peace and blessings be upon him. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, heard of them, he set out against them and met them at one of their watering places, called al-Muraysiʿ, in the region of Qudayd toward the coast. The two sides advanced against one another and fought, and Allah defeated the Banu al-Mustaliq. Those of them who were killed were killed, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, took their children and women captive, together with their property, and allotted them as spoils among them (1).

While the people were at that watering place, a group came to draw water. With Umar ibn al-Khattab was a hired servant of his from the Banu Ghifar, named Jahjah ibn Saʿid al-Ghifari, who was leading his horse. Jahjah and Sinan ibn Wabrah al-Juhani, an ally of the Banu ʿAwf ibn al-Khazraj, jostled one another at that watering place (2), and then fought. The Juhani cried out, “O company of the Ansar!” and the Ghifari cried out, “O company of the Muhajirun!” A man from the Muhajirun named Jiʿal, who was poor, came to Jahjah al-Ghifari’s aid.

ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul became angry. A group of his people, including Zayd ibn Arqam, a young boy, were with him. Ibn Ubayy said, “Have they actually done this? They have contended with us and outnumbered us in our own land. By Allah, our case and theirs is only as the saying goes: ‘Fatten your dog, and it will eat you.’ By Allah, if we return to Madinah, the mightier will surely drive out from it the more abased.” By “the mightier,” he meant himself, and by “the more abased,” he meant the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

He then turned to those of his people who were present and said, “This is what you have brought upon yourselves: you allowed them to settle in your land and shared your wealth with them. By Allah, if you withheld from Jiʿal and those like him your surplus food, they would not be riding on your necks, and they would leave for some land other than yours. So do not spend on them until they disperse from around Muhammad.”

Zayd ibn Arqam said, “By Allah, you are the abased, insignificant, and hated one among your people. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, possesses honor from the Most Merciful and the love of the Muslims.” ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy said, “Be silent; I was only joking.”

Zayd ibn Arqam then went to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, after he had finished his morning journey (3), and informed him of what had happened. Umar ibn al-Khattab was with him and said, “Let me strike off his head, O Messenger of Allah.” He replied, “How would it be, Umar, if people began saying that Muhammad kills his own companions? Rather, give the order to depart.” This was at an hour when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not normally set out, yet the people departed.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent for ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy, who came to him. He said, “Are you the one who made these words that have reached me?” ʿAbd Allah replied, “By the One who sent down the Book to you, I said nothing of this, and Zayd is certainly lying.” ʿAbd Allah was a man of high standing and importance among his people. Those of his Ansar companions who were present said, “O Messenger of Allah, perhaps the boy was mistaken in what he heard and did not retain what he said accurately.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, accepted his excuse, and blame against Zayd spread among the Ansar; they declared him a liar. His uncle said to him—Zayd was with him (4)—“What did you intend by this, other than that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, should declare you a liar and the people should come to hate you?” Zayd was travelling alongside the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and after that he felt too ashamed to draw near to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.