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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHER 377
told h i as follows, 'It was stipulated in the truce of al-Hudayhiyya that whoever
wished to enter into an alliance with Muhammad could do so, and that those
wishing to ally with Quraysh could also do that. Thereafter Khuza'a stated that
they wished to he allied with the Messenger of God (SAAS) while Bann Bakr
joined with Quraysh.
"'The truce remained in effect for some 17 or 18 months. But then Bana Bakr
attacked Khuza'a at night at a well called al-Watir, close to Mecca. Quraysh,
thinking that because it was night and that they would not he observed, assisted
Bann Bakr by providing horses and weapons, and they fought along with them
in order to express their hatred for the Messenger of God (SAAS).
"'When the conflict between Khuza'a and Bann Bakr became intense, (Amr
b. Snlim rode off to the Messenger of God (SAAS) to tell him the news. He had
composed some verses on the subject and spoke these to the Messenger of God
(SAAS) when he arrived,
"0 Lord, I address Muhammad and invoke hi father's
pact with our ancient forebears.
You were as children and we as parents and then we
accepted Islam and never held back.
So Help the Messenger of God with a h a1 victory, and
call for God's servants to come up as reinforcements
Including the Messenger of God, accoutred for war;
when angry, his face becomes stern.
With an army broad as the sea and foaming; @raysh
have broken their pacts.
They have destroyed their clear treaty with you and
sent guards for me up on Mt. Ka&
They claim that I will not inspire (to help) yet they
are more lowly and fewer in number.
They attacked us at night while we slept at al-Watir,
and killed us as we bowed in prayer."
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) told hi, "You have been helped, 'Amr h.
Sdim!"
"'Soon a cloud passed overhead in the sky and the Messenger of God (SAAS)
said, "This cloud is bringing aid to Bana Ka'b."
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) then told his men to prepare for battle, but
he hid from them his destination. He asked God to blind Quraysh to news of
him so that he could surprise them in their own territory."'
Ibn Ishnq stated, "The reason for the trouble was that a man named Mali h
(Ahbad, of Bana al-Hadrami, allied to al-Aswad h. Rizn, went out on a trading
trip. When he was deep in Khuzn'a territory, they attacked hi, killed him and
robbed him. Bann Bakr then attacked a man of Bana Khuza'a and killed him.
Khuzn'a, just before accepting Islam, had attacked the sons of al-Aswad h. Rizn