Around 4 AH, a chieftain of Najd (the highlands of north-central Arabia) named Abu Bara Amir ibn Malik stayed in Madinah for a while. He did not accept Islam, but he was impressed by it. He asked the Prophet ﷺ to send Companions to call the people of Najd to Islam, and he promised them his protection. The Prophet ﷺ chose 70 of the best reciters of the Qur'an and preachers. Most of them were Ahl al-Suffa, the poor Companions who lived at the Prophet ﷺ's mosque and devoted themselves to worship and learning.
When the 70 reached the Well of Bir Ma'una, they sent Haram ibn Milhan with a letter to Amir ibn al-Tufayl, the arrogant chieftain of a local tribe. Amir signalled to one of his men, who speared Haram from behind. Killing a messenger who also had protection was a grave betrayal. Amir then called on the tribes to help him kill the rest. Many refused because of Abu Bara's protection. But three clans, Asiya, Ra'l and Dhakwan, agreed. About 400 to 500 men surrounded the Companions, who had not come prepared for battle, and killed them.
Three men were not killed in that attack. Ka'b ibn Zayd was wounded and lay unconscious under the bodies of the martyrs, so the attackers did not see that he was alive. Amr ibn Umayyah and al-Mundhir ibn Muhammad had been away from the camp on an errand. When they returned, they saw vultures circling. Amr wanted to go back and tell the Prophet ﷺ. Al-Mundhir would not leave the place where his companions had died. Both went in and were captured. Al-Mundhir was killed, and Amr was set free.
On his way home, Amr met two men from Amir ibn al-Tufayl's tribe and killed them while they slept. He did not know that the Prophet ﷺ had given them protection. Amr then brought the news of the massacre to Madinah. According to a report in al-Waqidi, the Prophet ﷺ heard of this and of the massacre at al-Raji on the same night. He was deeply grieved. For a whole month he made a special supplication (qunut) in every one of the five daily prayers. He prayed for the martyrs and against the four tribes responsible: Asiya, Ra'l, Dhakwan and Banu Lahyan.
Outcome: Nearly all of the 70 Companions were killed. Amir ibn al-Tufayl, whom the Prophet ﷺ had prayed against, later died a miserable death alone in the desert from a leprosy that spread over his skin.
It was the worst massacre of Muslims in the Seerah. Allah revealed verses about the martyrs, which were later removed from the recited Qur'an (Naskh al-Tilawah) but are preserved in hadith. The incident is the basis for the sunnah of qunut in times of communal calamity. The Prophet ﷺ also took responsibility for the two innocent men Amr ibn Umayyah had killed by mistake, and paid blood money to their families. He would not hold them guilty for their tribe's crime.
Other events recorded in 4 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
مَنْ يُبلِّغُ إِخْوانَنا عنا أنَّا أحْياءٌ في الجنَّةِ
Who will go and tell our brothers that we are alive in Paradise?
Words revealed to the Prophet ﷺ about the martyrs of Bir Ma'una; later abrogated in recitation (Naskh al-Tilawah) though preserved in hadith.
I think we should go back to the Prophet ﷺ in order to tell him that some calamity has happened. Let's go back and get reinforcements.
Said on seeing vultures circling over the camp after returning from an errand.
As for me, I will not give up being in the place where my companions have been killed, neither do I want other men telling of my story.
They were known for their Quran, known for their tahajjud, known for filling up the buckets of the Ansar at night.
Anas ibn Malik's later description of the 70 sent to Bir Ma'una.
I won! By the Lord of the Ka'bah!
His last words, cried out the instant he was speared from behind while waiting to be received by Amir ibn al-Tufayl.
If only you were to send a group of your Companions to the people of Najd and call them to this matter, I am sure a lot of them will respond to your call. So send us your people and we will go and spread your Message.
Said to the Prophet ﷺ after visiting Madinah and being impressed by Islam, though Abu Bara himself did not convert.
I will accept Islam either if you take charge of the cities and leave all of the Bedouin lands to me, or make me your chieftain after you die.
His attempted condition for accepting Islam, reported before the massacre.
On my way back, I came upon two men from the tribe responsible for the massacre. Not knowing they were under the Prophet ﷺ's protection, I killed them in retribution for our slain brothers.