Suraqa ibn Malik

Suraqa ibn Malik ibn Ju'shum al-Mudliji, hero of the pursuit and safe-conduct scene on the hijra road ¹.

A man of his people told him he had seen dark figures on the coast he thought were Muhammad and his companions; Suraqa put him off, then went out with his spear seeking the hundred-camel prize. He caught them up — in Zad al-Ma'ad's addition — as they climbed from Qudayd on the third day of their journey ^{1 2}.

His mare stumbled under him, then her forelegs sank into the ground to the knees; he drew lots with the arrows and out came the one he hated — so he called out to them offering safety and they stopped ³. He told them his people had set blood-money on them, and offered them provision and goods — they took nothing and said: conceal us — and he asked for a writ of safety; the Prophet had Amir ibn Fuhayra write it for him on a scrap of leather ⁴.

Suraqa went back and found the people in pursuit, and kept saying: I have thoroughly scouted for you — you are covered on this side. He had been the day's early hunter of them, and its late guardian ^{4 2}. The tradition mentions that his appearance in his own shape was what gave Quraysh their assurance before Badr — as a related report ¹.