The Book of Jihad and Expeditions — Hadith 4546

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ - عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي، عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَلَمَةَ بْنَ الأَكْوَعِ، يَقُولُ خَرَجْتُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤَذَّنَ، بِالأُولَى وَكَانَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَرْعَى بِذِي قَرَدٍ - قَالَ - فَلَقِيَنِي غُلاَمٌ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَقَالَ أُخِذَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَخَذَهَا قَالَ غَطَفَانُ قَالَ فَصَرَخْتُ ثَلاَثَ صَرَخَاتٍ يَا صَبَاحَاهْ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَسْمَعْتُ مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَىِ الْمَدِينَةِ ثُمَّ انْدَفَعْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي حَتَّى أَدْرَكْتُهُمْ بِذِي قَرَدٍ وَقَدْ أَخَذُوا يَسْقُونَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَجَعَلْتُ أَرْمِيهِمْ بِنَبْلِي وَكُنْتُ رَامِيًا وَأَقُولُ أَنَا ابْنُ الأَكْوَعِ وَالْيَوْمَ يَوْمُ الرُّضَّعِ فَأَرْتَجِزُ حَتَّى اسْتَنْقَذْتُ اللِّقَاحَ مِنْهُمْ وَاسْتَلَبْتُ مِنْهُمْ ثَلاَثِينَ بُرْدَةً - قَالَ - وَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالنَّاسُ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ إِنِّي قَدْ حَمَيْتُ الْقَوْمَ الْمَاءَ وَهُمْ عِطَاشٌ فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِمُ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ يَا ابْنَ الأَكْوَعِ مَلَكْتَ فَأَسْجِحْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ رَجَعْنَا وَيُرْدِفُنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ ‏.‏

English Translation

It has been narrated on the authority of Yazid b. Abu 'Ubaid who said that he heard Salama b. al-Akwa' say: I went out before the Adhan for the morning prayer had been delivered. The milch she-camels of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were grazing at Dhu Qarad. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf's slave met me and said: The milch she-camels of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had been taken away. I said: Who has taken them away? He said: (the people belonging to the tribe of) Ghatafan. I cried thrice: Help! I made the whole city between the two lavas hear my cry. Then I ran straight in their pursuit until I overtook them at Dhu Qarad where they were just going to water their animals. I, being an archer, began to shoot them with my arrows and was saying: I am the son of al-Akwa'. And today is the day when the cowards will meet their doom. I continued to chant until I rescued the milch she-camels from them, and snatched from them thirty mantles. Now, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and some other people came along. I said: Prophet of Allah, I have prevented them from water while they were thirsty. So you should send a force (to punish them). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ibn al-Akwa', you have taken (what, you have taken). Now let them go. Then we returned and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made me mount behind him on his she-camel until we entered Medina.