The Sealed Nectar (51 page)

It was during this visit of the Prophet [pbuh] to Makkah for pilgrimage that his uncle

‘Abbas offered the hand of his sister- in- law, Maimuna — the daughter of Harith, to him. The Prophet [pbuh] was kind enough to accept this offer since it was an effective step towards cementing the ties of relationship between the Prophet [pbuh]

and the influential men of Makkah. The wedding took place in Sarif. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/152]

243

MSA NIU

Narrators attached different designations to this lesser pilgrimage. Some called it the compensatory lesser pilgrimage, performed instead of that uncompleted of Hudaibiyah; and the other one, given preponderance by jurists, is the lesser pilgrimage consequent on certain terms of a treaty already agreed upon.

On the whole, compensatory, judicial consent, retribution and reconciliation are all terms applicable to that visit.

Some military operations, directed against some still obdurate desert Arabians, took place at the conclusion of the lesser pilgrimage, of which we could mention: 1. A platoon of 50 men led by Ibn Abi Al- ‘Awja’ was despatched by the Prophet

[pbuh] to the habitations of Bani Saleem inviting them to embrace Islam, but all the words fell on deaf ears. Fierce fighting erupted between both parties during which the Muslim leader was wounded, and two of the enemy were captured.

2. Ghalib bin ‘Abdullah at the head of 200 men was despatched to Fadak where they killed some rebels and a lot of booty fell to their lot.

3.

Banu Quda‘a had gathered a large number of men to raid the Muslim positions. On hearing the news, the Prophet [pbuh] despatched Ka‘b bin

‘Umair Al- Ansari at the head of 15 men to deal with this situation. They encountered the army, and called them to enter into the fold of Islam but the rebels gave a negative response and showered the Muslims with arrows killing all of them except one who was carried back home later seriously wounded.

[Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/231]

There was also an insignificant skirmish that occurred in Rabi‘ Al- Awwal 8 A.H. Shuja‘

bin Wahab Al- Asadi, along with 25 men, marched towards Bani Hawazin tribe where they encountered no resistance but managed to gain some booty. [Talqeeh Fuhoom Ahl Al-Athar p.33; Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/231]

244

MSA NIU

The Battle of Mu’tah

It was the most significant and the fiercest battle during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh], a preliminary and a prelude to the great conquests of the land of the Christians. It took place in Jumada Al- Ula 8 A.H. / September 629 A.D.

Mu’tah is a village that lies on the borders of geographical Syria.

The Prophet [pbuh] had sent Al- Harith bin ‘Umair Al- Azdi on an errand to carry a letter to the ruler of Busra. On his way, he was intercepted by Sharhabeel bin ‘Amr Al- Ghassani, the governor of Al- Balqa’ and a close ally to Caesar, the Byzantine Emperor. Al- Harith was tied and beheaded by Al- Ghassani.

Killing envoys and messengers used to be regarded as the most awful crime, and amounted to the degree of war declaration. The Prophet [pbuh] was shocked on hearing the news and ordered that a large army of 3000 men be mobilized and despatched to the north to discipline the transgressors. [Za'd Al- Ma'ad 2/155; Fath Al- Bari 7/511] It was the largest Muslim army never mobilized on this scale except in the process of the Confederates Battle.

Zaid bin Haritha was appointed to lead the army. Ja‘far bin Abi Talib would replace him if he was killed, and ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha would succeed Ja‘far in case the latter fell.[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/611] A white banner was raised and handed over to Zaid. [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.327]

The Prophet [pbuh] recommended that they reach the scene of Al- Harith’s murder and invite the people to profess Islam. Should the latter respond positively, then no war would ensue, otherwise fighting them would be the only alternative left.

He ordered them:

"Fight the disbelievers in the Name of Allâh, neither breach a covenant nor
entertain treachery, and under no circumstances a new- born, woman, an
ageing man or a hermit should be killed; moreover neither trees should be
cut down nor homes demolished.
[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar- Rasool p.327; Rahmat-ul- lil'alameen 2/271]"

At the conclusion of the military preparations, the people of Madinah gathered and bade the army farewell. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha began to weep at that moment, and when asked why he was weeping, he swore that it was not love for this world nor under a motive of infatuation with the glamour of life but rather the Words of Allâh speaking of Fire that he heard the Prophet [pbuh] reciting:

"There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord, a
Decree which must be accomplished."
[Al- Qur'an 19:71]

The Muslim army then marched northward to Ma‘ân, a town bordering on geographical Syria. There news came to the effect that Heraclius had mobilized a hundred thousand troops together with another hundred thousand men of Lakham, Judham and Balqain — Arabian tribes allied to the Byzantines. The Muslims, on their part had never thought of encountering such a huge army. They were at a loss about what course to follow, and spent two nights debating these unfavourable conditions.

245

MSA NIU

Some suggested that they should write a letter to the Prophet [pbuh] seeking his advice. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha was opposed to them being reluctant and addressed the Muslims saying: "I swear by Allâh that this very object which you hold in abhorrence is the very one you have set out seeking, martyrdom. In our fight we don’t count on number of soldiers or equipment but rather on the Faith that Allâh has honoured us with. Dart to win either of the two, victory or martyrdom." In the light of these words, they moved to engage with the enemy in Masharif, a town of Al-Balqa’, and then changed direction towards Mu’tah where they encamped. The right flank was led by Qutba bin Qatadah Al- ‘Udhari, and the left by ‘Ubadah bin Malik Al-Ansari. Bitter fighting started between the two parties, three thousand Muslims against an enemy fiftyfold as large.

Zaid bin Haritha, the closest to the Messenger’s heart, assumed leadership and began to fight tenaciously and in matchless spirit of bravery until he fell, fatally stabbed. Ja‘far bin Abi Talib then took the banner and did a miraculous job. In the thick of the battle, he dismounted, hamstrung his horse and resumed fighting until his right hand was cut off. He seized the banner with his left hand until this too was gone. He then clasped the banner with both arms until a Byzantine soldier struck and cut him into two parts. he was posthumously called "the flying Ja‘far" or "Ja‘far with two wings" because Allâh has awarded him two wings to fly wherever he desired there in the eternal Garden. Al- Bukhari reported fifty stabs in his body, none of them in the back. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/611]

‘Abdullah bin Rawaha then proceeded to hold up the banner and fight bravely on his horseback while reciting enthusiastic verses until he too was killed. Thereupon a man, from Bani ‘Ajlan, called Thabit bin Al- Arqam took the banner and called upon the Muslims to choose a leader. The honour was unanimously granted to Khalid bin Al- Waleed, a skilled brave fighter and an outstanding strategist. It was reported by Al- Bukhari that he used nine swords that broke while he was relentlessly and courageously fighting the enemies of Islam. He, however, realizing the grave situation the Muslims were in, began to follow a different course of encounter, revealing the super strategy- maker, that Khalid was rightly called. He reshuffled the right and left flanks of the Muslim army and introduced forward a division from the rear in order to cast fear into the hearts of the Byzantine by deluding them that fresh reinforcements had arrived. The Muslims engaged with the enemies in sporadic skirmishes but gradually and judiciously retreating in a fully organized and well-planned withdrawal.

The Byzantines, seeing this new strategy, believed that they were being entrapped and drawn in the heart of the desert. They stopped the pursuit, and consequently the Muslims managed to retreat back to Madinah with the slightest losses. [Fath-Al-Bari 7/513, 514; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/156]

The Muslims sustained twelve martyrs, whereas the number of casualties among the Byzantines was unknown although the details of the battle point clearly to a large number. Even though the battle did not satisfy the Muslims’ objective, namely avenging Al- Harith’s murder, it resulted in a far- ranging impact and attached to the Muslims a great reputation in the battlefields. The Byzantine Empire, at that time, was a power to be reckoned with, and mere thinking of antagonizing it used to mean self- annihilation, let alone a three- thousand- soldier army going into fight against 200,000 soldiers far better equipped and lavishly furnished with all luxurious conveniences. The battle was a real miracle proving that the Muslims were something exceptional not then familiar. Moreover, it gave evidence that Allâh 246

MSA NIU

backed them and their Prophet, Muhammad, was really Allâh’s Messenger. In the light of these new strategic changes, the archenemies among the desert bedouins began to reconcile themselves with the new uprising faith and several recalcitrant tribes like Banu Saleem, Ashja‘, Ghatfan, Dhubyan, Fazarah and others came to profess Islam out of their own sweet free will.

Mu’tah Battle, after all, constituted the forerunner of the blood encounter to take place with the Byzantines subsequently. It pointed markedly to a new epoch of the Islamic conquest of the Byzantine empire and other remote countries, to follow at a later stage.

Dhat As-Salasil Campaign

Dhat As- Salasil
is a spot situated ten days’ walk north of Madinah. The Muslims are said to have encamped in a place with a well of water called Salsal, hence the terminology
Dhat As- Salasil.
In view of the alliance between the Arabian tribes on the borders of Syria and the Byzantines, the Prophet [pbuh] deemed it of top urgency to carry out a wisely- planned manoeuvre that might bring about a state of rapport with those bedouins, and would at the same time detach them from the Byzantines. For the implementation of this plan, he chose ‘Amr bin Al- ‘As, whose paternal grandmother came from Bali, a tribe dwelling in that area. This motive in mind, combined with provocative military movements, by Bani Quda‘a, precipitated this preemptive strike which started in Jumada Ath- Thaniya, 8 A.H.

‘Amr bin Al- ‘As was awarded a white flag with a black banner to go with it. He set out at the head of 300 Emigrants and Helpers assisted by a cavalry of 30 men, and was recommended to seek help from Bali, ‘Udhra and Balqain tribes. He used to march at night and lurk during the day. On approaching the enemy lines and realizing the large build up of men, he sent for reinforcements from Madinah, and these arrived on the spot headed by Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al- Jarrah leading further 200

men as well as other platoons including Abu Bakr and ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab. All of them were given strict orders to cooperate, work in harmony and never leave any area for disagreement.

At noon, Abu ‘Ubaidah wanted to lead the Muslims in prayer, but ‘Amr objected on grounds that the former came only to assist, and leadership in prayer was given to

‘Amr.

The Muslim army reached the habitations of Quda‘a and penetrated deep in their land, destroyed the enemies and obliged the others to flee for their lives in different directions.

At the conclusion of the military operations, a courier was despatched to the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] to brief him on the developments of events and the ultimate victory achieved.

Khadrah Campaign

In Sha‘ban month 8 A.H., news reached the Prophet [pbuh] of amassing troops by Bani Ghatfan, still outside the domain of Islam. He urgently summoned Abu Qatadah and sent him at the head of fifteen men to discipline those outlaws.

247

MSA NIU

It took fifteen days to teach them an unforgettable lesson. Some were killed, others captured and all their property confiscated. [Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/233; Talqeeh Fuhoom Ahl Al-Athar p.33]

248

MSA NIU

The Conquest of Makkah

Ibn Al- Qaiyim described the conquest of Makkah as the greatest one by which Allâh honoured His religion, Messenger, soldiers and honest party. He thereby rescued the Sacred House, whose guidance all people seek. It was the greatest propitious event in heaven and on earth. It was the most significant prelude to a new era that was to witness the great march of Islamization and the entry of people into the fold of Islam in huge hosts. It provided an ever shining face and a most glowing source of inspiration to the whole earth. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/160]

Pre-Conquest Events

According to the terms of the treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Arab tribes were given the option to join either of the parties, the Muslims or Quraish, with which they desired to enter into treaty alliance. Should any of these tribes suffer aggression, then the party to which it was allied would have the right to retaliate. As a consequence, Banu Bakr joined Quraish, and Khuza‘ah joined the Prophet [pbuh]. They thus lived in peace for sometime but ulterior motives stretching back to pre- Islamic period ignited by unabated fire of revenge triggered fresh hostilities. Banu Bakr, without caring a bit for the provisions of the treaty, attacked Banu Khuza‘ah in a place called Al-Wateer in Sha‘ban, 8 A.H. Quraish helped Banu Bakr with men and arms taking advantage of the dark night. Pressed by their enemies, the tribesmen of Khuza‘ah sought the Holy Sanctuary, but here too, their lives were not spared, and, contrary to all accepted traditions, Nawfal, the chief of Banu Bakr, chasing them in the sanctified area — where no blood should be shed — massacred his adversaries.

When the aggrieved party sought justice from their Muslim allies, the Prophet

[pbuh], as their leader, demanded an immediate redress for not only violating the treaty but also slaying men allied to him in the sanctified area. Three demands were made, the acceptance of any one of them was imperative: a. to pay blood money for the victims of Khuza‘ah,