Abu Mihjan RA belonged to the Tsaqafi clan. He was a cousin of Abu Ubaid RA who had commanded the Muslim forces in Iraq and was martyred at the battle of the Bridge.

The home town of Abu Mihjan RA was Taif. When the Muslims under Rasulullahﷺbesieged Taif after the fall of Makkah, Abu Mihjan RA fought against the Muslims. His arrow mortally wounded Abdullah son of Saidina Abu Bakr As Siddiq RA.

Later when the Tsaqafi submitted to Rasulullahﷺand accepted Islam, Abu Mihjan RA also became a Muslim. He was staunch in his faith in Islam, but he had weakness for liquor, and sometimes secretly drank wine.
At the battle of the Bridge, Abu Mihjan was the commander of the cavalry. He drove back the elephant which had crushed Abu Ubaid to death. After the disaster of the battle of the bridge, Abu Mihjan stayed on with Muthanna at Ulleis for some time. Then he returned to Madina.

At Madina, Khalifah Saidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA caught Abu Mihjan RA drinking and as a punishment he was exiled to Yemen. Later he was forgiven and was allowed to join the Muslim forces in Iraq under Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA. In camp, Abu Mihjan RA drank again, and on discovering his offense Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA had him whipped and thrown into a cellar in fetters. His cell was in the palace at Al Udzaib in Qadisiyyah where Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA was lodged and from where he commanded the war operations.

This war occurred during the time of Khalifah 'Umar bin Al-Khathab RA with the commander he sent to land 'Iraq at that time was Saidina Saad bin Malik Abi Waqqas RA . Many stories of companions in the war, a story full of blood and tears, and during the battle of Qadisiyyah the commander Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA who was exposed to a kind of boil-like boil that infected him all over his body that made him unable to go down to the battlefield and he decided to command from Al -'Udzaib, a place which is a spring near the Qadisiyyah, where he built a base to monitor the forces of the Muslims.

The Battle of Qadasiyyah, the war that became one of the unbreakable spears of Islam that finally settled on the Persian land, thanks to the tireless jihad of the Arab lions - with the permission of Allah The Almighty which succeeded in conquering the infamous kingdom of the famous Persian might and very difficult to conquer even by the Romans Empire. King Yazdagird escaped, some of the Persian warlords like Rustum and Jalinus were killed in the hands of the Muslim forces and Yazdagird's daughters to be prisoners of the Muslims. One of his daughters was liberated and married by the grandson of the Rasulullah ‏s.a.w.‎, Saidina Husain bin' Ali RA.

One of the most memorable stories of the war, is the story of Abu Mihjan Ats-Tsaqafiy RA. A story that marks the courage of a friend who is not afraid of breaking the ranks of the enemy in order to fulfill the call of jihad from Allah Ta'ala

Abu Mihjan Ats-Tsaqafiy RA
His name is disputed, Al-Haafizh rahimahullah in Al-Ishaabah saying his name is 'Amr bin Habiib bin' Amr bin 'Umair bin' Auf bin 'Uqdah bin Tsaqiif, his name is his kunyyah while his other kunyyah is Abu' Ubaid, is Malik, and is said to be the 'Abdullaah, but he is best known for his kunyita, Abu Mihjan. Al-Imam Abu Ahmad Al-Haakim rahimahullah said that he is a companion.

Abu Mihjan RA is a poet and likes to drink khamr, this is what makes him repeatedly punished, and his favorite is what troubles his companions when they are gathering strength in the face of the Qadisiyyah war. However, his blood is always turbulent when it is needed to defend this noble Allah's religion. Narrated that Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA as the commander of Qadisiyyah met Abu Mihjan RA in the middle of being drunk, then Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA ordered to tie him. At the end of the story, Abu Mihjan RA eventually repented not to drink khamr forever

The full story is recorded by Al-Imam Abu Bakr ibn Abi Syaibah rahimahullah in his Mushannaf, with sanad and narrators:

Narrated Abu Hurayrah, from 'Amr bin Muhaajir, from Ibraahiim bin Muhammad bin Sa'd, from his father, he said:

"One day Saidina Saad bin Abi Waqqas RA was approached by Abu Mihjan on the day of the war of Qadisiyyah while Abu Mihjan was drunk for drinking khamr. So Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA ordered his subordinates to bind Abu Mihjan RA. "Muhammad bin Sa'd continued," At that time Saidina Saad's body had a rashes (because it was ill) and he did not come out with the army on that day. So Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA subordinates raised him to Al-'Udzaib to monitor the forces of the Muslims, Saidina Saad ibn Abi Waqass RA also assigned Khalid bin 'Urfuthah RA to lead the troop.

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From his cellar, Abu Mihjan Ra saw the battle waging in great fury. Abu Mihjan RA was a born soldier, and when the other Muslims were locked up in life and death struggle, he pined to be free to wield the sword against the enemy. He approached Saad Ibn Abi Waqas RA, and asked for permission to fight. Saad's rebuked him and ordered him back to his cellar.

When the forces of the Muslims confronted the enemy, Abu Mihjan RA also wrote:

Suffice it because of the fall of the horse by the spear
While I was releasing myself which was bound strongly by the shackles. Returning to his cellar, Abu Mihjan met Salma the new wife of Saad. He wanted her to help him, but Salma was not inclined to interfere.

Back in his cellar, Abu Mihjan burst into pathetic verses:

"It is sufficient sorrow when you see a cavalier,
Deprived, abandoned and bound in shackles,
While I stand these fetters detain me,
While others are fighting.
I was once a man with wealth and kinsmen,
But I am now left entirely alone.
By Allah, I give the pledge,
If freed, I will never drink again."

Salma heard the song and was moved. She wanted to know what she could do for him.

Abu Mihjan said to Salma Bintu Khashafah RA, Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA wife

“Release this shackle and I promise you, if Allah saves me in this war, I will come back here until I put these two legs into bonds. But if I'm killed, then you will be free from me. Saidina Saad's wife then released Abu Mihjan RA just in the middle of the ragging battle and both troops met.

Without thinking, Abu Mihjan RA immediately jumped on a horse of Saad's named Al-Balqaa 'and grabbed a nearby spear, then he went out to the battlefield, so it was not Abu Mihjan RA attacking from the direction of the enemy unless he would destroy the ranks them. The Muslims who saw Abu Mihjan on the horse said, "The man is like an angel!"

Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA finally saw the brave figure dividing the wing of the enemy forces, he was amazed and wondered, "The leap of the war is like Al-Balqaa leap, and the rider's tires are similar to Abu Mihjan! but not Abu Mihjan! He's being bound "

When Abu Mihjan RA finished destroying the ranks of the enemy, he returned to the custody and then put his legs back into the bound. Seeing this, Salma Bintu Khashafah RA immediately told Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA about the matter of Abu Mihjan (who fulfilled his promise to return to detention). Saidina Saad said, "By Allah, as from today I will not whack a man whom Allah has tested the Muslims on his hands on all things which have caused them trouble," and Saidina Saad Ibn Abi Waqass RA liberated Abu Mihjan RA.

Al-Mihjan RA pledged, "Really, I've been drinking the khamr which, because of my custom, this is the punishment for me, then I'm cleaning myself up from it. And now Saidina Saad Ibn Waqass RA approve of me (free from punishment), then by Allah, I will not drink khamr again forever! "

[Al-Mushannaf 11/520, no. 34309]