Book Review: "The Sealed Nectar" by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
The Sealed Nectar
Chapter 1: Location and Nature of Arab Tribes
The geography of the Arabian Peninsula and the history of its people, the Arabs, are briefly explained. Due to the harsh, sandy deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and links on land and at sea with most nations at the time, the land of the Arabs an economic, cultural, religious, and artistic centre of the old world whilst simultaneously maintaining complete historical independence, never being conquered by any foreigners, including its powerful, expansionist neighbours, the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires.
After this, the reader is told the Arabs have been divided into three main groups - the ancient Perishing Arabs, which not much is known about, and included nations and tribes such as the 'Ad and Thamud mentioned in the Quran; the "pure" Qahtanite Arabs, who descend from Ya'rub ibn Yashjub, and included nations and tribes such as Himyar and Kahlan; and the "Arabised" Adnanite Arabs, who descend from the the Prophet Abraham's son, the Prophet Ishmael (عليهما السلام), and included nations and tribes such as the Nabateans, Aws, Khazraj, the Quraysh, the Ghassanids, and many more. The genealogies of the Qahtanites and the Adnanites is explained some more.
After all of this listed genealogy, the author arrives at the Quraysh tribe, which came from Kinanah ibn Khuzaymah, who came from septs of Elias ibn Mudar, who came from Mudar, which came from Nizar, who came from Ma'ad, who came from Qedar, who came from the Prophet Ishmael (عليه السلام), who came from Prophet Abraham (عليه السلام). The Quraysh tribe is special in the story of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is explained in more detail later on. The Quraysh has several branches, including that of Abd Manaf ibn Qusay, which then splits into clans such as Banu Hashim, the clan of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the son of Abdullah, who was the son of Abd al-Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim.
This chapter then mentions that the children of Adnan, the patriarch of the Adnanite Arabs and a descendant of the Prophet Ishmael (عليه السلام), would migrate all over the region and settle in various places in pursuit of resources. The Quraysh would dwell in Mecca and its suburbs, in the Hijaz region of modern-day Saudi Arabia, and would remain disunited until Qusay ibn Kilab would unite them, greatly increasing their status.
I think the chapter excellently illustrates how special the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was even before being born via showing how special his people and lineage were, which is demonstrated by a quote of his mentioned in this chapter:
"God created mankind and chose me from the best whereof; He chose the tribes and selected me from the best whereof; and He chose families and selected me from the best whereof. I am the very best in person and family.
A notable part of this chapter was the mention of how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would trace his lineage up to Adnan, a descendant of Prophet Ishmael (عليه السلام) and the patriarch of the Adnanites, and then stop and not go further, saying genealogists often told lies, which shows his honest and humble nature in not exaggerating his own lineage, instead preferring to stick to that which was certain. Through all of this honouring of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the reader is prepared for the rest of the biography in which God further honours the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Chapter 2: Rulership and Princeship among the Arabs
The political situations of the Arabs before Islam are delved into. Depending on where they lived, the Arabs were ruled by either monarchies or tribal confederations. Tribal chiefs and kings mostly had the same dictatorial powers
In Hijaz, the Prophet Ishmael (عليه السلام) had authority over Mecca. After his death, leadership would pass along a bit to the Jurhum tribe. Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar II invaded the Arabs twice, with the Adnanites fleeing to Yemen and Burmia an-Nabi fleeing with Ma'ad, a direct ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, to Syria after the Babylonians' second invasion. When Ma'ad returned to Mecca, he married Mu'ana, the daughter of Jursham ibn Jalhamah, and had a son with her named Nizar. Over time, the Jurhum greedily mismanaged Mecca, leading to the Adnanites allying with the Banu Khuza'a tribe to expel them, leaving leadership to the Quda'a tribal confederation. Before leaving Mecca, the Jurhum buried many valuable things in the Zamzam well and levelled it. The Banu Khuza'a were then the main ones in charge of Mecca. However, the tribes of Mudar got to control some religious matters.
During the Banu Khuza'a's reign in Mecca, the Adnanites would spread across Najd and the borders of Iraq and Bahrain, with small branches of the Quraysh tribe remaining in Mecca. A boy from the Quraysh named Qusay ibn Kilab would live near the borders of Syria with his mother and stepfather. After he grew up, he returned to Mecca and married Hobba, the daughter of Halil ibn Habsha, the ruler of Mecca, who was of the Khuza'a. The Quraysh and the Banu Khuza'a fought a war after Halil died, resulting in Qusay taking control of Mecca and the Kaaba, and the Banu Khuza'a and Banu Bakr having to leave Mecca. The reasons for this war have been disputed.
Qusay established Mecca into what could be a considered a "proto-democracy" where different clans had different responsibilities, although making important decisions was still restricted to the upper-class. After he died, followed by the death of one of his sons, Abd Manaf, there would be a brief power struggle. They decided to give some power to a son of Abd Manaf's named Hashim. Following Hashim's death, his own son Abd al-Muttalib would inherit his responsibilities. Abd al-Muttalib would later go on to be the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ paternal grandfather. Until the rise of Islam, however, Abd al-Muttalib's responsibilities would instead be managed by his sons, such as one named Abbas.
Over in modern-day Iran, when the Persians united, they would rule neighbouring lands such as Iraq until Alexander the Great's conquest, which divided them and enabled the Arabs to take some land. Ardashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Empire, would then subdue and expel the Arabs, but relied on them as proxies against the Byzantine Empire, stationing a Persian battalion under the command of King Juzaima in the city of Al-Hira, to control rebellious Arabs.
Shapur I later appointed Amr ibn Adi ibn Nasr al-Lakhmi as the king of Al-Hira, with Amir ibn Hadi becoming the first king of the Lakhmids, an Arab Christian kingdom centred in Al-Hira. Under Kavad I, a new religion called Mazdakism gained prominence. The Lakhmid king, Al-Mundhir ibn Ma' as-Sama', would be deposed for refusing to convert to Mazdakism. When Khosrow I took power, Mazdakism was suppressed, and Al-Mundhir was restored to the throne. His descendants ruled until An-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir, who would later be imprisoned on Khosrow II's orders and replaced with Iyas ibn Qabisa at-Ta'i as the king of Al-Hira. Prior to imprisonment, the deposed An-Nu'man III had hid his family and wealth with Hani ibn Masud, chief of the Arab Banu Bakr tribe's Banu Shayban. When Iyas went to take An-Nu'man III's family and wealth from Hani ibn Masud, Hani refused, leading to the Battle of Dhi Qar, where for the first time, the Arabs decisively devastated the Sasanians.
As mentioned earlier, the Persians had expelled Arabs of the Quda'a into Syria. The Byzantines would use these Syrian Arabs to counter Bedouin raiders and the Sasanians, and would grant autonomy to these Arabs for a while. Their authority came to an end after the victories of the Ghassanids, an Arab Christian kingdom rivalling the Lakhmids, who would act as proxy rulers over the Syrian Arabs of Quda'a.
Yemen's ancient history saw kingdoms, such as the aforementioned Himyarites, whose Jewish king Dhu Nuwas persecuted Christians. Due to this, the Byzantines would help the Aksumites of Ethiopia conquer Yemen again after they had previously conquered parts of it, with occupied Yemen being briefly ruled by Eriat. Eriat would be assassinated by army leader Abraha, who would take many soldiers and elephants to enviously destroy the Kaaba, a religious structure in Mecca, ultimately failing and having the fates of him and his army described in Surat al-Fil, a chapter of the Quran:
"Have you not seen, [O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,] how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant? Did He not frustrate their scheme? For He sent against them flocks of birds that pelted them with stones of baked clay, leaving them like chewed up straw."
Then, the Yemenites, with Sasanian support, expelled the Aksumites. The Sasanians used the region as a proxy against Byzantium. The new king, Ma'dikarib ibn Saif Dhu Yazan al-Himyari, was assassinated, and Yemen became a Sasanian colony until the spread of Islam.
From this chapter, I see again that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was indeed always special to the point of being honoured before even being born via his lineage, particularly by showing him being of the Arabs of Hijaz, who were respected by all other Arabs. The chapter also sets up the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the future saviour the Arabs needed, as they faced disunity and tyranny from Arab powers, and conquests and being used as proxies by non-Arab powers.
Chapter 3: Religions of the Arabs
The religious practices of the Arabs before Islam are explored. In the first few generations of their history, most Arabs worshipped God alone, just as their forefathers, the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (عليهما السلام), had done. Over time, the Arabs would forget aspects of their religion, yet still kept fundamental ones like monotheism until Banu Khuza'a tribal chief Amr ibn Luhay introduced idolatry after seeing it in a trip to Syria and returning with an idol to Mecca, placing it in the middle of the Kaaba and commanding people to worship it, eventually leading to widespread polytheism in the Hijaz. Amr ibn Luhay also invented various superstitions of Arab paganism, such as dedicating certain livestock to their idols. Aside from idolatry and sacrifices, the Arabs also partook in various other misguided practices, such as soothsaying, astrology, and the belief in ghosts, yet they again also still retained some practices of their monotheistic forefathers, such as pilgrimage to the Kaaba, which had now become a pagan shrine surrounded by 360 idols, and worshipping God, Who was now interpreted as the centre of the pagan pantheon.
Other religions aside from local paganism managed to enter Arabia, such as Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and a mysterious lost religion called Sabianism. Waves of Palestinian Jews would migrate to the Hijaz after Neo-Babylonian and Roman oppression and occupation of Palestine, establishing villages and castles which up to twenty Jewish tribes would live in. Abu Karib, the father of the aforementioned Dhu Nuwas, would bring Judaism to Yemen after converting to it in Yathrib, a Hijazi Jewish city.
Christianity would enter Arabia via the Aksumites and the Byzantines. After entering Yemen during the reign of Dhu Nuwas, they would spread their religion and even make a church to rival the Kaaba, although it did not gain enough pilgrims and Aksumite general Abraha would unsuccessfully attempt to destroy the Kaaba in Mecca, which was mentioned earlier in this review. The missionary Phemion would travel to the Arab city Najran and convince its pagan population to convert to Christianity through his noble character. Over time, some other Arab tribes would become Christians, particularly the tribes bordering the Byzantine Empire.
Zoroastrianism was the religion of the Sasanian Empire, and therefore of many Arabs close to the Sasanians, such as those in Persia, Iraq, Bahrain, Al-Ahsa, and probably Yemen. The mysterious Sabian religion was practised in Chaldea, Syria, and Yemen, although eventually lost its followers to Judaism and Christianity.
What is observed from all of this is that despite the Arabs thinking of themselves as prioritising religion deeply, they in fact could not care any less about it before Islam. Paganism was rife with superstition and was very detached from its pure, Abrahamic roots; Judaism started giving more and more authority to its rabbis to the point its adherents eventually placed securing wealth and power above all else; and Christianity lost itself to polytheistic influence and became much harder to understand. Like the previous chapter, this one shows how the Arabs were in a slump and in desperate need for a saviour who would help people not only politically but also religiously. That saviour, as will soon be revealed, would be the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. I personally find Arab paganism to be interesting, but also way too superstitious for the good of the Arabs. I wonder how Arab Zoroastrianism differed from Persian Zoroastrianism.
Chapter 4: Aspects of Pre-Islamic Arabian Society
The Arabs' social, economic, and ethical lives are explained. Arabian society was hierarchical and wholly patriarchal, although the women of the elite upper-class enjoyed great honour to the point blood was shed over them and they could be used as political tools.
However, for women outside of nobility, society did not value them as much. Prostitution and even cuckoldry were so rampant among the lower ranks of society that some men used to have their wives impregnated by noblemen in order to conceive "nobler" children. The women of enemy factions were seen as war trophies, and even though men could marry as many women as they wanted at a time, they were also mostly the only ones capable of divorce. Nearly every social class would see shameless adultery. Although many Arabs treasured their children, particularly their sons, others would bury their baby daughters alive, out of misogyny and fear of poverty. Essentially, Arabian women before Islam were simply property.
Arabs held great pride in their blood. Society was so heavily built off loyalty to one's blood that one would always side with their family, even if they were oppressors. Tribes would constantly wage bloody wars against each other despite sharing the same ancestry. Due to this, tribes often had shaky relations with each other, although religious and some political motives brokered uneasy alliances.
In Arabia, trade sustained the needs of the Arabs, as industry was mostly based out of the Hijaz, although some agriculture was practised. Trading caravans could not be done so regularly, though, out of fear of raids from those not allied with one's tribe. As a result, poverty and hunger plagued Arab society.
Although Arab culture had many big flaws, it also had many praiseworthy traits. Arabs were renowned to be hospitable and always reliable when it came to honouring agreements, and they were also notable for their sense of honour, honesty, justice, and perseverance, with these traits particularly noticeable in the rural Bedouin nomads.
What can be observed is that Arab society was in desperate need of reformation at the hands of, again, a foreshadowed saviour. Its superstitions and over-the-top "honour culture" held it back in many aspects, and led to an animalistic desire for constant bloodshed. At the same time, it was not totally morally bankrupt, with values of justice and determination being very prevalent, helping the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ grow up in an environment which would mould his own admirable character. I wonder how wars in Arabia aside from ones mentioned earlier affected society even in the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ own time.
Chapter 5: The Lineage and Family of Muhammad [pbuh]
Here, the biography finally starts to talk more in-depth about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, with this chapter being dedicated to his bloodline. His lineage going up to Adnan ibn Add is confirmed to be totally correct; when going from Adnan ibn Add to the Prophet Abraham (عليه السلام), it is unlikely to be totally correct; and when going from the Prophet Abraham (عليه السلام) to the Prophet Adam (عليه السلام), the first human, it definitely has some errors.
With that being said, according to The Sealed Nectar, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ father was Abdullah, whose father was Abd al-Muttalib, whose father was Hashim, whose father was Abd Manaf, whose father was Qusay, whose father was Kilab, whose father was Murrah, whose father was Ka'b, whose father was Luai, whose father was Ghalib, whose father was Fihr, whose father was Malik, whose father was An-Nadr, whose father was Kinana, whose father was Khuzayma, whose father was Elijah, whose father was Mudar, whose father was Nizar, whose father was Ma'add, whose father was Adnan, whose father was Add, whose father was Al-Humaysa, whose father was Salaman, whose father was Aws, whose father was Buz, whose father was Qamwal, whose father was Ubay, whose father was Al-Awwam, whose father was Nashid, whose father was Haza, whose father was Bildas, whose father was Yadlaf, whose father was Tabikh, whose father was Jahim, whose father was Nahish, whose father was Makhi, whose father was Aid, whose father was Abqar, whose father was Ubaid, whose father was Ad-Da'a, whose father was Hamdan, whose father was Sanbir, whose father was Yathrabi, whose father was Yahzin, whose father was Yalhan, whose father was Ar'awi, whose father was Aid, whose father was Deshan, whose father was Aisar, whose father was Afnad, whose father was Aiham, whose father was Muksar, whose father was Nahith, whose father was Zarih, whose father was Sami, whose father was Mazzi, whose father was Awda, whose father was Aram, whose father was Kedar, whose father was the Prophet Ishmael (عليه السلام), whose father was the Prophet Abraham (عليه السلام), whose father was Terah, whose father was Nahor, whose father was Serug, whose father was Reu, whose father was Peleg, whose father was Eber, whose father was Selah, whose father was Arpachshad, whose father was Shem, whose father was the Prophet Noah (عليه السلام), whose father was Lamech, whose father was Methuselah, whose father was the Prophet Enouch (عليه السلام), whose father was Jared, whose father was Mahalalel, whose father was Cainan, whose father was Enos, whose father was the Prophet Seth (عليه السلام), whose father was the Prophet Adam (عليه السلام).
Amr ibn Abd Manaf, better known as "Hashim," was the great-grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He was responsible for giving food and water to pilgrims coming to Mecca. He was a wealthy, honest man who made business trips to Syria. In the city of Yathrib, he married Salma bint Amr of the Banu Najjar tribe. While she was pregnant, he left for another trip to Syria, and on his way, he died in Gaza, modern-day Palestine, where he is buried.
Shayba ibn Hashim, better known as "Abd al-Muttalib," was the grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and was the child Salma bint Amr was carrying when Hashim died. After Hashim died, his brother Al-Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf inherited his responsibility of supplying pilgrims. When Abd al-Muttalib became a boy, Al-Muttalib came to Yathrib to take him to Mecca, to the initial disapproval of Salma bint Amr. The people in Mecca took interest in Abd al-Muttalib, and considered him Al-Muttalib's servant, hence his nickname. Abd al-Muttalib then grew up in Mecca, and would be highly admired for his honourable behaviour. Some conflict would occur over him regaining his father's responsibilities. Abd al-Muttalib would be responsible for digging up the Zamzam well to discover the treasures the Jurhum had left in it. Due to the rest of the Quraysh evacuating after hearing of Abraha's advancing army, he also was the only Quraysh member who stayed behind in Mecca and witnessed the Aksumite general's failed attempt to destroy the Kaaba.
Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib was the father of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and was one of the sons of Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim and Fatima bint Amr. He was the "favourite child," and was very honest. Abdullah was about to be slaughtered at the Kaaba as a child for a pagan sacrifice until his father was convinced by his fellow tribesmen, particularly by his brother, Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib, to not do so. Instead, a hundred camels took his place.
In Mecca, Abdullah would marry a woman named Amina bint Wahb. Amina's father, Wahb ibn Abd Manaf, was the chief of the Banu Zuhra tribe. On a business trip, Abdullah would end up dying in Yathrib at the age of 25, about two months before his pregnant wife would give birth to a boy named Muhammad ibn Abdullah ﷺ, the future final Prophet of God. Abdullah only left behind a small amount of livestock and a Ethiopian woman working as a servant named Barakah, better known "Umm Ayman," who would later be the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ nursemaid.
As I have said before, this all shows how honoured and special everything about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was. I have noticed that Hashim ibn Abd Manaf and Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib died in similar circumstances; namely, the two died during business trips while their wives were pregnant. I am also more interested in this biography now, as this means I will finally read about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself.
Chapter 6: Muhammad’s Birth and Forty Years prior to Prophethood
The birth of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is listed as happening on a Monday morning, on the ninth day of Rabi I, the third month of the Hijri calendar. On the Gregorian calendar, this is either April 20, 571 C.E, or April 22, 571 C.E. When he was born, a light came from Amina bint Wahb that "lit the palaces of Syria." Before his birth, there were some reported premonitions (although not verified by all Islamic theologians), such as mysterious damage to the Sasanian royal palace, the Zoroastrians' sacred fire dying down, and some churches collapsing. Abd al-Muttalib happily carried the baby to the Kaaba and thanked God. He named him "Muhammad," which was an uncommon name then, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was circumcised on the seventh day of his life. The Prophet Muhammad's first wet nurse was Thuwaybah, a servant of Abd al-Uzza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, a half-uncle of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who is better known as "Abu Lahab."
As urban Arabs used to send their children into the deserts to be raised by Bedouin wet nurses due to the Bedouins being physically fit and speaking eloquent Arabic, the young Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sent to one of the Banu Sa'd tribe named Halima bint Abi Dhuayb, who was married to a man named Al-Harith ibn Abd al-Uzza. Halima was the only woman who would take the young boy. At this stage of life, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would have various foster siblings. While raising the baby Muhammad ﷺ, Halima and her family would see miracles like the end of a drought. This period of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ life lasted until he was about four or five years old, and then he returned to his mother Amina. The reason Halima decided to return him early was that once, the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) came and ripped the young Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ heart out of his chest, removed a blood clot from it, washed it in a gold basin filled with water from the Zamzam well, and returned it back into his chest. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ playmates, who saw this happen, ran to tell Halima that he was murdered, only for them to come see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ doing fine after the ordeal had finished.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would stay with Amina until he was six, as Amina had died of severe illness on her way back home to Mecca from Yathrib, which she had been visiting with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Umm Ayman, and Abd al-Muttalib to see the grave of her late husband. This incident had made the young Prophet Muhammad ﷺ into an orphan. Abd al-Muttalib brought him back to Mecca and raised him from there, always valuing his grandson above his own children and knowing he would one day be destined for greatness, until Abd al-Muttalib himself died when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was eight years old. After this, it was the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ uncle, Abu Talib, who now bore the responsibility of caring for him and would remain with him for forty years. Once, when a drought occurred, the young Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (who was "as beautiful as the sun" and had a black cloud over his head) and Abu Talib prayed for rain at the Kaaba, with the rain coming and ending the drought.
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was twelve, he accompanied Abu Talib on a business trip to Syria. On its outskirts, a kind and entertaining Christian monk named Georges (often called "Bahira") saw stones and trees prostrating to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and he also saw a strange mark on the boy, which made him tell Abu Talib that Muhammad ﷺ would be a future Messenger of God and the master of all humans. Georges also told Abu Talib to immediately turn back to Mecca, for safety.
At the age of fifteen, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ witnessed tribal wars break out. In a battle, he picked up fallen arrows and hand them to his uncles. These wars would last until shortly after his prophethood began much later.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was mostly unemployed in his youth, but he sometimes herded sheep. When he was 25, he would go to Syria to work as a merchant for a wealthy woman named Khadija bint Khuwaylid (عليها السلام), who took interest in his famous honesty and kindness. After a while, Khadija (عليها السلام) noticed she became wealthier than before she had hired the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. She also considered his noble character. Khadija (عليها السلام) had rejected many marriage proposals to her from various men, and she now realised the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the man for her. She proposed to him via a friend, and soon, the two married when he was 25 and she was forty. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had all of his children with her (aside from his future son Ibrahim, عليه السلام): two sons named Al-Qasim and Abdullah, and four daughters named Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima (عليهم السلام). All of his sons died in childhood, and all of his daughters except for Fatima (عليها السلام) would die within his lifetime, although all of his daughters would later on manage to accept Islam first.
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was 35, the Quraysh began rebuilding the Kaaba for various reasons, particularly because of a flood that ruined the sanctuary. For days, the Quraysh were divided over where to place the sacred Black Stone. They decided the next to enter the area would decide its placement, and right after, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ entered and made the decision for them, being called "the Trustworthy" as he came by.
It can be generally seen that in the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ youth, he was already a role model. Even before prophethood, he was gentle, hospitable, honest, intelligent, trustworthy, well-mannered, and social; detested superstitions; and did not worship idols, drink alcohol, eat idol-dedicated meat, participate in idolatrous festivals, or talk idly. He was a family man, a businessman, and a friend. This shows how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was always a morally virtuous man who never let the constant tragic losses of his guardians hinder his character. I personally wonder how he would find entertainment, since even though he avoided any pagan activities or unproductiveness, he still remained social.
Chapter 7: In the Shade of the Message and Prophethood
When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was nearing the age of forty, he increasingly withdrew from society to reflect deeply on creation and the moral condition of his people. He often spent time in the cave of Hira on Mount An-Nour, near Mecca, particularly in the ninth Hijri month of Ramadan, taking nothing but water and porridge with him. Troubled by the idolatry and corruption around him, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sought solitude and contemplation, wishing for societal reformation. This period of isolated reflection lasted about three years and served as a divine preparation for the responsibility of prophethood and his future connection with divine revelation.
At the age of forty, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began receiving signs of prophethood through extraordinary dreams and visions that continued for six months. During Ramadan, after years of solitude and worship in the Cave of Hira, he received the first revelation of the Quran by God through the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) and was honoured with prophethood, likely on Monday, Ramadan 21, corresponding to August 10, 610 C.E. As for the incident of the first revelation itself, it happened when the angel unexpectedly came into the cave and told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to read. When he replied by saying he could not read, the angel hugged him very tightly and again instructed him to read. The angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) hugged the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ again and told him to read. When he again said he could not read, the angel hugged him a third time and then said the following Quran verses, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ fearfully repeated afterwards:
"Read, [O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,] in the Name of your Lord Who created - created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen - taught humanity what they knew not." - Surat al-'Alaq, Verses 1-5
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned to his wife, Khadija (عليها السلام), asking her to comfort him, which she did. She took him to her blind, elderly cousin, a Christian convert named Waraqah ibn Nawfal, asking him what she made of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ encounter with Gabriel (عليه السلام). Waraqah told them that Muhammad ﷺ was now a prophet who had encountered the angel God used to communicate with the Prophet Moses (عليه السلام).
To help the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ process this shock and to make him long for more revelation, God paused revelation to His newly appointed Messenger for a few days. This astonished, confused, and saddened the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ until the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) would come to reassure him that he was indeed the Messenger of God. After this, revelation would become consistent, being revealed over time in various forms over the decades, ranging from visions that could physically strain the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to Gabriel (عليه السلام) visiting him in human form or his true, angelic form After the first couple of instances of revelation, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ knew it was now time to start preaching Islam to the Quraysh, and by extension, the rest of humanity, so that they may turn back to worshipping none but God.
I think by mentioning the despair the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ felt when he did not receive revelation for some time shows us how human he was, which people with agendas against him try to obscure today. I enjoy how detailed the story of the first revelation is, and we see that his tendency to reflect and meditate were among his many admirable personal traits that prepared him for the ginormous task of prophethood.
Chapter 8: Phases and Stages of the Call
The mission of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was split between the Meccan phase, which lasted nearly thirteen years, and the Medinian phase, which lasted ten years. The Medinian phase will be explained later, but the Meccan phase is divided between the first stage, the three-year-long "secret call" stage; the second stage, from the fourth year of prophethood to the tenth year, in which the call was proclaimed in Mecca; and the third and final stage, lasting from the end of the tenth year to the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ migration to Yathrib. I have no personal thoughts at the moment due to how simplistic this chapter is.
Chapter 9: The First Stage: Strife in the Way of the Call
The aforementioned first stage of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ ministry in Mecca is discussed. This stage was clandestine, for safety. Since Mecca was the centre of idolatry in Arabia, it was imperative that this be where social reformation first took place. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would begin his mission here, preaching to those closest to him. His wife, Khadija; his cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib; his close friend, Abdullah ibn Abi Quhafa, better known as "Abu Bakr as-Siddiq;" and Zayd ibn Haritha (عليهم السلام), who was a freed slave and the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ adopted son, all accepted Islam on the first day of the call to Islam. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (عليه السلام) was energetic, zealous, wise, and wealthy, and would help spread Islam, drawing in new Muslims such as Uthman ibn Affan, Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah (عليهم السلام), all of whom would later be critical in Islamic history.
Other people who became Muslims at this time included Bilal ibn Rabah; Amir ibn Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah, better known as "Abu Ubayda;" Abu Salamah Abdullah ibn Abd al-Asad; Al-Arqam ibn Abi'l-Arqam; Uthman ibn Mazun, and his brothers, Qudamah and Abdullah; Ubayda ibn al-Harith; Sa'id ibn Zayd, and his wife, Fatima bint al-Khattab; Khabbab ibn al-Aratt; and Abdullah ibn Masud (عليهم السلام), among others.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would privately teach new Muslims about Islam. Revealed Quranic verses at this time were short and rhythmic, and concerned subjects such as Heaven, Hell, and the deceptive nature of the material world. In this stage of prophethood, things such as ritual prayer and the ablution needed before such prayers would develop.
After a while, news would begin to leak of the existence of Islam. The leaders of Mecca did not care at first, underestimating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, they soon grew anxious and monitored him more, knowing a threat to their way of life was emerging. Now, God would instruct His Messenger ﷺ to finally publicly rebuke Mecca's polytheism and to openly preach Islam, all while still sticking by the brotherly religious community he had built for years now.
I find more interest in what the later stages of prophethood will look like, though I have observed that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was selfless in allowing trustworthy companions such as Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) to also engage in spreading Islam. I also admire that God did not immediately order open preaching, instead prioritising on ministry in a safe way.
Chapter 10: The Second Phase: Open Preaching
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ followed God's orders of gathering dozens of his relatives. One of his uncles, Abu Lahab, opposed him, telling him that he was going against all Arabs, and that he would harm his own people. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ kept silent.
At a second gathering, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ delivered the clear message of praising God, affirming faith in Him, and declared that he had been sent as His Messenger to his kin and the rest of humanity. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reminded them that everyone will die, be resurrected, judged for their deeds, and rewarded with either Heaven or Hell. Abu Talib replied by saying that although he would never leave the religion of his father, he would always defend the religion of his nephew. When Abu Lahab swore to Abu Talib that this was a bad idea and that he should stop the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Abu Talib said he would defend his nephew for the rest of his life.
Once the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ secured Abu Talib's protection, he went to the hill of Safa and started calling upon various clans of the Quraysh to affirm monotheism and his prophethood, drawing crowds who kept in mind that he was always famous for being totally honest after he warned them of Hell. Abu Lahab would curse his nephew, causing God to give new revelation at this moment:
"May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and he [himself] perish..!" - Surat al-Masad, Verse 1
After this incident, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would start discrediting his tribe's idolatry, enraging his people by pointing out its uselessness. They could not comprehend being directly challenged by the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ ideological revolution. The Meccan elite decided to channel their resources into countering Islam before it could devour their beliefs, wealth, customs, and power over society. What particularly baffled them was how all of this was coming from a man known for being honest, humane, and well-mannered. They unsuccessfully tried convincing Abu Talib to intervene, and as the pilgrimage season approached, the chiefs' worries grew as they feared the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would proselytise to visiting Arab tribes. They decided to slander him and considered calling him a madman, soothsayer, or poet. They realised none of those fit the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ character, so they settled on accusing him of being a magician, which still did not fit him. Abu Lahab would often follow the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, calling him a lying apostate. But, this did not prevent people from listening to the latter and accepting Islam.
The leaders of the Quraysh would realise they could not fully stop Islam, so they unsuccessfully tried to at least quell it via mockery, bribery, backbiting, and slander. Once, they offered to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that they would worship God alone for a year in exchange for him worshipping their gods for a year, causing God to reveal the following:
"Say, [O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,] 'O you disbelievers! I do not worship what you worship, nor do you worship what I worship. I will never worship what you worship, nor will you ever worship what I worship. You have your way, and I have my way.'" - Surat al-Kafirun
After a while, a committee of notable Qurayshis would form, led by Abu Lahab and tasked with combating Islam. They decided to resort to physically persecuting new Muslims. But, they acknowledged it would be much harder to combat the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ due to his commitment and Abu Talib's protection. Since some of Abu Lahab's sons were married to some of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ daughters, the former forced his sons to divorce them. Abu Lahab would also throw rocks at the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, mock the recent death of one of his sons, throw animal entrails onto him while he would pray, and continue speaking ill of him while following him. Abu Lahab's bad-tempered wife, Arwa bint Harb (better known as "Umm Jamil") would also abuse Muslims. She would throw thorns in front of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, so that he may step on them. When God mocked her for this in the Quran by saying she will carry firewood in Hell to fuel the hellfire burning her the same way she carried thorny wood, she went out with pebbles, seeking to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, God protected His Messenger ﷺ by making him invisible to Umm Jamil at that moment.
Other notable pagans who harmed Muslims in this period include Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt, who spat in the face of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; Ubay ibn Khalaf, who blew ground bones into the face of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; Amr ibn Hisham, better known as "Abu Jahl;" and Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq, whose slander of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led to the revelation of the following Quranic verses:
"And do not obey the despicable, vain oath-taker, slanderer, gossiper, with-holder of good, transgressor, evildoer, brute, and—on top of all that—an illegitimate child." - Surat al-Qalam, Verses 10-13
However, in certain sources outside The Sealed Nectar, these verses are said to really be directed at Al-Walid ibn al-Mughira, another enemy of Islam.
Abu Jahl's hatred toward Islam and Muslims was levels above other pagans'. Once, when he saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ praying openly, he approached him to try murdering him. However, when he was right behind him, he saw a trench of fire, wings, and terror separating them, causing him to flee in terror. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later explained that if Abu Jahl had come any closer, angels would have torn him limb-by-limb right in the open. Abu Jahl would also ruthlessly beat lower-class Muslims and defame higher-class ones.
The uncle of Uthman ibn Affan (عليه السلام) would burn his nephew with fire. Mus'ab ibn Umayr (عليه السلام), who had previously lived a life of luxury, would assume a horrifying, shrivelled physical appearance due to his mother starving and expelling him. Bilal ibn Rabah (عليه السلام), an Ethiopian slave, would be beaten, starved, placed under crushing boulders, and dragged through the streets by his master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Ammar ibn Yasir and his parents (عليهم السلام) were among some of the first Muslims, and were tortured so much that Ammar's father, Yasir ibn Amir, died of sustained injuries, and his mother, Sumayya (عليهم السلام), would die after Abu Jahl impaled her with a spear. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (عليه السلام) would be pulled by his hair and neck, and forced to lay on hot coals. Some Muslims of were wrapped in raw camel skins and thrown away, and others were put in armour while on burning sands in the scorching Sun. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq would use his wealth to purchase and emancipate enslaved Muslims, like Bilal ibn Rabah and Amir ibn Fuhayra (عليهم السلام).
Due to all of this, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told early Muslims to hide their faith and to meet privately. During a gathering near Mecca, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas struck a unruly pagan trying to fight with Muslims, marking the first bloodshed in Islamic history. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would continue openly preaching, and he established the House of Al-Arqam on the hill of Safa as a secret centre to teach the Quran and safely guide Muslims.
Within a year, persecution became unbearable. Various Quranic verses would be revealed by God, instructing Muslims to flee oppression. As the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had heard of the fairness of the negus of Aksum, he had allowed some followers to seek asylum there, culminating in twelve men and four women sneaking out of Mecca and sailing for Ethiopia during nighttime. After a while, some pagans would change their minds on Islam after hearing Quranic recitations. The Muslims in Ethiopia heard this and thought all of the Quraysh had accepted Islam, so they decided to head back to Mecca, although some went back to Ethiopia on the way. When the emigrants returned to Mecca, they saw that persecution of Muslims had mostly worsened, causing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to permit a second migration to Ethiopia, with 83 men and 18-19 women migrating.
The Quraysh, opposing the idea of a Muslim safe haven, sent Amir ibn al-As and Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'a (عليهما السلام) while the two were still pagans as envoys carrying gifts to Ethiopia, to convince the negus to expel the Muslim refugees. The negus asked the Muslims to explain Islam to him, so they made Jafar ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) do so. Jafar (عليه السلام) would tell the negus that the Arabs were immoral idolaters until the honest, honorable Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught them monotheism and morals. The impressed negus asked to hear the Quran, and when he heard some verses, he and the clergy in his court were moved to tears. He noted the Prophets Muhammad and Jesus (عليهما السلام) must have been on missions from the same god, and told the envoys he would not hand over the refugees to them. The envoys desperately told the negus that Islam blasphemed against the Prophet Jesus (عليه السلام), and when the negus asked Jafar ibn Abi Talib on the Islamic view on the prophet, Jafar (عليه السلام) stated he was respected as a noble prophet, causing the negus to again defend the Muslims and send the pagan envoys back to Mecca with their gifts.
This caused the Meccan pagans to realise their fight against Islam was restricted to their city. They began conspiring again on potentially assassinating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before asking Abu Talib again to muzzle his nephew. The distressed Abu Talib told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to try toning down the message of Islam, to which he responded by saying that if they put the Sun in one of his hands and the Moon in the other in exchange for ceasing his ministry, he would still refuse. This inspired Abu Talib to double down on protecting his nephew, vowing to never abandon him. The Quraysh would later approach Abu Talib yet again, offering to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in exchange for giving a smart boy named Ammarah ibn al-Walid to Abu Talib, so that he may raise him as a son and as a replacement to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Abu Talib obviously refused.
The Quraysh elites would ramp up torturing the Muslims of Mecca, and they also returned to the idea of assassinating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Utaybah ibn Abi Lahab, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ, once beat his cousin, tore his clothes, unsuccessfully spat in his face, and declared breaking off his engagement with the Prophet Muhammad's daughter, Umm Kulthum (عليهما السلام). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded by asking God to "set one of [His] dogs on him." God would answer this prayer by causing a lion to rush like lightning to the fearful Utaybah during one of the latter's trips to Syria and eat him. Other attempts to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ include Uqba ibn Abi Muayt trampling on his neck during his prayer prostration and trying to suffocate him via wrapping his neck with a garment, and Abu Jahl trying yet again to kill the Prophet Muhammad during prostration by attempting to drop a heavy rock on his head, although he fled after see the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) in the form of a camel surrounded by canines ready to devour Abu Jahl if he came any closer. Once, some Quraysh leaders were mocking the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, causing him to tell them they would one day all be "slaughtered into pieces," horrifying them.
In the sixth year of prophethood, a major turning point came with the conversion of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام), an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. After Abu Jahl insulted and physically attacked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ near Safa, Hamza (عليه السلام) learned of the incident from a slave while returning from hunting. Furious, he confronted Abu Jahl at the Kaaba, striking him with his bow and publicly declaring that he now followed Islam. Though his initial reaction was driven by family pride and anger, Hamza later cemented a more sincere devotion to Islam, and became a powerful supporter and defender of the faith.
Another major boost to Islam came with the conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab, three days after Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib embraced Islam (عليهما السلام). He was a feared and respected man in Mecca, and a fierce opponent of Islam, though he secretly admired the Muslims' dedication, and was moved by the Quranic message. After hearing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recite the Quran, Umar (عليه السلام) was deeply affected, yet still struggled with tribal pride and the beliefs of his people. Eventually, in a rage, he set out with his sword intending to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. On the way, he learned that his own sister and brother-in-law had converted to Islam. Furious, he confronted them and struck his sister, but after seeing her bleeding and deciding to read verses from the Quran himself, his heart softened, and he became convinced of Islam's truth. Umar then went to meet the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) at Safa and publicly declared his faith. His conversion shocked Mecca, and many sought to harm him. But, allies protected him. More importantly, his acceptance of Islam gave Muslims newfound confidence and strength. Under his leadership, Muslims began worshipping openly at the Kaaba instead of hiding in secret, earning him the title of Al-Farooq ("the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood").
Shortly after the conversions of these two powerful heroes, the clouds of tyranny and oppression started to clear away, and the pagans realised there was no use in torturing Muslims. They consequently began to direct their campaign to a different course: attempting to bribe and tempt the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ out of prophethood. One day, some important Meccan men gathered in the enclosure of the Kaaba, and they sent the chief Utba ibn Rabi'a to approach the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and give him whatever worldly wealth he desired in exchange for being silent and no longer spreading Islam. Utba would tell the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that there was no other Arab who caused so much change and strife in a people. Utba offered money, power, and even mental health treatments. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ simply responded by reciting from the Quran, terrifying Utba and scurried off to inform the other Quraysh of the conversation.
Even after all of these changes, Abu Talib still feared for his nephew's safety, particularly since he had witnessed so much effort put into attempting to kill the latter. Abu Talib recognised that if gone on for longer, this would culminate in a plot to publicly kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. So, he gathered the clans of Banu Hashim and the Banu'l-Muttalib and instructed them all to defend the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at all costs, to which all clan members except for Abu Lahab agreed to, regardless of if they were Muslims or not.
This chapter was very long, but it demonstrated the admirably high resilience of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his followers. Countless instances of mockery, blasphemy, torture, murder, assassination attempts, displacement, and bribery did absolutely nothing to diminish the growth of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ refusing offers to be made the wealthy king of the Arabs in exchange for giving up Islam reminded me of the Biblical narrative of Satan unsuccessfully offering authority over all kingdoms of the world to the Prophet Jesus (عليه السلام) in exchange for devil-worship. I also admire how countless then-non-Muslims, such as Abu Talib, the negus of Ethiopia, Banu Hashim, and Banu'l-Muttalib offered unwavering protection of Muslims. Additionally, I admire how whilst the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was generally a very kind man, he also demonstrated the ability to terrify oppressors when needed, like when his prayer led to a lion eating a pagan to him telling the leaders of the Quraysh tribe to their faces that they would one day end up in pieces.
Chapter 11: General Social Boycott
The conversions of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Umar ibn al-Khattab (عليهما السلام) to Islam, The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ refusal to compromise, and the alliance between Banu Hashim and Banu'l-Muttalib to protect him all strengthened Islam greatly. Pagans were frustrated and feared that killing him would lead to deadly tribal conflict, so they looked toward other unjust strategies besides considering assassination.
The Quraysh chiefs met at Wadi'l-Muhassab, and agreed to boycott Banu Hashim and Banu'l-Muttalib. They stopped all trade, marriage, and social contact with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his followers until he was handed over to be killed. The boycott agreement was written by Bagheed ibn Amir and hung inside the Kaaba. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later prayed against Bagheed, leading to the latter's hand becoming paralysed.
Abu Talib moved Banu Hashim and Banu'l-Muttalib to the Shi'b of Abu Talib, a valley near Mecca, where they remained under siege for three years from the seventh to the tenth year of the prophetic mission. The boycott caused severe hunger and hardship, as the Quraysh blocked food supplies and bought up goods to prevent them from reaching Muslims. Those in confinement survived on leaves and animal skins, and the cries of hungry children could be heard regularly. Only small amounts of food were secretly brought in by sympathetic Meccans. Even in the "sacred months," food prices were raised, to make survival more difficult.
Hakim ibn Hizam once tried to secretly deliver wheat to his aunt, Khadija (عليها السلام), when Abu Jahl tried to stop him. With the help of the noble pagan chief Abu'l-Bakhtari ibn Hisham, he was able to continue. Abu Talib remained deeply concerned for his nephew's safety, often moving him to different sleeping places at night to protect him from possible assassination attempts.
Despite all of this, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ resolve never wavered. He continued to openly pray at the Kaaba and preach to people coming to Mecca for business or pilgrimage. After three years, the boycott caused divisions among the Quraysh, as many still had familial ties with Banu Hashim. In the tenth year of the prophetic mission, Hisham ibn Amr encouraged Zuhair ibn Abi Umayyah to help end the unjust blockade. With Mutim ibn Adi, Abu'l-Bakhtari, and Zama ibn al-Aswad, they cancelled the pact. Abu Talib told the Quraysh chiefs that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was told by God that termites had eaten the boycott document, leaving only the words containing the name of God. Abu Talib declared that if this proved false, he would hand the over to them, but if it was true, the boycott must end. The chiefs agreed, and when Mutim ibn Adi examined the parchment, he found termites had destroyed it all except for the parts bearing God's name. The boycott was abrogated, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and others were permitted to leave the Shi'b and return home.
From this social boycott, I notice the Muslims, particularly the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, were very resilient and hardworking, being able to continue spreading their faith while besieged by their own tribe. I also notice the pagans were evil for starving and isolating their fellow tribesmen just for believing in one god, and that they were extremely stubborn due to rejecting the termites, a visible and tangible miracle.
Chapter 12: The Final Phase of the Diplomacy of Negotiation
After the boycott ended, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ continued preaching Islam and the Quraysh continued persecuting Muslims. Abu Talib, weakened by age and hardship, became seriously ill. Fearing criticism from other Arab tribes if they harmed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ after Abu Talib's death, the tribal chiefs sought another negotiation.
A delegation including Utba ibn Rabi'a, Shayba ibn Rabi'a, Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (عليه السلام) met Abu Talib and proposed mutual compromise, saying if he stopped the Muslims from interfering with paganism, the pagans would stop interfering with Islam. Abu Talib informed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of this, who replied that he only asked them to accept one statement that would give them leadership over both the Arabs and the non-Arabs: to testify that there is no god but God. The Quraysh were shocked and mocked the message, refusing to abandon their traditional gods. They left convinced the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would never compromise, and resolved to continue following the religion of their ancestors.
There is not much to say about this chapter. It cements the determination and dedication of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to God, and the stubborn nature of the Qurayshite pagans in not accepting a clearly unstoppable Messenger of God.
Chapter 13: The Year of Grief
Eventually, the ill Abu Talib died. When he was on his deathbed, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Abu Jahl, and Umayyah ibn Khalaf were all in the room. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ repeatedly begged him to accept Islam in his final moments. However, Abu Jahl and Umayyah requested Abu Talib to instead stick to the pagan religion of his father, Abd al-Muttalib, and ultimately, Abu Talib did. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later said that although Abu Talib would go to Hell for dying a disbeliever, his fervent defence of Islam would put him in a "shallow fire that rises up only to his knees," being the only thing preventing him from entering Hell's abyss.
Not long after, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ wife, Khadija (عليها السلام), would also pass away, when she was 65 and her husband was 50. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later said the following regarding her:
"She believed in me when none else did. She embraced Islam when people disbelieved me. And she helped and comforted me in her person and wealth when there was none else to lend me a helping hand. I had children from her only."
The angel Gabriel (عليه السلام) would also come to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and tell him:
"God's Messenger, lo. Khadija is coming to you with a vessel of seasoned food or drink. When she comes to you, offer her greetings from her Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, and on my behalf and give her glad tidings of a palace of jewels in Heaven wherein there is no noise and no toil."
After these two painful events, the Meccans now openly declared their campaign of torture and oppression. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lost all hope of guiding his people, so he set out for the city of Taif seeking a supportive atmosphere. He was disappointed there, too, sustaining unbearable torment far worse than that in his native city.
His companions were on equal footing, oppressed to such an extent that his closest friend, Abu Bakr (عليه السلام), fled from Mecca and nearly left for Ethiopia until the chief Ibn ad-Dughna dissuaded him and brought him back to Mecca under his protection.
The death of Abu Talib rendered the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ vulnerable, and the pagans took advantage, translating their Islamophobia into terms of oppression and physical torture. Once, an idolater threw sand on the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ head. When he arrived home, a daughter of his washed the sand away and wept. He told her, "Do not weep, my daughter. Verily, God will protect your father."
The death of Khadijah (عليها السلام) left the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lonely. The name of Sawda bint Zam'a was suggested to him for marriage, which he accepted. She was an early Muslim convert who suffered many hardships for the sake of Islam. During the return to Mecca after the second emigration to Ethiopia, her first husband, As-Sakran ibn Amr (عليه السلام), died, leaving her in a terrible state of destitution. Sawda would be was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad after the death of Khadija (عليهم السلام).
Apart from the usual show of resilience by the early Muslims, another thing that can be deduced from all of this is the human side of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Nowadays, his critics tend to portray him as a heartless, evil man who felt no emotion and loved death. But, looking into his life, particularly the Year of Grief, it can be seen that rather, he was quite the opposite, feeling very emotional from the deaths of his family and the torment of his followers. However, again, he was determined, being able to bypass his sadness and pain by continuing to preach Islam, lead and protect the Muslim community, and live normally with the rest of his family and friends.
Chapter 14: The Third Phase: Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did his aforementioned proselytism in the city of Taif alongside Zayd ibn Haritha (عليه السلام). He stayed there for ten days, but his preaching fell on deaf ears. People hooted and hollered at him through the alleyways, and pelted him with stones. Blood flowed down his legs, and Zayd (عليه السلام) was wounded in the head after shielding him. The mob did not desist until they chased him a few miles across sandy plains to surrounding hills. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took refuge in an orchard. At a time when the whole world seemed to oppose him, he turned to God, venting to Him about his distress. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was weary and wounded, but confident of the help of his Lord:
"O God! To You alone I make complaint of my helplessness, the paucity of my resources, and my insignificance before mankind. You are the most Merciful of the merciful. You are the Lord of the helpless and the weak, O Lord of mine! Into whose hands would You abandon me: into the hands of an unsympathetic distant relative who would sullenly frown at me, or to the enemy who has been given control over my affairs? But, if Your wrath does not fall on me, there is nothing for me to worry about. I seek protection in the light of Your Countenance, which illuminates the heavens and dispels darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Your wrath, or that You should be wrathful to me. And there is no power nor resource, but Yours alone."
Seeing him in this helpless situation, Rabi'a's two wealthy sons were moved on grounds of kinship and compassion, and sent to him one of their servants, Addas (عليه السلام), with grapes. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ accepted the fruit, invoking God's name before eating. Addas (عليه السلام) was impressed, noting this invocation was not generally used by the Arabs. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked him where he came from and what religion he followed, to which Addas (عليه السلام) replied by stating he was a Christian from the city of Nineveh. The former then told him he belonged to the city of the righteous Prophet Jonah (عليه السلام). Addas (عليه السلام) anxiously asked him what he knew about the prophet, to which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ remarked: "He is my brother. He was a prophet, and so am I." Addas (عليه السلام) paid homage to him and kissed his hands. Addas' (عليه السلام) masters admonished him for this act. But, he replied: "None on the earth is better than he is. He has revealed to me a truth which only a Prophet can do." They again reprimanded him and said: "We forewarn you against the consequences of abandoning the faith of your forefathers. The religion which you profess is far better than the one you feel inclined to."
Heartbroken and depressed by Taif, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ set out on the way back to Makkah. God sent the angel Gabriel with the angel of mountains (عليهما السلام) to him. The latter asked for permission to crush and bury the city of Mecca nearby mountains, to which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ refused, stating he would rather see their descendants alive and upon Islam. He kept on travelling, reaching Wadi Nakhla. There, some demons invisible to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ accepted Islam after hearing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recite some Quranic verses.
On his way back to Mecca, Zayd asked the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) why he was returning to a city that hated him, to which he replied by saying God will always protect him and Islam. He retired to the Cave of Hira. He dispatched a man from the Banu Khuza'a tribe to Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq, asking him for protection. The latter answered that he was the Quraysh's ally, and in no position to offer protection. He sent the messenger to Suhayl ibn Amr, a Quraysh tribal chief, also asking for protection and being denied. Mut'im ibn Adi, however, volunteered to respond to the appeal for shelter. He asked his people to prepare themselves fully armed and then asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to come to the Kaaba. The latter prayed and left for his house, which was guarded. Abu Jahl later asked Mut'im about this, and was satisfied when Mut'im stated he was simply protecting a fellow tribesman, stating he would provide some protection of the Muslims for Mut'im's sake.
The time for the Arabs' pilgrimage to Mecca was approaching, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ hastened to introduce people to Islam and call upon them to embrace it. However, none of the tribes he had preached to responded positively, which did not dismay him at all. He kept on persisting in preaching, leading to some converts such as the poet Suwaid ibn as-Samit from Yathrib, who stayed for pilgrimage and converted to Islam after the Prophet Muhammad recited verses from the Quran for him in order to give him wisdom greater than advice he gave to the Prophet; Iyas ibn Mu'adh, a youth from the Banu Aws tribe of Yathrib who converted due to meeting the Prophet Muhammad after coming to Mecca to ask the Quraysh for an alliance against the Banu Khazraj tribe; Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, a man of the Banu Ghifar tribe from the suburbs of Yathrib who converted after investigating the Prophet Muhammad due to hearing of the conversions of Suwaid and Iyas; Tufayl ibn Amr, who was the chief of the Banu Daws tribe close to Yemen; and Dimad al-Azdi, a Yemenite exorcist of the Azd Shanua tribe who converted to Islam after trying to "cure" the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام) after hearing the lie of the latter being under the influence of black magic.
During this pilgrimage season, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would meet with the delegates of foreign tribes in the night, to avoid the Quraysh's attention. In the company of Ali and Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام), he talked to the Bani Dhuhl tribe, who were interested in conversion but suspended their decision. After travelling a bit, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would bump into some men from Yathrib. Around that time, the Arabs of Yathrib always heard the Jews of Yathrib claim a prophet would rise soon whom that they would follow, and that the enemies of the Jews would be smitten just as God smote ancient Arab civilisations such as Ad and Iram. After questioning the men a bit, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ found out they came from the Banu Khazraj tribe and were allied with the Jews. They were told to sit down, which they did due to the fame the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was garnering in Yathrib. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explained Islam, its implications, and its responsibilities to the men, and he also told them he was the prophet the Jews of Yathrib were threatening the Arabs of Yathrib with. The men converted to Islam and told him, "We have left our community, for no tribe is so divided by hatred and rancour as they are. God may cement our ties through you. So, let us go and invite them to this religion of yours, and if God unites them in it, no man will be dearer than you." They then returned to Yathrib and zealously preached Islam, drawing in new Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad later married Aisha, the daughter of his best friend, Abu Bakr (عليهم السلام).
After reading this all, I am happy the situation is at least a little better for the Muslims now. The part where he is refuses an angel's offer to destroy the whole city oppressing him amazed me, further showing the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ compassion, forgiveness, and patience. The story of Taif made me sad, particular since it came right after the previous chapter, but as usual, I admire how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ managed through.
Chapter 15: Al-Isra’ and Al-Mi‘raj
Although the Meccan phase of prophethood alternated between gradual success and extreme oppression, there were occasional glimpses of light and hope that culminated in the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ Night Journey, or Al-Isra', to Jerusalem, and his Ascension, or Al-Mi'raj, to Heaven.
To help the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ experience joy again, God would send a special heavenly animal called the Buraq to Mecca one night, accompanied by the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would ride the Buraq and go to the Distant Mosque in Jerusalem, Palestine. There, he saw past prophets of God who were came and went before him, and he led them in prayer.
The Prophet Muhammad, the angel Gabriel (عليهما السلام), and the Buraq then ascended to Heaven's first layer. At its gates, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked for the gates of this layer to be open, and when they were, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Adam (عليهما السلام), the first human, and saluted him. The Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw the souls of the martyrs on his right, and the souls of the wicked on his left.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's second layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the prophets Jesus and John the Baptist (عليهم السلام), and saluted them. They returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's third layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Joseph (عليهما السلام), and saluted him. He returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's fourth layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Enoch (عليهما السلام), and saluted him. He returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's fifth layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Aaron (عليهما السلام), and saluted him. He returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's sixth layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Moses (عليهما السلام), and saluted him. He returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood. The Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) would start crying, and when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked why he was crying, the former responded that it was because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would lead more of his people, the Arabs, to Islam than the Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) ever did with his people, the Israelites.
Then, they ascended to Heaven's seventh layer. There, the Prophet Muhammad saw the Prophet Abraham (عليهما السلام), and saluted him. He returned the favour, expressing faith in his prophethood. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then went to a lote tree on the boundary of the seventh heavenly layer and was shown the Frequented House, a prototype of the Kaaba that 70,000 angels frequented and worshipped at daily, just as the Arabs frequented and worshipped at the Earth's Kaaba. He then met God and conversed with Him directly, separated only by a veil of light. God here told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to make his followers pray to God 50 times a day, and as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was making his way back, the Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to ask God to reduce the number of daily prayers, to not distress Muslims, so the latter did and came back. This went on for a bit, with the Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) repeatedly telling the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to go back and ask for less prayers, to which he obliged up until God changed the number to five daily prayers. The Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to go back and ask for less, but the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ refused out of embarrassment.
Other notable events during this night included:
- The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ chest being cleft and cleansed with Zamzam water by the angel Gabriel (عليه السلام), just as he had done in the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ childhood.
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ choosing a gold cup of milk over a gold cup of wine. Choosing milk represented his pure nature. Had he chosen wine, his followers would have been misled.
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ seeing the Nile, the Euphrates, and two other rivers in Heaven. The Nile and the Euphrates represented how in the future, Islam would settle in those rivers' lands.
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ seeing Malik (عليه السلام), the stern angel guarding Hell. He saw that in Hell, those who unjustly devoured orphans' wealth were swallowing red-hot stones; those who dealt with interest-based loans were too fat to move around, so that the ancient Egyptians of the Prophet Moses' (عليه السلام) time would trod over them when they themselves would enter Hell; adulterers were eating rotten meat; and promiscuous women were hung up by their breasts.
The Meccans mocked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heavily after he returned. They asked him to describe the Distant Mosque he had never been to before, yet he shockingly described it accurately. He also described their caravans and camels in Palestine, yet they remained arrogant.
It amazed me, seeing descriptions of Heaven and Hell. I am an artist, and I would love to respectfully draw these scenes. The Night Journey shows how important Palestine is to Muslims. God's immense love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is shown, as is the connection between the latter and God's other prophets.
Chapter 16: The First ‘Aqabah Pledge
A callback from a couple of chapters ago is made, when six men from Yathrib's Banu Khazraj tribe accepted Islam in Mecca and went back to Yathrib to spread Islam. The following year, five of those men came back to Mecca with seven new men ready to accept the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a Messenger of God. They vowed they would stick to monotheism, obey him Muhammad ﷺ in every matter, and avoid theft, adultery, filicide, slander, and lying.
After this pledge, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent to Mus'ab ibn Umayr (عليه السلام), the first Muslim "ambassador," to guide and teach Islam to the people of Yathrib. He was hosted by As'ad ibn Zurarah (عليه السلام). Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to tribe.
Once, Mus'ab and As'ad (عليهما السلام) were on their way to the homes of the Banu Abd al-Ashhal and Banu Zafar, both clans of the Banu Aws tribe, when they went into the premises of Banu Zafar. There, they sat near a well, conversing with some new converts. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr (عليهما السلام), the chiefs of the two clans, heard of this. Usayd approached the Muslims with his lance, while Sa'd excused himself on grounds that As'ad (عليهم السلام) was his maternal cousin. Usayd (عليه السلام) came closer, cursing and swearing at the two men, accusing them of fooling those with weak faith, and ordering them to stop it altogether. Mus'ab (عليه السلام) calmly invited him to sit, saying, "If you are pleased with our talk, you can accept it. Should you hold it in abhorrence, you could freely immunise yourself against what you hate." Usayd (عليه السلام) accepted the offer, dropping his lance and became impressed after listening to Mus'ab (عليه السلام) recite some Quranic verses. The former asked the latter about rituals pertaining to accepting Islam, which was responded to with ablution and prayer. Usayd informed Mus'ab that if Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (عليهم السلام) converted to Islam, all of his people would follow suit. After some talking between all parties involved, Sa'd (عليه السلام) also accepted Islam, and all of his people would eventually follow suit.
Mus'ab (عليه السلام) stayed in Yathrib, guiding and preaching until all of the houses of the Ansar (the Helpers of future Muslim migrants) had Muslims. Only one family initially opposed the call of Islam, under the influence of the poet Qays ibn al-Aslat. Shortly before the approach of the pilgrimage season, Mus'ab ibn Umayr (عليه السلام) returned to Mecca, telling the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the new, fertile soil of Islam in Yathrib; its morally rich environment; and the power and immunity the city would provide to the cause of Islam.
I liked seeing Yathrib being more accepting of Islam and protecting Muslims than Mecca or Taif, and the foreshadowing to the future Hijra. I found this chapter a bit "boring," as it focuses less on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Chapter 17: The Second ‘Aqabah Pledge
In the thirteenth year of prophethood's pilgrimage season, over 70 converts from Yathrib came to perform pilgrimage in Mecca. They were thinking it was now time to protect the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instead of leaving him and his people deserted in Mecca. Shortly after arrival, they secretly contacted him and agreed to meet with him secretly at night for a few days at a hillock at a mountain pass, the last year's meeting place. These Ansar asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the principles over which they would take a pledge, to which he answered: to listen and obey in all circumstances; to spend in plenty and in scarcity; to enjoin good and forbid evil; to fear no one else's censure; and to always defend him. The Ansar agreed, and were promised Heaven while also being warned of the danger that came with associating with Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then asked the group to appoint twelve men to preach Islam to their people in Yathrib and shoulder the responsibility of implementing the pledge.
News of these meetings would be leaked by a demon inhabiting the mountains. The Quraysh heard of the pledge and knew it would greatly increase the perceived current Islamic threat. They went to the camps of Yathrib's pilgrims, and informed them of the treaty. Yathrib's pagans, led by Abdullah ibn Ubay, did not know of such a pledge, and denied it. Yathrib's Muslims were silent. After the pilgrims left, the Meccans finally connected the dots, realising such a pact indeed happened. They ran, trying to capture the pilgrims and only catching Sa'd ibn Ubadah (عليه السلام). He was tortured until Mut'im ibn Adi and Al-Harith ibn Harb rescued him.
Already, I notice via the last part that the threat of danger is back after temporary peace. Whilst appreciating that the noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his religion are doing much better now, I do hope they can find a way out of this newfound enmity from the Quraysh. Again, I notice some foreshadowing as to the future Hijra.
Chapter 18: The Vanguard of Migration
After the Second 'Aqabah Pledge and the preparation of Yathrib for Islam, plans for immigration were starting to be taken more seriously. Migration was risky, exchanging believers' wealth for a chance of safety that was not guaranteed, as they were at risk of being attacked during the journey and having their family in Mecca imprisoned. Most of the Muslims in Ethiopia would eventually come back to accompany the Meccans in their migration to Yathrib. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq would urge the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) to leave Mecca, who did not due to God not yet commanding to do so, although he was rearing some camels he had bought in anticipation for migration.
I do not have any notable original commentary on this chapter due to how short it is.
Chapter 19: In An-Nadwah (Council) House
The Qurayshite elite were alarmed by the rapid immigration of Muslims to Yathrib, fearing for their political power, economy, and trade routes to Mecca. They knew the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a strong leader supported by the loyal and devoted Muslims and the powerful Yathrib tribes of Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj. Seeing Islam as a growing threat, the pagan chiefs eventually gathered at their "parliament" to decide how to stop it.
After considering exile and imprisonment, Abu Jahl proposed assassinating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by having young men from every tribe attack him together, so responsibility would be shared and thus vengeance would be avoided. The plan was unanimously accepted, and Satan would attend the meeting as an old man to praise it.
The proposal of assassination did not shock me too much, as failed attempts at it were made multiple times earlier. However, I am shocked by how detailed this new plan sounds, and by Satan himself coming to the meeting in order to entice the people into the thought of murder.
Chapter 20: Migration of the Prophet [pbuh]
God told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of the Quraysh's plan to assassinate him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would then be instructed to avoid sleeping in his usual bed and to leave Mecca. He secretly met Abu Bakr (عليه السلام), and they prepared to flee together.
The Quraysh selected eleven men to surround the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ house and kill him at dawn. During the night, he asked Ali (عليه السلام) to sleep in his bed, assuring him of God's protection. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then quietly left the house, passing by the assassins unnoticed while reciting Quranic verses.
The Prophet Muhammad went to Abu Bakr's (عليهما السلام) house, and the two travelled south to hide in a cave on Mount Thawr, south of Mecca, rather than to Yathrib, in order to evade capture and throw off the Quraysh. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) carefully entered the cave to ensure safety, blocking holes with clothing before letting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ inside. While the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ rested his head on Abu Bakr's (عليه السلام) lap, the latter was stung by an insect, yet remained silent until his tears woke the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ applied saliva to the wound, miraculously eliminating the pain. They stayed in the cave for three nights. During this time, Abu Bakr's son, Abdullah, secretly brought news from Mecca each night, and Amir ibn Fuhayra (عليهم السلام) brought goats to provide them with milk.
Once the assassins entered the house of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, they were shocked finding Ali (عليه السلام) was the one in bed, and they brought him to the Kaaba, beat him brutally, and confined him there for an hour to unsuccessfully make him give up the locations of the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام). They went to see Asma, one of Abu Bakr's (عليهما السلام), daughters, yet also failed in getting information from her. Meccan noblemen met up to determine how to go about arresting the two men, deciding to block all routes leading out of Mecca, impose heavily armed surveillance over all potential exits, and send men and horses all over the land. Once, they reached the mouth of the cave where the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام) were hiding. When he saw the enemy at a very close distance, Abu Bakr whispered to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), telling him their pursuers could see them in the cave, to which the latter replied:
"Silence, Abu Bakr! What do you think of those two with whom the Third is God?"
The pursuers, who were only a few steps away from finding the two, gave up and left.
Abdullah ibn Urayqit, a trustworthy non-Muslim hired by Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) as a guide, reached the cave after three nights, bringing Abu Bakr's (عليه السلام) two camels. His report of the search for the noble "fugitives" slackening pleased them, and it was now time to leave. Abu Bakr offered the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) the mount, and he accepted on the condition he would pay for it himself. They took with them the bundle of food Asma bint Abi Bakr (عليها السلام) brought and departed with Amir ibn Fuhayra (عليه السلام) and Abdullah ibn Urayqit. The men travelled through many villages on their way to Yathrib. Some interesting incidents occurred on their journey:
- Once, the men could not find shelter from the scorching heat, so Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) found a little shade beside a rock. He cleaned the ground, spread his mantle for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to lie on, and went to look for food. He came across a young Bedouin shepherd, who was also seeking shelter. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) asked him for some milk and took it to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, cooled it with some water, and waited until the latter woke up and quenched his thirst.
- Whenever someone asked Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) who his honourable companion was, he would reply that he was a man who guided him on his way. The questioner would think that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a guide for navigating roads, whereas Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) meant a guide to righteousness.
- The Quraysh put a bounty of a hundred camels each on the heads of the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام), driving many to try their luck. Among the would-be bounty hunters was Suraqa ibn Malik (عليه السلام). After hearing four men had been spotted on a certain route, he secretly pursued them so that he alone would be rewarded. On the way, his horse stumbled, and he fell on the ground. As the Arabs used to do when making a decision, he drew a lot as to if he should continue the chase, finding the omens to be unfavourable. But, greed blinded him, and he resumed the chase. Once more, he met with the same fate, yet paid no heed to it. Again, he jumped onto the saddle and galloped until he came close to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Abu Bakr's (عليه السلام) heart raced, and he kept looking back whilst the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ remained steadfast and continued reciting verses of the Quran. Suraqa (عليه السلام) realised his horse constantly throwing him off was divine warning, and he begged the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for forgiveness, to which he responded by doing so and sending him back to Mecca as a Muslim.
- The party continued its journey until it reached tents belonging to a gracious woman named Umm Ma'bad (عليها السلام) who sat at her tent-door with a mat spread out for any traveller passing by. Fatigued and thirsty, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions wanted to refresh themselves with food and some milk. The lady told them the flock was out in the pasture and the goat standing nearby was almost dry. It was a dry year. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, with her permission, touched the goat's udders, saying God's Name over them, and to their great joy, plenty of milk flowed. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ first offered it to Umm Ma'bad (عليها السلام), and he shared what was left with his companions. Later on, her husband, Abu Ma'bad (عليه السلام), arrived with slender, dry goats, and was astonished to see milk in the house. She told him a blessed man passed by. He realised the man was the one whom the Quraysh were hunting, and asked her describe him fully. She gave a wonderful account of his physique and manners, which will be brought up much later on. Abu Ma'bad (عليه السلام), after listening to his wife, expressed a sincere wish to accompany the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when possible, and reiterated his admiration in poetry echoing throughout Mecca, making the people therein think there was a demon inculcating words in their ears.
- On his way to Yathrib, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ met Abu Buraydah (عليه السلام), another bounty hunter, who converted to Islam along with seventy of his men after talking with the former. He took off his turban, tied it around his lance, and took it as a banner bearing witness that the angel of security and peace had come to bring justice and fairness to the whole world.
- The men met a man named Zubayr at the head of a caravan returning from Syria. There were warm greetings, and Zubayr gave them two white garments they thankfully accepted.
The men would eventually reach their destination. As soon as the news of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ arrival began to spread, crowds came flocking out of Yathrib every morning to eagerly await his appearance until forced by the unbearable midday sun to return. One day, they went out as usual, and after a long wait and watch, they returned to Yathrib. A Jew, catching a glimpse of the travellers arriving at Quba, a village on the outskirts of Yathrib, shouted from the top of a hillock:
"O you people of Arabia! Your grandfather has come! He, whom you have been eagerly waiting for, has come!"
The Yathribite Muslims immediately rushed, holding their weapons to defend him. The joyful news spread through the city, and people marched forward to greet their noble guest. The Jews took this as an affirmation of the Old Testament:
"God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran..." - Habakkuk 3:3
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stayed with the hospitable chief of the Banu Amr tribe in Quba. In this period, the foundation of the Quba Mosque was laid. Ali (عليه السلام) hung back in Mecca for three days to return trusts to their owners on behalf of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, then migrated to Yathrib to catch up with him.
On Friday, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent for his maternal uncles to escort him and Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) to Yathrib, eventually arriving at the vale of the Banu Salim tribe and prayed there with a hundred people. The tribes from Yathrib, now renamed Al-Medina al-Munawwarah (meaning "the enlightened city;" will be referred to as Medina from here on for simplicity) raced to welcome their noble guest into their homes, and the Medinian girls chanted beautiful, welcoming words of obedience. His camel moved onward, reaching the Prophetic Mosque and kneeling down. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not dismount until it rose up again, moved on, turned back, and returned to kneel down in the same spot. Here, he alighted in a quarter inhabited by the Banu Najjar tribe he was maternally related to. His fortunate host, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (عليه السلام), stepped forward with unbounded joy for the divine blessing appropriated to him, welcoming his noble guest and soliciting him to enter his house. A few days later, there arrived one of the Prophet Muhammad's wives, Sawda (عليها السلام); two of his daughters, Fatima and Umm Kulthum (عليهما السلام); Umm Ayman and her son, Usama ibn Zayd (عليهما السلام); and members of Abu Bakr's (عليه السلام) family.
Aisha (عليها السلام) would say:
"When the Messenger of God ﷺ arrived in Medina, both Abu Bakr and Bilal fell ill. I used to attend to their needs. When the fever took firm grip of Abu Bakr, he used to recite verses of poetry that smacked of near death; Bilal, when the fit of fever alleviated, would also recite verses of poetry that pointed to clear homesickness."
She added:
"I briefed the Prophet ﷺ on their [i.e. the Medinians'] grave situation, and he replied: 'O God, we entreat You to establish in our hearts a strong love for Medina equal to that we used to have for Mecca, or even more. O God, bless and increase the wealth of Medina, and we beseech You to transmute its rotten mud into wholesome edible fat.'"
I love seeing how happy the people of Medina were to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. I also liked the connection to Habakkuk 3:3, and wonder how else the Bible plays into the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Additionally, I would have enjoyed reading about more stories of the journey to Medina.
Chapter 21: Life in Madinah
The Medinian era of prophethood can be divided into three phases:
- Trouble, discord, and obstacles from within coupled by hostility aiming total extermination of Islam. This phase ended with Hudaybiyya peace treaty.
- A truce with pagan leadership, the conquest of Mecca, and the invitation of kings beyond Arabia to Islam.
- People coming to embrace Islam in droves, tribes and other folks arriving in Medina to pay homage to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and he himself dying.
I do not have anything extra to add on.
Chapter 22: The First Phase: The Status Quo in Madinah at the Time of Emigration
Immigrating to Medina was not only for escaping persecution, but also for erecting the pillars of a new, secure society. Therefore, it was incumbent upon all capable Muslims to help build this new homeland. There was no doubt all affairs would be resolved in the hands of the noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who had to deal with problems regarding three groups of people:
- His noble Companions, who were not used to life in Medina. In Mecca, they used to strive for one corporate target, but physically, they were scattered and overpowered. Their means socially and materially fell short of establishing a new Muslim community. Now, in Medina, all life affairs rested in their hands. They could handle civilisation, construction, means of living, economics, politics, administration, war, peace, codification of the questions of the allowed and prohibited, worship, ethics, and other relevant issues. They were now fully able to erect the pillars of a new Muslim community not only different from the pre-Islamic code of life, but also from the world at large. No doubt, this daunting task took a long time in which God undertook legislation and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ handled implementation. This task constituted the greatest challenge for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Muslims in Medina consisted of the Ansar (the Helpers), who already settled in their abode, land, and wealth, and were at ease but had seeds of discord among them; and the Muhajirun (the Immigrants), a growing population of homeless, jobless, penniless emigrants from Mecca whose presence started to hinder the Medinian economy.
- The Medinian pagans, some of whom were not Islamophobic and would hear the Muslims out on Islam. Others, such as Abdullah ibn Ubay, harboured ill intent, but could not publicly declare their animosity. They would be declared "hypocrites" for feigning friendliness to the Muslims whilst secretly scheming against them.
- The Medinian Jews, who fled to the Hijaz from Syria as refugees of anti-Semitic persecution. They were Arabs in dress, language and manner of life, and some married the local Arabs. However, they retained their ethnic individualism and resisted total assimilation. They took pride in their Israelite ancestry and designated their Arab neighbours as naïve, backward brutes whom they wanted the wealth of. The Jews showed no religious zeal, doing deviant practices such as fortune-telling and sorcery. They excelled in business and charged Arabs heavily for services, using fraudulent practices on them like interest-based loans. They were also good at corrupting and scheming, enticing adjacent tribes into bloody warfare they could profit off of. The Medinian Jewish tribes themselves were the Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayza. The Jews aligned themselves against the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ simply due to him being of a different ethnicity, and were the most Islamophobic. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ first encounter with the Jews was when he met Abdullah ibn Salam (عليه السلام), their most learned rabbi, who converted to Islam.
Even with all these challenges in Medina, a few hundred kilometres away in Mecca, there still lay the Quraysh, the arch-enemies of Islam. For ten years, while at their mercy, the Muslims were subjected to all sorts of terrorism, boycotts, and harassment coupled by painstaking psychological warfare and aggressive, organised propaganda. When they immigrated to Medina, their land, wealth, and property were seized; wives detained; and the socially humble in rank brutally tortured. The Quraysh also schemed and made attempts on the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Due to their acknowledged leadership of the Arab pagans given their custodianship over the Kaaba, they spared no effort in enticing the Arabs against Medina and boycotting it socially and economically.
I greatly admire the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for going from a young orphaned shepherd to now the political and spiritual leader of a big community. I also greatly empathise with the Muslims, seeing they are now dealing with enemies in Mecca and Medina.
Chapter 23: A New Society being built
The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ first task was building a new mosque, the modern-day Prophet's Mosque, where his camel knelt earlier. The land was purchased from its two orphaned owners, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ helped with construction by asking God for success while carrying stones and bricks. The ground was cleared of rubbish, pagan graves were dug up and levelled, and trees were planted around the site. The Qibla (the direction which Muslims must pray toward) was constructed to face Jerusalem, and two beams were erected to hold up the ceiling. The mosque was square in form, each side measuring approximately a hundred yards, facing towards the north and having three gates on each of the remaining sides. Nearby, rooms reserved for the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ family were built with stones, bricks, and leaves. To the mosque's north was a place reserved for Muslims who had neither family nor home. The Adhan (the Islamic call to prayer) was initiated at this time. This mosque was not merely a locus to perform prayers, but rather, a hub of Islam where Muslims were instructed in Islamic doctrine, a place of assembly where those who conflicted with each other came to in order to come to terms, and it was the headquarters wherein Muslims affairs were administered, and consultative and executive councils held.
After the mosque's construction, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ turned his attention to cementing the ties of mutual brotherhood amongst the Muslims of Medina. A gathering of ninety men, half of whom were Emigrants and the others half Helpers, assembled in a house. If either of the two men who had been paired as "brothers" passed away, his property was inherited by his brother-in-faith.This practice continued until the Battle of Badr later on. Brotherhood in faith rejected nepotism, racism, and classism, holding that all are equal except in piety. The atmosphere of brotherhood was so strong that the wealthiest Muslims were willing to give up their property and wives to those in need.
Just as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established a code of brotherhood among Muslims, he was keen on establishing friendly relations between the Muslims and the non-Muslim tribes of Arabia. He established a treaty aiming at ruling out all pre-Islamic feuds. He was meticulous enough to not leave any area in the charter that would allow pre-Islamic traditions to sneak in and violate the new environment he wanted to establish. The new constitution included the following:
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This is a document from Muhammad, the Messenger of God, concerning Emigrants, Helpers, and those who followed and strove with them.
- They are one nation to the exclusion of other people.
- The Emigrants of Quraysh shall unite together, pay blood money among themselves, and honourably ransom their prisoners. Every tribe of the Helpers shall unite together, as they were at first, and every section among them will pay a ransom for acquitting its relative prisoners.
- Believers shall not leave anyone destitute among them by not paying his redemption money or blood money in kind.
- Whoever is rebellious or whoever seeks to spread enmity and sedition, the hand of every God-fearing Muslim shall be against him, even if he be his son.
- A believer shall not kill another believer, nor shall support a disbeliever against a believer.
- The protection of God is one and [equally] extended to the humblest of the believers.
- The believers are supported by each other.
- Whosoever of the Jews follows us shall have aid and succour; they shall not be injured, nor any enemy be aided against them.
- The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate peace shall be made when believers are fighting in the way of God. Conditions must be fair and equitable to all.
- It shall not be lawful for a believer, who holds by what is in this document and believes in God and the Day of Judgement, to help a criminal nor give him refuge. Those who give him refuge and render him help shall have the curse and anger of God on the Day of Resurrection. Their indemnity is not accepted.
- Whenever you differ about a matter, it must be referred to God and to Muhammad.
- Killing a believer deliberately with no good reason entails killing the killer unless the sponsor deems it otherwise.
This new society's pillars were erected solely through the wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He guided Muslims with various virtues, demonstrated by the following few quotes attributed to him:
- When a man asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about which merit was best, he replied, "That you provide food and extend greetings to one whom you know or do not know."
- When Abdullah ibn Salam (عليه السلام) first met the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he knew immediately he was an honest man. The latter would first say, "Extend peace greetings amongst yourselves, provide food to the needy, uphold the ties of kinship, observe prayer at night while people are asleep, then you will peacefully enter the Garden [i.e. Heaven]."
- "The Muslim is that one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe."
- "None amongst you [truly] believes until one likes for his brother that which he loves for himself."
- "He will not enter Heaven, he whose neighbour is not secure from his wrongful conduct."
- "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him, nor does he fail him. Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, God will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgement. Whosoever shields a Muslim, God will shield him on the Day of Resurrection."
- "Abusing a Muslim is an outrage, and fighting against him is disbelief."
- "To remove something harmful from the road is charity."
- "Charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire."
- "He who goes to bed full knowing that his neighbour is hungry is not a perfect believer."
- "Show mercy to people on Earth, so that God will have mercy on you in Heaven."
- "Try to avert hellfire even by half a date [in charity], if not by tendering a good word."
- "Clothing an under-clad Muslim entitles you to a garment from Heaven; feeding a hungry Muslim will make you eligible, [by God's Will,] for the fruits of Heaven; and if you provide water to a thirsty Muslim, God will provide you with a drink from the Sealed Nectar, [a pure, heavenly drink described in the Quran]."
- "The believers in their mutual love are like the human body where when the eye is in agony, the entire body feels the pain. When the head aches, all the body will suffer."
- "The bonds of brotherhood between two Muslims are like parts of a house - one part strengthens and holds the other."
- "Do not hold malice against a Muslim, do not be envious of other Muslims, and do not go against a Muslim and forsake him. O slaves of God! Be like brothers with each other. It is not violable for a Muslim to desert his brother for over three days."
The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ maximised morale among the Muslims, and established him as the ideal sociopolitical and spiritual leader. I am glad there is now peace among the Muslims, and I highly admire how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was able to rebuild a city and lead it excellently.
Chapter 24: A Cooperation and Non-Aggression Pact with the Jews
After immigrating to Medina and making sure the pillars of the new Muslim community were established on strong bases of administrative, political and ideological unity, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sought to establish clear, regular relations with non-Muslims to provide peace and prosperity to the whole world, particularly his region.
Although the Jews in the suburbs of Medina were bitter and intending evil, they did not openly display resistance, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ decided to ratify a treaty with them ensuring freedom of religion and economic rights. He did not intend to enforce severe policies like banishment or seizure of wealth. Clauses of the treaty included the following:
- The Jews of the Banu Awf tribe are one community with the believers. The Jews will profess their religion, and the Muslims theirs.
- The Jews shall be responsible for their expenditure, and the Muslims for theirs.
- If attacked by a third party, each shall come to the assistance of the other.
- Each party shall hold counsel with the other. Mutual relation shall be founded on righteousness; sin is totally excluded.
- Neither shall commit sins to the prejudice of the other.
- The wronged party shall be aided.
- The Jews shall contribute to the cost of war so long as they are fighting alongside the believers.
- Medina shall remain sacred and inviolable for all that join this treaty.
- Should any disagreement arise between the signatories to this treaty, then God, the Most High and His Messenger shall settle the dispute.
- The signatories to this treaty shall commercially boycott the Quraysh commercially and abstain from extending any support to them.
- Each shall contribute to defending Medina, in case of a foreign attack, in its respective area.
- This treaty shall not hinder either party from seeking lawful revenge.
The treaty turned Medina and its suburbs into a coalition state, with Medina proper as its capital and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as its "president." Authority lay mainly in Muslim hands. To expand the zone of peace and security, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ entered similar treaties with other tribes living around his "state."
Due to my personal interest in law and politics, I found the treaty and the transformation of the general area of Medina into a new political state to be quite intriguing. I would like to learn of the more technical, administrative aspects of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ political life.
Chapter 25: The Prophet on the Battlefield
The Quraysh, mortified at the escape of the Muslims and jealous of their growing power in Medina, closely watched the ones remaining in Mecca and heavily increased persecution. They secretly talked with Abdullah ibn Ubay, the chief of Medina's pagans. The Meccans ordered him fight or expel the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or they would exterminate his people and take his women. The embarrassed Abdullah obeyed, mobilising supporters to counter Islam. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heard of this alliance, he told Abdullah to be more thoughtful and cautioned his men against being snared into evil plots. The men gave up the idea, and whilst their chief seemingly also complied, he secretly remained an unpredictable accomplice of the enemies.
Skirmishes started to pave the way for a major confrontation between Muslims and pagans. Sa'd bin Mu'adh (عليه السلام), an outstanding Helper, announced his intention to observe pilgrimage, and headed for Makkah. There, Umayyah ibn Khalaf enabled him to observe the rituals. Abu Jahl threatened he would have killed him if he had not been with Umayyah. The fearless Sa'd (عليه السلام) challenged him to cause any trouble at the risk of cutting their caravans off.
Hostilities continued, and the Quraysh threatened to kill the Muslims in their own homeland. These were not empty threats, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received intelligence of real plots hatched by the enemies of Islam. A state of alertness was called for, and security guards were put near strategic areas until God reassured the Muslims via revelation that He would protect them.
All Muslims were targeted by wicked schemes, not just the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the Medinians provided him and his followers with refuge, the nomadic desert Bedouins began to look at them all in the same perspective, and declared all Muslims as enemies. Eventually, God permitted the Muslims to start taking up arms against the disbelievers:
"Permission [to fight back] is [hereby] granted to those being fought, for they have been wronged. God is truly Most Capable of helping them [prevail]." - Surat al-Hajj, Verse 22
Strategically, the Muslims had to seize Meccan trade routes. This could have been achieved via through non-aggression pacts with the tribes controlling them or via raiding Meccan merchants. Eventually, the first Muslim military activity would commence, consisting of reconnaissance patrols of the nearby terrain accompanied by brokering more treaties with neighbouring tribes. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered these partially to show the enemies of Islam that the Muslims had conquered their old fears, and to deter those hostile. These military missions included the following:
- The Saif al-Bahr Platoon - Ramadan 1 A.H: Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام) led thirty men to intercept Abu Jahl's caravan of three hundred men. Both signs prepared for combat after meeting until peace was brokered by a man friendly with both sides. Here, the first Muslim flag, a white flag, was used.
- Ubaydah ibn al-Harith's (عليه السلام) Expedition - Shawwal 1 A.H: Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (عليه السلام) led sixty men to intercept Sakhr "Abu Sufyan" ibn Harb's (عليه السلام) caravan of two hundred men. There was no combat, although arrows were shot. Some of Abu Sufyan's (عليه السلام) men defected to the Muslim side.
- The Al-Kharrar Expedition - Dhu'l-Qa'dah 1 A.H: Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (عليه السلام) led twenty men to intercept a Meccan caravan. When the Muslims arrived, the caravan already left.
- The Al-Abwa Patrol - Safar 2 A.H: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led seventy men to intercept a Meccan caravan. When the Muslims arrived, no caravan was found. Here, an alliance between the Muslims and the Banu Kinana tribe's Banu Damrah clan was formed.
- The Buwat Patrol - Rabi I 2 A.H: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led two hundred men to intercept Umayyah ibn Khalaf's caravan of a hundred men. When the Muslims arrived, the caravan already left.
- The First Expedition to Badr - Rabi I 2 A.H: Pagans raided Medina pastures and stole livestock. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led seventy men to chase and fight the raiders. When the Muslims arrived, the raiders left early.
- The Dhu'l-Ushairah Patrol - Jumada I-Jumada II 2.A.H: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led 150-200 men to intercept Abu Sufyan's (عليه السلام) caravan of forty men headed to Syria. When the Muslims arrived, the caravan already left. Here, an alliance between the Muslims and the Banu Mudlij tribe was formed.
- The Nakhla Raid - Rajab 2 A.H: Abdullah ibn Jahsh (عليه السلام) led twelve men to intercept Amr ibn al-Hadrami's caravan. The Muslims were hesitant, as Rajab was a "sacred month" in which war had to cease. They killed Amr and return to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with two captives and some loot. Eventually, the captives were released and bloodwit was payed to Amr's father.
The Nakhla Raid hurt the Quraysh's pride and made them realise Medina as a military threat. They knew the Muslims now controlled over 300 miles, and that their caravans were being watched. The pagans were even more determined to obliterate Islam, and would prepare for the Battle of Badr. Starting on Sha'ban 2 A.H, God would reveal various Quranic verses praising the Muslims, cursing the hypocrites, ordering just war, and changing the Qibla from Jerusalem to the Sacred Mosque's Kaaba in Mecca.
Due to having a heavy interest in topics such as warfare and military, this chapter was perfect for me. I greatly admire the Muslim choice to use asymmetric warfare. I also respect the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for protecting his people and being a competent "Swiss army knife" capable of being a social, political, spiritual, and now military leader. I greatly anticipate reading about the Battle of Badr.
Chapter 26: The Battle of Badr
When the caravan targeted in the Dhu'l-Ushairah Patrol returned from Syria, two Muslim scouts were sent to monitor. The two returned and informed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the caravan's forty men and 50,000 gold dinars. He instructed the Muslims to seize the caravan in order to make up for all the wealth they lost in Medina, and assembled an army of 300-317 poorly equipped men, seventy camels, and two horses to do so. The army was divided between two battalions, one of Helpers and one of Emigrants, and left for the town of Badr, going down Mecca's main road and stopping at the town of As-Safra'.
The scouts of Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) informed him of the Muslim army waiting to ambush him on the road he was taking, so he sent Damdam ibn Amr to frantically go to Mecca and inform the Quraysh. The Quraysh, still bitter over the Nakhla Raid, mobilised 1,300 soldiers that had all Meccan leaders save Abu Lahab and all Meccan clans save Banu Adi. They were worried of a rear attack, but Satan appeared to them in the form of Suraqa ibn Malik (عليه السلام) and assured them of safety.
As the Meccan army set out, Abu Sufyan's (عليه السلام) caravan eventually managed to evade being ambushed, making the army wish to return to Mecca. But, Abu Jahl made them continue marching to punish the Muslims and attend a festival in Badr. Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq's Banu Zuhrah clan broke off and returned home, leaving the army of now a thousand soldiers to make camp in the desert.
The Muslims received intel of an inescapable encounter with the Quraysh, who were worried of an attack on Medina, Islam's headquarters. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ discussed plans with the other army leaders. His followers pledged uncritical support, and God promised him of success, so he went with Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) as scouts. They found an old Bedouin that they earlier got the location of the Meccan army from. More scouts were sent later, and they beat two boys for information. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was angered and admonished them for this, and talked to the boys himself more gently, eventually receiving intel from them.
Rain came, cleaning Muslims and hindered pagan plans. After stopping at a spring near Badr, the Muslims would move to a well and destroy all other wells. A trellis was built to serve as a headquarters for the army and protection for its leader. Through the night, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed and his men slept. After they woke up, they were instructed to pray. Some Qurayshite men tried retrieving water from wells, and all but one were shot dead. Meccan intelligence revealed there were over three hundred Muslims without incoming reinforcements or ambushes, who were keen on fighting and not surrendering.
The two sides eventually came to face each other. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Abu Jahl both prayed for victory, and the former told his men to sparingly use arrows and avoid using swords when unnecessary. The battle started when Al-Aswad ibn Abd al-Asad, an ill-tempered pagan, swore he would drink from the Muslims' water basin, rushed ahead, and was killed by Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام). Utba ibn Rabi'a, his son Al-Walid, and his brother Shayba went out demanding bloodshed, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Ubaydah ibn al-Harith, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Hamza (عليهم السلام) to duel with them. Hamza (عليه السلام) killed Shayba, Ali (عليه السلام) killed Al-Walid, and although Utba nearly killed Ubaydah (عليه السلام), the former would be decapitated and the latter rescued by Hamza (عليه السلام), although Ubaydah (عليه السلام) would die of his wounds days later.
After a few more duels, the Meccans lost more men. Enraged, they charged ahead, but the constantly praying Muslims held their ground. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed until his cloak fell off his shoulders, and God responded by sending angels from Heaven to fight alongside the Muslims. Gabriel (عليه السلام) was riding a mare and threw gravel, sending a sandstorm to obscure enemy vision. This all struck the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with joy, and he finally gave clear plans for a counter-attack. Umayr (عليه السلام), a young Muslim eating dates, exclaimed his dates were holding him back from Heaven and then charged onto the battlefield, bravely fighting before being martyred.
Pagans were being killed and captured left and right. Satan, still disguised as Suraqa ibn Malik (عليه السلام), saw this all and cowardly ran off into the sea. Abu Jahl unsuccessfully invoked upon his goddesses for improving polytheist morale. He eventually realised his miserable situation, left alone on his horse. Abu Jahl would be attacked by two youths, bleeding out on the ground until Abdullah ibn Mas'ud came and told him:
"Have you seen how God has disgraced you?"
Abu Jahl defiantly replied by saying he was no more than one killed by his one people in battle and asked who won the battle. When told the Muslims had won, Abu Jahl referenced Abdullah's (عليه السلام) experience as a shepherd for the Meccan aristocracy:
"You have followed difficult ways, you shepherd!"
Abdullah (عليه السلام) beheaded Abu Jahl and brought his head to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who thanked God. Throughout the battle, there were several instances of devotion:
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told his army to capture and spare those of Banu Hashim who unwillingly went to Badr. A surpised Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah (عليه السلام) said, "We kill our fathers, children, brothers and members of our clan, and then come to spare Al-Abbas [ibn Abd al-Muttalib, a man from Banu Hashim specifically named]? By God, if I see him, I will surely strike him with my sword!" The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked Umar ibn al-Khattab (عليه السلام) if it was fair to kill the uncle of the Messenger of God. The angered latter threatened to kill Abu Hudhayfah (عليه السلام), who said he was just scared and felt only martyrdom could redeem him. He would be killed many years later in war.
- Abu'l-Bakhtari ibn Hisham, a tolerant pagan chief, did his best to prevent his people from killing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, he chose to fight in the Battle of Badr, so he was killed in action.
- Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf (عليه السلام) saw Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who he used to be close friends with, with his son among the captives. He threw away the armour he took as war booty and walked with them both. Bilal ibn Rabah (عليه السلام), Medina's muezzin, saw Umayyah, who was his former slave owner, which reminded him of all the torture he went through, and filled him with a desire for revenge. Abd ar-Rahman (عليه السلام) unsuccessfully tried to diffuse the situation. The Muslims gathered around and struck Umayyah and his son with swords. The helpless Abd ar-Rahman (عليه السلام), said, "May God have mercy on Bilal, for he deprived me of the spoils, and I have been stricken by the death of my two captives."
- The Battle of Badr was a moral conflict representing good versus evil. Umar (عليه السلام) spared no pagan, not even his uncle.
- Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) shouted at his son over where his wealth went and was told it was gone with the wind.
- After the battle, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ noticed Sa'd ibn ibn Mu'adh (عليه السلام), a guard of the captured enemies, hated his job. When asked why, the latter said he preferred fighting enemies over capturing them.
- When Okasha ibn Mihsan's (عليه السلام) sword broke, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave him a wooden log. When shook, it miraculously transformed into a long white sword the former would use in future battles.
- Mus'ab ibn Umayr saw his then-polytheistic brother Abu Aziz (عليهما السلام) being handcuffed by a Helper. Mus'ab (عليه السلام) told the Helper to tighten the prisoner's knot, as his mother was wealthy enough to pay ransom. Abu Aziz (عليه السلام) tried to appeal to his brother through the family ties, but the latter firmly replied brotherhood in faith was above brotherhood in blood.
- When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had pagans' corpses dropped into an empty well, Abu Hudhayfah (عليه السلام) looked sadly at his dead father, Utba. He said that although his father deserved his fate, he wished he could have converted to Islam earlier.
The battle was a Muslim victory. Fourteen of them were killed. Seventy Meccans were killed and a like number captured. Many of Islam's bitterest opponents were among those slain. Three days after the battle, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went to the well filled with enemy corpses and told them:
"What an evil tribe you were regarding your prophet. You belied me, but the others believed [me]. You let me down whilst the others supported me. You expelled me, whereas the others sheltered me."
He then stood over the corpses of dozens of Qurayshite leaders and asked:
"Would it not have been much better for you if you had obeyed God and His Messenger? Behold, we have found that our Lord’s promise do come true. Did you [also] find that the promises of your Lord came true?"
Umar (عليه السلام) asked him why he was talking to them when they could not hear him, to which he replied by saying God miraculously enabled them to temporarily hear his quips.
On the way home, the Muslims divided the spoils of war, with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taking a fifth. He then made Ali (عليه السلام) behead two violently Islamophobic prisoners, Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt and Nadr ibn al-Harith. Before Uqba was executed, he forgot his pride and asked who would look after his children, to which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded by saying Hell would.
All of the other pagans shamefully panicked to Mecca. Al-Haisaman ibn Abdullah was the first to break the news of the deaths of many notable Qurayshites to the city. After initially believing him to be insane, the Meccans were bewildered receiving confirmation of the defeat. The humiliated Meccans stopped themselves from crying simply because they did not want the Muslims to laugh at them. When Abu Lahab heard what had happened at Badr, he angrily beat a Muslim until a woman hit him over the head with a log, cracking his head and causing a septic wound that killed him a week later. His body was so smelly, his family left it in the house for a few days before reluctantly burying it.
Reactions to the battle were more diverse in Medina, a city of many ideologies and ethnicities. Jews and hypocrites spread rumours of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ dying in battle, making Muslims anxious until messengers came and announced victory, and the rest of the Muslim army followed. Many more people now accepted Islam.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed Muslim captors to treat the prisoners-of-war well. However, he did not know how to deal with them in the long-term. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) suggested using them for ransom, and Umar (عليه السلام) suggested executing them. God revealed He approved of the former's choice, so each prisoner's ransom would be set at 1,000-4,000 dirhams, and those whose families could not pay it would be tasked with teaching ten children literacy each, with them only being released once their students could read and write proficiently. Umar (عليه السلام) wanted to remove the front teeth of Suhail ibn Amr, a prominent pagan orator, to make sure he could never speak against Islam again, but the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made sure he did not.
The Battle of Badr was significant on a spiritual level, too. God used revelation pertaining to the battle to draw on major issues relating to the general implementation of Islam. He drew the attention to the Muslims' lingering moral shortcomings; wanted them to build an integrated, purified society; sent invisible angels to help fight; instructed them to turn to Him and His Messenger for help; praised Muslim qualities that led to victory; admonished the Jews, pagans, and prisoners-of-war to accept Him; clearly defined laws on war, peace, and the spoils of war that would later be used again; and finalised Ramadan as a month all must fast on.
This entire chapter felt quite "epic" to read. Due to my aforementioned love of studying warfare, this was a perfect chapter for me. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ strategic superiority is demonstrated through winning a battle with low casualties despite being vastly outnumbered. I wish to read more of his demonstration of this military genius. Additionally, I liked the heroic fighting from the other Muslims, and hearing of the deaths of tyrants I was made familiar with over past chapters.
Chapter 27: The Military Activities between Badr and Uhud
The Battle of Badr was the first proper armed encounter between the Muslims and the Quraysh, a decisive historic victory acknowledged by all Arabs, and a heavy blow to the religious and economic interests of the polytheists and the ill-intentioned Jews. Also angry were Abdullah ibn Ubay's hypocrites. The Bedouins were indifferent on matters of faith, instead opposing Islam out of fear of a powerful Muslim state ending their lifestyle of looting. As Muslims now had to beware of this new unholy alliance of four factions (pagans, Jews, hypocrites, and Bedouins), several military engagements occurred:
- The Al-Kudr Invasion - Shawwal 2 A.H: Medinian scouts reported that the Banu Salim tribe were mustering troops to invade the Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led a surprise attack on them in their own homeland, at a watering place called Al-Kudr. After the tribe heard of this, they fled early. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stayed there for three days, took their five hundred camels as booty, and distributed them among his army after taking a fifth for himself.
- The Siege of Banu Qaynuqa: Although the Muslims were careful not to breach their treaty with the Jews around Medina, the latter party continued act treacherous to the former. For example, the elderly Jew Shas ibn Qays once made a boy remind the Muslims of Banu Khazraj and Banu Aws of their old war before Islam, which enraged the tribes and nearly sprung them into a new war until the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ diffused the situation. The Medinian Jews would now be more public in their misdeeds, with the most wicked group among them being the Banu Qaynuqa tribe. They were a tribe of goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and craftsmen who had weapons all throughout their houses and an army of seven hundred men. Now that they were the first to start outright breaching the treaty, they would jeer at Muslims in bazaars and intimidate their women, and when told by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to behave, they would simply say they were master warriors who would not be messed with. This answer angered the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who took this as a declaration of war, yet he resolved to give them one more chance, which was broken when a deadly fight took place over a Jewish goldsmith sexually harassing a Muslim woman. On Saturday, 15 Shawwal 2 A.H, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led the Muslim army to besiege Banu Qaynuqa's forts for two weeks, with the men of Banu Qaynuqa eventually surrendering themselves and their wealth, weaponry, women, and children. Abdullah ibn Ubay told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to show mercy, so Banu Qaynuqa would simply be expelled to Syria after giving all of their property to the Muslims.
- The Sawiq Invasion - Dhu'l-Hijjah 2 A.H: In the aftermath of the Battle of Badr, Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) desired revenge and vowed to never bathe until attaining it. He led two hundred men on the way to Medina to do acts of piracy in the dark. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) infiltrated the city and went to see his old ally Huyayy ibn Akhtab and Sallam bin Mishkam, leaders of Medina's Jewish Banu Nadir tribe. Sallam told Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) of Medina's current situation, later, the latter sent men to raid Medina's Al-Urayd suburb. There, they burnt trees, killed two Muslims, and ran off. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent men out, yet could not catch them..
- The Dhi Amr Raid - Safar 3 A.H: Muslim intelligence reported that Banu Tha'labah and Banu Muharib tribes were preparing troops with the aim of raiding Medina's outskirts. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led 450 men to handle the situation. On their way, they captured a man who converted to Islam and acted as a guide for the army. When the enemies heard the approaching Muslims, they hurriedly disappeared into the mountains. The Muslims camped at Dhi Amr, a watering place. This was partially done to project power and show the Bedouins the Muslims' capabilities.
- Assassinating Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf: Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf was a rich and handsome poet, and the most Islamophobic Jew. His poems praised the Quraysh, mocked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and called for anti-Muslim warfare. Hearing the outcome of the Battle of Badr, he swore he would rather die. Ka'b's traitorous sonnets became so unbearable that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) to kill him. Ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) went to Ka'b under the guise of requiring a loan for charity. Ka'b initially demanded women and children as mortgage. Ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) and some helpful volunteers later killed him under the guise of giving weapons, making the terrified Jews continue faking adherence to pacts due to realising the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was unafraid to use force when needed.
- The Buhran Invasion - Rabi II 3 A.H: After hearing enemy forces were at Buhran, near Medina, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led three hundred men there. No combat happened during this patrol.
- The Al-Qarada Raid - Jumada II 3 A.H: Zayd ibn Haritha (عليه السلام) led a hundred men to intercept Safwan ibn Umayyah's (عليه السلام) caravan carrying 100,000 dirhams. They succeeded and gave a fifth of the loot to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before dividing the rest among themselves. This solidified the Islamic upper hand in the economic war on Mecca, angering the city's inhabitants and rallying them for revenge, culminating in the future Battle of Uhud.
With all due respect, these battles felt a bit more "boring" to me. However, I still greatly appreciated reading them, and was interested seeing new types of missions such as assassinations being introduced. I also like seeing that the caravan raids are finally bearing fruit.
Chapter 28: The Battle of Uhud
Ever since the disastrous defeat at Badr, Mecca was a bitter city holding itself back from lamenting its dead and ransoming its captured residents to avoid pleasing Muslims. Throughout the city, everyone desired revenge. They started planning for war, the Quraysh contracting other tribes and some Bedouins to assist them and funnelling caravan wealth into war equipment. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), one of the remaining leaders of Mecca, was the one with the most bloodlust due to losing resources in incidents like the Sawiq Invasion. At the end of the year, an army of three thousand men, three thousand camels, and fifteen women meant to entice men into fighting would form, led by Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), with Khalid ibn al-Walid and Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl (عليهما السلام) leading the cavalry.
Intelligence regarding Meccan military preparations would reach the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the Quba Mosque, who urgently went back to Medina to meet with those he trusted. All of Medina was on high alert, and all men were heavily armed even in prayer. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would have more bodyguards. Armed Medinian groups began to police the entrances and roads leading to the city for any enemy raids.
The Meccan army continued marching along the western road. When reaching Al-Abwa, Hind bint Utba, Abu Sufyan's wife (عليهما السلام), told the men to dig up the grave of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mother, though they did not, fearing retaliation. The army then followed the Wadi'l-Aqiq valley and turned right to encamp themselves at the hill of Aynin near Mount Uhud, on Friday, 6 Shawwal, 3 A.H.
Medinian scouts conveyed the news of each step of the Meccan army. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ held a military council to exchange views about the situation. He told them of a dream he had:
"By God, I have dreamt of — I implore God to be a dream of bounty — cows slaughtered, and that there was a groove at the pointed top of my sword, and that I had inserted my hand into an immune armour."
The cows were interpreted to be some of his men being killed, the groove at the pointed top of his sword was a member of his household being hurt, and the armour was Medina. He suggested his followers should encamp themselves within Medina, opining the enemies be left in the open to exhaust themselves and thus not risk a battle. If they thought of attacking Medina, Muslim men would be ready to fight them at the mouths of lanes, and Muslim women would help from over the house roofs. Abdullah ibn Ubay, the head of the hypocrites, supported this plan, not wishing to fight.
However, it was God's Will that he be disclosed and disgraced in public, for the first time. It was His Will that the curtain concealing the hypocrites' disbelief be uncovered and pulled down. God's Will enabled the Muslims to recognise the reality of the snakes creeping in their garments and in the sleeves of their clothes in one of the most critical times of their lives. Some of the most honourable Muslims who had missed fighting in the Battle of Badr suggested they go out of Medina, saying:
"O Messenger of God. For a long time, we have looked forward to this day, and we have implored God to make such a day draw near. Thanks to God, it is time to fight. So, let us go out and fight our enemies, lest they should think we have lost heart and do not dare to fight them."
Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام) was ahead of those enthusiastic who urged him to go out and meet the disbelievers. He vowed to not taste food until fighting the disbelievers outside Medina. After weighing the pros and cons of each plan, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ decided the enemies be resisted at Mount Uhud.
During the usual Friday congregational prayer, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed the men to prepare for battle, telling them God will help the steadfast. He then led the afternoon prayer and entered his house with his two closest friends, Abu Bakr and Umar (عليهما السلام). They helped him dress as he armed himself and went out to meet people impatiently waiting for him. The Muslim army mobilised here would consist of a thousand men, a hundred of whom were armoured and fifty of whom were riding horses. It was split between an Emigrant battalion, a Helper-Banu Aws battalion, and a Helper-Banu Khazraj battalion.
The Muslim army departed north, and when passing through a mountain pass, they came into a detached battalion. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked who they were, he was told they were Jewish allies of Banu Khazraj. He dismissed them back to Medina, as he did not wish to fight alongside disbelievers. When reaching a place called Ash-Shaikhan, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ dismissed his young and disabled troops, though he allowed two proficient youths to stay. As night fell upon Ash-Shaikhan, the army prayed and stayed the night there. Fifty men guarded the camp.
At the end of the night, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed at Ash-Shawt. There, he was close enough to the enemy army that they could see one another. Abdullah ibn Ubay rebelled against the Muslims, withdrawing three hundred soldiers with him under the guise of protesting his opinion being rejected earlier whilst really wanting to hinder Islam right in front of its enemies.
The Muslim army, now of seven hundred men, moved towards the enemies, whose camp blocked most roads to Mount Uhud, and to Mount Uhud via a short path bypassing them. When passing by the field of the blind hypocrite Marba' ibn Qaizi, he threw earth at their faces, so they rushed to kill him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stopped them, telling them he is blind in the heart and eyes. They went along and climbed down the hillock of Uhud at the slope of the valley. The army camped there, facing Medina with their backs turned at the hills of Mount Uhud, with the enemy in between the Muslims and Medina.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mobilised his army, arranged them into two rows to prepare them for fight, and selected fifty skilled archers to stay on a mountainside at the south bank of a valley's canal Al-Wadi, southeast of the Muslim camp at about 150 metres from the rest of the army. The archers were tasked with driving off the enemy horsemen from attacking the Muslim army's rear. They were also told to remain on the mountain no matter what happened.
With the assignment of this squad, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ blocked the only groove able to stealthily lead the idolaters to the rear of the Muslim ranks. He assigned the bravest group whose fighting spirit equalled that of thousands of men to be the army's vanguard, and assigned various figures to lead certain branches of the army. The Muslim army was thus fully mobilised on Saturday, 7 Shawwal, 3 A.H. The Muslims were forbidden to start fighting without orders from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who was wearing two armours. He urged his men to show stamina and steadfastness in fighting, emboldening them. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ held up a sharp sword and called out unto his Companions and asked who was ready to take the sword and give it its proper due. Many tried to take it. Abu Dujana Simak ibn Kharasha (عليه السلام) asked for its price, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied:
"To strike the enemies' faces with it until it bends."
Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) was a man of courage who wore a red headband whenever he was determined to fight. He accepted the price, took the sword, banded his head, and started strutting among the army, causing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to say this kind of walking is detested by God except in such a situation.
The Meccan army, primarily led by Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), mobilised in rows. He reminded them of the Battle of Badr, riling them up. Earlier, he tried convincing the Helpers to go back to Medina, but they obviously refused, their faith stronger than mountains. The two sides drew nearer, and the Quraysh attempted again at swaying the Muslims to cease fighting with the assistance of the traitorous Abd Amr "Abu Amir" ibn Sayfi. He was a leader of the Banu Aws tribe before Islam, and was called a monk due to his ascetic nature. But, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ nicknamed him the Fasiq (i.e. "the Transgressor"). Abu Amir left Medina for Mecca to rally the Quraysh against Islam and urge them to fight it early on. He claimed he was obeyed and esteemed by his people, and that as soon as they saw him come, they would join him, so he called out to his people. The Muslims replied by calling him an eyesore, and when the fighting would break out later, he fiercely pelted his tribe with rocks. Additionally, the Meccan women, led by Hind bint Utba (عليها السلام), tapped on tambourines and sung to the men to encourage them to fight.
The two parties approached and grew very close to each another. The phases of fight started. The first combatant was the pagan standard-bearer, Talha ibn Abi Talha, who was a brave fighters nicknamed the "ram of the battalion." He came forth on a camel and challenged any Muslim to a duel. Most refrained out of fear. But, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (عليه السلام) advanced, not giving the "Ram" any chance as he pounced on him like a lion on his camel's back, pulled him down to the ground, and killed him with his sword.
General engagement ensued, and fighting grew fiercer everywhere on the battlefield. The strain of the fight was centred around the standard-bearers. After the death of their leader, Talha ibn Abi Talha, the Banu Abd ad-Dar clan alternated the task. Talha's brother, Uthman, ran forward and seized the standard by his brother's corpse, chanting:
"The standard-bearer has the right to dye its shaft in blood until it be beaten in his hand."
Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام) attacked him with a blow cutting his arm and shoulder and going down to his navel, exposing his lungs. The standard was raised again by another brother, Abu Sa'd, but Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (عليه السلام) shot him with an arrow hitting his throat and making his tongue hang out breathing his last. Talha's son, Musafi', then took the standard and was shot by Asim ibn Thabit (عليه السلام). After Musafi's brother, Kilab, lifted the standard, Zubayr (عليه السلام) killed him. Another brother, Al-Jallas, took the standard before Asim and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah (عليهما السلام) stabbed him, and when Artat ibn Sharhabil took the standard, Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) killed him.
The hypocrite Quzman fought pagans fiercely on the battlefield for his own prestige, not for Islam. He killed the next three Qurayshite standard-bearers: Shurayh ibn Qariz, Abu Zayd Amr ibn Abd Manaf, and one of Artat's brothers. After the annihilation of the Banu Abd ad-Dar, a brave slave of theirs named Sawab bore the standard. He fought until losing a hand, so he knelt down, embraced the banner, and leaned it against his chest and neck, lest it fall on the ground. He then fought until death, during which he kept asking God to forgive him. Now, there were no more Meccan standard-bearers.
Combat happened everywhere else on the battlefield. The zealous Muslims rushed among the idolaters as if they were a flood outbreak destroying all dams and barriers with chants of "I seek death, I seek death," their motto in the battle. Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) came killing all pagans in his way with the sword he was given earlier, dispersing their ranks. Zubayr (عليه السلام), his cousin, noted him chanting:
"I am the one whom my intimate friend made covenant with, when we were under the palm trees on the mountain side. The covenant we made was that I should not fight at the rear, but [rather,] heroically fight at the front with the sword of God and His Messenger."
Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) drew near a pagan who was tasked with finishing off wounded Muslims. They exchanged two sword strokes, with the idolater striking the noble warrior. But, the latter escaped, and the sword pierced the former's shield. The idolater's sword now stuck in his own shield, Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) finished him off. He then went to kill someone he heard inciting the Quraysh to fight, but upon finding out it was a woman, Hind bint Utba (عليها السلام), he backed off.
Despite overwhelming odds, the gallant Hamza (عليه السلام) continued fighting. In addition to helping those annihilating enemy standard-bearers, he was even better at fighting against men of bravery and distinguished horsemen. Eventually, the then-disbelieving slave Wahshi ibn Harb (عليه السلام) would be offered freedom in exchange for striking Hamza (عليه السلام). So, the former would sneakily throw a spear through the latter's abdomen, killing the brave "Lion of God."
Regardless of this tragic loss, the brave Muslims managed to scatter enemy ranks. One of the brave men that day was Hanzala ibn Abi Amir (عليه السلام), the son of the aforementioned evil "monk," who just got married and left his wife's bed for war, not yet performing the ablution needed after sexual intercourse. He made his way through the enemies until he reached their leader, Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), nearly killing him until being martyred at the hands of Shaddad ibn al-Aswad. Hanzala (عليه السلام) would be called "the one washed by angels," as later, his corpse was seen being washed and carried to Heaven by angels.
Khalid ibn al-Walid's (عليه السلام) horsemen attacked the Muslim army's left wing three times to try entering the rear. Thanks to the mountain archers, each assault was thwarted. Combat continued with the Muslims in full control of the situation until the pagans finally retreated, their standard, dignity, and pride defeated. But, most of the mountainside archers, blinded by incoming victory, fatally left their posts to collect spoils. Khalid ibn al-Walid (عليه السلام) saw this, cut down the deserting archers, and went to the rear of the Muslim army to devastate Muslim forces, his horsemen following alongside Mecca's new standard-bearer, a woman named Umrah bint Alqama.
The horsemen encircled the Muslims, who had the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with them. He could either flee for his own life or rally his troops to retreat into the nearby hills, and the brave prophet chose the latter. Some Muslims selfishly deserted the battlefield, some were confused and killing each other due to being unable to distinguish friend from foe, and others were wholly devoted to protecting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. A rumour went around that he had been killed, crushing the morale of many. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself was with seven Helpers and two Emigrants, still being trapped by enemy soldiers. He said whoever dealt with these threats would be his companion in Heaven, and one by one, each Helper here went to fight enemies before dying.
Now that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was with only two allies and many bloodthirsty enemies, he was facing the most dangerous hour of his life. An enemy pelted him with stones, cutting his lower lip and breaking one of his lateral incisors. Another enemy attacked, wounding his forehead. A horseman hit his shoulder with a sword, and although the pain would remain there for over a month, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ armour protected him. His cheek took a blow so heavy, two iron rings from his helmet penetrated it. When wiping blood off his head, he wondered:
"How can people who cut the face of their prophet and break his incisor, he who calls them to worship God? How can such people thrive or find success?"
God later responded with a Quranic verse:
"You, [O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ] have no say in the matter. It is up to God [alone] to turn to them in mercy or punish them, for indeed, they are wrongdoers." - Surat Ali-Imran, Verse 128
Back in the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ sticky situation, he asked God to forgive his people, for they did not know what they were doing. Eventually, the would-be killers backed off because the two Emigrants with the Prophet Muhammad, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah (عليهم السلام), worked with the angels Gabriel and Michael (عليهما السلام) to defend him. The number of pagans was increasing, as were their attacks. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ fell into a hole dug by Abu Amir used as a trap, and was helped out by Ali and Talha (عليهما السلام).
Still in the Battle of Uhud did Muslims see heroism. Abu Talha al-Ansari and Abu Dujana (عليهما السلام) would protect the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with arrows. Another companion struck the head of the man who broke the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ incisor, killing him. Nusaybah "Umm Ammarah" bint Ka'b (عليها السلام) was a woman who sustained twelve wounds defending the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, going on to survive, He himself fired arrows in battle, and when Qatada ibn an-Nu'man's (عليه السلام) eye was falling out of its socket, he put it back in, miraculously making that eye see better than the other one. When the Muslim standard-bearer was killed, Ali (عليه السلام) would take up the role, going on to continue bravely fighting.
A strong urge to fall asleep afflicted the Muslim soldiers. This was God relieving the Muslims of their stress and giving them calm mentalities. After great displays bravery, the Muslims finally started to retreat into the cover of Mount Uhud, the genius of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ foiling Khalid ibn al-Walid's (عليه السلام). A pagan named Ubay ibn Khalaf was chasing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the latter was asked by his companions if they may deal with Ubay, he refused and threw a spear at Ubay, knocking him off his horse. Ubay would die of his wounds later on. Another event in the retreat was when a boulder was blocking the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Talha (عليه السلام) would lift the boulder, in return being told he was eligible for Heaven.
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ settled down in his head quarters in the hillock, the Quraysh initiated their last attack and ascending the mountain. Some Emigrants then fought the idolaters, driving them down the mountain. Being almost certain of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ death, the Meccans returned to their camp and prepared to return to Mecca. Some of them, both men and women, mutilated the deceased Muslims, cutting off the martyrs' ears, noses, and genitals, and cutting open their bellies. Hind chewed the liver of Hamza (عليهما السلام) and spat it out, finding the taste unpleasant. She also made the Muslims' ears and noses into jewellery. A stout idolatrous soldier would call for gathering up the Muslims and slaughtering them like sheep until Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) bisected him. Some Muslim women brought water to the wounded. One of the women fell down after the pagan Hibban ibn al-Arqa shot an arrow at her, her unadjusted clothing exposing her and making him laugh. The Prophet Muhammad made Sa'd (عليهما السلام) fire an arrow at Hibban's throat, exposing some of the idolater's organs as he fell down and making the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ laugh.
As the Muslims reached the defile, Ali (عليه السلام) collected water and brought it to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who had his daughter, Fatima (عليها السلام), wash blood off him with it. Muhammad ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) brought fresher water for him to drink. After the Muslims prayed and the idolaters were about to leave for Mecca, Abu Sufyan would call for the Prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Umar (عليهما السلام), who did not reply back. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) then told the Muslims the Quraysh had killed these three, angering Umar (عليه السلام) and making him argue with him. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) boasted the mutilation of the Muslims, called the day a vengeance for the Battle of Badr, and praised his gods as Umar (عليه السلام) praised God and refuted his comparison of the day to Badr:
"No, they are not the same. Our dead are in Heaven. Yours are in Hell."
Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) asked if the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ died, and when told he had not, he agreed to meet again at Badr the following year. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Ali (عليه السلام) to see where the Quraysh were headed, and he saw them heading to Mecca. The Muslims went to identify the dead and wounded. Al-Usairim (عليه السلام), a dying man, accepted Islam in his last moments, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said he would go to Heaven. On the contrary, Quzman was told by the other Muslims he was going to Heaven, but when he killed himself after bitterly stating he only fought for his own zeal, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said he would go to Hell. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called Mukhayriq ibn an-Nadir, a Jewish rabbi who died fighting alongside the Muslims, the best Jew.
The burial of the martyrs on the battlefield would begin. Unlike typical Muslim corpses, their bodies were buried directly instead of being washed first. Some graves had two or three martyrs buried together. When the Prophet Muhammad saw the body of Hamza (عليهما السلام), he was very distressed and tried sending his aunt, Safiyya bint Abd al-Muttalib (عليها السلام), away to prevent her from seeing her mutilated brother. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ followers would go on to say they had never seen him cry more than doing the burial and funeral prayer of Hamza (عليه السلام). Overall, the Muslim side lost seventy people in the Battle of Uhud, with the polytheists losing 22-37 men. The exhausted Muslims returned to Medina, guarding the city all night.
All of this greatly impressed me. I adored reading the different stories of heroism from the Muslims, as well as learning the more technical aspects of combat and preparations. I was deeply saddened at the tragic deaths and mutilation of many heroes. I observed the military genius of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in action, helping the outnumbered Muslims dominate the first half of the battle and enabling their escape in the other half without total annihilation or having any comrades captured. Just like with the chapter on the Battle of Badr, I want to read on the rest of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ military career.
Chapter 29: Military Platoons and Missions between the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Confederates
The unfortunate Battle of Uhud damaged the Muslims' credibility, making them targets of military violence from the hypocrites, Jews, and Bedouins, who were now more openly against Islam. The Banu Asad and Banu Ghatafan tribes both nearly raided Medina, and Banu Nadir tried assassinating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, being the wise man that he was, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would renew the Muslims' dignity via several new missions:
- The Hamra al-Asad Invasion - 8 Shawwal 3 A.H: As the Quraysh had a pyrrhic victory at Uhud with no strategic gains, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ suspected they would return to attack Medina as revenge, so he commanded to preemptively attack them, marching the Muslim army to Hamra al-Asad, about eight miles from Medina. His suspicions were correct, as the Meccans would camped at the valley of Ar-Rawha. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent disinformation that he had mustered a ginormous army to chase down the polytheists, causing them to back off and successively preventing a strike on Medina. The soldier Abu Azza al-Jumahi and the spy Mu'awiyah ibn al-Mughira were captured and executed.
- The Qatan Expedition - 1 Muharram 4 A.H: The first to fight the Muslims after aftermath of the Batte of Uhud reverse were Banu Asad. Medinian intelligence Talha and Salama, sons of Khuwaylid, as attaining volunteers to fight the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He dispatched a platoon of 150 men headed by Abu Salama (عليه السلام). They took Banu Asad by surprise on their own land, neutralized their attempts, dispersed them, and took their cattle. On his return, a wound of Abu Salama's (عليه السلام) from the Battle of Uhud reopened, killing him soon after.
- Assassinating Khalid ibn Sufyan - 4 Muharram 4 A.H: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Abdullah ibn Unais (عليهما السلام) out for eighteen days to neutralise a mob planning to raid Muslims. The latter assassinated their leader, Khalid ibn Sufyan, and brought his head back to Medina.
- The Ar-Raji Expedition - Safar 4 A.H: Men from the Udal and Qara tribes came to Medina, asking the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to send a delegation to instruct them on Islam, claiming the existence of some Muslims among them. So, he sent ten men. When they reached a spot called Ar-Raji, a hundred Banu Lahyan archers surrounded the place and attacked the delegation, who took shelter on some high ground. The Bedouins pledged they would not killed them. Asim ibn Thabit (عليه السلام) refused to come down, fighting them until he and six of his companions were killed. The Bedouins offered safety to Zayd ibn ad-Dathinnah, Khubayb ibn Adi and Abdullah ibn Tariq (عليهما السلام), who accepted. When they descended, they were captured. Abdullah (عليه السلام) rebuked them for their insincerity and was killed. The other two men were enslaved and sold in Mecca. Khubayb (عليه السلام) would be tortured, doing a short prayer first and explaining he would have prayed longer if it did not make his enemies think he was afraid of death. He called out to God, "O Lord! Count them one by one, exterminate them to the last one," and recited poetry detailing his pain: "The confederates have gathered their tribes around me and summoned all of them who could come. They have gathered their women and children. I am fastened and bound to a lofty trunk.To God alone I complain of my helplessness and sufferings, and of the death the confederates have prepared for me. O Lord of the Throne! Give me endurance against their design. They have cut my flesh bit by bit, and I have been deprived of sustenance. They let me choose disbelief, but death is preferable. Tears roll out of my eyes, though not of fear. By God! I fear not if I die a Muslim, on what side I fall for the sake of God. I will not show subservience to the enemy. If the Lord so desires, He will bless my torn limbs and broken joints." Abu Sufyan asked Khubayb (عليهما السلام) if he wished the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was in his place, and he responded by saying he would not let even a thorn touch the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Abu Sufyan told Uqba ibn al-Harith (عليهما السلام) to crucify the poor Muslim, who ate grapes miraculously given by God shortly before his crucifixion. Meanwhile, Safwan ibn Umayyah bought Zayd (عليهما السلام) and killed him for killing his father. The Quraysh tried taking Asim's (عليه السلام) corpse, but could not, as God was protecting it with a swarm of angry hornets.
- The Massacre of Bir Ma'una - Safar 4 A.H: Amir "Abu Bara" ibn Malik came to Medina. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told him to convert to Islam, and he was silent. He said if he dispatched men to the Najd region to call them to Islam, they would accept. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was afraid they would be killed, and was told they would be protected, so 40-70 Muslim missionaries were sent. After some time when arriving, the missionaries would be attacked by Bedouins, with all of them fighting to death with the sole exception of one survivor. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would spend a whole month cursing the companions' killers in his prayers.
- The Banu'n-Nadir Invasion - Rabi I 4 A.H: As mentioned various times before, Medina's Jews were always thirsting to shed Muslim blood and undermine Islam despite all of their covenants with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Tensions were particularly high after after the expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa, the assassination of Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, and the Jews secretly allying with the Quraysh and the hypocrites after the Battle of Uhud. Being inexperienced in war, Banu'n-Nadir resorted to conspiring behind the scenes. They declared open hatred and enmity, and chose to play all sorts of harmful tricks, yet did not initiate any hostilities risking them into open war. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ remained patient with them until they allied with the Bedouins of Bir Ma'una and tried assassinating him with a millstone, leading him to demand they either leave Medina within ten days or all lose their heads. Abdullah ibn Ubay motivated the Jews into standing their ground, their chief Huyayy ibn Akhtab telling the Muslims to do whatever they wanted. This created an awkward situation for the Muslims, as they were worried taking arms may lead to defeat, choosing to do so anyways. The Muslim army besieged the forts of the Banu'n-Nadir for 6-15 nights, who hid in their castles protected by thick fields of palm trees while shooting arrows at the Muslims and pelting them with rocks. The Muslims then burned the trees. Banu Qurayzah, Banu Ghatafan, and Abdullah ibn Ubay failed to keep their promises of support for Banu'n-Nadir. God cast horror into the hearts of the Jews, making them willingly leave Medina. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ let them carry as much luggage as their six hundred camels could lift aside from weapons, which they did, to the point of carrying the pegs and beams of their ceilings with them. A couple of the Jews, including Huyayy, left for Khaybar; some moved to Syria; and two of them got to retain their personal wealth due to converting to Islam. The Muslims seized their weapons, land, houses, and wealth.
- The Najd Campaigns: With the victory that the Muslims achieved at besieging the Banu'n-Nadir without fighting, their undisputed control over Medina was established, and the hypocrites receded to a state of silence. Consequently, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had ample time to direct his resources into suppressing the evil Bedouins. Scouts reported Bedouin troops of the Banu Muharib and Banu Tha'labah tribes around Medina, so the Muslims hurriedly set out to deter these terrorists. These deterrance operations were carried out repeatedly and produced effective results, terrorising the rebellious Bedouins into the mountains and safeguarding Medina from their raids.
- The Badr al-Maw'id Expedition - Shaban 4 A.H: It was over a year since the Battle of Uhud, so it was due time for the Muslims to prepare to meet the Quraysh again in war and determine which of the two parties was worthy of survival. The Prophet Muhammad went to Badr, accompanied by 1,500 footmen and ten horsemen. The Muslims reached Badr and stayed there, waiting for the idolaters camping at Mijannah who consisted of two thousand footmen and fifty horsemen led by Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام). He reluctantly told his troops to turn back for safety, which they did. During the eight days the Muslim army spent at Badr waiting for a non-existent enemy army, it made use of its time by selling goods and projecting power.
- The Dumat al-Jandal Expedition - Rabi I 5 A.H: Now that the Medinians enjoyed total peace and security, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ deemed it fit to head for the most distant areas of Arabia, to preemptively subdue all hostile elements for undisputed recognition from all neighbours. After a six-month halt of military activities, he was informed of highwaymen near Syria planning to raid Medina and took a thousand armed men to respond. The Muslims discovered the highwaymen moved elsewhere, so they captured their cattle and shepherds. The inhabitants of Dumat al-Jandal also fled in all directions for their lives and evacuated their habitations. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stayed there for five days, during which he dispatched forces to hunt for the enemies, although they detected none. He then entered a peace treaty with Uyayna ibn Hisn (عليه السلام) and returned to Medina.
With this decisive and steady progress, and wise, strict plans, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ kept the peace and succeeded in shifting the course of events for the welfare of the Muslims by eliminating internal and external troubles. The hypocrites were silenced; only one Jewish tribe remained, which had to continue faking friendliness; the desert Bedouins were subdued; and the archenemies of Islam, the Quraysh, were no longer keen on attacking it. This all bred opportunistic circumstances for the Muslims to resume spreading Islam and communicating the Messages of the Lord to all worlds.
I remain impressed with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ going from an orphaned shepherd to a very wise man able to materially and spiritually protect his people. The Hamra al-Asad invasion particularly impressed me, with the Muslims being able to fend off far superior Qurayshite forces right after being obliterated at the Battle of Uhud.
Chapter 30: Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) Invasion
Arabia experienced a period of peace after a whole year of war. The traitorous Jews, however, did not cease their disloyalty. After exile to Khaybar, they anxiously waited for the results of the skirmishes going on between the Muslims and the pagans. Contrary to their hopes, God was favouring the Muslims, so they started a new stage of conspiracy and prepared themselves to deal a deadly blow against the Muslims. But, they were too cowardly to directly strike, so they planned to achieve their objectives via other methods. Twenty Jewish chiefs and some of the celebrities of Banu'n-Nadir went to Mecca to negotiate an alliance with the Quraysh. They began to goad the people into attacking Islam, promising them full support. The Quraysh, who were proven to be too weak to directly challenge the Muslims in previous encounters, seized this opportunity to redeem their honour and reputation. The same delegation set out for the Ghatafan tribal confederation and also successfully allied with them, then toured more parts of Arabia and incited other disbelievers into forming a "confederation" against Islam. The Quraysh, Kinana, and other allies from Tihamah in the south rallied four thousand men under the leadership of Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), and from the east came ten thousand men from the Ghatafan, Banu Salim, Banu Murra, etc, who were headed for Medina.
Medinian intelligence told of the incoming threat to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who summoned an advisory board to discuss a defence plan. After lengthy talks, the Muslims agreed to dig trenches around Medina and started to do so in groups of ten each digging forty yards despite severe hunger. The proposal came from a Persian Muslim convert named Salman (عليه السلام), who told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that whenever his people were besieged, they dug defensive trenches. Some miracles would happen while the trenches were dug:
- Jabir ibn Abdullah (عليه السلام) killed a sheep and cooked barley for the hungry Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The former requested the latter and a few others to eat, but the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called all the thousand Muslims involved in digging and told them to eat. All of them were fulfilled despite not much food originally being there.
- A woman brought a handful of dates and passed by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who took the dates, threw them over his cloak and invited his followers to eat. The dates increased in number until they dropped over the trim of his robe.
- An obstinate rock served as an obstacle in the ditch. The Muslims tried using spades to break it, but could not. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ struck it with his spade, turning it into sand.
- When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ struck another stubborn rock, he uttered, "In the Name of God. God is Great, the keys of Syria are mine; I swear by God, I can see its palaces at the moment." Striking it again, he said, "God is Great, Persia is mine; I swear by God, I can now see the white palace of Al-Mada'in, [a metropolis including Seleucia and Ctesiphon, the Sasanian capital]." On the third strike, the rock turned into pebbles, and he said, "God is Great, I have been given the keys of Yemen; I swear by God, I can see the gates of Sanaa while I am in my place." This was God telling him his followers would someday conquer all of these lands.
The trench, which took several days to dig, was at the northern part of Medina, which was the most vulnerable as the other sides were surrounded by mountains and trees. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took three thousand men to encounter the enemy. They entrenched themselves in Mount Sela, the trench standing as a barrier between them and the disbelievers. The idolaters came and were surprised to see trench warfare, which was never used in Arabia before. They decided to besiege the city and began to manoeuvre around the trench, trying hard to find a vulnerable spot through which they could infiltrate. To deter their enemies from approaching any defensive gap, the Muslims shot arrows and engaged in skirmishes with them. The veteran fighters of Quraysh were averse to this situation, waiting in vain and anticipating what the siege may reveal, and sent a group of soldiers led by Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl, Dirar ibn al-Khattab (عليهما السلام), and Amr ibn Abd al-Wud to work its way through the trench. They did just that, and their horsemen captured a marshy area between the trench and Mount Sela. Amr challenged the Muslims to a duel, and Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) accepted. After a short engagement, the latter killed the former, sending the panicked pagans fleeing. Days later, the polytheists conducted fresh desperate attempts, all of them failing due to Muslims' steadfastness and heroic confrontation.
Due to the ongoing Battle of the Confederates, also known as the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ missed some prayers. He went to the valley of Wadi Buthan, performed ablution, and observed the afternoon prayer after the sun had set, and then offered the sunset prayer after it. He was so indignant for this failure that he invoked God's Wrath on his enemies and besought God to fill their houses and graves with fire, as they distracted him from observing the afternoon prayer. After the battle, he combined the noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers, fulfilling them all.
Back to the battle, the trench eliminated direct engagement and confined the battle to archery and the occasional swordsmanship, killing six Muslims and ten polytheists. During the fighting, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (عليه السلام) was shot by an arrow piercing an artery. Perceiving his end approaching, he told God:
"O God, you know nothing is closer to my heart than striving in Your Way against those people who belied Your Messenger and banished him from his town. O God, I deeply believe that You have decreed that we should fight them. So, if there is still more fighting to go with them, let me stay alive in order to strive more against them. If it has settled down, I beseech you to ignite it again so that I breathe my last in its context."
He concluding his prayer beseeching God to keep him alive until he had had full revenge against Banu Qurayza, the remaining Jewish tribe in Medina that assisted the enemy here.
In the midst of these difficult circumstances, plotting against Islam was in fervent action. Huyayy ibn Akhtab headed for the homes of Banu Qurayza to incite their chief, Ka‘b ibn Asad, who had a pact with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to aid him in war. Ka'b initially resisted Huyayy's temptations, but the latter was clever enough to manipulate him, speaking of the disbelievers all allied to exterminate Islam. He also promised to stay in Ka'b's fort, exposing himself to any potential danger in case the Quraysh and Ghatafan recanted. Ka'b was convinced and broke his covenant with the Muslims. Banu Qurayza then started to launch operations against the Muslims, especially the secluded garrisons that housed Muslim women and children, although they toned this down after Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib (عليها السلام), an aunt of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, beat one of their men to death with some wood.
Hearing this bad news, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ dispatched four prominent Muslims to investigate, warning against any sort of spreading panic and advising that they publicly declare the rumours as groundless if they were. Unfortunately, the news was true, and the Jews announced openly that no pact of alliance now existed with Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was briefed on this, and the Muslims understood their critical position with the horrible danger implied therein; their back was vulnerable to the attacks of the Banu Qurayza, and a huge army with no way to connive at in front, with their unprotected women and children standing in between.
Now that the Muslims were shut in within the trench on the defensive, the hypocrites taunted them with having indulged in delusive hopes of conquering the Byzantines and Sasanians. They sowed seeds of defeatism and pretended to withdraw for the defence of their homes, although they were not exposed to danger. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ meditated on Banu Qurayza's treason, laid plans to defend the women and children, and sent some soldiers back to Medina to guard it from any surprise attacks. The next step was to undermine the ranks of the confederates. So, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ considered giving Ghatafan a third of Medina's fruit in exchange for them leaving, but was advised to instead keep battling them. Later, a Ghatafan man named Nuaym ibn Masud (عليه السلام) asked to meet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The former said he secretly embraced Islam and asked the latter to make him do anything benefiting the Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked him to do anything that could help the Muslims in the present via any strategy. Nuaym (عليه السلام) managed to incite the Jews, Quraysh, and Ghatafan against each other. He whispered to Banu Qurayza's chiefs to not fight alongside the Quraysh, claiming the Quraysh would forsake them if they perceived that victory over Islam was far-fetched, and that the Muslims would then inflict vengeance on them. He then headed for the Quraysh and did something similar, claiming the Jews regretted breaching their covenant, and went to do the same with the Ghatafan. On Saturday, the Quraysh and Ghatafan sent envoys to the Jews exhorting them to fight. The Jews sent back messages that they would not fight on Saturday, a holy day. They added that they needed hostages from them to guarantee their consistency. Upon receiving the replies, the Quraysh and Ghatafan came to fully believe Nuaym's (عليه السلام) words, and again asked the Jews to fight and to preclude their condition of hostages. The man's scheme proved successful, and a state of distrust among the confederates prevailed as their morale dropped severely.
Meanwhile, the Muslims were preoccupied with praying for protection of their homes and security for their families. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ invoked God's Wrath on the confederates:
"O God! You are quick in account, You are the sender of the Book. We beseech You to defeat the confederates."
God instantly responded to the call of the Muslims on the spot. Alongside the lack of morale among their enemies, God sent wind, rain, and cold to weary them and blow away their tents, cooking vessels, and other equipment. That very cold night, Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman (عليه السلام) was sent to hunt around for news about the enemy. He found they were preparing to leave, frustrated for their inability to achieve their target.
The Battle of the Trench took place in 5 A.H. The siege of Medina started in Shawwal and ended in Dhu'l-Qa'dah, lasting for over a month. It was a battle of nerves rather than of losses, as whilst not much bitter fighting was recorded, it remained one of the most decisive battles in the history of Islam and proved beyond a shadow of doubt that no force, however huge, could ever exterminate the nascent Islamic power growing steadily in Medina. When God obliged the confederates to evacuate, His Messenger was in a position to confidently declare taking the initiative in war and not waiting for the land of Islam to be invaded.
I found reading about the siege to be quite nerve-wracking. I enjoyed how God consistently sided with the Muslims, helping them defend against a siege with minimal losses. I also liked hearing of this event's various miracles, particularly God informing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of future Islamic conquests. Additionally, I liked how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as usual, combined his military genius with the advice of his beloved companions to save Islam.
Chapter 31: Invading Banu Quraiza
Right when the Prophet Muhammad returned to Medina after the siege and washed in the house of one of his wives, Hind "Umm Salama" bint Abi Umayyah, Gabriel (عليهم السلام) came and told him to unsheathe his sword and head to fight the Banu Qurayza in their own homes. The angel added that he and other angels would go to shake the Jews' forts and cast fear into their hearts. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ summoned the muezzin to announce fresh hostilities against Banu Qurayza as he led three thousand footmen and thirty horsemen to their habitations. When they reached the Banu Qurayza, they tightly besieged their forts. Seeing the mess they were in, the Jewish chief Ka'b ibn Asad offered his people three alternatives:
- Embracing Islam, which would consequently secure their lives, wealth, women, and children. He reminded them that such behaviour would not be incongruous with what they had read in their books about the veracity of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood.
- Killing their women and children, and then challenging the Muslims by the sword to either exterminate or be exterminated.
- Taking the Muslims by surprise on Saturday, a day mutually understood to witness no fighting.
None of these plans appealed to the Jews, so the angry Ka'b turned to them, telling them they had never been decisive in making decisions since they were born. The gloomy future already visible, the Jews made contacts with some Muslims they had good relations with in order to learn about their fate in light of the current circumstances. They requested Abu Lubaba ibn Abd al-Mundhir (عليه السلام) be sent to them for advice. On his arrival, the men began to implore, and the women and children cried desperately. In answer to their demand for advice, he pointed to his throat, saying bloodshed awaited them. He then realised he betrayed the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ trust and headed directly for the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and tied himself to a tall wooden pole, swearing no one would untie him save the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and added he would never enter the areas of Banu Qurayza in recompense for the deadly mistake he made. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was informed of this incident, he said:
"I would have begged God to forgive him if he had asked me. But, since he tied himself out of his own free will, it was God Who would turn to him in forgiveness."
The Banu Qurayza could have endured the siege much longer as food and water were plentifully available, and their strongholds were greatly fortified, whereas the Muslims were suffering from cold and hunger in the wild bare land and were fatigued from their constant military operations. Nevertheless, this was a battle of nerves, for God had cast fear in the the Jews' hearts. Jewish morale almost collapsed especially when Ali ibn Abi Talib and Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (عليهما السلام) proceeded, with the former swearing he would not stop until he either stormed the Jewish garrisons or was martyred like Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام) was at the Battle of Uhud.
Banu Qurayza eventually realised their only option was surrender. The men were handcuffed and separated from the women and children. The Banu Aws tribe begged the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be lenient, so he made Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (عليه السلام), a former ally of the Jews, judge their fate. Sa'd (عليه السلام) was staying behind in Medina due to a serious wound he sustained in the Battle of the Trench. On his way to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ while riding on a donkey, the Jews urged him to be lenient in his judgement on account of their former friendship. He remained silent. On hearing this decisive attitude, some of the Jews returned to Medina, awaiting a desperate doom.
Upon arrival, Sa'd (عليه السلام) ordered killing all able-bodied Banu Qurayza men, imprisoning their women and children, and dividing their wealth among the Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ accepted this judgement, saying God approved. The enemy arsenal of 1,500 swords, two thousand spears, three hundred armours, and five hundred shields all went to the Muslims. Trenches were dug in Medina's bazaar and 600-700 Jewish men were beheaded therein. Huyayy ibn Akhtab joined Banu Qurayza's ranks when the Quraysh and Ghatafan defected, and was admitted into the audience of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with his hands tied to his neck with a rope. The former obstinately declared enmity to the latter, but admitted that God's Will was to be fulfilled and added that he was resigned to his fate. He was ordered to sit down, and was beheaded on the spot. Only one Jewish woman was killed, as she killed a Muslim by throwing a heavy rock at him. Some enemies converted to Islam, leading to them keeping their lives, wealth, and children. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ released a Jewish-turned-Muslim woman named Rayhana bint Zayd (عليها السلام) and married her.
As the siege of Banu Qurayza was done, God gratified Sa'd ibn Mu'adh's (عليه السلام) wish at the Battle of the Trench and let him breathe his last breathe, his wounds bleeding from the front part of his neck while he was in a tent. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would go on to say God's Throne shook for Sa'd's (عليه السلام) death. When the hypocrites said his bier was very light to carry, he retorted by saying angels were carrying it. In the siege, a Muslim named Khallad ibn Suwayd (عليه السلام) was killed when the aforementioned Jewish woman dropped a rock on him. Another Muslim, Abu Sinan ibn Mihsan (عليه السلام), also died. Abu Lubaba (عليه السلام) stayed tied for six nights. His wife untied him at prayer times, and then he tied himself again to the pole. One early morning, God told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to forgive him. The Muslims rushed to release Abu Lubaba (عليه السلام), but he insisted the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ do it himself, which he did shortly before the morning prayer. Overall, the siege lasted for 25 days on Dhu'l-Qa'dah, 5 A.H.
What I see is that although the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a kind and forgiving man who gave his enemies many chances to repent, he also prioritised justice and was ready to do anything to protect his religion and his followers. This is a trait I greatly admire in leaders. I also see that God repeatedly sided with the Muslims, helping them besiege and annihilate a whole evil tribe with minimal losses.
Chapter 32: Military Activities continued
After dealing with the confederates and Banu Qurayza, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent smaller expeditions to force other rebellious Arabs to make peace with the rising Islamic state:
- Assassinating Salam "Abu Rafi" ibn Abi'l-Huqayq - Dhu'l-Qa'dah-Dhu'l-Hijjah 5 A.H: Abu Rafi was a terrible Jewish criminal who equipped the confederate troops. When the Muslims settled their affair with Banu Qurayza, Banu Khazraj asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for permission to kill him, which he accepted provided no women or children would be killed. Five men headed for Khaybar, where Abu Rafi's fort was. When they approached the place, their leader, Abdullah ibn Atik (عليه السلام), advised his men to stay behind while he went ahead, disguised in a cloak. When the people of the fort went in, the gatekeeper called him to enter, thinking he was one of them. Abdullah (عليه السلام) went in and lurked inside. He then began to unbolt the doors leading to Salam's room. It was very dark there, but he managed to assassinate the target and safely leave. On his way back, his leg broke, so he wrapped it up in a band and hid in a secret place until the morning when Salam's death was officially announced. Hearing this, Abdullah (عليه السلام) left and went to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who listened to the whole story. The latter asked the former to stretch his leg, which he wiped, miraculously healing the fracture on the spot.
- Raiding Banu Bakr - Muharram 6 A.H: Muhammad ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) led thirty soldiers to the homes of Banu Bakr tribe, attacked them and dispersing them in all directions, leaving plenty of spoils for the Muslims who returned home with Thumama ibn Uthal (عليه السلام), the chief of the Banu Hanifa tribe, who had gone out by order of the false prophet Musaylima to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Muslims tied him to a pillar in the Prophet's Mosque. To a question posed by the Prophet Muhammad, Thumama (عليهما السلام) said, "If you were to kill someone, then you would have to choose one of noble descent; if you were to be gracious, then let it be to a grateful man; and if you were to ask for money, you would have to ask for it from a generous man." He repeated that three times on three different occasions. On the third time, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered he be released. He soon went nearby, washed, and came back to profess the new faith addressing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, "No face had been more awful to me than yours. But, it is now the closest to my heart. No religion had ever been more repugnant to me than yours. Now, it is the dearest in my heart. Now, I want to perform the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage)." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ congratulated him, telling him to do just that. Arriving in Mecca, the Quraysh accused Thumama (عليه السلام) of apostasy, who affirmed that he embraced Islam swore the Quraysh would never get a grain from Al-Yamama, an area around Mecca he controlled, unless the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ allowed it.
- Invading Banu Lahyan - Rabi I-Jumada I 6 A.H: The Banu Lahyan tribe acted treacherously towards ten Muslims and had them hanged. Them being deep in the heart of the Hijaz on the borders of Mecca, deep-seated hatred between the Muslims on the other hand, and the other hostile Arabians on the other made it unwise to deeply penetrate Banu Lahyan's territory, as the Muslims would risk nearing the Quraysh. However, when the confederates' power collapsed and they began to resign to the unfavourable power balance, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ seized the chance to take revenge on Banu Lahyan. He led two hundred men and made a feint of heading for Syria, then soon went towards Batn Gharran, the scene of his companions' tragic hangings, and invoked God's Mercy on them. News of the Muslim march reached Banu Lahyan, who immediately fled to the mountaintops and thus remained out of their reach. On his way back, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent ten horsemen to Kura al-Ghamim in the vicinity of the Quraysh in order to project power.
- Okasha ibn Mihsan's (عليه السلام) Expedition - 6 A.H: Okasha (عليه السلام) led a platoon to Al-Ghamir inhabited by Banu Asad. The enemy immediately fled, leaving behind two hundred camels which were taken to Medina.
- The First Banu Thalabah Raid - 6 A.H: Muhammad bin Maslamah (عليه السلام) led a platoon to Dhu'l-Qassah. A hundred men from Banu Thalabah ambushed and killed all of Muslims except for a badly wounded Muhammad (عليه السلام).
- The Second Banu Thalabah Raid - 6 A.H: In retaliation against Banu Thalabah, Abu Ubayda bin al-Jarrah (عليه السلام) led forty men to Dhu'l-Qassah. They walked that night and took the enemy by surprise in the morning. Again, the tribe fled to the mountains except for one who was injured and later embraced Islam. A lot of booty fell in Muslim hands here.
- Zayd ibn Haritha's (عليه السلام) Al-Jumum Expedition - 6 A.H: Zayd (عليه السلام) led a platoon to Al-Jumum, the habitation of Banu Salim. A Banu Muzaina woman showed them the way to the enemy camp. There, the Muslims took some captives and booty. The woman was later released from captivity.
- Zayd ibn Haritha's (عليه السلام) Al-Is Expedition - Jumada I 6 A.H: Zayd (عليه السلام) led 170 horsemen to Al-Is and raided the caravan of Abu'l-As ibn ar-Rabi, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ son-in-law and the husband of Zaynab bint Muhammad (عليهم السلام). He begged his wife to ask her father for the restitution of his wealth, to which he responded by recommending his followers to do just that. The Muslims immediately gave the man back all his wealth, who went back to Mecca, gave over the trusts to those entitled to them, embraced Islam, migrated to Medina, and reunited with his wife and her family.
- The Third Banu Thalabah Raid - Jumada II 6 A.H: Zayd led fifteen men to raid the Banu Thalabah, who fled, and captured twenty of their camels.
- Zayd ibn Haritha's (عليه السلام) Wadi'l-Qura Expedition - Rajab 6 A.H: Zayd (عليه السلام) led twelve men to the Wadi'l-Qura oasis in a mission to scout enemy movements. Nine Muslims were killed, and the rest, including Zayd (عليه السلام), escaped.
- The Al-Khabt Invasion - 8 A.H: Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah (عليه السلام) led three hundred horsemen to observe a Qurayshite caravan. One of the men slaughtered nine camels at three times, three each time at different stages of the mission, as the Muslims here did not pack enough food and ended up feeling hungry. Abu Ubayda (عليه السلام) prohibited him from doing so. The sea was generous and presented them with a sperm whale they ate from for half a month. When they came back home, they narrated the story to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who called it a provision from God and asked them to share him some of its meat.
Judging from how much more the Muslims manage to win expeditions or make enemies flee, I can see the genius of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his generals is showing as usual, making Islam a powerhouse in Arabia. I wonder how the rest of his prophethood will go outside of military activities.
Chapter 33: Bani Al-Mustaliq (Muraisi‘) Ghazwah, Sha‘ban 6 Hijri
Though the Al-Muraysi expedition did not military assume its full dimension, it brought about turbulence within the Islamic state and resulted in clothing the hypocrites in disgrace, enacting legislation attaching nobility, dignity and purity to the Islamic community.
News reached the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on 2 Shaban of the Banu'l-Mustali tribe mobilising to attack Medina. Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (عليه السلام) was sent to verify the reports, and he talked with with Harith ibn Abi Dirar, who confirmed his intention of war. A scout was sent to explore the Muslim positions and was captured and killed. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered his men to prepare for war. Hearing the advent of the Muslims, the disbelievers got frightened and the Arabs going with them fled. The armies were stationed at a well called Al-Muraysi. Arrow-shooting went on for an hour, and then the Muslims rushed and engaged with the enemy in a battle that ended in full victory for the Muslims. Some men were killed, women and children were captured, and a lot of spoils fell to the Muslims. Only one Muslim was killed, in a friendly fire incident. Amongst the captives was Juwayriya bint al-Harith (عليها السلام), the daughter of the enemy chief. She converted to Islam and married the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and in compensation, the Muslims had to free a hundred other prisoners who embraced Islam.
Abdullah ibn Ubay, the leader of the hypocrites, was very Islamophobic, viewing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a usurper of his power. Abdullah's rancour had appeared before he feigned Islam. He was traitorous at the Battles of Badr, Uhud, and the Trench, and had clandestine contacts with the Banu'n-Nadir. He also was involved with this expedition, which will be explained later.
The enemies of Islam realised futile warfare against Islam would not work, so they resorted to other tactics. They launched a widespread propaganda campaign aiming at slandering the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. After the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet Muhammad married Zaynab bint Jahsh after her divorce with Zayd bin Haritha (عليهما السلام), his adopted son. The enemies began to gossip against the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as such an act was taboo. They also attacked him for Zaynab (عليها السلام) being his fifth wife when the Quran said men could only marry up to four wives. These rumours damaged the morale of some weaker Muslims until God would give revelation defending the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from such defamation.
Back to the Al-Muraysi expedition, the hypocrites almost managed to create discord among the Muslims, coupled with a serious slander against the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself. The Emigrants and the Helpers were about to fight on account of the hypocrites' plots. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told them off, describing their misbehaviour as reminiscent of pre-Islamic ignorance. The hypocrites were furious over the Muslims challenging the hostile plans woven behind closed doors, and swore the most honourable will expel the meanest out of Medina. When this was reported to the Prophet Muhammad, Umar ibn al-Khattab (عليهما السلام) asked for permission to kill Abdullah ibn Ubay. The former turned down this proposal and asked Umar (عليه السلام) to announce departure. He marched with his men for two days until the sun grew too hot, so then they stopped and fell asleep, a clever attempt at diverting his people's attention from the previous event. Abdullah's son heard of his father's degeneracy, and as the party reached Medina, he drew his sword and barred his father's entry until he confessed and declared that he himself was the meanest of Medina, and that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most honourable of it.
Another painful incident took place on the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ return from the Al-Muraysi expedition. The Muslim army halted for a night near Medina. In this expedition, he was accompanied by his noble and talented wife, Aisha bint Abi Bakr (عليها السلام). She went out some distance from the camp to attend to the call of nature. Upon return, she discovered she dropped her necklace somewhere, which was borrowed from a friend. Aisha (عليها السلام) went out again to search for it. To her great mortification, the army already marched away with the camel she was riding, her attendants thinking she was in the litter as she was quite thin. Helpless, she sat down and cried to sleep. Safwan ibn al-Muattal (عليه السلام), who was coming from behind, recognised Aisha (عليها السلام) and brought her to Medina on his camel while walking behind it without saying a word to her.
The hypocrites scandalously accused Aisha (عليها السلام) of adultery. Unfortunately, some Muslims also got involved. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ consulted his companions, who gave different opinions ranging from divorce to retention. A fight between Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj nearly broke out until he silenced both tribes. Aisha (عليها السلام), unaware of the rumours, fell ill and was bedridden for a month. After recovering, she heard of the slander and went to see her parents for advice. She burst into tears and stayed for two days, and one night cried to the point she felt her liver was about to rip open. Her husband visited her and told her God would acquit her if she was innocent; otherwise, she would have to beg for God's Mercy. Aisha (عليها السلام) stopped weeping and asked her parents to speak for her, but they had nothing to say, so she herself took the initiative and said:
"Should I tell you I am innocent- and God knows that I am surely innocent- you will not believe me, and if I were to admit something- of which God knows I am innocent of- you will believe me, then I will have nothing to make recourse to except the words of the father of the Prophet Joseph): 'So patience [for me] is most fitting, and it is God [alone] Whose Help can be sought against that which you assert.' [Surat Yusuf, Verse 18]"
She then turned away and laid down to rest. At that moment, God sent revelation acquitting Aisha (عليها السلام) of all the slander, making her wholeheartedly joyful and thanking God thankfully. The main slanderers save Abdullah ibn Ubay were each flogged eighty times. A month later, the Prophet Muhammad recalled the incident to Umar (عليهما السلام):
"Don’t you see, Umar? If I had had him, [Abdullah ibn Ubay,] killed, a large number of dignitaries would have furiously hastened to fight for him. Now, on the contrary, if I were to ask them to kill him, they would do so out of their own free will."
Umar (عليه السلام) replied by swearing the Messenger of God's judgement was better than his own.
This chapter made me hate the hypocrites more, further confirming them as a threat to the Muslims alongside the pagans and the Jews. It also showed the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ wisdom via abstaining from eliminating Abdullah, and God being ready to defend His slaves.
Chapter 34: Delegations and Expeditions following Al-Muraisi‘ Ghazwah
Skirmishes following the Al-Muraysi expedition included:
- Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf's (عليه السلام) Expedition - Shaban 6 A.H: Abd ar-Rahman (عليه السلام) led men to Banu Kalb in Dumat al-Jandal. Before setting out, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told him the rules of war and ordered him to marry the king's daughter if possible. Abd ar-Rahman (عليه السلام) stayed with the tribe for three days, converted them to Islam, and married the princess, Tamadur bint al-Asbagh (عليها السلام).
- The Fadk Expedition - Shaban 6 A.H: Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) led men to the Banu Sa'd ibn Bakr in Fadk. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was told the tribe rallied ranks to support hostile Jews. The Muslims marched in the day and lurked at night. On their way, they captured an enemy scout who admitted to being sent to Khaybar to offer them support in return for their produce. The Muslims raided their encampment and captured five hundred camels and two thousand goats, although the Banu Sa'd fled.
- Zayd ibn Haritha's (عليه السلام) Wadi'l-Qura Expedition - Ramadan 6 A.H: Men were sent to Wadi'l-Qura after the Banu Fazara attempted to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Some enemies were killed, and others were captured. Amongst the captives were the leader Umm Qirfa and her daughter, who were sent to Mecca as a ransom for the release of some Muslim prisoners there. Umm Qirfa's plot recoiled on her, and her thirty henchmen were killed.
- Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri's (عليه السلام) Expedition: Some men from the Uraina tribe came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and made pretensions to Islam. They stayed in Medina and found its climate unfavourable, so they were asked to pitch their tents in the pastures nearby. They did so, and were alright. They then killed a shepherd, left Islam, and drove off the camels. This news reached the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who sent a group of twenty Muslims led by Kurz (عليه السلام) after them. They were brought to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who had their hands and feet cut off, their eyes gouged out, and them thrown onto stony ground until they died, mirroring their treatment of the aforementioned shepherd.
- Attempting to Assassinate Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام): Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damri and Salama ibn Abi Salama were sent to assassinate Abu Sufyan, who already sent a Bedouin to kill the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام). The mission failed, although three idolaters were killed on the way.
All this contributed to the continuous collapse of morale among the enemies of Islam, who had come to understand they were no longer in a position to contain or weaken Islam, culminating in the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiya, where the Muslims and their enemies had armistice and helping Islam grow. This will be explored later.
There is not much to say about this, although I want to see how Islam benefits and expands from here.
Chapter 35: Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty
In Dhu'l-Qa'dah 6 A.H. in Medina, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would see in a dream that he would be able to go on Umrah to Mecca with his followers. Informing his companions of this, their hearts leapt with joy, giving hope for making pilgrimage after this exile of currently six years. He washed his clothes, and rode his camel to Mecca, leading 1,500 Muslims with him. Some Bedouins whose faith was weak stayed back and made excuses. As they reached Dhu'l-Hulayfah, near Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered the sacrificial animals be garlanded and all believers don the Ihram, the pilgrim's garb. He sent a scout to look for news of the enemy, and was informed a large number of slaves and soldiers were gathered against him, blocking the road to Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ consulted his companions for advice, who said they would not fight unless they were debarred from pilgrimage. The Quraysh held their own meeting, during which they considered the situation and decided to resist the prophetic mission at all costs. Khalid ibn al-Walid (عليه السلام) led two hundred horsemen to take the Muslims by surprise during Dhuhr, the Islamic afternoon prayer, although they would miss their chance as the Muslims avoided marching on that way and chose to follow a rugged, rocky one.
Reaching Thaniyat al-Marar, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ camel stumbled and knelt down, and was too stubborn to move. He reprovingly spurred his camel, and it leapt up. The Muslims continued marching and came to pitch their tents at the furthest part of Al-Hudaybiya beside a well. They reported thirst to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who placed an arrow from his quiver in the ditch. Water immediately gushed forth for him to drink. When he rested, some of the Banu Khuza'a asked him what he came for, to which he replied that he came for Umrah, and if the Quraysh prevented him from doing so, he would fight every last man of theirs, and sent envoys to relay this message to them.
Urwah ibn Masud then negotiated with the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام). During discussion, the former said:
"O Muhammad! Have you gathered around yourself mixed people and then brought them against your kith and kin in order to destroy them? By God, I think I see you deserted by these people tomorrow."
Abu Bakr and Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba (عليهما السلام) stood up and expressed his resentment at this. The Quraysh's envoy remarked indignantly and alluded to the latter's treacherous act of killing his companions and looting them before he embraced Islam.
Urwah (عليه السلام) was watching the unfathomable amounts of love and respect the Muslims had for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ while in the Muslim camp and returned to the Quraysh, telling them the followers of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would never forsake him no matter what, saying:
"I have been to Khosrow II [of the Sasanians], the Caesar [of the Byzantines, i.e Heraclius] and the Negus [of Aksum] in their kingdoms. But, never have I seen a king among a people like Muhammad among his companions. If he performs his ablution, they will not let the water fall on the ground. If he expectorates, they will rub their faces with with the mucus. If he speaks, they will lower their voices. They will not abandon him for anything in any case. Now, he offers you a reasonable plan, so do what you please."
Some bloodthirsty Qurayshite youngsters started planning to hinder the peace. They decided to infiltrate the Muslim camp and produce skirmishes to trigger war, but Muhammad ibn Maslamah (عليه السلام) captured them, though the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered them to be freed.
Negotiations went on, with no new results. The Prophet Muhammad instructed Umar (عليهما السلام) to see the Quraysh on his behalf. The latter declined out of personal hatred of the Quraysh, and he also lacked influential relatives in Mecca to protect him, so he pointed to Uthman ibn Affan (عليه السلام) as a suitable envoy due to his powerful family. Uthman went to Abu Sufyan (عليهما السلام) and other chiefs, and told them the Muslims had only come for pilgrimage. He also called them to Islam, and give glad tidings to the Muslims in Mecca that their liberation was approaching. Uthman (عليه السلام) also assured them that after their pilgrimage, the Muslims would depart peacefully. The Quraysh stayed adamant on not granting the Muslims permission to visit the Kaaba, but allowed Uthman (عليه السلام) to do so on his own. He declined, arguing:
"How is it possible that I avail myself of this opportunity when the Prophet is denied of it?"
The Muslims anxiously waited for the arrival of Uthman (عليه السلام), as it was considerably delayed and led to them suspecting the Quraysh of foul play. The Muslims were greatly worried and vowed that they would sacrifice their lives to avenge the death of their companion and stand firmly by their master, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, under all conditions. The first men to take the pledge were Abu Sinan al-Asadi and Salama ibn al-Akwa (عليهما السلام), who promised to die for the truth three times; at the front of the army, in the middle and in the rear. The Prophet Muhammad caught his left hand on behalf of Uthman (عليهما السلام). This fealty was sworn under a tree, with Umar holding the Prophet Muhammad's hand and Maqil ibn Yasar (عليهم السلام) holding a tree branch up.
When the Quraysh saw the Muslims' firm determination to shed every last drop of blood to defend Islam, they came to their senses and realised Islam could not be cowed down by their past tactics. Following further dialogue, the two parties agreed to a peace treaty consisting of the following clauses:
- The Muslims shall return this time and come back next year. But, they shall not stay in Mecca for more than three days.
- They shall not come back armed save bringing swords sheathed in scabbards and kept in bags.
- War activities shall be suspended for ten years, during which both parties will live in full security.
- If a Qurayshite goes to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ without their guardian's permission, they should be sent back to Quraish. But, should a Muslim return to the Quraysh, they shall not be sent back.
- Whosoever wishes to join the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or enter a treaty with him, shall be free to do so. Likewise, whoever wishes to join the Quraysh, or enter a treaty with them, should be allowed to do so.
The preamble were disputed. Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام), the scribe, began the treaty with "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful..." Suhayl ibn Amr (عليه السلام), the Meccan plenipotentiary, said he knew nothing about "the Most Compassionate," one of God's Names in Islam, and insisted on beginning with the customary "In Your Name, O God." The Prophet Muhammad would side with Suhayl (عليهما السلام) here. The latter told the former to have his name and his father's name written, and although the Muslims grumbled again at this, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ approved and had "Muhammad ibn Abdullah" ("Muhammad, the son of Abdullah") written down. Soon after this treaty, the Banu Khuza'a clan joined the ranks of the Muslims, and the Banu Bakr sided with the Quraysh.
Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl (عليه السلام) then appeared on the scene, brutally chained and tiredly staggering. The Muslims pitied and tried to release him, but Suhayl (عليه السلام) adamantly said:
"To signify that you are faithful to your contract, an opportunity has just arrived."
The Prophet Muhammad pointed out the treaty was not signed when Suhayl's (عليه السلام) son entered came. On one hand, Abu Jandal (عليه السلام) was lamenting at the top of his voice:
"Am I to be returned to the polytheists so that they might entice me from my religion, O Muslims?!"
On the other hand, the faithful engagement was also necessary. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ heart filled up with sympathy, yet he wanted to honour his word at all costs. He consoled Abu Jandal (عليه السلام):
"Be patient and resign yourself to God's Will. God will provide relief and a means of escape for you and your helpless companions. We have concluded a peace treaty with them, [i.e. the Quraysh,] and we have taken the pledge in God's Name. Therefore, we are not prepared to break it under any circumstance."
Umar (عليه السلام) could not help but vent his heart's deep-seated agony. He rose to his feet uttering words of deep hatred and extreme indignation, and requested Abu Jandal (عليه السلام) to take his sword and kill his father, although he declined and was silently hauled off in chains.
When the treaty was finally brokered, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered his followers to slaughter their sacrificial animals thrice, yet they were too depressed to do that no matter what. He told his wife, Umm Salama (عليها السلام), about his companions' attitudes, and she advised that he himself take the initiative via slaughtering an animal and shaving his head. Seeing this, the Muslims imitated him, even almost killing one another out of distress. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed thrice for those who shaved their heads and once for those who cut their hair. A camel was sacrificed on behalf of seven men, and a cow on behalf of another same seven. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sacrificed Abu Jahl's camel which was seized as booty at the Battle of Badr, enraging the pagans.
A series of events confirmed the profound wisdom and splendid results of the treaty which God called a manifest victory. How could it be otherwise when the Quraysh now recognised the legitimate Muslim political presence and began to deal with the believers on equal terms? The treaty indirectly relinquished the Quraysh's claim to religious leadership, took away their interest in other peoples, and prevented them from intervening in the religious future of Arabia. The Muslims did not wish to seize anyone's property, kill them, or pursue coercion in spreading Islam; on the contrary, they were determined to protect the freedoms of religion and conscience:
"'...Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve...'" - Surat al-Kahf, Verse 29
The Muslims had the opportunity to spread Islam over then-unexplored areas. When there was armistice, war ceased, and men met and consulted together. Within the two years following the conclusion of the treaty, the amount of Muslims doubled. The article of the treaty pertaining to cessation of hostilities for a decade points to the collapse of Quraysh-aligned political dominance. The Quraysh gave up their advantages in return for one seemingly in their favour, yet not actually bear threatening the Muslims: the clause of Muslims seeking refuge without their guardians' consent. It seemed distressing, but proved to be a blessing over time. The Muslims sent back to Mecca were unlikely to renounce Islam, but rather, turned out to be centres of influence for Islam.
The wisdom behind this truce assumed its full dimensions in some subsequent events. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned to Medina, Abu Basir (عليه السلام) escaped from the Quraysh and came to him as a Muslim. The Quraysh sent two men demanding his return, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ handed him over to them. On the way to Mecca, Abu Basir (عليه السلام) killed one of them, and the other fled to Medina with Abu Basir (عليه السلام) in pursuit. When he reached the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he said:
"Your obligation is over, and God has freed you from it. You duly handed me over to the men, and God has rescued me from them."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied:
"Woe is his mother! He would have kindled a war if there had been others with him."
Abu Basir (عليه السلام) knew he would be handed back to the pagans, so he fled to Saif al-Bahr. The other Muslims who were oppressed in Mecca began to escape with Abu Basir (عليه السلام). He, Abu Jandal (عليه السلام), and others formed a group and to seek revenge against the Quraysh and intercept their caravans. The Meccans, finding themselves unable to control these men, begged the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to nullify the extradition clause which governed the extradition, so he sent for the group and they responded positively.
Despite the parts of the Hudaybiya treaty benefiting the Muslims, they still took issue with not being given access to the the Kaaba and the supposed humiliation of reconciling with the Quraysh. Umar (عليه السلام), unable to contain himself of distress, went to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and asked:
"Are you not the true Messenger of God?"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ calmly answered:
"Why not?"
Umar (عليه السلام) asked:
"Are we not on the path of righteousness and our enemies in the wrong?"
Without any resentment, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied that it was so. Umar (عليه السلام) urged:
"Then we should not suffer any humiliation in the matter of faith."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was unruffled and confidently stated:
"I am the true Messenger of God. I never disobey Him, and He shall help me."
Umar (عليه السلام) said:
"Did you not tell us that we shall perform pilgrimage?"
He was silenced after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded that he did not say pilgrimage would be annual, but his mind was disturbed. He went to Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) and expressed his feelings before him. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام), who never doubted the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, confirmed what he said. The Prophet Muhammad summoned Umar (عليهما السلام) and gave him glad tidings. The latter was overjoyed, and greatly regretted his former attitude. He donated to charity, fasted, prayed, and freed as many slaves as possible to expiate his reckless attitude.
The early part of the year 7 A.H. witnessed the conversion to Islam of three prominent Meccans: Amr ibn al-As, Khalid ibn al-Walid, and Uthman ibn Talha (عليهم السلام). Upon their entrance into the fold of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated:
"The Quraysh have given us their own blood."
I congratulate the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for being a master diplomat capable of negotiating a good deal to protect Islam. I wonder how Islam will interact with others now that the Quraysh are seemingly out of the picture.
Chapter 36: The Second Stage: A New Phase of Islamic Action
The Hudaybiya treaty marked a new phase in the lives of the Muslims. The Quraysh, Islam's arch-nemeses, now withdrew from fighting and embraced peace with the Muslims, thus crippling the Qurayshite-Ghatafanite- Jewish alliance and making other pagans become less Islamophobic due to the Quraysh being Arab paganism's spiritual leaders. The Ghatafan no longer posed a big threat, and their provocative actions were mainly instigated by Jews, who themselves fled from Medina to Khaybar to make it a hotbed of plotting against Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, not heedless of their devilish schemes, placed a decisive war with them as a priority on his agenda shortly after brokering peace with the Quraysh. The allowed the Muslims to intensify spreading Islam, and consequently, give this sort of action preponderance over the military activities. This post-treaty stage can be divided into two sections:
- Ceaseless peaceful efforts in spreading Islam and initiating dialogue with the leaders of neighbouring political entities.
- Military activities.
Chapter 37: The Prophet’s Plans to spread the Message of Islam beyond Arabia
Late in the year 6 A.H, upon returning from Hudaybiya, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent messages to the rulers beyond Arabia calling them to Islam. In order to verify the envoy's credentials, he made them a silver seal graven with, "Muhammad, the Messenger of God," and sent them in Muharram 7 A.H, shortly before heading for Khaybar. The messages sent include:
- A Deputation to the Negus of Aksum: Amr ibn Umayyah brought a letter to Ashama ibn al-Abjar (عليهما السلام), the negus of Aksum, modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, reading, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to the Negus, king of Abyssinia [Ethiopia]. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Salutations, I entertain God's praise; there is no god but He, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace, the Giver of peace, the Guardian of faith, the Preserver of safety. I bear witness that Jesus, the son of Mary, is the spirit of God, and His Word which He cast into the Virgin Mary, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. God created him from His Spirit and His Breathing as He created Adam by His Hand. I call you to God alone with no associate, to His obedience, to follow me, and to believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of God. I invite you and your men to God, the Glorious, the Almighty. I hereby bear witness that I have communicated my message and advice. I invite you to listen and accept my advice. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance." The negus replied, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Negus Ashama to Muhammad, the Messenger of God. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God, and may mercy and blessings be from God, beside Whom there is no god. I have received your letter in which you have mentioned about Jesus, and by the Lord of Heaven and Earth, Jesus is not more than what you say. We fully acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us, and we have entertained your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of God, true and confirming [those who came before you]. I pledge to you through your cousin and surrender myself through him to the Lord of all worlds." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked the negus to send the Muslims in Ethiopia back home, and they came back to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Khaybar. After the negus died later on, he would be succeeded by a new one, and although another letter was sent to him, it is unknown if he accepted Islam.
- A Deputation to Al-Muqawqis of Egypt: Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah (عليه السلام) brought a letter to Al-Muqawqis, the Byzantine governor of Egypt, commonly identified as Cyrus of Alexandria, reading, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the slave and messenger of God, to Al-Muqawqis, the governor of Egypt. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. I invite you to accept Islam. If you want security, accept Islam. If you accept Islam, God, the Sublime, shall reward you doubly. But, if you refuse to do so, you will bear the burden of the transgression of all the Copts." Hatib (عليه السلام) requested an audience with the governor, stating, "There used to be someone before you who arrogated the status of the Supreme Lord, so God punished him and made an example out of him in this life and the afterlife. Therefore, take warning, and never set a bad example to others." Al-Muqawqis responded that he was in no position to relinquish his religion except for a better one, and was told, "We invite you to embrace Islam, which will suffice you all what you may lose. Our prophet has called people to profess this faith. The Quraysh and the Jews stood against him as bitter enemies, whereas the Christians stood closest to his call. Moses' news about Christ is identical to the latter's good tidings about the advent of Muhammad. Likewise, this invitation of ours to you to embrace Islam is similar to your invitation to the people of the Torah, [i.e. the Jews,] to accept the Gospel, [i.e. Christianity]. Once a prophet rises in a nation, he is eligible for positive response; hence, you are subject to the same Divine Law. Bear in mind that we have not come to dissuade you from religion of Christ, but rather, to bid you to adhere to its tenets." Al-Muqawqis meditated over this and stated, "I have come to the conviction that this prophet bids nothing abominable. He is neither a straying magician nor a lying soothsayer. He bears the true manifest seeds of prophethood, and so, I will consider the affair deeply." He then put the parchment in an ivory casket and wrote a letter stating, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Al-Muqawqis to Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Peace be upon you. I have read your letter, and understood its contents and what you are calling for. I already know the coming of a prophet is still due, but I used to believe he would be born in Syria. I am gifting you two maids, who come from noble Coptic families; clothing; and a steed for riding on. Peace be upon you." It is noteworthy that Al-Muqawqis did not embrace Islam despite this show of friendliness. The presents were accepted; Maria, the first maid, would be married to the Prophet Muhammad and birth his son, Ibrahim (عليهم السلام). The other, Sirin, went to Hasan ibn Thabit (عليهما السلام).
- A Deputation to Khosrow II of the Sasanians: Abdullah ibn Hudhafa (عليه السلام) brought a letter to the Sasanian governor of Bahrain, who then brought it to Sasanian emperor Khosrow II. It read, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Khosrow II, the king of Persia. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance, believes in God and His Messenger, and testifies that there is no god but God alone with no associate and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. I invite you to accept the religion of God. I am the Messenger of God, sent to all people in order that I may infuse fear of God in every living person, and that the charge may be proved against those who reject the truth. Accept Islam as your religion so that you may live in security. Otherwise, you will be responsible for all of the sins of the Zoroastrians." The arrogant Khosrow II was enraged over the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ name being placed above his own, tore the letter into shreds, and commanded his viceroy in Yemen, Badhan (عليه السلام), to send soldiers to arrest the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and bring him to Persia. As soon as these soldiers reached Medina, God informed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of Khosrow II being killed by his own son, Kavad II. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stunned everyone telling them this, and asked them to tell their new monarch that Islam would prevail everywhere and outstrip their sovereignty. They hurried back to Badhan (عليه السلام) and told him this, who himself received a message from Kavad II confirming the news and instructing him to cease activities against Islam. Badhan (عليه السلام) and the Yemeni Persians then converted to Islam.
- A Deputation to Heraclius of the Byzantines: Dihya al-Kalbi (عليه السلام) brought a letter to Shurahbil ibn Amr, the Ghassanid leader of Bosra, which would then be brought to Byzantine emperor Heraclius. It read, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the slave and messenger of God, to Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor. Blessed are those who follow true guidance. I invite you to embrace Islam so that you may live in security. If you come within the fold of Islam, God will double your reward. But, in case you turn your back upon it, the burden of the sins of all your people will fall on your shoulders." Incidentally, Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), who was trading in Jerusalem, was summoned to the court of Heraclius, who asked him about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Islam. The testimony of the excellence of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ character and the good Islam was doing for the human race from this then-avowed enemy of his shocked Heraclius. Specifically, Heraclius asked, "Who amongst you is the nearest relative to the man who claims to be a prophet?" Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) replied that he was. Heraclius told his translator, "Tell them, [i.e. Abu Sufyan's, عليه السلام, companions] that I am going to ask him, [i.e. Abu Sufyan, عليه السلام,] regarding the man who claims to be a prophet. If he lies, they should contradict him [instantly]." Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) testified, "Muhammad descends from a noble family. None of his family happened to assume kingship. His followers are those deemed weak, with numbers ever growing. He neither lies nor betrays others. We fight him and he fights us, but with alternate victory. He bids people to worship God alone with no associate, and abandon their forefathers' beliefs. He orders us to observe prayer, honesty, and abstinence, and maintain strong family ties." Heraclius observed, "I know fully well that prophets come from noble families; he does not contradict any previous example of prophethood. Since none of his ancestors were kings, we cannot say he is a man trying to reclaim his ancestral monarchy. So long as he does not lie to people, he is immune to telling lies regarding God. Concerning his followers being those deemed weak with numbers ever growing, it is something that goes in agreement with questions of faith until this latter assumes its full dimensions geographically and demographically. I have understood that no instance of apostasy has appeared among his followers yet, and this points to the bliss of faith that finds its abode in the human heart. Betrayal, as I see it, is alien to him, as real prophets hold betrayal in abhorrence. Bidding worship of God with no associates; observance of prayer, honesty, and abstinence; and prohibition of paganism are traits bound to subject to him all my possessions. I have already known that a prophet must arise, but it has never occurred to me that he will be an Arab from among you. If I was sure I would be faithful to him, I might hope to meet him, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet." Heraclius then requested that the letter be read. The clear-cut exposition of the Islamic message created a tense atmosphere amongst the court's clergy, and Abu Sufyan's (عليه السلام) group left, with him muttering, "The matter of Ibn Abi Kabsha, [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,] has become so prominent that even the king of Banu'l-Asfar, [i.e. the Byzantines,] is afraid of him." On his way back to Medina, Dihya (عليه السلام) was intercepted by the Banu Judham, who looted the gifts sent to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Zayd ibn Haritha (عليه السلام) led five hundred men to that spot, inflicted heavy losses on the tribe, and captured 1,000 camels, 5,000 cattle, and a hundred women and boys belonging to them. The chief, who was a Muslim, complained to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who ordered that all the spoils and captives be returned.
- A Deputation to Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa (عليه السلام) of Bahrain: Al-Ala ibn al-Hadrami brought a letter to Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa (عليهما السلام), the Sasanian governor of Bahrain, inviting him to Islam. In response, he wrote, "O Messenger of God! I have received your injunctions. Prior to this, I read your letter to the people of Bahrain extending to them an invitation to Islam. Islam appealed to some of them, and they entered its fold, whilst others did not find it appealing. In my country, there live Zoroastrians and Jews, and therefore you may inform me of the treatment to be extended to them." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wrote back a reply, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa. Peace be on you! I praise God with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I remind you of God, the Almighty, the Glorious. Whoever accepts advice does it for his own good. Whoever follows my messengers and acts in accordance with their guidance: he, in fact, accepts my advice. My messengers have highly praised your behaviour. You shall continue in your present office. Give the new Muslims a full opportunity to preach their religion. I accept your recommendation regarding the people of Bahrain, and I pardon the offences of the offenders; therefore, you may also forgive them. Of the people of Bahrain, whoever wants to continue following Judaism or Zoroastrianism should be taxed."
- A Deputation to Haudha ibn Ali of Al-Yamama: Sulayt ibn Amr brought a letter to Haudha ibn Ali, the ruler of Arabia's Al-Yamama region, stating, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Haudha ibn Ali. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Be informed that my religion shall prevail everywhere. You should accept Islam, and whatever under your command shall remain yours." He replied, "The faith to which you invite me is very good. I am a famous orator and poet. The Arabs highly respect me, and I am of account among them. If you include me in your government, I am prepared to follow you." Haudha then sent premium quality clothing as a gift to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who denied Haudha's request, as he despised being instructed in such a peremptory tone, said the whole matter was in the Hand of God, Who gave His land to whoever He desired. Gabriel (عليه السلام) later told him Haudha had died, and he responded, "Al-Yamama is bound to give rise to a liar who will claim prophethood for himself. But he will subsequently be killed...[he will be] one of you, O followers of Islam."
- A Deputation to Harith ibn Abi Shamir of Damascus: Shuja ibn Wahb (عليه السلام) brought a letter to Harith ibn Abi Shamir, the Byzantine governor of Damascus, stating, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Harith ibn Abi Shamir. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance, believes in it, and regards it as true. I invite you to believe in God alone with no associate, and if you do so, your kingdom will remain yours." The arrogant Harith rejected this, uttering, "Who dares to dispossess me of my country, I will fight him."
- A Deputation to Jaifer and Abd al-Jalandi (عليهما السلام) of Oman: Amr ibn al-As brought a letter to Jaifer and Abd al-Jalandi (عليهم السلام), two brothers ruling Oman, stating, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad ibn Abdullah to Jaifer and Abd al-Jalandi. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. I invite both of you to the call of Islam. Embrace Islam. God has sent me as a prophet to all His creatures in order to instil fear of Him in the hearts of His disobedient creatures, so that there may be left no excuse for those who deny Him. If you two accept Islam, you will remain in command of your country. But, if you refuse my call, you must remember all your possessions are perishable. My horsemen will appropriate your land, and my prophethood will assume preponderance over your kingship." Amr talked to Abd al-Jalandi (عليهما السلام), who was more mild-tempered than his brother, although inferior in age and kingship. Amr said the Prophet Muhammad wished for them to accept Islam, and Abd al-Jalandi pointed out Amr's noble lineage, making Amr (عليهم السلام) sadly reminisce on his father, wishing he accepted Islam before death. Abd al-Jalandi asked Amr (عليهما السلام) when he accepted Islam, and he replied in the court of Aksum's negus, who also accepted Islam alongside his bishops, monks, and other loyal subjects. Abd al-Jalandi warned Amr (عليهما السلام) of the consequences of lying, and the latter said he never lied, as Islam forbade lying. Abd al-Jalandi (عليه السلام) asked if Heraclius knew of the negus' conversion, and Amr (عليه السلام) said yes, as the negus stopped paying taxes to Heraclius afterwards. Amr told of the virtues the Prophet Muhammad taught, and eventually, Abd al-Jalandi and Jaifer (عليهم السلام) both converted to Islam.
This all adds on to the diplomatic expertise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. I wish to see more military activities than diplomacy now that the latter field has been explored.
Chapter 38: Post-Hudaibiyah Hostilities
Three days before the Battle of Khaybar, the Dhu Qarad expedition would take place, a skirmish against a Banu Fazara platoon. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent a hireling with his camels to a pasture. Salama ibn al-Akwa (عليه السلام) came along, too. Abd ar-Rahman al-Fazari raided the man looking after the camels, killing him and driving away the camels. Salama (عليه السلام) told the hireling to go inform the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of this, stood upon a hillock, turned his face to Medina, and shouted thrice for help. After that, he pursued the invaders, shooting at them with arrows and chanting poetry:
"I am the son of Al-Akwa! Today is a day of defeat for the mean!"
Salama (عليه السلام) continued shooting at them and hamstringing their animals. Whenever a horseman turned upon him, he would sit at a tree's base to shelter himself, shoot at him, and hamstring his horse. At last, they entered a narrow mountain gorge. Salama (عليه السلام) ascended the mountain and held them at bay, throwing stones at them. He continued chasing them in this way until he released all the camels with no one left with them. The men fled in all directions, and he continually shot at them until they dropped plenty of weapons. Salama (عليه السلام) marked a stone and dropped it on the loot, so that the Muslims may recognise it as booty. The men went on until they came to a narrow valley. They sat down to eat, and he sat on the top of a rock. Four of them ascended the mountain and came toward him. When they were near enough to hear Salama (عليه السلام), he shouted if they recognised him. They said they did not, and asked who he was, so he replied:
"I am Salama ibn al-Akwa. I can kill any one of you that I like, but none of you can kill me."
The men returned. Salama (عليه السلام) did not move until he saw Muslim horsemen coming. One of them hamstrung Abd ar-Rahman's horse but got killed with a lance and had his horse stolen. Seeing this, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (عليه السلام) fatally struck Abd ar-Rahman, sending the pagans away and being pursued by Salama (عليه السلام) to the Dhu Qarad water reservoir, where they rested to drink, although they were driven out before getting a drop of water. Later on, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ arrived with some companions. Salama (عليه السلام) addressed him:
"O Messenger of God, let me select from our people one hundred men, and I will follow the marauders and finish them off."
Before everyone returned to Medina, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied:
"O Ibn al-Akwa, you have taken enough, and so, you now have to show magnanimity. Now, they have reached the habitations of the Ghatafan, where they are being feted. Our best horseman today is Abu Qatadah, and our best footman today is Salama."
Chapter 39: The Conquest of Khaibar
Khaybar was a spacious, strongly fortified territory studded with castles and farms, lying 60-80 miles north of Medina. After the Hudaybiya treaty, the major party of the anti-Islam tripartite coalition - the Quraysh, alongside the Najd Bedouins and the Jews - was neutralised, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wished to put the other two enemy factions out of commission in order to enforce peace and help the Muslims devote more time and effort to spreading Islam. Khaybar itself was a hotbed of conspiracy, so it was a major focus of the Muslims. The Jews of Khaybar triggered the Banu Qurayza to practise treachery, maintained contacts with Ghatafan and other Arab Islamophobes, and even planned to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Envoys were repeatedly sent to the Jews for peace, but all their efforts went in vain. Consequently, the Prophet Muhammad concluded that war was necessary.
In Muharram 7 A.H, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gathered 1,400 men to invade Khaybar. The hypocrites took notice and alerted the Jews. Abdullah ibn Ubay sent an envoy to Khaybar warning of the approaching danger and nerving the Jews to resist the Muslims, as the Jews outnumbered the Muslims and were better equipped. The Jews then asked for military assistance from the Ghatafan, promising half the yield of their orchards' fruit if the Muslims were defeated.
The Muslims marched and halted in the Ar-Raji valley, encamping between Khaybar and the Ghatafan so as to prevent the latter from reinforcing the Jews. Guides led the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to an intersection from which three roads branched out, all leading to his destination. He chose the third due to a good omen it gave.
The march to Khaybar included some notable incidents:
- One night, a Muslim soldier asked Amir ibn al-Akwa (عليه السلام) to recite some poetry for entertainment, to which he replied, "O God, if You had not guided us, we would have not have been rightly guided, donated to charity, or prayed. We wish to lay down our lives for You, so forgive our lapses and keep us steadfast when we encounter [our enemies.] Bestow upon us peace and tranquillity. Behold, when with a cry, they called upon us to help."
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked who was driving some camels, and was told it was Amir (عليه السلام), whom he prayed for mercy on. The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ companions knew he never singled out someone to pray for mercy on except that they would be martyred.
- On their way down a valley, the Muslims began to shout, "God is Great, God is Great. There is no god but God." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked them to lower their voices, saying: "The One you are invoking is neither absent nor deaf. He is close to you, hearing everything."
- At As-Sahba, not far from Khaybar, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed and called his soldiers to bring whatever food they had. What they brought was too small to satisfy them all. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took it all by his hand, immediately and miraculously multiplying it, and they all ate their fill.
At sunrise, the Muslims encountered the Jews when they had come out driving their cattle with their axes, spades, and strings. They began to shout in surprise:
"Muhammad has come along with his forces!"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded:
"God is Great. Khaybar shall face destruction - behold! When we descend in the city centre, it will be a bad day for those who were warned [but have not taken heed]."
He chose a plot of land to serve as the headquarters of his army. Veteran soldier Habab ibn al-Mundhir (عليه السلام) suggested they shift elsewhere, to maximise logistical efficiency. Approaching Khaybar's vicinity, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered his troops to halt, and began to invoke his Lord:
"O God! Lord of the seven heavens and what they harbour beneath, Lord of the seven earths and what lies in their wombs, Lord of the devils and whomsoever they have led astray! We beseech You to grant us the good of this village, the good of its inhabitants, and the good that lies in it. We seek refuge with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants, and the evil that lies in it."
He then ordered to march to Khaybar, and declared a man who loved him and God would bear the Muslim standard. All the Muslims scrambled for the banner the following morning, which the Prophet Muhammad handed to Ali (عليهما السلام), whose eyes were hurting. Ali (عليه السلام) pledged to fight the enemies until they embraced Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ answered back:
"Take things easy and invite them to accept Islam and brief them on their duties toward God. I swear by God that if only one should be guided through your example, that would surely outweigh the best of our camels."
Khaybar was split into two parts, with five forts in the first: Na'im, As-Sa'b ibn Mu'adh, the Zubayr castle, Abi Castle, and An-Nizar in Ash-Shiqq. Three other castles were in the second part of Khaybar: Al-Qamus, Al-Watih, and As-Salalim. The campaign began via reducing the minor strongholds, one after the other. The first fort to attack was Na'im, the first defence line and one with a formidable strategic position, led by the Jewish knight Marhab. Marhab invited Amir (عليه السلام) to meet him in combat, brandishing his sword and chanting:
"Khaybar knows certainly that I am Marhab, a fully armed and well-tried, valorous warrior when war comes spreading its flames."
Amir (عليه السلام) responded:
"Khaybar knows certainly that I am Amir, a fully armed veteran who plunges into battles."
When Amir (عليه السلام) struck Marhab, his sword recoiled and cut a major knee artery, killing him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said for his reward in the afterlife doubled, and applied his saliva to Ali ibn Abi Talib's eyes, miraculously relieving their pain as the latter then went to fight Marhab in combat, who repeated his prior chant. Ali (عليه السلام) killed him as he replied:
"I am the one whose mother named him 'Haider,' [an archaic Arabic word meaning 'lion,' and am] like a lion of the forest with a terrorising look on my face. I take my enemies' attacks and give them one that is much fiercer."
Marhab's brother Yasir challenged the Muslims to a fight, and was killed on the spot. Real combat then broke out and lasted for a few days. The Jews proved to be too formidable initially, but later realised the futility of resistance and began to abandon their positions in Na'im, fleeing to As-Sa'b. Habab (عليه السلام) led a three day siege of the fortress, then stormed it and took plenty of booty.
The Muslims got very hungry, lighting fires and cooking donkeys. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked about the fires and cooking, he ordered the meat be thrown away and the pots be washed, forbidding the consumption of domesticated donkeys.
The Jews, meanwhile, fled to the Zubayr fort, a formidable defensive position inaccessible to both cavalry and infantry. The Muslims unsuccessfully besieged it for three days. A Jewish spy told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to cut off a subterranean water source to undermine the enemies' resistance. He did so, and the Jews came out to directly fight the Muslims. Some Muslims and ten Jews were killed, and the fort was eventually conquered.
The Jews then barricaded themselves in the Abi Castle. The Muslims besieged them for three days, and then the heroic Abu Dujana (عليه السلام) led the Muslim army into the castle, sending the Jews to the An-Nizar fort.
An-Nizar was the most powerful fort, so the Jews placed their women and children in it, deeming it to be impenetrable. The Muslim army was not dismayed and dragged on the siege. The Jews inside were too cowardly to meet the Muslims in open combat, and hurled arrows and rocks onto the Muslims. The Muslims used battering rams to cause cracks in the ramparts, providing easy access to the heart of the fort. The Jewish men fled in all directions, leaving behind their women and children. Now, the first part of Khaybar was no longer a threat, and the Jews fled to the second part's three forts.
The second part of Khaybar was besieged by the Muslims for two weeks. When the Jews realised the Muslims were about to use battering rams again, they sent Banu'n-Nadir poet Ar-Rafi ibn Abi'l-Huqayq to negotiate a surrender. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ agreed to spare their lives if they evacuated Khaybar, leaving whatever gold and silver they had. He stipulated that he would disavow any commitment if they concealed anything. The forts were handed over to the Muslims, and all of Khaybar was now under Islamic control. Two Jews concealed a bag of jewels and money belonging to the late Huyayy ibn Akhtab, and were killed after this wealth was discovered. Kinana ibn ar-Rabi, who unsuccessfully hid some musk, was also killed. Huyayy's daughter, Safiyya (عليها السلام), was taken as a captive.
The Jews asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to stay in Khaybar in exchange for giving half of their produce to the Muslims, and as was typical with his character, he was a kind man who accepted this request. He divided the land of Khaybar into two. One half was for providing emergency food for the Muslims, and for entertaining the foreign delegates who started to frequent Medina a lot. The other half would go to the Muslims who witnessed the Hudaybiya event, whether present or absent. The total number of shares came to 36, of which eighteen were given to the people above-mentioned. The army consisted of 1,400 men, 200 of whom were horsemen. The horseman was allotted 3 shares and the footman one. The spoils of Khaybar were so great that Ibn Umar (عليه السلام) said the Muslims never ate their fill until the conquest, Aisha (عليها السلام) rejoiced at the Muslims now being able to eat their fill of dates, and the Emigrants repaid all of the Helpers' loans to them.
This battle coincided with the return of the rest of the Muslims from Ethiopia. The Prophet Muhammad freed Safiyya (عليهما السلام) as she converted to Islam and became his new wife. After the battle, a Jewish woman named Zaynab bint al-Harith offered a poisoned lamb to him. He bit off a mouthful and found its taste unpleasant, so he spit it out, with some saying the meat literally told him it was poisoned. The woman confessed that she poisoned the food to test if the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a king or a true prophet, and was killed when one of his companion's died from the poison. Overall, 16-18 Muslims were martyred, and 93 Jews died.
God cast fear into the hearts of the people of Fadak, a village north of Khaybar, and they gave up their wealth and peacefully entered a similar agreement with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to his one with the Khaybar Jews. Fadak was exclusively his, as no cavalry were involved in seizing it. The Muslims then went to Wadi'l-Qura, another Jewish colony in Arabia. Eleven Jews were killed in combat, and with after each one died, a fresh call to Islam was made. Endless fighting went on for two days and resulted in total Jewish surrender and an agreement similar to Khaybar and Fadak's. Their land was conquered, and a lot of booty fell into Muslim hands. Then, the Muslims marched to the Jews of Tayma, who agreed to pay taxes to the Muslims in exchange for military protection. The Muslim army marched back home in Safar-Rabi I 7 A.H.
All this continues to demonstrate the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ strategic and tactical mastery. He wisely did not leave Medina after the "sacred months" of no fighting in order to protect the city from Bedouins, and he also achieved his first major conquest here. I see how diplomatic and kind he was, negotiating agreements with his wartime enemies, as well as how much he prioritised God above all else, making sure to forbid his starving soldiers from eating the forbidden donkeys. I also see how brave and patient the early Muslims were, besieging enemies for weeks.
Chapter 40: Sporadic Invasions
Now that the Quraysh and the Jews were humbled, the last Islamophobes to deal with were the plundering Bedouins. They lived scattered across the wilderness, making it difficult to control them. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was determined to end to this unacceptable situation and called the Muslims around him to get ready to launch a campaign against the Bedouins. He was told Banu Muharib and Banu Thalaba were mobilising against the Muslims, so he led 400-700 men to Nakhla, Najd. No fighting took place, as the Ghatafan Bedouins the Muslims found agreed to peace.
7 A.H. saw the Dhat ar-Riqa expedition, when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led five men to a leafy tree that he would seek shade under. The others dispersed elsewhere, seeking shade. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ hung his sword on the tree and napped. A Bedouin then took and unsheathed the sword, and when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ woke up, he saw the man pointing the sword at him and asking him who would save him, to which he replied God. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then took the sword back, pointed it at the Bedouin, and asked him who would save him now. He was stumped, said the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the best to hold a sword, and fled. During this expedition, the men's feet were so tired that their nails were coming out and they had to cover their toes with rags. An enemy woman was taken prisoner in the Dhat ar-Riqa expedition. Her husband swore he would never stop until he killed a Muslim. At night, he approached the Muslim camp and saw two sentries stationed to alert against any emergency. He shot the first one four times while he was praying, but the sentry simply pulled the arrows out and continued prayer.
Now, the Bedouins were too terrified to attack the Muslims anymore, and some even converted to Islam, effectively destroying the tripartite Qurayshite-Jewish-Bedouin coalition against Islam. Some additional skirmishes included:
- Raiding Banu'l-Muluh - Safar-Rabi I 7 A.H: Ghalib ibn Abdullah (عليه السلام) led a platoon to neutralise some rebels. Many enemies were killed, and much booty was captured. A large army of polytheists rushed in. But, floods hindered the pursuit, and the Muslims managed to safely withdraw.
- Umar ibn al-Khattab's (عليه السلام) Turbah Expedition - Shaban 7 A.H: Umar (عليه السلام) led thirty men to Turbah to disciple the rowdy Hawazin. When they arrived, the Hawazin had escaped.
- Bashir ibn Sa'd's (عليه السلام) Fadak Expedition - Shaban 7 A.H: Bashir (عليه السلام) led thirty men after the Banu Murra in Fadak. Many enemies were killed, and much booty was captured. On his way back, enemies killed all of his soldiers with arrows, but he escaped to some Jews, recovered from his wounds, and returned home.
- Raiding Banu Awal and Banu Abd ibn Thalaba - Ramadan 7 A.H: Ghalib ibn Abdullah (عليه السلام) led 130 men on a raid against two enemy tribes. Some enemies were killed, and their livestock was captured. One enemy that died converted to Islam on the spot, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would criticise the man who killed him, sarcastically asking if he split the enemy's heart open to judge his true intentions.
- Capturing Al-Yusayr ibn Rizam: Abdullah ibn Rawaha (عليه السلام) led thirty horsemen to Khaybar, where the Jew Al-Yusayr was rallying some Ghatafan against Islam. They told him to come to Medina, saying he would be appointed as Khaybar's governor. On the way back, Al-Yusayr and all of the men following him were killed by the Muslims due to a fight that erupted out of a misunderstanding.
- Bashir ibn Sa'd's (عليه السلام) Raid on the Ghatafan - Shawwal 7 A.H: Bashir (عليه السلام) led three hundred men to the regions of Yemen and Al-Jabar to neutralise some Ghatafan gathering to raid Medina. The Ghatafan had escaped by the time the Muslims arrived, although they left behind livestock and two men that were captured, with the men accepting Islam once in Medina.
- Assassinating Rifa'a ibn Qays - 7 A.H: Abu Hadrad al-Aslami (عليه السلام) led two men to go to Al-Ghaba, where Banu Jusham chief Rifa'a was inciting some people against Islam. The Muslims successfully neutralised the enemies and captured a lot of livestock.
Chapter 41: The Compensatory ‘Umrah
When Dhu'l-Qa'da approached towards the end of 7 A.H, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told his followers to prepare for the Umrah pilgrimage. He proceeded with two thousand men beside some women and children and sixty sacrificial camels to visit the Kaaba in Mecca. The Muslims took weapons, fearing Quraysh treachery, but left them with two hundred men about eight miles from Mecca. They entered the city with the swords in their scabbards, with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at their head on his camel and the surrounding Muslims attentively looking at him and chanting, "Here I am at Your service, O God!" The Quraysh left the place to their hillside tents. The Muslims performed the ritual circumambulation around the Kaaba, and upon recommendation by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, they did their best to appear strong and steadfast, as the pagans spread rumours that the Muslims were weak from a fever going around in Medina. They were ordered to run in the first three rounds and then walk in the remaining ones. Meanwhile, the Meccans aligned on the top of Mount Quaiqian and watched the Muslims, tongue-tied at their strength and devotion. When they entered the holy grounds, Abdullah ibn Rawaha walked before the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), threatening:
"Get out of his way, you disbelievers - make way! We will fight you about its revelation with strokes that will remove heads from shoulders and make friend unmindful of friend."
After ritual walking and running between the two hills of Safa and Marwa, the Muslims halted at the latter spot to slaughter their animals and shave their heads.The main body of the pilgrims had now completed the basic rites of pilgrimage, and there remained the aforementioned men entrusted with the weapons, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had them come and perform the rites. On the morning of the fourth day of pilgrimage, Qurayshite celebrities asked Ali (عليه السلام) to tell the Muslims to leave Mecca. Wanting to respect the Hudaybiya treaty, the Muslims left for a village called Sarif and stayed there for some time, with the Prophet Muhammad marrying the noble Maymuna bint al-Harith (عليهما السلام) for better political standing with Mecca.
With the pilgrimage concluding, some more skirmishes would happen:
- Ibn Abi'l-Awja's (عليه السلام) Banu Salim Expedition: Ibn Abi'l-Awja (عليه السلام) led fifty men inviting the Banu Salim to Islam. The tribe declined and fought the Muslims, wounding their leader and having two of their men captured by the Muslims.
- Ghalib ibn Abdullah's (عليه السلام) Fadak Expedition: Ghalib (عليه السلام) led two hundred men to Fadak, killing some rebels and capturing a lot of booty.
- Ka'b ibn Umayr's (عليه السلام) Quda'a Raid: Ka'b (عليه السلام) led fifteen men to deal with Quda'a men gathering to raid Muslims. The Muslims encountered the army and invited them to Islam. The rebels declined and showered the Muslims with arrows, killing all but one who went back home seriously wounded.
- Shuja ibn Wahb's (عليه السلام) Expedition - Rabi I 8 A.H: Shuja (عليه السلام) led 25 men to march to the Hawazin, who escaped but left behind booty that was seized.
D
Chapter 42: The Battle of Mu’tah
On Jumada I 8 A.H, the village of Mu'tah, bordering Syria, would see the fiercest and most significant battle of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ lifetime, one that was a prelude to Islam's future great conquests of Christian lands. Al-Harith bin Umayr (عليه السلام) was sent to give a letter to the ruler of Bosra. On his way, he was intercepted, bound, and beheaded by Shurahbil ibn Amr, the Ghassanid governor of Balqa and a close ally of Byzantine emperor Heraclius. Killing envoys was seen as the most awful crime, and amounted to a declaration of war, so the shocked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Zayd ibn Haritha (عليه السلام) to lead three thousand men to the north to discipline the transgressors. This army was Islam's second-largest at this point, behind the one at the Battle of the Trench. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made it clear that combat would only happen if the enemies rejected an invitation to Islam, and said:
"Fight the disbelievers in the Name of God. Do not breach covenants or entertain treachery, and under no circumstances shall a newborn, woman, elderly man, or hermit be killed. Neither trees should be cut down nor homes demolished."
The people of Medina gathered and bade the army farewell. Abdullah ibn Rawaha began weeping, and when asked why, he said it was due to hearing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reciting the following Quranic verse:
"There is none of you who will not pass over [Hell. This is] a decree your Lord must fulfil." - Surat Maryam, Verse 71
The Muslims then marched northward to Ma'an, a town bordering Syria. News came of Heraclius mobilising a hundred thousand troops alongside another hundred thousand men of various Arab tribes tribes allied with the Byzantines. The Muslims never thought of encountering such a huge army, and spent two nights debating these unfavourable conditions. Some suggested they should write a letter to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for advice. Abdullah ibn Rawaha (عليه السلام) was opposed to their reluctance, declaring:
"I swear to God that this very object which you hold in abhorrence is the very one you have set out seeking: martyrdom. In our fight, we do not count on number of soldiers or equipment, but rather, on the faith that God has honoured us with. Dart to win either of the two: victory, or martyrdom."
The Muslims moved to engage with the enemy in Masharif, a Balqa town, and then turned toward Mu'tah where they encamped. Bitter fighting broke out between the three thousand Muslims and the two hundred thousand enemies. Zayd ibn Haritha (عليه السلام), the leader and standard-bearer, the closest to the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ heart, fought bravely until he got fatally stabbed. Jafar ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) then took the standard and fought well. In the heat of the moment, he dismounted, hamstrung his horse, and resumed fighting until his right hand was cut off. He seized the banner with his left hand until it, too, was gone. He then clasped the banner with both arms until a Byzantine soldier struck and bisected him. He had fifty stab wounds in his body, and was posthumously called "Jafar the Flier" and "Jafar the Winged" as God gave him a pair of wings to fly wherever he desires in Heaven. Abdullah ibn Rawaha (عليه السلام) was the next to bear the Muslim standard, and fought bravely on horseback while reciting enthusiastic verses until he, too, was martyred.
A man took the banner and called upon the Muslims to choose a leader, the honour unanimously granted to Khalid ibn al-Walid (عليه السلام), who used nine swords that broke to fight that battle. He realised the Muslims' grave situation and reshuffled the right and left flanks of the Muslim army, introducing forward a division from the rear in order to cast fear into the hearts of the Byzantines by tricking them into thinking reinforcements arrived. The Muslims engaged with the enemies in sporadic skirmishes, gradually withdrawing. The Byzantines, seeing this new strategy, believed they were being trapped, and drew back into the heart of the desert. They stopped the pursuit, and the Muslims managed to retreat to Medina with minimal losses.
The Muslims lost twelve martyrs, and although the number of casualties among the enemies was unknown, they were large. Although the battle failed in its objective of avenging the Muslim envoy's murder, it attached a great battlefield reputation to Islam. The Byzantine Empire was a world power, and merely thinking of antagonising it meant self-annihilation, let alone an army of three thousand fighting a far better equipped one of two hundred thousand. The battle was a miracle proving that the Muslims were exceptional, that God backed them, and that His Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, was legitimate. In the light of these changes, enemy Bedouins began embracing Islam en masse. Above all, the Battle of Mu'tah was the forerunner to Islam's long-time rivalry with the Byzantines, and pointed to a future of Islamic conquests.
The Muslims camped at Dhat as-Salasil, which had a well about ten days from Medina. Considering the alliance between the Arabs bordering Syria and the Byzantines, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ deemed it urgent to carry out a wisely-planned manoeuvre in Jumada II 8 A.H. to detach these Bedouins from the Byzantines. To implement this, he chose Amr ibn al-As (عليه السلام), who was given a white flag with a black banner. He set out at the head of three hundred infanteers and thirty cavaliers, and was recommended to seek help from the Bali, Udhra, and Balqain tribes. Approaching enemy lines and realising the large build-up of men, Amr (عليه السلام) sent for Medinian reinforcements, and they arrived headed by Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah (عليه السلام), leading two hundred more men as well as other platoons including Abu Bakr and Umar (عليهما السلام). The army eventually reached the Quda'a and penetrated deep into their land, destroying and expelling many enemies. A courier was sent to brief the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the victory achieved.
After the aforementioned Battle of Mu'tah and Dhat as-Salasil campaign, the Khadirah campaign occured in Shaban 8 A.H. Abu Qatada led fifteen men to go neutralise rebellious Ghatafanites. After fifteen days, they arrived at their targets. Some were killed, others captured, and all of their property was taken.
Chapter 43: The Conquest of Makkah
The Hudaybiya treaty gave Arab tribes the choice to ally with Mecca or Medina. Should any of these tribes have suffered aggression, their ally would have had to defend them. Banu Bakr joined the Quraysh, and the Banu Khaza'a joined the Muslims. They lived in peace for some time, but ulterior motives stemming from pre-Islamic rivalries ignited fresh hostilities. Armed by the Quraysh, Banu Bakr carelessly attacked Banu Khuza'a in Shaban, 8 A.H. Banu Khuza'a tribesmen fled to the Holy Sanctuary, where bloodshed was forbidden, yet still got massacred there. When the victims sought justice from their Muslim allies, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ demanded a redress for not only violating the treaty but also slaying his allies on holy grounds. Three demands were made, with the Quraysh being required to accept one:
- Paying bloodwit to Banu Khuza'a.
- Terminating their alliance with Banu Bakr.
- Considering the truce to be nullified.
The Quraysh, having effectively violated the Hudaybiya treaty, feared horrible looming consequences and had an emergency meeting. Their chief, Abu Sufyan, went to the Medina home of Ramla "Umm Habiba" ibn Abi Sufyan, his daughter and the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام), and asked for a truce renewal. As he tried to sit on the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ carpet, she folded it up, making him say:
"My daughter, I hardly know if you think the carpet is too good for me or that I am too good for the carpet."
She replied:
"It is the Messenger of God's carpet, and you are an unclean polytheist."
Disgusted at this, Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) stepped out and went to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who was well aware of his tricks and did not speak to him. He approached Abu Bakr (عليه السلام), but he, too, declined to interfere, and so did Umar (عليه السلام), who he also tried talking to. He saw Ali (عليه السلام), and unsuccessfully begged him, promising him mastery over the Arabs. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) ultimately returned to Mecca and told them of his lack of success, which the Meccans did not take seriously.
Three days before receiving news of breaching covenants, the Prophet Muhammad asked Aisha (عليهما السلام) to prepare for war. Her father, Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) came and asked her what the matter was, surprised at the unusual war preparations. On the morning of the third day, a Khuza'ite with forty horsemen to brief the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the plight of his people, seeking Muslim help in retaliation. The latter sent an eight men to Edam, not fair from Medina, in Ramadan 8 A.H, to divert people's attention.
There was so much dread that Hatib ibn Abi Balta'a (عليه السلام) sent a woman to give an intimation of the incoming attack to Mecca. God told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of this, and the latter sent men to seize the woman, who hid the letter in her locks. The Prophet Muhammad asked Hatib (عليهما السلام) of his motives, and he replied:
"O Messenger of God, I have no affinity of blood with the Quraysh. There is only friendliness between them and myself. My family is in Mecca, and there is no one to look after them or protect them. My position stands in striking contrast to that of the refugees whose families are secure due to their blood ties with the Quraysh. I felt that since I am not related to them, I should, for the safety of my children, earn their gratitude by doing good to them. I swear to God that I have not done this act as an apostate forsaking Islam. I was prompted only by the considerations I have just explained."
Umar wanted to behead Hatib (عليهما السلام) for hypocrisy. But, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
"Hatib is one of those who fought in the Battle of Badr. How do you know he is a hypocrite? God is likely to look those who participated in that battle favourably."
He then told Hatib (عليه السلام) he was forgiven and could do as he pleased. After preparations, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ proceeded lead ten thousand men to Mecca on 10 Ramadan 8 A.H. When the Muslims reached Al-Juhfa, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (عليه السلام) and his family came to join the Prophet. At Al-Abwa, they came across Abu Sufyan and Abdullah ibn Umayyah (عليهما السلام), but on account of the harm they inflicted, they were not welcomed. Ali told Abu Sufyan to go and beg the Prophet Muhammad for a pardon in a manner similar to that of the Prophet Joseph's (عليهم السلام) half-brothers:
"They admitted, 'By God! God has truly preferred you above us, and we have truly been sinful.'" - Surat Yusuf, Verse 91
Abu Sufyan did this, and the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) responded with the Quranic verse:
"Joseph said, 'There is no blame on you today. May God forgive you! He is the Most Merciful of the merciful..!'" Surat Yusuf, Verse 92
The Muslims then marched to Al-Qadid, where water was available. They broke their fast, and resumed marching to Mar az-Zahran. The Quraysh were unaware of all this, but the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not want to take them by surprise, so he ordered his men to kindle fires, giving the Quraysh full opportunity to assess their situation. Abu Sufyan moved around a bit and met Abbas (عليهما السلام) who advised him to convert to Islam in order to secure protection, and he later did in front of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who said:
"Woe to you! Is it not time for you to bear witness to the Oneness of God and the Prophethood of Muhammad?"
He then said:
"He who takes refuge in Abu Sufyan's house is safe. Whosoever confines himself to his house, the inmates thereof shall be in safety, and he who enters the Sacred Mosque is safe."
On the morning of 17 Ramadan, 8 A.H, the Muslims marched out of Mar az-Zahran. The different tribes successively passed with their banners flown up, until at last, the heavily armed battalion led by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ marched by. Abu Sufyan wondered who those people were, and Abbas told him they were the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام) and his companions. Abu Sufyan said no army could resist them, telling Abbas (عليهما السلام) his nephew's sovereignty was too powerful to withstand. The latter simply told him tt is rather the power of prophethood. Sa'd ibn Ubadah, the Helpers' standard-bearer, passed by Abu Sufyan (عليهما السلام) and said:
"Today will witness the great fight. You cannot seek sanctuary at the Kaaba. Today will witness the humiliation of the Quraysh."
Abu Sufyan complained about this to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), who had the Helper flag given to someone else and angrily declared:
"No - today, the Kaaba will be sanctified, and the Quraysh honoured."
Abbas urged Abu Sufyan (عليهما السلام) to hasten into Mecca and warn the Quraysh against any aggressive behaviour towards the Muslims. There, he loudly warned against hostility, advising them to seek safety in his house. His wife indignantly tugged at his mustache, cursing him and his cowardly stance. The Meccans mocked Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) and dispersed in different directions. Some ruffians with murderous intent led by Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl, Safwan ibn Umayyah, and Suhayl ibn Amr (عليهم السلام) encamped themselves in a place called Khandama.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was modestly and calmly drawing the final touches for the military breakthrough awaiting the Muslims, by Allâh’s Will. He appointed Khalid ibn al-Walid (عليه السلام) to lead the right flank of the army consisting of the Aslam, Sulaym, Ghifar, Muzayna, and Juhayna, to enter Mecca through its lower avenues; Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (عليه السلام) to lead the left flank, bear the standard, and storm Mecca from the upper side; and Abu Ubayda (عليه السلام) to lead the infantry and penetrate the city via a side valley.
The Muslims were ordered not to kill except in self-defence, and marched out to fulfil their tasks. Khalid (عليه السلام) worked his way into the heart of the town, killing twelve ruffians and sustaining two martyrs. Zubayr (عليه السلام) arrived at his destination, planted the standard, and waited there for the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. A tent was pitched for him where he thanked God, Who granted him a splendid victory out of His immense grace. Then, with his men, he proceeded to the sacred Kaaba, an emblem of monotheism unfortunately infested with 360 idols placed by pagans. With his bow, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went around knocking down the idols and chanting the Quranic verse:
"And declare, 'The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish!'" - Surat al-Isra, Verse 81
God would respond:
"Say, 'The truth has come, and falsehood will vanish, never to return.'" - Surat Saba, Verse 49
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did the usual circumambulation of the Kaaba, though he was not in a state of Ihram (ritual consecration). He then called for Uthman ibn Talha (عليه السلام), the Kaaba's keyholder, and took the keys from him. He entered, denouncing Qurayshite idolatry after seeing images of the prophets Abraham and Ishmael (عليهما السلام) throwing divination arrows. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ entered the sacred hall to face the wall opposite the door, prostrated, and went around acclaiming God's Greatness and Oneness. He returned to the doorway, and standing upon its elevated step, gazed in thankfulness on the thronging multitude below and delivered the following address:
"There is no god but God alone. He has no associates. He made good on His Promise that He held to His slave, and helped him and defeated all the confederates along the way. Bear in mind that every claim of privilege, whether that of blood or property, is under my heel, except that of the custody of the Kaaba and supplying water to pilgrims. Bear in mind that the bloodwit is very severe for anyone who is slain, even semi-deliberately, with club or whip: a hundred camels, forty of them being pregnant. O people of the Quraysh! God has surely abolished all your pride in the pre-Islamic era and all your ancestry's conceit, [because] all men are descended from Adam, and Adam was made out of clay."
Additionally, he recited the following Quranic verse:
"O humanity! We, [i.e. God] indeed created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may [get to] know one another. The most noble of you in the sight of God is surely the most righteous among you. Allah is truly the All-Knowing, All-Aware." - Surat al-Hujurat, Verse 13
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then asked:
"O people of Quraysh! What do you think of the treatment I am about to accord to you?"
Appealing to his infamous compassion, they responded:
"O noble brother and son of noble brother! We expect nothing but goodness from you."
He replied, pardoning them for their decades of warfare against Islam:
"I speak to you in the same words as Joseph spoke unto his half-brothers; he said, 'There is no blame on you today.' Go your way, for you are free."
As for keeping the Kaaba's keys and supplying water to pilgrims, the Prophet Muhammad ordered they forever remain the responsibilities of Uthman ibn Talha (عليهما السلام) and his descendants. When the time for prayer approached, Bilal (عليه السلام) stood on top of the Kaaba and made the call for prayer. Abu Sufyan, Attab ibn Asid, and Al-Harith ibn Hisham (عليهم السلام) were nearby. Attab (عليه السلام) commented on this call to prayer, claiming God honoured his father for not having heard such words. Assisted by divine revelation, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ approached and told them he learned what they said, surprising Al-Harith and Attab (عليهما السلام) into converting to Islam and swearing none had been with them to inform him. Then, the Prophet Muhammad entered Fakhita "Umm Hani" bint Abi Talib's (عليهما السلام) house to wash and pray. Umm Hani (عليها السلام) herself had sheltered two Meccan relatives of hers in her house, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ supported.
The Muslims decided to kill nine criminals, ultimately pardoning all but four. Those who were killed included:
- Abdullah ibn Khatal: Abdullah was a Muslim tax collector who worked alongside a Helper and the latter's servant. In a dispute, an enraged Abdullah killed the servant and joined the disbelievers as an apostate. He was never repentant, and employed two women to mockingly sing about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Miqyas ibn Sababa: Miqyas was a fratricidal Muslim who fled to the disbelievers as an apostate to avoid paying his brother's bloodwit.
- Huwayrith ibn Nuqaydh
- A Singer
Those pardoned included Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl, who attacked Khalid ibn al-Walid's detachment entering Mecca; Wahshi ibn Harb, who killed Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib; Habbar ibn al-Aswad, who threw a spear injuring and ultimately killing Zaynab bint Muhammad. the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad; chief Safwan ibn Umayyah; and chief Fudhala ibn Umayr, who tried assassinating the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام) near the Kaaba.
On the second day of the conquest, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stood up to address the people in matters relating to Mecca's holy status. He praised God and proclaimed:
"God made Mecca a sanctuary. It was a sanctuary before me, and will continue to be a sanctuary after me. It was made legal for me [i.e. being allowed to fight in it] for a few hours of a [particular] day, [but now, all bloodshed is forbidden in it]. It is forbidden to uproot its shrubs, cut its trees, chase [or disturb] its game, or pick up its fallen things except by a person publicly announcing [what they found]."
Abbas (عليه السلام) said the following, successfully permitting uprooting lemongrass:
"O Messenger of God! Except for the lemongrass, [for it is used] by our goldsmiths and for our homes."
Banu Khuza'a tribesmen vengefully killed a man from the Layth tribe. The indignant Prophet Muhammad ﷺ commanded ending these pre-Islamic rivalries, and said the families of murder victims have the right to either have the murderer killed or make them pay bloodwit. After his aforementioned address, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ rode to the hill of Safa. Turning his face towards the Kaaba, he raised his hands in prayer to God. The Medinians who gathered around him were afraid, as since God gave him victory over his native city, he may have chosen to stay there instead of in Medina. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told them to tell him their fears, he immediately dispelled them by assuring he would live and die in Medina.
After the great conquest, the Meccans came to realise that the only way to success lay was Islam. The men came to pledge allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and then their women followed. Hind bint Utba (عليها السلام), came to him in a diguise and complained that her husband, Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام), was was greedy and did not like to grant his worldly possessions to her. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recognised her, laughed, and pardoned her. She then returned to her house and destroyed the idol in it, renouncing the delusion of worshipping stone statues.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stayed in Mecca for nineteen days to teach Islam to its people. He sent men to restore the pillars of the Sacred Mosque and sent missions to all quarters inviting them to accept Islam and break Mecca' remaining graven images, which they did as he declared whoever believes in God and the afterlife must scrap out all idols in their house. He then sent more platoons to further eliminate pre-Islamic symbols and practices:
- Khalid ibn al-Walid's (عليه السلام) Nakhla Expedition - Ramadan 8 A.H: Khalid (عليه السلام) led thirty horsemen to Nakhla, the home of the idol of the popular goddess Al-Uzza, and destroyed it. Upon return, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked him if he saw anything outstanding there, which Khalid (عليه السلام) denied. The former told the latter Al-Uzza was not truly destroyed, and sent him to Nakhla again. Khalid (عليه السلام) saw a demon in the form of a naked Ethiopian woman with dishevelled hair, bisected it with his sword, and returned to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who confirmed the destruction of Al-Uzza.
- Amr ibn al-As' (عليه السلام) Anti-Suwa Expedition - 8 A.H: Amr (عليه السلام) went to destroy the idol of the deity Suwa, which stood three kilometres from Mecca. He stated his task to the curious doorkeeper, who warned it was impossible. Amr (عليه السلام) destroyed the idol and broke the casket beside it, finding nothing. The doorkeeper then converted to Islam.
- Sa'd ibn Zayd's (عليه السلام) Al-Mashallal Expedition - 8 A.H: Sa'd (عليه السلام) went to destroy the idol of the goddess Manat. Here laid another demon disguised as a nude Ethiopian woman, wailing and beating her chest. Sa'd (عليه السلام) killed it, destroyed the idol, broke its casket, and returned home.
- Khalid ibn al-Walid's (عليه السلام) Banu Khuzayma Expedition - 8 A.H: Khalid (عليه السلام) led 350 horsemen to peacefully invite the Banu Khuzayma to Islam. However, the people there could not articulate their intentions properly, so he told his men to kill some of them and capture others. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heard of this, he was mortified and raised his hands toward the sky, uttering, "O God! I am innocent of what Khalid has done," twice. He sent Ali (عليه السلام) to help pay back the tribes, and he did via paying bloodwit. Khalid irrationally tried to argue with Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf, angering the Prophet Muhammad (عليهم السلام) and making him order Khalid (عليه السلام) to stop, saying his companions were too high in rank to be involved in such arguments.
From the start of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mission, the Muslims were attacked in their own city. I am filled with an indescribable amount of joy seeing them reclaim their city. I also congratulate them and their noble leader in successfully starting to totally eradicate paganism. I understand that there is still plenty left to read, so I will end this chapter's review here instead of giving my full thoughts.
Chapter 44: The Third Stage
The last stage of the prophetic message of the Messenger embodied its fruitful results, which were the consequences of long-timed fights in the way of God, troubles, toil, disturbances, trials, and a lot of bloody conflicts and battles lasting for over two decades. The conquest of Mecca was the most serious Muslim achievement during those years, affecting the course of events for Islam and all Arabs and being a decisive distinction between pre-conquest and post-conquest periods. The Quraysh were seen as the defenders of the Arabs, the other Arabs their ancillaries. Therefore, the Quraysh's submission was a final elimination of paganism in Arabia.
This stage can be divided into two phases, although they intersected often:
- Fighting in the way of God.
- The people's rush to embrace Islam.
Chapter 45: Hunain Ghazwah
The conquest of Mecca astounded all the Arabs, who realised that they were doomed and had to accept to the new situation. Some of the more arrogant Arabs, like the Qays tribal confederation, wanted to resist, so they met under the leadership of Malik ibn Awf (عليه السلام) and chose to fight against Islam.
When Malik (عليه السلام) decided to march and fight the Muslims, he made his countrymen bring their wealth, women, and children with them to Autas, a Hawazin valley near Hunayn adjacent to Dhi'l-Majaz, about ten miles from Mecca in Mount Arafat's direction. As soon as the people camped in Autas, they crowded around him. The elderly veteran Durayd ibn al-Simma asked what valley they were in, and the people said Autas. Durayd then said:
"What a good course it is for horses! It is neither a sharp-pointed height nor a loosed soiled plain...what? Why do I hear camels growling, donkeys braying, children crying, and sheep bleating?!"
The people explained Malik (عليه السلام) made them do so. Durayd asked him why this was the case, and he replied that his aim was to have everybody's families and property around them, so that they may fight fiercely to protect them. Durayd exclaimed:
"I swear to God that you are nothing but a shepherd! Do you believe there is anything whatsoever that can stand in the way of a defeated one or stop him from fleeing? If you win the battle, you avail nothing but a man with a sword and a spear. But, if you lose, you will bring disgrace upon your people and property...O Malik, thrusting the distinguished Hawazin into the battlefield will avail you nothing. Raise them up to where they can be safe, then make the young people mount their horses and fight. If you win, those whom you tarried will follow you. But, if you were the loser, it would be a loss of a battle, yet your kinsmen, people, and properties would not be lost."
Malik (عليه السلام) replied:
"By God, I will not do such a thing. You must have grown senile. The Hawazin must obey me, or else I will lean my body against this sword so that it penetrates my back."
As Malik's (عليه السلام) people pledged their allegiance to him, Durayd commented:
"Today is a day I have not missed, but will surely not be tempted to witness."
Malik (عليه السلام) sent spies to spy on Muslim forces, and they returned as amputees. He woefully asked what happened, and they answered:
"We have seen distinguished people on spotted horses. What you see would not have happened if we had been firmly together."
News of the enemies' marching was conveyed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, so he sent out a spy to the enemies, which he did successfully. On 19 Shawwal, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led twelve thousand Muslims out of Mecca with the aim of reaching Hunayn. In the evening, a horseman told him:
"I have climbed up such-and-such mountains and came across the Hawazin with their riding camels, livestock, and sheep. All of the Hawazin were gathered there together."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ smiled and said they would all be the Muslims' spoils, if God willed so. On their way to Hunayn, the Muslims saw a Christ's thorn jujube called Dhat-Anwat (the one with suspenders), as the Arabs hung their weapons on it and slew beasts under it. Some soldiers asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to make them their own Christ's thorn jujube with suspenders, and he replied:
"God is the Greatest of all [beings]! I swear to the One in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, [i.e. God,] that you have just said what the people of Moses said to him [after seeing idolaters]. They said, 'Make us a god like the one they have.' You are surely ignorant people. These are Sunnah, [i.e. tradition,], and you will follow and comply with the modes of life of those who preceded you."
On Wednesday night, 10 Shawwal, the Muslims arrived at Hunayn. Malik (عليه السلام), who previously entered the valley by night, told his army to hide in it and lurk for the Muslims on roads, entrances, and narrow hiding places. He ordered his men to hurl stones and then properly attack any spotted Muslims.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mobilised his army at am early time and distributed posts and flags to men. In the dark and just before dawn, the Muslims moved into Hunayn, unaware of lurking enemies inside. Once they set up camp, arrows began intensely showering at them, whereas the enemy battalions started a fierce attack against the Muslims, who had to chaotically retreat. This was so humiliating that Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) said their retreat would not stop until they got to the Red Sea. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ turned to the right and declared:
"Come on, people! I am the Messenger of God. I am Muhammad ibn Abdullah."
Only a few men stood by him then as his matchless bravery was brought to light. He went on and on in his attempts to make his mule steadfast in the face of the disbelievers while loudly saying:
"Truly, I am the Prophet. I am the [grand]son of Abd al-Muttalib."
Abu Sufyan, who was holding the mule's rein, and Abbas (عليهما السلام), who was holding its stirrup, tried to make it halt. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ dismounted and asked God for help. He then told the sonorous Abbas (عليه السلام) to call out for the lancers, which he did at the top of his lungs and would later say the Muslims turned back to the battlefield like oryxes tending to their calves. The ones who were unable to force their camels to turn back would take their armour, fling it around their necks, and hastily dismount their camels while holding their weapons and letting their camels move freely and run toward the voice's source. Voices would grow louder and louder until a hundred Muslims gathered around the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and resumed the fight.
The Helpers were called up next, and then Banu Khazraj's Banu'l-Harith clan was. Muslim battalions successively poured into the battlefield in the same manner that they had left it in. The energy and fierce fighting of both sides was superb. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, eagerly and furiously watching the battle, commented that now, the fight grew fierce. He picked up a handful of dirt and threw it at the enemies, praying their faces become shameful. This miraculously disoriented all of the enemies' eyes with dust and made them flee.
A few hours passed since the enemy retreat that ended the Battle of Hunayn. About seventy Banu Thaqif men alone were killed, and the Muslims captured all their camels, weapons, and cattle. Enemy troops would disperse to Taif, Nakhla, and Autas. Some Muslims led by Abu Amir al-Ash'ari (عليه السلام), were sent to chase the enemies, with some skirmishes happening and killing him. Similarly, a cavalry battalion pursued the enemies who fled to Nakhla and caught up with Durayd ibn as-Simma, who was killed by Rabia ibn Rafi (عليه السلام).
After collecting the booty, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left for Taif and face the greatest number of idolaters. The booty was six thousand captives, twenty-four thousand camels, forty thousand sheep, and four thousand ounces of silver. He ordered the booty be confined at Al-Jirana and Masud ibn Amr (عليه السلام) be in charge of it. Later, one of the captives, his foster sister Shayma bint al-Harith, was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) as she introduced herself to him. Recognising her by a certain mark, he honoured her, spread for her his garment, seated her on it, and gracefully released her.
The Siege of Taif itself was a direct result of the Battle of Hunayn, as most enemy troops fled there. As a result, after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gathered the booty from Al-Jirana, he proceeded Khalid's (عليه السلام) thousand men headed to Taif. There, the former dismounted, set up camp, and besieged the enemy castle for 10-20 days.
A lot of arrow-shooting and rock-hurling occurred in the siege. As soon as the Muslims started besieging the castle, its inhabitants started firing arrows at them. The arrows were so intense and fierce that they resembled a locust swarm. Many Muslims were wounded, and twelve were killed. To be far from the arrows' range, the Muslims ascended to a higher location and set up camp. They set up a catapult and shelled the castle, eventually making a gap in a castle wall. Some Muslims, sheltered by a wooden "tank," passed through the hole and into the castle to set fire to it, although they were forced out of the "tank" and some died to arrows after the enemies poured molten iron onto them.
To force the enemies to surrender, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered cutting and burning their vineyards. Seeing this happen, the enemies appealed to him on ties of kinship and asked him to stop out of mercy, so he agreed. When the Muslim messenger said whoever came out of the castle would be free, 23 men came out. One of them was a man who tied himself to a wall and let himself down by means of a small wheel normally used for drawing up water from a well. This made the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ nickname him "Abu Bakra", i.e. the man with the wheel.
Seeing that the siege lasted long, that the castle was immune to any siege, and that the Muslims were suffering daily from arrows and heated iron hooks, the Prophet Muhammad consulted Nofal ibn Mu'awiya (عليهما السلام) for advice. The latter advised:
"They are like a fox hiding inside its burrow. If you stood fast at it, you would catch it. But, if you parted with it, no harm would afflict you."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ decided to lift the siege and depart Taif. As it was too hard for the Muslims to go back and leave the castle unconquered, they complained:
"Should we leave while the castle is still unopened?"
He replied:
"Then start fighting in the morning."
In the morning, the Muslims fought and were wounded. So, when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ declared leaving again, they accepted, making him laugh. As soon as they mounted and started moving, he said:
"Say! Here we are returning, repenting, worshipping [God,] and to our Lord we offer praise."
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked to curse the Banu Thaqif, he prayed for their guidance. Upon return from Taif, he stayed ten nights at Al-Jirana before distributing the booty. Distribution delay was due to his hope of the Hawazin delegation arriving, announcing repentance, and reclaiming their losses. Seeing that none of them arrived, he started dividing the booty so as to calm down the tribal chiefs and the celebrities of Mecca. The first to receive booty and the ones who obtained the greatest number of shares were the people who had recently embraced Islam. Abu Sufyan (عليه السلام) was given a hundred camels and forty ounces of gold. He also asked for his sons, Yazid and Mu'awiya (عليهما السلام), to have booty, so they were given the same amount as their father. Hakim bin Hizam was given a hundred camels, but he was given a hundred more when he demanded. Safwan bin Omaiyah was given three hundred camels - a hundred camels at each time. Al-Harith ibn Harith was given a hundred camels, and some tribal chiefs were also given a hundred camels. Some clans received forty and others fifty. It was eventually spread among people that:
"Muhammad grants generously and fears not to grow poor."
This made Bedouins gather around him, expecting some wealth. There were so many that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sought refuge against a tree, and they even took away his garment, making him declare:
"O people! Give me back my garment, for I swear to the One in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, that if I had as many numerous camels as the number of Tihama trees, I would distribute them among you! You know quite well that I am neither mean nor a coward or a liar...O people, I swear to God that I get nothing but one-fifth of your booty, and this very fifth goes back to you."
As soon as he paid the new converts, he ordered Zayd ibn Thabit (عليه السلام) to fetch the booty and summon people. Then, he ordained shares to people. A footman's share was four camels and forty sheep, and a horseman's was twelve camels and 120 sheep. At first, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ policy of distribution was not comprehended by many, and sharp-tongued people started objecting. The Helpers were among those who were afflicted by this policy, being deprived of the spoils of the Battle of Hunayn despite being summon there first in hard times and being the first to rush to fight with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and stand fast until victory. Now, those who escaped fill their hands with booty whilst they were given nothing. The Helper Sa'd ibn Ubadah (عليه السلام) said:
"O Messenger of God, this group of the Helpers are furious at you over the distribution of the booty you won. You allotted shares to your own kinsmen and forwarded lots of gifts to the Arab tribes. But, this group has obtained nothing."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked him what he made of that, and when he replied that he was nothing but a member of the complaining Helpers, the former commented:
"Call out to your people and bring them forth to me into this shed."
Sa'd (عليه السلام) summoned them, although not all that came were allowed to proceed. When they were all gathered together, he informed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who praised God before asking them:
"I have been told you are angry with me. Did I not come to you when you were astray and [then] God guided you? You were poor, and God gave you wealth. Were you not foes until God made you love one another?"
They agreed, and when he asked why they did not reply further, they answered:
"What should be the reply, O Messenger of God, while to the Lord and to his Messenger belong all benevolence and grace?"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
"But, by God, you may have answered and answered truly, for I would have testified to its truth myself: 'You came to us belied and rejected, and we accepted you; you came to us as helpless and we helped you; a fugitive, and we took you in; poor and we comforted you.' O Helpers, do you feel anxious for the things of this world, wherewith I have sought to incline these people unto the faith in which you are already established in? Are you not satisfied, O Helpers, that the people go with ewes and camels while you go along with the Messenger of God to your dwellings? By Him in Whose Hand is my life, had there been no migration, I would have been one of the Helpers. If the people would go through a valley and passage, and the Helpers go through another valley and passage, I would go through the valley and passage of the Helpers. O God! Have mercy on the Helpers, their children, and their children's children."
The men cried, now satisfied with their shares. The Hawazin delegation consisting of fourteen men led by Zuhayr ibn Sard arrived and asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to gift them some wealth, making him say:
"You surely see who are with me. The most desirable speech to me is the most truthful. Which is dearer to you: your wealth, or your women and children?"
The Hawazin said nothing could compare with family, and started asking for releasing the captives. This made the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ declare:
"As for what belongs to me and to the children of Abd al-Muttalib, you may consider them yours from now on, and I will ask my folk to give back theirs."
This made the Emigrants and the Helpers say whatever was theirs was offered to him. Al-Aqra ibn Habis (عليه السلام) said they would not grant any possessions belonging to him or Banu Tamim. Uyayna ibn Hisn agreed (عليه السلام), denying the possessions of himself and Banu Fazara, and Abbas ibn Mirdas (عليه السلام) followed along in denying ceding his possessions or Banu Salim's. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated:
"These people have come to you as Muslims. For this, I have already tarried the distribution of the booty. Besides, I have granted them a fair option, yet they refused to have anything other than their women and children. Therefore, they who have some of theirs and will prefer willingly to give them back, let him do so. But, those who favour to keep what they own to themselves - let them grant them back, too, and they will be given six times as much from the first booty that God may provide us as recompensation."
The people again offered all their possessions for him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told them:
"But, this way, we are not able to find out who is content and who is not. So, go back, and we will be waiting for your chiefs to convey your decisions to us."
All of them gave back the women and children. The only one who initially did not comply was Uyayna (عليه السلام), who refused to let an old woman go back. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gifted every captive a garment. Having finished distributing spoils at Al-Jirana, he left it while wearing the Umrah clothes and proceeded to Mecca to perform the Umrah. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then turned back to Medina by the last six nights of Dhu'l-Qa'da 8 A.H.
Chapter 46: Missions and Platoons
Returning to Medina, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received delegates and dispatched preachers to call to Islam everywhere, starting in Muharram 9 A.H. These delegates, some of who were sent as early as Muharram 7 A.H, included:
- Uyayna ibn Hisn (عليه السلام) to the Banu Tamim.
- Yazid ibn Hussein (عليه السلام) to the Banu Aslam and Banu Ghifar.
- Abbad ibn Bishr (عليه السلام) to the Banu Sulaym and Banu Muzaina.
- Rafi ibn Mukayth (عليه السلام) to the Juhayna.
- Amr ibn al-As (عليه السلام) to the Banu Fazara.
- Dahhak ibn Sufyan (عليه السلام) to the Banu Kilab.
- Bashir ibn Sufyan (عليه السلام) to the Banu Ka'b.
- Ibn al-Lutabiya al-Azdi (عليه السلام) to the Banu Dhubyan.
- Al-Muhajir ibn Abi Umayyah (عليه السلام) to Sanaa.
- Ziyad ibn Labid (عليه السلام) to Hadhramaut.
- Adi ibn Hatim (عليه السلام) to the Tayy and Banu Asad.
- Malik ibn Nuwayra to the Banu Hanzala.
- Zabraqan ibn Badr (عليه السلام) to some of the Banu Sa'd.
- Qays ibn Asim (عليه السلام) to some of the Banu Sa'd.
- Al-Ala ibn al-Hadhrami (عليه السلام) to Bahrain.
- Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) to Najran, to collect donations and taxes.
Some military platoons sent across Arabia to uphold security included:
- Uyayna ibn Hisn's (عليه السلام) Banu Tamim Expedition - Muharram 9 A.H: Uyayna (عليه السلام) led fifty horsemen to deal with the Banu Tamim, who were encouraging other tribes to not pay their taxes to Medina. Throughout the journey, the platoon marched by night and lurked by day, until they eventually overtook the enemies and attacked them, making them flee. Eleven men, 21 women, and thirty boys were captured and brought to Medina. Ten Banu Tamim leaders came to the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ door, calling out for him to face them. When he came out, they held him and started talking. After a while, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left them and went to pray and sit at the mosque. The Banu Tamim leaders proclaimed a desire to boast their pride, so they made their orator, Utarid ibn Hajib (عليه السلام), deliver a speech. The Prophet Muhammad asked his orator, Thabit ibn Qays (عليهما السلام), to respond, which he did. In return, they made their poet, Zabraqan ibn Badr (عليه السلام), recite some boastful poetry. The Muslim poet, Hasan ibn Thabit (عليه السلام), replied back. When this all ended, Aqra ibn Habis (عليه السلام) noted, "Their orator is more eloquent than ours, and their poet is more poetically learned than ours. Their voices and sayings excel ours, as well." The Banu Tamim announced their conversions to Islam, and their captives were freed.
- Qutba ibn Amir's (عليه السلام) Khatham Expedition - Safar 9 A.H: Qutba (عليه السلام) led twenty men to raid the Khatham tribe in Tabalah. A great number of both parties were wounded, and some others were killed. The Muslims brought the livestock and women they captured back to Medina.
- Dahhak ibn Sufyan's (عليه السلام) Banu Kilab Expedition - Rabi I 9 A.H: Dahhak (عليه السلام) went to invite the Banu Kilab to Islam, who resisted and fought until they were defeated and one of their men died.
- Ali ibn Abi Talib's (عليه السلام) Tayy Expedition - Rabi I 9 A.H: Ali (عليه السلام) led 150 men to demolish the Tayy's Al-Qullus idol. They raided at dawn, demolishing the idol and capturing prisoners and livestock. The chief, Adi ibn Hatim (عليه السلام), fled to Syria, and his sister was captured. The Muslims also took three swords and three armours found in Al-Qullus' safe. In Medina, Adi's (عليه السلام) sister begged for mercy, stating, "O Messenger of God, my brother is absent, my father is dead, and I am too old to render any service. Be beneficent to me, so that God may be bountiful to you." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked who her brother was, and when she answered, he identified him as the man who fled from God and His Messenger, and left her alone. This repeated the next day and then the day after that, when she was granted an animal to ride on. In Syria, she told her brother, "The Messenger of God has done me such noble deed that your father would never have done it. Therefore, willy-nilly, frightened, or secure, you should go and see him." Adi went to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) without any protection. The latter took the former to his house and asked, "What makes you flee? Do you flee lest you should say there is no god but God? Do you know any other gods aside from God?" Adi (عليه السلام) denied and talked for a while, making the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ask, "You certainly flee so that you may not hear the statement, 'God is the Greatest.' Do you know anyone who is greater than God?" Adi (عليه السلام) denied, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ retorted, "The Jews are those whose portion is wrath, and the Christians are those who have gone astray." Adi (عليه السلام) finally joyously proclaimed Islam.
- Alqama ibn Mujazziz's (عليه السلام) Anti-Piracy Expedition - Rabi II 9 A.H: Alqama (عليه السلام) led three hundred men to neutralise Ethiopian pirates attacking Meccans from near the shores of Jeddah. The Muslims crossed the sea and landed on a tiny island. As soon as the pirates heard of this, they fled.
There is not much to say here other than congratulating Islam on growing so much and gaining the power to defend itself and rule land.
Chapter 47: The Invasion of Tabuk
The Byzantine Empire, Earth's then-greatest military force, was greatly opposed to Islam, which started with their Ghassanid proxies executing a Muslim ambassador and intensified in the Battle of Mu'tah. Although Muslim forces could not have revenge on those tyrants at that battle, it had a great impression all over Arabia. Byzantine emperor Heraclius, who could neither ignore the great benefit for the Muslims from the Battle of Mu'tah, nor disregard the Arab tribes' expectations of independence and hopes of independence from Byzantium, concluded weakening Islam was of utmost importance, and gathered a large army of Byzantines and Ghassanids.
Fear soon spread in Medina. For the upcoming Ramadan, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ avoided intimacy with his wives and sent them off to a private place. The Muslims could not figure out why this was the case, so they falsely thought he divorced them.
The seriousness of the situation was confirmed to a large degree by the hypocrites' behaviour, when news of Byzantine preparations reached Medina. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never being terrified of any power and always overcoming them did not prevent the hypocrites from hoping for disaster to Islam. They asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to pray in the Mosque of Dissent, the headquarters of Medina's hypocrites. He told them he would do so upon returning from Tabuk.
An image of the imminent danger threatening Islam came via the Nabataeans bringing oil from Syria to Medina, who carried news of the incoming Byzantine army of forty thousand fighters and its various Arab allies already in Balqa. The situation was made more dangerous through other adverse factors like the heat, drought, and the rough and rugged distance the Muslims had to cross to face the enemy.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ assessed the situation well, knowing if he tarried or dealt passively with the situation in such a way enabling the Byzantines to paddle through Islamic provinces or to go as far as Medina, Islam would be destroyed. The pre-Islamic beliefs, dying due to the Battle of Hunayn and its successive campaigns, could return in such an environment. The hypocrites would stab the Muslims' backs as the Byzantines would attack them from the front. So, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ decided to preemptively strike the the Byzantines at their own borders. Contrary to his habit of concealing his real intentions in invasions, he announced openly his intent of fighting the Byzantines in order to prepare his people earlier for war. He also told the Muslims to donate their wealth, with everyone racing to do so to the point women were giving up all their jewellery.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would initiate the Tabuk expedition in Rajab 9 A.H. When the Muslim army consisting of thirty thousand prepared to leave, he entrusted his family's safety with Ali (عليه السلام), angering the hypocrites who were mad that he could not go ahead with the expedition. Ali tried catching up with the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), but the latter sent the former back to Medina, stating:
"Would it not suffice you to be my successor in the way Aaron was to Moses? But, no prophet succeeds me."
Despite all the wealth and mounts, the Muslim army was not well-equipped. The shortage of provisions and mounts was so serious that eighteen men mounted one camel alternatively. As for provisions, soldiers at times had to eat tree leaves until their lips got swollen. Some had to slaughter their beloved camels to drink out of their stomachs. On the army's way to Tabuk, they passed by Al-Hijr, the land of Thamud, the destroyed tribe of the Prophet Saleh (عليه السلام). They tried to obtain water from its well. But, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade them from using the well for drinking or ablution. He asked them to feed their camels their dough they made, and then told them to take water from the well the camel of the Prophet Saleh (عليه السلام) would drink from. Additionally, before passing through the valley, he told the Muslims:
"Do not enter the houses of those who erred themselves, lest what had happened to them would afflict you. But, if you had to do such a thing, let it be associated with weeping."
The water shortage made the army complain, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed to God, who sent a cloud that rained enough water for everyone. When they drew near Tabuk, he declared:
"If God wills, you will arrive at Tabuk's spring tomorrow. You will not get there before daytime. So, whoever reaches it should not touch its water, but rather, wait until I come."
A soldier asked:
"When we reached the spring, it used to gush forth some water. We found that two men had already preceded us to it."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked asked the men if they touched the water, and they confirmed it. He said what God inspired him to say, then scooped up some water from that spring, washed his face and hands with it, and poured it back into the spring. Plenty of water miraculously spouted out, and the people eagerly used it The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told the soldier:
"If you were doomed to live a long life, you will see fields full of vegetation in here."
As soon as the Muslims reached Tabuk, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned:
"Severe wind will blow tonight, so none of you should stand up. Whoever has a camel should tie it up."
When the strong wind blew later, one of the men stood up and was blown away to a mountain. The Muslims set up camp at Tabuk and were ready to face the enemy. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ eloquently urged them to seek the welfare of this world and the afterlife. He warned them, cherished them, and gave them glad tidings, boosting morale.
Learning of the Muslims' march, the Byzantine coalition was so terrified that they scattered across their territory and none dared to set out to fight. On the contrary they scattered inside their territory. It brought, in itself, a good credit to the Muslim forces. This alone greatly boosted Islam's reputation across Arabia. The head of Ayla (present-day Aqaba), Yahna ibn Rawba, accepted Muslim rule and pay taxes. The towns of Udhruh and Jarba agreed, too, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave each a document similar to one he gave to Yahna:
"In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This is a guarantee of protection from God and Muhammad the Prophet, the Messenger of God, to Yahna ibn Rawba and the people of Ayla. Their ships and their caravans on land and sea shall have the custody of God and the Prophet Muhammad, he and whosoever are with him of the Syrian people and those of the sea. Whosoever contravenes this treaty, his wealth shall not save him; it shall be the fair prize of who takes it. Now, it should unlawful to hinder the men from any springs which they have been in the habit of frequenting, nor from any journeys they desire to make, whether by sea or by land."
The Prophet Muhammad sent Khalid (عليهما السلام) to lead 450 horsemen to Ukaydir ibn Abd al-Malik, the Christian prince of Dumat al-Jandal, telling him his men would see them hunting oryxes. When Khalid (عليه السلام) drew near his castle, he saw oryxes rubbing their horns against the gates. As the moon was bright that night, he saw Ukaydir hunting them, so he captured him and his men, and brought him back to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who spared his life and made peace with him for the payment of two thousand camels, eight hundred cattle, four hundred armours, and four hundred lances. He obliged him to recognise the duty of paying tribute and charged him with collecting it from Dumat al-Jandal, Tabuk, Ayla, and Tayma. The Byzantine-aligned Arabs, quite certain their dependence on Byzantium ended, aligned with the Muslims. This expanded Islam's borders to the Byzantine Empire's and greatly reduced the latter's power.
The victorious Muslims returned from Tabuk in Ramadan, after fifty days of expedition. On the way back, twelve hypocrites unsuccessfully tried murdering the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at a mountain pass. Seeing Medina in the horizon, he declared:
"This is a cheerful sight. This is Mount Uhud...we love it, and it loves us."
The Tabuk expedition was a test of people's faith, as no man stayed behind except for those with valid excuses and the hypocrites. After returning to Medina and praying, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sat to receive his people. The male hypocrites, numbering over eighty, swore on various excuses for not joining the army. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ acknowledged their excuses and asked God to forgive them, entrusting their inner faith to God.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade his companions from talking to three faithful Muslims who did not join the expedition and had no valid excuses. Everybody turned their backs on them and subjected them to a social boycott for fifty days until God declared their innocence:
"And [God has also turned in mercy to] the three who had remained behind, [whose guilt distressed them] until the earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on them, and their souls were torn in anguish. They knew there was no refuge from God except in Him. He then turned to them in mercy, so that they may repent. God [alone] is surely the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful." - Surat at-Tawba, Verse 118
The Tabuk expedition made it clear to everyone that Islam alone would rule over the Arabs. The remaining disbelievers and hypocrites who used to conspired against Islam and relied on Byzantine support gave up desiring their old influence. Muslims could no longer treat hypocrites leniently, with God forbidding accepting their wealth and praying for their dead. He ordered the Muslims to demolish the Mosque of Dissent. Other notable events in 9 A.H. included:
- Allegations of adultery happened between Uwaymir al-Ajlani (عليه السلام) and his wife.
- An adulterous woman was stoned now despite committing adultery years earlier, as her child back then needed milk.
- The Muslim negus of Aksum died, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed his funeral prayer in absentia.
- One of the Prophet Muhammad's daughters, Umm Kulthum (عليهما السلام), died.
- Abdullah ibn Ubay, the leader of the hypocrites, died. The Prophet Muhammad prayed for his forgiveness despite Umar's (عليهما السلام) disapproval. In divine revelation, God stated His support for Umar (عليه السلام) here.
I note the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ military genius remained dominant, with him being able to seize enough territory without any intense combat to prevent a huge invasion from the world's greatest superpower. As the Tabuk expedition was mentioned to be the last military campaign he personally led, I wish to hear him enjoy a peaceful life now.
Chapter 48: Abu Bakr [R] performs the Pilgrimage
In Dhu'l-Qa'da or Dhu'l-Hijja 9 A.H, the Prophet Muhammad sent Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام) to lead the Muslims in performing Hajj, the "greater pilgrimage." After the Muslims departed, God announced the Muslims were no longer to honour their treaties with idolatrous tribes that were already repeatedly offending such agreements. Ali (عليه السلام) announced this at a site visited in pilgrimage, declaring the treaties with such offenders null and void, and giving them four months to reconsider their political alignments. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) then announced that non-Muslims would no longer be allowed to come to the Kaaba, nor would anyone come to it naked, a practice introduced by Arabs before Islam.
I do not have much to say about this, as this chapter simply shares one anecdote.
Chapter 49: A Meditation on the Ghazawat
This chapter takes a break from narrating the life story of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, instead choosing to reflect on his military career and cementing his status as history's top commander. All his battles were fought with strictness, bravery, and honour. None of his battles were fought out of poor strategies, with disobedience instead being the cause of weakness in the battles of Uhud and Hunayn. Even in those two engagements, he turned Hunayn into a victory and thwarted the enemies' desires at Uhud.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used the outcomes of battles to support the Muslims by justly providing housing, land, employment, and military resources. Islam transformed the cruel, oppressive, and destructive nature of pre-Islamic warfare into jihad, a struggle aimed at protecting people from tyranny and establishing justice and peace. He governed jihad by strict ethical rules and instructed commanders to act with piety and integrity and to avoid treachery; mutilation; killing women, children, prisoners, envoys, and those in covenants; theft; unnecessarily destroying crops and trees; and torture.
Once again, The Sealed Nectar helps me see the tactical and strategic superiority of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It also reaffirms that he fought for the noblest reasons and in the noblest conduct. This also plays into the theme I notice throughout the biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being morally and intellectually superior to all those around him to such a degree that it must be supernatural.
Chapter 50: People embrace the Religion of Allâh in Large Crowds
As mentioned earlier, the Conquest of Mecca marked a turning point in Arab history. It led to the collapse of paganism and widespread acceptance of Islam. Many waited to see whether the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would successfully overcome his opponents before embracing his message. So, after the conquest, Arab tribes rapidly converted to Islam and sent delegations to Medina.
The conquest greatly strengthened and unified the Muslim community. Within a year, the Muslim army grew from ten thousand soldiers in the Conquest of Mecca to thirty thousand in the Tabuk expedition. By the time of the Farewell Pilgrimage, over 144,000 Muslims gathered, demonstrating the remarkable spread and consolidation of Islam throughout Arabia. This sea of pilgrims was so large that when they praised God, it was like the horizon echoed their voices and the land shook.
As is usual with chapters that tend to be one anecdote or a recap of prior information, there is nothing major I want to comment.
Chapter 51: The Delegations
Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri mentions that although the number of aforementioned delegations reached over seventy, only some are notable enough to properly describe. They included:
- The Abd al-Qays Delegation - 5 A.H. & 9 A.H: This tribe had two arrivals. The first was around 5 A.H. Munqidh ibn Hayyan (عليه السلام), an Abd al-Qays tribesman, would trade in Medina. Hearing of Islam when arriving for trading, he converted to Islam and carried a pledge from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to his people, who eventually also became Muslims. 13-14 of them came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to ask Islam and drinks. He told their chief, "You have two qualities God likes. They are deliberateness and clemency." The Abd al-Qays' second arrival was in the Year of Delegations, where forty men came.
- The Banu Daws Delegation - 7 A.H: The arrival of this tribe happened when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was at Khaybar. Tufayl ibn Amr (عليه السلام) went back from Mecca to his people and kept unsuccessfully calling people to Islam. He asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to curse them, though he instead prayed for their guidance. The Banu Daws later embraced Islam, so Tufayl (عليه السلام) arrived in Medina with 70-80 Dawsite families.
- Farwa ibn Amr's (عليه السلام) Messenger - 8 A.H: Farwa (عليه السلام) was an Arab proxy of the Byzantine Empire from Ma'an, Syria. Seeing the stamina and courage of the Muslims, he converted to Islam. 8 A.H's Battle of Mu'tah in particular compelled his admiration. He gifted a white mule with a messenger of his to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the Byzantines learnt of Farwa's (عليه السلام) conversion, they imprisoned him and made him choose between leaving Islam or dying. He refused apostasy, so they crucified him and cut his neck at a Palestinian watering hole.
- The Suda Delegation - 8 A.H: The arrival of this delegation was after the departure of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Al-Jirana. It was because he already dispatched four hundred Muslims to Suda, a Yemeni watering hole. When the Muslim missionaries were camping at a canal's starting point, Ziyad ibn Al-Harith (عليه السلام) learned of their stay, so he came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and demanded, "I have come to you as a deputy of my people, so tell your army to go back and I guarantee of my people." The Muslims were sent away off the canal. In return, Ziyad (عليه السلام) went back and urged his people to come meet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Fifteen of them came and pledged allegiance to him as Muslims. Returning home, they urged the rest to be Muslims, thus spreading Islam among Suda.
- Ka'b ibn Zuhayr's (عليه السلام) Arrival - 8 A.H: Ka'b (عليه السلام) was a master poet from a family of poets who would satirise the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had already come back from the Siege of Taif, Ka'b's (عليه السلام) brother, Bujayr, wrote him a letter warning, "The Messenger of God has killed some men in Mecca who used to satirise and harm him, and the other poets who survived fled in all directions for their lives. So, if you want to save your skin, hasten to the Messenger of God. He never kills those who resort to him as repentant. If you refuse to do as I say, it is up to you to try to save your skin by any means." The two brothers corresponded with one another for a while till Ka'b (عليه السلام) awkwardly felt as if Earth constrained on him. Arriving in Medina, he stayed at a man's house as a guest. They prayed together, and the host suggested meeting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Ka'b (عليه السلام) obliged, sitting by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and putting his hand in his despite the latter not knowing him. The former asked, "O, Messenger of God! Ka'b ibn Zuhayr has come to you as a repentant Muslim. Will he be secure and forgiven if I fetch him?" The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ confirmed, and when Ka'b (عليه السلام) revealed his true identity, a Helper stood up and asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for permission to slit his throat. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated, "Leave him alone! He has become a repentant Muslim after his disposal of the past." Ka'b (عليه السلام) recited his poem Su'ad Has Departed in which he praised the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, thanked him, and apologised for past wrongdoings. In the poem, he also praised the Emigrants but criticised the Helpers for trying to kill him, though he would later on apologise to the Helpers and praise them in another poem.
- The Banu Udhra Delegation - Safar 9 A.H: Twelve men would come to spend three days in Medina. When asked who they were, they stated, "We are Banu Udhra, the foster brothers of Qusay to his mother. We are the ones who supported Qusay, and removed Khuza'a and Banu Bakr from the bosom of Mecca. We have relatives and kin [here]." They converted to Islam soon, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave them glad tidings alluding to the future Islamic conquest of Syria and forbade them from interacting with soothsayers.
- The Bali Delegation - Rabi I 9 A.H: The Bali tribe's delegates converted to Islam and stayed in Medina for three days. Their chief, Abu'd-Dabib (عليه السلام), asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ if God rewarded hospitality. He replied, "Yes, and so is any charity you offer to the poor or rich..." The chief inquired about the time allotted to hospitality, and when told three days, he asked, "What about the stray ewe?" The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ responded, "It is either yours or your brother's. Otherwise, it goes to the wolves." When the chief asked about the stray camel, he was told, "It is none of your business. Leave it alone! Its owner will try to find it."
- The Banu Thaqif Delegation - Ramadan 9 A.H: This Banu Thaqif delegation arrived after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned from the Tabuk expedition. Back in 8 A.H, after the Siege of Taif, when their leader, Urwa ibn Masud (عليه السلام), visited the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, accepted Islam, and returned home, hoping his people would follow him. Instead, they rejected his message and killed him. Months later, realising they could not resist Islam's growing power, the Banu Thaqif sent a delegation to negotiate with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They requested permission to continue practices such as adultery, drinking wine, interest-based loans, avoiding prayer, and keeping their idol, Al-Lat. The Prophet ﷺ Muhammad rejected all these conditions. The delegates eventually accepted Islam, asking only that they not be required to destroy Al-Lat themselves. Among the delegates, Uthman ibn Abi'l-As (عليه السلام) stood out for his eagerness to learn Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ appointed him as the leader of Banu Thaqif, and his leadership helped prevent the tribe from abandoning Islam during the later Apostasy Wars. When the delegation returned, they concealed their conversion and warned their people of possible conflict. After fear and uncertainty spread, the delegates revealed the truth, and the tribe collectively converted to Islam. The Prophet Muhammad sent Khalid ibn al-Walid (عليهما السلام) and others to destroy Al-Lat. During the demolition, Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba (عليه السلام) humorously pretended to be struck down by the idol, causing the people to panic before clarifying it had no power. The idol was demolished, and its treasures recovered.
- The Yemeni Kings' Message - Ramadan 9 A.H: The Himyarite kings sent a message announcing their acceptance of Islam to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that he received returning from the Tabuk expedition. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reminded them to pay their overdue tributes.
- The Banu Hamdan Delegation - Ramadan 9 A.H: This delegation arrived after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned from the Tabuk expedition. He sent Malik ibn an-Namt (عليه السلام) to the Banu Hamdan as their chief, to guide the Muslims among his people. Khalid (عليه السلام) was additionally appointed to call them to Islam. He did so for six months, but none responded, so he returned and was replaced with Ali (عليه السلام). Upon arrival, he successfully called them to Islam, so Ali wrote to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) informing him of the good news. The latter prostrated and prayed for peace be upon the Banu Hamdan.
- The Banu Fazara Delegation - Ramadan 9 A.H: Ten Banu Fazara men came to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ after he returned from the Tabuk expedition. They professed their Islam and complained about a drought, so he prayed, "O God, let rain fall down, and water Your country and animals, and spread Your mercy and bring life to the dead lands. O God, send rain that will be saving, comforting, sprouting grass, and overwhelming vast areas sooner or later. Let it be useful rain and not harmful. O God, let it be rain of mercy and not rain of torture and chastisement. Let that rain not be destructive or flooding. O God, send down water for us and help fight the enemies."
- The Najran Delegation - 9 A.H: Sixty Christian delegates from the Najran region came to talk to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When he recited Quranic verses and called them to Islam, they refused. When the delegation asked him what he thought of the Prophet Jesus (عليه السلام), he answered the next day with Verses 59-61 of Surat Ali Imran, Quranic verses revealed overnight stating, "The example of Jesus in the sight of God is indeed like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, 'Be!' And he was! This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be one of those who doubt. Now, whoever disputes with you, [O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,] concerning Jesus after full knowledge has come to you, say, 'Come! Let us gather our children and your children, our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves. Then let us sincerely invoke God's curses upon the liars.'" The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave them a day to think it over, so when they still denied Islam the next morning, he suggested performing a mubahala, a ritual where each party asks God to curse the liars among them. The Prophet Muhammad then came forward wrapping his grandsons, Hasan and Hussein, under his garment, whereas his daughter and the mother of those grandsons, Fatima (عليهم السلام), was walking at his back. Seeing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was serious, the delegates stepped aside and started discussing what to do next. They noted if he was truly a prophet of God, his curses upon them would destroy them and their descendants, so they resorted to his judgement regarding their cause. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ accepted this, ordered them to start pay taxes to the Muslims, and made peace with them for the provision of two thousand garments. With every garment, they had to pay an ounce of gold. In return, they would freely practise their religion. They asked him to appoint a trustworthy man to receive the money agreed on for peace, so he sent Abu Ubayda (عليه السلام). Two of the chief delegates converted to Islam returning home, and by the time Islam started to spread in Najran, its people did not have to pay the taxes non-Muslims usually had to pay.
- The Banu Hanifa Delegation - 9 A.H: Seventeen Banu Hanifa delegates arrived in Medina, with one of them being Musaylima the Liar, who would play a major role as a false prophet later on in Islamic history. The delegates announced their conversions to Islam to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, although the boastful Musaylima showed disapproval and only wished to be a prince. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ tried treating Musaylima nicely, to no avail. The former perceived evil in the latter's soul and recognised him as one of the three evils he dreamt of. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had already dreamt that he had been granted Earth's treasures. His hand fell upon two golden bracelets, which greatly distressed him, so he blew them off via divine inspiration. They were interpreted to be two liars who would turn up after his death. So, when Musaylima acted negatively in the delegation, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recognised him as one of the two liars. Musaylima would say, "If Muhammad appointed me as his successor, I would be a Muslim." Later on, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came with a piece of a palm leaf in his hand and in the company of his orator, Thabit ibn Qays (عليه السلام), and some other friends. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ talked to him, but Musaylima addressed him, saying: "If you agree to transfer the whole thing, [i.e. succession, prophethood,] to me after your death, I will not stand in your way." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: "If you asked me to give you this [piece of a palm leaf,] I would not grant it to you. You are doomed. Even if you repented and stopped what you were doing, God has appointed it so that you will be slain. I swear to God that I see you now in the very state that has been revealed to me. Here is Thabit! You will hear my answer [from him,]" and went away. The prophecy regarding Musaylima came true; when he returned to his home in Al-Yamama, he kept on thinking of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and how he wanted to be his partner. Musaylima's dreams and thoughts went so far as to lead him to claim that he himself was a prophet. He started passing off poetry as divine revelation, and permitted drinking wine and committing adultery. However, he still claimed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a true prophet of God. Musaylima's people followed him due to his leniency, and he grew prominent enough to the point of being called the beneficent of Al-Yamama. He wrote to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, saying, "I have been appointed to be your associate, so I will have half [of prophethood] and the Quraysh will have the other half..." The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied with Verse 128 of Surat al-A'raf, stating, "'...Indeed, Earth belongs to God [alone.] He grants it to whoever He chooses from among His slaves. The ultimate outcome belongs [only] to the righteous.'" When Musaylima's two messengers came to see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he asked them if they bore witness that he was the Messenger of God. The messengers testified that Musaylima was the Messenger of God, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied, "I believe in God and His Messenger. If I had ever thought of killing a messenger I would have killed you both," meaning if he were to make an exception on the banning of killing envoys, it would have been to kill Musaylima's.
- The Banu Amir Delegation: Some evil men from a Banu Amir delegation headed to Medina included Amir ibn at-Tufayl, Arbad ibn Qays, Khalid ibn Jafar, and Jabbar ibn Aslam. Amir was the one who double-crossed the Muslims in the Massacre of Mau'na Well mentioned earlier in this review. Once the delegates arrived, Amir and Arbad conspired to kill the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Amir kept on talking to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and Arbad turned aside to draw his sword. He managed to draw it slightly, but God stilled his hand so that he was unable to complete withdrawal. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ invoked God's curses against them. When the delegates returned, God sent down a thunderbolt burning Arbad and his camel. Amir, on the other hand, got an eventually fatal gland sore while calling out at the house of a Banu Salul woman.
- The Tujib Delegation: Thirteen delegates from the Kinda tribe's Tujib clan came with surplus donations from their people to inquire about Islam. They demanded things from the Propeht Muhammad ﷺ, to which he gave them pledges. They did not stay long, so when he acknowledged their demands and let them depart, they sent him a boy who they already left at their property. The young man told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, "I swear to God I have left my home [for Medina] with the purpose that you invoke God, the Great and Almighty, for me to forgive me, have mercy on me, and make my heart a source of content and sufficiency," to which he obliged.
- The Tayy Delegation: One man from among a Tayy delegation meeting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was Zayd al-Khayl (عليه السلام). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ urged them to convert to Islam, and they obliged. Regarding Zayd, the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) said, "The Arabs are never exact at estimating people. They have never told me about the virtues of a man correctly, for when I see the man concerned, I realise they have overestimated him except for Zayd al-Khayl. When I met him, I knew they had underestimated him." He then named him "Zayd al-Khayr," meaning "Zayd, the Bountiful."
The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ diplomatic expertise is showcased in this chapter via him easily convincing various tribes and towns to convert to Islam and therefore increase Islam's territories.
Chapter 52: The Success and Impact of the Call
This chapter reflects on the journey of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and its fruits. For over two decades, he endured hardship in perpetual battle against Satan to free humanity from ignorance, idolatry, and moral corruption. Alongside his companions, he established a community rooted in faith and worship upholding peace and justice. Through his prophetic mission, Islam spread across Arabia, replacing tribal divisions with a uniting, egalitarian devotion to God alone. The Quran completely replaced idolatry, and the call to prayer echoed throughout the land. Promoting justice, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ completely transformed society by ending oppression and teaching that all are equal save for piety. Islam reformed the region on the societal and spiritual levels into a lasting noble, truthful, free, and righteous civilisation. Essentially, I have no extra thoughts on this chapter.
Chapter 53: The Farewell Pilgrimage
After the establishment of a new Islamic society, a secret call rose in the heart of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, telling him his term in life was about to end. An example of this was what he told Mu'adh ibn Jabal (عليه السلام), whom he sent to Yemen in 10 A.H:
"O Mu'adh! You may not see me after this current year. You may even pass by this very mosque of mine and my tomb."
Mu‘adh fearfully cried hearing this, sad at the thought of parting with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. God was careful to let the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ live long enough first see the fruits of his decades of suffering. The latter would spend his last days teaching Islam to tribal representatives in the outskirts of Mecca and maintaining Medina's alliances with them.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ announced his intent to embark on a blessed Hajj pilgrimage. Enormous crowds came to Medina, all of whom seeking his guidance. On a Saturday in the last four days of Dhu'l-Qa'da, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ started preparing to depart. He combed his hair, applied some perfume, wore new garments, saddled his camel, and set off in the afternoon. He arrived at Dhu'l-Hulayfa, prayed there, and spent the night there. In the morning, he told his companions:
"A comer sent by my Lord has called on me tonight and said, 'Pray in this blessed valley and say, 'I intend Umrah combined with Hajj.''"
Before the noon prayer, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ bathed for Ihram (ritual consecration), and Aisha (عليها السلام) perfumed his body and head with a sweet flag and musk perfume. The thick, sticky layer of perfume could be seen among his hair and beard. He left it unwashed, and wore his loincloth and garment. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did the noon prayer shortened and proclaimed pilgrimage procedures associated with Umrah at his place of prayer. When he mounted his camel and moved into the desert, he repeatedly proclaimed monotheism.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ proceeded with his journey until he reached Mecca. He spent the night at Dhi Tuwa, and entered Mecca after the dawn prayer. He bathed on Sunday morning, 4 Dhu'l-Hijja 10 A.H. He spent eight days on the way, and as soon as he entered the Sacred Mosque, he circumambulated the Kaaba and walked to and fro between the hills of Safa and Marwa. He then took the sacrificial animals to slaughter them and camped on Al-Hajun. Those of his companions who had no sacrificial animals observed Ihram into Umrah, circumambulated the Kaaba, and strided to and fro between Safa and Marwa. After that, they could relieve themselves from Ihram. The companions were reluctant to obey, so the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ commented:
"Had I known beforehand what I knew afterwards, I would not have brought sacrificial animals. If I did not have sacrificial animals, I would have broken Ihram."
Hearing this, the companions obeyed. On 8 Dhu'l-Hijja, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left for the valley of Mina, where he performed the dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening prayers. He stayed there for a while until the sun rose, then passed along to Mount Arafat, where there was a tent for him. He sat inside until sunset, and ordered his camel be prepared for him. They saddled it and had it ready, and he went down the valley where at least 124,000 people gathered around him. There, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stood up and delivered a speech:
"O people! Listen to what I say. I do not know if I will ever meet you at this place once again after this year. It is unlawful for you to [unlawfully] shed each other's blood or take each other's fortunes. They are as forbidden as shedding blood on a day like today, in a month like this month, and in a sacred city like this sacred city, [i.e. Mecca and the surrounding areas.] Behold! All practices of paganism and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood feuds of the Days of Ignorance, [i.e. pre-Islamic history,] are nullified. The first claim on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabia ibn Harith, who was nursed in the Banu Sa'd tribe and whom Hudhayl killed. Interest is forbidden, and I begin by nullified the amount of interest which Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib has [yet] to receive. It is surely entirely nullified. O people! Fear God regarding women. You have surely taken them upon God's security and have made their persons lawful unto you by God's Words! It is incumbent upon them to honour their conjugal rights and to not commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have authority to chastise them, but not severely. If your wives refrain from impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably. I have surely left amongst you the Book of God, [i.e. the Quran,] and the Sunnah, [i.e. traditions,] of His Messenger, which, if you hold steadfastly, you will never go astray. O people, I am not succeeded by any prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So, I recommend you to willingly worship your Lord, pray the five [daily] prayers, fast [during daylight hours in] Ramadan, and donate your provisions to charity. I recommend you to perform the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you. You will then be rewarded with entrance to your Lord's. If you were asked about me, what would you say?"
The audience answered:
"We testify that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raised his forefinger up and moved it down towards the people while asking God to bear witness three times. After this speech, God revealed the following Quranic verse:
"...Today, I, [i.e. God,] have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way..." - Surat al-Ma'idah, Verse 3
Hearing this, Umar (عليه السلام) cried. When asked why, he answered:
"Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection."
Bilal ibn Rabah (عليه السلام) made the call to prayer. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed in the noon and afternoon, mounted his camel, approached the vigil's location, directed his face towards the direction of the Kaaba, and kept on standing until sunset, when the sky's yellow colour vanished a bit and the sun's disc disappeared. He additionally moved onwards to Muzdalifa to pray. Mounting on his camel, he moved on He facing the Kaaba's direction and praised God, remaining there until it was a clear morning, and before the sun rose high, he made his way to Mina. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ walked a little and threaded the mid-road leading to big stone pillars he pelted with pebbles while praising God. He then set off to sacrifice 63 camels asked Ali (عليه السلام) to slaughter the others, 137 altogether. A piece of meat from each animal was cooked into soup in a pot, from which both men ate.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mounted his camel, returned to the Sacred Mosque, did the noon prayer, and came across the children of Abd al-Muttalib supplying drinking water to pilgrims at the Zamzam well. He ordered:
"Draw water [for me], O children of Abd al-Muttalib. I would draw [water] with you if I were not afraid people would appropriate this honour after me."
They handed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ a pail of water, and he drank to his fill. In the morning of 10 Dhu'l-Hijja, he gave a speech on a grey mule:
"Time has grown similar in form and state to the time when God created the heavens and Earth. A year is twelve months. Four of them are sacred months. Three of the four months are successive. They are Dhu'l-Qa'da, Dhu'l-Hijja, and Muharram. The fourth month is Rajab, which comes between Jumada [II] and Shaban. What month is this month?"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went silent for a bit after the audience answered God and His Messenger knew best and then asked if it was not Dhu'l-Hijja. They said it was, and when he asked the name of the town they were in, he went silent for a bit after the audience answered God and His Messenger knew best and then asked if it was not Al-Baldah, a name for Mecca. They said it was, and when he asked what day it was today, he went silent for a bit after the audience answered God and His Messenger knew best and then asked if it was not the Day of Slaughtering. They said it was, and he resumed his speech:
"[Unlawfully shedding] each other's blood and [unwillingly] eating or taking one another's provisions and your honour are all forbidden. It is forbidden to violate their holiness. They must be as sacred to one another as this sacred day, in this sacred month, in this sacred town. You will go back to be resurrected [after death] to your Lord. There, you will be accounted for your deeds, so do not turn into people who go astray and kill one another. Have I not delivered [my Lord's] message?"
They said he did, and he continued:
"O God! Bear witness! Let him that is present convey it to him who is absent, for haply, many people to whom the Message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience...he whoever plunges into misfortune will certainly aggrieve himself, so let no one of you inflict evil upon his parents. Satan has surely utterly despaired being worshipped in this country of yours, but he will be obeyed at your committing trivial things you disdain. Satan will be content with such things."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ spent 11-13 Dhu'l-Hijja at Mina performing rituals, praying, and wiping out all traces of polytheism. On some days, he delivered some speeches. He left for a high mountain on 13 Dhu'l-Hijja and spent all day and night there. He slept for a short while and mounted, leaving for the Kaaba. He performed the Farewell Circumambulation after ordering his Companions to do the same thing. Upon accomplishing all rituals, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left for Medina.
Here, I adored hearing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ deliver sermons of wisdom. I wonder how emotional he felt performing Hajj, knowing he likely would never do so again.
Chapter 54: The Last Expeditions
The Byzantine Empire's arrogance made it their mission to deny Muslims their right to live, even leading to kill a proxy of theirs for converting to Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mobilised a great army in Safar 11 A.H. under the command of Osama ibn Zayd (عليه السلام), with orders to tread the Muslims' horses on the lands bordering Balqa and Daroma in Palestine, aiming to terrorise the Byzantines, implant confidence into the hearts of the Arabs settled at Byzantine borders, and deliver a message to everybody there that Christian brutality cannot go with impunity and that conversion to Islam is not synonymous with fear and vulnerability. People objected to being led by the young Osama, so the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) declared:
"No wonder you now contest his leadership, for you already contested the leadership of his [late] father, [Zayd ibn Haritha, عليه السلام.] Yes, by God, his father, who was one of the most beloved people to me, was quite efficient in leadership, and this son of his is one of the most beloved individuals to me after his father."
This made people start accepting joining the army of Osama (عليه السلام). The army was so big, they formed a queue so long they had to descend the escarpment, a parasang off Medina. The anxiety-inducing news regarding the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ illness made the expedition tarry again, to know what God had willed regarding His Messenger. It was God's Will that this expedition would be the first under the future caliphate of Abu Bakr (عليه السلام).
There is not much to comment on here. I was bummed that this expedition could not have happened sooner.
Chapter 55: The Journey to Allâh, the Sublime
When Islam finally gained dominance, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ started showing signs of preparing to depart from life:
- In Ramadan 10 A.H, he secluded himself for twenty days, contrary to the usual ten.
- Gabriel (عليه السلام) reviewed the Quran twice with him.
- His words in the Farewell Pilgrimage: "I do not know if I will ever meet you at this place once again after this year."
- The revelation of Surat an-Nasr amid 11-13 Dhu'l-Hijja 10 A.H, which made him realise the Quranic chapter was an announcement of his upcoming death.
- In the early days of Safar 11 A.H, he went out to Mount Uhud and did a farewell prayer for the martyrs. It looked like saying goodbye to both the dead and the living. He then ascended the pulpit and addressed the people, "I am to precede you, and have been made a witness upon you. By God, you will meet me at the Fountain [of Abundance in Heaven] very soon. I have been given the keys of worldly treasures. By God, I do not fear that you will turn into polytheists after me. But, I do fear the acquisition of worldly riches will entice you to strike each other's necks."
- One day, he went to the Al-Baqi Cemetery at midnight and asked God to forgive the martyrs of Islam. He said, "Peace be upon you tomb-dwellers! May that morning that dawns upon you be more relieving than that which dawns upon the living. Afflictions are approaching them like cloudy lumps of a dark night, the last of which follows the first. The last one is bearing more evil than the first. We will follow you."
On Monday, 29 Safar 11 A.H, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ participated in funeral rites in the Al-Baqi Cemetery. On the way back, he contracted a headache, and his body temperature rose so high that the heat could be felt through his headband. He led the Muslims in prayer for eleven days despite his illness. The total number of his sick days was 13-14. When his ailment grew severe, he asked his wives:
"Where shall I stay tomorrow? Where shall I stay?"
The women understood the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ request and allowed him to stay wherever he wanted. Leaning his body and dragging his feet while walking, he moved to Aisha's room on Fadl ibn Abbas and Ali (عليهم السلام). He spent the last week of his life there, during which Aisha (عليها السلام) would recite Surat al-Falaq, Surat an-Nas, and other prayers he taught her.
On Wednesday, five days before the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ death, his temperature rose even higher, making him faint and suffer from pain. He ordered:
"Pour seven waterskins of various water wells on me, so that I may go out to meet the people and talk to them."
So, the people seated the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in a container used for washing and poured water on him until he said it was enough. This made him feel well enough to enter the mosque, so he did so and spoke from the pulpit:
"God's curses fall upon the Jews and the Christians for turning the graves of their prophets into places of worship. Do not make my grave a worshipped idol. He whom I have ever lashed his back, I offer him my back so that he may avenge himself on me. He whom I have ever blasphemed his honour, here I am offering my honour so that he may avenge himself."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ descended from the pulpit and did the noon prayer. Returning to the pulpit, he resumed his speech. When a man said he owed him three dirhams, the Prophet Muhammad made Fadl (عليهما السلام) pay him the money and stated:
"I admonish you to be good to the Helpers. They are my family, and I found shelter among them. They acquitted themselves credibly of the responsibility that fell upon them, and now, there remains what you have to do. You should fully acknowledge and appreciate the favour they have shown, and should overlook their faults. The number of believers would increase, but the number of Helpers would decrease to the extent that they would be among men as salt in food. So, he who from among you occupies a position of responsibility and is powerful enough to do harm or good to the people, he should fully acknowledge and appreciate the favour that these benefactors have shown and overlook their faults. God, the Great, has given a slave of His, [i.e. me,] the opportunity to make a choice between whatever he desires of His provisions in this world, and what He keeps for him in the world, but he has opted for the latter."
Hearing this, Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) cried and said the people sacrifice their fathers and mothers for the sake of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They wondered why he said this:
"Look at that old man! The Messenger of God talks about a slave of God who was granted the right between the best of fortunes of this world and the bounty of God in the Hereafter, but he says, 'We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for your sake!'"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
"The fellow whose company I feel most secure in is Abu Bakr. If I were to make friendship with anyone other than God, I would have Abu Bakr a bosom friend of mine. I feel affection and brotherhood in Islam for him. No gate shall be kept open in the mosque except that of Abu Bakr's."
On Thursday, four days before the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he ordered his people while in pain:
"Come here. I will make you write something so that you will never fall into error."
Umar (عليه السلام) said:
"The Prophet of God is suffering from acute pain, and you have the Quran with you. The Book of God is sufficient for you."
The people, however, wanted to write down what the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wanted to say. When he heard them debate, he sent them off. That day, he recommended three things:
- The Jews, the Christians, and the pagans should be expelled from Arabia.
- Delegates should be honoured and entertained, just as he did to them in his lifetime.
- This third recommendation was forgotten by the people. It could have been adherence to the Quran and the Sunnah, mobilising Osama bin Zayd's (عليه السلام) army, or always praying and caring for slaves.
In spite of the strain of disease and pain, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led all the prayers until that Thursday, when he led the sunset prayer and recited:
"By those [winds, angels, or messengers of God] sent forth successively..." - Surat al-Mursalat, Verse 1
In the evening, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ grew unbearably sick to the point he could not go out to enter the mosque. When he asked Aisha (عليها السلام) if the people have prayed yet, she responded negatively, as they were awaiting him. He ordered to put water in the washing pot, which people did. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ washed and tried to stand up, but collapsed. This repeated twice, so the Prophet Muhammad sent Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام) to lead the prayer himself. The latter would do this for the rest of the former's last days.
On Saturday or Sunday, a day or two before the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he felt he was well enough to pray, so he went out leaning on two men to go do the noon prayer. Abu Bakr (عليه السلام), who was about to lead the prayer, withdrew when he saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ coming. But, the latter gestured for the former to stay where he was and sat on his left. The Prophet Muhammad led the prayer, and Abu Bakr (عليهما السلام) followed him and raised his voice at every Takbir (the chant of "God is the Greatest" said in prayer) the former made, so that the people may hear clearly.
On Sunday, a day before the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he freed his slaves, gifted his weapons to the Muslims, and donated the seven dinars he had left to charity. When the night came, Aisha (عليها السلام) had to borrow some oil from her neighbour to light her lantern. Even his armour was mortgaged as a security with a Jew for some barley.
On Monday, the last day of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ life, while the Muslims were doing the dawn prayer, they were surprised seeing him raise the curtain of Aisha's (عليهما السلام) room and cheerfully smile at them. Abu Bakr withdrew to join the lines and give way to the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) in prayer, thinking he wanted to pray. The latter gestured for the Muslims to go on without him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would never pray again after this.
Later in the day, the Prophet Muhammad called for Fatima (عليهما السلام) and whispered to her, making her cry and then laugh. Aisha would later ask Fatima (عليهما السلام) what he whispered, to which she replied:
"The first thing he disclosed to me was that he would not recover from his illness, and I wept. Then, he told me I would be the first of his family to join him, so I laughed."
The Prophet Muhammad gave glad tidings to Fatima (عليهما السلام) that she would be the lady of all women in the world. She witnessed the great pain her father was in, so she exclaimed:
"What great pain my father is in!"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied:
"He will not suffer anymore when today is over."
The Prophet Muhammad asked for his grandsons, Hasan and Hussein (عليهم السلام). He kissed them and ordered they be looked after. He asked for his wives, and preached remembrance of God to them. The pain grew so severe that he commented he could now feel traces of the poisoned lamb he was given at Khaybar. He repeatedly ordered his people to always pray and care for slaves. When the pangs of death started, Aisha leaned the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) against herself. She would say:
"One of God's bounties upon me is that the Messenger of God died in my house, while I am still alive. He died between my chest and my neck while he was leaning against me. God has mixed his saliva with mine at his death, for Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came in with a miswak, [a mustard tree root used for brushing teeth,] in his hand, while I was leaning the Messenger of God against myself. I noticed that he was looking at the miswak, so I asked him, 'Would you like me to take it for you," for I knew he wanted it. He nodded in agreement. I took it and gave it to him. As it was too hard for him, I asked him 'Shall I soften it for you?' He nodded in agreement, so I softened it with my saliva and he passed it [onto his teeth...]there was a waterskin available at his hand with some water in it. He put his hand in it, wiped his face with it, and commented, 'There is no god but God. Death is full of agonies.'"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ finished brushing his teeth, raised his hand or finger up to the ceiling as he looked at it, and moved his lips. Aisha (عليها السلام) heard him pray:
"With those of whom You have bestowed Your Grace with the Prophets and the truthful ones, the martyrs and the doers of good. O God, forgive me, have mercy upon me, and [make me] join [their] companionship..."
In intervals, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ uttered:
"To God we turn, and to Him we turn back for help and [our] last abode."
This happened on Monday, 12 Rabi I 11 A.H. He died at the age of 63 years and four days.
Everyone in Medina heard of this great loss. Grief spread across all parts of the city to the point some said they never witnessed a day brighter than the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or a day darker than his passing. When he died, Fatima (عليها السلام) said:
"O father, whom his Lord responded to his supplication! O father, whose abode is Paradise. O father, whom I announce his death to Gabriel."
Umar (عليه السلام), who was so stunned by the news that he almost lost consciousness, addressed the people:
"Some of the hypocrites claim the Messenger of God died. The Messenger of God did not die, but rather, he went to his Lord in the same way Moses ben Amram did. He stayed away for forty nights, and finally came back, though they said he died. By God, the Messenger of God will come back, and he will cut off the hands and legs of those who claim he died."
Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) left his house and arrived at the mosque on horseback. He talked to nobody and went on until he entered Aisha's abode, and went directly to where the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) was. The corpse was covered with a Yemeni mantle. Abu Bakr uncovered the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) face, kissed it, and cried:
"I sacrifice my father and mother for your sake. Surely, God will not cause you to die twice. You have just experienced the death God ordained."
He then went to Umar (عليه السلام), unsuccessfully told him to take a seat, and gave a speech:
"And now, he who worships Muhammad: Muhammad is dead now. But, he who worships God, He is Ever-Living and never dies. God says [in Verse 144 of Surat Ali Imran,] 'Muhammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief? Those who do so will not harm God whatsoever. God will reward those who are grateful.'"
Ibn Abbas (عليه السلام) noted:
"By God, it sounded as if people had never heard such a Quranic verse until Abu Bakr recited it as a reminder, so people started reciting it until there was no man who did not recite it."
Umar (عليه السلام) said:
"By God, as soon as I heard Abu Bakr say it, I fell down to the ground. I felt as if my legs were been unable to carry me, so I collapsed when I heard him say it. Only then did I realise Muhammad really died."
Dispute arose regarding the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ political successor before he was even prepared for burial. People finally acknowledged Abu Bakr (عليه السلام) as a caliph and spent the whole Monday there until it was nighttime. People were so busy arguing that it was just about Tuesday's dawn, yet his blessed body was still lying in his bed. He was locked in the room.
On Tuesday, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ body was washed with his clothes on. The people shrouded him in white Yemeni cloth. Dispute arose regarding where he would be buried. Abu Bakr said he heard the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) say prophets are buried where they die, so Abu Talha al-Ansari (عليه السلام) dug his tomb beneath his bed. People entered the room ten by ten to pray for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The first to pray for him were his clan, and then the Emigrants, and then the Helpers. The women prayed for him after the men did, and the children were the last to pray.
This was the most emotional chapter for me to write. Reading this biography and seeing the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ entire life from birth to death made me feel sad and mournful. I shed genuine tears while reading this chapter and typing my review for it. I admire how he kept pushing through all the pains of death and how he was not intimidated by his impeding end.
Chapter 56: The Prophet Household
The number of wives the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had is disputed, but there were confirmed to be eleven he consummated his marriages with:
- Khadija bint Khuwaylid (عليها السلام)
- Sawda bint Zam'a (عليها السلام)
- Aisha bint Abi Bakr (عليها السلام): Married in Shawwal 2 B.H.
- Hafsa bint Umar (عليها السلام): Married in 3 A.H.
- Zaynab bint Khuzayma (عليها السلام): Married in 4 A.H.
- Hind "Umm Salama" bint Abi Umayyah (عليها السلام): Married in Shawwal 4 A.H.
- Zaynab bint Jahsh (عليها السلام): Married in Dhu'l-Qa'da 5 A.H.
- Juwayriya bint al-Harith (عليها السلام): Married in Shaban 6 A.H.
- Ramla "Umm Habiba" bint Abi Sufyan (عليها السلام): Married in Muharram 7 A.H.
- Safiyya bint Huyayy (عليها السلام): Married in 7 A.H.
- Maymuna bint al-Harith (عليها السلام): Married in Dhu'l-Qa'da 7 A.H.
Aside from this, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had two wives he did not consummate marriages with, as well as concubines, some of whom may have later converted to Islam and became his wives, including Maria the Copt, Rayhana bint Zayd, Jamila (عليهن السلام), and a fourth unnamed bondwoman.
When one examines the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, they can see he was not a lustful womaniser. His polygyny was mostly driven by a need to establish good relations with notable individuals, tribes, and peoples, or to support women in need who had no capable men to provide for them. This is further evidenced by him spending his entire youth sufficing himself to one older woman (Khadija, عليها السلام), and then another one (Sawda, عليها السلام) after the first one died.
This was not too interesting for a chapter. It gave good insight into why polygyny was practised, but I expected this chapter to talk about more members of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ family, such as his children, or at least talk more personally in-depth about the lives of his noble wives.
Chapter 57: The Prophet [pbuh], Attributes and Manners
This chapter talks about how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was perfect in all sorts of ways, from physical appearance to morals. No other man in the whole world has been as honoured and beloved. Those who knew him well were enchanted by him, ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of even his toenails.
Umm Ma'bad (عليها السلام), who was mentioned earlier as having seen the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions during their migration to Yathrib, described him:
"He was innocently bright and had a broad countenance. His manners were fine. Neither his belly bulged out nor was his head deprived of hair. He had attractive black eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows. His hair was glossy and black and inclined to curl, and he wore it long. His voice was extremely commanding. His head was large, well-formed, and set on a slender neck. His expression was pensive and contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was fascinated from the distance, but no sooner he became intimate with him than this fascination was changed into attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of superfluous words, as if it were a rosary of beads. His stature was neither too high nor too small to look repulsive. He was a twig amongst the two, singularly bright and fresh. He was always surrounded by his companions. Whenever he uttered something, the listeners would hear him with rapt attention. Whenever he issued any command, they vied with each other in carrying it out. He was a master and a commander. His utterances were marked by truth and sincerity, free from all kinds of falsehoods and lies."
Ali described the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام):
"The Messenger of God was neither excessively tall nor extremely short; he was of medium height among his friends. His hair was neither curly nor wavy; it was in between. It was not too curly nor was it plain straight; it was both curly and wavy combined. His face was not swollen or meaty-compact; it was fairly round. His mouth was white. He had black and large eyes with long haired eyelids. His [limbs'] joints and shoulders' joints were rather big. He had a rod-like little hair extending from his chest down to his navel, but the rest of his body was almost hairless. He had thick hand palms, fingers, and toes. At walking, he lifted his feet off the ground as if he had been walking in a muddy remainder of water. When he turned, he turned all the way around. The Seal of Prophethood, [a physical marking on prophets' bodies,] was between his shoulders. He is the seal of the prophets, the most generous and the bravest of all. His speech was the most reliable. He was the keenest and the most attentive to people's trust, and was very careful to pay people's dues in full. The Prophet was the most tractable and the most yielding companion. Seeing him unexpectedly, you fear him and venerate him. He who has acquaintance with him will like him. He who describes him says, 'I have never seen such a person before or after seeing him.'"
Jabir ibn Samura described the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) as having a broad face with reddish (wide) eyes and lean heels. Abu't-Tufayl described the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) as white (an old Arabic term for people considered "light brown" in skin tone today), good-looking, neither fat nor thin, and neither tall nor short. Anas ibn Malik (عليه السلام) said:
"He had unfolded hands and was pink-coloured...He was rather whitish. In both his head and beard, there were as many as twenty grey hairs, aside from some grey hairs at his temples...and some scattered white hairs on his head."
Abu Juhayfa described seeing some grey under the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) lower lip. When asked if the Prophet Muhammad's face was "sword-like," Al-Bara ibn Malik (عليهما السلام) denied and said it was round and "moon-like." He also said:
"He was of medium height and broad-shouldered, and his hair went down to his earlobes. I saw him dressed in a red garment...I have never seen someone more handsome. At first, he used to let his hair loose, so as to be in compliance with the People of the Book, [i.e. the Jews and the Christians.] But, he used to part it later on...He had the most handsome face and the most handsome character."
A woman said if one were to see the face of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, they would have felt the Sun was shining. Jabir ibn Samura recalled an incident regarding the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام):
"I saw him one fully moony night...He was dressed in a red garment. I compared him with the moon and found that for me, he was better than the moon."
Abu Huraira (عليه السلام) recalled:
"I have never seen a thing nicer than the Messenger of God. It seemed as if the sunlight was moving within his face. I have never seen anyone faster in pace than the Messenger of God. It seemed as if Earth had folded itself up to shorten the distance for him...we used to wear ourselves out while he was at full ease."
Ka'b ibn Malik said regarding the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام):
"When he was pleased, his face would shine with such bright light that you would believe it was a piece of the moon...he once sweated out of heat at Aisha's, and his facial features twinkled, so I recited a poem by Abu Kabir al-Hudhali, 'If you watch his facial features, you will see them twinkling like the lightning of an approaching rain.'"
Whenever Abu Bakr saw the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), he would say:
"He is faithful, chosen [by God,] and calls for forgiveness. He shines like a full moon's light when it is far from dark [clouds.]"
Umar (عليه السلام) recited poetry describing notable Arab leader Haram ibn Sinan and reapplied them to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
"Were you other than a human, you would have been a bright moon at a full moon's night."
Whenever the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ got angry, his face would go so red that one would think it was an red spot of infected skin with pomegranate grains on both cheeks. Regarding him, Jabir ibn Samura (عليه السلام) said:
"His legs were gentle, delicate, and in conformity. His laughter was no more than smiling. Looking at him would make you say, 'He is black-eyed, though he is not so.'"
Ibn Abbas described the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام):
"His two front teeth were split, so whenever he spoke, light went through them. His neck was as pure and silvery as the neck of doll. His eyelashes were long-haired, and his beard was thick. His forehead was broad, and his eyebrows were like the metal piece attached to a lance, but they were not horned. His nose was high-tipped and middle-cambered with narrow nostrils. His cheeks were plain, but he had [little hair] running down like a rod from his throat to his navel. He had hair neither on his abdomen nor on his chest, except for some on his arms and shoulders. His chest was broad and flatted. He had long forearms with expansive palms of the hand. His legs were plain, straight, and stretching down. His other limbs were straight, too. The two hollows of his soles hardly touched the ground. When he walked away he vanished soon, but he walked at ease [when he was not in a hurry]. The way he walked seemed similar to one who is leaning forwards and is about to fall down."
Anas ibn Malik said regarding the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) scent:
"I have neither touched silk or a silky garment softer than the palm of the Prophet's nor have I smelt a perfume or any scent nicer than his...I have smelt neither ambergris nor musk nor anything else sweeter than the scent and the smell of the Messenger of God."
Abu Juhayfa said regarding the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) scent:
"I took his hand and put it on my head, and I found it was colder than ice and better-scented than musk perfume."
Jabir ibn Samura said regarding the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) scent:
"When he wiped my cheek, I felt it was cold and scented, as if it had been taken out of a of a perfume shop...whoever pursues a road that has been trodden by the Messenger of God will certainly smell his scent and will be quite sure that the Messenger of God has already passed it."
Anas ibn Malik described the Prophet Muhammad's (عليهما السلام) sweat as being like pearls. Ar-Rumaysa "Umm Sulaym" bint Milhan (عليها السلام) said it smelled nicer than the best perfume. The Seal of Prophethood, which was as big as a pigeon's egg, was between his shoulders and on the left side, having spots on it, like moles.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was remarkable in position and rank, and was an accurate, eloquent, unpretending, and straightforward speaker. He was well-versed in Arabic and familiar with every tribe's dialects and accents, speaking with his entertainers in their own dialects and accents. He also eloquently mastered both Bedouin and urbanite speech. Above all, there was the assistance of God embodied in the Quran.
The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ stamina, endurance, forgiveness, patience, and tolerating what he detested were all attributes God Himself had brought upon him. Even wise men have their flaws, but unlike everyone else, the more the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was hurt, the more patient he became. The more insolence ignorant people exercised against him, the more he could endure. Aisha (عليها السلام) said:
"Whenever the Messenger of God is given the opportunity to choose between two affairs, he always chooses the easiest and the most convenient. But, if he is certain it is sinful, he will be as far as possible from it. He has never personally avenged himself, but when God's sanctity is violated, he will [avenge it]. That would be for God, not for himself. He is the last one to get angry, and the first to be satisfied. His hospitality and generosity were matchless. His gifts and endowments manifest a man who does not fear poverty."
Ibn Abbas (عليه السلام) said:
"The Prophet was the most generous. He was usually most generous during Ramadan, when the angel Gabriel came to see him. Gabriel used to visit him every night in Ramadan and review the Quran with him. The Messenger of God was surely more generous at giving bounty or charity than the blowing wind."
Jabir ibn Samura said the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام) never denied anything he was asked for. His courage, succour and might were distinguishable. He was the most courageous, having stood fast at the awkward and difficult times he witnessed. More than once, brave men and daring ones fled away and left him alone, yet he stood with full composure and faced the enemy without turning his back. All brave men fled or were driven off the battlefield at least once save the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Ali (عليه السلام) said:
"Whenever the fight grew fierce and the eyes of fighters went red, we used to resort to the Prophet for succour. He was always the closest to the enemy."
Anas ibn Malik (عليه السلام) recalled:
"One night, the people of Medina felt alarmed. People hurried toward the source of the sound. But, the Prophet had already gone ahead of them. He was on the horse of Abu Talha, which had no saddle over it, and a sword was slung round his neck. He told them, 'There was nothing to be afraid of.'"
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most modest, and the first to cast his eyes down. Abu Said al-Khudri (عليه السلام) said:
"He was shier than a virgin in her boudoir. When he hates a thing, we read it on his face. He does not stare at anybody's face. He always casts his eyes down. He looks at the ground more than he looks upwards. His utmost looks at people are glances. He is willingly and modestly obeyed by everybody. He would never name a person whom he had heard bad news about, which he hated. Instead, he would ask, 'Why do certain people do such-and-such..?'"
Arab poet Al-Farazdaq described this modesty well:
"He casts his eyes modestly. But, the eyes of others are cast down due to his solemnity, and words issue out of his mouth only while he is smiling."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most just, the most decent, the most truthful at speech, and the honestest of all. Those who spoke with him, and even his enemies, acknowledged his noble qualities. Even before prophethood, he was nicknamed Al-Amin (i.e. the truthful, the trustworthy), and people turned to him for judgement. His arch-nemesis, Abu Jahl, told him:
"We do not call you a liar. But, we do not have faith in what you have brought."
In Verse 33 of the Quran's Surat al-An'am, God said:
"We certainly know that what they say grieves you. It is not your honesty they question; it is God's signs the wrongdoers deny."
Even Abu Sufyan, then an enemy of the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام), admitted to Heraclius that he was never accused of lying before prophethood. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was far from being arrogant or proud. He forbade people from standing up in his presence as others usually do for their kings.
Visiting the poor and the needy, entertaining them, and attending their funerals were some of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ habits. If a slave asked for him, he would answer. He always sat among his friends as if he were an ordinary person from among them. Aisha (عليها السلام) said he repaired his shoes, sewed and mended his clothing, and did what ordinary men did in their houses. Other tasks he typically did included checking his dress for insects, milking sheep, and catering for himself.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most truthful to his pledges, and he always aimed to establish good relations with his relatives. He was the most merciful, gentle and amiable to all people, and his way of living was the simplest. Ill manners and indecency were two qualities completely alien to him, as he was a decent man who did not call anyone names, curse, or make noise in the streets. He did not exchange offences with others, forgiving and overlooking people's errors. Nobody was allowed to walk behind him as a bodyguard. He did not feel himself superior to others, not even to slaves.
Whoever served the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was served by him, too. He neither said even "ugh" to his servants nor were his servants blamed for doing certain things or leaving them undone. He never held contempt to anyone or disgraced them for their poverty. Once, he was travelling with his companions, and he asked them to slaughter a sheep. A man offered to slaughter it, another offered to skin it, and a third offered to cook it. So, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said he would collected firewood. The men offered to do it for him, but he did it after saying:
"I know you can do it for me, but I hate to be privileged. God hates to see a slave of His act privileged to others."
Hind ibn Abi Hala would describe the Prophet Muhammad (عليهما السلام):
"The Messenger of God was continually sad, thinking perpetually. He had no [lasting] rest. He only spoke when it was necessary. He would remain silent for a long time, and whenever he spoke, he would end his talk with his jawbone and not out of the corners of his mouth, [i.e. he was not snobbish...]he spoke inclusively and decisively. It was neither excessive nor short of meaning. It was amiable...he glorified the bounty of God, even if it were little. If he had no liking for someone's food, he would neither praise it nor criticise it."
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was always in full control of his temper and would never get angry unless it was necessary and for God, not for himself. When he pointed at a thing, he would do so with his full palm, and he would turn it around to show surprise. If he was angry, he would turn both his body and face aside. When he was pleased, he cast his eyes down. His laughter was mostly smiling. It was then that his teeth, which were like pure white hail, were revealed.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never spoke unless it was something closely relevant to him. He maintained the brotherhood among his companions and never tried to separate them. Those who were honourable with their peoples were honoured and respected by him, and were allowed to be rulers of their peoples. His cheerfulness was never withdrawn at anyone's face, even at those whom he warned about. He visited friends and inquired about people's affairs. He confirmed what was right, and criticised the awful and tried to undermine it. He was moderate in all affairs. He would never act heedlessly, and every situation was dealt with in its proper due.
Righteousness was the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ target, so he was neither short of it nor indifferent to it. People who sat next to him were the best of their peoples, and the best of them for him were all those who provided good advice and comfort. Remembrance of God was a thing he aimed at and established whenever he sat down or stood up. No certain position was assigned for him to sit on. He sat at the end of the group, seated next to the last sitter in the place, and ordered people to do the same. He entertained guests in social gatherings so that the one addressed would think that there was no one honoured by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ but themselves. Whoever sat next to him or interrupted him in for advice would be the first to start the talk and the one to end it. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would patiently listen to everything a person would say. He never denied a request to anyone, and if they could not be realistically fulfilled, he would offer a few gratifying words.
To the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, all were equal but in piety. He favoured those who feared God the most. His assembly was a meeting of clemency, timidness, patience and honesty. Voices were not raised in rows or riots. Inviolable things were never violable. Fearing God and worshipping Him were their means to sympathy and compassion. They used to esteem the old and have mercy on the young. They assisted the needy and entertained strangers.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was always cheerful, easy, pleasant-tempered, and lenient. He was neither rude or rough nor clamorous or indecent. He neither excessively reproached nor excessively praised. He overlooked what he did not desire, yet one would never despair of him. He never disparaged or sought the defects or shortages of others. He only spoke things that would be desirably rewarded by God. When he spoke, his listeners would attentively listen casting down their heads. They only spoke when he was silent. They did not argue over who was to talk. He who talked in his presence would be listened to by everybody until he finished his talk. Their talk would be about the topic discussed or delivered by their first speaker. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ laughed at what they laughed at and admired what they admired. He always showed patience with harshly-speaking strangers and used to say:
"Whenever you see a person earnestly seeking [something], assist him to get his need. Never ask for a reward except from the Giver of Rewards, [i.e. God.]"
Kharija ibn Zayd (عليه السلام) said:
"The Prophet was the most honoured among the people with whom he sat. His limbs could hardly be seen. He was often silent, and rarely talked when speech was not a necessity. He turned away from those whose speech was rude or impolite. His laughter was no more than a smile. His speech, which was decisive, was neither excessive nor incomplete. Out of reverence, esteem, and following the example of their prophet, [his] companions' laughter at his presence was smiling, too."
No wonder God Himself praised the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ moral superiority:
"And you are truly [a man] of outstanding character." Surat al-Qalam, Verse 4
Overall, it was nice to wrap up the story of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with examining the more minute details of his character. I admire how in so many aspects, he chose moderation, showing balance to be morally superior to extremism in any aspect. I also appreciate finally getting information to help build a mental image of the man I have been reading and writing about all this time, even if that mental image may not be a perfect reflection of him.
Overall Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, reviewing this biography was an emotional roller coaster. I read everything about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, from his ancestors to his offspring, from his birth to his death, so I felt a personal connection to him despite living more than a millennia after his passing. I felt happy when he felt happy, sad when he felt sad, and inspired when he showed courage and wisdom. I note his strong sense of justice, only treating people how they deserved to be treated and nothing more or less. I also strongly admire how he went from being an orphaned shepherd to a societal reformist who excelled at becoming a spiritual, religious, political, social, economic, diplomatic, and military leader that united a fractured, tribalistic peninsula and abolished its paganism within his lifetime. I truly believe Islam's claim of him being history's greatest figure ever remains unchallenged, and I also believe everyone can come to admire him the same way and accept major lessons from his life story regardless of religious or political affiliation.
The Sealed Nectar does an excellent job at being a biography of history's greatest man, although its language can be too flowery to understand well at times, and it does not share some of the more minute aspects of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ daily life that I would love to read on, such as his diet or his attire. Overall, I highly recommending checking it out yourself.
Comments
Post a Comment