The War of al-Basus

حرب البسوس

c. 494 CE

The Basus war, the longest and most storied of the Arabs' days: when the mare-camel Sarab strayed into Kulayb's forbidden spring pasture he shot her udder as threatened, and al-Basus's cry of shame — 'wa-dhalah!' — told her nephew Jasas ibn Murra that honour demanded blood; he speared Kulayb ibn Rabi'a, the Taghlibi lord under whom all Ma'add had united, and Kulayb's brother al-Muhalhil spent forty years exacting the feud between Bakr and Taghlib ¹.

Depth

At a glance

Era: Pre-Islamic Arabia
Region: Arabia
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In time

Pre-Islamic Arabia

Overview

The War of al-Basus was between Bakr and Taghlib, the two sons of Wa'il. Ibn al-Athir describes it as the longest and most famous of the days of the Arabs. ²

The cause

Kulayb ibn Rabi'a al-Taghlibi had protected a land that none approached except a warrior. The she-camel of Sa'd ibn Shamis al-Jurmi, a client of Jasas ibn Murra, entered it. Kulayb shot her udder with an arrow, and al-Basus bint Munqidh, the aunt of Jasas, cried out: "Alas for our humiliation!" ²

The war

Jasas watched for Kulayb's moment of carelessness until he stabbed him and he died. His brother al-Muhalhil ibn Rabi'a rose seeking vengeance. The war between Bakr and Taghlib went on for forty years, according to the source. ²

An additional source is needed: the date is approximate and derived from tradition.