Expedition

The Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil

Name: The Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil
Start: 629
Location: Dhat al-Salasil

~Jumada al-Ula or Jumada al-Thani, 8 AH -- a few weeks after the Battle of Mu'tah · 8 AH

The Army of Commanders·chapter 4 of 4

Dhat al-Salasil

What happened

In brief

The Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil was a raid sent a few weeks after Mu'tah in 8 AH against the tribe of Quda'a, who lived between Madinah and the Ghassanids and had helped them at Mu'tah. The Prophet ﷺ gave command of 300 men to Amr ibn al-As RA, a Muslim of only about three months. Amr marched by night in the winter cold and forbade any fires so the enemy would not see how few they were. Judging his force too small, he asked for reinforcements, and the Prophet ﷺ sent 200 more under Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah RA, with Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA among them, telling the two commanders not to fall out. When Abu Ubaydah stepped forward to lead the prayer, Amr insisted that he was the appointed commander, and Abu Ubaydah, though senior in every way, stepped aside rather than divide the army. Amr then led a surprise attack, and Quda'a fled without a fight. The Muslims returned with much booty and no major casualties. On the way Amr, fearing a freezing bath would kill him, performed tayammum instead of ghusl and led the prayer; when companions complained, the Prophet ﷺ heard his reasoning, laughed, and did not rebuke him.

Outcome: Quda'a fled without a fight; the Muslims took much ghanima with no major casualties, and northern Arabia was pacified from a PR standpoint.

Significance

This otherwise minor expedition preserves two enduring lessons about leadership: that even senior, highly qualified sahaba like Abu Ubaydah can set aside their own standing for the sake of unity, and that command need not fall to the single most pious person present (the principle of imamat al-mafduli ala al-fadil); Abu Bakr and Umar RA, unanimously superior to Abu Ubaydah in taqwa, were still content to serve as reinforcements under him. Amr's tayammum is also a founding case in fiqh: it is the earliest instance of a sahabi choosing tayammum over ghusl despite water being present, establishing that tayammum can replace ghusl (not only wudu) when a genuine hardship such as extreme cold or a skin ailment applies, and that the sahaba practiced ijtihad from the Qur'an even in the Prophet ﷺ's own lifetime. Militarily, the rout of Quda'a, who had aided the Ghassanids at Mu'tah, effectively pacified northern Arabia; it was never a serious threat again, and a number of its tribes went on to accept Islam.

The Army of Commanders·Chapter 4 of 4Aftermath

See the whole story

Previously← The Battle of Mu'tah~Jumada al-Awwal, 8 AH (c. 629 CE) · 8 AH

This is the last chapter of the story.

Around this time

Other events recorded in 8 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.

BattleThe Battle of Mu'tah~Jumada al-Awwal, 8 AH (c. 629 CE) · 8 AH DelegationAbu Sufyan's Mission to Madinah~8 AH, a few weeks before the march on Makkah · 8 AH IncidentAli RA's Investigation of Ma'boor~c. 8-9 AH, before Ibrahim's birth · 8 AH BattleBanu Bakr's Raid on the Khuza'a at al-Watir~8 AH, shortly before Ramadan · 8 AH BirthBirth of Abd al-Rahman ibn Hassan ibn Thabit~After Sirin's arrival in Madinah (c. 8 AH) · 8 AH RevelationJealousy of Hafsa RA over Maria & the Revelation of Surah al-Tahrim~c. 8 AH, before Ibrahim's birth · 8 AH DelegationKhuza'a's Appeal to the Prophet ﷺ~8 AH · 8 AH ExpeditionThe Halt at Ma'an Before Mu'tah~629 CE · 8 AH DeathThe Killing of al-Harith ibn Umayr al-Azdi~629 CE · 8 AH IncidentThe Killing of Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i~8 AH, before the Conquest of Makkah; the dispute was resolved after the Battle of Hunayn · 8 AH BattleThe Battle of Hunayn~8 AH, shortly after the Conquest of Makkah · 8 AH BattleThe Siege of Ta'if~Last week of Shawwal, 8 AH · 8 AH

Sayings & Actions7

Muhammad ﷺTo Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · appointing Amr ibn al-As to lead the Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil

I wish to appoint you as a leader of an army, and Allah will protect you and give you much ghanima. And I am optimistic for you that you will get much wealth.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · replying to the Prophet ﷺ at his appointment

Ya Rasulullah, I did not accept Islam in order to become wealthy, rather, I accepted Islam to be a Muslim and to be with you.

Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · reassuring Amr that pure wealth in righteous hands is no fault

O Amr, how beautiful is pure money for the righteous man?

Amr ibn al-As RA

Narration · recalling the incident of tayammum during the expedition

On one of the nights of Dhat al-Salasil, I had a wet dream, and we were in the middle of the desert in freezing cold. I was worried that if I took a ghusl, I would kill myself, so I did tayammum instead and led Fajr with my companions.

Muhammad ﷺTo Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · questioning Amr after the men complained on returning to Madinah

Did you lead them in the state of janaba?

Raised after some of the men complained on returning to Madinah that Amr had led them in prayer while in a state of janaba.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · explaining his tayammum to the Prophet ﷺ

Ya Rasulullah, I heard Allah say, "Do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is ever Merciful to you." I was worried that if I took a bath, I would kill myself. Therefore, I did tayammum and did not take a bath.

The Prophet ﷺ laughed at this explanation and did not rebuke him.

Amr ibn al-As RATo Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · when Abu Ubaydah stepped forward to lead the salah

No, you are reinforcements, and I am the leader.

Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah had stepped forward to lead the salah when the reinforcements arrived, since the army's leader traditionally led the prayer.

Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · stepping aside from leading the salah and the army

Ya Amr, the Prophet ﷺ said to me, "Make sure the two of you agree, and do not disagree." So even if you will disobey me, I will not disobey you.

Amr ibn al-As RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying · explaining to the Prophet ﷺ after the men complained about the no-fire order

Ya Rasulullah, our quantity was limited and I didn't want the tribe to see how small we were.

Given after the army returned to Madinah and the men complained to the Prophet ﷺ that Amr had forbidden them from lighting a fire during the freezing night march.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · on the night march toward Quda'a, refusing to let the freezing army light a fire

If you light a fire, I will push you into it!

Said on the night march to Quda'a, when Amr forbade the army from lighting fires so the enemy would not learn of their approach.

Muhammad ﷺTo Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · dispatching the 200 reinforcements to Amr ibn al-As under Dhat al-Salasil

When you get to your companion, make sure the two of you agree, and do not disagree.

withAmr ibn al-As RA

Said to Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah when the Prophet ﷺ sent him with 200 reinforcements to join Amr ibn al-As, who was leading the sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil.

People involved5

muslim

M
Muhammad ﷺ
Amr ibn al-As RA
appointed leader of the initial 300; became leader of the combined 500 after Abu Ubaydah stepped aside
Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA
led the 200 reinforcements; stepped aside from leading the salah and the army for the sake of unity
Abu Bakr RA
among the 200 reinforcements sent under Abu Ubaydah
Umar ibn al-Khattab RA
among the 200 reinforcements sent under Abu Ubaydah

Related Quran2

Surah An-Nisa · 4:29

references

“Do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is ever Merciful to you.”

Cited by Amr ibn al-As as grounds for performing tayammum instead of a life-threatening cold-weather ghusl.

Surah Al-Ma'idah · 5:6

references

“If you are in a state of janaba, then take a full bath.”

The command to perform ghusl after janaba, which Amr's ijtihad reinterpreted in light of the danger to his life.

← All events

Expedition

The Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil

~Jumada al-Ula or Jumada al-Thani, 8 AH -- a few weeks after the Battle of Mu'tah · 8 AH

The Army of Commanders·chapter 4 of 4

Dhat al-Salasil

What happened

In brief

Outcome: Quda'a fled without a fight; the Muslims took much ghanima with no major casualties, and northern Arabia was pacified from a PR standpoint.

Significance

The Army of Commanders·Chapter 4 of 4Aftermath

See the whole story

Previously← The Battle of Mu'tah~Jumada al-Awwal, 8 AH (c. 629 CE) · 8 AH

This is the last chapter of the story.

Around this time

Other events recorded in 8 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.

Sayings & Actions7

Muhammad ﷺTo Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · appointing Amr ibn al-As to lead the Sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil

I wish to appoint you as a leader of an army, and Allah will protect you and give you much ghanima. And I am optimistic for you that you will get much wealth.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · replying to the Prophet ﷺ at his appointment

Ya Rasulullah, I did not accept Islam in order to become wealthy, rather, I accepted Islam to be a Muslim and to be with you.

Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · reassuring Amr that pure wealth in righteous hands is no fault

O Amr, how beautiful is pure money for the righteous man?

Amr ibn al-As RA

Narration · recalling the incident of tayammum during the expedition

Muhammad ﷺTo Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · questioning Amr after the men complained on returning to Madinah

Did you lead them in the state of janaba?

Raised after some of the men complained on returning to Madinah that Amr had led them in prayer while in a state of janaba.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · explaining his tayammum to the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ laughed at this explanation and did not rebuke him.

Amr ibn al-As RATo Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · when Abu Ubaydah stepped forward to lead the salah

No, you are reinforcements, and I am the leader.

Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah had stepped forward to lead the salah when the reinforcements arrived, since the army's leader traditionally led the prayer.

Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · stepping aside from leading the salah and the army

Ya Amr, the Prophet ﷺ said to me, "Make sure the two of you agree, and do not disagree." So even if you will disobey me, I will not disobey you.

Amr ibn al-As RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying · explaining to the Prophet ﷺ after the men complained about the no-fire order

Ya Rasulullah, our quantity was limited and I didn't want the tribe to see how small we were.

Given after the army returned to Madinah and the men complained to the Prophet ﷺ that Amr had forbidden them from lighting a fire during the freezing night march.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · on the night march toward Quda'a, refusing to let the freezing army light a fire

If you light a fire, I will push you into it!

Said on the night march to Quda'a, when Amr forbade the army from lighting fires so the enemy would not learn of their approach.

Muhammad ﷺTo Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA

Saying · dispatching the 200 reinforcements to Amr ibn al-As under Dhat al-Salasil

When you get to your companion, make sure the two of you agree, and do not disagree.

withAmr ibn al-As RA

Said to Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah when the Prophet ﷺ sent him with 200 reinforcements to join Amr ibn al-As, who was leading the sariyya of Dhat al-Salasil.

People involved5

muslim

M
Muhammad ﷺ
Amr ibn al-As RA
appointed leader of the initial 300; became leader of the combined 500 after Abu Ubaydah stepped aside
Abu Ubaydah Amir ibn al-Jarrah RA
led the 200 reinforcements; stepped aside from leading the salah and the army for the sake of unity
Abu Bakr RA
among the 200 reinforcements sent under Abu Ubaydah
Umar ibn al-Khattab RA
among the 200 reinforcements sent under Abu Ubaydah

Related Quran2

Surah An-Nisa · 4:29

references

“Do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is ever Merciful to you.”

Cited by Amr ibn al-As as grounds for performing tayammum instead of a life-threatening cold-weather ghusl.

Surah Al-Ma'idah · 5:6

references

“If you are in a state of janaba, then take a full bath.”

The command to perform ghusl after janaba, which Amr's ijtihad reinterpreted in light of the danger to his life.