It was not long after the Prophet returned from Hudaybiyah to Madinah.

Abu Basir from the tribe of Thaqif became a Muslim and escaped to Madinah from Makkah.

Three days later, the Qurayshis sent two people to demand his return. They went to the Prophet and demanded Abu Basir saying, “We remind you the treaty you signed.”

The Messenger of God had to return Abu Basir due to the articles of the treaty. He consoled Abu Basir by saying, “O Abu Basir! You know that we signed a treaty with the Qurayshis and made a promise. It does not fit us not to keep our promise. Doubtlessly, God will show you and the Muslims like you who live among the polytheists a way out.” Then, he returned Abu Basir to the men who had come from Makkah.

Abu Basir shouted, “O Messenger of God! Are you returning me to the polytheists so that they will torture me and make me exit my religion?”

The Messenger of God consoled him again: “Go! God will definitely show you and the Muslims like you a way out.”[1]

The two men sent by the Qurayshis took Abu Basir and left Madinah. When they reached Dhul-Hulayfa, they stopped to eat something.

Abu Basir was thinking of a way of getting rid of them. First, he wanted to make friends with them. He started to talk to them. He asked Hu­nays, one of those two men, his name, his father’s name; then he said, “I think your sword is very sharp.”

The man said, “Yes, it is very sharp.”

Abu Basir asked calmly and assuringly, “Can I have a look at it?

Hunays, “Yes, look at it if you want.”

Abu Basir found the opportunity that he was looking for. He took the sword and killed Hunays.[2]

His friend ran away as fast as he could and went to Madinah. He went to the presence of the Messenger of God and complained about Abu Basir by saying, “Your man killed my friend; I ran away to save my life.”

Meanwhile, Abu Basir arrived. He said, “O Messenger of God! You kept your promise by surrendering me to them. God saved me from them.” He did not want to be returned to the polytheists; he wanted to stay in Madinah.  

The Prophet was astonished by the courage and recklessness of Abu Basir; he said to his Companions, “This man is a provoker of war. If some men join him, he can do anything.”[3]

When Abu Basir heard these words, he thought he would be returned to the Qurayshis again. He felt very distressed.  

However, the Messenger of God did not return him to the Qurayshis; but he did not allow him to stay in Madinah, either. He said to Abu Basir, “Leave Madinah; go wherever you want.”[4]

Thereupon, Abu Basir left Madinah. He settled in the valley of Is, which was located on the way to Damascus from Makkah on the coast.  

The Muslims in Makkah Go and Gather around Abu Basir

When the Muslims that had been imprisoned in Makkah and the Muslims who were concealing that they had embraced Islam heard about Abu Basir, they started to escape and gather around Abu Basir. Their number amounted to seventy in a short time; when the Muslims from the tribes nearby joined them, their number amounted to three hundred.

Thus, Abu Basir had a great power. He started to capture all of the goods that the Qurayshis sent to Damascus.[5]

Upon this situation that threatened the Qurayshis, they sent and envoy to the (pbuh) immediately. The letter that the envoy brought to the Prophet read:

“For the sake of God and our kinship! Tell Abu Basir and his friends that whoever comes to you to Madinah will be safe and will not be demanded back from now on.”[6]

Upon this request of the Qurayshis, the Prophet sent a letter to Abu Basir to invite him and the Muslims around him to Madinah. 

Abu Basir was very ill at that time. When he received the letter of the Messenger of God, he was in his deathbed. He took the letter of the Messenger of God and rubbed it on his face. He died before reading the letter completely.

Abu Jandal and the other Muslims performed his janazah prayer and buried him.[7]

Then, Abu Jandal came to the presence of the Prophet in Madinah with the other Muslims.[8]

[1]Ibn Hisham, Sirah, Vol. 3, p. 337.

[2]Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 337.

[3]Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 338.

[4]Waqidi, Maghazi, Vol. 2, p. 627.

[5]Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 338.

[6]Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 338; Ibn Abdi’l-Barr, al-Istiab, Vol. 4, p. 1613.

[7]Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, Vol. 4, p. 134.

[8]Ibn Sa’d, Vol. 4, p. 134.