When a deputation arrived from Yemen, they brought with them letters from Himyarite princes that proclaimed their acceptance of Islam. The news was pleasing to the Prophet (sa) who replied with the best of greetings to the letters and spoke of their new Islamic obligations, and asked them to treat the envoys he would send them well. He also told them, in accordance with the Holy Koran, he would also send his companions to collect the obligatory lunar yearly tax from the Muslims and the poll-tax from the People of the Book with the message they would be protected by Allah and His Messenger (sa).

Amir Tufayl's Son

v Amir, Tufayl's son had become the chieftain of the tribe of Amir despite his disagreeable personality. It was he, who some time before, had initiated the massacre of the Muslims at Bir Maunah, but now his tribe put pressure on him to go to Medina and tell the Prophet (sa) that they accepted Islam. Amir arrived in Medina full of his own importance and told the Prophet (sa) that in return for his Islam he wanted to be made his successor. The Prophet (sa) politely replied that it was not to be so, neither for himself nor his people.

Arrogantly, Amir demanded that if he could not be his successor then he wanted to be the chieftain of the Bedouins, and would leave what he termed "the villagers" to him. The Prophet (sa) refused but told him that he would entrust him with the cavalry, saying, "You are an excellent horseman." Amir took it as an insult and demanded, "Am I to have nothing!" and as he turned to leave he said, "I will fill the land with both cavalry and soldiers against you!" After Amir left, the Prophet (sa) supplicated saying, "O Allah, guide the tribe of Amir, and rid the Islam of Amir, son of Tufayl."

Before Amir could reach home, he was stricken by an abscess that began to fester and from which he subsequently died. It did not matter to the tribesmen that Amir’s personal demands had not been met, they were set upon an alliance and dispatched a second deputation and all was well.

The Deputation from Yamamah

Amongst the many deputations was one from the Christian tribe of Hanifa in Yamamah, whose land bordered the Najd. The Hanifa sent their delegation to Medina to tell the Prophet (sa) of their wish to embrace Islam and they were welcomed with open arms into the fold of Islam.

The Collection of the Obligatory Charity and Poll-tax

After Ramadan, when the payment of the zakat, or obligatory charity, was due, the Prophet (sa) appointed ibn Al Lutbiyyah from the tribe of Azd to be its collector. Upon his return he entered the Mosque with the obligatory charity, and laid it before the Prophet (sa) saying as he pointed, "I have collected this and this for the obligatory charity.” However, referring to some other items he told the Prophet (sa) that they were given to him as gifts.

Administrative Embezzlement

v The Prophet (sa) ascended the pulpit, praised Allah, then said, "I appointed a man from among you to carry out one of the obligations Allah has entrusted to me. He has returned and said, 'This is the zakat, and this has been given to me as a gift.' If he is telling the truth why didn't he stay in his parent's home so that the gifts came to him there? By Allah, if any one of you takes anything of which he has no right, he will meet Allah on the Day of Judgement carrying that thing. Do not let me see any of you meeting Allah carrying a grunting camel, or a mooing cow, or a bleating goat." Then he raised his arms high in supplication saying thrice, "O Allah, I have conveyed Your Command."

The Warning

The Prophet (sa) sent Abu Ubadah, Jarrah's son to Bahrain to collect the poll-tax that had become due. He returned to Medina late one night but it was not long before the news of his return became known. The next morning after the prayer some of the Ansar went to the Prophet (sa) and he smiled saying, "I think you have heard that Abu Ubadah has returned from Bahrain with something."

Whereupon they replied, "This is so, O Messenger of Allah (sa)." The Prophet (sa) turned to them saying, "Be happy, and hope for that which will please you. It is not your poverty that I fear for you, rather, it is that the world is laid before you as it was to those before you, and you will compete as they competed, then, it will destroy you as it destroyed them."