Wahshi

Wahshi ibn Harb al-Tamimi, often referred to simply as Wahshi, was an enslaved man from the Quraysh tribe who lived in the early 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula. He is best known for killing Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, a leading figure of the Meccan party and the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle, during the Battle of Uhud in 625 CE. Wahshi used a spear, which, according to traditional accounts, was given to him by Hind bint Utbah, a Quraysh woman who sought revenge for the deaths of her relatives at the Battle of Badr. Hind promised Wahshi his freedom if he killed Hamza, and he complied.

The killing of Hamza had a significant emotional and strategic impact on the early Muslim community following Uhud. Hamza’s death removed a prominent leader from the Prophet’s circle and contributed to the war mood and retaliatory sentiments between the groups.

In later Islamic tradition, Wahshi is reported to have embraced Islam, and some sources indicate that the Prophet Muhammad showed clemency toward him or that he was granted freedom within the Muslim community. However, accounts about Wahshi’s life after Uhud vary, and details regarding his status, fate, and degree of acceptance within Islam differ among sources.

Wahshi’s act at Uhud remains a notable episode in early Islamic historiography, often discussed in the context of vengeance, slavery, and the complexities of loyalties during the early battles between Quraysh and the early Muslim community. See also: Battle of Uhud, Hind bint Utbah, Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib.