Meeting of The Banu Bakr Delegation with The Holy Prophet ﷺ

Bakr ibn Wa'il was a major branch of the Adnan tribes, settled in the regions of Bahrain, Yamamah, and the outskirts of Iraq. ¹ The Holy Prophet  sent a letter to this tribe. ² In response, a delegation from their tribe arrived to Madinah and had the honor of benefiting from the blessed company of the Holy Prophet . It is most likely that this tribe was among the tribal delegations that came to Madinah in 9 A.H., known as ‘Aam Al-Wufud’ or ‘the Year of Delegations’, as this was the year in which the greatest number of tribes came to Prophet Muhammad  and were honored by his guidance and company. ³

Prophet Muhammad’s Letter to Bani Bakr ibn Wa’il

Following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Holy Prophet initiated the propagation and preaching of Islam to various nations and communities through written correspondence. ⁴ According to historical narrations, the Holy Prophet also addressed a letter to the tribe of Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il, inviting them to embrace Islam. He extended this invitation in remarkably simple and lucid language, using the following words:

من رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم إلى بكر بن وائل، أسلموا تسلموا ⁵

‘From the Messenger of Allah to (the tribe of) Bakr ibn Wa'il: Accept Islam, and you will find peace.

This short message reflects the wisdom of Prophetic communication. It was not unnecessarily lengthy or complicated. Rather, it conveyed the entire purpose of the mission in a few words: embracing Islam would bring them safety, guidance, and success in this world and the Hereafter.

This letter was carried to Bakr ibn Wa'il tribe by Zabyan ibn Marthad Al-Sadoosi . ⁶ Upon receiving the letter, they were initially unable to read it because there was no literate person within their immediate tribe. Later, a man from the Banu Dubay'ah tribe read the letter aloud to them. Because of this act of reading, his descendants later became known as ‘Banu al-Katib’, meaning ‘the descendants of the scribe’. ⁷

Arrival of the Delegation and Dialogue with the Holy Prophet

After receiving the Prophetic letter, the tribe of Bakr ibn Wa’il prepared a delegation to visit the Prophet in Madinah Munawwarah. This was a significant step because it showed that the tribe did not ignore the message. Instead, they chose to send representatives in order to meet the Prophet directly, understand his message, and establish a relationship with him.

The delegation included Bashir ibn al-Khasasiyah, Abdullah ibn Marthad, and Hassan ibn Hawt. ⁸ Their arrival in Madinah was not merely a political visit, it was also a spiritual and educational encounter. They came before the Holy Prophet , listened to him, spoke with him, and witnessed his noble character, wisdom, and Prophetic manners.

During their conversation, the delegation asked the Prophet about Qiss ibn Sa‘idah, a famous pre-Islamic Arab figure known for his eloquence and inclination towards monotheism. The narration records the conversation in the following words:

هل تعرف قس بن ساعدة؟ فقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ليس هو منكم هذا رجل من أياد تحنف في الجاهلية فوافى عكاظ والناس مجتمعون فيكلمهم بكلامه الذي حفظ عنه ... ⁹

‘Do you know Qiss ibn Sa'idah?’ The Messenger of Allah () replied: ‘He was not from among you; rather, he belonged to the tribe of Iyad. He adopted the Hanif religion during the era of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) turning away from polytheism toward monotheism. He used to visit the market of Ukaz when people gathered there, and he would address them with his speeches, which were later memorized and narrated.’

This exchange is important because it shows that the Holy Prophet was fully aware of the moral and religious currents that existed among the Arabs before Islam. Qiss ibn Sa‘idah was not a prophet, but he was known as a man who rejected idolatry and inclined towards belief in the One God. Prophet Muhammad’s response clarified his tribal identity and also recognized his inclination towards truth during the age of ignorance.

The Holy Prophet’s Hospitality and Kind Treatment

Prophet Muhammad treated this delegation with the same honor, dignity, and kindness with which he received other delegations. His dealings with tribal representatives were marked by generosity, patience, wisdom, and respect. This was one of the major reasons why many delegations were deeply influenced by his personality even before they fully understood all the teachings of Islam.

One of the members connected with this delegation was Abdullah ibn al-Aswad. He originally lived in Yamamah, but after accepting the truth, he sold all his property there and migrated to the blessed court of the Holy Prophet . He also brought a sack of dates as a gift for the Prophet . In return, the Messenger of Allah  prayed for blessings for him. ¹⁰ This incident reflects the love and devotion that entered the hearts of those who came into contact with the Prophet . It also shows how people were willing to leave behind their wealth, land, and former way of life for the sake of Islam.

Results and Historical Impact

The arrival of the delegation of Bakr ibn Wa’il had an important impact on the spread of Islam among the branches of this tribe. Once their representatives met the Holy Prophet and received his guidance, Islam began to spread among them and their related branches.

Later, during the period of the trials of apostasy after the passing of the Holy Prophet , some branches of Adnan and Bakr experienced unrest and instability. However, the tribe as a whole remained connected with the Islamic state and did not become part of the wider conspiracies organized by the enemies of Islam. This shows that the Prophetic method of correspondence, delegation, personal engagement, and respectful dialogue had long-term effects on tribal communities.

• ¹  Umar ibn Raza ibn Kahalah Al-Damishqi (1994), Mu‘jam Qabail Al-Arab Al-Qadimah Wal-Hadithah, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 93-94.
• ²  Abu Abdullah Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (2001), Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Hadith: 20667, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 34, Pg. 266.
• ³  Muhammad Al-Tayyab Al-Najjar (N.D.), Al-Qol Al-Mubeen fi Seerat Syed Al-Mursaleen, Dar Al-Nadwa Al-Jadeeda, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 372.
• ⁴  Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1988), Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 299.
• ⁵  Abu Abdullah Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (2001), Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Hadith: 20667, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 34, Pg. 266.
• ⁶  Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Al-Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol.1, Pg. 215.
• ⁷  Shamsuddin Muḥammad ibn Ali ibn Tulun Al-Damishqi (1987), I'lam Al-Saailin ‘An Kutub Sayyid Al-Mursaleen li-Ibn Tulun, Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 135.
• ⁸  Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Al-Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon. Vol. 1, Pg. 239.
• ⁹  Ibid.
• ¹⁰  Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-‘Ibad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 6, Pg. 281.