was the one for whom Umayr ibn Wahb al-Jumahi (1)—who, as mentioned earlier, had been his companion and close friend in the Days of Ignorance—sought amnesty from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He brought him at the time of the ‘Asr prayer and requested protection, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ granted him security for four months (2) and even borrowed from him coats of mail, weapons, and money. Safwan was present at Hunayn while still a polytheist, after which he embraced Islam and faith settled firmly in his heart (3). Thus he became a leader among the Muslims just as he had been a leader in the pre-Islamic era.

Al-Waqidi said: Safwan remained in Mecca until he died there at the beginning of Mu‘awiyah’s caliphate.

‘Uthman ibn Talhah (4) ibn Abi Talhah ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzza ibn ‘Abd al-Dar al-‘Abdari, the Keeper of the Ka‘bah: He, together with Khalid ibn al-Walid and ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, accepted Islam early in the eighth year, before the Conquest. Al-Waqidi has transmitted from him a lengthy report describing his conversion.

He is the one from whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took the key to the Ka‘bah on the Day of the Conquest, then returned it to him while reciting, “Indeed Allah commands you to render trusts to those to whom they are due” (al-Nisaʾ 4:58). He then said, “Take it, O ‘Uthman; it shall remain with you forever, passed down from forefather to descendant, and none shall wrest it from you except a tyrant” (5). ‘Ali had asked the Prophet ﷺ for the key (6), but the request was refused.

Al-Waqidi said: He lived in Madinah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; when the Prophet passed away, he moved to Mecca and remained there until he died at the beginning of Mu‘awiyah’s caliphate.

‘Amr ibn al-Aswad al-Sakuni (7) was one of the devoted ascetics. He possessed a cloak worth two hundred dirhams that he would wear whenever