The Hawazin delegation and the amnesty of captives

A delegation of the chiefs of Hawazin came to the Prophet at al-Ji'rana after becoming Muslim, pleading the bond of suckling among Banu Sa'd ibn Bakr so that he would return their women and children; the Prophet and Banu Abd al-Muttalib volunteered their shares and the Muhajirun and Ansar yielded theirs, so six thousand captives were returned in a general amnesty ¹.

Hawazin's spokesman said: Messenger of God, within these enclosures are your aunts and foster-mothers who used to care for you. The Prophet offered them the choice between wealth and captives, and they said: we would hold nothing equal to our kin — return our women and children to us ².

The Prophet taught them to intercede through him to the Muslims and through the two Salmanis to him after the noon prayer; when they stood and spoke, the Prophet said: "whatever was mine and Banu Abd al-Muttalib's is yours," and the Muhajirun and Ansar said: "and whatever was ours belongs to the Messenger of God" — so six thousand captive women and children were released and returned to their people with nothing taken in exchange ³.

Hawazin's delegation came as Muslims, fourteen men headed by Zuhayr ibn Surad, among them Abu Burqan, the Prophet's foster-uncle ⁴. When the people gave up their shares, al-Aqra' ibn Habis said: as for me and Banu Tamim, no; Uyayna ibn Hisn said: as for me and Banu Fazara, no; al-Abbas ibn Mirdas said: as for me and Banu Sulaym, no — and Banu Sulaym said: whatever was ours belongs to the Messenger of God, so al-Abbas ibn Mirdas said: you have made me look small ⁵.

The Prophet offered those who held to their claim six shares for each one from the first gains God granted him; the men made their souls content and returned the women and children. None held out but Uyayna ibn Hisn, who refused to return an old woman in his hands — then returned her afterwards; and the Prophet clothed each captive in a Coptic garment ⁵.