~Rajab, 9 AH (630 CE) · 9 AH
While the Prophet ﷺ was encamped at Tabuk, he sent Khalid ibn al-Walid RA with a few hundred sahaba on a mini-expedition to Dawmat al-Jandal, home of the Christian Arab tribe of Kindah, whose chieftain Ukaydir ibn Abd al-Malik was called a king (malik). The Prophet ﷺ told Khalid he would find Ukaydir away from his entourage, in the midst of some cows, and that is exactly how it happened: Ukaydir's herd kept barging against his palace door one night, and his wife, fed up, told him to go deal with it himself. Khalid found him in the middle of nowhere with a few servants and captured him. Brought before the Prophet ﷺ, Ukaydir did not embrace Islam at the time, but agreed to break off his relationship with the Romans, pay the jizya, and not attack the Muslims. To show his loyalty, Ukaydir later sent the Muslim camp gifts, including a hulla (a gold-threaded, coordinated two-piece garment) finer than any the sahaba had seen: they gathered around the Prophet ﷺ in awe of it.
Ukaydir's submission, followed by 3-4 other tribal leaders on similar terms, sealed the entire northern barrier against the Romans, perhaps the greatest political wisdom behind the Battle of Tabuk itself: a massive Muslim army sitting at Tabuk that none of these tribes could fight single-handedly. The Prophet ﷺ also established a treaty with the King of Ayla and other local tribes of the province around this time.
Other events recorded in 9 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
You will find him away from his entourage, in the midst of some cows.
Sending Khalid ibn al-Walid RA with a few hundred sahaba to Dawmat al-Jandal to deal with its chieftain, Ukaydir ibn Abd al-Malik, the Prophet ﷺ described exactly the scene Khalid RA would find him in.
You have to stop this.
One evening, Ukaydir's herd of cows came to the door of his palace and began barging against it all night long, until his wife had had enough.
Okay, I will take care of it.
Went himself with some servants to see to the cows, and found the king of Dawmat al-Jandal in the middle of nowhere, exactly as the Prophet ﷺ had foretold. Captured him and brought him before the Prophet ﷺ.
Khalid ibn al-Walid RA and 350 sahaba had been watching for this.
Agreed to break off his relationship with the Romans, to pay the jizya to the Prophet ﷺ, and not to attack the Muslims, though he did not embrace Islam at the time.
You are impressed with this? Wallahi, the handkerchief that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh has in Jannah is more precious than this hulla you are seeing.
When the Muslims were camped at Tabuk, Ukaydir sent gifts to show his loyalty, among them a hulla with gold threading finer than any the sahaba had seen; they gathered around the Prophet ﷺ in awe of it.