In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
An Abridgment of the Prophetic Biography (Seerah),
Authored by Sheikh Musa ibn Rashid al-'Azimi,
May Allah preserve him.
The Expedition of Dhat al-Salasil.
This expedition took place in Jumada al-Akhirah in the eighth year of the Hijrah.
Imam al-Bukhari said in his *Sahih*:
"Chapter on the Military Expedition of Dhat al-Salasil,"
Which was the expedition of Lakhm and Judham.
Al-Hafiz said in *al-Fath*:
"And according to Ibn Ishaq,
It was a watering place belonging to the Banu Judham and Lakhm."
As for Lakhm,
It is spelled with a *fathah* on the *lam* and a *sukun* on the dotted letter (*kha*).
It is a large, renowned tribe.
As for Judham,
It is with a *dammah* on the *jim*, followed by an ungeminated dotted letter (*dhal*).
It is also a large, renowned tribe.
Imam al-Bukhari said in his *Sahih*:
"And Ibn Ishaq said,
Narrating from Yazid, from 'Urwah:
'It was the land of Bali and 'Udhrah.'"
Al-Hafiz said in *al-Fath*:
"As for Yazid, he is Ibn Ruman,
A well-known scholar of Medina.
As for 'Urwah..."
As for the tribes he mentioned,
All three are clans stemming from Quda'ah.
As for Bali,
It is spelled with a *fathah* on the single-dotted letter (*ba*) and a *kasrah* on the light *lam*,
Followed by the *ya* of affiliation.
It is a major tribe,
Tracing their lineage back to Bali ibn 'Amr ibn al-Haf ibn Quda'ah.
As for 'Udhrah,
It is with a *dammah* on the undotted *'ayn* and a *sukun* on the dotted *dhal*.
It is a major tribe,
Tracing their lineage back to 'Udhrah ibn Sa'd.
The reason for this expedition:
Ibn Sa'd stated in his *Tabaqat*:
News reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
That a gathering from Quda'ah had mobilized,
Intending to advance toward the outskirts of Medina.
The appointment of 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him) as commander:
So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) summoned
'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him)
And appointed him commander over this expedition.
For Imam Ahmad recorded in his *Musnad* and al-Bukhari
In *al-Adab al-Mufrad* with an authentic chain of transmission,
On the authority of 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent for me,
Saying:
'Put on your garments and take up your weapons,
Then come to me.'
So I came to him while he was performing ablution.
He looked up at me from head to foot,
Then lowered his gaze and said:
'I intend to send you at the head of an army,
So that Allah may grant you safety and spoils,
And that I may allot you a worthy portion of wealth.'
I said, 'O Messenger of Allah,
I did not embrace Islam for the sake of wealth;
Rather, I embraced Islam out of a genuine desire for it,
And so that I could be alongside the Messenger of Allah.'
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
'O 'Amr,
How excellent righteous wealth is for a righteous man!'
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) tied
For 'Amr ibn al-'As
A white banner,
And dispatched him with three hundred fighters
From among the Emigrants and the Ansar,
Accompanied by thirty horses.
So 'Amr ibn al-'As set out,
Marching by night and concealing his forces by day.
When he drew near to the enemy,
Word reached him that they had gathered in vast numbers.
So he dispatched Rafi' ibn Makith al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him)
To the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), requesting reinforcements.
Dispatching reinforcements to 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then dispatched to him
Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
At the head of two hundred fighters.
He tied a banner for him
And sent with him the prominent leaders of the Emigrants and the Ansar,
Among whom were Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
He instructed him to join 'Amr,
And commanded that they act in unity and not differ.
So Abu 'Ubaydah set out,
And when he reached him,
'Amr said to him:
'You have only come as reinforcements under my command.'
Abu 'Ubaydah said:
'No,
Rather, I am in charge of my men,
And you are in charge of yours.'
Now Abu 'Ubaydah
Was a gentle, easygoing man,
Unconcerned with worldly status.
'Amr said to him:
'Rather, you are reinforcements under my command.'
So Abu 'Ubaydah said to him:
'O 'Amr,
Verily, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
Instructed me: "Do not differ with each other."
So even if you disobey me, I will obey you.'
'Amr said:
'Then I am the commander over you,
And you are reinforcements to me.'
Abu 'Ubaydah replied:
'Then carry on as you wish.'
Thus, 'Amr would lead the people in prayer.
'Amr ibn al-'As advanced
Until he entered the land of Bali and subdued it,
Reaching the farthest borders of their territory,
As well as the lands of 'Udhrah and Balqayn.
At the end of his march, he encountered a host of the enemy,
Whereupon the Muslims launched a charge against them,
Causing them to flee into the land and disperse.
'Amr ibn al-'As remained there for a few days,
And then returned victorious to Medina.
The fiqh of 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him):
During this expedition, several incidents took place
In which the deep fiqh of 'Amr ibn al-'As was clearly demonstrated,
Along with his sound judgment in handling them.
Among these incidents was:
His leading the people in prayer after performing dry ablution (*tayammum*) while in a state of major ritual impurity.
Imam Ahmad in his *Musnad*, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban narrated
On the authority of 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said:
"I experienced a wet dream on a bitterly cold night during the battle of Dhat al-Salasil,
And I feared that if I bathed, I would perish.
So I performed *tayammum* and led my companions in the dawn prayer.
They later mentioned that to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
Whereupon he said:
'O 'Amr,
Did you lead your companions in prayer while in a state of major ritual impurity?'
So I informed him of what had prevented me from taking a bath,
Saying:
'I heard Allah say:
﴾And do not kill yourselves; indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.﴿"
“O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent, and kill not one another. Lo! Allah is ever Merciful unto you.” (4:29)
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) merely laughed and said nothing.
Forbidding them from lighting fires and pursuing the enemy:
Ibn Hibban recorded in his *Sahih* with an authentic chain of transmission
On the authority of 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said:
That the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) dispatched him on the expedition of Dhat al-Salasil,
And his men asked him to let them kindle a fire,
But he forbade them.
So they spoke to Abu Bakr,
Who in turn spoke to him about it,
But 'Amr replied:
"No one among them shall light a fire except that I will cast him into it."
He continued:
"Then they met the enemy and routed them,
And they wished to pursue them, but he forbade them.
When that army returned,
They mentioned this to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and complained of him."
So 'Amr said to the Prophet (peace be upon him):
"O Messenger of Allah,
I disliked permitting them to light a fire
Lest their enemy perceive their small numbers;
And I disliked that they pursue them
Lest reinforcements await the enemy and turn back against them."
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commended his conduct.
The most beloved of people to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
When 'Amr ibn al-'As saw that favor from the Prophet (peace be upon him),
He assumed that his standing with the Messenger of Allah
Was greater than that of Abu Bakr and 'Umar.
For the two Shaykhs recorded in their *Sahihs*
On the authority of 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) dispatched me at the head of the army of Dhat al-Salasil."
He said:
"So I came to him and asked,
'Which of the people is most beloved to you?'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
''A'ishah.'
I asked, 'From among the men?'
The Messenger of Allah replied:
'Her father.'
I asked, 'Then who?'
The Messenger of Allah replied:
''Umar.'
He said:
'He then enumerated several men,
So I remained silent out of fear that he might place me among the last of them.'"
Ibn Hibban added in his *Sahih* with an authentic chain of transmission,
After the mention of 'Umar:
'Amr ibn al-'As said:
"I asked, 'Then who?'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
'Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah.'"
Al-Hafiz said in *al-Fath*:
"This serves to identify some of the men left unnamed in the hadith of this chapter."
Imam al-Nawawi said:
"This is an explicit affirmation of the immense virtues of Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'A'ishah;
And it provides clear evidence for the people of the Sunnah
Regarding the superiority of Abu Bakr and 'Umar over all the Companions."
An Abridgment of the Prophetic Biography (Seerah).
The call to prayer and the remaining movements are performed orally.