The skirmish of al-Khandama
وقعة الخندمة
January 630 CE · Ramadan 8 AH
A sharp clash on the heights of al-Khandama where armed resisters from Quraysh and Banu Bakr under Safwan ibn Umayya, Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl, and Suhayl ibn Amr attempted to bar Khalid ibn al-Walid's entry; the resistance was quickly routed, leaving twelve to thirteen Meccan fighters dead, while Kurz ibn Jabir, Khunays ibn Khalid, and Salama ibn al-Mayla' fell on the Muslim side.
At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
In time
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
BattlesSkirmishes, raids and expeditions
Sides
Muslim cavalry under Khalid ibn al-Walid
The early Muslim community · Banu Aslam · Banu Ghifar · Muzayna
Commanders: Khalid ibn al-Walid
Summary
An armed clash on the morning of the conquest day at Mount al-Khandama in Mecca, when a faction of Quraysh and Banu Bakr fighters under Safwan, Ikrima and Suhayl tried to resist the entry of Khalid ibn al-Walid's column; the skirmish ended quickly in the resisters' defeat, about twelve of them killed and three Muslims martyred 1.
What happened
The fighters gathered at al-Khandama and prepared their arms; among them was Himas ibn Qays al-Dayli, who had threatened the Prophet's Companions before the conquest 2. When they met Khalid ibn al-Walid's column there was an exchange of arrows and a little fighting 3.
Two horsemen strayed from Khalid's army — Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri and Khunays ibn Khalid al-Khuza'i — who took another road, met the fighters, and Khunays was killed first while Kurz stood fighting for him, chanting verses until he too was killed; Salama ibn al-Mayla' al-Juhani was martyred with them 3.
The resisters broke quickly: about twelve or thirteen of them were killed and the rest fled; Himas ibn Qays went back to his house in flight 3.
For young visitors
A small group of Quraysh tried to fight the Muslims' cavalry at Mount al-Khandama, but the fighting ended quickly and they fled to their houses, and the army entered Mecca in general peace.
Connections
People and things also explored
QurayshMeccaThe Battle of HunaynThe Demolition of al-Uzza and Major IdolsThe early Muslim communityThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)Khalid ibn al-WalidMuhammad
Sources
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/49-50
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/49
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/50
- Ibn Ishaq / Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad (1955)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The skirmish of al-Khandama”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/khandama-skirmish/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.