This misfortune took place as follows: Abu A’amer B. Mâlek, who was also surnamed Mollâbu-l-alsanah,* arrived from the tribe of Najd in Madinah. When he entered the august assembly of his lordship the prophet, that prince invited him to make his profession of Islâm; but although he would not become a Musalmân, he did not altogether refuse to acquiesce therein, and said: ‘O Muhammad, I know that thy religion is noble, and thy sect is the orthodox one. If thou wilt send a number of thy companions with me to invite the Bani A’amer to accept Islâm, perhaps the nation will enter the circle of obedience to thee.’ His lordship rejoined: ‘I do not trust the people of Najd!’ Abu A’amer continued: ‘Do not give way to misapprehensions, for I shall take them under my protection and not allow them to be hurt.’ Then his lordship despatched seventy men, who were during the day engaged in drawing water and carrying wood, and during the night in prayer to [convert] the inhabitants of Najd. It is said that A’amer B. Khayrah and A’mru B. Ommyah Dhomayry were of the above number, over which his lordship appointed Mundhar B. A’mru Saa’dy as leader, and by whom he sent a letter to the Bani A’amer and grandees of Najd. When the Musalmâns arrived at Bara Moa’wiah they alighted, and gave their camels to A’mru Bin Ommyah to pasture them; the letter, however, they handed to Hazâm B. Marjân, to give to A’amer B. Ttofayl, who was the brother of Mollâbu-l-alsanah’s mother. Hazâm took charge of the letter, gave it to him, but by a preconcerted signal from A’amer, attained the honour of martyrdom whilst engaged in conversation. A’amer had [before] applied for aid to the Bani A’amer in his war against Mundhar B. A’mru, but as they [now] knew that Abu A’amer had taken the Musalmâns under his protection, they did not comply with his request; notwithstanding this vile fellow gathered a number of the tribe of Salym and of O’ssyah, and of Dhakwân, and proceeded to Bara Moa’wiah. When the infidels arrived in that place they surrounded the professors of Islâm, and when the monotheists saw themselves swallowed up in the vortex of calamity, they said: ‘We see no one who might bear our salutation to Thy favourite.’ In short, both parties fought in that soul-melting battle-field, and contended with each other till the companions of the apostle attained martyrdom. When A’mru B. Ommyah and Hâreth B. Qohayny were returning from the pasture, they perceived birds soaring over the camp and dust rising over it. Accordingly they both mounted to an elevation to see what had become of their friends, but when they ascertained what had taken place A’mru said: ‘It will be best for us to return to Madinah, and to inform the apostle of this misfortune.’ But Hâreth refused, went towards the infidels, fought, and sent two men of them to hell who had been aided by the idolaters. After these [idolaters] had spared his life, Hâreth again commenced to fight, and slew two more men, till he at last also himself attained martyrdom. A’amer B. Ttofayl loosed the bonds of A’mru B. Ommyah, and allowed him to depart to Madinah. When A’bu Bâra became aware of his nephew’s treachery, he was so grieved that he fell sick and departed to the next world. There is a tradition that when his lordship received the news of the slaughter of his companions he pronounced during the space of forty days maledictions in his morning prayers upon the men of those tribes which had aided A’amer B. Ttofayl, and also upon the latter, saying: ‘God requite A’amer!’ Accordingly that wretch was in the house of the woman Sahîlyah overtaken by a disease like the camel-plague, so that he exclaimed in his affliction: ‘I feel an odour like the odour of death in the house of Sahîlyah!’ Thereon he called for his horse, mounted it, and departed to hell in that state of his unhallowed soul—the curse of Allah be upon him! It is related that when A’mru B. Ommyah Dhomayry was delivered of his bonds and proceeded to Madinah, he met on his way two idolaters of the Bani A’amer, who were under the protection of his lordship; but A’mru knew nothing thereof, and slew the two unlucky men while they were asleep. After traversing the distance he arrived in Madinah, entered the assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—explained the manner in which the companions had been killed, and also how he had despatched those infidels; with the murder of these, however, his lordship was not pleased, and, blaming A’mru, compelled him to pay the blood-ransom to their heirs.