Betrayal & Martyrdom in the Incident of Raji

Prior to the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet (sa) once sent a delegation under the command of Abdullah bin Jahsh (ra) to enquire after a caravan of the Quraish, and Hazrat Khalid bin Bukair (ra) was also a part of this delegation. He was martyred in the month of Safar [second month in the Islamic calendar] in 4 Hijri at the age of 34 alongside Asim (ra) bin Thaabit and Marsad (ra) bin Abi Marsad Ghanavi, whilst fighting against the ‘Adal and Qarah tribe in the battle of ‘Rajee.

(Usdul Ghaaba, Vol. 1, p. 647, Khalid bin Bukair, Darul Fikr, 2003, Beirut)

In this regard, Ibn Ishaq states that when the members of the ‘Adal and Qarah tribe took the Companions (ra) to Rajee‘ – which is the name of a spring that belonged to the Auzail tribe and located on the outskirts of Hijaz – it was there that they betrayed these Companions. These Companions were deceived and betrayed by those who were taking them to Rajee‘ as they incited the people of the Auzail tribe against them. The Companions at the time were in their camps when they noticed that people were gathering from all sides with their swords drawn. And so, they too bravely stood to engage in battle. The disbelievers then stated, “We swear by God that we will not kill you, but we simply wish to hold you as captives and take you to the people of Mecca and seek recompense from them for your return.” However, Hazrat Marsad (ra) bin Abi Marsad, Hazrat Asim (ra) bin Thaabit and Hazrat Khalid (ra) bin Bukair replied, “We swear by God, we shall not enter into a treaty with the idolaters.” In the end, all three fought until they were martyred.

(Sirat ibn-e-Hisham, pp.591-592, Darul-kutub-ul-Illmiyah, 2003, Beirut)

In one of his couplets regarding these three individuals, Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit stated:

اَلَا لَيْتَنِي فِيْهَا شَهِدْتُ ابْنَ طَارِقٍ

وَ زَيْدًا وَمَا تُغْنِي الْاَمَانِي وَ مَرْثَدَا

فَدَافَعْتُ عَنْ حِبِّي خُبَيْبٍ وَ عَاصِمٍ

وَكَانَ شِفَاءً لَوْ تَدَارَكْتُ خَالِدَا

“Even though one’s longing can be of no avail, but I wish that I could be alongside Ibn Tariq, Zaid and Marsad at the incident of Rajee‘,

I would save my dear friends Khubaib and Asim and if I came across Khalid; he too I would have saved.”

(Usdul Ghaaba, Vol. 1, p.647, Khalid bin Bukair, Darul Fikr, 2003, Beirut)