ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Day of Al-ghumayda’ After the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (a.s) was still there when he arranged to send delegations to various places in the neighborhood to propagate the Message of Islam. For this purpose Khalid ibn al-Walid was sent to Judhaymah with a group of three hundred and fifty persons. He was strictly told not to pick up a fight with anyone.

He was asked to restrict himself to the task of propagating the Faith. Ibn Sa`d writes: “The Prophet (a.s) sent Khalid ibn al-Walid to Banū-Judhaymah to propagate the Message of Islam and not to fight with them.”[1] In the period before Islam, Khalid’s uncle, Fakihah ibn Mughirah and `Abd al-Rahman’s father `Awf were killed by some youths of Banū-Judhaymah on their return journey from Yemen. The Quraysh, to avenge these killings, attacked them, but they paid the blood money and settled the claim.

Now that Khalid chanced to go there at the head of the delegation, his desire for revenge revived and he could not control himself from fulfilling his vile wish. When the party reached the Well of Ghumayda’, at a distance of two stages from Makkah, they broke journey there. This well was the property of Banū-Judhaymah and they lived in its environs. When they saw Khalid camping with his men near the well, they feared that he intended to fight with them.

They therefore armed themselves and got ready to fight. When Khalid saw them in readiness to fight, he asked them who they were. They replied that they were Muslims; they had constructed a mosque in their neighborhood, given regular call (adhan) for prayer and regularly offer prayers in the mosque! Khalid said that if they were Muslims, why they were carrying arms with them. They expressed their fear that on account of the past enmity, he might start fighting with them.

He assured them that he had no intention of fighting and asked them to unarm themselves. They replied: “When we are Muslims, we shall not take to arms against Allah and His Prophet”[2] [1] Al-Tabaqāt, Vol 2, Page 147 Saying this, they started unarming themselves. One person from their tribe, Jahdam, asked them to think before they unarmed. He thought that after disarming them, Khalid would tie them up and then execute them to death.

He said that in no event he would disarm and wanted his people to do the same. His people told him the period of battles was over and they should not disturb the peace again.