He also sought the men of Quraysh...

He also sought the men of Quraysh, staying the rest of the month of Jumada'l‑Ula and a few days of Jumada'l‑Akhirah. There he made a peace agree­ment with the tribe of Banu Mudlij and their allies of the tribe of Banu Damrah. It is related. on the authority of `Ammar ibn Yasir who said: “I was with 'Ali, as we were companions during the raid of al‑`Ushayrah.

'Ali said to me: `Would you like, O Abu Yaqzan, that we go and see the men of Banu Mudlij working in their orchards near a spring of water belonging to them?' We went and observed them for a while until we were overcome by sleep. Then we went to a but made of palm branches, in a barren spot, where we slept. We did not wake up until the Messenger of Allah nudged us with his foot. We sat up startled and covered with the soil of that barren place.

Seeing `Ali thus, the Prophet called him, `O Abu Turab (man of the soil or dust)!' He then asked, `Shall I tell you who is the most miserable of humankind?' `Yes, O Apostle of Allah', we said.

He went on: `They are the Uhaymar of Thamud who slew the she‑camel,[^1] and he who shall smite you, O 'Ali, here (and he placed his hand upon his head) until this (and he placed his hand upon his beard) shall be soaked with blood!' ” The Messenger of Allah returned from al‑`Ushayrah to Medina, where he remained not more than ten nights before a man called Kurz ibn Jabir al‑Fihri led an assault on a suburb of Medina.

The Messenger of Allah went out after him until he reached a valley called Safwan near Badr. This was the first battle of Badr. The bearer of the Prophet's banner was 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and his representative in Medina was Zayd ibn al‑Harithah. Kurz, however, escaped, and the Messenger of Allah returned to Medina. He remained at home for the months of Jumada, Rajab and Sha'ban. During this period he dispatched Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas with eight men, but they encountered no hostilities.

After that the Messenger of Allah dispatched `Abdullah ibn Jahsh to a place called Nakhlah (on the road to Mecca), ordering him to remain there until he returned with news of the Quraysh. But he did not command him to fight, because it was the sacred month (that is, Rajab).

He handed him a letter and told him: “Set out with your until you have travelled a journey of two days; then open your letter and see what it says, and execute my command.” After having travelled for two days he opened the letter, which said: “Continue on until you arrive at Nakhlah.