Expeditions
Here we discuss the raids of the Prophet (a.s.) against some areas, provinces, and tribes. I think, after deep thinking, that the goals of those raids were as the following:
First, Allah the Almighty had sent his messenger as mercy to all the peoples and nations of the world to save them from their painful realities and guide them to the best.
The tribes at the time of the Prophet (a.s.) lived in utmost ignorance and bad habits besides idolatry. Therefore, the Prophet (a.s.) was ordered by Allah to carry out His mission to His people and take them to knowledge, guidance, high morals, and noble life.
Second, to repel the dangers expected from some tribes and provinces against Islam such as the Jews who plotted day and night against the Prophet (a.s.) and his mission and who were a base joined by the hypocrites to overthrow the Islamic authority; therefore, the Prophet (a.s.) was obliged to attack them to save Islam and the Muslims from their dangers.
Third, in any case, the raids against those tribes and peoples did not aim at subjugating them and possessing their properties, but to make them believe in Allah and His messenger, practice the rituals of the religion, and give up the bad habits of the age of ignorance.
The expeditions
1. The expedition against the Banu Sulaym
The Prophet (a.s.) and his army marched to the Bani Sulaym and stopped at one of their wells. They remained there three days and went back without facing any resistance,
because the people of the tribe scattered here and there.
2. The expedition of as-Suwayq
Historians say that the reason behind this expedition was that Abu Sufyan had sworn that he would not sleep with his woman at all except after fighting against Muhammad. So, one day, he and some men from Quraysh set out roving in the desert until they went to the Bani an-Nadheer near Medina. There, they found a Muslim man from the Ansar with a companion of his and killed them both. When the Prophet (a.s.) was informed of that, he with his men set out chasing the killer after leaving Basheer bin Abdul Munthir as the wali over Medina. When they arrived in the Bani an-Nadheer, they found that the killers had fled back to Mecca. The Prophet (a.s.) and his army went back to Medina with no any loss in Muslims.
3. The expedition of al-Furu’
The Prophet (a.s.) appointed ibn Umm Kulthoom the wali over Medina, and he with his army marched to face Quraysh. When they arrived in the village of al-Furu’, they stayed there for two months teaching the people of that village the rulings and teachings of Islam and the Qur'an. Then, they went back to Medina after having faced no clash or plot.
4. The expedition of Buwat
The Prophet (a.s.) and two hundred men from his companions set out to attack a caravan of the polytheists that was traveling towards Sham. There were two thousand and five hundred camels in the caravan with Umayyah bin Khalaf and one hundred men from Quraysh. The Prophet (a.s.) and his companions stopped at the mountain of Buwat, one of the mountains from which rocks were taken to build the Kaaba. The Prophet (a.s.) and Muslims stayed there for some period, but without meeting fight or harm.
5. The expedition of al-Asheera (the tribe)
The Prophet (a.s.) and his companions moved to capture a great caravan of Quraysh that was going to Sham. It was the greatest trading caravan of Quraysh that all the people of Quraysh had had shares in it, and therefore it was called ‘al-Asheerah’. This event was the reason that had led to the battle of Badr. The Muslims missed the caravan that had preceded to Mecca.
6. The expedition of the Bani Qaynuqa’
Some people of Jews, who were famous for courage and were in alliance with Ubadah bin as-Samit and Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salool, showed hostility and envy after the battle of Badr and broke their covenant with the messenger of Allah (a.s.) who had entered into a covenant with them, with the Bani Quraydhah, and the Bani an-Nadheer not to fight against him or support any of his enemies. However, they were the first Jews that betrayed the Muslims. One day, a woman, who was the wife of a Muslim man from the Ansar, brought some of her camels and sheep to sell them in the market of the Bani Qaynuqa’. After selling them, she sat beside a goldsmith from them (Bani Qaynuqa’). Some Jews tried to tempt the woman to uncover her face, but she refused. The goldsmith tied the end of her garment to her back, and when she got up, her body was unveiled. Some Muslim man hurried to the Jewish goldsmith and killed him, and then some Jews attacked the Muslim man and killed him.
When the Prophet (a.s.) was informed of this event, he said, “It is not on this that we have entered into the covenant with them.” The Prophet (a.s.) asked Ubadah bin as-Samit to exempt himself from them and to break his covenant with them. Ubadah said, “O messenger of Allah, I follow Allah, His messenger, and the believers, and I exempt myself from the covenant of the unbelievers.” As for Abdullah bin Ubayy, he did not break his covenant with them (the Jews of Bani Qaynuqa), and then this verse was revealed concerning him (O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other…then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant).
Then the Prophet (a.s.) gathered the Jews and said to them, “O community of the Jews, beware from Allah of like the resentment He has sent down on Quraysh in the battle of Badr, and be Muslims, for you have already known that I am a sent prophet. You find that in your Book and the promise of Allah to you.”
They replied cruelly to him, “You think that we are like your people (Quraysh)! Let it not deceive you that you met a people who were not expert in war and you could find an opportunity over them. By Allah, if we fight you, you shall know that we are the very people (of it).”
They hurried to protect themselves in their forts. The Prophet (a.s.) marched with his army to them where the banner-man was his uncle Hamza. The Muslim army blockaded their forts tightly for fifteen days. Then Allah cast terror and fear in their hearts. They were seven hundred men. Then, they begged the Prophet (a.s.) to let them free and they would leave Medina with their women and offspring, and all their properties and lands and even their weapons would be for the Prophet (a.s.). The Prophet (a.s.) agreed to that. The Prophet (a.s.) divided the properties among Muslims after deducting the khums though they were the Prophet’s pure possession, because they were not gained by fighting.
7. The expedition of Qarqarat al-Kudr
The Prophet (a.s.) was informed that a group from the Bani Sulaym and Ghatafan wanted to attack Medina after the Prophet (a.s.) had raided them. Thus, the Prophet (a.s.) marched to them with twenty men and the bannerman was Imam Ali (a.s.). When the Muslim force arrived in Qarqarat al-Kudr, no one was there. The Prophet (a.s.) sent some of his companions to look for that group of men, and they saw five hundred camels with the herdsman. After deducting the khums (fifth), the Prophet (a.s.) gave every warrior two camels whereas the herdsman was set free.
8. The expedition of Thee Amarr
The Prophet (a.s.) was informed that a man from Ghatafan called Du’thoor was gathering people in Thee Amarr (a place of the tribe of Ghatafan) in order to attack Medina. The Prophet (a.s.) with four hundred and fifty men set out to meet the man and his followers. By accident, the Prophet (a.s.) met with a man from them who told the Prophet (a.s.) what they had intended to do. He said to the Prophet (a.s.), “If they knew about your march towards them, they would run away to the tops of mountains. As for me, I shall go with you.” The Prophet (a.s.) invited the man to Islam and he turned Muslim. The man began guiding the Muslims to the right way. When the man and Muslims approached those people, they ran away to the mountains. It happened that it rained heavily. The Prophet (a.s.) took off his clothes and spread them on a tree to dry, and he lay down before the eyes of those polytheists. Du’thoor, the leader of the group of polytheists, said, “May Allah kill me if do not kill Muhammad!”
He took his sword and came to stop at the head of the Prophet (a.s.) saying to him, “Who can protect you from me today?”
The Prophet (a.s.) answered steadfastly, “Allah protects me from you.”
The man was affected by the Prophet’s gravity, his hand shook, and the sword slipped to the ground. The Prophet (a.s.) took the sword and said to the man, “Who can protect you from me?”
He answered, “No one can protect me.” Then, he declared his faith in Islam and the Prophet (a.s.) gave his sword back to him. He went back to his people inviting them to Islam. Then, this verse was revealed, (O you who believe! remember Allah's favor on you when a people had determined to stretch forth their hands towards you, but He withheld their hands from you, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; and on Allah let the believers rely).
Then, the Prophet (a.s.) with his companions went back to Medina after eleven days without fighting.
9. The expedition of That ar-Riqa’
The Prophet (a.s.) was informed that the Bani Muharib and Bani Tha’labah were gathering their men to attack him. He with four (or seven) hundred men marched to face them. When the Muslim army arrived in Najd, they found no one there. They kept on marching until they stopped at some valley in the night. The Prophet (a.s.) asked his companions to start guarding the army in the night. Ammar bin Yasir and Abbad bin Bishr volunteered to guard the force. They sat at the mouth of the valley. Abbad suggested guarding during the first part of the night and Ammar the second part. So Ammar slept and Abbad began offering prayers. While he was offering the prayer, an arrow hit him. Then a man came to kill the Prophet (a.s.). He shook the sword and said to the Prophet (a.s.), “O Muhammad, do you not fear me?”
The Prophet (a.s.) said, “No, and what shall I fear you for?”
The man said, “Do you not fear the sword in my hand?”
The Prophet (a.s.) said, “Allah the Almighty protects me from you.”
The man was confused and affected by the Prophet’s gravity, and gave him the sword.
The Prophet (a.s.) said to him, “Who can protect you from me?”
The man said to the Prophet (a.s.), “Be the kindest taker of the sword!”
The Prophet (a.s.) pardoned, and asked him to embrace Islam, but he refused. He went back to his people saying to them, “I have come to you from the best one of all people.” Later on, he turned a Muslim.
Then, the Prophet (a.s.) and his force went back without fighting, whereas fright prevailed the villages around, that were still worshipping idols.
10. The expedition of Dawmat al-Jandal
The Prophet (a.s.) was informed that there was a band of highwaymen in Dawmat al-Jandal (a place in Sham near Tabuk). They had determined to attack Medina. The Prophet (a.s.) with one thousand Muslim warriors marched towards that place at the end of the fourth year of Hijra. The Muslim army moved in the night and hid in the day for secrecy. When the Muslim army was near to that place, those people ran away leaving behind them their cattle and herdsmen. Muhammad bin Maslamah could captivate one of them who turned a Muslim. Then, the Prophet (a.s.) and his army went back to Medina.
11. The expedition of the Bani al-Mustaliq
The news came to the Prophet (a.s.) that al-Harth bin Dhirar, the chief of the Bani al-Mustaliq, mobilized his men to fight against the Prophet (a.s.) who sent Buraydah bin al-Haseeb to explore the truth. When Buraydah reached that tribe, they asked who he was, and said to them, “I am from you. I have come to you when I heard that you have gathered together against this man (Muhammad), so that I with whoever obeys me from my people will go together (with you) to do away with them (Muslims).” In fact, Buraydah had asked the Prophet (a.s.) to permit him to say as he liked. Their chief said to him, “We have agreed on that. So let us hurry up!”
When Buraydah went back and told the Prophet (a.s.) about the intention of those people, the Prophet (a.s.) prepared Muslims for the fight. Many Muslims joined him among whom there were some hypocrites who wished for gaining loots.
A man was arrested, and then it was clear that he was a spy to those people and he was killed. When his news reached his people, they felt afraid and many of them left the gathering. The Muslim army attacked, killed ten men, and arrested the rest of them. The loot was about two thousand camels and five thousand sheep. Then, the Prophet (a.s.) and his army went back to Medina.
12. The expedition of Mu’tah
The Prophet (a.s.) sent to Mu’tah (a village in Sham) in the eighth year of Hijra an army of three thousand men under the leadership of Zayd bin Haritha who if would be killed, should be replaced by Ja’far bin Abi Talib who should be replaced by Abdullah bin Rawaha if would be killed. The army set out until it arrived in Ma’an in Sham when the news came to them that the king of Rome had stopped at Ma’ab with an army of one hundred thousand soldiers. And then, another one hundred thousand men joined him from other tribes. When the Muslims knew of this great army that had come to face them, their leaders met to discuss the situation. Some suggested writing to the Prophet (a.s.) telling him about the great number of the enemy’s army that he might either send other troops or issue some other order to be carried out. Then, Abdullah bin Rawaha addressed the army saying, “O people, by Allah, that which you hate is the very martyrdom that you have come looking forward to. We do not fight against people by number, power, or muchness, but we fight them by this religion with which Allah has honored us. So go on, and it shall be one of the two good things; either victory or martyrdom…”
The army believed in what Abdullah bin Rawaha said and became more determined to fight. The Muslim army marched on until arriving in Mu’tah. The army of the king of Rome as well marched to Mu’tah, and the two armies clashed too violently. Zayd bin Haritha, the leader of the Muslim army, fought too heroically until he was martyred in the middle of the battlefield. After him, Ja’far bin Abi Talib took the banner, killed his horse, and attacked the enemy while reciting enthusiastic poetry. He fought courageously and steadfastly until his right hand was cut. Then, he lifted the banner with his left hand and kept on walking about in the battlefield until his left hand was cut too. He embraced the banner by his upper arms until he was martyred. He was a unique, intelligent Muslim leader during the age of the Prophet (a.s.) who often and always fought the enemies of Islam with high courage and daring. When martyred he was thirty-three years old. The army, the Prophet (a.s.), and the Hashimites wept for him too much.
After Ja’far, Abdullah bin Rawahah carried the banner and became the leader of Muslims. He fought with great courage until he was martyred in the way of Allah.
The Prophet (a.s.), who was in Medina, was inspired from the heaven about the martyrdom of his cousin Ja’far bin abi Talib. He went to Ja’far’s wife Asma’ bint Umays asking her to bring him Ja’far’s two sons. When she brought them, he began kissing them and weeping. Asma’ was astonished and said to the Prophet (a.s.), “May my father and mother die for you! What makes you cry? Has anything bad come to you about Ja’far and his companions?”
The Prophet (a.s.) replied sadly and faintly, “Yes, they have been killed today.”
After the leaders of the Muslim army had been killed, the leadership was entrusted to Khalid bin al-Waleed who ordered the army to stop fighting and go back to Medina, and soon the army set out back to Medina. Khalid was blamed for that because he did not prefer fighting in that situation.
13. The expedition of Wadi al-Qura (the valley of villages)
Wadi al-Qura was inhabited by Jews whom the Prophet (a.s.) invited to Islam, but they denied and chose to fight. Muslims fought those Jews and killed eleven men from them most of whom were killed by Imam Ali (a.s.). Muslims possessed the properties and lands of the Jews and dealt with them like in Khaybar.
14. The conquest of Mecca
The conquest of Mecca caused the greatest victory to Islam and the total defeat to idolatry and polytheism. After this victory, the enemies of Islam from among Quraysh and the Jews were so disgraced and lowered that they were able to do nothing against Islam that prevailed over most of the Arabia.
The conquest of Mecca was so important in the history of Islam, because Mecca was the greatest fort of polytheism and atheism and it was the main source that supplied the enemies of Islam with the means of resistance. The people of Mecca had undertaken the resistance of the Prophet (a.s.) and the torturing of his followers since the first moment of the mission. At the same time, Mecca was the greatest power in the Arabia for its wealth and economic prosperity which all was used to fight Islam and Muslims.
However, we shall discuss here in brief some matters that led to the conquest of Mecca.
The truce of al-Hudaybiyyah
The Prophet (a.s.) concluded a truce between him and the tribe of Quraysh. From the articles of that truce was that whoever (from other tribes) wanted to join the truce of the Prophet (a.s.)
could do, and whoever wanted to join the truce of Quraysh could do. Therefore, the tribe of Bakr entered into the truce of Quraysh, and the tribe of Khuza’ah entered into the truce of the Prophet (a.s.). And really, the truce was regarded for some time.
Between the tribes of Khuza’ah and Bakr there were bloods and vengeances. After the battle of Mu’tah, some men from Quraysh thought that Islam was defeated forever, and so the Banu Bakr thought that it was the best opportunity to attack the tribe of Khuza’ah. They discussed that with some men from Quraysh and they encouraged them to do that and supplied them with arms. While the men of Khuza’ah were at a well of theirs, the men of Bakr attacked and killed some of them. Some men from Khuza’ah headed by Amr bin Salim went to Medina and told the Prophet (a.s.) about what had happened and that the Banu Bakr and Quraysh had broken the truce. The Prophet (a.s.) promised Amr bin Salim to support him and his people.
Abu Sufyan felt afraid of the consequences of these happenings, and so he set out to Medina to meet the Prophet (a.s.) in order to put an end to the expected sedition. He went to his daughter Umm Habeebah who was the Prophet’s wife after having been a Muslim. Abu Sufyan wanted to sit on the Prophet’s rug, but Umm Habeebah (though she was his daughter) folded the rug so that he would not sit on it. When he asked her why, she answered him, “This is the rug of the messenger of Allah and you are an impure polytheist, and I do not like you to sit on it.”
Abu Sufyan went to some of the Prophet’s companions in order to intercede for him with the Prophet (a.s.) to preserve the truce and keep it valid, but no one of them responded to him. Then, he went to Imam Ali (a.s.) begging him to talk with the Prophet about the matter. Imam Ali (a.s.) told Abu Sufyan leniently that no one could dissuade the messenger of Allah from a thing that he had already determined. Abu Sufyan went to Fatima az- Zahra’, the Prophet’s daughter, (a.s.) asking her for intercession, but there was no use too. Abu Sufyan returned empty-handed taking with him disappointed to Mecca.
The Prophet determines to conquer Mecca
The Prophet (a.s.) saw that the conclusive victory could not be achieved for Islam except by conquering Mecca whose people fought him when he was in it and when he left it. He began preparing everything for that great task, and he was confident and had trusted in the support of Allah to him to defeat his enemies and opponents.
The Prophet (a.s.) prepared an army of ten thousand well-armed men or more. The Prophet (a.s.) kept that secret and even his troops did not know where they would go to fight for fear that the people of Quraysh might know, and so they would get prepared for the war, and then bloods would be shed in the Inviolable Town (Mecca) that he hated (the bloodshed); therefore, he kept that secret.
Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah wrote a letter to Quraysh telling them that the Prophet (a.s.) had determined to march to conquer their country. He gave the letter to some woman after insisting on her to keep the matter totally secret. He promised to give her a camel if she could take this letter to Quraysh. The woman hid the letter under the hair of her head. The Revelation came to the Prophet (a.s.) telling him about the matter. The Prophet (a.s.) asked Imam Ali (a.s.) and az-Zubayr bin al-Awwam to arrest the woman and take the letter from her. They both followed after the woman until they found her. When they asked her about the letter, she denied it. Imam Ali (a.s.) shouted at her saying, “I swear by Allah that neither the messenger of Allah nor we tell lies. Either you take out the book to us or we shall search you.”
Feeling afraid, she took out the letter from her hair and gave it to Imam Ali (a.s.). They went back and handed the letter to the Prophet (a.s.) who sent for Hatib and asked him, “What made you do that?”
Hatib said, “By Allah O messenger of Allah, I am faithful in Allah and His messenger and still on my faith with no change, but I am a man who has no origin or supporters in the tribe (of Quraysh in Mecca) and I have children and a wife among them, and so I flattered them (in order not to harm my family).”
The Prophet (a.s.) accepted his excuse and pardoned him. Then, this verse was revealed concerning him, (O you who believe! do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends; would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth…).
The Muslim army marched until it reached the outskirts of Mecca whose people were aware of nothing. The army surrounded the town and got prepared to occupy it. The Prophet (a.s.) kept all the matter secret just for peace and to avoid blood-shedding in the inviolable town.
The Prophet (a.s.) ordered his men to collect firewood, and great quantities were collected. When darkness prevailed, the Prophet (a.s.) ordered fire to be set to the firewood. The numerous flames of fires appeared in the horizons of Mecca whose people became too terrified. Abu Sufyan was very worried and he said to Badeel bin Warqa’ who was with him, “I have never seen such fire like this of tonight.”
Badeel said to him, “By Allah, it is Khuza’ah that might be milled by war.”
Abu Sufyan said, “Khuza’ah is meaner and less than to be of such fires and armies.”
Fright occupied Abu Sufyan’s heart and he became certain that it was the armies of Muslims coming to conquer Mecca.
Al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, knew about the coming of the Muslim army to occupy Mecca and felt fear for his people. He said, “What a morning for Quraysh it shall be! by Allah, if the messenger of Allah enters Mecca by force before its people come to ask him for security, it shall be the perishment of Quraysh until the last of time.” He tried his best to find someone to go and tell the people of Mecca to hurry up to the Prophet (a.s.) asking him for pardoning. While he was thinking of the matter, he saw Abu Sufyan. He said to him, “O Abu Sufyan, it is the messenger of Allah with the people (Muslims). How terrible the morning of Quraysh shall be!”
Abu Sufyan was upset and he said to al-Abbas, “May my father and mother die for you! What shall we do?”
Al-Abbas said, “By Allah, if the messenger of Allah takes hold of you, he will behead you. Come on! Ride behind me on this mule so that I take you to the messenger of Allah to ask him for protection to you.”
Abu Sufyan rode on the mule behind al-Abbas who took him to the Prophet (a.s.) passing through the troops of Muslims who said when seeing Abu Sufyan, “Who is this?” But, when Umar bin al-Khattab saw him, he cried out, “It is Abu Sufyan; the enemy of Allah.” Then, he added, “Praise be to Allah who has subjugated you with no truce or covenant.”
In the morning, al-Abbas brought Abu Sufyan before the Prophet (a.s.) who said to him, “What, O Abu Sufyan! Is it not time for you to know that there is no god but Allah?”
Abu Sufyan said, “May my father and mother die for you! How patient, how generous, and how kind to kin you are! By Allah, I think that if there was with Allah anyone other than Him, he would suffice me.”
The Prophet (a.s.) said to him leniently, “O Abu Sufyan, is it not time for you to know that I am the messenger of Allah?”
Abu Sufyan said, “May my father and mother die for you! How patient, how generous, and how kind to kin you are! As for this, there is something in my soul about it until now.”
Al-Abbas said to him, “Woe unto you, O Abu Sufyan! Be Muslim and bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah before you are beheaded.”
This villain found no way except to claim his faith in Islam unwillingly and for fear of the sword while his heart was still full of disbelief and hypocrisy.
The Prophet asked his uncle al-Abbas to hold back Abu Sufyan in the valley until the soldiers of Allah would pass by him so that he would warn Quraysh of standing against the Muslim army to avoid blood-shedding.
Troops after troops passed by Abu Sufyan carrying the banners of definite victory. Whenever a troop passed by him, he asked al-Abbas which tribe they were and he answered him. There, Abu Sufyan declared his astonishment and disability to stand against such an army. He said, “No one has ability or power to stand against these…today the authority of your nephew has become so great.”
Al-Abbas replied to him, “O Abu Sufyan, it is the prophethood.”
Abu Sufyan said mockingly, “Yes, then!” This ignorant man did not perceive prophethood, but he just perceived authority and rule.
The Prophet’s favor to Abu Sufyan
The Prophet (a.s.) was kind to Abu Sufyan though he was his bitterest enemy and it was he who had led the tribes and armies to fight against him since the beginning of the mission. He accepted his false faith in Islam and showed him an example of the mercy of Islam and its great values and principles.
Al-Abbas asked the Prophet (a.s.) to do a favor to Abu Sufyan because he loved pride. He said to him, “O messenger of Allah, Abu Sufyan is a man that loves pride; therefore, give to him something.”
The Prophet (a.s.) said, “Yes, whoever (from the people of Mecca) enters the house of Abu Sufyan shall be safe, whoever closes his door (remains inside his house) shall be safe, and whoever enters the mosque (the Kaaba) shall be safe…”
The Prophet (a.s.) gave a general amnesty to Quraysh and all the people of Mecca. Such amnesty has never taken place in the history of all wars at all. The Prophet (a.s.) did all his enemies, who met him with all kinds of distresses and calamities, favors.
Abu Sufyan went back to Quraysh telling them what the Prophet (a.s.) had said to him and declaring the Prophet’s great favor to all people of Mecca who calmed down and stayed inside their houses while some others resorted to the Kaaba.
Hind, Abu Sufyan’s wife, was so angry. She encouraged the people of Quraysh to resist the Prophet (a.s.) and to kill her husband Abu Sufyan. She began enthusing the public to fight against the Prophet (a.s.) and his army, but Abu Sufyan warned them against the bad results they would face and asked them no to listen to his wife Hind, and the masses of people responded to him.
The Prophet enters Mecca
The Muslim army entered Mecca rejoicing at this great victory that came to them with no resistance or blood-shedding. The banner of Muslims was carried by Sa’d bin Ubadah who began crying out, “Today is the day of triumph. Today inviolable things shall be violated.”
When Umar bin al-Khattab heard him saying that, he went to the Prophet (a.s.) and told him about what Sa’d said. The Prophet (a.s.) ordered the banner to be taken from Sa’d and to be given to Imam Ali (a.s.) who began calling out loudly, “Today is the day of mercy. Today inviolable things shall be protected…”
All people of Quraysh felt relieved and safe. They became certain of the mercifulness of the messenger of Allah and that he would not punish them for what they had committed against him and against his followers.
The Prophet (a.s.) went to the Kaaba to offer greetings to the House of Allah, but Uthman bin Talha closed the gate before him and went up the roof of the Kaaba refusing to give him the key. Imam Ali (a.s.) followed after him, twisted his hand, and took out the key from him to give it to the Prophet (a.s.) who opened the door of the Kaaba and offered a two-rak’a prayer inside it.
Then he gave the key back to Talha saying to him, “Today is a day of piety and loyalty.”
When the Prophet (a.s.) entered the Kaaba, he, before doing everything, destroyed the idols that the tribes of Quraysh had put inside the Kaaba to worship them away from Allah. The idols that were hung on the walls of the Kaaba were about three hundred and sixty ones that every clan of the Arabs had a special idol. At the gate of the Kaaba there was the greatest idol of Quraysh ‘Hubal’ which was the idol of Abu Sufyan. The Prophet (a.s.) began stabbing this idol in its eye by his bow while saying, “The truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Surely, falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” Then, he ordered this idol to be destroyed, and this was the greatest blow that Abu Sufyan and the arrogants of Quraysh received.
The Prophet (a.s.) got on Imam Ali’s shoulders to destroy the idols, but Imam Ali (a.s.) could not get up. The Prophet (a.s.) said to him, “You cannot bear the heaviness of prophethood. Then, you get up.”
Imam Ali (a.s.) got on the Prophet’s shoulders while saying, “If I like, I shall get to the horizon of the heaven.” Then he began plucking out the idols and throwing them to the ground one after the other except one idol of the tribe of Khuza’ah which was tied with iron rods. The Prophet (a.s.) asked him to deal with it, and he began dealing with it while saying, “The truth has come and falsehood hash vanished away. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish”. Then, he could pluck it out and throw it to the ground and it was broken into pieces.
Thus, the House of Allah was purified from the idols of Quraysh at the hands of the Prophet and his brother Imam Ali (peace be on them) as idols had been destroyed before at the hand of Prophet Abraham (a.s.).
The destruction of the idols was the most painful blow to the people of Quraysh who had devoted themselves totally to them and offered precious sacrifices to them, besides that it was one of the important victories that Islam got at that period.
The Prophet’s sermon
Masses of the people of Quraysh surrounded the Prophet (a.s.) waiting impatiently for what they would receive from him; would he avenge himself and punish them severely for what they had done to him and to his followers at the beginning of the mission and later on, or he would pardon and treat them kindly?
The Prophet (a.s.) mounted the stage and addressed the attendants of Quraysh, who were all ears, saying,
“There is no god but Allah alone with no associate to Him. He has fulfilled His promise, supported His servant, and defeated the parties alone. Every exploit, (shed) blood, or property that are claimed are under my two feet except the custodianship of the House (the Kaaba) and the offering of water to the hajjis.”
He added, “O people of Quraysh, Allah has taken away from you the arrogance of the pre-Islamic era (of ignorance) and the priding on fathers. People are from Adam and Adam is from earth. (O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Surely, the noblest of you, near Allah, is the best in conduct).
O people of Quraysh, what do you think I shall do to you?”
The all cried out, “You shall do good! (you are) a noble brother and the son of a noble brother…”
Then the Prophet (a.s.) announced the general amnesty saying, “Go! You are the freed…”
It was the mercifulness of prophethood! The Prophet (a.s.) did not avenge himself on those sinful people who caused to him and to his followers all kinds of harms and troubles. He did not kill, punish, or hurt anyone of them, nor did he confiscate a bit of their properties. It was the high morals of the messenger of Allah (a.s.) that did not submit to fancy or desire.
Then Bilal, the Prophet’s caller, got upon the Kaaba and recited the Azan loudly. The arrogants of Quraysh were terrified when they heard this azan that it was like a thunderbolt over their heads. Etab bin Usayd said, “Allah has honored Usayd (Etab’s father who was dead) by not hearing this (azan) that he might hear in it what enraged him.” Al-Harith bin Hisham said, “By Allah, if I knew that he was true, I would follow him (the Prophet).” Abu Sufyan said, “I say nothing. If I speak, I shall inform about stones.’
The Prophet (a.s.) came out and said to them, “I have known what you said.” Then, he mentioned to them what they said, and they became astonished. Al-Harith and Etab said to the Prophet (a.s.), “We bear witness that you are the messenger of Allah. By Allah, there was no one with us that we might say he told you about it!”
Then, some notables from Quraysh announced their faith in Islam. Fudhalah bin Umayr was circumambulating the Kaaba while thinking with himself of killing the Prophet (a.s.). The Prophet (a.s.) came near and said to him, “Is this Fudhalah?”
Fudhalah replied, “Yes, O messenger of Allah.”
The Prophet (a.s.) asked him, “What were you thinking of with yourself?”
He said, “I was mentioning Allah.”
The Prophet (a.s.) smiled and said to him, “Ask Allah to forgive you what you have intended to do.”
The Prophet (a.s.) put his hand on Fudhala’s chest and then took it back. Fudhalah said, “By Allah, as he took back his hand from my chest, he became the most beloved one of the creatures of Allah to me.”
Safwan bin Umayyah, who was the chief of his people, wanted to run away from the Prophet (a.s.) to Yemen because he had done wrong to the Prophet (a.s.) before, but the Prophet (a.s.) pardoned him, and then he turned a Muslim.
Ibn az-Zeba’ra, the famous poet, composed a poem in which he announced his faith in Islam after seeking the Prophet’s pardon for the wrong he had done to him (the Prophet).
Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl fled to Yemen for fear of the vengeance of Muslims, for he had harmed them too much. Umm Hakeem, Ikrima’s wife, became a Muslim and she asked the Prophet (a.s.) to pardon her husband, and the Prophet (a.s.) pardoned him. She traveled to Yemen and brought him, and he announced his faith in Islam.
Mirdas had a special idol of stone called Dhamar. He worshipped it and he recommended his son Abbas to worship it too saying to him, “O my son Abbas, worship Dhamar, because he (it) benefits and harms you.” But, Abbas heard a caller crying out and scolding this idol and its followers and praising the Prophet (a.s.) and the people of mosques. He burned the idol and joined the Prophet (a.s.).
Men and women’s homage to the Prophet
The Prophet (a.s.) took the homage from men in Mecca that they would bear witness that there was no god but Allah and that Muhammad was the messenger of Allah. As homage was taken from men, it was taken from the young in order to purify their minds and souls from atheism and polytheism.
The Prophet (a.s.) also took the homage from women that they would observe the following conditions as the Prophet (a.s.) said to them:
“They (women) have paid homage to me that they would not associate anything with Allah, not steal, not commit adultery, not kill their children, not commit any vice between their hands and legs, and not disobey me.” Then, he accepted their homage.
Historians say that the Prophet (a.s.) stayed in Mecca for ten, fifteen, or eighteen days, and then he (with his army) went back to his capital Medina where he found security after hardships and sufferings.
The people of Medina were afraid that the Prophet (a.s.) might remain in Mecca and take it a capital in place of Medina, but he refuted that worry and said to them, “Allah forbid! Life is with you and death is with you.”
On the other hand, the people of Mecca asked him to stay in their town, but he refused saying, “I do not live in a place that I was driven away from.”
The Prophet (a.s.) appointed an instructor in Mecca to teach its people the rulings and teachings of Islam, lead them in prayer, solve their problems, and judge between them according to the Book and the Sunna. When Mecca was conquered, people embraced Islam groups by groups.
15. The expedition of Hunayn
The tribe of Hawazin was terribly terrified when the Prophet (a.s.) conquered Mecca and made the tribes of Quraysh submit to the authority of Islam and then masses of people turned Muslims. Malik bin Ouf, the obeyed chief of Hawazin, invited his tribe and asked some other tribes, at the head of which was the tribe of Thaqif, for support to fight the Prophet (a.s.) and his followers. He expressed to them that their tribes (polytheists and idolaters) would face great dangers if Islam would prevail. He said to them that Muhammad would march with his armies to occupy their countries. Therefore, all of them responded to him and a great force was prepared from them.
When the news of Hawazin came to the Prophet (a.s.), he sent to them Abdullah al-Aslami and ordered him to see what they had decided to do. When he went there, he knew that they had determined to wage war. He hastened back to tell the Prophet (a.s.) who marched with an army of twelve thousand warriors among whom there were men that Islam had not affected their hearts yet like Abu Sufyan and the like of him from Quraysh who just wished for loots. The Muslim army marched until it arrived in the valley of Hunayn.
The two armies clashed and it was a terrible fight that the Muslims had not taken into account. The military plan that the tribe of Hawazin had prepared was very exact. The warriors of Hawazin were distributed in all the pockets of the valley, and when the Muslims entered the valley, they (men of Hawazin) attacked them from every side while they were unaware. They were terrified and they ran away here and there. The Prophet (a.s.) began calling them to be patient and fixed. He cried out, “O people, come to me! I am the messenger of Allah, I am Muhammad the son of Abdullah.” The Prophet (a.s.) remained in the battlefield shouting at the runners away, “Whereto O people, whereto?”
It was rumored among Muslims that the Prophet (a.s.) was martyred, but there was a caller calling out, “O people of the Ansar who have protected and supported (the Prophet), O people of the Muhajireen who have paid homage (to the Prophet) under the tree, Muhammad is alive, so come on!” Then the runners away returned to surround the Prophet (a.s.) and protect him from the enemies. It was a very bitter defeat Muslims faced.
The hypocrites (among Muslims) rejoiced at this defeat of Muslims. Abu Sufyan was very delighted and he said, “Their defeat does not end until the sea.”
Shaybah bin Uthman bin Abi Talha, whose father had been killed by Muslims in the battle of Badr, was very delighted at the defeat of Muslims. He said, “Today, I get to my vengeance on Muhammad.”
Keldah bin al-Hanbal showed his great delight at the Muslims’ defeat and said, “The magic has been annulled today.”
The defeat of the polytheists
When the hearts of Muslims rose up to the throats and they were shaken severely and prevailed by fear and terror, Allah the Almighty supported his servant and messenger and granted him with victory. Seventy men from the heroes of the polytheists were killed and the rest of them ran way. The Muslim warriors followed after them and kept on killing and arresting them. And thus Allah the Almighty returned their scheme and guile against themselves.
In this fight, Imam Ali (a.s.) showed incomparable courage. Historians mentioned unanimously that he was the most courageous and most fixed in defending the Prophet (a.s.). He with some Muslims fought with great courage around the Prophet (a.s.) who was repeating his saying, “I am the Prophet with no doubt. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib. Now the battle has become fierce.” The most important role in the achievement of the victory in this battle, which was one of the fiercest battles, was Imam Ali’s.
The Holy Qur'an described the battle of Hunayn, the defeat and the fear that Muslims suffered, and then the victory obtained against the polytheists at the end. Allah has said,
(Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of Hunain, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the unbelievers. Then after this, Allah will turn (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful).
In this battle, Muslims got, as loots, twenty-two thousand camels, forty thousand sheep, and four thousand okes of silver besides six thousand prisoners of war.
Delegations from the tribe of Hawazin came to the Prophet (a.s.) begging him to give back to them what he had got in the battle. He asked them to choose either their women and children or their properties, and they chose their women and children. The Prophet (a.s.) had pity on them and so he gave to them his share of the loot and the shares of the children of Abdul Muttalib. So did the Ansar, the Muhajireen, and the Banu Sulaym, whereas other tribes did not do.
Then, the Prophet (a.s.) divided the camels and the sheep among the soldiers who crowded around him and snatched his garment. He said to them, “O people, give my garment back to me. By Allah, if I had camels and sheep as much as the trees of Tihama, I would divide them among you, and you would not find me stingy or coward.”
The Prophet (a.s.) did not give to the Ansar anything from these loots. They became angry and distressed. The Prophet (a.s.) ordered Sa’d bin Ubadah to gather the Ansar together. When they were before him, he said to them, “What about the talks that were informed to me? Had I not come to you while you were deviants, and Allah guided you by me, poor and Allah enriched you by me, and enemies to each other and He reconciled you?”
They said, “Yes by Allah, O messenger of Allah. The favor is to Allah and to His messenger.”
He said, “Do you respond to me?”
They said, “With what?”
He said, “By Allah, if you like, you can say and be truthful: you had come to us while (you were) denied but we believed you, let down but we supported you, exiled but we sheltered you, and poor but we helped you. O people of the Ansar, have you become angry for a transient pleasure of this life which some people were given to be attracted to Islam, whereas I have entrusted you to your faith in Islam? Are you not satisfied that people shall go with camels and sheep while you shall go back to your country with the messenger of Allah? By Him in Whose hand my soul is, were it not for the emigration, I would be a man from the Ansar. If people follow a way (and the Ansar follow another), I will follow the way of the Ansar…O Allah, have mercy on the Ansar, the children of the Ansar, and the children of the children of the Ansar.”
They all cried out while shedding tears, “We are satisfied with the messenger of Allah as a share and luck.”
The Ansar went back to their homeland while their souls were full of faith and satisfaction after those kind words of the Prophet (a.s.).
The Prophet (a.s.) asked about Malik bin Ouf, the obeyed leader of the tribes of Hawazin, who had run away after the battle of Hawazin. It was said to him that Malik was in at-Ta’if with the tribe of Thaqif. He said to his companions, “Tell him that if he becomes a Muslim, I will give him back his family and properties, and give him one hundred camels.” When Malik was informed of that, he slipped away from Thaqif, while they were unaware, and came to the Prophet (a.s.) and announced his faith in Islam. The Prophet (a.s.) delivered to him his family and children and one hundred camels, and made him the chief over the Muslims of his tribe.
16. The expedition of at-Ta’if
Since the beginning, the Muslims armies were full of faith and love to the martyrdom in the way of Allah. The Prophet (a.s.) determined to attack al-Ta’if which was a fortified town and was difficult to be approached or conquered, because its people shot with arrows from above the forts whoever came nearer. Therefore, the Muslims were forced to stay away. They stayed in the mosque that was built in at-Ta’if, and from there, they imposed a blockade against the forts. The blockade lasted seventeen days. The Muslims began throwing at the forts with mangonels. However, they could not break into the forts. The Prophet (a.s.) announced that he would pardon whoever would come to him from the people of at-Ta’if. Twenty men joined him, and he understood from them that there were enough supplies inside the forts which might suffice them for a long period. The Prophet (a.s.) was certain that the blockade might last long and he felt that the army wished to go back to Median; therefore, he and his army went back to Medina.
17. The expedition of Tabuk
There were no people in the Arabia except that they became certain that the Muslim government was powerful and could not be defeated. They had but two options; either to resist the Islamic power or to embrace Islam and submit to its religious and economic system.
While the Arabs were worried about the events that they would face from Islam and Muslims, the news came that the Romans had prepared an army to attack the Muslims and subjugate the countries that were under the authority of Islam. Hearing this news, the Prophet (a.s.) prepared a powerful army to attack the Romans and defeat them.
The hypocrites did not join this army and they justified that it was very hot. A Qur’anic verse was revealed concerning them reciting, (Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat. Would that they understand. Therefore, they shall laugh little and weep much as a recompense for what they earned).
The Prophet (a.s.) was informed that the hypocrites met in the house of Suwaylim the Jew. They discouraged people and incited them not to join the Muslim army. The Prophet (a.s.) sent them Talha bin Ubaydillah with some companions. Suwaylim’s house was set to fire and those in it ran away. Some hypocrites said to each other, “Do you think that the fighting against the Romans is like the fighting of the Arabs against each other? By Allah, as if we see you tomorrow tied with ropes.” They did that to discourage the believers.
From behind the unseen, the Prophet (a.s.) understood what those hypocrites said. He sent to them Ammar bin Yasir and ordered him to tell them what they had said. When Ammar went to them, they came to the Prophet (a.s.) apologizing and justifying that they just played. Then, this verse was revealed to the Prophet (a.s.), (And if you ask them, they will say: We did but talk and jest).
Imam Ali (a.s.) was with the Prophet (a.s.) in all his battles except the battle of Tabuk. The Prophet (a.s.) ordered him to remain in Medina in place of him. The hypocrites rumored that the Prophet (a.s.) did not bring Imam Ali (a.s.) with him because he hated him. Hearing this rumor, Imam Ali (a.s.) inquired about it from the Prophet (a.s.) who said, “They told but lies. I just made you my successor there. Go back to be the guardian of my family and your family. O Ali, are you not satisfied to be to me as was Aaron to Moses, except that there shall be no prophet after me?”
When the Prophet (a.s.) and his army arrived in Tabuk, Yohanna bin Ru’bah, who was from the great notables of Tabuk, came to the Prophet (a.s.) and made a truce with him and he agreed to pay the attribute to Muslims. Then, the people of other tribes came to the Prophet (a.s.), made peace with him, and agreed to pay the attribute. The Prophet (a.s.) wrote a book reading,
“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a covenant of security from Allah and Muhammad the Prophet and messenger of Allah to Yohanna bin Ru’bah and the people of Aylah and their ships and caravans in the sea and on the land. They have the protection of Allah the High and the protection of Muhammad the Prophet, so do those with them from the people of Sham, Yemen, and the people of the sea. Whoever of them commits a crime his property shall not protect his soul, and it is lawful for anyone of people who takes it. It is not permissible to prevent them from a source of water they may come to, or a way on the land and in the sea they want to follow.”
No fighting or shedding of blood took place. Then, the Prophet (a.s.) and his army went back to Medina after remaining in Tabuk about two weeks.
Three men from the famous companions of the Prophet (a.s.) did not join this army and they remained at home with no reason that might prevent them from that. They were Ka’b bin Malik, Murarah bin ar-Rabee’, and Hilal bin Umayyah. The Prophet (a.s.) ordered Muslims no to communicate with these three men. Muslims refrained from meeting and talking with them until the earth was so narrow to them in spite of its vastness. They remained inside their houses living in total loneliness. They were very distressed and regretful looking forward to the forgiveness of Allah and their repentance to be accepted by Him. They remained so for about forty days until the Prophet (a.s.) was inspired that Allah had accepted their repentance and pardoned them. Allah revealed to the Prophet (a.s.) these verses concerning them, (Certainly Allah has turned (mercifully) to the Prophet and to the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship after the hearts of a part of them were about to deviate, then He turned to them (mercifully); surely to them He is Compassionate, Merciful. And (He also turned mercifully) to the three who were left behind, until the earth became strait to them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls were also straitened to them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but towards Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him); surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful).
Imam Ali and the Sura of Bara’ah
The Prophet (a.s.) entrusted Abu Bakr to recite to the people of Mecca some verses from the Sura of Bara’ah and the teachings of Islam concerning the pilgrimage to the Kaaba. The following are some of these teachings:
1. No one naked should circumambulate the Kaaba (for the habit in the pre-Islamic era was that men circumambulated the Kaaba nakedly).
2. No one would enter the Paradise except one who believes in Allah and His messenger.
3. Whoever has a covenant with the Prophet his covenant shall be valid until its term.
4. Allah the Almighty and his messenger are free from the polytheists.
Abu Bakr set out carrying with him the message of the messenger of Allah to the people of Mecca. While Abu Bakr was on his way, the Revelation came down to the Prophet (a.s.) ordering him to entrust this task to Imam Ali (a.s.) and to depose Abu Bakr. Imam Ali (a.s.) hurried up following after Abu Bakr and he could find him in the way. He took the message from him
and went to recite it before the people of Mecca. Abu Bakr was upset and worried. He went back to Medina. When he saw the Prophet (a.s.), he wept and said to him, “O messenger of Allah, has something happened concerning me?”
The Prophet (a.s.) said to him, “Nothing has happened concerning you except good, but I have been ordered (by Allah) that no one should deliver it except me or a man from me.”
This event is one of the evidences that the Shia rely on in defending Imam Ali’s right in the caliphate after the Prophet (a.s.). They say that Abu Bakr was not well-qualified to deliver a Sura from the Qur'an to the people of Mecca, which was a simple task, so how would he be well-qualified to be the successor of the Prophet (a.s.) after his death?
Imam Ali and the conquest of Yemen
The Prophet (a.s.) sent an army under the leadership of Imam Ali (a.s.) to Yemen inviting its people either to Islam or to fighting. When Imam Ali (a.s.) arrived with his army in Yemen, he met the chiefs and the notables there and offered to them the invitation of the Prophet (a.s.) and explained to them the principles and teachings of Islam.
The people of Yemen highly admired the perfect personality of Imam Ali (a.s.) with his high morals and virtues. Therefore, they responded to him. The tribe of Hamadan, which was the biggest and most powerful tribe in Yemen, embraced Islam and became very devoted to its values. Thus, Yemen was conquered with no fighting
and it remained as a base of adherence to Imam Ali (a.s.).
The battles and the expeditions of the Prophet
The expeditions that the Prophet himself led were twenty-nine ones. Here are they:
1.Waddan 2. Al-Abwa’ 3. Buwat 4. Al-Asheerah 5. The first expedition of Badr 6. The great battle of Badr (where the heroes of Quraysh were killed) 7. Banu Sulaym 8. As-Saweeq 9. Ghatafan 10. Thi Amr 11. Bahran 12. The battle of Uhud 13. Hamra’ al-Asad 14. Banu an-Nadheer 15. That ar-Riqa’ 16. The last expedition of Badr 17. Dawmat al-Jandal 18. Al-Khandaq 19. Banu Quraydhah 20. Banu Lihyan 21. Thi Qarad 22. Banu al-Mustaliq 23. Al-Hudaybiyah 24. Khaybar 25. Umrat (minor hajj) al-Qadha’ 26. Al-Fath (the conquest of Mecca) 27. Hunayn 28. At-Ta’if 29. Tabuk.
These are all the expeditions that have been mentioned by Ibn Hisham
most of which we have discussed in the previous chapters.
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Author: Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi
