Once I went (from Medina) towards (Al-Ghaba) before the first Adhan of the Fajr Prayer. The shecamels of Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to graze at a place called Dhi-Qarad. A slave of ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf met me (on the way) and said, "The she-camels of Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been taken away by force." I asked, "Who had taken them?" He replied "(The people of) Ghatafan." I made three loud cries (to the people of Medina) saying, "O Sabahah!" I made the people between the two mountains of Medina hear me. Then I rushed onward and caught up with the robbers while they were watering the camels. I started throwing arrows at them as I was a good archer and I was saying, "I am the son of Al-Akwaʿ, and today will perish the wicked people." I kept on saying like that till I restored the shecamels (of the Prophet), I also snatched thirty Burda (i.e. garments) from them. Then the Prophet ﷺ and the other people came there, and I said, "O Allah's Prophet! I have stopped the people (of Ghatafan) from taking water and they are thirsty now. So send (some people) after them now." On that the Prophet said, "O the son of Al-Akwaʿ! You have over-powered them, so forgive them." Then we all came back and Messenger of Allah ﷺ seated me behind him on his she-camel till we entered Medina.  

أَنْ يُؤَذَّنَ بِالأُولَى وَكَانَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرْعَى بِذِي قَرَدٍ قَالَ فَلَقِيَنِي غُلاَمٌ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَقَالَ أُخِذَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ مَنْ أَخَذَهَا قَالَ غَطَفَانُ قَالَ فَصَرَخْتُ ثَلاَثَ صَرَخَاتٍ يَا صَبَاحَاهْ قَالَ فَأَسْمَعْتُ مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَىِ الْمَدِينَةِ ثُمَّ انْدَفَعْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي حَتَّى أَدْرَكْتُهُمْ وَقَدْ أَخَذُوا يَسْتَقُونَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَجَعَلْتُ أَرْمِيهِمْ بِنَبْلِي وَكُنْتُ رَامِيًا وَأَقُولُ أَنَا ابْنُ الأَكْوَعْ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمُ الرُّضَّعْ وَأَرْتَجِزُ حَتَّى اسْتَنْقَذْتُ اللِّقَاحَ مِنْهُمْ وَاسْتَلَبْتُ مِنْهُمْ ثَلاَثِينَ بُرْدَةً قَالَ وَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ قَدْ حَمَيْتُ الْقَوْمَ الْمَاءَ وَهُمْ عِطَاشٌ فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِمُ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ الأَكْوَعِ مَلَكْتَ فَأَسْجِحْ قَالَ ثُمَّ رَجَعْنَا وَيُرْدِفُنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ  

I went out before the Adhan for the morning prayer had been delivered. The milch she-camels of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were grazing at Dhu Qarad. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf's slave met me and said: The milch she-camels of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been taken away. I said: Who has taken them away? He said: (the people belonging to the tribe of) Ghatafan. I cried thrice: Help! I made the whole city between the two lavas hear my cry. Then I ran straight in their pursuit until I overtook them at Dhu Qarad where they were just going to water their animals. I, being an archer, began to shoot them with my arrows and was saying: I am the son of al-Akwa'. And today is the day when the cowards will meet their doom. I continued to chant until I rescued the milch she-camels from them, and snatched from them thirty mantles. Now, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and some other people came along. I said: Prophet of Allah, I have prevented them from water while they were thirsty. So you should send a force (to punish them). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ibn al-Akwa', you have taken (what, you have taken). Now let them go. Then we returned and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made me mount behind him on his she-camel until we entered Medina.  

أَنْ يُؤَذَّنَ بِالأُولَى وَكَانَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرْعَى بِذِي قَرَدٍ قَالَ فَلَقِيَنِي غُلاَمٌ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَقَالَ أُخِذَتْ لِقَاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَخَذَهَا قَالَ غَطَفَانُ قَالَ فَصَرَخْتُ ثَلاَثَ صَرَخَاتٍ يَا صَبَاحَاهْ قَالَ فَأَسْمَعْتُ مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَىِ الْمَدِينَةِ ثُمَّ انْدَفَعْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي حَتَّى أَدْرَكْتُهُمْ بِذِي قَرَدٍ وَقَدْ أَخَذُوا يَسْقُونَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَجَعَلْتُ أَرْمِيهِمْ بِنَبْلِي وَكُنْتُ رَامِيًا وَأَقُولُ أَنَا ابْنُ الأَكْوَعِ وَالْيَوْمَ يَوْمُ الرُّضَّعِ فَأَرْتَجِزُ حَتَّى اسْتَنْقَذْتُ اللِّقَاحَ مِنْهُمْ وَاسْتَلَبْتُ مِنْهُمْ ثَلاَثِينَ بُرْدَةً قَالَ وَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ إِنِّي قَدْ حَمَيْتُ الْقَوْمَ الْمَاءَ وَهُمْ عِطَاشٌ فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِمُ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ الأَكْوَعِ مَلَكْتَ فَأَسْجِحْ قَالَ ثُمَّ رَجَعْنَا وَيُرْدِفُنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ