The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 1/Chapter 19

by Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá al-Balādhurī

CHAPTER XIX

The Apostasy of the Arabs in the Caliphate of
abu-Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddîḳ

Abu-Bakr threatens those who withhold ṣadaḳah. When abu-Bakr was proclaimed caliph, certain Arab tribes apostatized from Islâm and withheld the ṣadaḳah. Some of them, however, said, "We shall observe prayer but not pay zakât." In reference to that abu-Bakr said, "If they refuse me a one-year ṣadaḳah,^[1] I shall surely fight against them." According to other reports he said, "If they refuse me a two-year ṣadaḳah."

ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ṣâliḥ al-ʿIjli from ash-Shaʿbi:—ʿAbdallâh ibn-Masʿûd said, "After the death of the Prophet we found ourselves in a state in which we would have perished had not Allah favored us with abu-Bakr. By the consensus of opinion, we agreed not to fight on a female camel that had entered on its second year or a male camel that had entered on its third year, but appropriate for ourselves the income of Ḳura ʿArabîyah^[2] and worship Allah until the right course is revealed unto us." Allah gave orders to abu-Bakr to fight them. Then, by Allah, abu-Bakr was not satisfied by anything but one of two:—a humiliating plan or an evacuating war. As for the humiliating plan, it was that they acknowledge that those of their number who were killed went to hell, and that our property that fell into their hands should be returned to us; and the evacuating war was that they leave their homes.

The delegation of Buzâkhah. Ibrâhim ibn-Muḥammad from Ṭâriḳ ibn-Shihâb:—A delegation from Buzâkhah came to abu-Bakr and he gave them their choice between "the evacuating war" or "the humiliating peace". To this they replied, "'The evacuating war' we have known what it is, what is then 'the humiliating peace?'" "It is," said abu-Bakr, "that we deprive you of the coats of mail and horses, and keep the booty we took from you; and that ye return the booty ye took from us, pay bloodwit for those of us who were slain and consider those of you who were slain to be in hell-fire."

Shujâʿ ibn-Mukhallad al-Fallâs from ʿÂʾishah the "mother of the Believers":—The latter said, "After the death of the Prophet, what befell my father^[3] would have softened the firm mountains if it had befallen them. Hypocrisy in al-Madînah exalted itself, and the Arabs apostatized from their faith. By Allah, not a point they disagreed upon, which my father did not cause to disappear as something without which Islam could do [?]."

Abu-Bakr dispatches an army. Abu-Bakr set out to al-Ḳaṣṣah^[4] in the land which belongs to Muḥârib in order to direct the armies marching against the apostates. He was accompanied by the Moslems. Those who went against the Moslems were Khârijah ibn-Ḥiṣn ibn-Ḥudhaifah ibn-Badr al-Fazâri^[5] and Manẓûr ibn-Zabbân ibn-Saiyâr al-Fazâri of the banu-l-ʿUsharâʾ, who were joined with the tribe of Ghaṭafân. The fight raged fiercely but the "polytheists" were put to flight, and abu-Bakr sent Ṭalḥah ibn-ʿUbaidallâh at-Taimi in their pursuit. Ṭalḥah fell upon them at the lower part of Thanâya ʿAusajah where he killed only one of them, all the rest having fled away, and he could not catch up with them. This made Khârijah ibn-Ḥiṣn repeat, "Woe to the Arabs because of ibn-abi-Ḳuḥâfah [i. e. abu-Bakr]."

While abu-Bakr was at al-Ḳaṣṣah, he set Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd ibn-al-Mughîrah al-Makhzûmi in command over the people,^[6] and sent over the Anṣâr Thâbit ibn-Ḳais ibn-Shammâs al-Anṣâri, who was one of those that [later] suffered martyrdom in the battle of al-Yamâmah. Thâbit, however, was subordinate to Khâlid. Abu-Bakr ordered Khâlid to direct his course towards Ṭulaiḥah ibn-Khuwailid al-Asadi, who had claimed to be a prophet^[7] and was then at Buzâkhah. This Buzâkhah is a spring belonging to the banu-Asad ibn-Khuzaimah. Khâlid set out against him and sent before him ʿUkkâshah ibn-Miḥṣan al-Asadi, an ally of the banu-ʿAbd-Shams, together with Thâbit ibn-Aḳram al-Balawi, an ally of the Anṣâr. Ḥibâl ibn-Khuwailid^[8] met them and was slain by them. Having heard the news, Ṭulaiḥah with his brother, Salamah, set out and, meeting ʿUkkâshah and Thâbit, slew them both. Regarding this event Ṭulaiḥah sang:

 

"As I saw their faces I thought of my brother Ḥibâl
and was sure that I was going to avenge his death.
It was on the evening of that day that I left ibn-Aḳram in his grave,
together with ʿUkkâshah al-Ghanmi, by the battlefield."

 

The Moslems and their enemy at last met and a fierce battle was fought. With Ṭulaiḥah in the fight was ʿUyainah ibn-Ḥiṣn ibn-Ḥudhaifah ibn-Badr at the head of 700 men of the banu-Fazârah. When ʿUyainah saw the swords of the Moslems butchering the "polytheists," he came to Ṭulaiḥah asking, "Canst thou not see what the army of abu-l-Faṣîl^[9] is doing, and did not Gabriel bring thee any message?" "Yes" said Ṭulaiḥah, "Gabriel came to me and said 'Thou wilt have a grinding stone as he has, and a day that thou wilt never forget!'"^[10] "By Allah," cried ʿUyainah, "I believe that thou wilt have a day which thou wilt never forget. O banu-Fazârah, this is a false prophet." Saying this, he left Ṭulaiḥah's army which was soon after defeated. The Moslems were victorious. ʿUyainah ibn-Ḥiṣn was taken captive and brought to al-Madînah. Abu-Bakr spared his life and set him free. Ṭulaiḥah ibn-Khuwailid took to flight and entered a tent of his, where he took a bath and went out. Then he rode on his horse, intending to visit the sacred places, and came to Makkah, then to al-Madînah professing Islâm. According to others, he came to Syria, was taken hold of by those of the Moslems who were on a campaign, and sent to abu-Bakr in al-Madînah, where he became Moslem. Later, he distinguished himself in the conquest of al-ʿIrâḳ and Nihâwand. One day, ʿUmar said to him, "Didst thou kill the faithful servant ʿUkkâshah ibn-Miḥṣan?" And he replied, "I have been the means of bringing about the welfare of ʿUkkâshah ibn-Miḥṣan; and he has been the means of bringing about^[11] my misery. I beg Allah's pardon upon me."

Dâʾûd ibn-Ḥibâl al-Asadi told me on the authority of certain sheikhs among his people that ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb said to Ṭulaiḥah, "Thou didst lie before Allah when thou didst claim that he revealed to thee the text, 'Allah has nothing to do with the dust on your faces and the ugliness of your Hinder parts. When ye therefore mention Allah, be abstemious and stand upright, for, verily, froth is on the surface of what is pure.'"^[12] "'Commander of the Believers'", replied Ṭulaiḥah, "this is one of the corruptions of unbelief which has altogether been destroyed by Islâm. I am not, therefore, to be scolded for holding a part of it." ʿUmar remained silent.

Khâlid in Rammân and Abânain. Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd came to Rammân^[13] and Abânain^[14] where the remnant of the army of Buzâkhah stood. They refrained from fighting against him and swore allegiance before him to abu-Bakr.

Banu-ʿÂmir ibn-Ṣaʿṣaʿah embrace Islâm. Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd sent Hishâm ibn-al-ʿÂṣi ibn-Wâʾil as-Sahmi., a brother of ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi, one of the early Moslems and one of the Emigrants to Abyssinia, to the banu-ʿÂmir ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿah. Banu-ʿÂmir did not resist him and professed Islâm and practised the call to prayer. So he left them.

Ḳurrah's life spared. Ḳurrah ibn-Hubairah-l-Ḳushairi, having refused to pay ṣadaḳah and reinforced Ṭulaiḥah, was taken by Hishâm ibn-al-ʿÂṣi to Khâlid. The latter carried him to abu-Bakr to whom Ḳurrah said, "By Allah I never forsook my faith since I became a believer. As ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi on his way back from ʿUmaân passed by me, I treated him hospitably and was loyal to him." ʿAmr was questioned by abu-Bakr regarding that, and he corroborated the statement. Consequently, abu-Bakr spared Ḳurrah's life.

Others assert that Khâlid advanced to the land of the banu-ʿÂmir, took Ḳurrah captive and sent him to abu-Bakr.

The battle of al-Ghamr. Then Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd advanced to al-Ghamr^[15] where a band of the banu-Asad, Ghaṭafân and others had gathered under the leadership of Khârijah ibn-Ḥiṣn ibn-Ḥudhaifah. According to others, they had on different days different leaders, and each party had its own leader drawn from its own ranks. They fought against Khâlid and the Moslems, with the result that some of them were killed and the others took to flight. With reference to the battle of al-Ghamr says al-Ḥuṭaiʾah-l-ʿAbsi:

 

"Yea, may all short and humble lances be sacrificed,
in favor of the horsemen's lances at al-Ghamr!"^[16]

 

Khâlid meets abu-Shajarah. Thence Khâlid moved to Jau Ḳurâḳir.^[17] Others say he moved to an-Nuḳrah. There a crowd was gathered by the banu-Sulaim and put under the leadership of abu-Shajarah ʿAmr ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿUzza as-Sulami whose mother was al-Khansâʾ. They fought against Khâlid, and one of the Moslems fell a martyr. By Allah's help at last, the "polytheists'" troops were dispersed, and Khâlid had on that day the apostates burned. When abu-Bakr was told about it, he said, "I shall not sheathe a sword that Allah had unsheathed against the 'unbelievers.'" Abu-Shajarah accepted Islâm, and coming to ʿUmar found him distributing alms among the poor, so he begged for some. ʿUmar asked him, "Art thou not the one who said:

 

'I quenched my lance's thirst on Khâlid's troops,
and I hope after this that my life will be prolonged'?"

 

Saying this, he lashed him with the whip.^[18] "Islâm, O 'Commander of the Believers,'" replied abu-Shajarah, "has blotted all this out."

Al-Fujâʾah put to death by fire. There came to abu-Bakr one, al-Fujâʾah, whose proper name was Bujair ibn-Iyâs ibn-ʿAbdallâh as-Sulami, and said to him, "Give me horse and arms that I may fight against the apostates." Abu-Bakr gave him horse and arms. Al-Fujâʾah began to molest the people, killing both Moslems and apostates. He, moreover, gathered a large body of men. Abu-Bakr wrote to Ṭuraifah ibn-Ḥâjizah, a brother of Maʿn ibn-Ḥâjizah, ordering him to go against him. This, ibn-Ḥâjizah did and captured him. He then sent him to abu-Bakr, who ordered him burned in the neighborhood of al-Muṣalla [place of prayer]. Others say that abu-Bakr wrote to Maʿn concerning al-Fujâʾah, and Maʿn directed against him his brother, Ṭuraifah, who captured him.

Khâlid in al-Buṭâḥ and al-Baʿûḍah. Later, Khâlid set out against those of the banu-Tamîm who were in al-Buṭâḥ^[19] and al-Baʿûḍah. They fought against him, but he dispersed them^[20] killing Mâlik ibn-Nuwairah, a brother of Mutammam ibn-Nuwairah. This Mâlik was the Prophet's ʿâmil for the ṣadaḳahs of the banu-Ḥanẓalah. When the Prophet died Mâlik held whatever was in his keeping and said to banu-Ḥanẓalah, "Keep your own money."

Mâlik beheaded. According to other reports, Khâlid met nobody in either al-Buṭâḥ or al-Baʿûḍah, but he sent detachments among the banu-Tamîm, one of which was under Ḍirâr ibn-al-Azwar al-Asadi. Ḍirâr met Mâlik and, as a result of the conflict which ensued, Ḍirâr took Mâlik and some others captive, and brought them before Khâlid. In accordance with Khâlid's orders, their heads were cut off,^[21] Ḍirâr with his own hand cutting off that of Mâlik. According to certain reports, Mâlik said to Khâlid, "By Allah, I did not apostatize!" And abu-Ḳatâdah-l-Anṣâri gave witness that the banu-Ḥanẓalah had laid down their arms and made the public call to prayer. Hearing this, ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb said to abu-Bakr, "Thou hast sent a man who kills Moslems and tortures by fire!"

It is reported that Mutammam ibn-Nuwairah once came to ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb who asked him, "How far did thy sorrow over they brother, Mâlik, carry thee?" "I wept over him for one year," said Mutammam, "until my sound eye envied the one that had gone; and never did I see fire without feeling as if my grief was strong enough to kill me, because he always left his fire burning till the morning, lest a guest should come and fail to locate his place." ʿUmar then asked for a description of him, and Muttamam said, "He used to ride a restive steed and lead a slow-paced camel, while he would be between two water bags exuding water in the chilly night, wrapped up in a loose garment, and armed with a long lance. Thus would he go through the night until the morn. His face was a fragment of a moon."^[22] "Sing me," said ʿUmar, "some of what thou hast composed regarding him." And Mutammam repeated the elegy in which he said:

 

"For a long time we were boon companions like the two fellow-drinkers of Jadhîmah,
that people said, 'They will never be separated!'"^[23]

 

"If I could write good poetry" remarked ʿUmar, "I would have written an elegy on my brother, Zaid." "It is not a parallel case, 'Commander of the Believers'", answered Mutammam, "had my brother met the same death that thy brother has met, I would not have mourned over him." "Nobody did ever console me," said ʿUmar, "as well as thou didst."^[24]

Sajâḥ the Prophetess. Umm-Ṣâdir Sajâḥ, daughter of Aus ibn-Ḥiḳḳ ibn-Usâmah ibn-al-Ghanîz ibn-Yarbûʿ ibn-Ḥanẓalah ibn-Mâlik ibn-Zaid Manât ibn-Tamîm (others say she was Sajâḥ, daughter of al-Ḥârith ibn-ʿUḳfân ibn-Suwaid ibn-Khâlid ibn-Usâmah), claimed to be a prophetess and a soothsayer.^[25] She was followed by some of the banu-Tamîm and some of her uncles on her mother's side of the banu-Taghlib. One day she composed the following rhyming sentences: "The Lord of heavens orders you to carry out against ar-Ribâb^[26] invasions." She invaded them but was defeated by them, they being the only ones who fought against her.^[27] She then came to Musailimah-l-Kadhdhâb [the false Prophet] at Ḥajar and married him,^[28] making her religion one with his. When he was killed, she returned to her brethren and there she died. According to ibn-al-Kalbi, however, Sajâḥ accepted Islâm and emigrated to al-Baṣrah and remained a good Moslem. ʿAbd-al-Aʿla ibn-Ḥammâd an-Narsi heard it said by certain sheikhs of al-Baṣrah that Samurah ibn-Jundab al-Fazâri led her funeral service as he was the governor of al-Baṣrah under Muʿâwiyah before the arrival of ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ziyâd from Khurâsân to assume the office of governor of al-Baṣrah. Ibn-al-Kalbi added that the muezzin of Sajâḥ was al-Janabah^[29] ibn-Ṭâriḳ ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Ḥauṭ ar-Riyâḥi, and others say^[30] it was Shabath ibn-Ribʿi ar-Riyâḥi.

The insurrection of Khaulân. Khaulân in al-Yaman having apostatized, ʿUmar sent against them Yaʿla ibn-Munyah (Munyah, his mother, was of the banu-Mâzin ibn-Manṣûr ibnʿIkrimah ibn-Khaṣafah ibn-Ḳais ibn-ʿAilân ibn-Muḍar, and his father was Umaiyah ibn-abi-ʿUbaidah, one of the sons of Mâlik ibn-Ḥanẓalah ibn-Mâlik, an ally of the banu-Naufal ibn-ʿAbd-Manâf) who won a great victory over them and carried away booty and captives. According to others, however, he met no resistance, and all of them returned to Islâm.

Footnotes

1. Ar. ʿiḳâl, see an-Nasâʾi, Sunan, vol. i, p. 335.
2. Yaḥya ibn-Ādaín, p. 122; Bakri, p. 657.
3. Abu-Bakr.
4. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1870: "dhu-l-Ḳaṣṣah."
5. Ibn-Saʿd, vol. iii¹, p. 37.
6. Yâʿḳûbi, vol. ii, p. 145.
7. He imitated Muḥammad by composing sajʿ or rhyming prose, see Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1738; and Goldziher, Muhammedanische Studien, vol. ii, p. 4001.
8. Hishâm, p. 453.
9. Khâlid's surname was abu-Sulaimân, see Nawâwi, p. 224; and ibn-Ḳutaibah, Kitâb al-Maʿârif, p. 90.
10. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1897; Athîr, vol. ii, p. 264.
11. Cf. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1898.
12. Freytag, Prov., vol. i, p. 174, no. 80, and p. 731, no. 63.
13. Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 815; Bakri, p. 412.
14. or Abânân; Yâkût, vol. i, p. 75; Bakri, p. 63.
15. Skizzen, vol, vi, p. 11, note 1.
16. Bakri, p. 696, and p. 718, line 12.
17. Cf. Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 161, lines 12–13.
18. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1907.
19. Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 661.
20. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 1924.
21. Cf. Ḥajar, vol. iii, p. 722; abu-l-Fida, al-Mukhtaṣar, vol. i, p. 158, (Cairo, 1325).
22. Cf. De Slane, Ibn-Khallikân, vol. iii, pp. 651–652.
23. Aghâni, vol. xiv, pp. 70–71.
24. Ibn-Ḳutaibah, Kitâb ash-Shiʿr, pp. 193–194.
25. Ar. kâhin; see Skizzen, vol. iii, p. 130; Goldziher, Abhandlungen zur Arabischen Philologie, vol. i, pp. 107–108; Zaidân, vol. iii, pp. 16–18; J. G. Frazer, Golden Bough, vol. i, p. 230.
26. The confederate tribes of Ṭai, ʿAdi and ʿUḳl.
27. Skizzen, vol. vi, p. 14.
28. Aghâni, vol. xii, p. 157; abu-l-Fida, vol. i, p. 157 (Cairo, 1325).
29. Dhahabi, Mushtabih, p. 141.
30. Duraid, p. 137.