they would go into the room where his idol was kept and hurl it—head-down—into the foulest pit.
When morning came and ʿAmr found it so, he would be aggrieved; he would retrieve the idol, wash it, perfume it, and set it back in its place—only for them to repeat the very same act. At last ʿAmr saw the truth of the matter and embraced Islam.
He then composed some lines of poetry, among them:
“By God, had you truly been a god,
you would not be lying with a dog at the bottom of a well!
Shame on your lodging as a god to be visited;
today we have examined you and found you the worst of losses.” (1)
Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated—from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār—(ḥ); and Fitr ibn Khalīfah, from Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit—(ḥ); and Ibn ʿUyaynah, from Ibn al-Munkadir:
that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Banū Salamah, who is your chief?”
They replied, “Al-Jadd ibn Qays, but we deem him miserly.”
He said, “And what disease is more destructive than miserliness? Rather, (2) your chief is the fair-haired, handsome man: ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ.” (3)
Al-Wāqidī said: He did not witness Badr, for he was lame. When the Muslims set out on the Day of Uḥud, his sons tried to prevent him, saying, “Allah has excused you.”
So he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and complained about them.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not keep him back; perhaps Allah will grant him martyrdom.” (4)