al-Aqra' ibn Habis al-Tamimi

A chief of Banu Tamim in the Jahiliyya and one of the Arab leaders. He became Muslim after the conquest of Mecca, and the Prophet gave him a hundred camels at al-Ji'rana from the share for those whose hearts are to be reconciled. He then became a striving Companion who fought in the Ridda wars and the conquest of Khurasan. ¹

The Prophet gave him a hundred camels from the spoils of Hunayn to reconcile his heart, and in hope of the Islam of the great tribes of Banu Tamim in Najd. ¹ His Islam became good afterwards. He stood firm in the Ridda wars alongside Khalid ibn al-Walid (may God be pleased with him), went on the Islamic conquests, and was martyred in the land of Jawzjan in Khurasan in the caliphate of Uthman. ¹

Ibn Ishaq counts him among the nobles of the delegation of Banu Tamim in 9 AH. Ibn Hisham traces him to Banu Darim of Malik, and the scholars of the edition note that two versions make him "one of Banu Malik ibn Darim ibn Malik." ^{2 3} He and Uyayna ibn Hisn had both witnessed with the Prophet the conquest of Mecca, Hunayn and al-Ta'if, so when the delegation came they were among its members. ³ When Hassan finished his reply, al-Aqra said: "This man is well guided; his orator is more eloquent than ours, his poet finer than our poet, and their voices sweeter than ours." The people then became Muslim. ⁴ The scholars explain the phrase "li-mu'tan lahu" as "one granted success," and confirm that in one copy "a'la" (higher) stands where "ahla" (sweeter) appears. ⁴

Ibn Ishaq names him among the eight men of Tamim who rode to the Prophet concerning the captives of Banu al-Anbar. The Prophet freed some of them and ransomed others. Ibn Hisham quotes verses of al-Farazdaq about his standing before the Messenger of God and the release of the captives on his account; see the raid on Banu al-Anbar. ⁵

At Hunayn he defended Muhallam ibn Jaththama, who had killed Amir ibn al-Adbat, "for his standing among Khindif," against Uyayna ibn Hisn. He then spoke privately with Qays and said: "You have kept from the Messenger of God a slain man through whom people might be set right." He threatened them with fifty men of Tamim who would swear that the slain man had been killed as an unbeliever, so that his blood would be waived. They accepted the blood-money. See the account. ^{6 7}