He waited for some time, and then a herald arrived with the news that the armies had indeed met that very day (1).

Banū ʿAfrāʾ

72 – Muʿādh ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Rifāʿah al-Anṣārī*—son of al-Ḥārith ibn Sawād ibn Mālik ibn Ghanm ibn Mālik ibn al-Najjār, of the clan of Banū al-Najjār, al-Anṣārī, al-Najjārī.

He was the brother of ʿAwf, Rāfiʿ, and Rifāʿah.

Their mother was ʿAfrāʾ bint ʿUbayd ibn Thaʿlabah ibn ʿUbayd ibn Thaʿlabah ibn Ghanm ibn Mālik ibn al-Najjār.

He was present at the Battle of Badr.

His children were: ʿUbayd Allah, al-Ḥārith, ʿAwf, Salmā, Ibrāhīm, ʿĀʾishah, and Sārah.

Al-Wāqidī said: “It is related that this Muʿādh and Rāfiʿ ibn Mālik al-Zurqī were the first of the Anṣār to embrace Islam in Mecca, although the report concerning the six men is the better-attested one” (2).

Muʿādh was present at both Pledges of ʿAqabah, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ joined him in brotherhood with Maʿmar ibn al-Ḥārith al-Jumaḥī, one of the participants in Badr (3).