The Day of al-Nasar

The Day of al-Nisar, a day of the Arabs before Islam, at adjacent mountains called al-Nisar. Ibn al-Athir relates it, and in it Tamim and the Banu Amir met with the Rabab and their allies. ¹

Ibn al-Athir says that the Banu Tamim used to devour their paternal cousins, Dabba ibn Ud and the Banu Abd Manat. When Dabba struck a group of Tamim, Tamim pursued them, and the Rabab dispersed; they were Taym, Adi, Thawr, Akl, Abd Manat and Dabba, and they joined the Banu Asad, allies of the Banu Dhubyan. ¹

The shouter Sarikh ibn Dabba called "O family of Khindif", and the Banu Asad answered him; Ibn al-Athir says that this was the first day on which Dabba was called Khindif. They sought help from their ally Zabyan and Ghatafan, and Husn ibn Hudhayfa ibn Badr led the group. Tamim sought help from the Banu Amir ibn Sa'sa'a, and the two hosts met at al-Nisar. ¹

The Amir held firm and the slaughter was great among them. Shurayh al-Qushayri, their chief, and Ubayd ibn Mu'awiya al-Kilabi were killed, and a number of the noblewomen of the Banu Amir were taken captive, among them Salma bint al-Mukhallaf and al-Anqa' bint Hammam. Ibn al-Athir quotes a verse of Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma about that day. ¹

The date is approximate.