When the Muslims conquered Ahwaz...

When the Muslims conquered Ahwaz, Harmazan was taken captive and brought before Umar, who said to him: “If you truly desire to remain safe, accept Islam or else I shall surely kill you.” Harmazan said: “Now that you shall eventually kill me, order for some water to be given to me for I am intensely thirsty.” Upon Umar's order some water was brought for him in a wooden bowl, but Harmazan said: “I shall not drink from this bowl for I am used to drinking water in bowls studded with jewels.” At this point the Commander of the Faithfuls (a.s) said: “This is not an extravagant request.

Bring for him a crystalline bowl.” Water was poured into a crystalline bowl and presented to him but, instead of drinking it, he kept holding the bowl in his hands. Umar said: “I have taken a covenant with Allah that I shall not kill you till you have drunk the water.” Having heard this, Harmazan smashed the bowl on the ground and spilled all the water in the process.

Umar stood aghast over this deception and, turning to the Commander of the Faithfuls (a.s), asked: “What should be done now?” He (a.s) replied: “Since you had made his death contingent to his drinking the water and had entered into a covenant (with Allah) in this regard you cannot put him to death now; impose upon him the jizyah (tribute), instead.” Harmazan said: “I refuse to pay the tribute; however, now with serenity of mind and without any fear, I shall turn into a Muslim.” Saying this, he testified to the Unity of Allah and the Prophethood of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and became a Muslim.

Umar was delighted and seating Harmazan beside himself, he granted him a house in Madinah and allotted for him an annual sum of ten thousand dinars (from the public treasury).[^4] The Oath of Fudhul Twenty years before the Noble Prophet's (s.a.w) proclamation of Prophethood and at a time when he (s.a.w) was exactly twenty years of age, an incident transpired as follows: One day, a person from the tribe of Bani Zubaid sold some goods to 'as Ibn Wail.

'as took possession of the goods but refused to pay him the money for it. In desperation, the man climbed atop the mountain of Abu Qubais and shouted: “O' People! Rush to the help of an oppressed one, who happens to be far from his tribe and relatives.