—al-Rajjāl—about whom I had always been apprehensive, until al-Rajjāl marched out with Musaylima and bore witness to his prophethood; the tribulation caused by al-Rajjāl proved greater than that of Musaylima himself (1).

This report is transmitted by Ibn Isḥāq from a shaykh, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah.

Khalid then drew near. He had placed Shurahbīl ibn Ḥasnah over the vanguard and Zayd and Abū Hudhayfah over the two flanks. During the night the vanguard passed a party of about forty—some say sixty—horsemen under Mujāʿah ibn Murārah. He had been off exacting blood-revenge among Banū Tamīm and Banū ʿĀmir and was on his way back to his tribe when they were seized. When they were all brought before Khalid they offered excuses, but he did not accept them and ordered that every one of them be beheaded, except Mujāʿah, whom he kept shackled beside him—for Khalid knew his skill in warfare and stratagem. Mujāʿah was a noble, obeyed chieftain among Banū Ḥanīfah.

It is said that when they were presented, Khalid asked, “What do you say, O Banū Ḥanīfah?”
They replied, “We say: a prophet from among us and a prophet from among you.” He therefore killed them all save one man named Sāriyah. Sāriyah said to him, “If you wish either good or ill for the people of al-Yamāmah tomorrow, then spare this man”—meaning Mujāʿah ibn Murārah. Khalid accordingly kept him bound and placed him in a tent together with his own wife, saying, “Look after him well.”

When the two armies confronted one another, Musaylima addressed his people: “Today is the day of jealousy. Should you be routed today, women will be taken as captives to be bedded and married off against their will. So fight for your honour and protect your women!”

The Muslims advanced until Khalid halted them on a sandy rise overlooking al-Yamāmah and established his camp there. The banner of the Muhājirūn was with Sālim, the freedman of Abū Hudhayfah; that of the Anṣār with Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās; the Arab contingents fought under their own standards. Mujāʿah ibn Murārah remained in irons inside a tent with Umm Tamīm, Khalid’s wife.

The two sides clashed. In the first encounter the Bedouins broke and fled, and the Banū Ḥanīfah even burst into Khalid’s tent intending to kill Umm Tamīm, but Mujāʿah shielded her, saying, “She is a splendid noblewoman.” In that same rout al-Rajjāl ibn ʿUnfuwah—may Allah curse him—was slain by Zayd ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.

Then the Companions roused one another (2). Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās exclaimed, “What a wretched habit you have taught your peers!” Voices called from every side, “Separate us, O Khalid!” Khalid therefore detached a picked company of Muhājirūn and Anṣār. Al-Barāʾ ibn Mālik was seized by his customary battle-frenzy—whenever he saw combat a trembling fit (3) would take him, so that men had to seat him on his mount until he urinated in his trousers; then he would rise like a lion. The Banū Ḥanīfah fought with a ferocity no one had ever seen before.

The Companions kept encouraging one another, saying, “O people of Sūrat al-Baqarah, the magic is broken today!” Thābit ibn Qays dug his feet into the ground up to mid-shin while carrying the Anṣār’s banner, having already perfumed and shrouded himself, and he did not…