In that encounter ʿĀmir ibn Rabīʿah was struck, and his arm was wounded. The Muslims then charged, and the enemy broke ranks and fled, disappearing across the countryside so quickly that they could not be overtaken. ʿAmr swept through the entire area, bringing it under control, and remained for several days while his men raided the livestock.

Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid, on the authority of Qays, said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ on the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil. A severe cold struck us, and ʿAmr ordered, ‘Let no one light a fire.’ When we returned to the Messenger of Allah, some of the men complained about him. ʿAmr explained: ‘O Prophet of Allah, my contingent was small, so I feared that the enemy would notice how few we were, and you had instructed us not to pursue the enemy lest they have laid an ambush.’ The Messenger of Allah found his reasoning admirable.”

Jarīr ibn Ḥāzim related: “Yahyā ibn Ayyūb told us, from Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb, from ʿImrān ibn Abī Anas, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr, from ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, who said: ‘On a bitterly cold night during the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil I experienced a nocturnal emission. I feared that if I performed ghusl (a full ritual bath) I would endanger my life, so I performed tayammum (dry ablution) and then led my companions in the dawn prayer. They informed the Prophet ﷺ, and he said, “O ʿAmr, did you lead your companions in prayer while you were in a state of major impurity?” I explained what had prevented me from washing and added, “I heard Allah say, ‘Do not kill yourselves; indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you’ (Qur’an 4:29).” The Prophet laughed and said nothing.’”

ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥārith—and others—reported, on the authority of Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb, from ʿImrān ibn Abī Anas, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr, from Abū Qays, the freedman of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, that ʿAmr once commanded a detachment and related a similar account. He said: “So he washed his private parts, performed the ablution for prayer, and then led them in prayer,” without mentioning tayammum. Both reports were transmitted.