Wahshi ibn Harb Wahshy ibn Harb ( literally " The Savage son of War " ) was the Ethiopia n slave of Jubayr ibn Mut ' im and a " Sahabi " ( companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad ) . He is best known for killing a leading Muslim general , Hamza ibn ‘ Abd al - Muttalib Muhammad ' s uncle , prior to accepting Islam , and afterwards killing Musaylimah , the leader of an enemy apostate army who were waging war against the Muslims . During the Battle of Uhud . Wahshy had been appointed by Hind bint Utbah to kill one of the three persons ( Muhammad , Ali ibn Abi Talib , or Hamza ibn ‘ Abd al - Muttalib ) so that she might avenge her father ' s death during the Battle of Badr . Wahshy said in reply , " I cannot approach Muhammad at all , because his companions are nearer to him than anyone else . Ali too is extraordinarily vigilant in the battlefield . However , Hamza is so furious that , while fighting , he does not pay any attention to any other side and it is possible that I may be able to make him fall by some trick or by taking him unawares . " Hind was content with this and promised that if he was successful in performing the job she would set him free . Some believe that Jubair made this promise to his slave ( Wahshy ) as his ( Jubayr ' s ) uncle had been killed in the Battle of Badr . Wahshy went on to say , " On the Day of Uhud ( 625 ) I was pursuing Hamza ibn Abd al - Muttalib . He was attacking the centre of the army like a ferocious lion . He killed every one whom he could approach . I hid myself behind the trees and stones , so that he could not see me . He was too busy in fighting . I came out of ambush . Being an Ethiopian , I used to throw my weapon like Ethiopians and it never missed the target . I , therefore , threw my javelin towards him from a specific distance after moving it in a particular manner . The weapon fell on his flank and came out from between his two legs . He wanted to attack me but severe pain prevented him from doing so . He remained in the same condition till his soul departed from his body . Then I approached him very carefully and having taken out my weapon from his body returned to the army of Quraysh and waited for my freedom . " Conversion to Islam . He then later converted to Islam and killed the self - proclaimed prophet Musaylimah ( also known as " Musaylimah al - Kadhdhaab " meaning " Musaylimah The Liar " ) during the battle of Yamama in 634 . Wahshi relates his story of conversion : " After the Battle of Uhud , I continued to live in Makkah for quite a long time until the Muslims conquered Makkah . I then ran away to Ta ' if , but soon Islam reached that area as well . I heard that however grave the crime of a person might be , [ God ] forgave him . I , therefore , reached [ Muhammad ] with " Shahada tayn " on my lips . Muhammad saw me and said " Are you the same Wahshy , the Ethiopian ? " I replied in the affirmative . Thereupon he said : " How did you kill Hamza ibn Abd al - Muttalib ? " I gave an account of the matter . Muhammad was moved and said : " I should not see your face until you are resurrected , because the heart - rending calamity fell upon my uncle at your hands " . It is explained by Islamic scholars that the reason for Wahshy avoiding Muhammad , was not out of continued anger against Wahshy , but in case Wahshy interpreted a look on the face of Muhammad as anger for him , which would therefore make him distraught . Wahshi says : " So long as Muhammad was alive I kept myself hidden from him . After his death the battle with Musaylimah took place . I joined the army of Islam and used the same weapon against Musaylimah and succeeded in killing him with the help of one of the Ansar . If I killed the best of men ( Hamza ibn Abd al - Muttalib ) with this weapon , the worst man , too , did not escape its terror . "