The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~ R 339
of Qays b. al-Muhsirn6 al-Yacmuri are relevant. He said, apologizing for his actions
and those of the others that day,
'I swear by God, my soul criticizes me persistently for
stopping when the horses were excited, staring ahead.
I stopped then, neither moving aside nor advancing, and
not defending those for whom death was near.
However, I modelled myself on Khalid; is it not true
that there is none like Khslid among our men?
I grieved much for Ja'far at Mu'ta, when arrows were of
no use to archers.
He joined up to us both our flanks, men who were
muhajirin, not polytheists, men not defenceless."'
Ibn Ishaq stated, "Qays clarified in his poehy what had been the subject of
disagreement among people; this is, that the army avoided conflict and were
unwilling to die and, moreover, that Khalid did disengage with his men."
Ibn Hishm stated, "Al-Zuhri stated, as we have been informed, 'The Musl~ns
appointed Khalid b. al-Walid as their commander, and God gave them victory.
He remained their leader until he returned to Medina."'
Ibn Ishaq stated, "'Abd Allah b. Abii Bakr related to me, from Umm 'isz
al-Khmliyya, from Umm Jacfar, daughter of Muhammad h. Ja'far b. Aba Talib,
from their grandmother Asma1, daughter of Wmays, who said, 'When Ja'far
and his men had suffered casualties, the Messenger of God (SAAS) came in to
see me just after I had tanned 40 manna weight of skis, kneaded my dough and
washed, oiled and cleaned off my children. He said to me, "Bring Jacfar's sons
to me." I brought them to him, he smelt them and his eyes welled with tears. I
asked, "Messenger of God, by my father and my mother, do tell me what makes
you cry! Do you have news of Ja'far and his men?" "Yes", be replied, "they have
been struck down today." I arose screaming, and the women gathered around
me. The Messenger of God (SAAS) then went outside to his people and said,
"Don't neglect Jacfar's family; make food for them. They are preoccupied by the
fate of their master.""'
Imam Ahmad told it thus from the hadith of Ibn Ishaq who related it
through 'Abd Allah b. Aba Bakr, from Umm 'isa, from Umm 'Awn, daughter of
Muhammad b. Ja'far, from Asma'. He made reference to preparing the food.
What is correct is that it referred to Umm Ja'far and Umm