Suraqa ibn Malik (ra)
Bounty-hunter of the Hijra; foretold Kisra's bracelets.
Hijri d. 24 AH CE d. c. 645 CE
The chief of Banu Mudlij who chased the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Abu Bakr (ra) during the Hijra for the 100-camel bounty — and became the recipient of one of the seerah’s most striking prophecies.
Role in the Seerah (EP 027)
- Hiding the sighting from his tribe so he could claim the reward alone, he galloped after the three riders; three times his horse sank into the ground and threw him. His divining arrows warned “do not proceed,” yet greed drove him on.
- Recognising a power beyond him, he gave up the chase, sought and received a written pledge of safety (foreseeing Islam would prevail), and kept their whereabouts secret.
- As he left, the Prophet ﷺ foretold: “How will you be the day you wear the bracelets of Kisra?” — fulfilled years later when Umar (ra), after the conquest of Persia, placed Khosrow’s bracelets on Suraqa’s arms.
Conversion
He presented his pledge and accepted Islam around Hunayn (8 AH), becoming a well-known Companion. He also observed and described the calm of the Prophet ﷺ (reciting Quran) versus the anxious vigilance of Abu Bakr on the journey.
Cross-references
The Hijrah (Emigration to Madinah) · Muhammad ﷺ · Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra) · Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) · Mecca · Seerah Timeline
Sources
- S005 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 027. Draws on Sahih Bukhari (Suraqa’s own narration), Ibn Abd al-Barr, Ibn Ishaq.