The Expedition of Biʾr Maʿūnah

Ibn Isḥāq said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched the party of Biʾr Maʿūnah in the month of Ṣafar, four months after the Battle of Uḥud.

Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah relates that al-Zuhrī said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik, together with other scholars, informed me that ʿĀmir ibn Mālik—known as Mulāʿib al-Asinnah (“the one who plays with spears”)—came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while still a polytheist. The Prophet offered him Islam, but he refused. He then presented the Prophet with a gift, whereupon the Prophet said, “I do not accept a gift from a polytheist.” ʿĀmir replied, “Send with me whichever of your envoys you wish; I guarantee their safety.” So the Prophet sent a group that included al-Mundhir ibn ʿAmr al-Sāʿidī—who was called aʿnaq li-yamūt (one who rushes headlong to death)—appointing him as a scout among the people of Najd. When ʿĀmir ibn al-Ṭufayl heard of them he roused Banū ʿĀmir, but they refused to follow him; he then turned to Banū Sulaym, who set out with him and killed them at Biʾr Maʿūnah. Only ʿAmr ibn Umayya al-Ḍamrī was spared, for ʿĀmir ibn al-Ṭufayl released him, and he returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Ibn Isḥāq also said: My father told me, on the authority of al-Mughīrah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Hishām, ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Bakr ibn Ḥazm, and others: Abū al-Barāʾ ʿĀmir ibn Mālik ibn Jaʿfar—Mulāʿib al-Asinnah—came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Medina. He did not embrace Islam, yet he was not far from it. He said, “O Muḥammad, if you would send some of your Companions with me to the people of Najd to invite them to your religion, I hope they would respond favorably.” The Prophet said, “I fear for them from the people of Najd.” Abū al-Barāʾ replied, “I shall be their guarantor.”