The delegation of Thaqif

Six men of Thaqif under Abd Yalil ibn Amr came to Medina in Ramadan 9 AH; they became Muslim on condition that the Prophet undertake the demolition of al-Lat, and he set Uthman ibn Abi al-As over them ¹.

Urwa ibn Mas'ud, chief of Thaqif, became Muslim after the Prophet's return from al-Ta'if and went back calling his people; they shot him with arrows until they killed him ¹. Thaqif lasted months after his death, then saw they had no strength to fight the Arabs around them and agreed to send a delegation; Abd Yalil refused unless they sent men with him, so they became six, among them Uthman ibn Abi al-As, the youngest ¹. A tent was pitched for them at the side of the mosque so they could hear the Qur'an and see the people at prayer ¹. They asked the Prophet to write them a peace permitting adultery, wine and usury, keeping al-Lat, exemption from prayer, and that they would not break their idols with their own hands — he refused it all ². Finding no way out, they submitted and became Muslim, stipulating that the Prophet undertake the demolition of al-Lat; he accepted, wrote them a document and set Uthman ibn Abi al-As over them for his eagerness to learn ¹. On returning the delegation hid the truth from their people and showed gloom; Thaqif took pride for some days, then God cast terror into their hearts and they asked for the terms that had been agreed — and Thaqif became Muslim ³.