The sending of Amr ibn Hazm to Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b and the Prophet's written charge to him

بعث عمرو بن حزم إلى بني الحارث بن كعب وعهد النبي إليه

c. January 632 CE · c. Dhu al-Qa'da 10 AH

After the Banu al-Harith delegation left, the Prophet ﷺ sent Amr ibn Hazm (may God be pleased with him) to teach them religion, the sunna and the landmarks of Islam and to collect their sadaqa, writing him a charge: fear of God, taking what is right, teaching the Qur'an which none may touch but the pure, gentleness in right and severity against wrong, the rites of hajj, the prayer and its times, ablution and Friday, the ban on tribal rallying-cries, the fifth of booty and the sadaqa rates, and the rule for People of the Book who convert and for those who keep their faith and pay the jizya.

Overview

The Prophet sent Amr ibn Hazm to the Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b, after their delegation had been appointed, to teach them the religion and the Sunna and the features of Islam, and to take their alms. He wrote him a letter setting out his charge. ¹

The account

Ibn Ishaq records the mission in an appendix to the account of Khalid and the delegation of the Banu al-Harith, and gives the full text of the charge. It opens with a statement from God and His Messenger and the verse on fulfilling covenants. It then orders Amr to fear God in everything, to hold to the truth, to bring good news to people, to teach them the Qur'an and give them understanding of it, to be gentle with people in the truth and firm with them against wrong. ¹ It then details the rites of the pilgrimage, the prayer, alms and the poll tax; these are on the charter page. ² ³

In Ibn Hajar

His son Muhammad related from him a letter written to him by the Prophet containing the obligations, the zakat and the blood-money; it was transmitted by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i and others. Amr was appointed by the Prophet over Najran. ⁴

Khalid ibn al-Walid's mission to Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b, their conversion and their delegation

In Rabi' al-Akhir or Jumada al-Ula 10 AH the Prophet sent Khalid ibn al-Walid to Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b at Najran with orders to invite them to Islam for three days before fighting; they converted without fighting, Khalid stayed to teach them and wrote to the Prophet, who told him to come with their delegation. He brought six of their chiefs; the Prophet asked who these men were who looked like men of India, asked four times whether they were the ones who advance when rebuked until Yazid ibn Abd al-Madan answered, told them that but for Khalid's letter he would have thrown their heads beneath their feet, and appointed Qays ibn al-Husayn over them. They returned at the end of Shawwal or the start of Dhu al-Qa'da, four months before the Prophet's death.

The sending of Amr ibn Hazm to Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b and the Prophet's written charge to him

At a glance

In time

Overview

The account

In Ibn Hajar

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Khalid ibn al-Walid's mission to Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b, their conversion and their delegation