Name: Umayr ibn Wahab's Assassination Plot and Conversion
Start: 624
Location: Masjid al-Nabawi

What happened

In brief

Weeks after Badr, Safwan ibn Umayyah offered to pay his cousin Umayr ibn Wahab's debts and keep his family if Umayr would go to Madinah and kill the Prophet ﷺ. Umayr poisoned his sword and rode alone, was recognised in the mosque by Umar RA, and claimed he had come to ransom his son. The Prophet ﷺ repeated to him the conversation in the Hijr that no one but the two cousins had heard, and Umayr, knowing there was no other way he could have learned it, testified on the spot. His son was freed, Umar taught him the Qur'an, and he went home to preach Islam in Makkah, where many converted at his hands and Safwan swore never to speak to him again. At the conquest of Makkah it was Umayr who brought the fleeing Safwan back to embrace Islam.

Outcome: Umayr ibn Wahab accepted Islam and later became instrumental in his cousin Safwan ibn Umayyah's own conversion at the Conquest of Makkah.

Sayings & Actions4

In the Hijr

Safwan's offer, and a bargain kept between two men.

Safwan ibn Umayyah RATo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying · Shortly after Badr, in Makkah

Look what this new religion has done to us: my father and brother both dead at Badr, and Muhammad ﷺ still walks free.

withMuhammad ﷺ

Safwan ibn Umayyah mocking the Prophet ﷺ and blaming Islam for the Quraysh losses at Badr, while sitting with his cousin Umayr ibn Wahab.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Quote

Wallahi, were it not for the fact that I owe so-and-so some money, and that I have a family to take care of, I would personally volunteer to go to Madinah and execute Muhammad ﷺ myself; for they have destroyed my family, and my son is right now a prisoner with them!

withMuhammad ﷺ

Safwan ibn Umayyah RATo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Quote

What if I take care of your debt, and I promise to take care of your family to the extent that everything that I give my family, your family will get the same. Will you then agree?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Quote

In that case, yes. But don't tell a single soul: keep this conversation between the two of us.

In the mosque

Umar's hand on his sword, and a conversation no one else had heard.

Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

This dog, enemy of Allah! By Allah, he has come for some evil intent!

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Umar ibn al-Khattab RA recognizing Umayr ibn Wahab as he entered Madinah, disguised and armed, spoken from a distance.

Umar ibn al-Khattab RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

Umayr ibn Wahab is here in the city and he is looking for you.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Umar RA informing the Prophet ﷺ.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Bring him to me.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Watch every move of his, because this filthy person cannot be trusted.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Instruction to Umar RA before Umayr was allowed into the masjid.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

انعم صباحا

In'am sabaha.

Umayr's greeting on entering the masjid (the customary greeting of the Jahiliyyah).

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Allah has given us a better greeting: it is the greeting of the people of Jannah, it is the salam.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

This is something new to me.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Why have you come?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

In order to negotiate the ransom of my son, and that you send him back with me. Until we negotiate, be good with him.

withThe son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

If that is the case, what is this sword around your neck?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

This sword here? What good did it do us at Badr?

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Tell me the truth: why did you come, O Umayr?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

I have told you: for my son.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Rather, you and Safwan were sitting alone in the Hijr and you mentioned your losses at Badr, and you said, were it not for your debt and your family, you would personally go and kill me. So Safwan offered to take care of your debts and your family so that you may come and kill me. But Allah has come between you and your plans.

withSafwan ibn Umayyah RA

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Life event

I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

We used to reject you when you told us that wahy would come from the skies. But this issue: no one knew of it except me and Safwan. And there is no way you could have been informed of it except from Allah. So I thank Allah who has caused me to see the Truth and guided me to Islam.

withSafwan ibn Umayyah RA

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Teach your brother about the religion, help him to memorize the Qur'an, and free his captive.

withThe son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed,Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Instruction to Umar ibn al-Khattab RA regarding Umayr and his son.

After

Leave to preach in Makkah, and Safwan's vow.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying · After some time learning Islam in Madinah, before returning to Makkah

Ya Rasulullah! I used to strive to extinguish the flame of Allah and torture those who embrace Islam, so now I ask your permission to call people to Islam as I tried to push them away. And I used to irritate you and your Companions, now let me go back and defend you!

Said before Umayr returned to Makkah, after remaining in Madinah for some time to learn Islam.

Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Saying

By Allah, I will never look at him, speak to him, or be under the same roof as him again, now that he has abandoned our religion.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Safwan's reaction on confirming that Umayr had accepted Islam, after two weeks of building up hype about a 'surprise' awaiting Makkah.

People involved5

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA
primary figure — The would-be assassin who converted to Islam.
Safwan ibn Umayyah RA
conspirator — Financed the plot from Makkah.
Umar ibn al-Khattab RA
companion — Recognized Umayr and alerted the Prophet ﷺ; later assigned as his teacher.
M
Muhammad ﷺ
The son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed
freed captive — Freed at the Prophet ﷺ's order once his father accepted Islam.

What happened

In brief

Outcome: Umayr ibn Wahab accepted Islam and later became instrumental in his cousin Safwan ibn Umayyah's own conversion at the Conquest of Makkah.

Sayings & Actions4

In the Hijr

Safwan's offer, and a bargain kept between two men.

Safwan ibn Umayyah RATo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying · Shortly after Badr, in Makkah

Look what this new religion has done to us: my father and brother both dead at Badr, and Muhammad ﷺ still walks free.

withMuhammad ﷺ

Safwan ibn Umayyah mocking the Prophet ﷺ and blaming Islam for the Quraysh losses at Badr, while sitting with his cousin Umayr ibn Wahab.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Quote

withMuhammad ﷺ

Safwan ibn Umayyah RATo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Quote

What if I take care of your debt, and I promise to take care of your family to the extent that everything that I give my family, your family will get the same. Will you then agree?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Quote

In that case, yes. But don't tell a single soul: keep this conversation between the two of us.

In the mosque

Umar's hand on his sword, and a conversation no one else had heard.

Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

This dog, enemy of Allah! By Allah, he has come for some evil intent!

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Umar ibn al-Khattab RA recognizing Umayr ibn Wahab as he entered Madinah, disguised and armed, spoken from a distance.

Umar ibn al-Khattab RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

Umayr ibn Wahab is here in the city and he is looking for you.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Umar RA informing the Prophet ﷺ.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Bring him to me.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Watch every move of his, because this filthy person cannot be trusted.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Instruction to Umar RA before Umayr was allowed into the masjid.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

انعم صباحا

In'am sabaha.

Umayr's greeting on entering the masjid (the customary greeting of the Jahiliyyah).

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Allah has given us a better greeting: it is the greeting of the people of Jannah, it is the salam.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

This is something new to me.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Why have you come?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

In order to negotiate the ransom of my son, and that you send him back with me. Until we negotiate, be good with him.

withThe son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

If that is the case, what is this sword around your neck?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

This sword here? What good did it do us at Badr?

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

Tell me the truth: why did you come, O Umayr?

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

I have told you: for my son.

Muhammad ﷺTo Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Saying

withSafwan ibn Umayyah RA

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Life event

I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying

withSafwan ibn Umayyah RA

Muhammad ﷺTo Umar ibn al-Khattab RA

Saying

Teach your brother about the religion, help him to memorize the Qur'an, and free his captive.

withThe son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed,Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Instruction to Umar ibn al-Khattab RA regarding Umayr and his son.

After

Leave to preach in Makkah, and Safwan's vow.

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Saying · After some time learning Islam in Madinah, before returning to Makkah

Said before Umayr returned to Makkah, after remaining in Madinah for some time to learn Islam.

Safwan ibn Umayyah RA

Saying

By Allah, I will never look at him, speak to him, or be under the same roof as him again, now that he has abandoned our religion.

withUmayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA

Safwan's reaction on confirming that Umayr had accepted Islam, after two weeks of building up hype about a 'surprise' awaiting Makkah.

People involved5

Umayr ibn Wahab al-Jumahi RA
primary figure — The would-be assassin who converted to Islam.
Safwan ibn Umayyah RA
conspirator — Financed the plot from Makkah.
Umar ibn al-Khattab RA
companion — Recognized Umayr and alerted the Prophet ﷺ; later assigned as his teacher.
M
Muhammad ﷺ
The son of Umayr ibn Wahab· Unnamed
freed captive — Freed at the Prophet ﷺ's order once his father accepted Islam.

Umayr ibn Wahab's Assassination Plot and Conversion

What happened

Significance

Connected events

Grew out of

Led to

Around this time

Sayings & Actions4

In the Hijr

In the mosque

After

People involved5

Umayr ibn Wahab's Assassination Plot and Conversion

What happened

Significance

Connected events

Grew out of

Led to

Around this time

Sayings & Actions4

In the Hijr

In the mosque

After

People involved5