Yūnus related on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq(1) that the Prophet wrote the following for the people of Jarbāʾ and Adhruh:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

This is a covenant from Muhammad, the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, to the people of Jarbāʾ and Adhruh. They are secure under the protection of Allah and the protection of Muhammad. Upon them is an annual payment, every Rajab, of one hundred dinars and one hundred sound uqiyyahs of silver. Moreover, Allah guarantees that they will give sincere counsel and show kindness to the Muslims, and to any Muslim who seeks refuge with them.”

He added: The Prophet ﷺ gave the people of Aylah his cloak along with the document as a pledge of safety. Later Abū al-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad bought that cloak for three hundred dinars.

His dispatch, ﷺ, of Khālid ibn al-Walīd to Ukaydir of Dūmah

Ibn Isḥāq(2) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then summoned Khālid ibn al-Walīd and sent him against Ukaydir of Dūmah—Ukaydir ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, a man of Kindah, its ruler, and a Christian. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told Khālid, “You will find him hunting cattle.”

Khālid set out, and when he came within sight of the fortress—on a hot, moonlit night—Ukaydir was standing on its roof with his wife while cattle were rubbing their horns against the palace gate. His wife said, “Have you ever seen anything like this?” He replied, “By Allah, no!” She said, “Who would let such an opportunity pass?” He answered, “No one.” He descended, ordered his horse saddled, and rode out with several members of his household, among them a brother called Ḥassān. Carrying their hunting lances they rode off, but as soon as they left the gate they were intercepted by the cavalry of the Prophet ﷺ. Ukaydir was captured, his brother was killed, and he himself was wearing a brocade cloak embroidered with gold. Khālid stripped it from him and sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ahead of his own arrival.

ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn Qatādah told me, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik: I saw Ukaydir’s cloak when it was brought before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; the Muslims kept touching it and marveling at it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Are you amazed at this? By Him in Whose hand is my soul, the handkerchiefs of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh in Paradise are finer than this.”

Ibn Isḥāq(3) added: When Khālid ibn al-Walīd presented Ukaydir to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Prophet spared his life, concluded a jizyah agreement with him, and released him. Ukaydir returned to his town, and a man of Banū Ṭayy called Bujayr ibn Bajrah composed these lines:

Blessed is the Driver of the cattle—for I have seen
That God still guides each guide who seeks His way.
Whoever turns aside from the call of Tabūk—
Know that to us the command to strive has come today.