In this year, likewise, Wofûd arrived from all directions in Madinah, and were ennobled by kissing the feet of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. Among these were also the Bani Ghâmad, who encamped near Baqyi, and hastened to the assembly of the prince of the world, leaving a young man to take care of their baggage. When they had attained the honour of kissing the carpet, and made their profession of the Faith after the customary salutations, his lordship ordered a book to be written for them, which contained the ordinances of the religion, with the principles and practice thereof. His lordship then asked those persons whether they had left anyone behind in their lodgings, and they replied: ‘We have left one in our lodgings who is younger than any of us.’ His lordship replied: ‘He has fallen asleep; a thief has entered your lodging, and has stolen one of your travelling-bags.’ One of them replied: ‘No one of those persons has a travelling-bag except myself.’ His lordship continued: ‘The guardian of your place has again got hold of the travelling bag, and is taking care of it.’ When the Wofod of the Ghâmed people left the august assembly and returned to their lodgings, they asked the young watchman what had happened in their absence. He replied: ‘I had fallen asleep after your departure, and a man who had been watching his opportunity stole the travelling-bag, but I jumped up from my sleep, pursued him, and found that he had entered a pit wherein he had buried the travelling-bag. Accordingly I took it out, and brought it again to our lodgings.’ Those men then said to the youth: ‘The apostle of God has informed us of this matter, and we bear testimony to the truth of his apostleship.’ After saying these words, they again waited on the prince of existences—u. w. b.—and represented the fact to him, whereon the said youth was likewise ennobled by kissing the august carpet and acknowledging the unity of God the Most High and the prophetship of the lord of apostles— u. w. b.
Another of the Wofûd of this year was that of Jaryr B. A’bdullah Albahly, which took place as follows: A’bdullah attained, with one hundred and fifty men of his tribe, the felicity of meeting his holy and prophetic lordship and of professing Islâm. Before the arrival of that company the lord of apostleship had said to his friends: ‘A man having the signs of nobility on him will make his appearance.’ After his lordship had communicated this information, Jaryr B. A’bdullah arrived with his people and made a profession of Islâm. His lordship asked him: ‘Wilt thou become my adherent, acknowledge the unity of God—whose name be exalted—and my apostolate? Promisest thou to hold prayers, to pay the legal alms, to keep the fast of Ramadzân, to obey my governor, and to love all Musalmâns, even if they were Abyssinian slaves?’ Jaryr made a covenant to observe all these injunctions, and when his lordship asked him about the state of the tribes related to and dwelling near him, he replied: ‘O apostle of God, the religion of Islâm has become current among them; the people have destroyed their idol-temples, and are worshipping in mosques.’ His lordship continued: ‘What is the condition of the idol-temple of Dhu-l-khalyfah?’ Jaryr replied: ‘The idol-temple of Dhu-l-khalyfah is [standing] as before.’ The apostle of God asked: ‘O Jaryr, wilt thou relieve my mind of it?’ Jaryr said: ‘O apostle of God, it was always my wish that this business should fall to my lot, and that no one else should demolish it.’ The apostle of God said: ‘Go and destroy that idol-temple.’ Jaryr replied: ‘O apostle of God, it is very far from here to Dhu-l-khalyfah. I cannot mount a horse to reach it quickly, because every horse I ride throws me; and if I mount a camel it will take a long time to arrive there.’ After Jaryr had said these words his holy and prophetic lordship exclaimed: ‘O Lord, give him a guide, and cause him to be guided.’ It is related of Jaryr that he said: ‘When his lordship had prayed for and dismissed me I departed, and I swear by that God who has sent Muhammad in truth that I mounted an unruly, fleet charger, but I found him gentle under my thighs, like a lamb. I travelled day and night till I reached my destination, set the idol-temple on fire, and razed it to the ground. Then I despatched a courier to Madinah, to inform his lordship of what I had done.’ It is related that after the burning and destruction of the idol-temple the inhabitants of Dhu-l-khalyfah attained the nobility of Islâm. The treasury belonging to that temple contained much property and perfumes, all of which were brought to Madinah. When his holy and prophetic lordship heard what had taken place, and that the idol-temple had been demolished, he rejoiced greatly, invoking a benediction upon Jaryr and his tribe. It is related that the just-mentioned individual was six cubits high, so that when he sat on horseback his feet were trailing on the ground; he was also remarkably beautiful, and O’mar B. Alkhattâb surnamed him the Yusuf [Joseph] of the [Musalmân] people.
Another Wofod was that of the Bani Hanyfah, who alighted on their arrival in Madinah at the mansion of Ramlah, the daughter of Alhâreth, by order of the apostle of God, and thereon attained the felicity of kissing the most holy carpet and making a profession of Islâm. Moseylamah the liar was one of that company, and likewise accepted the religion, but when he returned to Yamamah he was led astray by Satan, relapsed again, laid claim to prophecy, and said: ‘The God of Muhammad has made me a partner in prophecy with Muhammad.’ Thereon a great number of rebels and enemies believed him. He allowed his followers to neglect prayer, to drink wine, and to practise usury. In lieu of the glorious Qurân he composed nonsense which was far from elegance and oratory. He despatched two of his misguided adherents as envoys to the lord of this world and the next, and sent by them an epistle, the contents whereof are, according to the tradition of the author of the Mostaqadza, as follows: ‘From Moseylamah the apostle of God, to Muhammad the apostle of God. But after [the usual compliments I state]: Verily I have been made a partner with thee in this matter. One half of the earth will belong to us, and the other to the Qoraish. The nomadic Arabs will belong to thee, and those settled in towns to me; but the Qoraish are a treacherous race.’ When the envoys of Moseylamah arrived in Madinah and presented the letter, his holy and prophetic lordship became angry, and, exhibiting the wooden toothpick he held in his hand, said: ‘I swear by God that if he were to ask this from me I would not give it to him.’ Then the apostle of God asked the envoys: ‘What do you say?’ They replied: ‘We say what Moseylamah says.’ His lordship continued: ‘If it were not illegal to kill envoys I would slay you.’ Then he ordered the following answer to be written to Moseylamah: ‘From Muhammad the apostle of Allah, to Moseylamah the liar. Greeting to him who follows [Divine] guidance! Verily I have received thy letter, which attributes a falsehood and a lie to God. For He causeth those of His servants to inherit the earth whom He liketh, and the pious will have a blessed end.’ It is related that when both these letters were shown to a learned Arab, he averred that the second looked like the epistle of a prophet. The author of this work says that if Divine favour seconds his intention he will soon narrate in these pages the going of Khâled B. Alwolyd to Yamamah, and explain how Moseylamah the liar was killed.
During this year Firuz Daylamy, who was a son of the Najjâshy’s daughter, became a Musalmân. This Firuz is the same who killed Aswad B. I’sa, who claimed to be a prophet; but as many of the chief historians state that Aswad was slain during the Khalifate of Ssiddyq Akbar— u. w. b.—and not during the life-time of the prophet— u. w. b.—that event will be narrated with those that took place during the reign of the just-mentioned Khalif, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High. In this year Bâdân, the Governor of Yemen, whose profession of Islâm has been recorded above, departed from this perishable to the imperishable abode, and his lordship having been informed of this event, he made the following distribution: To the son of Bâdân he assigned a portion of the province, another to A’amer B. Shammâr Hamdâny, another to Abu Mûsa Asha’ry, another to Ali B. Ommyah, and another to Ma’adh B. Jabul.