Al-Waqidi said: He fought at the Battle of Yarmuk on the Byzantine side during the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab, and afterwards, still in ʿUmar’s time, he embraced Islam. It so happened that, while in Damascus, he trod upon the cloak of a man from Muzaynah,(1) whereupon that Muzani slapped him. Jabalah’s companions took the case to Abū ʿUbayda, saying, “This man struck Jabalah.” Abū ʿUbayda replied, “Then let Jabalah strike him in return.” They asked, “Should he not be killed?” He answered, “No.” They said, “Then should his hand not be cut off?” He replied, “No; Allah has only prescribed al-qawād (equal retaliation).”
Jabalah exclaimed, “Do you expect me to put my face in place of the face of a Muzani who has come from the outskirts of Madinah? What a wretched religion this is!” He thereupon reverted to Christianity and departed with his family until he reached Byzantine territory. News of this reached ʿUmar, and it distressed him. He said to Ḥassān, “Your friend Jabalah has apostatized from Islam.” Ḥassān replied, “Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Why did he do that?” ʿUmar said, “A man from Muzaynah slapped him.” Ḥassān said, “He deserved the slap!” At that, ʿUmar rose and struck him with his whip.
Al-Waqidi narrated this report from Maʿmar and others, from al-Zuhri, from ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, and he supplied chains reaching a number of Companions. This version is the most widely known.
Ibn al-Kalbi and others also relate that when ʿUmar learned of Jabalah’s conversion he rejoiced and sent for him to come to Madinah. It is also said that Jabalah himself sought permission to visit and ʿUmar granted it. He therefore set out with a large retinue from his clan—some say 150 riders, others 500. ʿUmar’s gifts and provisions met him several stages before he reached the city. The day he entered Madinah was a memorable event: his horses wore necklaces of gold and silver, and he himself donned a crown set with pearls and gems, containing the two earrings of his grandmother Maria. The men and women of Madinah came out to watch. When he greeted ʿUmar, the Caliph welcomed him warmly and seated him close. That same year he performed the Hajj with ʿUmar.
While he was circumambulating the Kaʿbah, a man from Banū Fazārah stepped on the hem of his lower garment, causing it to loosen. Jabalah raised his hand and smashed the man’s nose—some say he even gouged out his eye. The Fazārī lodged a complaint with ʿUmar, accompanied by many tribesmen. ʿUmar summoned Jabalah, who confessed. “Give him retaliation,” ʿUmar ordered. Jabalah protested, “How can that be when I am a king and he is a commoner?” ʿUmar replied, “Islam has placed you and him on the same level; you surpass him only in piety.” Jabalah said, “I thought that in Islam I would be more honored than I was in the Age of Ignorance.” ʿUmar retorted, “Enough of that. If you do not satisfy the man, I will exact retaliation from you.” Jabalah declared, “Then I shall become a Christian.” ʿUmar said, “If you do, I will strike off your head.” Realizing that ʿUmar was in earnest, he asked for a night’s respite to consider the matter. When night fell he mounted with his followers and those who obeyed him, travelled to Syria, and entered Byzantine lands.
He presented himself to Heraclius in Constantinople. The emperor welcomed and honored him, granted him extensive estates, assigned him generous stipends, presented him with fine gifts, and admitted him to his circle of night companions, where he remained for a long period.
Later ʿUmar wrote a letter to Heraclius and sent it with a man named Jaththāmah ibn Masāḥiq al-Kinānī.(2) When Heraclius received the letter from ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb he said to him