Thumama ibn Uthal

Thumama ibn Uthal al-Hanafi al-Yamami, known as Abu Umama. ¹.

Al-Bukhari reports through Said al-Maqburi from Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) that the Prophet sent horsemen towards Najd. They brought back a man from the Banu Hanifa called Thumama ibn Uthal (may God be pleased with him), and they tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque. The Prophet came out and said, “Release Thumama.” He went to a palm grove near the mosque, bathed, and then entered the mosque and said, “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” ².

Ibn Ishaq, in his Maghazi, reports the same story from Said al-Maqburi at greater length. At its beginning, Thumama had confronted the Messenger of God and intended to kill him, so the Prophet asked his Lord to give him power over him. ².

When he became Muslim he went to Mecca for the lesser pilgrimage. He said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, not a grain will come to you from Yamama, which was the granary of the people of Mecca, until the Messenger of God gives permission.” ². Ibn Mandah transmits from Ibn Abbas the story of Thumama's Islam, his return to Yamama, his refusal to supply grain to Quraysh, and the revelation of Al-Mu'minun 76. Its chain of transmission is fair. ².

Ibn Ishaq reports that Thumama held firm in his Islam when the people of Yamama turned apostate. He and those of his people who obeyed him moved on and joined al-Ala al-Hadrami, and fought with him against the apostates of Bahrain. ². Wuthayma mentions a good stand for him during the apostasy, and he recited verses of his own in rejecting the Banu Hanifa. ².

After they gained the victory, Thumama bought a garment that had belonged to their leader. Some men of the Banu Qays ibn Thaaba saw it on him. They thought that he was the one who had killed the man and taken his clothing, so they killed him. ².

Ibn Ishaq reports from al-Maqburi, from Abu Hurayra, that some horsemen of the Prophet seized a man they did not know. The Prophet said, “This is Thumama ibn Uthal al-Hanafi. Treat his captivity well.” He sent him food for his household and his milch camel. The Prophet used to invite him and say, “If you kill, you will kill a man with blood on his hands; if you want ransom, ask for what you wish.” Then he released him, and he purified himself at al-Baqi and pledged allegiance. The Prophet said about him, “The disbeliever eats with seven intestines, and the Muslim with one intestine.” ^{3 4}. Ibn Hisham adds the story of his talbiya in Mecca, spoken openly, and his words to the Prophet that his face had been the most hateful face to him, but had become the most beloved. He also adds that he stopped the grain supply to Mecca until Quraysh wrote to the Prophet, and the Prophet wrote back that he should let them have their shipments. See the report. ⁴