Yūnus (1) reports from Ibn Isḥāq: “They were eight, with their commander making the ninth. Allah knows best. Their names will be cited later in a list that differs from Ibn Isḥāq’s version.”

Ibn Isḥāq (2) also said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote a letter for him and instructed him not to open it until he had marched for two days. After that he was to read it, carry out the order it contained, and force none of his companions. When they had travelled for two days he broke the seal, and inside it read:

“When you read my letter, proceed until you halt at Nakhlah, between Mecca and al-Ṭāʾif. Lie in wait there for Quraysh and bring us news of their movements.”

Having read it he declared, “I hear and I obey.” He then informed his companions of its contents, adding, “The Prophet ﷺ has forbidden me to compel any of you. Whoever among you longs for martyrdom, let him come along; whoever dislikes this may return. As for me, I shall go forward in obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

He set out, and his companions accompanied him—none stayed behind—taking the Ḥijāz route. When they reached a mine above al-Furʿ called Bahrān, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ and ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwān lost the camel on which they had been taking turns, so they remained behind to search for it. ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jahsh and the rest continued until they camped at Nakhlah. A caravan of Quraysh passed by, carrying raisins, leather goods, and other merchandise. In it were ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥaḍramī;—

Ibn Hishām notes that al-Ḥaḍramī’s personal name was ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbād al-Ṣadfī—

ʿUthmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mughīrah al-Makhzūmī, his brother Nawfal, and al-Ḥakam ibn Kaysān, a client of Hishām ibn al-Mughīrah. When the caravan party saw the Muslims they were alarmed, for they were encamped close by. Then ʿUkkāshah ibn Miḥṣan appeared, his head clean-shaven; on seeing him the traders felt reassured and said, “He is a pilgrim—you have nothing to fear from him.”

The Companions consulted one another—it was the last day of Rajab—saying, “By Allah, if we let them go tonight they will enter the Sacred Precinct and be safe from us; yet if we attack, we shall shed blood in the Sacred Month.” They hesitated and feared to advance, but then took heart, agreed to strike whoever they could and seize what they had. Wāqid ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Tamīmī shot ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥaḍramī with an arrow and killed him. ʿUthmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh and al-Ḥakam ibn Kaysān were captured, while Nawfal ibn ʿAbd Allāh escaped and eluded them.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jahsh and his men brought the caravan and the two captives back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Some relatives of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jahsh relate that he told his companions, “One-fifth (khums) of what we have taken belongs to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Accordingly, he set the fifth aside and divided the remainder among his men—this occurred before the revelation prescribing the statutory fifth.