Chapter: The expedition of Mu`tah to the land of Syria

Ibn `Umar informed me that on the day (of Mu'tah) he stood beside Ja`far who was dead (i.e. killed in the battle), and he counted fifty wounds in his body, caused by stabs or strokes, and none of those wounds was in his back.

"Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) appointed Zaid bin Haritha as the commander of the army during the Ghazwa of Mu'tah and said, "If Zaid is martyred, Ja`far should take over his position, and if Ja`far is martyred, `Abdullah bin Rawaha should take over his position.' " `Abdulla-h bin `Umar further said, "I was present amongst them in that battle and we searched for Ja`far bin Abi Talib and found his body amongst the bodies of the martyred ones, and found over ninety wounds over his body, caused by stabs or shots (of arrows).

The Prophet (ﷺ) had informed the people of the martyrdom of Zaid, Ja`far and Ibn Rawaha before the news of their death reached. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Zaid took the flag (as the commander of the army) and was martyred, then Ja`far took it and was martyred, and then Ibn Rawaha took it and was martyred." At that time the Prophet's eyes were shedding tears. He added, "Then the flag was taken by a Sword amongst the Swords of Allah (i.e. Khalid) and Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) victorious."

I heard `Aisha saying, "When the news of the martyrdom of Ibn Haritha, Ja`far bin Abi Talib and `Abdullah bin Rawaka reached, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat with sorrow explicit on his face." `Aisha added, "I was then peeping through a chink in the door. A man came to him and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The women of Ja`far are crying.' Thereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) told him to forbid them to do so. So the man went away and returned saying, "I forbade them but they did not listen to me." The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered him again to go (and forbid them). He went again and came saying, 'By Allah, they overpowered me (i.e. did not listen to me)." `Aisha said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said (to him), "Go and throw dust into their mouths." Aisha added, "I said, May Allah put your nose in the dust! By Allah, neither have you done what you have been ordered, nor have you relieved Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) from trouble."

Whenever Ibn `Umar greeted the son of Ja`far, he used to say (to him), "Assalam 'Alaika (i.e. peace be on you) O the son of two-winged person."

On the day (of the battle of) Mu'tah, nine swords were broken in my hand, and nothing was left in my hand except a Yemenite sword of mine.

On the day of Mu'tah, nine swords were broken in my hand and only a Yemenite sword of mine remained in my hand.

`Abdullah bin Rawaha fell down unconscious and his sister `Amra started crying and was saying loudly, "O Jabala! Oh so-and-so! Oh so-and-so! and went on calling him by his (good ) qualities one by one). When he came to his senses, he said (to his sister), "When-ever you said something, I was asked, 'Are you really so (i.e. as she says)?"