Biography / The Life of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h)

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The Battle of Banu Qaynuqa

The Battle of Banu Qaynuqa

At the time when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed the emigration to Medina, half of the population of the city consisted of the members of the Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir and Banu Qurayza tribes, all of which were Jewish tribes. There is no accurate information as to when the Jews began to settle in the Arabian Peninsula, or more specifically, in Medina.

There are also views that suggest that the Jews in the Arabian Peninsula did not immigrate from outside of the Arabian Peninsula, but in fact were Arabs who had accepted Judaism. Another view is that they came to the peninsula from other places, yet there are many different views as to exactly when they arrived. According to some accounts, Jews had been expelled from Palestine after Jerusalem was invaded by Buhtunnasr, the king of Babylon (B.C 605-562), and after the fall of the Temple of Solomon or other various attacks; they then settled around certain regions of the Arabian peninsula such as the Hejaz, Vadi'l-qura, Khaybar, Tayma, Yathrib and Ayla. Among these were the Jews who came to Yathrib and settled around the outskirts of the city. In the course of time, they became stronger and expelled the Amaliqa and the Jurhumians and thus gained control of the city. When a flood, known as Sayl al-Arim, occurred in Yemen in the second century AD, Hâritha ibn Tha‘laba ibn Amr Muzaykiya, a member of the Azd branch of Qahtania, left the region and settled in the surrounding area of Yathrib and from his descendents over time the Aws and Khazraj tribes came into existence; these tribes became stronger than the Jewish tribes and and gained control of the city. After having lost their superiority over the Aws and Khazraj, the Jewish tribes continued to live, some siding with the Aws and some with the Khazraj in any conflicts that occurred between these two tribes. For instance, in the Battle of Buas, which broke out five years before the emigration (617 AD) the Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir Jews formed an alliance with the Aws, while the Banu Qaynuqa tribe sided with the Khazraj; the battle ended with the defeat of the Khazraj. Moreover, there were also various conflicts and skirmishes between the Banu Qaynuqa and other Jewish tribes.

Contrary to their situation in the political arena, the Jewish tribes were stronger than the Arabs economically. Agricultural, ironworking, arms manufacturing, textile and jewelry businesses were all under the control of the Jews. The Banu Qaynuqa was prominent in the jewelry business, the Banu Nadr in agriculture and the Banu Qurayza tribe in the leather business. The Jewish tribes had become wealthy by attending cattle fairs and when they could not collect the loans which they provided with interest, they impounded the estates and assets of the debtors, and thus began to live in prosperity. There were also Jews who gained income from fortune telling and prophesying. The Jews also had Baytulmidras,a religious education center. It is known that Prophet Muhammad and some companions had gone to this center to convey the message of Islam and for other purposes.

The Banu Qaynuqa, who resided in the southwest of Medina, lived in castles called utum; there were many of these in Medina. Banu Qaynuqa, known for their courage and warrior-like qualities amongst the Jewish tribes in Medina, made a living from trading, arms manufacturing and particularly from jewelry. For this reason they did not possess agricultural lands. There were markets, known as Suq Banu Qaynuqa, in Medina and both Jews and Muslims used these marketplaces. Due to such activities the Banu Qaynuqa became wealthier than other Jewish tribes.

The members of the Banu Qaynuqa tribe participated in the Medina Document as allies of the Khazraj tribe. This agreement was made by the Prophet with the Arabian and Jewish tribes after the emigration to Medina. In this agreement it was decided that the Jews would help in case of a strike against Medina; a strike against one side would be considered as having been made against the other side. If such a situation were to occur they would defend together, and the Jews agreed that they would not ally with the Quraishis or with other enemies of the Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad's attitude towards the Jews in Medina brought some positive results; Abdullah ibn Salam, a scholar in the Banu Qaynuqa tribe, became Muslim with his family. However, in general the Jews did not accept the teachings of the Prophet because they thought that a new prophet would appear from among them. The Jews carried out some activities to try to turn the Muslims away from Islam, and from time to time they were mocking the Quran and the Prophet. They were trying to create a conflict between the Aws and Khazraj tribes by reminding them of their former hostilities, and they were encouraging the hypocrites.

Some of them among the hypocrites, even though they said that they had accepted Islam. The Jews were annoyed with the victory of the Muslims in the Battle of Badr against the idolaters. They showed their displeasure in a variety of ways and began to run riot. In response to this, the Prophet one day gathered the Jews in the Banu Qaynuqa market place and told them that he was the true prophet for whom they had been waiting and giving as example the experiences of the Quraishis he asked them to become Muslim. However, the Jews told the Prophet that they would not be deceived by his victory against the Quraishis, because the latter were not competent in the art of war. The also arrogantly stated that the Prophet would have seen what battle really was and how strong the Jews were if he had fought a war against them. It is accounted that the following verses was sent in response to the Jews: "Say O Muhammad unto those who disbelieve: You shall be overcome and gathered unto Hell, an evil resting-place. There was a token for you in two hosts which met: one army fighting in the way of Allah, and another disbelieving, that they saw as twice their number, clearly, with their very eyes. Thus Allah strengthened with His succor that He will. O! Herein verily is a lesson for those who have eyes" (Al-i Imran, 3/12-13).

While this tension continued, an incidence occurred in the Banu Qaynuqa market which was to become the final straw. The wife of a Companion went to a jeweler in the Banu Qaynuqa market place. The Jews harassed her and the woman called for help. One of the Muslims heard the woman and he killed the jeweler, who was a member of the Banu Qaynuqa. The Jews then killed this man. Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims were deeply concerned by this incidence, which showed that the agreement had no importance anymore and that it had been violated. The Prophet was concerned that the Banu Qaynuqa, the first tribe to violate the agreement, could now betray them at any time. In response to this, the following verse was sent: "And if you fear treachery from any folk, then throw back to them their treaty fairly. O! Allah does not love the treacherous" (Al-Anfal, 8/58). The Prophet laid siege to the district of Banu Qaynuqa in the middle of the month of Shawwal, 20 months after the emigration. He wore his armor, known as Zatu al-Fudul and gave the banner to his uncle, Hamza ibn Abdulmuttalib. During the siege, which lasted for fifteen days, up until the beginning of Dhu al-Qi'dah, the Banu Qaynuqa Jews, who were held up in the castle, were compelled to surrender, although no combat occurred nor was any arrow shot. The Jews agreed that the Prophet was to make the decision on the outcome of the war; he did not accept their request to be released (Dhu al-Qi'dah 2/April 624). Prophet Muhammad decided that the male warriors among the prisoners of war, whose number were said to be 700, were to be put to death. Upon hearing this, the leader of the Khazraj tribe, Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, told the Prophet that the people of the Banu Qaynuqa were allies of the Khazraj tribe, that they had helped them, particularly in the Battle of Buas; he requested that Muhammad forgive them. Although the Prophet knew that Abdullah ibn Ubay was the leader of the hypocrites, he revoked his decision to take the men's lives, and ordered that the Banu Qaynuqa Jews were expelled from Medina, with the condition that their possessions would remain with the Muslims. The Prophet gave a period of three days to the Banu Qaynuqa Jews to leave Medina. He assigned Muhammad ibn Maslama to take their possessions, and he assigned Ubada ibn Samit to supervise the tribe members until they left Medina. The Banu Qaynuqa Jews requested permission to to collect their debts, and they were allowed to do so. The Prophet told the Banu Qaynuqa Jews that they could return to Medina to carry out business and stay there for three days. The Banu Qaynuqa Jews left Medina under the supervision of Ubada ibn Samit, leaving many arms and materials used in arms manufacturing and jewelry. They stayed in Wadi al-Qura for about a month and then went to Syria and settled in Azriat.

The Prophet took three swords, three spears, two suits of armor and two bows from the loot and he took one-fifth of the loot (khumus), sharing out the remaining four-fifths among the Muslims. The Prophet also gave some armor to Muhammad ibn Maslama and Sa'd ibn Muadh. There is a disagreement in the Islamic history as to when the practice of khumus was first implemented. Some assert that khumus was first practiced when sharing out the loot from the Battle of Banu Qaynuqa. However, there are also accounts that state that during the night raid of Abdullah ibn Jahsh and during the Battle of Badr, both of which occurred before the Battle of Banu Qaynuqa, khumus was implemented when sharing the loot. It is also asserted that the first practice of khumus was performed in Banu Qaynuqa after the conveyance of the related verse: "And know that whatever you take as spoils of war, O! A fifth there of is for Allah, and for the messenger and for the kinsman and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and that which We revealed unto Our slave on the Day of Discrimination, the day when the two armies met. And Allah is able to do all things" (Al-Anfal 8/41).

 

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Hypocrites

Hypocrites

One of the problems that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) experienced in Medina was the problem of factions. There was a community who pretended to be believers although they did not believe in Islam or the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad. The instigator of this was Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul. Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul was the leader of the Khazraj tribe, and after the end of the battles between the Aws tribe and the Khazraj tribe it was agreed that the control of Yathrib would be handed over to him. However, this agreement could not be actualized when the Prophet emigrated and Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul displayed hostility towards the Prophet for this reason until his death. The Jews in Medina and the Quraishi idolaters in Mecca incited this hostility. In addition to Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, there were other hypocrites who advised their fellow townsmen not to support the emigrants in any way, wanting them to leave the city. The hypocrites always supported any faction that occurred in many of the incidents during the Medina period and they tried to weaken the union of the Muslims. The chapter of the Quran entitled the Hypocrites, the sixty-third surah, was sent in relation to this community and other similar communities.

 

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The Battle of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud

The Quraishis, who experienced a heavy defeat in the Battle of Badr, were pressuring their leader Abu Sufyan to start battle preparations at once.

The goods of the caravan which were involved in the start of the Battle of Badr were being safeguarded in Dar al-Nadwa and their control was given to Abu Sufyan. Apart from feelings of vengeance, the Quarishis were worried about the Muslims' blockage of the Syria-Egypt trade routs and their attacks on caravans. One year after the Battle of Badr the Quraishis set out to Medina with an army of 3,000 men collected from the neighboring allied tribes and related tribes. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not want to fight the Quraishis, who desired revenge for Badr and nursed feelings of hostility and hatred from the Age of Ignorance, outside of Medina. However, he decided to go to Uhud, which was a distance of 5.5 km from Medina with an army of 1,000 men upon the insistence of some youngsters who had not participated in the Battle of Badr and some of the Companions who had been angered by the destruction of their land and gardens by the enemy army. On their way, Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul withdrew from the army, with about 300 men, and returned to the city.

The Prophet arrived on the edges of Mount Uhud with his remaining 700 companions. He gave the largest Muslim banner to Mus'ab ibn Umayr; the banner of the Aws tribe was given to Usayd ibn Hudayr, and the banner of the Khazraj tribe was given to Sa'd ibn Hubab. The Prophet placed fifty bowmen, led by Abdullah ibn Jubayr, on the Aynayn Hill to protect the rear, and he ordered the men not to abandon their positions without his order, regardless of what happened during the battle. The two armies met on Shawwal 3 (March 23, 625), a Saturday and the Muslims pushed the Quraishis back at the beginning, forcing them to retreat. The bowmen saw that the Quraishi army was disintegrating, and they left their positions to collect the booty, despite the clear orders of their commander Abdullah ibn Jubayr not to do so. The commander of the Quraishi cavalry unit, Khaled ibn Walid, understood the strategic importance of the Aynayn Hill, as had the Prophet, and when he saw that the Muslim archers were abandoning their positions, he attacked the Islamic army from the rear with a move that could have changed the course of the battle, martyring several archers who had not abandoned their positions. After this attack, the course of the battle changed in an instant and seventy Muslims, in particular Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet, were martyred. Abdullah ibn Jhahs, Mus'ab ibn Umayr and Abdullah ibn Jubayr were also among these martyrs. The Prophet was wounded on the face by the rings of his helmet piercing his temples, his lower lip bled, and one of his teeth was broken. The battle slowed down with the false report that the Prophet had been killed. The Muslims retreated to the outskirts of Mount Uhud, and the idolaters gathered around Abu Sufyan; the two armies separated and the battle ended.

The Quraishis were said to have lost 37 or 22-23 men on the battle and they felt that they had taken revenge for the Battle of Badr. They had been able to kill Prophet Muhammad, but they had martyred his uncle Hamza. Hind bint Utba, the wife of Abu Sufyan, removed Hamza's liver Hamza and chewed it as vengeance for the life of her father Utba, her brother Walid, and her uncle Shayba. She also rewarded Wahshi ibn Harb with the promised reward as it had been his spear that had killed Hamza.

The Muslims were deeply saddened when they saw that the bodies of the martyrs in Uhud had been chopped up, that their ears and noses had been cut off (in a tradition known as musla). In response to this, some Muslims wanted to do the same to the corpses of the idolaters. However, they abandoned this idea with the revelation of the 126th verse, Nahl, and upon the warning of Prophet Muhammad.

Prophet Muhammad never forgot the martyrs of Uhud nor the occurrences in Uhud; he visited the tombs of the martyrs every year and he revisited them during the last days of his life. The Battle of Uhud was commemorated by Muslims in the later periods to remind them not to make the same mistakes again.

About ten women participated in the Battle of Uhud; they carried out services such as distributing water to the soldiers and tending the wounded. The Prophet's freed slave Ummu Ayman, as well as Ummu Umara, Fatima, Aisha and Ummu Sulaym were among these. In particular, Ummu Umara fought with the enemy with her sword near Prophet Muhammad when the Muslims were at a disadvantageous position, and Fatima tended the Prophet when he had been wounded. It must be stated in relation to the Battle of Uhud that if the Muslims had defeated the Quraishis with a clear victory as they had in the Battle of Badr, it would then have been difficult for the Prophet to achieve his true target, that is, the conversion of the Quraishis to Islam. The feelings of hostility and vengeance fostered by the mentality of the Age of Ignorance would have continued to prevail in the tribe, and the possibilities provided by the Treaty of Hudaibiyah would not have presented themselves. (There are some verses in the Quran concerned with the Battle of Uhud: for example Al-i Imran 3/120, and verses 139-142, 156, and 165).

 

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The Battle of Hamra ul-Asad

The Battle of Hamra ul-Asad

Upon his return to Medina after the Battle of Uhud, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was informed on the following day that the Quraishis would return and attack Medina.


Upon hearing this, the Prophet decided to follow the Quraishi army in order to prevent any possible strike and to show that Muslims had not been weakened. He ordered that only those who had participated in the Battle of Uhud, one day before, could join in this campaign. The veterans of Uhud gladly accepted this battle call, even though they had just returned from battle, and some of them were exhausted or even wounded. In the meantime, Jabir ibn Abdullah wanted permission from the Prophet to join this campaign, as he had been unable to participate in the Battle of Uhud. His father, Abdullah ibn Amr, had been martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Jabir ibn Abdullah told the Prophet that although he wanted to join the Battle of Uhud, his father had wanted him to stay with his seven (or nine) sisters as they had nobody to look after them, and therefore he could not join the battle. When he heard this, the Prophet gave special permission to Jabir ibn Abdullah.

The Prophet, with an army of 500, went to Hamra ul-Asad, 8 miles from Medina. Upon being notified about this, the Quraishis decided not to return to Medina and they went to Mecca. The Prophet stayed in Hamra ul-Asad for five days and returned to Medina in Shawwal 17, 3 (April 2, 625). This campaign is sometimes mentioned along with the Battle of Uhud, or it is sometimes mentioned as a separate battle. It is stated that this campaign was carried out to regain the prestige of the Islamic state which had been weakened in the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims reinforced their authority with this campaign, as it had been shaken by the defeat of Uhud, and they showed the Quraishis, the other Arab tribes, Jews and hypocrites in Medina that they were still strong.

 

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The Raji incident

The Raji incident

Several months after the Battle of Uhud, a delegation from the Adal and Qara tribes came to Medina and announced that Islam had begun to spread within their tribes and asked Muhammad (pbuh) to teach them how to read the Quran and to send people to them who could teach them Islam. A delegation of ten people was sent by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), led by Asim ibn Thabit (or Marsad ibn Abu Marsad). They camped near the Raji water within the lands of the Khuzayl tribe, which is located between Mecca and Usfan. One of the representatives of the tribe who had asked for a delegation from the Prophet was traveling alongside the delegation. This representative notified the Lihyanis of the location of the delegation; the Lihyanis was a branch of the Banu Khuzayl who displayed hostility against the Prophet. An armed group of 100 men immediately took action and conducted a raid against the Muslims (Safar 4/July 625). Seven companions were martyred, including Asim ibn Thabit and Marsad ibn Abu Marsad. Of the remaining three Abdullah ibn Tariq was killed on the road. Hubayb ibn Adi and Zayd ibn Desina were taken to Mecca and sold to the Quraishis, who wanted to seek revenge for their relatives who had been killed in Badr. The idolaters of Mecca imprisoned these two Companions for a period, and after the sacred months had ended they took these two companions to the vicinity of Tan'im, outside the city. They were promised release if they were to renounce Islam in front of a crowd. Yet the two companions reiterated their commitment to Islam and the Prophet, showing that they were not afraid of death on the path of Allah and the Prophet. Upon this, they were martyred by the idolaters. Hudayb ibn Adi had asked for a permission to pray two raka'ahs and ended his salah as quickly as possible, to prevent the idolaters from thinking that he was prolonging his prayer in fear of death. This prayer has become a tradition of Muslims who believe that they are about to be executed throughout Islam.


The Raji incident and the following developments caused great sadness in Medina. This attack and massacre presented a casus belli, and the Prophet organized a campaign against the Banu Lihyan tribe to "retaliate", with 200 men, 20 of whom were horsemen. (Rabi'al-awwal 6/July-August 627). However, since the Lihyanis learned of this campaign and retreated to the mountains, the Prophet remained on their land for two days before he returned.

 

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The Bi'rimauna Disaster

The Bi'rimauna Disaster A short time following the Raji incident (Safar 4/July 625), Abu Bara Amir ibn Malik, the leader of the Amir ibn Sa'saa tribe, came to Medina and received information from the Prophet (pbuh) about Islam. Although he was not a Muslim, he requested that some people to be sent to his tribe to convey Islam. Upon hearing this, Prophet Muhammad secured a promise for the safety of these people, and assigned a group of 70 from the Ahl al-Suffa, led by Mundhir ibn Amr al-Hazraji. Most of these people were Companions who possessed good knowledge of the Holy Quran. Haram ibn Milhan was assigned to take a letter from the Prophet to the leader of the Amir ibn Sa'saa after arriving in Bi'rimauna, which was located on the road between Mecca and Medina. After learning that the Amir, Amir ibn Malik had passed away, Haram ibn Milhan gave the letter to his nephew, Amir ibn Tufayl and invited the people with him to Islam. Amir ibn Tufayl had held a grudge against the Prophet for a long time, thus he had the messenger killed and incited the tribe members to attack the Islamic delegation that was staying in Birimanua. As Amir ibn Malik had guaranteed the lives of the delegation, the tribe did not respond positively to this proposal by Amir ibn Tufayl. Amir ibn Tufayl then turned to some branches of the Banu Sulaym tribe, who were his allies. Upon his incitement, the armed groups from the neighboring tribes attacked the Muslims in Bi'rimauna who were unaware of any of these developments.

Everyone was martyred except Amr ibn Umayya ad-Damri, Ka'b ibn Zayd an-Najjari, who was severely wounded and thought dead, and Mundhir ibn Muhammad (or Harith ibn Simma), who was shepherding the camels during the incident. Mundhir ibn Muhammad (or Harith ibn Simma) could not bear the death of his friends, and attacked the idolaters and was killed. When the imprisoned Amr ibn Umayya said that he was a member of the Mudar tribe, he was released by Amir ibn Tufayl.

The Prophet was informed about this sad incidence via a revelation, and he notified his companions of it. Prophet Muhammad was deeply saddened by this incident, more than he had ever been saddened before and he cursed the people who were responsible for it in the morning prayers for thirty or forty days. The Prophet sent off a force of twenty-four, led by Shuja ibn Wahb, to punish Amir ibn Sa'saa on Rabi' al-awwal 8 (July 629); the latter had been responsible for the Bi'rimauna disaster. Many women and animals of the tribe were captured during a sudden night attack. After a while, a delegation of the Banu Amir ibn Sa'saa, all of whom were later to become Muslim, came before the Prophet and requested the release of the captured women. The Prophet discussed the matter with Shuja ibn Wahb and his friends, and he then released the women upon their acceptance of Islam.

 

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The Battle of Banu Nadir

The Battle of Banu Nadir

The Battle of the Banu Nadir was one of the three Jewish tribes in Medina; the people lived in a strong fortresses and they possessed large date fields and were mostly occupied with agriculture. The Banu Nadir was distinctly superior to the other Jewish tribes. For this reason, if somebody was killed among the Banu Nadir, full blood money was to be paid.

However, half blood money was paid if somebody was killed from among the Banu Qurayza. This inequality in blood money between the two tribes was eradicated by the Prophet (pbuh) and when the people of the Banu Qurayza applied to him about this matter the blood money was equalized.

The Banu Nadir participated in the Medina Document as an ally of the Aws tribe. They were not hostile towards the Muslims, but after the Battle of Badr and the expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa from the city, they started to behave spitefully against the Muslims. In particular, their famous poet Ka'b ibn Ashraf satirized the Prophet and his Companions in his poems and with his effective rhetoric. The poet also went to Mecca and incited Abu Sufyan and other idolaters against the Muslims by sparking feelings of hatred, spending his fortune in this matter. The Prophet was annoyed with this openly hostile attitude against Islam and wanted to put an end to it.

Upon his request, Muhammad ibn Maslama and several friends made a plan and they killed Ka'b ibn Ashraf, who had not hesitated to insult the holy values of the Muslims (Rabi' al-awwal 3/September 624). The Banu Nadir Jews had gone to the headquarters of the idolaters and incited them against the Muslims during the Battle of Uhud. Apart from this, Banu Nadir had wanted to fight with the Muslims from time to time and had attempted to assassinate the Prophet. The Prophet had warned this tribe to adhere to the agreement, but he did not receive a positive answer.

When Amr ibn Umayya ed-Damri was returning back to Medina after having survived the Bi'rimauna Disaster, he killed two people from the Banu Amir ibn Sa'saa in their sleep to take the revenge for his two martyr friends. However, Amr did not know that these two people had become Muslims and had been given forgiven by the Prophet. The Prophet was extremely saddened by the death of people whom he had taken under his protection, and Amr said that he would pay the blood money of these two. The Prophet took Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali with him and went to the Banu Nadir in order to ask them to share the blood money in accordance with the Medina Document. The people of Banu Nadir welcomed the Muslims, but then attempted to kill them by throwing a rock from the roof. When the Prophet realized the situation, he left there with his Companions and returned to the city. It is reported that the Banu Nadir concocted other assassination plans when they received a proposal from the Quraishis to do so. As the Banu Nadir had violated the treaty of Medina with their assassination attempts, Prophet Muhammad sent them a messenger and asked them to leave the city within ten days. While the people of Nadir were preparing to leave the city of Medina, Abdullah ibn Ubay dissuaded them from doing so by telling them that he was going to provide help.

Upon this, the Prophet set siege to them and invited them to make a treaty (Rabi'al-awwal 4/August 625). First the Jews decided to put up a resistance, yet after a siege of fifteen days, they consented to leave Medina after taking their women and children with them in a convoy of 600 camels, as well as their movable assets. Some of them went to Khaybar and some of them went to Syria and settled in Azriat.

 

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The Battle of Banu Mustaliq (Muraysi)

The Battle of Banu Mustaliq (Muraysi)

Banu Mustaliq, a branch of the Khuzaa tribe, was residing near Usfan, Rahatufarwa and Rabig, the latter being a significant port city located in the Kudayd region between Mecca and Medina. Generally speaking, the Khuzaa tribe acted positively towards Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), yet the Banu Mustaliq branch sided with the Quraishis which were fighting the Muslims; from time to time they acted with animosity against the Muslims. At the time when the Quraishis incited its allies and made preparations for the Battle of the Trench, Hârith ibn Abû Dirar, the leader of the Mustaliq tribe, set up his headquarters on the Muraysi Water and incited the neighboring tribes; he began to gather soldiers to attack Medina. The Prophet sent Burayda ibn Husayb al-Aslami to the region to acquire intelligence. Burayda saw that the news about the preparations of Mustaliq tribe was true and returned with the necessary information. On Sha'aban 2nd, 5 (December 27th, 626) the Prophet set out on a campaign with 700 men, thirty of whom were on horse. When some of the tribes saw that he was approaching with a great force, they abandoned the front lines and deserted. When the Islamic army came to the Muraysi Water, the tribal members were invited to become Muslim. The battle started after they answered this invitation with arrows, and it ended with the absolute victory of Muslims. Ten idolaters were killed; the remaining 600 or 700 men were taken prisoner. A large amount of loot was acquired, among which there were 2,000 camels and 5,000 sheep. During this campaign, the Muslims suffered no losses other than Hisham Suhaba al-Kalbi, who was killed as he was mistaken for an enemy. After the victory, Prophet Muhammad distributed the prisoners and loot among the Muslims. With regard to the importance of this battle, he sent Abu Naml at-Tai to Medina to notify the people of the victory. He returned back to Medina on Ramadan 5th (January 24, 627). The Battle of Banu Mustaliq is sometimes referred to as the Muraysi Battle, because of its location; it is suggested that this occurred after the Battle of the Trench.

Juwayriyya, the daughter of al-Hārith ibn Abu Dirar the chief of the Banu Mustaliq, was among the captives taken in this battle. The Prophet released Juwayriyya and married her when she accepted Islam. Their marriage mitigated the hostility that resulted from the battle. The Muslims released all prisoners as the people of Mustaliq had now become relatives of the Prophet. When the Banu Mustaliq saw this attitude nearly the entire tribe accepted Islam. Al-Hārith ibn Abu Dirar also came before the Prophet and became Muslim.

Many hypocrites, like Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, also participated in this battle. There was a conflict between muhajirs and the Companions after the campaign about a waterwell. The hypocrites incited this conflict and it was about to explode. Upon seeing the rising tension, the Prophet instantly ordered that they set out and forced the army to walk until noon the following day. The soldiers were exhausted after this long march and they fell asleep right away when they reached the resting spot, no longer to discuss the conflict. In this way, Prophet Muhammad prevented the conflict that had nearly broken out the previous day. It is accounted that surah of al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) was revealed upon these events. The hypocrites did not abandon their hostilities and this led to the slander of Aisha, known as "the Incident of Ifk."

 

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The Incident of Ifk

The Incident of Ifk

When the Prophet (pbuh) left Medina for the Battle of the Banu Mustaliq, He took his wife Aisha with him. On the way back to Medina, the Muslim army stopped for a rest, but then the Prophet unexpectedly ordered the army to continue the march. Aisha noticed that her onyx necklace, which had been brought from Yemen (Zafar), a souvenir from her older sister or her mother, was missing, so she retraced her steps to find it. When she finally found it and returned to the camp, the Muslim army had already left without her. Her litter was veiled so her absence had not been noticed.

Aisha began to wait for someone to notice that she was missing and to come back for her. Fortunately, she did not have to wait long, for a young Muslim man called Safwan ibn Muattal as-Sulami, who had fallen behind the army after taking a rest, reached the camp during the night and found her lying fast asleep. Safwan recognized her and escorted her back to the Muslim army and the Prophet. Unfortunately, some hypocrites who had seen Safwan and Aisha arrive alone together began to gossip and spread slanderous lies about the two young people. Naturally, the believers were certain that nothing had happened, but the hypocrites thought otherwise. Eventually the story reached Aisha and she became ill. Aisha, the Prophet, Abu Bakr and his family were greatly saddened by the gossip. Aisha thought that the Prophet believed the gossip. She said that if she were to tell the Prophet that she was innocent perhaps he would not believe her. If she were to say that something had happened while Allah knew of her innocence the Prophet still would believe her. She asserted that by Allah, she could only say what Jacob, the father of Prophet Joseph had said:
"Patience is beautiful, and Allah is my protection against what you describe" (Joseph 12/18).
None other than Allah Himself could declare Aisha's innocence and vindicate her of the slander levied against her. Allah revealed to the Prophet the following verses, condemning those Hypocrites who had doubted Aisha's innocence and who had slandered her honor: "Since you received it with your tongues, and repeated what you did not know anything about with your mouths, you thought it was a trifle, but in the sight of Allah it is serious." "Why, when you heard it, did you not say: ‘It is not for us to repeat this, Glory be to You (O Allah), this is a serious slander.'" "Allah warns you to never repeat anything like this again, if you are indeed believers!" "And Allah makes the signs clear to you; and Allah Knows, Wise." "Surely those who love to spread around slander about those who believe will have a painful punishment in this world and in the next world; and Allah knows and you do not know." (An-Nur 24/11/19). The Prophet read the above verses to the Muslims in al-masjid al-Nabawi. Hassan ibn Thabit, Mistah ibn Usase and Hamna bint Jahsh were punished in accordance with the fourth verse of Surah Nur.

According to some accounts, the famous poet Hassan ibn Thabit participated in this slander because of the hostility between him and Safwan ibn Muattal; Mistah ibn Usase participated in this slander because he felt inferior as his relatives were constantly receiving help from Abu Bakr, while Hamna bint Jahsh participated in this slander to degrade the position of Aisha and raise the position of her sister Zaynab. Aisha realized that this incident was in fact important and that she had been greatly honored by the ten verses sent in relation to this matter.

 

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The Battle of the Trench

The Battle of the Trench

The Battle of the Trench was the last attack of the Quraishis on Medina. The name of this battle comes from the trenches that were dug around Medina to prevent the enemy attack. Apart from the Quraishis, Arab tribes, such as the Gatafan, the Fazara, the Sulaym, the Qinana, the Sakif, and the Banu Nadir had been expelled from Medina; the Banu Qurayza Jews in Medina participated in this battle as well. For this reason, the battle is also known as The Battle of al-Ahzab (the groups or tribes). The Battle of the Trench differs from the previous battles in terms of politics, strategy and tactics. It was a battle fought not against a single and specific enemy, but was rather a defensive battle fought against all enemy groups in the Arabian Peninsula. This battle is important due to the fact that the Jewish tribes, the Quraishis and the Arab tribes allied together in the realization that they could not defeat the Muslims alone.

Prominent figures belonging to the Banu an-Nadir, such as Huyay ibn Ahtab and Sallam ibn Abu'l-Huqayq, who had settled in Khaybar after being expelled from Medina, called upon the Quraishis of Mecca and invited them to annihilate the Muslims together. An alliance was thus formed and they created a large army by allying with the surrounding tribes. When the Prophet learned of this development, he conferred with his Companions on how to treat the threat. A Persian Companion, called Salman al-Farisi, advised digging a trench alongside Medina, which otherwise was open to cavalry attack. The Prophet also participated in the digging of the trench. The trench was completed in several weeks thanks to the great efforts of the Muslims. According to the estimates of Muhammad Hamidullah, the trench was 5,5 km in length, 9 m in width, 4,5 m in depth.

After the Muslims had finished digging the trench, the enemy units, led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, whose numbers were 10,000 (or 12,000), reached Medina and camped in a place to the north of Medina where the Battle of Uhud had earlier taken place. The banner of the idolaters was carried by Uthman ibn Talha from the Banu Abduddar. The number of Muslim soldiers was about 3,000. Zayd ibn Haritha was the flagman for the emigrants while Sa'd ibn Ubada was the flagman of the Companions. The Prophet knew that they were outnumbered against this army and he decided to launch a defensive war, resisting the attack of the enemy against the city instead of facing the coalition in a pitched battle outside. He ordered that the women and children stay in the castles and fortresses. Prophet Muhammad built his headquarters on the edges of Mount Sal, facing the trench. Thus they were defended by Mount Sal from behind. The Prophet placed guards at points where the trench was not very deep and at some entrance points. This strategy was to show the strength of the Muslims and make the Quarishis feel that they were dependent on Him for the trade route; he hoped that they would embrace Islam and the new formation in Medina.
The Quraishis were surprised when they saw the trench, which was not known in Arabia as defensive method.

During the siege, both sides shot arrows and threw stones at each other. The Islamic army not only tried to prevent the enemy army from infiltrating into the city from other points, but they also tried to weaken them along the trench. The enemy units attacked in turns. These units were commanded by famous warriors such as Abu Sufyan, Hubayra ibn Abu Wahb, Ikrima ibn Abu Jahil, Umar's brother Dirar ibn Khattab, Khaled ibn Walid and Amr ibn As. One day the tent of the Prophet was heavily attacked by arrows, but this attack failed, as the Companions counterattacked with arrows and stones.

In the course of the battle, several cavalries passed over the trench at a narrow spot onto the side of the Islamic army. One of these was Amr ibn Abduved, who was known for his courage and bravery. Amr ibn Abduved desired that a warrior from the Muslims step out for hand-to-hand combat. Young Ali came forward to fight with him. The Prophet gave his sword to Ali and wrapped his turban around him. Amr underestimated Ali and he was killed by Ali with a sweeping blow of the sword. Nawfal ibn Abdullah died, falling into the trench. The other horsemen rapidly retreated back across the trench.

Although there were some fights during the siege, which lasted in total about twenty days, the allied forces did not achieve any results. Due to the fact that the idolaters had prepared for a short battle, the food supplies of their warriors and horses soon ran out. Meanwhile, the food and feed carried by twenty camels sent by the Khaybar Jews were intercepted by the Muslims. During a rain storm the people of Mecca underwent difficult times; their tents were destroyed by the storm and they panicked. It was the end of the month of Shawwal; Dhu al-Qi'dah, the first of the sacred months, was fast approaching and the hajj season was close. Due to all these factors, Abu Sufyan raised the siege and returned to Medina, realizing that he could not win any significant gains (Dhu al-Qi'dah 5/April 627).

Six Muslims were martyred and eight enemy soldiers were killed in the Battle of the Trench, which was a turning point in Islamic history. The Muslims suffered many obstacles during the Battle, and they were worried about the large enemy army. Prophet Muhammad never missed any prayers during any of the confrontations, and the fact that he now had to perform the noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers together shows that he and his
Companions were fighting under very harsh conditions.

Surah Al-Ahzab, which gives this battle its name, mentions the fear of the Muslims of the allied armies and states that this was a test of faith; it goes on to say that Allah supported the Muslims with unseen armies (al-Ahzab 33/9-12, 25).

With the Battle of the Trench the idolaters' last attempt to kill the Prophet and the Muslims failed. Prophet Muhammad implemented a policy that would create hostility between the Jews and their Arab allies, and he received a great deal of intelligence. This played a great role in defeating the enemy. One of the measures taken by the Prophet to weaken the enemy alliance was related to Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud. Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud was the leader of the Banu Ascha tribe. He had become Muslim but he did not tell this to anyone. Upon a request from the Prophet s request, Mas'ud had sown dissension throughout the ranks of the Banu Qurayza and the Quraishis, and weakened the trust among each group.

After this battle, Prophet Muhammad revised his battle strategy. It was now understood seen that acting immediately before the enemy forces had had a chance to form battle preparation against the Muslims, and to strike rapidly was important. Accordingly a campaign was carried out against the Banu Qurayza.

 

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The Battle of Banu Qurayza

The Battle of Banu Qurayza

The Banu Qurayza resided within fortresses called utum, which were located in the prairie region that stretched throughout the southeast of Medina. This tribe, which was related to the Banu Nadir, engaged in agricultural and trade activities. The Banu Qurayza and the Banu Nadir Tribes were allies of the Aws tribe and they had participated in the Medina Document as allies of the Aws tribe.


Since the Banu Qaynuqa and the Banu Nadir were broken the agreement and betrayed the Prophet (pbuh) they were exiled; still there were Banu Qurayza Jews in Medina. In accordance with the Medina Document, the Banu Qurayza were required to participate in the defense of the city, but the tribe had violated this condition during the Battle of the Trench and the Banu Qurayza, under the influence of Huyay ibn Ahtab, the leader of the Banu Nadir, had formed an alliance with this tribe who settled in Khaybar after exile. However, since the Prophet had made an agreement with them, he did not have a trench dug along the area in which the Banu Qurayza resided. Moreover, some of the equipment, such as pickaxes and shovels that were used to dig the trenches, were provided by the Banu Qurayza.

After being betrayed by the Banu Qurayza, the Prophet sent a unit of 300 men, led by Salama ibn Alsam al-Ashali and another unit of 200 men, led by Zayd ibn Haritha, in order to intimidate them so that they would not organize a sudden attack on Medina. During the most critical point of the Battle of the Trench, the Muslims had been let down by the betrayal of Banu Qurayza. Meanwhile, Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud, a prominent member of the Gatafan tribe, became Muslim and in accordance with the decision of the Prophet he played both ends against the middle between the Banu Qurayza and its allies. This ended the Battle of the Trench and eliminated any element of risk for the Muslims.

According to accounts found in the sources, the Prophet received a revelation after returning back home after the Battle of the Trench. Upon this he called Bilal al-Habashi and commanded him to tell the Companions to perform the afternoon prayer within the lands of the Banu Qurayza. Then he donned his armor, took his weapons and mounted his horse. He gave the banner to Ali and sent him ahead with the scouts. The Prophet assigned Abdullah ibn Ummu Maktum as proxy in Medina and set out on campaign (23 Dhu al-Qidah 5 /April 15th 627).

Some of the units moved at different hours; at the time of the afternoon prayer there was a disagreement as to whether they were going to perform the prayer before entering the lands of the Banu Qurayza or whether this was against the orders of the Prophet. Some of the units performed the afternoon prayer on time while others performed it along with the night prayer, after reaching the lands of the Banu Qurayza. When the situation was conveyed to Prophet Muhammad, he did not criticize any of the units; thus it can be understood that both actions were appropriate.

Ali had reached the fortresses of the Banu Qurayza before Prophet Muhammad and he heard that the Jews were speaking negatively about the Prophet and his wives. He thought that the Prophet would be upset and thus Ali asked him not to approach the location of the Jews. The Prophet reminded him that Moses had faced more difficult situations and then he moved towards their fortresses, saying that when the Banu Qurayza saw Him they would not utter a word. Prophet Muhammad spoke with the leaders of each tribe and invited them to become Muslim.

Upon receiving their negative responses, he asked them to yield to Allah and His prophet and to surrender. This too they refused to do and subsequently the battle began. The Banu Qurayza was besieged for fifteen or twenty-five days, during which there was an intensive rain of arrows and stones. While the Muslims consisted of 3,000 warriors and 36 cavalry, while the Banu Qurayza warriors numbered 600 to 700. They were led by their leaders Ka'b ibn Asad and his ally Huyay ibn Ahtab.

The number of Banu Qurayza warriors was said to have ranged from between 400 to 800 or 900. Meanwhile, the hypocrites went to the Banu Qurayza and encouraged them not to yield to the Muslims, promised them that they would help if they continued their resistance. The Jews saw that the help promised by the hypocrites did not arrive and thus they became desperate and decided to negotiate with the Prophet. The conditions were provided by the Banu Nadir; they suggested pulling out of Medina, leaving behind their assets and weapons and taking only one camel load of possessions for each person. Prophet Muhammad saw that the Banu Nadir, whom he had released two years ago on the condition that they leave Medina, had now sided with the enemies during the Battle of the Trench. Thus, the Prophet did not agree to this proposal and told them that they must surrender unconditionally. The Banu Qurayza asked Prophet Muhammad to send Abu Lubaba ibn Abdulmundhir, a member of their ally Avs, to them so that they could discuss some issues with him. The Jews asked Abu Lubaba to save them from this predicament and asked him what Prophet Muhammad was planning for them. Abu Lubaba indicated his throat, implying that they were to be executed. However, after a while Abu Lubaba thought that he was betraying Allah and His prophet by giving them information and became regretful. He went to the al-Masjid al-Nabawi and tied himself to a pole and remained there for days, only fulfilling his basic needs until he was forgiven by Allah and untied by the Prophet. After his repentance had been accepted (al-Anfal 8/27 or al-Tauba 9/102) Abu Lubaba wanted to distribute his assets as donation, yet upon the advice of the Prophet he gave away only one-third of his assets.

The Banu Qurayza were left without hope after the siege and accepted the rulings of the Prophet and surrendered. Meanwhile, taking into account that Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul acted as an intermediary and had saved his allies, the Banu Qaynuqa Jews, from the death sentence, the Aws tribe went to the Prophet and requested that their ally the Banu Qurayza be treated well. In order to make a ruling concerning the Banu Qurayza, it was decided, on their suggestion, that Sa'd ibn Mu'az from the Aws tribe be assigned as arbitrator. Due to the wounds he had suffered in the Battle of the Trench, Sa'd ibn Muadh was being treated in a tent in Medina. When he was taken to where Prophet Muhammad resided, the people of Aws kept asking him to make a ruling in favor of their allies, the Banu Qurayza. Sa'd received promises from the Aws, the Banu Qurayza and Prophet Muhammad that they would all consent to his ruling and then he pronounced his judgment. The men who were old enough to fight were to be executed, the women and the children would be taken as prisoners and the assets were to be distributed among the Muslims. The Prophet stated that Sa'd had made a ruling with the verdict of Allah and approved. Moreover, it is seen that this Sa'd's ruling was in accordance with the Torah (Tasniya, XX/10-15) and that such a decision also existed in the Quran (al-Maida 5/33-34) among the punishments to be given to those who started wars against Allah and His Prophet and those who would tyrannize on earth.

While the prisoners of the Banu Qurayza were being held, the loot was gathered together. It is reported that there were 1,500 swords, 300 suits of armors, 2,000 spears, and 1,500 shields taken from the Banu Qurayza. After this, trenches were dug and the people who had been sentenced to death were executed. A woman named Nubata was executed because she had killed Khallad ibn Suvayd by toppling a rock over him upon the request of her husband. The Prophet permitted the people of the Banu Qurayza who were sentenced to death to read the Torah and they were given food and drink, and their executions were carried out in cool places.

Some of the women and children prisoners, whose numbers were said to have been around 1,000 were released. Some of them were given to the companions; some of them were sold and the earnings from their sale were used to buy horses and arms for jihad. The Prophet ordered that little children were not to be separated from their mothers, and orphans should be sold to Muslims instead of idolaters or Jews. After the khumus was taken from the loot, the remaining four-fifths of it was shared out between the warriors. The infantries were given one share of goods from the loots, and the cavalries were given two shares from it. The Prophet gave some presents to the women who had participated in the battle. A share was allocated to the heirs of Khallad ibn Suvayd who had been martyred by millstone and to Abu Sinan ibn Mihsan who had died from natural causes during the siege.

Several people accepted Islam during the Battle of Banu Qurayza. The Prophet married Rayhana bint Zayd ibn Amr, who was among the prisoners after she had accepted Islam. It is considered that the 26th and 27th verses of Surah al-Ahzab refer to the Battle of Banu Qurayza.

 

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The Treaty of Hudaibiyah

The Treaty of Hudaibiyah

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the emigrants missed their homeland, which they had left five years earlier to protect their religion and to save their lives. They greatly desired to visit the Kaaba, which is the temple of the divine religion based on monotheism, as emphasized in various verses of the Quran. Eventually Prophet Muhammad decided to go to Mecca al-Mukarrama and perform a lesser pilgrimage when he had a dream in which he was circumambulating the Kaaba. He ordered his companions to prepare for the umrah. He assigned Abdullah ibn Ummu Maktum to lead the prayers, and appointed Numayla ibn Abdullah al-Laysi as his proxy to rule the city. He set out for Mecca from Medina in Dhu al-Qi'dah 6 (March 628) with 1,400-1,500 companions. The Muslims intended to perform the umrah wearing their ihram clothing and they took seventy camels for sacrifice. They were only equipped with their traveling swords as weapons, as their intentions were peaceful. The Prophet and his Companions camped in Hudaibiyah, which was 17 km from Mecca. Upon being informed that the Muslims were approaching, the Quraishis sent off a cavalry unit of 200 men, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, to the region, even though they knew that Muslims only intended to visit the Kaaba. Prophet Muhammad sent Hirash ibn Umayya to the Quraishis as an emissary to explain the purpose of their arrival. However, Hirash ibn Umayya was not welcomed and the Quraishis wanted to kill him. Upon this, the Prophet sent Uthman as an emissary as Uthman had many relatives in the Quraishi tribe, particularly Abu Sufyan. Uthman entered Mecca under the protection of Aban ibn Said ibn As and told the Quraishis that their purpose was to perform the umrah,not to fight. The Quraishis told Uthman that they would not allow the Muslims to enter Mecca but that he could circumambulate the Kaaba if he so desired. Uthman said "I will not circumambulate the Kaaba unless the Prophet circumambulates first", and refused their offer. Upon hearing these words the Quarishis then arrested Uthman. When there was a delay in Uthman's returning from Mecca, a rumor spread through the Muslim camp that Uthman had been killed by the Quraishis of Mecca. This considerably upset the Muslims. At this juncture, the Prophet asked his companions to make a pledge with him to fight in the way of Allah to the bitter end. All the Muslims responded enthusiastically to the call. Prophet Muhammad sat under a tree and all the Muslims in the camp took the pledge one by one. After everybody had taken the pledge, the Prophet placed his own right hand on his left hand, and took the pledge on behalf of Uthman. Uthman thus secured the unique honor of having the Prophet take the pledge on his behalf. After this ceremony at Hudaibiyah, it was revealed: "Surely, Allah was pleased with the believers when they took the pledge under the tree. Allah knew what was in their hearts. He sent down tranquility upon them, and rewarded them with near victory" (Al-Fath 48/18) In view of Allah's pleasure at the pledge, the pledge came to be known as "Baiy'at-ur-Ridwan" and "Baiy'at-us-Shajara as it was done under a desert tree known as the samura. The Companions came to be known as Ashab us-Shajara (The one who took pledge under the tree).

The Quraishis were worried when they saw the loyalty of the Muslims towards the Prophet and their determination to fulfill his orders, even to the death. First they released Uthman and sent a delegation led by Suhayl ibn Amr to the Prophet to make peace. After the negotiations, Ali wrote the text of the treaty and it was signed by the Prophet and Suhayl ibn Amr. The treaty was witnessed by Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Abdurrahman ibn Avf, Sa'd ibn Abu Vakkas, Abu Ubayda ibn Jarrah and Muhammad ibn Maslama from the Muslim party and Mikradz ibn Hafs, Suhayl ibn Amr, and Khuwaytib ibn Abduluzza from the idolater party. Both parties agreed to lay down the burden of war for ten years. During this time, each party was to be safe, and neither would injure the other; no secret damage was to be inflicted, but uprightness and honor would prevail between them. The Muslims were to return this year without performing the lesser pilgrimage. In the following year they were to enter, staying for three days, and bearing no arms except the arms of the traveler, with their swords remaining in their sheaths. If a Quraishi person were to approach a Muslim without the permission of his guardian, the Muslims should return this person, but if one of the Muslims were to come to the Quraishi, he was not to be returned. Whoever wished to enter into a covenant with the Muslims could do so, and whoever wished to enter into a covenant with the Quraishi could do so. On the face of it the Treaty of Hudaibiyah appeared to be loaded in favor of the Quraishis. Some of the Muslims, particularly Umar, felt dissatisfied with the terms of the treaty and gave expression to their dissatisfaction. However, they pronounced their loyalty when the Prophet stated that he had accepted the terms of the treaty.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions stayed in Hudaibiyah for twelve or twenty days. After signing the treaty, they sacrificed the camels as they had come to perform umrah and they returned to Medina later on.
Prophet Muhammad took care to comply with the terms of the treaty. For instance, Suhayl ibn Amr's son Abu Jandal was chained by his father because he had accepted Islam and he had been in prison for several years at that time.

When the document was being written, Abu Jandal somehow managed to escape to Mecca, came to Hudaibiyah and he implored the Muslims to help secure his release from imprisonment. The Prophet said that the treaty had not been signed when Suhayl ibn Amr had desired the return of his son Abu Jandal. However, Suhayl said that he would not sign the treaty if they did not give his son back to him. Upon this, Prophet Muhammad had to return Abu Jandal to his father. Although Suhayl promised not to torture his son, he started to drag Abu Jandal in front of the Muslims. The Prophet and his Companions were deeply sorrowed by this scene. This sad incidence was called the Yawmu Abu Jandal (Abu Jandal Day) as a heartrending memory. On the other hand, the Prophet did not return two women who had taken shelter with the Muslims, asserting that the treaty only mentioned male immigrants. The Quraishis had to accept this. After the Prophet had returned to Medina, Abu Basir escaped to the Muslims. He had been imprisoned in Mecca. The Quraishis requested his return, sending two guards in accordance with the treaty. Although he resisted, the Prophet told Abu Basir that he had to go back, , but he advised Basir to be patient and that Allah would show him and the other Muslims who were in such a helpless position a way to be relieved. On their way back to Mecca, Abu Basir fled from the guards and came back to Medina. Fearing that the Muslims would again return him to the Quraishis, he left Medina and settled in Is or the Sifulbahr region on the Mecca-Syria trade route. Other new Muslims who could not enter Medina due to the treaty joined him there. In time, their numbers reached seventy or three hundred. They began to threaten trade caravans that belonged to the Quraishis. After these developments, the Quraishis wanted to invalidate the article of the treaty which stated: "If a Quraishi person comes to Muslims without the permission of his guardian, the Muslims shall return him to them." The Prophet sent a letter to Abu Basir and his friends, ordering them to come to Medina. However, Abu Basir was dying when the letter arrived. Abu Jandal and his friends buried Abu Basir and built a masjid next to his tomb. They went to Medina afterward.

The Treaty of Hudaibiyah is a turning point in Islamic history. Prophet Muhammad's aim was to dissolve the enemy alliance that had staged a siege on Medina during the Battle of the Trench. With this treaty, the Quraishis became neutral, enabling the Muslims to march on Khaybar after Hudaibiyah. Moreover, the hostility of the Quraishis against the Muslims ended; the Quraishi idolaters, who did not accept the Muslims and did not consider them as collocutors, accepted them as equals now. This result paved the way for both idolater tribes and Muslim tribes to contact the Prophet easily, and the invitation to Islam reached them freely. As a matter of fact, Islam spread rapidly in the Arabian Peninsula after this date; the number of people who became Muslims in the two years between the Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the Conquest of Mecca exceeded the number of people who had become Muslims in the previous eighteen years. Furthermore, it became possible to send invitational letters about Islam to the leaders of neighboring states. The Treaty of Hudaibiyah was not seen as a favorable treaty at the beginning, but it was the greatest political success of the Prophet, and was confirmed by the Holy Quran. The 48th verse of the Quran, sent in relation to this treaty, was called al-Fath; the treaty became known as fath al-mubin (a clear conquest) and nasr al-aziz (a glorious victory) (al-Fath 48/1, 3). The Prophet came to Mecca one year later and performed the lesser pilgrimage with his companions.

 

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Letters of Invitation to Islam

Letters of Invitation to Islam

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had his clerks write six letters of invitation to Islam after he had returned from Hudaibiyah. He sent these letters via his emissaries to prominent state leaders of that time (Muharram 7/May 628). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) carefully selected emissaries from people who knew the region and the people that they would address; he selected people who had positive physical and moral attributes, who were skillful in terms of rhetoric and representation. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took diplomatic tradition into consideration and for the first time he had a seal made which read "Muhammad Rasulullah" (Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah), and the letters were sealed with this seal.

Two of these letters were sent to the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanian Empire, two great states and super powers of the time. In the Middle East at this time there was great competition between these two super powers, and it had been continuing for several centuries. The Sassanians had occupied Jerusalem in 614; they took the Holy Cross, which was very significant for the Christians, and brought it to their capital Madain (Ktesiphon); in 619 they invaded Egypt and reached the borders of Istanbul in 629 by crossing through Anatolia. The Byzantines were continuing their struggle against the Sassanians. In 627 Emperor Herakleios defeated the Sassanians' main army in Ninova and gained the ultimate victory.

The letter of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) calling to Islam was brought to the Sassanian emperor Khusraw Parviz II by Abdullah ibn Khuzafa. Seeing that his name had been written after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s name, Khusraw became incensed and tore up the letter. He asked his governor in San'a, Bazan, for some information about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Muhammad was notified that Khusraw had torn up his letter. He became sad and asked Allah to punish him for this shameful act. Not long after, this Bazan, the governor of Yemen, sent off two men to Medina. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) learned that Khusraw Parviz had been killed by his son through a revelation. He told Bazan that if he became Muslim, he would be able continue his governorship. Upon this, Bazan and the people of Yemen became Muslims. Islam began to spread to Yemen with Bazan, the first Muslim governor of the area. Many Arabian tribes informed the Prophet that they had accepted Islam, sending delegations at different times.
Dihyah ibn Khalifa al-Kalbi was assigned to deliver the letter to the Byzantine emperor, Herakleios. The letter was composed of the following words, and is an example of other invitational letters:

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, servant and messenger of Allah, to Herakleios, Emperor of Rome;

Peace upon those who follow the Guidance. I invite you to Islam; accept Islam, you will be safe. Allah will grant you a two-fold reward; if you turn away, the sin of the wrong doings of all the people will be upon you. "O People of the Book: Come to an agreement between us and you; that we worship none but Allah, and that we shall associate no partners to Him, and that none of us shall take others for Lords besides Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we have surrendered to Him." (Al-i Imran 3/64).

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s messenger Dihyah ibn Khalifa al-Kalbi met Herakleios at a time when Herakleios was returning victorious from war with Persia and had recaptured the cross which had been taken by the Persians when they had occupied Jerusalem. Herakleios had taken a vow to perform a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on foot and return the cross to its original place. It was he then that he received the latter. According to some accounts, Herakleios sought someone who could give him more information about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Abu Sufyan and his friends happened to be in Syria at the time and he was called before the Roman Emperor. Abu Sufyan gave a truthful version of the character of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the message of Islam. Herakleios stated that the Abu Sufyan's words about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were in keeping with the features of a prophet. Herakleios gave presents to the emissary after welcoming him in accordance with diplomatic protocol.

The third letter was sent to Negus Ashama ibn Abjar, the king of Abyssinia with the emissary Amr ibn Umayya Ad-Damri. Ashama had treated the Muslims who had performed hijrah to Abyssinia before well, and he had refused to return them despite the request of the Quraishis. Ashama gave an affirmative answer to the invitation letter and accepted Islam. he sent various presents to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Upon Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s request, Ashama sent the last muhajirs in Abyssinia on a ship along with the emissary.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent the fourth letter with Hatib ibn Abu Baltaa to the high governor of Egypt, Muqawqis Jurayj ibn Mina. Hatib ibn Abi Baltaa gave him the letter and explained the basic teachings of Islam. Muqawqis did not accept Islam, but treated the envoy with respect and honor, sending some presents to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with a letter. These presents included two girls named Mariya and Sirin, a eunuch slave, 1,000 misqal of gold, a white mule, which came to be known as Duldul, precious dresses and cloths. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) married Mariya, and Ibrahim was the child of this marriage.

The fifth letter was sent to Harith ibn Abu Shamir Al-Ghassani, the king of Ghassanis, with the emissary Shujah ibn Wahb al-Asadi. Harith became angry with this letter and threw it on the floor. He also threatened to strike Medina.

The sixth letter was sent to the ruler of the Banu Hanifa in Yamama, Houza ibn Ali Hanafi, with the emissary Sulait ibn Amr. Houza ibn Ali Hanafi was known for his poems and speeches. He treated the emissary with respect and gave him presents. However, he wrote a letter explaining that he did not accept Islam.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent these letters, which were written to convey the Islam, to many tribal leaders who were living in various regions of the Arabian Peninsula; he also sent some letters to individuals. These letters were written concisely and the addressees were referred to by their titles. No threatening or insulting remarks were placed in the letters.

The addressees were only invited to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and His messenger. Particularly in the letters sent to the tribal leaders, it was stated that they could continue to live on their own lands if they accepted Islam; their lives and properties would be protected, the lands, fields or mining regions would be given over to some of the tribes. It was emphasized in particular that those who accepted Islam should obey Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), perform their prayers, and give zakat (charitable alms). In the letters written after the jizya verses (Al-Tauba 9/29), which was sent in the 9th year of the hijrah (630 AD), it was stated that jizya (a form of tax) would be taken from Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians who did not accept Islam although they recognized the sovereignty of the Muslims.

 

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The Conquest of Khaybar

The Conquest of Khaybar

Khaybar was a significant trade and agriculture center which stretched through the vast valley that was 180 km north of Medina on the Medina-Syria road; it was a place where many Jews resided. After the treaty of Hudaibiyah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) began to take into consideration the risk that Khaybar constituted for the Muslims. After having been expelled from Medina, the Banu Nadir Jews settled in Khaybar along with other Jews, and began to act with animosity towards Medina, forming an alliance with some of the Arab tribes in addition to the Meccan mushriks. The Battle of the Trench was the last of such activities. Shortly after returning back from Hudaibiyah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) decided to attack Khaybar and left Medina with a force of 1,600 men, 200 of which were cavalry (or 1,500 men 300 of which were cavalry) (end of Muharram 7/June 628). The people of Khaybar received information about this plan and began to make preparations. According to the accounts they had 20,000, or at least 10,000 warriors. They also had a defensive advantage with their solid fortresses and they had an abundance of weapons. The siege continued for almost a month with fierce battles occurring from time to time. As a result of the siege, four of the seven fortified fortresses were captured in battles, with the other three being taken through peaceful means. Ali and the Muslims exhibited great courage in the capture of Kamus, the greatest fortress in Khaybar. During the capture of this fortress, ninety-three Jews died, whereas the number Muslim martyrs ranged from 15 to 20.

During the battle, many Jews were taken prisoner, including warriors, women and children. As stated by Muhammad Hamidullah, if the ruling had been carried out in accordance with the Torah, all the adult men would have been executed by the sword and the women and children would have become slaves. However, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) spared the lives of all the Jews and gave them permission to leave the city. In return for this, they asked permission to work in their fields where a considerable amount of dates were cultivated. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) accepted this proposal. After Khaybar, he made similar agreements with the people of Wadilqura and Fadaq.

In Khaybar, a large number of animals, household goods and jewelry were impounded. This property constituted one of the greatest treasures of the period of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in terms of number, variety and value. There are various accounts within the sources as to the distribution and the amount of movable and immovable assets. Among this treasure were copies of the Torah which were returned to their owners by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

During the siege, a black shepherd, a slave of a Khaybari Jew came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and acquired information about Islam, taking the oath of faith and deciding to fight alongside the Muslims. As the sheep in his herd had been entrusted to his custody, the shepherd asked Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) what he should do with the sheep. Upon this, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stated that Islam commanded compliance with a trust and ordered him to herd the sheep to the fortress of their owner. The shepherd, whose name is recorded as Yasar did what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had told him and after ensuring that the sheep had entered the fortress he returned and fought alongside the Muslims. After a while he was martyred. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) approached the martyr and told his companions that Yasar was a person of heaven. Thus, the shepherd who had acquired a martyr status without even performing a single prayer has been engraved on the memories of Muslims.

During the conquest of Khaybar, Zaynab bint Harith, the wife of Sallam ibn Mishkam one of the Jewish leaders, sacrificed a sheep and invited Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to a feast. Yet her real intention was to poison the Prophet. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took Bishr ibn Bara with him and attended this feast. But he understood that the meal had been poisoned and removed a morsel from his mouth before swallowing it. Bishr ibn Bara on the other hand died because of the poison.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) freed Safiyya, the daughter of Huyay ibn Ahtab, a Jewish leader among the Khaybar captives, and took her as his wife.

 

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Battle of Muta

Battle of Muta

Muta is located to the south of Lake Galilee, 50 km from Jerusalem. At the beginning of the 8th year (Gregorian 629) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent Harith ibn Umayr al-Azdi with a letter of invitation to Islam to the governor of Busra, who was a representative of the Byzantine Empire. While the messenger was passing through the lands of Shurahbil ibn Amr, the emir of Gassani, he was killed by ibn Amr. Harith ibn Umayr is the only messenger of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to have been killed. As a result of the open violation of international laws that prescribed the immunity of the messengers, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prepared an army of 3,000 and assigned Zayd ibn Haritha as its commander.

He commanded that Ja'far ibn Abu Taleb be commander if Zayd was killed, Abdullah ibn Rawaha to be commander if Ja'far was killed, and the Muslims would choose a commander among them if Rawaha was martyred. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also ordered that they go to the place where the emissary had been killed and invite the people there to Islam; if they accepted they were not to fight He advised them not to kill the children, women, old people, or the people who took shelter in the monasteries, as well as avoiding damaging the date fields cutting the trees and destroying buildings.

The Islamic army reached Muta after crossing the Wadi al-Qura and Maan. There they came across a large army whose number was said to have been 100,000 or 200,000, under the general command of Theodoros, the commander of the Byzantine armies. The army included Christian Arab tribes led by Shurahbil ibn Amr (Jumada al-awwal 8/September 629). The banner was taken by Ja'far ibn Abu Taleb when Zayd ibn Haritha was martyred at the beginning of the war. As the battle got more intense, Ja'fer ibn Abu Taleb jumped off his charger and tied its forelegs together, fighting until he lost his right hand. He then held the flag in his left hand, which was later cut off along with his arm, but he still continued to hold it with his teeth. He fell down dead in the battlefield after being speared in the chest. The banner was now held aloft by Abdullah ibn Rawaha. He too fought bravely until he was killed. Now the Muslim troops rallied around Khalid ibn al-Walid, who took the banner in his hand after Abdullah ibn Rawaha was martyred. According to some accounts, while the Muslims were fighting the enemy at Muta, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was giving a description of the conflict in Medina. When the command was given to Khalid ibn al-Walid on the front, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

"Finally one of Allah's swords (meaning Khalid ibn al-Walid) has taken the banner and will hold it until Allah grants them success." Khalid ibn al-Walid, wanting to give the impression that reinforcements had arrived from Medina, took soldiers from the right flank to the left flank and soldiers from the left flank to the right flank, soldiers from the rear to the front ranks and the soldiers from the front flanks to the rear. He succeeded in bringing the Islamic army to Medina, inflicting some damages on the enemy from time to time and gaining some loot.

Fifteen Muslims were martyred at Muta. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) shed tears for the martyrs but he prohibited crying and wailing in distress. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also requested that the relatives of the martyrs bring food to the families of the martyrs and help them in their tasks for three days. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent food to the household of Ja'far, his cousin. He later took Ja'far's children with him and looked after them.

The warriors of Islam fought the enemy army with determination in Muta, even though it was much greater. Khalid ibn al-Walid, who accepted Islam when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went to Mecca for umratu al-kaza (circumambulating the Kaaba outside the times of pilgrimage) and who first participated in a war with the Muslims and commanded the army, was praised by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) for his success in the battle and was given the title of "Allah's sword" (Sayfullah). Khalid ibn al-Walid said, "At the battle of Muta, nine swords were broken in my hand, I finally held only a Yemeni broad-sword." Abdullah ibn Umar and his friends stated that Ja'far ibn Abu Taleb received wounds from more than fifty swords, arrows and spears. About Ja'far ibn Abu Taleb Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Allah has given two wings to Jafar in place of his arms. He flies in the Paradise whenever he likes". This is the reason that he is known as Ja'far al-Tayyar.

Although the Battle of Muta was a night attack in which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not participate, it has been regarded as a battle in some sources, probably due to the greatness and importance of the struggle and that it involved hand-to-hand combat.

The Islamic army first encountered the Byzantine army, the army of one of the greatest empires of the period, in this battle. The fact that the Islamic army returned to Medina without many casualties after encountering an army that was superior in terms of numbers and battle power must be regarded as a success. Dr. Mustafa Fayda states the importance of this battle for the Muslims in the following words: "Thanks to the Battle of Muta, Khalid and the Muslims gained an opportunity to learn the battle style, tactics and weapons of the Byzantine army closely. The benefit of this experience would be seen in the following battles that were fought against the Byzantine army, particularly the Battle of Yarmuk. The Arabs in Syria and Palestine saw the faith, bravery and courage of the Muslims, and they began to learn about the new religion and its members." (see Fayda, Allah'in Kilici Halid b. Velid (Allah's Sword: Khalid ibn Al-Walid), p. 168).

 

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The Conquest of Mecca

The Conquest of Mecca


The Treaty of Hudaibiyah had eliminated the blood feud between Banu Bakr ibn Abdumanat and Banu Khuza'a that had existed since the Age of Ignorance. Banu Bakr had allied with the Quraishis and Banu Khuza'a had entered into an alliance with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) . However, Banu Bakr performed a night raid on Banu Khuza'a with the support of the Quraishis and killed the tribal leader Ka'b ibn Amr and several members of the tribe. The people of Buna Kuza'a sent a delegation to Medina to ask for help from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Indeed, the people of Banu Khuza'a had been fond of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the religion he conveyed from the beginning; they helped the Muslims, particularly in the gathering of intelligence; and all the members of the tribe accepted Islam before the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent a letter to the Quraishis to confirm what had happened and also to allow the Quraishis to redress the wrong. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) offered two alternatives to the Quraishis. They could either pay the blood money for the victims of Banu Khuza'a or terminate their alliance with the aggressors who belonged to the Banu Bakr; failing these would mean the violation of the treaty and revenge would be sought. The Quraishis accepted neither paying the blood money for the victims of Banu Khuza'a nor terminating their alliance with Banu Bakr; they sent Abu Sufyan to Medina to renew the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. However, Abu Sufyan returned to Mecca without obtaining a positive result from his efforts in Medina.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) decided to organize a campaign to Mecca and asked the Muslims to start making preparations for an expedition, but also told them to keep it a secret, so that they could avoid bloodshed and catch the enemy unawares. He ordered some tribes to join the army along the way, thus disguising the real power of the army. Leaving Medina was forbidden and going to Mecca was prevented by watchmen who were stationed on important gates between Mecca and Medina. The messenger sent by Hatib ibn Abu Baltaa to inform the Quraishis of the Muslims' preparations was caught by the Companions; the Prophet had been informed that such an informer was on his way through a revelation. A reconnaissance unit led by Abu Katada al-Ansari was sent to Batn al-Idam on the Mecca-Medina road to confuse the people of Mecca.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) set out from Medina in Ramadan 13, 8 (January 4, 630), assigning Abu Ruhm to care for executive matters and Abdullah ibn Ummu Maktum to be the imam. He continued on his journey without donning the ihram in Zulhulayfa because he was keeping the destination of the military operation secret. The number of soldiers in the Islamic army reached 10,000 with those who joined on the way. The Quraishis panicked when they learned that the Islamic army had reached the gates of Mecca. They sent a delegation, led by Abu Sufyan, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) welcomed the delegation in his headquarters and then decided to demonstrate the power of Islam to Abu Sufyan. He took Abu Sufyan to a place where he could view the marching squadrons. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) invited the members of the delegation to Islam. Not wanting to risk fighting against such an army, Abu Sufyan and the members of the delegation accepted Islam and returned to Mecca. Upon this, the people of Mecca realized that they could no longer resist the Islamic army. Abu Sufyan told the Quraishis gathered in the courtyard of the Kaaba that he had accepted Islam. He stated that there was no option but to surrender, and told them to take shelter in the al-Masjid al-Haram or in their houses. This essentially meant the surrender of Mecca. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the right of protection to the people of Mecca, such as Abu Sufyan, Ummu Hani, Hakim ibn Hizam, Abu Ruwayha and Budayl ibn Warqa, all who took shelter in their houses; he honored these people and wanted to show them the true light of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s uncle Abbas came to Medina after Abu Sufyan and he said the same things to people of Mecca; as a result they all went to the al-Masjid al-Haram or to their houses.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered that the army to enter Mecca from four directions. He ordered that his commanders not fight as long as there was no need to fight; they should not pursue those that fled, kill those who had been wounded or who had been taken prisoners of war and they should meet him at Mount Safa. He also ordered that Khalid ibn al-Walid, who led the right flank, set out first. Khalid ibn al-Walid entered the city from a place known as Lit in the south, where the troops of people from Mecca, such as Ikrima ibn Abu Jahil and Suhayl ibn Amr, were led by Safwan ibn Umayya and allied tribes. Khalid ibn al-Walid defeated this force and immobilized this sole resistance during the conquest of the city.

The ones who escaped with their lives took shelter in their houses and asked for forgiveness. During the struggle, twelve or twenty-eight people died from the Meccan forces, while two or three people were martyred from among the Muslims. The unit of Companions led by Sa'd ibn Ubada entered Mecca from the west side. The left flank, composed of muhajirs and led by Zubayr ibn Awwam, entered the city from the north. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the commander of the central unit. He entered Mecca thankful to Allah, following the Azahir road from the upper northwest and with the muhajirs and Companions. The Prophet stayed in Hajun and met the other units at Mount Safa (Ramadan 20, 8/January 11, 630).

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)went to the al-Masjid al-Haram; here he saluted the al-Hajar al-Aswad and circumambulated the Kaaba. In his speech, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that the Kaaba was a sacred place whose holy status would continue to exist, that he had removed all duties related to the administration of Kaaba except for its protection and providing water supply to the pilgrims, that he had assigned Uthman ibn Talha to protect the Kaaba, and that he had assigned his uncle Abbas to provide water to the pilgrims. Then he announced a general amnesty. He stated that those who had taken shelter in their houses and who had given up their weapons would be safe, prisoners would not be killed, and that one would undergo criminal prosecution. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) displayed an example of forgiveness that was not common in the history of mankind by forgiving the Quraishis, who had been hostile against him and the Muslims for twenty years whenever they could, despite the fact that he could have punished them. The day of conquest became a "day of mercy" as well. Properties of the people were not touched and the prisoners of war were released. Only about ten people were excluded from the general amnesty, as they were known for their extreme hostility to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims. Three of them were captured and killed. Some of these, like Ikrima ibn Abu Jahil, fled from Mecca, while others were pardoned.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed a short prayer in the Kaaba after the idols and other figures had been removed from in and around the building. Then Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered Bilal al-Habashi to climb on top of the roof of the Kaaba and call the adhan. Following the adhan, the Quraishis came before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and accepted Islam. Those people who had been released without were called tulaqa. Meanwhile, the people who wanted a certain time to think about accepting Islam, such as Safwan ibn Umayya, were given a period of grace of four months.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stayed in a tent in Hajun during his time in Mecca. When people asked him why he did not stayed in his own home, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told them that his cousin Aqil ibn Abu Taleb, who was not a Muslim at that time, had sold his house after his emigration to Medina. He did not consider taking back his house even though he was the conqueror of the city. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "There is no hijrah after the conquest." With these words, he stated that the time of migration had come to an end and that it was no longer a necessity. It is accounted that the word Nasr (help) which gives the surah An-Nasr its name, refers to superiority over all the Arabs, and the word fath, which occurs in the surah of the same name, refers to the conquest of Mecca. Accordingly, Surah Al-Fath refers to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the conquest of Mecca.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stayed in Mecca for a while after the conquest. He fought in the Battle of Hunayn, which will be mentioned below, against the Hawazin tribes after appointing Attab ibn Asid as the governor of Mecca, and assigned Muadh ibn Jabal to teach the Holy Quran and the basics of the religion to new Muslims. He returned to Medina with the muhajirs later on. With the conquest of Mecca, the hostility of the Quraishi polytheists against the Prophet and the Muslims came to an end, and the obstacles before the spreading of Islam in the Hejaz region were removed.

During his stay in Mecca, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) assigned some Companions to destroy the idols belonging to the tribes around the city.

Among these idols were those of Manat, Suwa and Uzza. The Prophet started to perform night raids on some tribes close to the city to invite them to Islam. On Shawwal 8 (February, 630), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent off Khalid ibn al-Walid in front of a unit of 350 men to the Jadhimah ibn Amr tribe, who lived to the south of Mecca. Khalid ibn al-Walid told them to lay down their weapons and to accept Islam. After some argument, they agreed to lay down their weapons and said saba'na meaning "we have changed our religion" to show Khalid ibn al-Walid that they had accepted Islam. However, Khalid was not satisfied with these words. He knew their earlier hostile attitude and decided to take them as prisoners, handing them over to his soldiers. He ordered their execution on the following morning. The soldiers from the Suleiman tribe carried out the order and killed about thirty prisoners. At the same time, the Companions and muhajirs released their prisoners after they were satisfied that they had become Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was informed of these events by a prisoner who had fled to Mecca, and he became very sad. He told Khalid that he had been too quick in determining whether the prisoners were Muslims or not. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) showed his disapproval of what Khalid had done by saying, "O Allah, I am innocent of that which Khalid had done!" Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent Ali to Jadhimah to pay the blood money and appease the people by compensating for any material damage.

 

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Battle of Hunayn

After the conquest of Meccaone of the tribes that concerned Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the Hawazin. The Hawazin had many branches and resided in the regions between Mecca and Najid, stretching in the south to Yemen. The people of Saqif, who constituted a major branch of this tribe, were living in Taif. The animosity between the Hawazin tribe and the Quraishi, which had been continuing since the Age of Ignorance due to the influence of trade relations, was now directed against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as he was a member of the Quraishi tribe, as well as against Islam, which had been introduced by him. Some branches of the tribes had violated the provisions for travel security found in the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, thus Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent some troops against them. However, as the resentment and animosity of the Hawaz people continued to increase, they became one of the most important targets for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) after the Quraishis. While Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was in Mecca, a spy who had been captured provided him with information about the preparations of the Hawazin for a war against the Muslims. On the other hand, upon the destruction of the idol Uzza, which was located on the road to Taif, the Saqif people feared that their own idol Lat would also be destroyed, thus they joined the Hawazin, who had gathered in Awtas. The commander of the Hawazin army was Malik ibn Awf an-Nasri, who was about thirty years old. Despite opposition from experienced figures, Malik ibn Awf ordered that the women, children, goods and animals be brought to the frontlines in order to keep his soldiers on the battlefield, and this lead to a battle by the entire community against the Muslims.

After Abdullah ibn Abu Hadrad al-Aslami, who had been sent to gather intelligence, confirmed that the Hawazin and Saqif tribes had gathered in the valley of Awtas, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) begun battle preparations. Seventeen days after the conquest of Mecca, on 6 Shawwal 8, (January 27th 630) the Prophet set out on a campaign with his army that numbered nearly 12,000 along with 2,000 Muslims from Mecca who had recently joined the army. In the Islamic army there were also women like Ummu Umara, Ummu'l-Harith and Ummu Sulaym.

The Islamic army headed to Awtas on 11 Shawwal 8 (February 1st, 8) and reached Hunayn at night, waiting there until the break of dawn. At dawn, the army took action behind a reconnaissance unit of 100 cavalry, led by Khalid ibn Walid. The Hawazin had reached the Hunayn valley before the Muslims and set up an ambush on the narrowest part of the valley; they began to fire arrows against the enemy and this was the actual start of the battle. As it was dark, it was very difficult to locate the enemy who were lying in ambush. In addition to this, the chaos and atmosphere of panic that occurred when the horses and camels were spooked led to a disorderly retreat of the central units. In short, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had very few soldiers around him. In the Quran it is stated that this debacle was caused by the Muslims thinking of themselves as being superior to the enemy, and thus their faith in Allah had not yet been completely fulfilled; after this bitter experience, it is stated that the Muslims became triumphant with the spiritual support of Allah (Al-Tauba 9/25-26). The dispersed army quickly reassembled with the warnings and brave and decisive intervention of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and victory was assured after a fierce battle. Most of the Hawaz army, along with their commanders took shelter in Taif, with others going to Awtas, and the rest fleeing to Nahla. Thus, the zenith of the struggle of the Bedouin Arabs against the Muslims ended with the victory of the Muslims.
It is reported that in this battle four Muslims were martyred and 70 enemy soldiers were killed, among whom was the famous poet and warrior Durayd ibn Simna. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had ordered his Companions not to kill the children, women, servants and the slaves, yet he was saddened when one a woman was killed that day.

After the defeat, most of the fleeing Hawazin army, along with their commanders, as stated above, took shelter in Taif and others in Awtas, with the rest heading to Nahla. One day after the battle, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went to Taif and sent a squadron to Awtas and Nahla. The squadron that was sent to Nahla abandoned their pursuit and returned as the fleeing enemy army withdrew to the mountains. The unit which was sent to Awtas under Abu Amir al-Ash'ari was triumphant over the Hawazin army, but Abu Amir was martyred. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari took over the commandership and in accordance with the orders of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) he brought back the properties and prisoners that had been seized to Ji'rana, where the loot from the Battle of Hunayn were kept.

 

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Siege of Taif

Siege of Taif


Although the Muslims won the Battle of Hunayn, the soldiers who fled the battle joined other tribes who were opposed to Islam. Thus, a new risk came into being. The most prominent counterforce was the People of Taif. The People of Taif had made clear their animosity against the Islam with an arrogant attitude, which they exhibited from time to time

Although the Muslims won the Battle of Hunayn, the soldiers who fled the battle joined other tribes who were opposed to Islam. Thus, a new risk came into being. The most prominent counterforce was the People of Taif. The People of Taif had made clear their animosity against the Islam with an arrogant attitude, which they exhibited from time to time. Those who tried to form organizations against Islam and the poets who satirized Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims had fled to Taif when their lives came under threat. As a consequence, Taif had become a enemy location. The Hawaz army, who had been defeated in Awtas, had also taken shelter there. Shortly after the battle of Hunayn, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) decided to attack Taif with an army led by him.

After a reconnaissance unit of 1,000 men, led by Khalid ibn Walid, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) arrived in Taif and besieged the Saqif and Hawazin, who had taken shelter in the fortresses, for almost a month. Since the people of Taif were inside their fortresses, they were able to mount a strong defense by constantly shooting arrows at the Muslims who were attacking from the open. In this siege, where various strategies and tactics were employed, the Muslims put to use weapons like the catapult.

As the sacred month approached and as it became understood that the people of Taif had stored provisions to sustain them for a year Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lifted the siege and came to Jirana, where the captured goods had been stored. During the siege of Taif, it is said that the Muslims lost 12 men and the number of enemies killed was 3.

 

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Battle of Tabuk

Battle of Tabuk


In the 9th year after the emigration (630 AD) Medina received the news that the Byzantine Emperor Herakleios had begun war preparations against the Muslims after having gained the support of allied Christian Arabian tribes, such as the Lahm, Juzam, Amila and the Ghassanis. Upon this, although it was a time of drought and famine, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) started war preparations. His goal was to defend the Muslims against enemy attacks duly and repel any possible danger. It can be understood from the Holy Quran (see Al-Tauba 9/38-106) and Islamic historical sources that the Muslims regarded the Byzantines as a serious force that had gained absolute dominance over the Sasanid Empire. As a matter of fact, although Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would generally keep the destination of a campaign secret, he openly announced that the target for these preparations was the Byzantine Empire. This was due to the fact that the path to be covered was long, the enemy was strong and numerous, the weather was very hot and it was time for the harvest.
During the campaign preparations, and many companions, first among them being Uthman, made great contributions to the armament of the Islamic army. Uthman provided 1,000 mounts and also equipped 10,000 soldiers, for each of which he spent one gold coin. Abdurrahman ibn Awf and Talha ibn Zubayr made great donations. Umar donated half of his total property holdings and Abu Bakr donated all of his property. Almost everybody made efforts and helped the Islamic army.

Unlike the sincere, unselfish and diligent Muslims, the hypocrites were, as always, hostile. They talked about the power of the Byzantines and they tried to dishearten the Muslims by saying that it would be useless to set out on a campaign in such a hot season when there was famine. On the other hand, there were Muslims who sincerely shed tears because they could not join in the campaign as they could not afford to buy mounts.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) set out for Tabuk on the road to Syria; Tabuk was 700 km away from Medina to the north, with an army of 30,000 men 10,000 of whom were riding horses. This army was the greatest Islamic army of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s period. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) established his headquarters in Tabuk (Rajab 9/September 630). The army stayed there for fifteen or twenty days, but there was no sign of the Byzantine army. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent units to the Jarba, Ayla, Azruh, Makna and Maan tribes, most of which were Christian, with the remainder being Jewish. These tribes held great lands in the west and the reason for sending off these units was to invite these tribes to Islam.

Their representatives stated that they would not become Muslims but they would pay the tax (jizya). In other words, they accepted the rule of the Islamic state on the condition that their lives, properties and freedom of faith were guaranteed. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) wrote agreements for each of these regions and gave these texts to them. Meanwhile, a military unit composed of 400 men, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, was sent to Dumatu al-Jandal, an important center on the Iraqi road. Khalid ibn al-Walid captured Dumatu al-Jandal castle and took Uqaydir ibn Abdulmalik, the leader of the region, prisoner, bringing him to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made an agreement with Uqaydir on the condition that he would pay jizya, and set him free. In this way, the people of Dumatu al-Jandal accepted the sovereignty of the Islamic state by paying jizya.

It is reported that while in Tabuk, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent a second letter of invitation to Islam to the Byzantine Emperor Heraklios, who was in Hims or Damascus, with Dihya al-Kalbi. In this letter, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) presented three options to Heraklios: he could accept Islam, pay the jizya, or fight. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) requested that if the emperor were to choose either of the last two options, than at least he should not permit those who wanted to become Muslims from doing so. After receiving the letter the emperor discussed the issue with his religious and military officials. He sent an emissary from the Banu Tanuh, an Arab tribe, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The emissary was welcomed in accordance with the conditions of the campaign and Uthman gave him some expensive clothing as a gift.

The campaign of Tabuk, which was the last battle that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) participated in, was an important test for the Muslims. The army involved in the Battle of Tabuk was known as the jayshu al-usra, meaning "the army of hard times", in accordance with Surah Al-Tauba (9/117), which states that the battle was fought during difficult times (sa'atu al-usra). There are many verses in the Holy Quran which mention the Muslims who participated in this campaign; in addition those who could not participate in the battle due to a legitimate excuse, those who did not participate in without a legitimate excuse, and the hypocrites, who did not participate in the campaign and who tried to discourage people from joining the campaign are also mentioned (see Al-Tauba 9/38-106, 117-118).


Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went to Medina after the Tabuk campaign. He prayed in gratitude in al-Masjid al-Nabawi. After the prayer, he was congratulated by those who had been unable to join the campaign. He appeared to accept the congratulations of those hypocrites who said that they could not join in the campaign due to various excuses. Indeed, the hypocrites were making up false excuses and they were lying (Al-Tauba 9/94-97). Ka'b ibn Malik, one of the famous poets of the time, Hilal ibn Umayya from the veterans of Badr, and Murara ibn Rabi did not participate in the campaign, even though they were in good financial positions and they were healthy. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) treated them coldly and told them to wait for the judgment of Allah. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prohibited other Muslims from speaking with them. The ban was extended to their wives, who were ordered to divorce their spouses. All of the women obediently yielded to the command. This was unbearable for these men. They could not go to public places because of their shame and they could not look people in the eye. They said, "We cannot live with this shame." They prayed to Allah for days, without eating and drinking anything. Eventually, after depicting their psychological conditions during this time (Al-Tauba 9/118) it was stated in the Qu'ran that Allah had forgiven them and that He had accepted their penance after fifty days.
These three companions, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and other Muslims were content with this divine forgiveness. Ka'b ibn Malik wanted to donate all his property to the poor as a means of penitence, but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told him that it would be more beneficial to retain some of his property. Accordingly, Ka'b donated all his belongings except for his land in Khaybar.


One of the activities that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed in the aftermath of the campaign of Tabuk was to destroy al-Masjid al-Dirar which had been built by the hypocrites as center in which to conspire against the Muslims. While Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was involved in preparations for the campaign of Tabuk, a group of hypocrites came to him and said that they had built a masjid for the elderly and infirm in which they could perform their prayers on rainy and cold nights; they asked for permission from the Prophet to open this masjid and asked him to lead the prayer. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told them that he was about to set out a campaign and he could lead the prayer after the campaign. While Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was camping in Zuavan with his army after the campaign, some of the hypocrites came to him and asked him again to lead the prayer in their masjid. At that time, the verses (Al-Tauba 9/107-110) about the so-called masjid and the intention of its builders were revealed. These verses stated that those who had built the masjid were liars, and that their intention was to harm the believers, deny Allah, and create conflict between the believers. Moreover, the al-Masjid al-Dirar was described as a masjid of harm, dissension and hostility. In these verses it was stated that it would be inappropriate for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to lead the prayer in this masjid, and that it would be better to lead a prayer in a masjid that had been built on the fear of Allah (al-Masjid al-Quba or al-Masjid al-Nabawi). With these verses, it became clear that this masjid was a center of conspiracy and treachery against the Muslims, and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told two companions to destroy the building.

 

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Distribution of the Captured Goods in Jirana

Distribution of the Captured Goods in Jirana


After Taif, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) returned back to Jirana where the prisoners and the goods captured were being kept. The number of prisoners, including women and children was around 6,000. Among the captured goods there were more than 24,000 camels, more than 40,000 sheep, and 4,000 silver coins. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered that those prisoners in need of clothing be dressed and he waited before distributing the captured goods.
After Taif, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) returned back to Jirana where the prisoners and the goods captured were being kept. The number of prisoners, including women and children was around 6,000. Among the captured goods there were more than 24,000 camels, more than 40,000 sheep, and 4,000 silver coins. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered that those prisoners in need of clothing be dressed and he waited before distributing the captured goods. His intention was to return these goods to the people of Hawaz if they were to come to him as Muslims. However, when the delegation of Hawazin did not appear, some hypocrites and some Bedouins who had recently accepted Islam and who did not possess an Islamic consciousness put a great deal of pressure on Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to immediately distribute the goods.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) reserved one-fifth of the goods as a bayt al-mal share, and then he distributed the rest of the captured goods among the people. After the conquest of Mecca, in order to bring the people closer to Islam, more shares were provided to some of the Quraishis who were referred to as muallafa-i qulub in the sources; that is they had asked for a grace period of four months before becoming Muslim. After the distribution of the captured goods, a delegation came from the Hawazin to say that they had become Muslims and to request that their prisoners and goods be returned to them. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) he said that he had waited for them before distributing the goods, but that at this stage it would be difficult to fulfill their request; he then asked them to choose between their prisoners and their goods. When they chose the prisoners, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) obtained the consent of his companions and fulfilled their request. Although some of the Bedouin Muslims refused to give up their prisoners, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) persuaded them by promising them more shares from the next victory to be won. Meanwhile, as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had given more shares to the muallafa-i qulub, people began to think that he was favoring the Quraishis and even that he was going to forsake the Ansar and stay in Medina. Upon this, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) brought together the Ansar and explained to them why he had given more shares to the muallafa-i qulub,underlining the virtues of the Ansar and saying that he would always be with them and pray for them and their children; the Ansar's regretted their thoughts, expressed their sorrow and agreed with the actions he had taken.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stayed in Jirana for two weeks and after the distribution of the goods he went to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage (Umra, the lesser pilgrimage). After the Umra he returned to Medina. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered that Ummu Abdullah bint Abu Umayya take care of the households and goods of Malik ibn Awf, the commander of the Hawazin army who had had to flee to Taif after the defeat of Hunayn. He sent a message to Malik announcing that should he become Muslim, he would be returned his household and goods, and be granted 100 camels. Upon this, Malik ibn Awf came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and accepted Islam, and those things that had been promised him were returned. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) involved Malik ibn Awf with the muallafa-i qulub,assigning him as agent to his own tribe and to the tribes that resided in Taif and in the surrounding areas. Malik ibn Awf had a great influence on the arrival of the Saqifis in Medina in year 9 (631) and in their acceptance of Islam.