And Ṣayfī was never one to keep a trust—
the track of a fox that leaves searchers perplexed at certain watering holes. (1)

Ibn Isḥāq said (2): Abū ʿAzza ʿAmr ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUthmān ibn Uhayb ibn Ḥudhāfah ibn Jumāḥ was a poor man with daughters. He pleaded, “O Messenger of Allah, you know the state of my wealth. I am needy and I have dependents, so grant me your favor.” The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—showed him clemency, taking from him a pledge that he would not aid anyone against him. In gratitude Abū ʿAzza composed the following lines in praise of the Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him:

Who will convey from me to the Messenger, Muhammad,
that you are the Truth while the Sovereign is Praiseworthy?
You are a man who summons to truth and guidance;
upon you the Almighty God Himself bears witness.
You have been granted among us a station
whose degrees are both easy to ascend and exalted.
Whoever fights you is truly fought—and wretched;
whoever makes peace with you is fortunate and blessed.
Yet whenever Badr and its warriors are recalled,
the grief within me returns and keeps me seated. (3)

I say: Later, this same Abū ʿAzza broke the covenant he had made with the Messenger; the idolaters played with his mind and he returned to them. On the day of Uḥud he was captured once more and again asked the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—to show him clemency. The Prophet replied:

“I will not let you stroke your cheeks and say, ‘I deceived Muhammad twice.’”

He then ordered his execution, and his neck was struck, as will be detailed in the account of the Battle of Uḥud. (4)

It is said that in reference to him the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—declared:

“A believer is not stung from the same hole twice.” (5)

This is one of the proverbial sayings that has been heard only from him—ﷺ.

Ibn Isḥāq said (6): Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr narrated to me from ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr, who said: ʿUmayr ibn Wahb al-Jumaḥī sat with Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah in the Ḥijr a little while after the calamity that struck the people at Badr. ʿUmayr ibn Wahb was one of the devils of Quraysh, a man who used to harm the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—and his Companions, causing them great hardship while he remained in Mecca. His son, Wahb ibn ʿUmayr, was among the captives of Badr.

Ibn Hishām said (7): The one who captured him was Rifāʿah ibn Rāfiʿ of the Banū Zurayq.

Ibn Isḥāq said (8): Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to me from ʿUrwah, who said: he then spoke of the men of the well and what befell them.