The First Day of Awara

A day of the Arabs before Islam, which took place between al-Mundhir ibn Imri al-Qays al-Lakhmi and Bakr ibn Wa'il. Ibn al-Athir relates it. ¹

When Taghlib expelled Salama ibn al-Harith from among them, he took refuge with Bakr ibn Wa'il, and they submitted to him and said that no one but he would rule them. Al-Mundhir sent to them calling them to his obedience, and they refused. ¹

Al-Mundhir swore that he would march against them, and that if he prevailed over them he would slaughter them on the top of the mountain of Awara until the blood reached the bottom. They met and fought a fierce battle, which ended in the defeat of Bakr and the capture of Yazid ibn Shurahbil al-Kindi, whom al-Mundhir ordered killed. ¹

Many captives of Bakr were taken and slaughtered on the mountain. Ibn al-Athir says that the blood congealed, and it was said to al-Mundhir that if every man of Bakr were slaughtered their blood would not reach the bottom, but if water were poured on it; he did so and the blood flowed. He ordered the women burned, then a man of Qays ibn Tha'laba spoke to him about the captives of Bakr and he released them. Al-A'sha took pride in that intercession. ¹

The date is approximate.