The Dispatch of Abi Qatada towards Khadhrah

Time and Place of the Battle

This battle took place in the month of Shaban in the year 8 A.H. at Ghatafan which is located eighty kilometers from Medina in Najd, next to the garden of Ibn Amir.

Causes for the Battle

The Conspiracy of Bani Jasham against Prophet Muhammad

Ibn Ishaq narrates from Abd Allah bin Abi Hadrad al-Aslami that, “A man from Bani Jasham, named Rafaah bin Qays or Qays bin Rafaah, travelled with his people until they reached to a forest with the intent of gathering the people of Qays to fight against the Prophet.

The Dispatch of Forces by the Prophet

The Prophet sent Abi Qatadah along with fifteen people towards Ghatafan in Najd and advised them to travel during the nights and hide during the day. He also instructed them to take the enemy by surprise, and to avoid killing women and children.

Narrative of the Dispatch

In the Maghazi of Waqidi it is narrated according to Ibn Abi Hadrad that, “We left Medina and arrived at Ghatafan during the night. Abu Qatadah divided us into groups of two, and then delivered a speech in which he advised us to adopt piety of Allah and said, ‘No one should separate themselves from their partner unless they are killed and the other brings me news of their death. Be warned! No one should come in front of me when I ask where their partner is and say, ‘I do not know’. Also when I shout, ‘Allahu Akbar’, everyone should repeat after me. When I attack, everyone else should attack, and do not chase after anyone running away for too long.’

Then Abu Qatadah unsheathed his sword and we all unsheathed ours as well. After he shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, we all repeated and moved towards the enemy together.

Narrative of the Battle

Ibn Ishaq narrates from Ibn Abi Hadrad that, “We arrived near the enemy around sunset and waited until they went to rest and thus, be distracted. The night arrived and darkness enveloped all the surroundings. Their leader, Rafaah bin Qays came out of a tent with his sword flung over his shoulder to go after a shepherd who had taken too long in returning back to camp. Some of Rafaah’s companions were afraid for his life and so they offered to go in his place, but he had said, ‘No, by Allah, only I will go’. They replied to this by saying, ‘Then let us go with you’, to which he replied, ‘No, by Allah, I will not allow anyone to accompany me.’ At that point he left and passed nearby me. When he reached an area within reach of my range, I aimed at his heart (with my arrow) and after shooting and killing him, proceeded to promptly behead him. We then all shouted, ‘Allahu Akbar’ and attacked their camp. I swear to God, they did not do anything except try to save themselves and try to save their women, children and possessions if possible.”

Events After the battle

The Spoils of War

Waqidi has narrated that the war party was gone for 15 days and that when they returned, they had two hundred camels and one thousand sheep. They had also taken captives, namely, four women and a few children. They then separated the religious tax (khums) from the spoils of war and divided the spoils amongst everyone who was present and each person received 12 camels - and one camel was equivalent (in value) to ten sheep.

The Gift of the Prophet and his Loyalty to his Oath

After the spoils of war were divided, Muhammiyah bin Juz came to the Prophet and said, “O Prophet of Allah, Abu Qatadah captured a slave girl amongst the spoils of war and you had promised me that you would give me a slave girl from the first winnings of war in which one was captured.” Upon hearing this the Prophet sent someone after Abu Qatadah and told him to bring him forth. When Abu Qatadah arrived, the Prophet asked him if he had captured a slave girl and he replied in the affirmative and that upon having separated the religious tax from the spoils and dividing them amongst the people, he had taken the slave girl for himself.

The Prophet told him to give the slave girl to him (the Prophet), which Abu Qatadah accepted. The Prophet then gifted the slave girl to Muhammiyah bin Juz al-Zubaydi.