The Killing of Suwayd b. Samit and the Last Battle of Buas

Suwayd b. Samit was a poet and leader from one of the prominent families of Medina during the pre-Hijra period. Known for his poetry and wisdom, Suwayd encountered the Prophet Muhammad in Mecca. The Prophet conveyed Islam to him; Suwayd mentioned that he had a page containing the wisdom of Luqman the Wise. The Prophet examined that page and said, "This is beautiful; but I have something more beautiful than this," and recited a portion from the Qur'an. Suwayd was greatly affected; however, he did not fully convert to Islam or declare himself a Muslim. Shortly after returning to Medina, he lost his life in the battle known as the Battle of Buas. The Battle of Buas (617 AD) is the last major civil war between the Khazraj and Aws tribes living in Medina. This battle symbolizes a period during which both tribes suffered significant losses and the political balance of Medina was disrupted. After the Battle of Buas, the weary and worn-out tribes of Medina were much more ready to accept the Prophet Muhammad as an arbitrator and leader. In this context, Buas is considered an indirect preparatory ground that facilitated the Hijra. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Suwayd b. Samit" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/suveyd-b-samit; "Buas" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/buas; Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah, II, 1-5]