Muhammad bin Ishaq narrates: When Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) had finished with al-Yamamah, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Sayyiduna al-Ala' bin al-Hadrami (may Allah be pleased with him) to Bahrain. Sayyiduna al-Ala' was the one whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent to al-Mundhir bin Sawa al-Abdi, and al-Mundhir had accepted Islam. Sayyiduna al-Ala' stayed there as the commander appointed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Rabi'ah in Bahrain apostatised, among the Arabs who apostatised, except al-Jarud bin Amr, for he remained firm upon Islam, and those of his people who followed him also remained firm upon Islam. Rabi'ah gathered in Bahrain, having apostatised, and said: "Kingship will return to the family of al-Mundhir." They spoke about this with al-Mundhir bin al-Nu'man bin al-Mundhir, who was called al-Gharur (the Deceiver). Later, when he had accepted Islam and the people had accepted Islam, he used to say: "I am not al-Gharur (the Deceiver); rather, I am al-Maghrur (the deceived)." When the people of Rabi'ah gathered in Bahrain, Sayyiduna al-Ala' bin al-Hadrami (may Allah be pleased with him) marched against them, and Sayyiduna Thumamah bin Uthal al-Hanafi (may Allah be pleased with him) came to reinforce him; he had become a Muslim and his people had also become Muslims. When al-Ala' bin al-Hadrami made Thumamah commander, those of Banu Suhaym who were with him set out with him, until they waded through the sea to Rabi'ah. Rabi'ah came out against them and besieged them at Juwatha, a fortress in Bahrain, until the Muslims were close to perishing from hardship. Concerning this situation, Abdullah bin Hadhaf al-Amiri composed these verses: "Will you not convey a message to Abu Bakr and to all the young men of Madinah: do you have any concern for young men of yours who are all besieged at Juwatha? We have put our trust in the Most Merciful, and we have found that help belongs to those who put their trust (in Him)." Then Abdullah bin Hadhaf said: "Let me go down from the fortress and I will bring you news." With Abdullah bin Hadhaf there was a woman of Banu Ijl. He came down from the fortress, and the people seized him and asked: "Who are your people?" He stated his lineage and began to call out loudly: "O Abjar!" That man was among the people. Abjar came, recognised him and said: "What is the matter with you?" He said: "I am perishing from hunger." So he gave him food and water. He then said: "Give me a mount and let me go my way." So he went and gave him a mule to ride and said: "Go about your business." When Abdullah bin Hadhaf had left them, he returned to his companions and told them that the enemy were drunk and had no strength. So Sayyiduna al-Ala' bin al-Hadrami (may Allah be pleased with him), with the Muslims who were with him, both Arabs and non-Arabs, attacked them by night and killed them in great numbers, until the enemy were routed.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators up to Ibn Ishaq are thiqat (trustworthy).