Summary of Sira
Its cause was that when the seventy Companions were attacked and killed near the Well of Ma’oonah, ‘Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damuree managed to escape the slaughter. On his way back to al-Madeenah, he killed two men from Banoo ‘Aamir without knowing that they had with them a covenant and safety agreement from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Upon his arrival to al-Madeenah, he informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of the incident. The Messenger of Allah left to meet Banoo an-Nadeer in order to contribute to the blood money of those two men pursuant to the protection agreement that they signed with the Muslims. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked them to contribute to the blood money of those two killed men, they agreed and assured him that they will fulfil his request. However, some of them confided with others and said, ‘Verily, you will never find the man in this state of his [without protection] - while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing towards a wall of their houses! Who will ascend the house and throw a boulder on him, thus giving us a rest from him?’ ‘Amr ibn Jahhaash ibn Ka’b, one of them, got ready for this task and remarked, ‘I am ready for that.’ He went up to throw the boulder on the Prophet as he verbally promised, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in a group of his Companions, among whom were Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ received the news from the sky about their plot and intent to assassinate him; thus, he stood up and returned to Al-Madeenah. When his Companions found the Prophet ﷺ taking time, they stood up in search for him. They met a man coming from al-Madeenah, they asked him about his whereabouts. He replied, ‘I saw him entering al-Madeenah. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ proceeded until they reached him, and he informed them about the treason which the Jews intended to carry out against him. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered to prepare for their war and then proceeded towards them. The Jews protected themselves from him in their fortresses. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded to cut the date-palm trees and burn them. They shouted, ‘O Muhammad, you forbid from corruption and criticise the one who does it, so what about cutting and burning palm trees?!’ A group among Banoo ‘Awf of the tribe of al-Khazraj comprising of Abdullah ibn ‘Ubay ibn Salool, Wadee’ah, Maalik ibn Aboo Qawqal, Suwayd, and Daa’is had sent a message to Banoo an-Nadeer that ‘stay put and be entrenched, we will not entrust you [to the enemy]; if you are fought against, then we will fight alongside you, if you are taken out, we will leave with you.’ They eagerly waited for their help, but they failed to do so, and Allah casted terror in their hearts. They requested the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to deport them and stop from committing their bloodshed on the conditions that they possess what the camels can carry of their wealth apart from arms. The Prophet ﷺ accepted that. They varied their wealth which the camels found little. A man among them would demolish his house from the top side of his door and would place the contents on the back of his camel and would proceed with that. They left for Khaybar. Some of them went to the Levant (ash-Sham). They left their wealth with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and thus, their wealth was specifically for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It is established in al-Bukhaaaree that the Prophet ﷺ deported Banoo an-Nadeer. And Surah al-Hashr was revealed concerning them.
Jaabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) states: “The Prophet ﷺ left to Dhaat ar-Riqaa’, a place situated in an area called Nakhl. There, he ﷺ encountered a group from the tribe of Ghatfaan but no fighting occurred. However, some people casted fear in each other’s heart; therefore, the Prophet ﷺ performed the prayer of fear.” Yazeed says whilst narrating from Salamah, “I fought alongside the Prophet ﷺ on the Battle of Qarad.”
Aboo Musa ash-Ash’aree (may Allah be pleased with him) related: “Six of us accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a military expedition. We had one camel with us; we rode it in turn. Our feet got puncture wounds and my feet too got puncture wounds and my nails also fell out. We wrapped up our feet with rags; and because of this, the campaign came to be known as Dhaat ar-Riqaa’ (the Expedition of Rags).” Aboo Musa reported this Hadeeth, but he disliked doing so. He said, “Would that I had not mentioned it!” He said so because he disliked disclosing anything concerning his deeds.
Saalih ibn Khawwaat narrates from those who witnessed the Expedition of Dhaat ar-Riqaa’ offering the Fear Prayer that the Companions prayed with the Allah's Messenger ﷺ the Fear Prayer i.e., one group lined up in rows behind him while another group faced the enemy. The Prophet ﷺ led the group that was with him in one unit, and then he remained in the standing posture while that group completed their prayer by themselves and went away to line in the face of the enemy, while the other group joined the prayer behind the Prophet and he prayed the second unit of the prayer with them, and then he kept sitting till they completed their prayer by themselves, and he then finished his prayer with tasleem along with them.” It is known the military expedition of Muhaarib ibn Khasafah of the clan of Banoo Tha’labah belonging to the tribe of Ghatafaan. It happened after the battle of Khaybar because Aboo Musa arrived after Khaybar. It is narrated from Jaabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his father, “The Prophet ﷺ led his companions in the prayer of fear in the seventh military expedition, the expedition of Dhaat ar-Riqaa’ at Dhu Qarad. And it is narrated from Jaabir that the Prophet ﷺ led them in prayer on the day of Muhaarib and Tha’labah.”
This military expedition is known as the last battle of Badr, the minor battle of Badr, the second battle of Badr, and the battle of appointment, due to the appointment for it with Aboo Sufyan ibn Harb on the Battle of Uhud when Aboo Sufyan proclaimed, “We will meet again in Badr, next year.” In the fourth year of emigration, the Prophet ﷺ assembled an army of 1500 soldiers with ten horses, and headed towards Badr, and the bearer of the banner was ‘Ali ibn Aboo Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). The military detachment headed there to encounter Quraysh according to the specified appointment that was made by Aboo Sufyan, the leader of Quraish, after the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims waited for eight days but without any sign of Quraysh. Meanwhile, Aboo Sufyan left Makkah with two thousand soldiers and fifty horses. When they reached Marr ad-Dhahraan, forty miles away from Makkah, they returned under the pretext that the year is a drought-stricken year! Their failure to fulfil the appointment had the effect of strengthening the position of Muslims and restoring their prestige and influence. The Muslims continued to send their expeditions to different parts of Najd and Hijaaz to discipline the nomads. Aboo Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah led an expedition to fight the tribes of Tay’ and Asad in Najd, who fled in panic and dispersed in the mountains without a fight occurring.
The Prophet ﷺ led an army of one thousand fighters in the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal of the fifth year of migration. The army marched to Doomat al-Jandal after the news reached the Prophet ﷺ that the large number of disbelievers are stationed there. However, the disbelievers fled the location upon hearing that the Muslims are approaching them. The Muslims stationed in the location for days and the Prophet ﷺ sent out many brigades in their pursuit. There was no resistance or whatsoever; thus, the Muslims returned to al-Madeenah after they made peace with ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazaaree.
When the Prophet ﷺ headed to Banoo al-Mustaliq to combat them, he ﷺ drew lots between his wives to ascertain who will leave with him. The one who was chosen by lot was ‘Aishah, the Pure, may Allah be pleased with her and may He please her. On the return journey she was being carried on a howdah. That day, Allah predestined that she be outside her howdah in search for a necklace that fell from her. When they intended to set out again on a journey, they did not notice her absence and that she was not inside her howdah because she was small and light in weight, so they set out. When she returned, she did not see them. ‘Aishah, may Allah pleased with her, recalled that day and said, “I intended to go to my halting place where I was stationed, and I thought the people will look for me and return to me. As I was seated at my halting place, my eyes overpowered with drowsiness, and I slept. Safwaan ibn al-Mu’attal as-Sulamee, then known as adh-Dhakwani had encamped behind the army. He set out at nightfall and reached my halting place in the morning; he saw the shadow of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognised me when he saw me. He used to see me before the Hijab was imposed on me. I woke up upon hearing his statement “Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed we will return to Him” when he recognised me, thus, I covered my face with my Jilbaab. By Allah, he did not speak to me a word and I did not hear a word from him except the statement of “Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed we will return to Him”. He made his camel kneel and he pressed the camel's foreleg, and I amounted the camel. He moved forward by driving the camel until we arrived at the army where it had encamped for rest in the first part of the midday. Woe betide those who destroyed themselves by slandering me, and the haughtiest among them was ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubayy, ….” They accused her of committing adultery with Safwaan, thus this plain slander started spreading in al-Madeenah. ‘’Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) remained in that state not knowing anything about it, until she learned about it from Umm Mistah. With all this, the full reality was still unapparent. Thereafter, some ayaat were revealed which will remain recited until the Day of Judgement from the divine statement: {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you.} [An-Nur: 11] to Allah’s statement: {But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is Hearing and Knowing.} [An-Nur: 21], the ayaat that pronounced the Pure and Purified Lady innocent from the slander which the slanderers had fabricated.
The military campaign of Doomat al-Jandal – a place on the boarders of al-Shaam, it is situated at the distance of five nights journey from Damascus, and sixteen- or seventeen-nights journey from al-Madeenah – happened in Rabee’ al-Awwal of the fifth year after migration.
The reason behind it: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ learned that there was a large group of tribes at Doomat al-Jandal, that they oppressed anyone who passes by them and confiscated what they have with them; and that they planned to attack to al-Madeenah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ got the people ready and appointed Sibaa’ ibn ‘Urfutah al-Ghifaaree to govern Al-Madeenah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ departed in a group of one thousand Muslims. They used to travel by night and hide by day. He ﷺ had taken his guide from Banoo ‘Udhrah, a man known of the name Madhkoor. When they got closer to Doomat al-Jandal, they raided their livestock and shepherds, and they acquired whatever they got, and those who could flee fled in all directions. When the people of Doomat al-Jandal learned about this, they dispersed. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached their position and found no one there. He ﷺ remained there for days and he dispatched brigades in all directions in their pursuit, but they returned without capturing anyone among them, except a man amongst them that was taken into custody. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him about them. He replied, “They ran away when they heard that you took their animals away. The Prophet ﷺ presented Islam to him, and he accepted it. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to al-Madeenah without facing any resistance or fighting.
Doomat al-Jandal is one of the northern districts of al-Madeenah, located north of Najd, and it is an end of the entrance to al-Shaam. It is situated at the distance of five nights journey from Damascus, and fifteen nights journey from al-Madeenah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to approach the closest outskirts of al-Shaam, and it was said to him that this will scare Caesar; and it was mentioned to him that the there is a large crowd of people at Doomat al-Jandal and that they oppress those who pass by them. They owned a large market, and they intended to get closer to al-Madeenah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ got the people ready and he ﷺ left in a group of one thousand Muslims. They used to travel by night and hide by day. He had taken his guide from Banoo ‘Udhrah, a man known by the name Madhkoor, who was a very skilful guide. When they got closer to Doomat al-Jandal, his guide informed him about the grazing livestock belonging to Banoo Tameem. The Prophet ﷺ journeyed by night and he proceeded until he arrived at the location of their livestock. He ﷺ attacked their livestock and shepherds, and the Muslims acquired whatever they managed; and on the other hand, those who could flee fled in all directions. When the news reached the people of Doomat al-Jandal about this, they dispersed. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ encamped at their position and found no one there. He remained there for a few days, and he dispatched brigades in their pursuit, and all returned without capturing anyone from them, except Muhammad ibn Salamah Maslamah captured a man amongst them, and he brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him about his companions. He replied, “They ran away yesterday.” The Prophet ﷺ presented Islam to him and he accepted it. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to al-Madeenah.
The scholars have differed concerning the time of occurrence of this military campaign. The most correct and more likely view is that it occurred in the month of Sha’baan in the fifth year of the migration. This was the view of Al-Dhahabee, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Katheer, Ibn Hajar and others. It is established that the Prophet ﷺ carried out a military strike against Banoo al-Mustaliq while they were inattentive and their cattle at the water source to drink. He killed their fighting men and captured their wives and children. On that day, Juwairiyyah, daughter of their chief, was one of the captives, who later on agreed to marry the Prophet ﷺ.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ received the news that Banoo al-Mustalaq are rallying against him under the command of al-Haarith ibn Aboo Diraar, the father of Juwairiyyah, the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In response, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched an expedition to encounter them. He ﷺ advanced with his army until he found them at one of their water sources, called al-Muraysi’ in the region of Qudayd toward the coast. People advanced on each other, and they fought, and Allah granted Banoo al-Mustalaq defeat after those who were meant to be killed among them were killed. Allah granted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ their children, wives and wealth as a booty and He turned them over to him as gains. Among the prisoners was Juwairiyyah, the daughter of al-Haarith, the leader of the tribe. She embraced Islam and the Prophet ﷺ married her and he freed in lieu of marrying her one hundred household members from Banoo al-Mustaliq. Because of that, she was the greatest source of blessing on her people.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ received the news that Banoo al-Mustaliq – who are a branch of the Yemeni Azdee tribe of Khuzaa’ah – were assembling to fight against him under the command of al-Haarith ibn Aboo Diraar. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about them, he dispatched a military campaign to fight them. He marched until he found them at a water source belonging to them called al-Muraysi’, because of which, this campaign has become known as the expedition of al-Muraysi’. There, people moved forward to attack, and they fought each other. Allah gave Banoo al-Mustalaq defeat and those who were to be killed were killed. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ acquired their children, wives and wealth as booty and Allah made them over to him as gains. Among those imprisoned was Juwairiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) the daughter of al-Haarith ibn Aboo Diraar, the leader of the tribe of Banoo al-Mustalaq. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her after she approached him to seek help in her contract to purchase freedom. He made the freedom of forty prisoners of her people as her wedding-gift. Upon which, the Muslims freed the prisoners they possessed because of the status of Juwairiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her). During the return from this military campaign, the people of slander spoke ill of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the most truthful, the daughter of the most truthful, whose innocence was proclaimed from above the seven heavens. Concerning her, Ibn Ubayy ibn Salul made the remark: “If we return to al-Madeenah, the honourable will definitely expel the inferior.” [Al-Munafiqoon: 8]. Zayd ibn Arqam heard his statement and Surah al-Munafiqoon was revealed in this regard.
The reason for this invasion was the eviction of the Jews of Banoo an-Nadeer from al-Madeenah; Envy and malice had gripped their hearts, which made them harbour hostility and were waiting for opportunities to feel gratified from those who expelled them from al-Madeenah and its surroundings. However, when the Jews of Khaybar, particularly the tribe of Banoo an-Nadeer, were unable to confront the Muslims, they resorted to the method of deception and intimidation. Ibn Ishaaq narrated with his chain from a group of narrators, “That those enticed and rallied the [disbelieving] parties against the Muslims were a group of Jews, and among them were them that Salaam ibn Aboo al-Huqayq, Huyayy ibn Akhtab an-Nadree, Kinaanah ibn Aboo al-Huqayq an-Nadree, Hawdhah ibn Qays al-Waaelee, Aboo ‘Ammaar al-Waaelee, in a group of Banoo Nadeer. When they came to Quraysh, they encouraged them to fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said to them, “We will be with you against him until we root him out.” Quraysh replied to them, “O Jews, you are the people of the First Book, and you know that we have differed with Muhammad, [tell us] is our religion better than his religion?” The Jews answered, “Rather, your religion is better than his religion, and you are more deserving of the truth than he!!!”
Scholars have differed about the time of the occurrence of this invasion. Al-Bukhaaree inclined to the saying of Musa ibn ‘Uqbah that It was in Shawwal in the fourth year of migration, while the great majority held the view that it was in the fifth year after migration. Adh-Dhahabee confirmed that the latter is the correct view, and Ibn al-Qayyim agreed with adh-Dhahabee and mentioned that it is the most correct opinion. The Prophet ﷺ dug a trench in the open area in front of the combatants. Ibn ‘Uqbah mentions, “The digging of the trench took nearly twenty nights to complete.” On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out to the trench, and there he found the Emigrants and the Ansaar digging in a cold morning, as they had no slaves who could do that for them. When he ﷺ saw their exhaustion and hunger, he remarked, “O Allah! Indeed, the real life is the life of the Hereafter, so forgive the Ansaar and the Emigrants.” They said in response to him “We are the ones who pledged allegiance to Muhammad... for jihad as long as we live.”
On the authority of Al-Baraa’, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, “On the day of the Battle of the Parties, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dug the trench, I saw him carrying earth out of the trench till dust made the skin of his abdomen out of my sight and he was a hairy man. I heard him reciting the poetic verses composed by Ibn Rawaahah while he was carrying the earth, "“Were it not for You [Allah], we would not have been guided. Neither would we give alms, nor would we pray, so send down tranquillity upon us. And make our feet firm if we meet [the enemy], for these have transgressed against us... And if they want a strife, we have refused it.” The Prophet ﷺ would then extend his voice at the end part of last word of each line.”
Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) concerning the Statement of Allah: {[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear]} [Al-Ahzab: 10]: “That was the day of the Battle of the Trench. When the parties reached al-Madeenah, they were surprised by the presence of the trench. They made several attempts to storm it, however, they failed. The siege lasted twenty-four nights. Quraysh no longer could hold their siege due to the wind that overturned their pots and their tents, and the disappointing situation that the Muslims created between the Jews and the Quraysh. As a result, they were forced to leave, and Allah, the Almighty, defeated them, and stopped their evil from entering al-Madeenah.”
The context of its revelation is that ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used say to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ “It is a wish if you command your wives to be screened, because people, both those who are righteous and those who are wretched do speak to them. Afterwards, the divine statement of Allah was revealed, {O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted… And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.} [Al-Ahzaab: 53]
This battle occurred straight after the Battle of the Parties [or also known as the Battle of the Trench], and the context behind it was that Banoo Quraydhah broke the covenant between them and the Prophet ﷺ after stirring up the endeavours of Huyayy ibn Akhtab an-Nadree. The Prophet ﷺ had sent az-Zubayr to probe their intention, then he sent Al-Sa’din behind him – Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah and Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh - and Ibn Rawaahah, and Khawwaat ibn Jubayr for the same purpose. Allah, the Almighty, commanded his Prophet ﷺ to fight them after he returned from the battle of the trench and laid down his weapon. Thus, he ﷺ commanded his Companions to march to the houses of Banoo Quraydhah, and he told them, “None of you will perform ‘Asr prayer except at Banoo Quraydhah,” as mentioned in the narration of al-Bukhaaree, or “Dhuhr prayer,” as mentioned in the narration of Muslim. The Messenger ﷺ laid siege to Banoo Quraydhah for a period of twenty-five nights according to the most preponderant view, until they came down to the rule of the Messenger ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ liked to entrust the judgement against them to a person from the leaders of the tribe of Aws as they were allies of Banoo Quraydhah. Thus, he ﷺ put the ruling concerning them to Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh. When he approached the Muslims, the Messenger said to the Ansaar, “Get up to your master or your best one.” Then he said, “These people [the Jews] have agreed to accept your judgment regarding them.” He - meaning Sa’d ibn Muaadh – said, “[My judgmenet is that] their fighters be killed, their offspring taken captive, and their wealth distributed.” The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “You have judged by the judgment of Allah, Most High.” The Messenger ﷺ implemented this ruling on them, and they were four hundred according to the preponderant opinion. Only some of them survived, then the Messenger ﷺ divided their property and offspring among the Muslims.
He is Aboo Raafi’ Salam ibn Abee al-Huqayq, a Jewish poet and knight, one of those who rallied the parties against the Muslims in the Battle of the Trench and helped them with plenty of supplies and money. After Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf was killed on the hands of a few men from al-Aws after the Battle of Badr, Aboo Raafi’ Salaam ibn Aboo al-Huqayq was among those who rallied the parties against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was not killed with Banoo Quraydhah as his companion, Huyayy ibn Akhtab was killed. The tribe of al-Khazraj were interested in killing him in order to seek equality with al-Aws in reward. These two tribes (al-Aws and al-Khazraj) used to compete before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in good works. Thus, they asked the permission of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to kill him, so he granted them his permission.
Narrated al-Baraa; ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent some men from the Ansaar to kill Aboo Raafi’, the Jew, and appointed `Abdullah ibn ‘Ateek as their leader. Aboo Raafi` used to abuse Allah's Messenger ﷺ and help his enemies against him. He lived in his castle in the land of Hijaaz. When those men approached (the castle) after the sun had set and the people had brought back their livestock to their homes. `Abdullah (ibn ‘Ateek) said to his companions, "Sit down at your places. I am going, and I will try to play a trick on the gate-keeper so that I may enter (the castle)." So `Abdullah proceeded towards the castle, and when he approached the gate, he covered himself with his clothes, pretending to answer the call of nature. The people had gone in, and the gatekeeper (considered `Abdullah as one of the castle's servants) addressing him saying, "O Allah's Servant! Enter if you wish, for I want to close the gate." `Abdullah added in his story, "So I went in (the castle) and hid myself. When the people got inside, the gatekeeper closed the gate and hung the keys on a fixed wooden peg. I got up and took the keys and opened the gate. Some people were staying late at night with Aboo Raafi` for a pleasant night chat in a room of his. When his companions of nightly entertainment went away, I ascended to him, and whenever I opened a door, I closed it from inside. I said to myself, 'Should these people discover my presence, they will not be able to catch me till I have killed him.' I reached him and found him sleeping in a dark house amidst his family, I could not recognize his location in the house. I shouted, 'O Aboo Raafi`!' Aboo Raafi` said, 'Who is it?' I proceeded towards the source of the voice and hit him with the sword, and because of my perplexity, I could not kill him. He cried loudly, and I came out of the house and waited for a while, and then went to him again and said, 'What is this voice, O Aboo Raafi`?' He said, 'Woe to your mother! A man in my house has hit me with a sword! I again hit him severely, but I did not kill him. Then I drove the point of the sword into his belly (and pressed it through) till it touched his back, and I realized that I have killed him. I then opened the doors one by one till I reached the staircase, and thinking that I had reached the ground, I stepped out and fell-down and got my leg broken in a moonlit night. I tied my leg with a turban and proceeded on till I sat at the gate, and said, 'I will not go out tonight till I know that I have killed him.' So, when (early in the morning) the cock crowed, the announcer of the casualty stood on the wall saying, 'I announce the death of Aboo Raafi`, the merchant of Hijaz. Thereupon I went to my companions and said, 'Let us save ourselves, for Allah has killed Aboo Raafi`,' So I (along with my companions proceeded and) went to the Prophet ﷺ and described the whole story to him. "He said, 'Stretch out your (broken) leg. I stretched it out and he rubbed it and it became All right as if I had never had any ailment whatsoever.”
‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn - in a group of men from Banoo Abdullah ibn Ghatafaan – raided the camels of the Prophet ﷺ in the forest, killed its shepherd, a man from the tribe of Ghifaar, and kidnapped his wife. The first person to warn about the incident was Salamah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Akwa’ al-Aslamee (may Allah be pleased with him) who related: “I came out before the Adhan of Fajr was called out and the milch camels of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were grazing at Dhoo Qarad. A young servant belonged to Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Auf met me and said, ‘The milch camels of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ have been looted.’ I asked, ‘Who looted them?’ He replied, ‘[the people of] Ghatafaan.’” Upon which I called out loudly three times, O morning, people!” and I made it heard between the two lava mountains of al-Madeenah. Then I ran straight in their pursuit until I found them at Dhoo Qarad where they were just going to water their animals. I, being an archer, shot them with my arrows while syaing, ‘I am the son of al-Akwa’. And today is the day when the cowards will meet their doom.’ I continued melodiously chanting until I rescued the milch she-camels from them and snatched from them thirty garments. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and some other people came along. I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah! I have prevented them from water while they were thirsty. You can send a force (to punish them) at this instance.’ He (the Prophet ﷺ) said: ‘O Ibn al-Akwa’! You have taken [them] back. Now let them go.” Then, he said, “Indeed, they are being entertained at Ghatafaan. The loud cry travelled to al-Madeenah, to Banoo ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf. The reinforcements arrived. Horses, men on their feet and on camels came, until they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Dhoo Qirad. The Prophet ﷺ reached a water source called Dhoo Qirad. He ﷺ slaughtered a milch camel from what he ﷺ recovered and stayed there for a day and night, then returned to al-Madeenah. Al-Akhram, Mikhraz ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed in this battle by Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Uyaynah, and he turned on his horse. Thereupon, Aboo Qatadah attacked him, killed him, and recovered the horse, which belonged to Mahmood ibn Maslamah. The captured woman came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a she-camel, and she had vowed that if Allah saves her, she will sacrifice the she-camel. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Evil is what she intended to pay back with. There is no vow for the son of Adam in what he does not possess, nor in disobedience. And he took his she-camel. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh on the authority of Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ in this story, he said, “Thus, we returned to al-Madeenah, and we remained [there] only for three nights, until we set out for Khaybar.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) in a group of thirty mounted men to the people of al-Qurtaa – which is situated at a distance of seven nights journey from al-Madeenah – who are a branch of the tribe of Banoo Bakr, whose name is ‘Ubaid ibn Kilaab.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah and his fighters set out travelling by night and hiding by day. When they raided them, all of them fled after they managed to kill a group of them. The Muslims drove the livestock and goats with them and headed back to al-Madeenah. They reached al-Madeenah one night before the end of the month of Muharram. They had taken Thumaamah ibn Uthaal al-Hanafee, the leader of Banoo Haneefah in captivity with them, after they caught him disguised in order to assassinate the Prophet ﷺ by the order of Musaylimah, the Liar.
When they brought him, they tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ came out to him and said, “O Thumaamah, what do you think? He replied: O Muhammad, I have good opinion of you. If you kill me, you will kill a person who has spilt blood. If you do me a favour, you will do a favour to a grateful person. If you want wealth, ask and you will get what you will demand. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left him (in this condition) for two days, (and came to him again) and said: What do you think, O Thumaamah? He replied: What I have already told you. If you do a favour, you will do a favour to a grateful person. If you kill me, you will kill a person who has spilt blood. If you want wealth, ask and you will get what you will demand. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left him until the next day when he (came to him again) and said: What do you think, O Thumaamah? He replied: What I have already told you. If you do me a favour, you will do a favour to a grateful person. If you kill me, you will kill a person who has spilt blood. If you want wealth, ask and you will get what you will demand. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Set Thumaamah free. He went to a palm-grove near the mosque and took a bath. Then he entered the mosque and said: I bear testimony (to the truth) that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His bondman and His messenger. O Muhammad, by Allah, there was no face on the earth more hateful to me than your face, but (now) your face has become to me the dearest of all faces. By Allah, there was no religion more hateful to me than your religion, but (now) your religion has become the dearest of all religions to me. By Allah, there was no city more hateful to me than your city, but (now) your city has become the dearest of all cities to me. Your horsemen captured me when I intended going for Umrah. Now what is your opinion (in the matter)? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ announced good tidings to him and told him to go on 'Umrah. When he reached Mecca, somebody said to him: Have you changed your religion? He said: No! I have rather embraced Islam with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. By Allah, you will not get a single grain of wheat from Yamaamah until it is permitted by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Al-Yamaamah was in the rural area of Makkah. So, he went back to his countryside and prevented the transportation to Makkah, until the Quraysh struggled, and they wrote to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ begging him by their relationship of kith and kin to write to Thumaamah that he should allow the transportation of food to Makkah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did that [on their behalf].
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ‘Ukkaashah ibn Mihsan, may Allah be pleased with him, to al-Ghamr – a water source belonging to Banoo Asad - with forty men, including Thaabit ibn Aqram and Shujaa’ ibn Wahb. He went out quickly and the people were on alert against him, thus, they fled and settled in the high areas of their lands. He found their dwellings deserted, meaning, its people were absent. He sent Shujaa' ibn Wahb as a vanguard who saw the footprints of the animals. They patiently advanced and found the one who showed them some of their livestock, so they made him safe. He led them to the livestock of his cousins and so they raided them and acquired two hundred camels. Then, they released the man, drove the camels to al-Madeenah. They returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ without encountering any fighting or resistance.
