APIS Translation (English)
P. O.I. 17635, recto: (1) ...it will be destruction. [And Nu'aim ibn Mas'u]d [brought them] the information. He said, ''Beware! They have assembled forces [and are coming to attack you (2) on your own home grounds and to] destroy you,'' dissuading [them and adding,] ''So do not commit this folly, for coming with them are the people of...'' (3) [But they said, ''We rely] on God and His Messenger.'' So they set out with their trade goods and said, ''Should we meet Abu Sufyan, these [will serve for our provisions].'' (4) [But if not, then] we will sell our goods to those (at the fair).'' For they used to go (to the fair) every year. So they went until they arrived at the annual trade fair of [Badr and sold (5) their goods]. But neither Abu Sufyan nor any of his companions nor anyone else came out (to fight them). There came a man of the Banu Dam[rah, Makhshi (6) ibn 'Umar al-Damri, who said, ''By God, had we met you (in battle), I swear by God not one of you would have remained! What made you [come out (7) to fight]?'' The Messenger of God said, ''We will, by God, arise quickly to meet our enemy of the Quraysh. For nothing made us to come forth except our promise to meet them [here (in battle).'' Makhshi said, (8) ''Then you have come to fight the Quraysh?''] ''Yes,'' said he (Muhammad). ''Nevertheless, if you so desire, we will release you from your (own) oath and then fight you (too).'' He said (further), ''So will be manifest the judg[ment of (9) God between us and you.'' Said al-D]amri, ''God forbid, O Muhammad! May God avert (the danger) which is upon you. We hold to our covenant.'' Ma'bad al-Kh[uza'i heard of this (10) ...and the return of the] Quraysh to Mecca. So al-Kh[uza'i] composed some verses about that: 1) [She (Muhammad's camel) has set the watering place of Qudaid for a meeting place. 2) She will be reaching the watering place of Dajanan early tomorrow. 3) She breaks into the lead of the dual company of] Muhammad 4) and away from the fine raisin-like dates of Medina. (12) 5) [She advances with her rider against the inherited faith of her fathers. And Ma'bad al-Khuza'i returned to] Mecca. They asked him about the fair of Badr, and he [said, (13) ''They (Muhammad's party) tarried eight days and sold what they had brought with them of merchandise and gained for each dirham a dir]ham at the fair.'' Then al-Damri approached them alone and said, ''... (14) ...stratagems and provisions for them.'' And the Messenger of God said that they made sworn covenants with as many as they could of the sur[rounding (15) tribes. And] al-Damri said, ''Verily I am (now) your messenger.'' And he went about restraining his people by means small or great. So there set out none of the [people (16) to the fair] of Badr. And the Messenger of God and those who had answered his summons returned with profit from their trade and (with the) blessing of God in turning away (the enemy). It is said that (17) [they are the ones] to whom [the (following) revelation refers]: ''Those to whom the people said, 'The people have collected (forces) against you, so fear them.' But this increased them in faith and they said, ''We trust in God (18) [and (He is) the best of] Trustees.' '' The Messenger of God sent a mission to the friends of the Banu Sulaim. Their commander (was) Mundhir ibn 'Amr, (19) [the sworn brother from among the Banu Sa]'idah. They proceeded until they were on some of the outskirts. Then they sent Haram ibn Milhan, [sworn brother from among the Banu 'Adi, al-An]sa[ri] (20) with a letter of the Messenger of Allah to be read to them. 'Amir ibn Malik ibn Ja'far Abu Bara', the player with spears, met them at the Harr[ah of the Banu Sulaim] (21) with (the) letter of the Messenger of God. When he (Haram) reached them, 'Amir ibn al-Tufail descended on him and killed him. And he said, ''He (Haram) did not come alone.'' (22) So they followed his tracks until they found the company, except Mundhir ibn 'Amr, and they kill[ed them all. Then they said to Mundhir, ''If you wish, we will grant you safety.'' He said,] (23) ''I will not accept your (offer of) safety except for the period while you accompany me to the death site of Haram; then you shall [be free of any obligation to me.'' So they granted him safety (for that period). Then they declared themselves free of any obligation to him, and he fought them until he was killed. (24) It is on that account that] the Messenger of God said, ''He hastened that he might die.'' And there were killed of the [ansar of those who were martyred at Bi'r (25) Ma'unah: of] the Banu 'Amr ibn Malik ibn Ishaq, Anas ibn Mu'adh ibn Anas and Abu Shai[kh ibn Thabit ibn al-Mundhir; and of the Banu 'Amr ibn Mabdhul,] P. O.I. 17635, verso: (1) [al-Harith ibn al-Simmah and Sahl ibn 'A]mir ibn Sa'd ibn 'Amr ibn Fahd and al-Tufail ibn Sa'd ibn...; [and of the Banu al-Najjar, Haram and Su]laiman the two sons of [Milhan; (2) and of the Banu Dinar ibn al-Najjar, Qu]tbah ibn 'Abd 'Amr ibn Mas'ud ibn Sa'd ibn 'A[bd al-Ash]hal and Ka'b ibn Zaid was carried out wounded from among the dead; (3) [and of the Banu Sa'idah, Mundhir ibn 'Amr,] commander of the force; and of the Banu Zuraiq, [Mu'adh] ibn Ma'is; and of the Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf, 'Urwah [ibn Asma' (4) ibn al-Salt, a confederate of theirs] of the Banu Sulaim. Hassan ibn Thabit composed verses about it (Bi'r Ma'unah): Abu Bara sought the help of 'Amir ibn al-Tufail... (5) ...And he composed about Ha[ram ibn Milhan] and his death the following verses: 1) Verily I shall inform Rabi'ah, he of the high[est distinc]tions, of the event you caused (6) to happen (right) behind me. 2) A man of excellence is your (Rabi'ah's) father Abu Bara', and a noble man is your maternal uncle Haka[m] ibn Sa'd. 3) So[ns of Umm al-Ba]nin, surely you will make amends, (7) you who are among the noblest of the people of Najd. 4) 'Amir's treacherous abandoning of Abu Bara' was intended to bring great shame upon him (Abu Bara'). And he (the latter) did not do wrong (to the men of Bi'r Ma'unah) intentionally. And it is said that when advancing (8) [the company] of Mundhir ibn 'Amr left three men behind to pasture their flock. When there appeared a bird (of prey) hastening to (its) mischief, said one of the men, (9) ''By God, our companions [have been killed]! We certainly know how matters stood with the Banu 'Amir and the Banu Sulaim, and they are (responsible) for this. But [I will not return, by God, (10) until I] have fought one of them. For as for me, I hold not my life so dear as to turn away from them.'' So he went and was killed. As for the other two, they proceeded to [Medina. When they reached (11) Qanat, there ca]me two men of Kilab, pagans who had surrendered to the Messenger of God. They had joined the Messenger of God on pro[mise of safety while (12) he camped at] Uhud. When the two men of Kilab slept, the (other) two killed them. When the latter came to him (Muhammad) he said, ''They had a promise of protection and [safe conduct. I will certainly indemnify (their tribe for) them.'' Here ends the narrative of (13) the affair of B]i'r Ma'unah. In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the book of the narrative (14) [of the affair of the M]essenger of God when he went to the Banu al-Nadir seeking their aid in the matter of the two men of Kilab. It is a narrative [collected (15) from that which] has been related concerning it. The Messenger of God and some of his Companions went to the Banu al-Nadir to ask their help for the two men of Kilab who (16) [had] surrendered to the Quraysh when they encamped at Uhud. The Messenger of God said, ''They (Banu al-Nadir) accepted them (Banu Kilab) as allies for battle and (then) dishonored [them by] negligence.'' (17) And when the Messenger of God spoke to them about their negligence of the [two men] of Kilab, they said, ''Be seated, O Abu Qasim, so you can be served with refreshments and then we will meet your request. (18) We will arise and take counsel and set aright our position in regard to what is justly due [you].'' So the Messenger of God and those who were with him of his Companions sat in the shade of a w[all] (19) waiting for the Banu al-Nadir to see to their affair. When they (Banu al-Nadir) were alone, Satan said to them, ''Plot his murder.'' Some said, ''You will never (again) find him (20) [so close as he is at this (very) hour; and if he is killed], you will have the right to everything in your settlement and the calamity will have been lifted from you.'' One of their men said, (21) ''If you wish, [I shall ascend to the roof of the house] overlooking the place where he sits and roll down a rock on him that will kill him.'' But God revealed to him what they plotted (22) concerning [him. So the Messenger] of God rose [from] his place as though he wished to perform a natural need and, leaving his Companions in their places, he [departed (23) in haste to Medina]. And when they (Banu al-Nadir) had finished (deliberating) and had arrived at their decision about Muhammad, they came and sat down with his Companions. (24) [When his Companions thought he had stayed away too long, they rose to look for him.] Now there came a man from Medina and as he passed by them, they inquired of him (about Muhammad). He said, ''I met him headed (25) [for Medina.'' The Banu al-Nadir regretted what they had done and] they said to his Companions, ''Abu Qasim hastened away even before he could be served and come to know our decision about (26) [the indemnity of the two men of Kilab.'' And] the Companions of the Messenger of God [left] and returned (to Medina). Then was revealed (of the) Qur'an to the Messenger of God: ''When...'&apos