HAMRAU ‘L-ASAD حمرا الاساد
A village or small town, the scene of one of Muhammad’s expeditions against the Quraish. Having reached this spot he kindled five hundred fires to make the Quraish believe that the pursuing force was very large, and, contenting himself with this demonstration, he returned to al-Madinah, from which it was about 60 miles. According to Burton, it is the modern Wasitah.
“At Hamra al Asad, Mahomet made prisoner one of the enemy, the poet Abu Ozza, who had loitered behind the rest. He had been taken prisoner at Bedr, and, having five daughters dependent on him, had been freely released, on the promise that he would not again bear arms in the war against the Prophet. He now sought for mercy: ‘O Mahomet! He prayed, ‘forgive me of thy grace.’ ‘Nay, verily,’ said the Prophet ‘a believer may not be twice bitten from the same hold. Thou shalt never return to Mecca, stroke thy beard and say, I have again deceived Mahomet. Lead him forth to execution! So saying, he mentioned to a bystander, who with his sword struck off the captive’s head.” (Muir’s Life of Mahomet, new ed. p. 276.)
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam