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

by Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá al-Balādhurī

PART I

ARABIA

CHAPTER I

Al-Madînah

In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful, whose help I solicit!

The Prophet in al-Madînah. Says Aḥmad ibn-Yaḥya ibn-Jâbir:—

I have been informed by certain men learned in tradition, biography, and the conquest of the lands, whose narratives I transmitted, abridged and pieced up together into one whole, that when the Messenger of Allah emigrated from Makkah to al-Madînah he was entertained as the guest of Kalthûm ibn-Hidm ibn-Amru’i-l-Ḳais ibn-al-Ḥarîth ibn-Zaid ibn-‘Ubaid ibn-Umaiyah ibn-Zaid ibn-Mâlik ibn-‘Auf ibn-‘Amr ibn-‘Auf ibn-Mâlik ibn-al-Aus^[1] in Ḳubâ’.^[2] So much, however, of his discourse was carried on in the home of Sa‘d ibn-Khaithamah ibn-al-Ḥârith ibn-Mâlik of [the tribe of] banu-as-Sâlim ibn-Amru’i-l-Ḳais ibn-Mâlik ibn-al-Aus that some thought he was the guest of the latter.^[3]

Ḳubâ’ Mosque. Of the Companions of the Prophet, the early Emigrants together with those of the Anṣâr^[4] who had joined him had already built a mosque at Ḳubâ’ to pray in, prayer at the time being directed towards Bait-al-Maḳdis [Jerusalem]. Now, when the Prophet arrived in Ḳubâ’, he led them in prayer in it. That is why the people of Ḳubâ’ say that it is the one meant by Allah when he says "There is a mosque founded from its first day in piety. More worthy that thou enter therein."^[5] Others report that the "mosque founded in piety" is that of the Prophet [in al-Madînah].

Abu-‘Âmir ar-Râhib. ‘Affân ibn-Muslim aṣ-Ṣaffâr from ‘Urwah^[6] who gave the following explanation to the text: "There are some who have built a mosque for mischief and for infidelity, and to disunite the 'Believers,' and in expectation of him who, in time past, warred against Allah and his Messenger":—The mosque of Ḳubâ’ was built by Sa‘d ibn-Khaithamah and its site was owned by Labbah^[7] where she used to tie up her donkey. The dissenters therefore said: "Should we pray on the spot where Labbah used to tie up her donkey? Never. Rather shall we select for ourselves some other place for prayer until abu-‘Âmir^[8] comes and leads our service." Now, abu-Âmir had fled from the face of Allah and his Prophet to Makkah and thence to Syria where he was converted to Christianity. Hence the text revealed by Allah: "There are some who have built a mosque for mischief and for infidelity and to disunite the 'Believers,' and in expectation of him who, in time past, warred against Allah and his Messenger"—referring to abu-‘Âmir.

Rauḥ ibn-‘Abd-al-Mu’min al-Maḳri from Sa‘îd ibn-Jubair:—Banu-‘Amr ibn-‘Auf erected a mosque in which the Prophet led them in prayer. This aroused the jealousy of their brothers banu-Ghanm ibn-‘Auf who said, "If we, too, could erect a mosque and invite the Prophet to pray in is as he prayed in our friends'! Abu-‘Âmir, too, may pass here on his way from Syria and lead us in prayer." Accordingly, they erected a mosque and sent an invitation to the Prophet to come and pray in it. But no sooner had the Prophet got up to start, than the following text was revealed to him: "There are some who have built a mosque for mischief and for infidelity and to disunite the 'Believers,' and in expectation of him who, in time past, warred against Allah and his Messenger," the one meant being abu-‘Âmir, "never set thou foot in it. There is a mosque founded from its first day in piety. More worthy it is that thou enter therein. Therein are men who aspire to purity and Allah loveth the purified. Which of the two is best? He who hath founded his building on the fear of Allah and the desire to please him," etc., referring to the mosque of Ḳubâ’.

Muḥammad ibn-Ḥâtim ibn-Maimûn from al-Ḥasan:—When the text, "Therein are men who aspire to purity" was revealed, the Prophet communicated with those who prayed in the mosque of Ḳubâ’ asking about the meaning of the purity mentioned in connection with their name, and they replied, "We, Prophet of Allah, wash after voiding excrement and urine."

"The mosque founded in piety." Muḥammad ibn-Ḥâtim from ‘Âmir:—Some of the people of Ḳubâ’ used to wash with water the place of exit of the excrement.^[9] Hence the text, "They aspire to purity."

‘Amr ibn-Muḥammad an-Nâḳid and Aḥmad ibn-Hishâm from Sahl ibn-Sa‘d:—Two men in the time of the Prophet disagreed regarding the "mosque founded in piety," the one contending it was the Prophet's mosque, the other, the Ḳubâ’ mosque. They finally came and asked the Prophet to which he replied, "It is this mosque of mine."^[10]

‘Amr ibn-Muḥammad from ibn-‘Umar:—The "mosque founded in piety" is the mosque of the Prophet.

Muḥammad ibn-Ḥâtim from Ubai ibn-Ka‘b:—In answer to a question directed to the Prophet regarding the "mosque founded in piety," the Prophet replied: "It is this my mosque."

Hudbah ibn-Khâlid from Sa‘îd ibn-al-Musaiyib who said regarding the "mosque founded in piety" that the great mosque of the Prophet is the one meant.

A tradition to the same effect is reported by ‘Ali ibn-‘Abdallâh al-Madîni on the authority of Khârijah ibn-Zaid ibn-Thâbit and by ‘Affân on the authority of Sa‘îd ibn-al-Musaiyib, and by Muḥammad ibn-Ḥâtim ibn-Maimûn as-Samîn on the authority of ‘Abd-ar-Raḥmân ibn-abi-Sa‘îd al-Khudri's father.

Ḳubâ’ mosque was later enlarged and added to. When ‘Abdallâh ibn-‘Umar entered it for prayer, he always turned his face to the "polished column"^[11]; and that was the place where the Prophet always prayed.

The Prophet arrives at al-Madînah. The Prophet spent in Ḳubâ’ Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, riding away on Friday for al-Madînah. Friday prayer he performed in a mosque erected by banu-Sâlim ibn-‘Auf ibn-‘Amr ibn-‘Auf ibn-al-Khazraj, that being the first Friday on which he led public prayer. Then the Prophet passed by the houses of the Anṣâr one by on^[12] and each one of them offered to entertain him. He kept his way, however, until he arrived at the site of his mosque in al-Madinah where his camel knelt.^[13] He dismounted. Then came abu-Aiyûb Khâlid ibn-Zaid …^[14] ibn-al-Khazraj who took off the saddle of the Prophet's camel. The Prophet took up his abode at abu-Aiyûb's.^[15] Certain Khazrajis invited the Prophet, but he retorted, "Man is where his camel's saddle is." He remained at abu-Aiyûb's for seven months. He took up his residence there after [Friday-] prayer, one month since his departure [from Makkah]. The Anṣâr presented to the Prophet all the unoccupied parts of their lands, saying, "O Prophet of Allah, take our own dwellings if thou wish." But he said, "No!"

The mosque of the Prophet. Abu-Umâmah^[16] Asʿad ibn-Zurârah ibn-ʿUdas ibn-ʿUbaid ibn-Thaʿlabah ibn-Ghanm ibn-Mâlik ibn-an-Najjâr, Naḳîb-in-chief,^[17] used to conduct Friday prayers for his Moslem followers in a mosque of his own in which the Prophet, too, used to pray. The Prophet, thereafter, requested Asʿad to sell him a piece of land contiguous to this mosque. The land was in the hands of Asʿad but belonged to two orphans in his custody whose names were Sahl and Suhail sons of Râfiʿ ibn-abi-ʿAmr ibn-ʿÂʾidh ibn-Thaʿlabah ibn-Ghanm.^[18] Asʿad proposed to offer it to the Prophet and to pay its price to the orphans himself. But the Prophet refused and paid for its price ten dînârs,^[19] which money he secured from abu-Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddiḳ. By the Prophet's orders, bricks were prepared and used for building the mosque. Its foundations were laid with stones; its roof was covered with palm branches; and its columns were made of trunks of trees.^[20] When abu-Bakr became caliph he introduced no changes in the mosque. When ʿUmar was made caliph he enlarged it and asked al-ʿAbbâs ibn-ʿAbd-al-Muṭṭalib to sell his house that he might add it to the mosque. Al-ʿAbbâs offered the house as a gift to Allah and the Moslems; and ʿUmar added it to the mosque.

In his caliphate, ʿUthmân ibn-ʿAffân reconstructed the mosque with stone and gypsum, making its columns of stone, and its roof of teak-wood. ʿUthmân also added to the mosque and carried to it small pebbles from al-ʿAḳîk.^[21] The first caliph to plant in it maḳṣûrah^[22] was Marwân ibn-al-Ḥakam ibn-abi-l-ʿÂṣi ibn-Umaiyah who made his maḳṣûrah of carved stones. No change was thereafter introduced in the mosque until al-Walîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân succeeded his father. This al-Walîd wrote to his ʿâmil [lieutenant, governor] in al-Madînah, ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAziz, ordering him to destroy the mosque and reconstruct it. Meanwhile, he forwarded to him money, mosaic, marble, and eighty Greek and Coptic artisans from Syria and Egypt. Accordingly, the ʿâmil rebuilt it and added to it, entrusting the supervision of its work and the expenditure for it to Ṣâliḥ ibn-Kaisân, a freedman of Suʿda, a freedmaid of the family of Muʿaiḳîb ibn-abi-Fâṭimah ad-Dausi. This took place in the year 87, some say 88.^[23] After this, no caliph made changes in the mosque down to the time of al-Mahdi's caliphate.

According to al-Wâḳidi, al-Mahdi sent ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Shabîb al-Ghassâni and another^[24] descended from ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz to al-Madînah to reconstruct its mosque and increase it in size. The governor of al-Madînah was at that time Jaʿfar ibn-Sulaimân ibn-ʿAli. It took these two one year to carry out the undertaking. One hundred cubits [Ar. dhirâʿ] were added to the rear, making its length 300 cubits and its width 200.

According to ʿAli ibn-Muḥammad al-Madâʾini, al-Mahdi appointed Jaʿfar ibn- Sulaimân to the governorship of Makkah, al-Madînah and al-Yamâmah. Jaʿfar enlarged the mosques of Makkah and al-Madînah, the work in the latter being completed in the year 162. Al-Mahdi had visited Makkah before the pilgrimage season, in the year [1]60, and ordered that the maḳṣûrah be supplanted and that it be put on the same level with the mosque.

In the year 246, caliph Jaʿfar al-Mutawakkil ordered that the mosque of al-Madînah be repaired. Much mosaic was subsequently carried to it; and the year 247 marked the completion of the work.

ʿAmr ibn-Ḥammâd ibn-abi-Ḥanîfah from ʿÂʾishah:—The Prophet said: "All districts or cities were conquered by force, but al-Madînah was conquered by the Koran."

The inviolability of al-Madînah. Shaibân ibn-abi-Shaibah-l-Ubulli from al-Ḥasan:—The Prophet said: "Every prophet can make a place inviolable, so I have made al-Madînah inviolable as Abraham had made Makkah. Between its two Ḥarrahs,^[25] its herbage shall not be cut, its trees shall not be felled,^[26] nor should weapons be carried in it for fight. He, therefore, who does that or harbors in his home one who has done so, may be cursed of Allah and his angels and all men. From him no repentance or ransom shall be accepted."

Rauḥ ibn-ʿAbd-al-Muʾmin al-Baṣri-l-Maḳri from abu-Hurairah:—The Prophet said: "My Lord, Abraham was thy servant and messenger, and so am I thy servant and messenger. And I have made inviolable all that lies between its two stony tracts as Abraham had made Makkah inviolable." Abu-Hurairah used to say: "By him who holds my life in his hands, even if I should find the deer in Baṭiḥân^[27] I would not care for them."

Shaibân ibn-abi-Shaibah from Muḥammad ibn-Ziyâd's grandfather (a freedman of ʿUthmân ibn-Maẓʿûn and the holder of a piece of land belonging to the Maẓʿûn family in Harrah) who said:—"ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb with his robe on his head would sometimes call on me at midnight, take a seat and converse with me. I would then bring him cucumbers and vegetables. But one day he said: 'Go not: I have made thee superintendent of this place. Let no one beat a tree with a stick [that its leaves may fall] or cut off a tree (referring to the trees of al-Madînah); and if thou find anyone doing it, take away his rope and ax.' When I asked him, 'Shall I take his robe?' he answered, 'No'."

Abu-Masʿûd ibn-al-Ḳattât from Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad's father:—The Prophet declared inviolable all trees growing between Uḥud and ʿAir, allowing [only] the driver of the water-carrying camel to cut al-ghaḍa^[28] trees and use them for repairing his ploughs and carts.

Ḥima ar-Rabadhah. Bakr ibn-al-Haitham from Zaid ibn-Aslam's father who said:—"I heard ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb say to one^[29] whom he placed in charge of Ḥima^[30] ar-Rabadhah and whose name Bakr forgot, 'Stretch not thy wing^[31] to any Moslem. Beware the cry of the oppressed, for it is answered. Admit [to the Ḥima] the owner of the small herd of camels and sheep but keep off the cattle of ibn-ʿAffân and ibn-ʿAuf; for if their cattle should perish they resort to sowing, whereas if the cattle of this poor man perish, he comes to me crying, "O, commander of the believers! O, commander of the believers!" To offer grass is easier for the Moslems than to offer money in gold and silver.^[32] By Allah, this is their land for which they fought in pre-Islamic time and which was included in their terms when they became Moslem. They would, therefore, certainly feel that I oppress them; and had it not been for the cattle [secured by declaring a place Ḥima] to be used in the cause of Allah, I would never make a part of a people's land Ḥimaʾ."

Ḥima an-Naḳîʿ. Al-Ḳâsim ibn-Sallâm abu-ʿUbaid from ibn-ʿUmar:—The Prophet declared an-Naḳîʿ ḥima and reserved it for the Moslem cavalry.^[33] Abu-ʿUbaid told me that it is an an-Naḳîʿ [and not al-Baḳîʿ, as some have it] and that the ḥandaḳûḳ plant [sweet trefoil] grows in it.

Musʿab ibn-ʿAbdallah az-Zubairi from Saʿd ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ:—The latter once found a young servant felling trees in the ḥima [reserved land]. He beat the servant and took his ax. The servant's mistress, or a woman of his kin, went to ʿUmar and accused Saʿd. ʿUmar ordered that the ax and the clothes be returned. But Saʿd refused saying, "I will not give up spoils given me by the Prophet whom I heard say, 'Whomever ye find cutting trees in the ḥima, ye should beat and deprive of what he has.'" From the ax Saʿd made a shovel which he used in his property to the end of his life.

Al-Ghâbah. Abu-l-Ḥasan al-Madâʾini from ibn-Juʿdubah and abu-Maʿshar:—When the Prophet was at Ẓuraib (probably on his return from the expedition of dhu-Ḳard) banu-Ḥârithah of the Anṣâr said to him referring to the site of al-Ghâbah [forest], "This is the place for our camels to go loose, and for our sheep to graze, and for our women to go out." The Prophet then ordered that he who had cut off a tree should replace it by planting a small shoot. Thus was al-Ghâbah planted with trees.

Wâdi-Mahzûr. ʿAbd-al-Aʿla ibn-Ḥammâd an-Narsi from abu-Mâlik ibn-Thaʿlabah's father:—The Prophet decreed in the case of Wâdi-Mahzûr^[34] that the water be shut off on the the surface until it rises to the two ankles, at which it should be conducted to the other place, thus preventing the owner of the higher property from holding the water from the owner of the lower one.

Isḥâḳ ibn-abi-Isrâʾîl from ʿAbd-ar-Raḥmân ibn-al-Ḥârith:—The Prophet decreed in the case of the Mahzûr torrent that the owner of the higher property should hold the water until it rises to the two ankles, at which he must let it go to the holder of the lower land.

ʿAmr ibn-Ḥammâd ibn-abi-Ḥanîfah from ʿAbdallah ibn-abi-Bakr ibn-Muḥammad ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Ḥazm al-Anṣâri's father:—The Prophet decreed in the case of Mahzûr torrent and Mudhainîb^[35] that the water be shut in until it reaches the two ankles, then the upper supplies the lower. According to Mâlik, the Prophet passed a similar judgment in the case of Baṭiḥân torrent.

Al-Ḥusain ibn-al-Aswad al-ʿIjli from abu-Mâlik ibn-Thaʿlabah ibn-abi-Mâlik's father:—The Prophet was called upon to decide in the case of Mahzûr, the valley of banu-Ḳuraiẓah, upon which he decreed that water rising above the two ankles cannot be shut in by the higher owner from the lower owner.

Al-Ḥusain from Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad's father:—The Prophet decreed in the case of Mahzûr torrent that the owners of palm trees have right to the ankle-high water, sowers have right to the water as high as the two straps of the sandal, after which the water is sent to the lower owners.

Ḥafs ibn-ʿUmar ad-Dûri from ʿUrwah:—The Prophet said: "Baṭiḥân is one of the channels of Paradise."

ʿAli ibn-Muḥammad al-Madâʾini abu-l-Ḥasan from Juʿdubah and others:—In the caliphate of ʿUthmân, al-Madînah was threatened with destruction by the Mahzûr torrent, which necessitated the erection of a dam by ʿUthmân. Abu-l-Ḥasan added that in the year 156 the torrent brought a terrifying volume of water. The governor at that time. ʿAbd-aṣ-Ṣamad ibn-ʿAli ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-al-ʿAbbâs, sent ʿUbaidallâh ibn-abi-Salamah-l-ʿUmri who, with a big crowd, started after the afternoon prayer to see the torrent which had, by that time, covered the ṣadaḳah-lands^[36] of the Prophet. An old woman from al-ʿÂliyah-region^[37] pointed out to them a spot to which she had often heard people refer. There they dug and the water found exit through which it passed to Wâdi-Baṭiḥân. From Mahzûr to Mudhainîb is a water-course which empties its water in it.

The Prophet calls al-Madînah Ṭaybah. Muḥammad ibn-Abân al-Wâsiṭi from al-Ḥasan:—The Prophet invoked Allah's blessing on al-Madînah and its inhabitants calling it Ṭaybah.^[38]

Abu-ʿUmar Ḥafṣ ibn-ʿUmar ad-Dûri from ʿÂʾishah, the mother of the believers:—When the Prophet emigrated to al-Madînah, a disease spread among the Moslems in it. Among those taken seriously ill were abu-Bakr, Bilâl and ʿÂmir ibn-Fuhairah. During his illness, abu-Bakr often repeated the following verse:^[39]

"One in the morning may lie amidst his family
⁠and death may be nearer to him than his sandal's strap."^[40]

Bilâl often repeated the following:

"O, would I that I spent a night
⁠at Fakh where idhkhir and jalîl^[41] plants surround me!
And would that I some day visit Majannah-water to drink it,
⁠and see Shâmah and Ṭafil [Mts.]!"

ʿÂmir ibn-Fuhairah used to repeat the following :

"I have found death before I tasted it,
⁠verily the death of the coward comes from above.^[42]
[Man struggles according to his own ability,]
⁠like the bull that protects his skin with his horn."^[43]

This was reported to the Prophet and he prayed: "Make al-Madînah, O Allah, wholesome for us as thou hast made Makkah for us, and bless for us its ṣâʿ and mudd^[44] [grain measures]!"

The water-course of al-Ḥarrah. Al-Walîd ibn-Ṣâliḥ from ʿUrwah: One—of the Anṣâr had a dispute with az-Zubair ibn-al-ʿAuwâm regarding the water-courses that run from al-Harrah to the plain. The Prophet said, "Zubair, use the water, then turn it to thy neighbor."^[45]

Al-ʿAḳîḳ as fief. Ḥusain ibn-ʿAli ibn-al-Aswad al-ʿIjli from Hishâm ibn-ʿUrwah's father:—As ʿUmar was parcelling al-ʿAḳîḳ into fiefs, he came to a part of it regarding which he remarked, "I never gave such a land in fief." To this Khauwât ibn-Jubair replied, "Give it out to me." And ʿUmar did.

Al-Ḥusain from Hishâm ibn-ʿUrwah's father:—ʿUmar gave al-ʿAḳîḳ in fief from its upper to its lower end.

Al-Ḥusain from Hishâm ibn-ʿUrwah:—ʿUmar accompanied by az-Zubair set out to distribute fiefs, and as ʿUmar was giving them out, he passed by al-ʿAḳîḳ and said: "Where are the seekers of fiefs? I have not yet today passed by a more fertile land." Az-Zubair said: "Give it out to me." And ʿUmar did.

A similar tradition was communicated by al-Ḥusain from Hishâm ibn-ʿUrwah's father.

Khalaf ibn-Hishâm al-Bazzâr from Hishâm ibn-ʿUrwah's father who said:—"Umar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb gave out as fief to Khauwât ibn-Jubair al-Anṣâri a piece of dead land. This we bought from him."

A similar tradition was communicated to me by al-Ḥusain ibn-al-Aswad on the authority of Hishâm's father.

Other fiefs. Al-Ḥusain from ʿUrwah:—Abu-Bakr gave out as fief to az-Zubair the land lying between al-Jurf^[46] and Ḳanâh.^[47] Abu-l-Ḥasan al-Madâʾini told me that Ḳanâh is a valley stretching from aṭ-Ṭâʾif to al-Arḥaḍîyah and Ḳarḳarat al-Kudr and thence it comes to Sudd-Maʿûnah from which it runs by the end of al-Ḳadûm and ends at the head of Ḳubûr ash-Shuhadâʾ [martyrs' tombs] at Uḥud.

Abu-ʿUbaid al-Ḳâsim ibn-Sallâm from certain learned men:—The Prophet gave out as fief to Bilâl ibn-al-Ḥârith al-Muzani certain mines^[48] in the Furuʿ district.

ʿAmr an-Nâḳid and ibn-Sahm al-Anṭâki from abu-ʿIkrimah the freedman of Bilâl ibn-al-Ḥârith al-Muzani:—The Prophet gave out as fief to Bilâl a piece of land having a mountain and mines. The sons of Bilâl sold a part of it to ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz in which one mineral (or he may have said two) appeared. The sons of Bilâl thereupon said: "What we sold thee is not the minerals but the tillable land." Then they brought forth a statement written for them by the Prophet on a palm leaf which ʿUmar kissed and with which he rubbed his eye saying to his steward: "Find out what the income and the expenses are, retain what thou hast expended, and give them back the balance."

Abu-ʿUbaid from Bilâl ibn-al-Ḥârith:—The Prophet gave out all al-ʿAḳîḳ as fief to Bilâl.

The zakât on the metals. Musʿab az-Zubairi from Mâlik ibn-Anas:—The Prophet assigned as fief to Bilâl ibn-al-Ḥârith certain mines in the Furuʿ district. On this, all our learned men agree. Nor do I know of any disagreement among our followers regarding the fact that in the case of mines the zakât is one-fourth of the tithe. It is reported that az-Zuhri often repeated that in the case of mines zakât is binding. It is moreover reported that he said that the zakât is one-fifth. That is what the people of al-ʿIrâḳ say who at present impose on the mines of al-Furuʿ, Najrân, dhu-l-Warwah, Wâdi-l-Ḳura and others one-fifth in accordance with the view of Sufyân ath-Thauri, abu-Ḥanîfah, abu-Yûsuf and the school of al-ʿIrâḳ.^[49]

ʿAli's fiefs. Al-Ḥusain ibn-al-Aswad from Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad:—The Prophet assigned to ʿAli as fief four pieces of land, i. e., the two Fuḳairs, Biʾr-Ḳais, and ash-Shajarah.^[50]

A similar tradition was communicated to me by al-Ḥusain on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad.

ʿAmr ibn-Muḥammad an-Nâḳid from Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad's father:—ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb assigned to ʿAli as fief Yanbuʿ,^[51] and another piece was added to it.

A similar tradition was communicated to me by al-Ḥusain on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn-Muḥammad's father.

The well of ʿUrwah, the reservoir of ʿAmr and the canal of Banât-Nâʾilah, etc. The next tradition was communicated to me by one in whom I trust on the authority of Musʿab ibnʿAbdallâh az-Zubairi:—The well of ʿUrwah ibn-az-Zubair is named after ʿUrwah ibn-az-Zubair; the ʿAmr reservoir is named after ʿAmr ibn-az-Zubair; the canal of Banât-Nâʾilah is named after children of Nâʾilah, daughter of al-Farâfiṣah-l-Kalbîyah and wife of ʿUthmân ibn-ʿAffân (ʿUthmân had taken possession of this canal and conveyed its water to a piece of land at al-ʿArṣah^[52] which he cultivated and worked); the land of abu-Hurairah is ascribed to abu-Hurairah ad-Dausi; and aṣ-Ṣahwah in Mt. Juhainah is the ṣadaḳah of ʿAbdallah ibn-ʿAbbâs.

Ḳaṣr-Nafîs. It is said that the Nafîs castle is ascribed to Nafîs at-Tâjir [the merchant] ibn-Muḥammad ibn-Zaid ibn-ʿUbaid ibn-al-Muʿalla ibn-Laudhân ibn-Ḥârithah ibn-Zaid of al-Khazraj, the allies of banu-Zuraiḳ ibn-ʿAbd-Ḥârithah of al-Khazraj. This castle stands in Ḥarrat-Wâḳim at al-Madînah. ʿUbaid ibn-al-Muʿalla died as martyr in the battle of Uḥud. Others say it is Nafîs ibn-Muḥammad ibn-Zaid ibn-ʿUbaid ibn-Murrah, Muʿalla's freedman. This ʿUbaid and his father were among the captives of ʿAin at-Tamr. ʿUbaid ibn-Murrah died in the battles of al-Ḥarrah. His surname was abu-ʿAbdallâh.

ʿÂʾishah well. The ʿÂʾishah well is ascribed to ʿÂʾishah ibn-Numair ibn-Wâḳif, ʿÂʾishah being a man's name of al-Aus.

Al-Muṭṭalib well and al-Murtafiʿ well. Al-Muṭṭalib well on the ʿIrâḳ road is ascribed to al-Muṭṭalib ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ḥanṭab ibn-al-Ḥârith ibn-ʿUbaid ibn-ʿUmar ibn-Makhzûm. Ibn-al-Murtafiʿ well is ascribed to Muḥammad ibn-al-Murtafiʿ ibn-an-Naḍir al-ʿAbdari.

The Sûḳ in al-Madînah. Muḥammad ibn-Saʿd from ʿAṭâ ibn-Yasâr, the freedman of Maimûnah, daughter of al-Ḥârith ibn-Ḥazn ibn-Bujair of al-Hilâl tribe:—When the Prophet wanted to found a market in al-Madînah he said: "This is your market and no kharâj will be assessed on it."

The ʿArim dam. Al-ʿAbbâs ibn-Hishâm al-Kalbi from his grandfather and Sharḳi ibn-al-Ḳuṭâmi-l-Kalbi:—When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem,^[53] expelled of the Israelites those whom he expelled, and carried away those whom he carried into captivity, some Israelites fled away to al-Ḥijâz and settled in Wâdi-l-Ḳura, Taimaʿ, and Yathrib. At that time there lived in Yathrib a tribe of Jurhum and a remnant of al-ʿAmâlîḳ who lived on date-planting and wheat-growing. Among these, the Israelites settled and associated with them, and kept increasing in number, as Jurhum and al-ʿAmâlîk were decreasing, until the former drove the latter from Yathrib and established their authority over it, taking possession of their cultivated and pasture lands. This was their condition for a long time. Then it came to pass that those of the people of al-Yaman descended from Saba ibn-Yashjub ibn-Yaʿrub ibn-Ḳaḥṭân were filled with the spirit of oppression and tyranny and ignored the grace of their God in regards to the fertility and luxury he bestowed on them. Consequently, Allah created rats that began to bore the dam, which stood between two mountains and had pipes which the people could open when they wished and get as much water as they wanted. This is the ʿArim dam.^[54] The rats went on working on the dam until it was broken-through. Thus did Allah let their gardens sink and their trees disappear, changing them into khamt,^[55] tamarisk and some few jujube trees.^[56]

The wanderings of al-Azd. Seeing what happened, Muzaiḳîyah i. e. ʿAmr ibn-ʿÂmir … ibn-Amruʾi-l-Ḳais … ibn-Yaʿrub ibn-Ḳaḥṭân sold all the property and cattle he possessed, summoned the Azd and started together to the land of the tribe of ʿAkk. There they settled. ʿAmr remarked: "To seek herbage before knowledge is weakness." The tribe of ʿAkk were distressed at the fall of their best lands into the hands of al-Azd and asked the latter to evacuate the land. Thereupon a one-eyed and deaf man of al-Azd, named Jidhʿ, made an attack on a ʿAkk party and destroyed them. This resulted in a war between al-Azd and ʿAkk. The Azd, after being defeated, returned and charged, in reference to which Jidhʿ composed the following verse:

⁠"We are the descendants of Mâzin—there is no doubt,
the Ghassân of Ghassân versus the ʿAkk of ʿAkk,
⁠and they shall see whether we or they are the weaker."

(Previous to this al-Azd had settled near a spring called Ghassân. Hence their name, Ghassân.)^[57] Al-Azd now set off until they arrived in the land of Ḥakam ibn-Saʿd al-ʿAshîrah … ibn Yaʿrub ibn-Ḳaḥṭân. There they fought and won the victory over Ḥakam. But it occurred to them to move, and they did, leaving a small band behind. The next place they came to was Najrân. Here they met resistance from the inhabitants of the place but finally won the victory. After settling in Najrân they departed with the exception of a few who had special reasons to stay. Al-Azd then arrived in Makkah which was populated with the Jurhum tribe. They made their abode in Baṭn-Marr. Thaʿlabah the son of ʿAmr Muzaiḳîya demanded of Jurhum that the plain of Makkah be given to his people. This request having been refused, a battle ensued in which Thaʿlabah got control of the plain. Thaʿlabah and his people, however, realized after this that the place was unwholesome, and found it hard to make their living in it; so they dispersed, one band of them leaving for ʿUmân, another for as-Sarât, another for al-Anbâr and al-Ḥîrah, another for Syria and one band chose Makkah for abode. This made Jidhʿ say: "Every time ye go to a place, ye al-Azd, some of you detach^[58] themselves from the rest. Ye are on the point of becoming the tail among the Arabs." That is why those who settled in Makkah were called Khuzâʿah.^[59] Then came Thaʿlabah ibn-ʿAmr Muzaiḳîya with his son and followers to Yathrib whose people were Jews. They settled outside the city where they grew and increased in number and became so strong as to drive the Jews from Yathrib. Thus they came to live inside the city and the Jews outside of it.

Al-Aus and al-Khazraj. Al-Aus and al-Khazraj are the sons of Ḥârithah ibn-Thaʿlabah^[60] ibn-ʿAmr Muzaiḳîya ibn-ʿÂmir, and their mother was Ḳailah, daughter of al-Arḳam. Some say she was a Ghassanide of al-Azd tribe, others say she was of ʿUdhrah tribe.

In pre-Islamic times, the Aus and the Khazraj saw many battles which made them trained in warfare. They became so used to fighting that their valor spread far, their courage became well known, their bravery was often cited and their name became a source of terror in the hearts of the Arabs, who feared them. Their possessions were well guarded against encroachment, and their neighbor was well protected; and all that was preparatory to the fact that Allah wanted to have them support his Prophet and to honor them by lending him aid.

It is reported that at the arrival of the Prophet in al-Madînah he wrote an agreement and made a covenant with the Jews of Yathrib.^[61] The Jews of Ḳainuḳâʿ, however, were the first to violate the covenant, and the Prophet expelled them from al-Madînah. The first land that the Prophet conquered was that of the banu-an-Naḍîr.

Footnotes

1. Ibn-Ḥajar, Kitâb al-Iṣâbah, vol. iii, pp. 613–614.
2. A suburb of al-Madînah; see Yâḳût, Mu’jam al-Buldân, vol. iv, pp. 23–24.
3. Ibn-Hishâm, Sîrat Rasûl Allâh, p. 334.
4. The Helpers—originally applied to the early converts of al-Madînah.
5. Koran, 9:109.
6. The series of authorities introducing a tradition have been cut short throughout the translation, only the first and last authorities being mentioned.
7. "Lajja" in F. Wüstenfeld, Geshichte der Stadt Medina, p. 131.
8. Ibn-Hishâm, pp. 561–562; and Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 53.
9. Cf. az-Zamakhshari, Kashshâf, vol. i, p. 564 (ed. Lees).
10. Baiḍâwi, Anwâr at-Tanzîl, vol. i, p. 401.
11. Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 65.
12. Ibn-Hishâm, p. 336.
13. Ibn-Saʿd, Kitâb aṭ-Ṭabaḳât, vol. i¹, p. 160.
14. In this and in other cases to come, the genealogical table has been cut short in the translation.
15. Ad-Diyârbakri, al-Khamîs, vol. i, p. 386.
16. Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 60.
17. Naḳîb is the superintendent of a people who takes cognizance of their actions and is responsible for them; ibn-Ḥajar, vol. i, pp. 61–63.
18. Ibn-Hishâm, p. 503.
19. A gold coin worth about ten shillings.
20. Al-Hamadhâni, Kitâb al-Buldân, p. 24.
21. Hamadhâni, Kitâb al-Buldân, p. 25.
22. See JAOS., vol. xxvii, pp. 273–274, Gottheil, "a distinguished family of Fatimite Cadis"; and Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 71.
23. Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 73.
24. ʿAbdallâh ibn-ʿÂṣim; De Goeje's edition of Balâdhuri, p. 7, note b.
25. The word means tracts of black stones, i. e., the volcanic region in the vicinity of al-Madînah.
26. Al-Bukhâri, al-Jâmiʿ aṣ-Ṣaḥîḥ, vol. i, p. 40.
27. Also Baṭḥân or Buṭḥân; see al-Hamdâni, Ṣifat Jazîrat al-ʿArab, p. 124, line 9.
28. "Of the genus Euphorbia with a woody stem, often 5 or 6 ft. in height, and innumerable round green twigs"—Palgrave's Travels, vol. i, p. 38.
29. Whose name was Hunai; Bukhâri, vol. ii, p. 263.
30. Reservation, pasture land reserved for the public use of a community or tribe to the exclusion of everyone else. Rabadhah was a district and a village 5 miles from al-Madînah.
31. Treat leniently, see ibn-al-Athîr, an-Nihâyah, vol. iii, p. 26.
32. i. e., it is easier to let the owner of the little herd feed his flock on the Ḥima than to give him money for sustaining his children.
33. Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 155; Wâḳidi, Kitâb al-Maghâzi, pp. 183–184. Naḳîʿ lay 20 parasangs from Madînah.
34. One of the valleys of Madînah, see al-Bakri, Kitâb Muʿjam Ma-s-taʿjam, vol. ii, p. 562.
35. "Mudhainib" in al-Bakri, pp. 518, 562.
36. Mawardi, al-Aḥkâm as-Sulṭânîyah, p. 292. Ṣadaḳah is a portion which a man gives from his property to the poor by way of propitiation. It is primarily superogatory, whereas zakât is obligatory.
37. Yâḳût, s.v. ʿÂliyah.
38. Al-Hamadhâni, Kitâb al-Buldân, p. 23; Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 10.
39. Hishâm, p. 414; Azraḳi, Akhbâr Makkah, p. 383.
40. Cf. Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, vol. i, p. 492, no. 63.
41. Idhkhir a small plant of sweet smell used for roofing houses. Jalîl a weak plant with which the interstices of houses are stopped up.
42. Freytag, Proverbia, vol. i, p. 7, no. 10.
43. Az-Zamakhshari, al-Fâʾiḳ, vol. ii, pp. 5–6.
44. Wâḳidi, al-Maghâzi, p. 14; al-Azraḳi, p. 382.
45. One tradition occurring here and defining certain terms in the previous tradition has been omitted in the translation. Evidently it is a gloss.
46. Called ʿArṣat al-Baḳal in al-Wâḳidi's days, see Wâkidi, tr. Wellhausen, pp. 103–104.
47. A valley near Mount Thaib, one day's journey from Madînah.
48. The mines of al-Ḳabaliyah, see al-Muṭarrizi, Kitâb al-Mughrib, vol. ii, p. 108.
49. Mâlik ibn-Anas, al-Mudauwanah, vol. ii, p. 47; ash-Shâfiʿi, Kitâb al-Umm, vol. ii², p. 36.
50. Yâḳût, vol. iii, pp. 260–261.
51. Yâḳût, vol. iv, pp. 1038–1039.
52. See Yâḳût, al-Mushtarik, p. 159.
53. Bait al-Maḳdis or al-Bait al-Muḳaddas. See ibn-Khurdâdhbih, Kitâb al-Masâlik, pp. 78 and 79.
54. Koran, 34: 15.
55. A tree with bitter fruit.
56. GGA, 1863, p. 1348.
57. Near Sudd-Maʾrib in al-Yaman; Hishâm, p. 6.
58. Ar. inkhazaʿa, see an-Nihâyah under khazaʿa.
59. Azraḳi, p. 55.
60. Hishâm, p. 140; Geschichte der Stadt Medina, p. 56.
61. One of the names of Madînah.