A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád'/Introduction/31

by Moulavi Gerágh Ali

[Sidenote: List of the deputations of conversion received by Mohammad at Medina during A.H. 9 and 10.]

31. Here is a list of the important deputations and embassies as well as the conversion of notable personages during these two years arranged in alphabetical order with geographical and genealogical notes.^[1] Sir W. Muir thinks it "tedious and unprofitable" to enumerate them all,^[2] while he takes notice of every apocryphal tradition and devours with eagerness all fictions unfavourable to the cause of Islam.

Bani Aámir.^[3]

Bani Abd-ul-Kays.^[4]

Bani Ahmas.^[5]

Bani Anaza.^[6]

Bani Asad.^[7]

Bani Azd (Shanovah).^[8]

Bani Azd (Oman).^[9]

Bani Báhila.^[10]

Bani Bahra.^[11]

Bani Bajíla.^[12]

Bani Baka.^[13]

Bani Bakr bin Wail.^[14]

Bani Bali.^[15]

Bani Báriq.^[16]

Bani Dáree.^[17]

Farwa.^[18]

Bani Fezára.^[19]

Bani Gháfiq.^[20]

Bani Ghánim.^[21]

Bani Ghassán.^[22]

Bani Hamadán.^[23]

Bani Hanífa.^[24]

Bani Háris of Najrán.^[25]

Bani Hilál bin Aamir bin Sáasáa.^[26]

Bani Himyar.^[27]

Bani Jaad.^[28]

Bani Jaafir bin Kelab bin Rabia.^[29]

Jeifer bin al Jalandi.^[30]

Bani Joheina.^[31]

Bani Jufi.^[32]

Bani Kalb.^[33]

Bani Khas-am bin Anmár.^[34]

Bani Khaulán.^[35]

Bani Kiláb.^[36]

Bani Kinána.^[37]

Bani Kinda.^[38]

Bani Mahrah.^[39]

Bani Mohárib.^[40]

Bani Morád.^[41]

Bani Muntafiq.^[42]

Bani Murrah.^[43]

Bani Nakhá.^[44]

Bani Nohd.^[45]

Bani Ozra.^[46]

Bani Raha.^[47]

Bani Rawasa.^[48]

Bani Saad Hozeim.^[49]

Bani Sadif.^[50]

Bani Sadoos.^[51]

Bani Sahim.^[52]

Bani Sakeef.^[53]

Bani Salámáni.^[54]

Bani Shaibán.^[55]

Bani Sodaa.^[56]

Bani Taghlib.^[57]

Bani Tajeeb.^[58]

Bani Tamim.^[59]

Bath Tay.^[60]

Bani Zobeid.^[61]

]

Footnotes

1. For these deputations see Ibn Is-hak (died 151), Hishamee (died 213), Ibn Sad (died 213), Muir's Life of Mahomet, Vol. IV, Chap. 30th, Seerat Shámí (died 942), and Halabí (died 1044). For the genealogies of these tribes consult Qalqashandi's Dictionary of Tribes, and Ibn Khaldún's History. Regarding the geographical positions of these tribes the reader is referred to the most valuable map of Arabia in Sir W. Muir's Annals of Early Caliphate, London 1882.
2. The Life of Mahomet by Sir W. Muir, Vol. IV, pp. 181 and 226.
3. A branch of Hawázin and sister tribe of the Sakeef inhabited the province of Najd and were of the Moaddite stock. The tribe had taken little share with the rest of the Bani Hawázin at the battle of Honain against the Moslems A.H. 8. The famous poet Lebid, author of one of the Moallakas, belonged to that tribe. [See the Life of Lebid from Ketab-ul-Aghani, in an article on the Moallaqah by Lebid, by C.J. Lyall, C.S., in the Journals of the Asiatic Society, Bengal, No. 1, 1877, pp. 62-76: Calcutta.
4. Bani Abd-ul-Kays from Bahrein. The tribe has been described at page 47. There were many persons in the embassy. They were Christians before they embraced Islam.
5. Descended from Anmár of the Kahtanite stock of Yemen.
6. A sub-tribe of Asad, descendants of Rabia of the Moaddite stock. These are the Aneze of Burkhardt.
7. Already described at p. 47. The rest of them now embraced Islam. It is said that Sura xlix, 17, refers to them.
8. Bani Azd (Shanovah) from Yemen. This tribe was a portion of the Azdite tribe left at Yemen at the time of the northern emigration of Azd. They were a branch of Kahtan of the Kahtanite stock. In their emigration northward from Yemen they resided a long time in Hijaz at Batn Murr near Mecca. In their journey further on to the north of Syria, leaving Kozaa, they changed their name to Ghassán from their long residence, by the way, near a fountain of that name. The tribes Aus and Khazraj had separated afterwards from these Ghassanides, and settled at Yathrib, afterwards known as Medina. One Surad was the chief of the embassy of Azd from Yemen to Mohammad at Medina. Sir W. Muir says: "This person was recognized by Mahomet as the ruler of his clan, and commission was given to him to war against the heathen tribes in his neighbourhood." (The Life of Mahomet, Vol. IV, page 219.) The Arabic word "yojáhid," in the original biographies, only means "to strive," and does not mean "to make war," as understood by Sir W. Muir. He has himself translated the same word as "striving" in Vol. III, page 32. At page 265 of the same volume he translates it by "to do utmost." I have discussed the subject in full in Appendix A. of this work.
9. Another branch of the Azd described above.
10. Bani Báhila, otherwise called Sáad Manát, descendants of Ghatafán of the Moaddite stock.
11. Bani Bahra (bin Amr bin Al-Háf bin Kozaá), who were a branch of the Kozaá of the Himyarite stock, had emigrated to the north, and settled in the Ghassanide territory.
12. Bani Bajíla, a sister of Khas-am and descendants of Anmar bin Nizar of the Kahtanite stock. They inhabited Yemen. The Bajíla after professing Islam had destroyed the famous image of Kholasa.
13. A branch of Bani Aamir bin Sáasáa in the centre of Arabia.
14. They lived about Yemama and the shores of the Persian Gulf. They were one of the Moaddite tribes. The war of Basus between Bani Bakr and their sister tribe Bani Taghlib had lasted for forty years. There have been famous poets in the Bani Bakr tribe, among whom are Tarafa, Haris bin Hiliza, and Maimún Al-Asha. The Bani Bakr and Bani Tamim were constantly at war, which was abandoned under the influence of Islam, when both the parties were converted to it during the lifetime of Mohammad.
15. They were a branch of the Kozaá from the Himyarite stock, the descendants of Kahtan, and had settled in the north of Arabia in the Ghassanide territory on the borders of Syria.
16. Already described under Bani Azd.
17. A clan of the tribe of Lakhm.
18. An Arab of the Bani Juzam in the north of Arabia and Governor of Amman in the Ghassanide territory announced his conversion to Mohammad by a despatch in A.H. 8.
19. They have already been described at page 46. Their deputation waited upon Mohammad on his return from Tabúk.
20. Descendants of Anmár of the Kahtanite stock.
21. A sub-tribe of Azd at Yemen.
22. Already described under Bani Azd.
23. Bani Hamadán of the Kahtanite descent. An important tribe in the east of Yemen.
24. A Christian branch of the Bani Bakr who inhabited Yemama. "The account of the embassy of the Bani Hanífa is more decidedly unfavourable to Christianity, but its details appear of doubtful authority. Moseilama, the false Prophet, was among the number, and there are some unlikely anticipations of his sacrilegious claims. "As the embassy were departing, Mahomet gave them a vessel in which were the leavings of the water with which he had performed his lustration; and he said,—' When you reach your country, break down your church, and sprinkle its sight with this water, and make in its place a mosque '.... "The story appears to me improbable, because nowhere else is Mahomet represented as exhibiting such antagonism to Christians and their churches when they submitted themselves to him."—Muir's Life of Mahomet, Vol. II, pp. 303-4, footnote. The author changes his opinion in the fourth volume of his work and says: "I have there stated (in Vol. II) the story to be improbable. But I am now inclined to think that during the last year or two of Mahomet's life, there was quite enough of antagonistic feeling against Christianity as it presented itself in the profession of the Arab and Syrian tribes to support the narrative."—Life of Mahomet by Sir W. Muir, Vol. IV, page 218, footnote. This is a mere presumption on the part of the writer, and there is no proof of Mohammad's antagonism towards Christianity at any period of his life except against those who waged war with him. The following verse of the Koran will show how far I am true:— "Verily they who believe (Moslems), and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians and Sabeites, whoever of those believeth in God and the Last Day, and doth that which is right shall have their reward with their Lord: Fear shall not come upon them, neither shall they be grieved."
25. Also a Christian tribe in Yemen descended from the Kahtanite stock of the Bani Madhij, and collateral therefore with Bani Kinda. Two of the embassy, one of them being Akil or Abd-ul-Masih, the chief of the deputation, adopted Islam. The rest returned with a full guarantee from Mohammad for the preservation of their social and religious liberty. Further information regarding the Bani Háris of Najrán will be found at pp. 48 and 106 of this book. "Kâtib al Wâckidi, p. 69. The subsequent history of the Najrán Christians is there traced. They continued in possession of their lands and rights under the treaty during the rest of Mohammad's life and the whole of Abu Bakr's Caliphate. Then they were accused of taking usury, and Omar expelled them from the land, and wrote as follows:— "The despatch of Omar, the Commander of the Faithful, to the people of Najrán. Whoever of them emigrates is under the guarantee of God. No Moslem shall injure them;—to fulfil that which Mahomet and Abu Bakr wrote unto them. "Now to whomsoever of the chiefs of Syria and Irâc they may repair, let such chiefs allot them lands, and whatever they cultivate therefrom shall be theirs; it is an exchange for their own lands. None shall injure or maltreat them; Moslems shall assist them against oppressors. Their tribute is remitted for two years. They will not be troubled except for evil deeds. "Some of them alighted in Irâc, and settled in Najránia near to Cufa. "That the offence of usury is alleged in justification of this measure appears to me to disprove the common tradition that a command was said to have been given by Mahomet on his deathbed for the Peninsula to be swept clear of all other religions but Islam."—Muir's Life of Mahomet, Vol. II, pp. 301-2.
26. Descendants of the great Ghatafán tribe already described.
27. Bani Himyar from Yemen. The Himyarites are too well-known to be described. The Himyarite princes of Ro-en, Mu-afir, Hamadan and Bazan, all of the Christian faith in Yemen, embraced Islam and announced their conversion by letter sent to Mohammad through their emissaries which reached him after his return from Tabúk.
28. Either a clan of Lakhm, or a branch of Bani Aámir.
29. A sub-tribe of the Bani Aámir bin Sáasáa already described.
30. The King of Omán, together with the people of Omán, embraced Islam during A.H. 8 and 9. The people of Omán were of the Azdite stock.
31. Already described at page 43.
32. A branch of Saad-al-Ashira from the Kahtanite stock. This tribe inhabited Yemen. They had some peculiar prejudice against eating the heart of an animal. Mohammad had caused their chief to break his superstition, which he did by making him eat the roasted heart of an animal. But they returned disgusted when told that his (the chief's) mother who had committed infanticide was in hell. However they sent another deputation a second time and finally embraced Islam.
33. They settled in Dumat-ul-Jundal, now Jal-al-Jowf, north of Arabia. They were a tribe of the Bani Kozaá descended from Himyar.
34. A tribe of the Kahtanite stock at Yemen. They lived in a hilly country of that name in Yemen.
35. They were a tribe of the Kahtanite stock on the coast of Yemen.
36. A clan of the Bani Aámir bin Sáasáa of the Hawázin tribe already described.
37. Descendants of Khazima of the Moaddite stock.
38. The Bani Kinda princes, Vail bin Hijar and Al-Ash-as bin Kays; the former, the chief of the coast, and the latter, the chief of the Hazaramaut in the south of Arabia. They with their whole clans embraced Islam. Bani Kinda were a powerful tribe of the Kahálánite stock.
39. A clan of Ozra from Kozaá described at page 46.
40. Descendants of Ghatafán of the Moaddite stock.
41. They inhabited the sea-coast of Yemen, and were a tribe of Muzhie of the Kahtanite stock.
42. A branch of the tribe of Aámir bin Sáasáa.
43. A branch of Zobian.
44. They were a tribe of the Kahtanite stock, residing in Yemen. Their deputation consisted of two hundred persons. It is said this was the last deputation received by Mohammad. Some time before this Ali was sent to the Bani Nakh-a and other tribes of the Mudhij stock in Yemen.
45. A tribe of Kozaá of the Himyarite stock at Yemen.
46. A sub-tribe of Kozaá inhabiting Syria described at page 46.
47. A tribe of Muzhij of the Kahtanite stock at Yemen.
48. They were a clan of the Bani Aámir bin Sáasáa already described.
49. A tribe of the Kozaá of the Moaddite stock, and according to some from Yemen.
50. Descendants of Hazaramaut of the Kahtanite stock at Yemen.
51. A clan of the Bani Hanifa, descendants of Bakr bin Wail already described.
52. A clan of the Bani Shaiban, the descendants of Bakr bin Wail already mentioned.
53. The Bani Sakeef (Thackif) were a branch of the Mazar tribes of the Moaddite stock. They were a sub-tribe of the Hawázin and sister tribe to the Bani Adwán, Ghatafán, and Suleim. They (the Bani Sakeef) lived at Tayif and worshipped the idol "Lat" or Táqhia. Orwa, a chief of Tayif, had gone to Medina to embrace Islam. His first generous impulse was to return to Tayif and invite his fellow-citizens to share in the blessings imparted by the new faith. Upon his making public his conversion, he was wounded by a mob and suffered martyrdom. But he left a favourable impression of Islam at Tayif. Their deputation consisted of six chiefs with fifteen or twenty followers. The Prophet received them gladly and pitched a tent for their accommodation in the court of his mosque. Every evening after supper he paid them there a visit and instructed them in the faith till it was dark. Sir W. Muir writes:—"The martyrdom of Orwa compromised the inhabitants of Tayif, and forced to continue the hostile course they had previously been pursuing. But they began to suffer severely from the marauding attacks of Bani Hawazin under Malik. That chief, according to his engagement, maintained the increasing predatory warfare against them."—Life of Mahomet, Vol. IV, page 204. At page 155 he says regarding Malik,—"being confirmed in his chiefship he engaged to maintain a constant warfare with the citizens of Tayif." But there was no such engagement with Málik. The authority (Hishamee) referred to by Sir W. Muir does not speak anything of the alleged engagement. Vide Hishamee, page 879. Hishamee has only so much that Mohammad made Malik chief of those who were converted from the tribe. These were the clans of Somála, Salma, and Fahm, and that he used to fight with them against the Sakifites. Sir W. Muir further writes that the inhabitants of Tayif said among themselves: "We have not strength to fight against the Arab tribe all around that have plighted their faith to Mahomet, and bound themselves to fight in his cause" (Vol. IV, p. 205). The italics are mine and these words are not to be found in the original authorities. Hishamee (page 914) has "Bayaoo va Aslamoo", i.e., they have plighted and submitted (or converted to Islam).
54. Descendants of the Kozaá inhabited the hills of that name (Salámán).
55. Descendants and branch of Bakr bin Wail.
56. A tribe of the Kahtanite stock from Yemen.
57. The Bani Taghlib bin Wail were a tribe of the Moaddite stock of Meccan origin and a sister tribe to the Bani Bakr bin Wail. Their wars are famous in the annals of Arabia. The war of Basús has been already alluded to under Bani Bakr. These tribes, the Bani Bakr and Taghlib, were located in Yemama, Bahrein, Najd, and Tihama, but lastly the Bani Taghlib had emigrated to Mesopotamia and professed the Christian faith. The members of their deputation to Mohammad wore golden crosses. When invited to Islam, they did not embrace it, but promised to allow their children to become Moslems. Mohammad allowed them to maintain unchanged their profession of Christianity. Their Christianity was of a notoriously superficial character. "The Taghlib," said Ali, the fourth Khalif, "are not Christians; they have borrowed from Christianity only the custom of drinking wine."—Dozy Historie, i, 20.
58. A clan of Kinda from the sub-tribe of Sakun at Yemen.
59. The Bani Tamim were descendants of Tabikha bin Elyas of the Moaddite stock. They are famous in the history of Najd, the northeastern desert of which from the confines of Syria to Yemama they inhabited. They were at constant warfare with the Bani Bakr bin Abd Monát, descendants of Kinána of the Moaddite stock, from 615 to 630 A.D. All the branches of the tribe which had not yet converted to Islam were now converted in A.H. 9.
60. The Bani Tay was a great tribe of the Kahtanite stock of Yemen, had moved northwards, and settled in the mountains of Ajá and Salmá to the north of Najd and Hijaz and the town of Tyma. They had adopted Christianity, but some of them were Jews and Pagans. Their intertribal war has been alluded to in para. 26. The whole tribe now embraced Islam. "A deputation from the Bani Tay, headed by their chief, Zeid-al-Khail, came to Medina to ransom the prisoners, soon after Ali's expedition. Mahomet was charmed with Zeid, of whose fame both as a warrior and a poet he had long heard. He changed his name to Zeid "al Kheir" (the beneficent), granted him a large tract of country, and sent him away laden with presents." Muir's Life of Mahomet, Vol. IV, p. 178.
61. They were a branch of Sad-al-Ashirá of the Mazhij tribe of the Kahtanite stock. They inhabited the sea-coast of Yemen.