the sons of Adam, and thou art the meanest of the inhabitants of this world.’ He asked permission from his lordship to commit parricide, but the latter replied: ‘Let him alone, and behave kindly to him.’
It is related that during the return march from the Ghazwah with the Bani Mossttalaq a very high wind commenced to blow, and some people thought that enemies had entered Madinah to plunder it [on such an occasion]; but his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—exclaimed: ‘Be not afraid! Madinah is my place, and there is no spot nor corner thereof which does not contain an angel to guard it and to watch over it; this day, however, one of the very greatest hypocrites has died.’ And, according to the tradition of Muhammad E. Esahâq, Zayd B. Raqaa’h had on that day departed to hell. When this information reached A’bdullah B. Abu Salûl he was overpowered with fear and grief, because he had been on very intimate terms with the deceased.