was a little earth-grown vegetation. We lifted the two of them out; their bodies were supple, as though they had been buried only yesterday.

This was ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ ibn Zayd ibn Ḥarām ibn Kaʿb ibn Ghanm al-Anṣārī al-Salamī, the chief of Banū Salamah. Ibn Saʿd and others state that he took part in Badr. His son, Muʿādh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ, was the one who severed Abū Jahl’s leg, and the Prophet ﷺ awarded Muʿādh the spoils. ʿAmr was also the husband of the sister of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn Ḥarām.

Thābit al-Banānī narrated from ʿIkrima: Manaf—the household idol—stood in the home of ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ. When Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr arrived in Medina, ʿAmr sent for him and his companions, saying, “What is this you have brought us?” They replied, “If you wish, we will come and let you hear it.” They agreed on a time; they came and recited, “Alif. Lām. Rā. These are the verses of the clear Book” (Q 12:1), and continued with whatever Allah willed them to recite. ʿAmr said, “We must confer with our people”—for he was the chief of Banū Salamah—and they left.

He then entered upon Manaf and said, “O Manaf, by Allah, you know these folk are aiming at you alone. Have you any power to resist?” He slung a sword around the idol’s neck and went out. His family removed the sword. When he returned and found the sword gone he exclaimed, “O Manaf, where is the sword? Shame on you! Even a she-goat protects her backside! By Allah, I see no good in Abū Juʿār tomorrow.” Then he told them, “I am off to my property; look after Manaf well.” As soon as he left they smashed the idol and tied it to a dead dog.

When he came back and saw Manaf in that state, he summoned his people. They gathered, and he asked, “Are you not upon the same religion as I am?” They replied, “Indeed—we follow you; you are our chief.” He said, “Then bear witness that I have believed in Muhammad.”

On the day of Uḥud the Prophet ﷺ proclaimed, “Rise to a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth!” ʿAmr—though he was lame—stood up, fought, and was killed as a martyr.