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Budayl ibn Warqa' al-Khuza'i

بديل بن ورقاء الخزاعي

A Khuza'i leader of the truce years: he sheltered the driven-in Khuza'a in his house, led their complaint delegation to Medina, met Abu Sufyan at Usfan while concealing his own visit, and scouted the Muslim army with him at Marr al-Zahran — where he slipped away to warn the Prophet. As 'Budayl ibn Umm Asram' he answered al-Akhzar's war poem.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
Tribal leader
Era
The Prophetic Era
Region
Arabia
Review
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BattlesLiterature

Place in the story

Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.

Summary

A Khuza'a chief in the truce years: he sheltered the Khuza'a fugitives in his house, led their delegation to Medina, met Abu Sufyan at Asfan and concealed his news, spied on the army with him at Marr al-Zahran then slipped away and told the Prophet their number 1. Under the ascription "Budayl ibn Umm Asram" he answered the verse of al-Akhzar ibn Lu't 2.

Sheltering the fugitives

When Banu al-Dil surprised Khuza'a at al-Watir, they fortified themselves in the house of Budayl ibn Warqa' and the house of Rafi' their client 3.

The delegation to Medina

Budayl came in a party of Khuza'a and told the Prophet of Quraysh's backing Banu Bakr and breaking the pact 4. On his way back he met Abu Sufyan at Asfan and denied having seen anything or anyone come to him — though he had been to Medina 5.

Spying at Marr al-Zahran

Abu Sufyan spied on the army at Marr al-Zahran with Hakim ibn Hizam and Budayl; when they saw the fires each turned back with his news — in one account Budayl told Abu Sufyan he feared Muhammad had made ready, then slipped away, came to the Prophet and told him their condition and number 6.

The verse

Under the ascription "Budayl ibn Umm Asram" he answered al-Akhzar ibn Lu't al-Dili's poem with a long poem restoring the merit to Khuza'a 7. Al-Isti'ab's genealogists differed on his ascription, as in the note 2.

For young visitors

A chief of Khuza'a who sheltered his fleeing people in his house, then went to the Muslims' prophet to tell him what had happened, then stood on a mountain watching the conquest army beside his enemy while hiding his intent.

Connections

Member of
Khuza'a
Participated in
The Bakr–Khuza'a clash at al-WatirKhuza'a's appeal to MedinaAbu Sufyan's mission to Medina

People and things also explored

The Bakr–Khuza'a clash at al-WatirThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)Khuza'a's appeal to MedinaKhuza'aMuhammadAmr ibn Salim al-Khuza'iTamim ibn Asad al-Khuza'iBanu Bakr ibn Abd Manat

Sources

  1. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), pp. 33, 37-38, 46
  2. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/34
  3. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/33
  4. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/37
  5. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/37-38
  6. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), pp. 42, 46
  7. al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/34-35
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Budayl ibn Warqa' al-Khuza'i”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/budayl-ibn-warqa/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.

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Wing

People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story.
Related

The Bakr–Khuza'a clash at al-Watir

A night raid by Banu al-Dil of Banu Bakr — secretly armed and joined by men of Quraysh — on Khuza'a at their watering place al-Watir in lower Mecca. The breach of the Hudaybiyya truce it caused is the spark the tradition gives for the conquest of Mecca.