From Abū Salamah, on the authority of Jābir, who said:

We set out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and when we reached Dhāt al-Riqāʿ we would always leave the shadiest tree for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. A man from the polytheists came while the Prophet’s sword was hanging on a tree. He took the sword, drew it, and said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “Do you fear me?” He replied, “No.” He said, “Who will protect you from me?” He answered, “Allah will protect me from you.”

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ then threatened him, whereupon he sheathed the sword and hung it back.

The call to prayer was made; the Prophet ﷺ led one group in two rakʿahs, then they withdrew and he led the other group in two rakʿahs. Thus the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed four rakʿahs, while each group performed two.

Al-Bukhārī (1) has cited this report in a muʿallaq form with decisive wording, through Abān.

Al-Bukhārī also said: Musaddad related, from Abū ʿAwanah, from Abū Bishr, that the man’s name was Ghawrath ibn al-Ḥārith.

Al-Bayhaqī (2) transmitted, via Abū ʿAwanah, from Abū Bishr, from Sulaymān ibn Qays, from Jābir: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fought Muhārib Khasfah at Nakhl. Seeing an opening among the Muslims, a man of theirs called Ghawrath ibn al-Ḥārith came and stood over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with a sword, saying, “Who will protect you from me?” He replied, “Allah.” The sword fell from his hand, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ picked it up and said, “Who will protect you from me?” He answered, “Be the best of those who take.” The Prophet asked, “Will you testify that there is no god but Allah?” He said, “No, but I pledge that I will not fight you and will not side with any people who fight you.” The Prophet let him go, and he returned to his people saying, “I have come to you from the best of men.”

He then mentioned the Prayer of Fear, stating that the Prophet prayed four rakʿahs—two with each group.

Al-Bayhaqī has also collected here the various chains for the Prayer of Fear at Dhāt al-Riqāʿ: one from Ṣāliḥ ibn Khawwāt ibn Jubayr, from Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathmah, and another from al-Zuhrī, from Sālim, from his father concerning the Prayer of Fear in Najd. The proper place for that discussion is the book “al-Aḥkām.” Allah, Exalted is He, knows best.

The account of the man whose wife was injured during this campaign:

Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq (3) said: My uncle Ṣadaqah ibn Yasār (4) related to me, from ʿAqīl ibn Jābir, from Jābir ibn