Islamic State Part 9:The Battle Of Badr, The Expulsion Of Banu Qaynuqa’, Quelling Internal Disorder
The Battle Of Badr
In the second year of Hijrah the Messenger of Allah (saw) set out on the 8th Ramadhan with three hundred and five of his companions mounted on seventy camels, ‘Amr ibn Umm Maktum was assigned to lead the prayer whilst Abu Lubabah was left in charge of Madinah. They rode the camels in turn heading towards a caravan led by Abu Sufyan. As they marched on they sought news of the caravan until they had reached the valley of Dafran where they settled, and news reached them there that Quraysh had set out from Makkah to protect their caravan. The whole affair then assumed different proportions for it was no longer simply a raid on a caravan, the question was whether to confront Quraysh or not. So Allah’s Messenger (saw) consulted the Muslims. Abu Bakr followed then by ‘Umar voiced their opinions respectively, then al-Miqdad ibn ‘Amr arose and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Go where Allah tells you, for we are with you. We shall not say as the children of Israel said to Moses ‘You and your Lord go and fight and we will stay at home’, but you and your Lord go and fight and we will fight with you." The Muslims then went silent, and he (saw) said, "Give me advice O men!" by which he meant the Ansar who had paid allegiance to him at al-’Aqabah. They had pledged to protect him as they protected their wives and children, with the stipulation that they were not responsible to fight with him outside Madinah. When the Ansar sensed that he (saw) meant them, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh who was holding their banner said, "It seems as if you mean us, O Messenger of Allah." He (saw) said, "Yes." Sa’d said, "We believe in you, we declare your truth, and we witness that what you have brought us is the truth, and we have given you our word and agreement to hear and obey; so go where you wish, we are with you; and by He who sent you, if you were to ask us to cross this sea and you plunged into it, we would plunge into it with you; not a man would stay behind. We do not dislike the idea of meeting our enemy tomorrow. We are experienced in war, trustworthy in combat. It may well be that Allah will let us show you something which will bring you joy, so take us along with Allah’s blessing." The Messenger of Allah (saw) was delighted with Sa’d’s words and said, "Forward in good heart, for Allah had promised me one of the two parties, and by Allah, it is as though I now saw the enemy lying prostrate."
The Messenger of Allah (saw) and his companions journeyed until they had nearly reached Badr. They realised that Quraysh’s caravan was nearby and so ‘Ali, al-Zubayr ibn ‘Awwam, and Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas with a number of his companions were sent to the well at Badr in search of news. They returned with two young men from Quraysh whom they questioned. They disclosed the number of Quraysh at between nine hundred to a thousand men and that the nobles of Quraysh were out in force to protect the caravan. The Messenger of Allah (saw) realised that they were facing a force which was three times the size of his own and that he would be in for a fierce battle. He (saw) informed the Muslims that Makkah had thrown out the pieces of its liver (or the best of her sons) into the battle and that they should harden their resolve. The Muslims vowed to stand up to the enemy, they settled by the well of Badr where they built a cistern and filled it with water. Then they stopped up all the other wells so that they would have plenty of water and the enemy would have nothing to drink, at the same time they also built a hut for the Messenger of Allah (saw) to reside in. Quraysh took up their positions and the skirmishes of battle began. Al-Aswad ibn ‘Abd al-Asad stepped forward to destroy the cistern that the Muslims had built. Hamzah dealt with him by smiting him and sending his foot flying. He fell on his back with blood streaming from his foot and Hamzah followed him and smote him, killing him near the cistern. Then after him ‘Utbah ibn Rabia’a stepped forth between his brother Shayba and his son al-Walid; Hamzah, ‘Ali and ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith stepped forward to meet them. Hamzah quickly dealt Shayba a blow and ‘Ali soon disposed of al-Walid. Then Hamzah and ‘Ali turned on ‘Utbah who stood firm against ‘Ubaydah and they dispatched him, carrying off their injured companion afterwards. Then the two sides advanced and drew near each other on Friday morning on the 17th of Ramadhan. The Messenger of Allah (saw) straightened the ranks and incited the Muslims to fight. The Muslims were encouraged by Allah’s Messenger’s words and went forward. The fighting broke out fiercely and Quraysh’s heads went flying from their bodies, the Muslims becoming stronger in belief all the time chanting ‘Ahad ! Ahad !’ (the One the One). Allah’s Messenger (saw) stood in the middle of the melee, took a handful of pebbles and threw them at Quraysh saying, "Foul be those faces!" Then he (saw) ordered his companions to charge and they duly obliged until the battle was over and the foe was routed. The Muslims emerged victorious, they slew many warriors and tribal leaders of Quraysh and made captive many more. Quraysh fled the battlefield and the Muslims returned to Madinah having achieved a truly great victory.
The Expulsion Of Banu Qaynuqa’
The Jews had held the Muslims in contempt before the battle of Badr. Ever since the Muslim victory their contempt and hatred increased all the more. They began plotting and scheming against the Muslims whenever they had the chance, and cared nothing about breaking the treaty that they had signed with them. The Muslims’ response was harsh and firm every time the Jews stepped out of line. A typical tale of Jewish mischief is reflected in the incident that took place in the market of Banu Qaynuqa’. A Muslim woman went there and sat at a jeweler’s shop with her ornaments. A Jewish man approached her from behind and nailed the back of her dress with a thorn. When she arose her garment came off and the Jews all laughed at her insultingly. She called for help and a nearby Muslim leapt at the jeweler and killed him, then the Jews assembled together and killed the Muslim. The family of the Muslim martyr called on the Muslims to punish the Jews, they did so and a fight thus ensued between them. Allah’s Messenger (saw) had asked the Jews to stop their provocation and mischief, but they showed signs of rebellion and defiance so he went out with the Muslims and surrounded Banu Qaynuqa’ from every angle besieging them in their quarters. The Messenger of Allah (saw) decided after consulting the Muslims to kill them all for their treachery. However, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul (one of the leaders of the hypocrites), who was on good terms with both Muslims and Jews, went to him (saw) and pleaded with him saying, "O Muhammad, be lenient with them." Allah’s Messenger (saw) ignored him at first and he repeated the plea, but the Messenger of Allah (saw) still ignored him. Then ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul persisted in his pleading, so Allah’s Messenger (saw) decided to grant him his wish as a favour to him provided Banu Qaynuqa’ left Madinah. They departed from Madinah heading north until they reached Adhra’at in al-Sham.
Quelling Internal Disorder
The Muslims, outnumbered and badly equipped, entered into warfare against Quraysh clashing victoriously with them in their first battle, the battle of Badr. The result of this victory shook Quraysh so violently that they almost lost their senses. The victory of the Muslims over the non-Muslims helped to kill off all the Jewish plots, schemes and civil strife inside Madinah, and as a direct result some Jews were forced to sign a peace treaty and others were expelled from Madinah. The might of the Muslims increased, but Quraysh never rested and wasted no time in preparing for revenge. In the battle of Uhud, in the next year, Quraysh managed just that, when the Muslim marksmen guarding the mujahideen’s rear disobeyed the instructions of the leader in their haste to loot the temporarily fleeing ranks of Quraysh. Quraysh were overjoyed, and the Muslims returned to Madinah heartbroken and defeated despite the fact that after the battle they gave chase up to Hamra’ al-Asad (about eight miles from Madinah).
The defeat of the Muslims had several repercussions, it caused open sedition by groups inside Madinah as the authority of the Muslims was deemed to have been undermined, and many tribes outside Madinah, who prior to Uhud would never have dared step out of line, also showed signs of rebellion. The Arabs who lived outside Madinah began to think about challenging Muhammad (saw); so did the Jews and the hypocrites living within Madinah and they began to provoke the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was anxious to learn about his enemies machinations, inside and outside Madinah, in order to counter them. He (saw) also aimed to restore the standing, prestige and the might of the Muslims by crushing any attempt to belittle or harm them.
One month after the battle of Uhud news reached the Messenger of Allah (saw) that Banu Asad wanted to raid Madinah and loot the herds of cattle grazing around the city. So Allah’s Messenger (saw) decided to raid Banu Asad in their stronghold before they could get a chance to raid Madinah. This was to be a pre-emptive strike. He (saw) summoned Abu Salmah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad and appointed him at the head of an expedition of one hundred and fifty warriors, among whom were a great number of the best Muslim fighters like Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Usaid ibn Hudayr and others. In order to keep their mission a secret and retain the element of surprise, Allah’s Messenger (saw) ordered them to travel by night and hide during the day, taking a different route from that usually taken by travelers. Abu Salmah set off until he reached Banu Asad. He and his men surrounded them at dawn and then raided them while calling his men to jihad. They soon defeated Banu Asad, took their wealth as booty and returned to Madinah victorious and proud, thus re-establishing the Muslims’ might and reminding everyone of Islam’s grandeur and authority.
News also reached the Messenger of Allah (saw) that Khalid ibn Sufyan al-Hodhali was encamped in ‘Urnah or Nakhlah gathering and recruiting people to raid Madinah. So he (saw) summoned ‘Abdullah ibn Anees and sent him on an exploratory mission to try and gather news about Khalid’s movements. ‘Abdullah set off and soon met up with Khalid who asked him, "Who is the man?" He said, "’Abdullah. I am an Arab who heard you were gathering people to fight Muhammad and that is why I am here." Khalid confessed that he was recruiting people to raid Madinah. They walked for a while and chatted, then when the two were isolated from other people, ‘Abdullah seized his chance to draw his sword and deal him a fatal blow. He returned to Madinah and informed the Messenger of Allah (saw) about his adventure. With the death of Khalid, Banu Lihyan of Hadhayl abandoned their plan to raid Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (saw) therefore succeeded in neutralising and removing Khalid’s threat, and the threat from many other quarters that loomed over Madinah.
However, these evxents did not stop some Arabs from continuing to show disdain towards the authority of the Muslims in the wake of the battle of Uhud. A group of people from a tribe neighbouring Hadhayl came to Madinah and told the Messenger of Allah (saw) that they were very keen to learn about Islam and requested that he send to them a group of his companions to teach them Islam and read to them the Qur’an. He (saw) ordered six of his senior companions to accompany them. They set off until they reached the wells of Hadhayl in a place called al-Raji’. The men betrayed the Sahabah and summoned the people of Hadhayl against them. The six Muslims were caught by surprise and found themselves surrounded by Hadhayl who charged on them. The Muslims drew their swords and fought until three of them were killed and the other three surrendered and were taken prisoners. Hadhayl took the three prisoners to Makkah to sell them to Quraysh. On their way to Makkah one of the prisoners, ‘Abdullah ibn Tariq, seized the opportunity to break free and managed to get hold of his sword to fight, but he was soon overpowered and killed. The other two prisoners were eventually sold in Makkah. One of them, Zayd ibn al-Dathnah, was bought by Safwan ibn Umayyah in order to kill him in revenge for his father Umayyah ibn Khalaf. When Zayd was brought to be killed Abu Sufyan asked him, "I adjure you by Allah, Zayd, don’t you wish that Muhammad (saw) was with us now in your place so that we might cut off his head, and that you were with your family?" Zayd replied, "By Allah, I do not wish that Muhammad now were in the place he occupies and that a thorn could hurt him, and that I were sitting with my family." Abu Sufyan was astonished and used to say, "I have never seen a man who is so loved as Muhammad’s companions love him." Zayd was then killed.
Khubayb, the second companion brought to Makkah, was imprisoned until they brought him out to crucify him. He asked them to give him time to make a couple of rak’ahs and they agreed. He performed his salah by offering two excellent bowings and then turned to the people saying, "Were it not that you would think that I only delayed out of fear of death I would have prolonged my prayer." Then they raised him on the wood and when they had bound him, he looked angrily at them and shouted, "O Allah! Reckon them by number and kill them one by one. Let none of them escape." Those present shuddered from his cry and then they killed him. Allah’s Messenger (saw) was very saddened by the death of the six companions, as were all the Muslims. What made the Muslims even sadder was the manner in which Hadhayl had displayed their contempt and disregard to their companions.
Allah’s Messenger (saw) thought hard about this state of affairs and it was while he was deep in thought that a man called Abu Bara’ ‘Amir ibn Malik (the ‘Player with the Spears’) arrived in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (saw) explained Islam to him and invited him to accept it. He would not commit himself, yet he was not far from Islam and never showed any signs of hostility towards the deen. He told Allah’s Messenger (saw), "If you were to send some of your companions to the people of Najd and they invited them to your affair, I have good hopes that they would give you a favourable answer." Allah’s Messenger (saw) feared that his companions would be killed by the people of Najd just like those who had been betrayed by Hadhayl, so he decided against granting Abu Bara’ his wish. However, Abu Bara’ convinced him that he would go as a surety for them and said, "Let them be sent to invite men to your deen, I will protect them." Abu Bara’ was a man of good repute, and his words carried weight, any man protected by him would not fear to be betrayed.
So the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr with forty of his companions from the best of the Muslims. They set off until they had reached the well of Ma’unah, from there they sent a messenger with a letter from the Messenger of Allah (saw) to ‘Amir ibn Tufayl. When the messenger reached him he rushed at him and killed him before he had even looked at the letter, then he called out Banu ‘Aamir to fight the Muslims, but they refused to do what he wanted saying that they would not violate the promise of security which Abu Bara’ had given the Muslims. Then ‘Amir appealed to other tribes and they surrounded the Muslims whilst they were with their camels. Seeing this, the Muslims drew their swords and fought to the last man. All were killed except two. The Messenger of Allah (saw) was very saddened by this, as were all the Muslims who were deeply shocked.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) thought long and hard about how to deal with those Arabs and how to re-establish the Muslims’ high standing and dignity. He (saw) realised, however, that Madinah itself was affected, so he opted to try to deal firstly with the State’s internal disturbances; once he had ensured that stability had returned to Madinah, then he would turn to the Arabs and other external affairs.
The battle of Uhud, together with the events of Raji’ and Beer Ma’unah once again undermined the authority and standing of the Muslims in the eyes of the hypocrites and the Jews. They began plotting against the Messenger of Allah (saw) and they waited for a suitable opportunity to deal him a bad turn. Allah’s Messenger (saw) gradually divulged their intentions until he had managed to learn about their conspiracies. Then he (saw) sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah to them and he said, "The Messenger of Allah sent me to you to tell you to leave his country, for you have breached the oath he made with you by attempting to betray him. You have ten days to leave; anyone seen here afterwards will have his neck struck off!". Banu Nadir would have left had it not been for ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy prodding them to stay; Huyayy ibn Akhtab also encouraged them to remain in their forts. The ten days expired but Banu Nadir remained in their homes, thus Allah’s Messenger (saw) fought them until they asked him to spare their lives on condition that they retained all the possessions which they could carry on their camels. They finally set off leaving behind all that they owned from their lands, palm trees and armour. The Messenger of Allah (saw) divided their properties among the Muhajir to the exclusion of the Ansar, except for two men who were Abu Dujanah and Sahl ibn Hanif who complained of poverty. In expelling Banu Nadir, the Messenger of Allah (saw) managed to quell the internal unrest and restore the dignity and high status of the Muslims.
Turning once again to foreign policy the Messenger of Allah (saw) went forth to keep his appointment with Quraysh in a last battle of Badr, but Quraysh did not meet him there. This was one year after Uhud and Allah’s Messenger (saw) remembered what Abu Sufyan had said, "Today in exchange for the day of Badr; our meeting place is Badr next year." He (saw) stressed the importance of meeting Abu Sufyan so he (saw) prepared the Muslims for battle. He (saw) left ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Salul in charge of Madinah and set off with the Muslims until they reached Badr. There they set up camp waiting for Quraysh ready to do battle with them. Quraysh, headed by Abu Sufyan, left Makkah with more than two thousand men, but they soon returned. The Messenger of Allah (saw) remained in Badr for eight consecutive days waiting for Quraysh, but they never turned up. Finally news reached him that Quraysh had returned to Makkah. So he (saw) journeyed back with the Muslims to Madinah after realising handsome profits from their trading at Badr. The Muslims returned victorious despite the fact that no fighting had taken place. Soon after, the Messenger of Allah (saw) raided Ghatafan in Najd and they fled leaving behind their properties and women, which the Muslims took and returned to Madinah. Then he (saw) raided Dumat al-Jandal on the border between al-Sham and Hijaz. This was intended as a lesson and a warning to the other tribes who used to attack the caravans. But Dumat al-Jandal never confronted him (saw), they just fled in terror leaving behind their properties which the Muslims also took returning to Madinah victorious.
These raids, and the measures taken by Allah’s Messenger (saw) at home in Madinah, helped to re-establish Islam’s authority and secured the grandeur of the Islamic State in the eyes of the Arabs and Jews. The effects of the defeat at Uhud were thus completely effaced.
Source: The Islamic State Book - Hizb ut-Tahrir
In the second year of Hijrah the Messenger of Allah (saw) set out on the 8th Ramadhan with three hundred and five of his companions mounted on seventy camels, ‘Amr ibn Umm Maktum was assigned to lead the prayer whilst Abu Lubabah was left in charge of Madinah. They rode the camels in turn heading towards a caravan led by Abu Sufyan. As they marched on they sought news of the caravan until they had reached the valley of Dafran where they settled, and news reached them there that Quraysh had set out from Makkah to protect their caravan. The whole affair then assumed different proportions for it was no longer simply a raid on a caravan, the question was whether to confront Quraysh or not. So Allah’s Messenger (saw) consulted the Muslims. Abu Bakr followed then by ‘Umar voiced their opinions respectively, then al-Miqdad ibn ‘Amr arose and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Go where Allah tells you, for we are with you. We shall not say as the children of Israel said to Moses ‘You and your Lord go and fight and we will stay at home’, but you and your Lord go and fight and we will fight with you." The Muslims then went silent, and he (saw) said, "Give me advice O men!" by which he meant the Ansar who had paid allegiance to him at al-’Aqabah. They had pledged to protect him as they protected their wives and children, with the stipulation that they were not responsible to fight with him outside Madinah. When the Ansar sensed that he (saw) meant them, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh who was holding their banner said, "It seems as if you mean us, O Messenger of Allah." He (saw) said, "Yes." Sa’d said, "We believe in you, we declare your truth, and we witness that what you have brought us is the truth, and we have given you our word and agreement to hear and obey; so go where you wish, we are with you; and by He who sent you, if you were to ask us to cross this sea and you plunged into it, we would plunge into it with you; not a man would stay behind. We do not dislike the idea of meeting our enemy tomorrow. We are experienced in war, trustworthy in combat. It may well be that Allah will let us show you something which will bring you joy, so take us along with Allah’s blessing." The Messenger of Allah (saw) was delighted with Sa’d’s words and said, "Forward in good heart, for Allah had promised me one of the two parties, and by Allah, it is as though I now saw the enemy lying prostrate."
The Messenger of Allah (saw) and his companions journeyed until they had nearly reached Badr. They realised that Quraysh’s caravan was nearby and so ‘Ali, al-Zubayr ibn ‘Awwam, and Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas with a number of his companions were sent to the well at Badr in search of news. They returned with two young men from Quraysh whom they questioned. They disclosed the number of Quraysh at between nine hundred to a thousand men and that the nobles of Quraysh were out in force to protect the caravan. The Messenger of Allah (saw) realised that they were facing a force which was three times the size of his own and that he would be in for a fierce battle. He (saw) informed the Muslims that Makkah had thrown out the pieces of its liver (or the best of her sons) into the battle and that they should harden their resolve. The Muslims vowed to stand up to the enemy, they settled by the well of Badr where they built a cistern and filled it with water. Then they stopped up all the other wells so that they would have plenty of water and the enemy would have nothing to drink, at the same time they also built a hut for the Messenger of Allah (saw) to reside in. Quraysh took up their positions and the skirmishes of battle began. Al-Aswad ibn ‘Abd al-Asad stepped forward to destroy the cistern that the Muslims had built. Hamzah dealt with him by smiting him and sending his foot flying. He fell on his back with blood streaming from his foot and Hamzah followed him and smote him, killing him near the cistern. Then after him ‘Utbah ibn Rabia’a stepped forth between his brother Shayba and his son al-Walid; Hamzah, ‘Ali and ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith stepped forward to meet them. Hamzah quickly dealt Shayba a blow and ‘Ali soon disposed of al-Walid. Then Hamzah and ‘Ali turned on ‘Utbah who stood firm against ‘Ubaydah and they dispatched him, carrying off their injured companion afterwards. Then the two sides advanced and drew near each other on Friday morning on the 17th of Ramadhan. The Messenger of Allah (saw) straightened the ranks and incited the Muslims to fight. The Muslims were encouraged by Allah’s Messenger’s words and went forward. The fighting broke out fiercely and Quraysh’s heads went flying from their bodies, the Muslims becoming stronger in belief all the time chanting ‘Ahad ! Ahad !’ (the One the One). Allah’s Messenger (saw) stood in the middle of the melee, took a handful of pebbles and threw them at Quraysh saying, "Foul be those faces!" Then he (saw) ordered his companions to charge and they duly obliged until the battle was over and the foe was routed. The Muslims emerged victorious, they slew many warriors and tribal leaders of Quraysh and made captive many more. Quraysh fled the battlefield and the Muslims returned to Madinah having achieved a truly great victory.
The Expulsion Of Banu Qaynuqa’
The Jews had held the Muslims in contempt before the battle of Badr. Ever since the Muslim victory their contempt and hatred increased all the more. They began plotting and scheming against the Muslims whenever they had the chance, and cared nothing about breaking the treaty that they had signed with them. The Muslims’ response was harsh and firm every time the Jews stepped out of line. A typical tale of Jewish mischief is reflected in the incident that took place in the market of Banu Qaynuqa’. A Muslim woman went there and sat at a jeweler’s shop with her ornaments. A Jewish man approached her from behind and nailed the back of her dress with a thorn. When she arose her garment came off and the Jews all laughed at her insultingly. She called for help and a nearby Muslim leapt at the jeweler and killed him, then the Jews assembled together and killed the Muslim. The family of the Muslim martyr called on the Muslims to punish the Jews, they did so and a fight thus ensued between them. Allah’s Messenger (saw) had asked the Jews to stop their provocation and mischief, but they showed signs of rebellion and defiance so he went out with the Muslims and surrounded Banu Qaynuqa’ from every angle besieging them in their quarters. The Messenger of Allah (saw) decided after consulting the Muslims to kill them all for their treachery. However, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul (one of the leaders of the hypocrites), who was on good terms with both Muslims and Jews, went to him (saw) and pleaded with him saying, "O Muhammad, be lenient with them." Allah’s Messenger (saw) ignored him at first and he repeated the plea, but the Messenger of Allah (saw) still ignored him. Then ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul persisted in his pleading, so Allah’s Messenger (saw) decided to grant him his wish as a favour to him provided Banu Qaynuqa’ left Madinah. They departed from Madinah heading north until they reached Adhra’at in al-Sham.
Quelling Internal Disorder
The Muslims, outnumbered and badly equipped, entered into warfare against Quraysh clashing victoriously with them in their first battle, the battle of Badr. The result of this victory shook Quraysh so violently that they almost lost their senses. The victory of the Muslims over the non-Muslims helped to kill off all the Jewish plots, schemes and civil strife inside Madinah, and as a direct result some Jews were forced to sign a peace treaty and others were expelled from Madinah. The might of the Muslims increased, but Quraysh never rested and wasted no time in preparing for revenge. In the battle of Uhud, in the next year, Quraysh managed just that, when the Muslim marksmen guarding the mujahideen’s rear disobeyed the instructions of the leader in their haste to loot the temporarily fleeing ranks of Quraysh. Quraysh were overjoyed, and the Muslims returned to Madinah heartbroken and defeated despite the fact that after the battle they gave chase up to Hamra’ al-Asad (about eight miles from Madinah).
The defeat of the Muslims had several repercussions, it caused open sedition by groups inside Madinah as the authority of the Muslims was deemed to have been undermined, and many tribes outside Madinah, who prior to Uhud would never have dared step out of line, also showed signs of rebellion. The Arabs who lived outside Madinah began to think about challenging Muhammad (saw); so did the Jews and the hypocrites living within Madinah and they began to provoke the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was anxious to learn about his enemies machinations, inside and outside Madinah, in order to counter them. He (saw) also aimed to restore the standing, prestige and the might of the Muslims by crushing any attempt to belittle or harm them.
One month after the battle of Uhud news reached the Messenger of Allah (saw) that Banu Asad wanted to raid Madinah and loot the herds of cattle grazing around the city. So Allah’s Messenger (saw) decided to raid Banu Asad in their stronghold before they could get a chance to raid Madinah. This was to be a pre-emptive strike. He (saw) summoned Abu Salmah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad and appointed him at the head of an expedition of one hundred and fifty warriors, among whom were a great number of the best Muslim fighters like Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Usaid ibn Hudayr and others. In order to keep their mission a secret and retain the element of surprise, Allah’s Messenger (saw) ordered them to travel by night and hide during the day, taking a different route from that usually taken by travelers. Abu Salmah set off until he reached Banu Asad. He and his men surrounded them at dawn and then raided them while calling his men to jihad. They soon defeated Banu Asad, took their wealth as booty and returned to Madinah victorious and proud, thus re-establishing the Muslims’ might and reminding everyone of Islam’s grandeur and authority.
News also reached the Messenger of Allah (saw) that Khalid ibn Sufyan al-Hodhali was encamped in ‘Urnah or Nakhlah gathering and recruiting people to raid Madinah. So he (saw) summoned ‘Abdullah ibn Anees and sent him on an exploratory mission to try and gather news about Khalid’s movements. ‘Abdullah set off and soon met up with Khalid who asked him, "Who is the man?" He said, "’Abdullah. I am an Arab who heard you were gathering people to fight Muhammad and that is why I am here." Khalid confessed that he was recruiting people to raid Madinah. They walked for a while and chatted, then when the two were isolated from other people, ‘Abdullah seized his chance to draw his sword and deal him a fatal blow. He returned to Madinah and informed the Messenger of Allah (saw) about his adventure. With the death of Khalid, Banu Lihyan of Hadhayl abandoned their plan to raid Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (saw) therefore succeeded in neutralising and removing Khalid’s threat, and the threat from many other quarters that loomed over Madinah.
However, these evxents did not stop some Arabs from continuing to show disdain towards the authority of the Muslims in the wake of the battle of Uhud. A group of people from a tribe neighbouring Hadhayl came to Madinah and told the Messenger of Allah (saw) that they were very keen to learn about Islam and requested that he send to them a group of his companions to teach them Islam and read to them the Qur’an. He (saw) ordered six of his senior companions to accompany them. They set off until they reached the wells of Hadhayl in a place called al-Raji’. The men betrayed the Sahabah and summoned the people of Hadhayl against them. The six Muslims were caught by surprise and found themselves surrounded by Hadhayl who charged on them. The Muslims drew their swords and fought until three of them were killed and the other three surrendered and were taken prisoners. Hadhayl took the three prisoners to Makkah to sell them to Quraysh. On their way to Makkah one of the prisoners, ‘Abdullah ibn Tariq, seized the opportunity to break free and managed to get hold of his sword to fight, but he was soon overpowered and killed. The other two prisoners were eventually sold in Makkah. One of them, Zayd ibn al-Dathnah, was bought by Safwan ibn Umayyah in order to kill him in revenge for his father Umayyah ibn Khalaf. When Zayd was brought to be killed Abu Sufyan asked him, "I adjure you by Allah, Zayd, don’t you wish that Muhammad (saw) was with us now in your place so that we might cut off his head, and that you were with your family?" Zayd replied, "By Allah, I do not wish that Muhammad now were in the place he occupies and that a thorn could hurt him, and that I were sitting with my family." Abu Sufyan was astonished and used to say, "I have never seen a man who is so loved as Muhammad’s companions love him." Zayd was then killed.
Khubayb, the second companion brought to Makkah, was imprisoned until they brought him out to crucify him. He asked them to give him time to make a couple of rak’ahs and they agreed. He performed his salah by offering two excellent bowings and then turned to the people saying, "Were it not that you would think that I only delayed out of fear of death I would have prolonged my prayer." Then they raised him on the wood and when they had bound him, he looked angrily at them and shouted, "O Allah! Reckon them by number and kill them one by one. Let none of them escape." Those present shuddered from his cry and then they killed him. Allah’s Messenger (saw) was very saddened by the death of the six companions, as were all the Muslims. What made the Muslims even sadder was the manner in which Hadhayl had displayed their contempt and disregard to their companions.
Allah’s Messenger (saw) thought hard about this state of affairs and it was while he was deep in thought that a man called Abu Bara’ ‘Amir ibn Malik (the ‘Player with the Spears’) arrived in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (saw) explained Islam to him and invited him to accept it. He would not commit himself, yet he was not far from Islam and never showed any signs of hostility towards the deen. He told Allah’s Messenger (saw), "If you were to send some of your companions to the people of Najd and they invited them to your affair, I have good hopes that they would give you a favourable answer." Allah’s Messenger (saw) feared that his companions would be killed by the people of Najd just like those who had been betrayed by Hadhayl, so he decided against granting Abu Bara’ his wish. However, Abu Bara’ convinced him that he would go as a surety for them and said, "Let them be sent to invite men to your deen, I will protect them." Abu Bara’ was a man of good repute, and his words carried weight, any man protected by him would not fear to be betrayed.
So the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr with forty of his companions from the best of the Muslims. They set off until they had reached the well of Ma’unah, from there they sent a messenger with a letter from the Messenger of Allah (saw) to ‘Amir ibn Tufayl. When the messenger reached him he rushed at him and killed him before he had even looked at the letter, then he called out Banu ‘Aamir to fight the Muslims, but they refused to do what he wanted saying that they would not violate the promise of security which Abu Bara’ had given the Muslims. Then ‘Amir appealed to other tribes and they surrounded the Muslims whilst they were with their camels. Seeing this, the Muslims drew their swords and fought to the last man. All were killed except two. The Messenger of Allah (saw) was very saddened by this, as were all the Muslims who were deeply shocked.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) thought long and hard about how to deal with those Arabs and how to re-establish the Muslims’ high standing and dignity. He (saw) realised, however, that Madinah itself was affected, so he opted to try to deal firstly with the State’s internal disturbances; once he had ensured that stability had returned to Madinah, then he would turn to the Arabs and other external affairs.
The battle of Uhud, together with the events of Raji’ and Beer Ma’unah once again undermined the authority and standing of the Muslims in the eyes of the hypocrites and the Jews. They began plotting against the Messenger of Allah (saw) and they waited for a suitable opportunity to deal him a bad turn. Allah’s Messenger (saw) gradually divulged their intentions until he had managed to learn about their conspiracies. Then he (saw) sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah to them and he said, "The Messenger of Allah sent me to you to tell you to leave his country, for you have breached the oath he made with you by attempting to betray him. You have ten days to leave; anyone seen here afterwards will have his neck struck off!". Banu Nadir would have left had it not been for ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy prodding them to stay; Huyayy ibn Akhtab also encouraged them to remain in their forts. The ten days expired but Banu Nadir remained in their homes, thus Allah’s Messenger (saw) fought them until they asked him to spare their lives on condition that they retained all the possessions which they could carry on their camels. They finally set off leaving behind all that they owned from their lands, palm trees and armour. The Messenger of Allah (saw) divided their properties among the Muhajir to the exclusion of the Ansar, except for two men who were Abu Dujanah and Sahl ibn Hanif who complained of poverty. In expelling Banu Nadir, the Messenger of Allah (saw) managed to quell the internal unrest and restore the dignity and high status of the Muslims.
Turning once again to foreign policy the Messenger of Allah (saw) went forth to keep his appointment with Quraysh in a last battle of Badr, but Quraysh did not meet him there. This was one year after Uhud and Allah’s Messenger (saw) remembered what Abu Sufyan had said, "Today in exchange for the day of Badr; our meeting place is Badr next year." He (saw) stressed the importance of meeting Abu Sufyan so he (saw) prepared the Muslims for battle. He (saw) left ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Salul in charge of Madinah and set off with the Muslims until they reached Badr. There they set up camp waiting for Quraysh ready to do battle with them. Quraysh, headed by Abu Sufyan, left Makkah with more than two thousand men, but they soon returned. The Messenger of Allah (saw) remained in Badr for eight consecutive days waiting for Quraysh, but they never turned up. Finally news reached him that Quraysh had returned to Makkah. So he (saw) journeyed back with the Muslims to Madinah after realising handsome profits from their trading at Badr. The Muslims returned victorious despite the fact that no fighting had taken place. Soon after, the Messenger of Allah (saw) raided Ghatafan in Najd and they fled leaving behind their properties and women, which the Muslims took and returned to Madinah. Then he (saw) raided Dumat al-Jandal on the border between al-Sham and Hijaz. This was intended as a lesson and a warning to the other tribes who used to attack the caravans. But Dumat al-Jandal never confronted him (saw), they just fled in terror leaving behind their properties which the Muslims also took returning to Madinah victorious.
These raids, and the measures taken by Allah’s Messenger (saw) at home in Madinah, helped to re-establish Islam’s authority and secured the grandeur of the Islamic State in the eyes of the Arabs and Jews. The effects of the defeat at Uhud were thus completely effaced.
Source: The Islamic State Book - Hizb ut-Tahrir
posted by Alien Alienated at 9:23 PM
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