to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. On the road I passed by al-Rabadhah (1) and found an elderly woman from Banū Tamīm who had been left behind. She said, “Servant of Allah, I have a need with the Messenger of Allah—will you convey me to him?”

I mounted her behind me and travelled on until we reached Madinah. The mosque was packed, a black banner was fluttering, and Bilāl stood before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with a sword girded on.

I asked, “What is the matter with the people?” They replied, “He intends to send ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ on a campaign.”

I sat down. The Prophet then entered his dwelling— or he said, his tent—so I sought permission to enter. Leave was granted; I went in and offered greetings of peace.

He asked, “Has anything taken place between you and Banū Tamīm?”

I said, “Yes, and the advantage was ours. On the way I met an old woman of Banū Tamīm who had been stranded; she asked me to bring her to you and she is now at the door. Grant her permission.” He allowed her in, and she entered.

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, if you deem it proper to set a natural barrier between us and Banū Tamīm, then let it be al-Dahnāʾ (2).” At this the old woman flared up and sprang forward, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, where then will your own people of Muḍar be driven?”

I remarked, “My case is only like the ancient saying (3):
‘A nanny-goat (4) that carried its own doom.’
I brought her here unaware that she would turn out to be my opponent. I seek refuge in Allah and His Messenger from being like the envoy of ʿĀd.”

He said, “Come now, what was the envoy of ʿĀd?”—though he knew the story better than I, but he wished me to relate it (5).

I said, “ʿĀd suffered a severe drought, so they sent an emissary named Qayl. He stopped with Muʿāwiyah ibn Bakr and remained a month while Muʿāwiyah plied him with wine and two singing girls called ‘the Locusts’ (6) entertained him. When the month was over he travelled on to the mountains of Mahrah (7) and prayed:

‘O Allah, You know that I have not come to treat a sick person whom I might heal, nor to ransom a captive whom I might free. O Allah, give ʿĀd the rain You used to give them.’

Black clouds passed over him and a voice called out from within them, ‘Choose!’ He pointed to one of the clouds, a dark one, and the voice said, ‘Take it—ash-laden and devastating (9); it will leave none of ʿĀd alive.’

I have been informed that only so much wind was loosed against them as could pass through this ring of mine, yet they were destroyed.”

Abū Wāʾil added: “True indeed. Whenever a man or woman sent forth an envoy they would say, ‘Do not be like the envoy of ʿĀd’ (10).”