Thursday, August 13, 2026

The Merciful Conquest of Makkah, Victories at Hunayn and Taif, and the Final Battle of Tabuk

MERCIFUL BEHAVIOUR of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم

After this, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم held a (first) public court in the sanctuary (Haram) around the Ka’bah where along with the Muslim troops, thousands of disbelievers were also present. Amongst these disbelievers were the people who had persecuted the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم and his blessed companions greatly, placed thorns in his path, threw impurities on his blessed body, made attempts to assassinate him, martyred his blessed companions, forced him to leave Makkah, levelled false accusations against him and called him names. In short, they committed every type of brutality.

Now, they all were standing as criminals before the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم. If he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم had wanted, he could have taken severe revenge on them, but he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم did not take any revenge whatsoever. Rather, he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said in his merciful tone: “لَا تَثْرِيْبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَاذْهَبُوْا اَنْتُمُ الطُّلَقَاءُ” *“Today, there is no blame on you. Go! You all are free.”*¹

Treating well the enemies who tortured the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم and his blessed companions in different ways after having a victory over them is something the example of which cannot be found.

On the second day of the conquest of Makkah, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم delivered another sermon in which the rulings on the sanctuary around the Ka’bah were mentioned and battle and fighting in this sanctuary was declared as forbidden forever.

On this occasion, by virtue of his good treatment, a large number of people embraced Islam. He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم had the other idols (present around Makkah) destroyed.²

Referance:

1 Sharh al-Zurqaani ‘Ala al-Mawahib vol. 3, p. 449, summarised

2 Sharh al-Zurqaani ‘Ala al-Mawahib vol. 3, pp. 487-490, selected

Due to the conquest of Makkah, it became apparent to the entire Arabian Peninsula that Islam was true. In this way, many tribes started embracing Islam. But after this news, the people of the Hawazin tribe, together with other few small tribes, set out with the intention to attack the Muslims.

When the last Prophet of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم learnt about it, he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set out with 12,000 soldiers. The Islamic army faced the disbelievers at Hunayn¹ which is situated between Makkah and Taif. In the beginning, the Muslims fought skilfully and attacked in such a way that the army of disbelievers started fleeing from the battlefield, but when their troops that were waiting in ambush attacked, the Islamic army fell into panic. In the end, it was the Muslims who prevailed and, in this battle, they captured thousands of prisoners and seized large amounts of spoils of war.²

After this, the Last Prophet of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set out for Taif and besieged the fort of Taif. The siege lasted more than two weeks, but it did not benefit much, so he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered for the siege to end and made Du’a: “O Allah! Give guidance to Thaqeef, i.e. the people of Taif.”

By virtue of the Du’a of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the people of Taif became Muslim in 9 Hijri. At their request, all the prisoners were released. On returning from Taif, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم distributed the spoils of war gained from the Battle of Hunayn amongst the Muslims. He صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stayed in Makkah for more than two weeks and then returned to Madinah.³

Referance:

1 Hunayn is a valley which is at a distance of approximately 29 km from Makkah and 462 km from Madinah.

2 Sharh al-Zurqaani ‘Ala al-Mawahib vol. 3, pp. 496-531, selected and summarised

3 Sharh al-Zurqaani ‘Ala al-Mawahib vol. 4, pp. 6-19, selected and summarised

The Battle of Tabuk

In the 9th year of migration, in Rajab, the Battle of Tabuk took place. There is a place between Madinah and the Levant named “Tabuk”. It is also called Jaysh al-Usra (i.e. army with insufficient provisions).¹

[Masjid at-Taubah situated in Tabuk]

The city of Tabuk is at a distance of 552 km from Madinah. The distance by road is approximately 682 km. The place where the Muslim army camped is known today by the name of ‘the Fort of Tabuk’. This was the final battle in which the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم participated physically.

Referance:

1 Sharh al-Zurqaani ‘Ala al-Mawahib, vol. 4, p. 65, summarised

It was instigated when the news reached Madinah that the Romans and the Arab Christians had prepared a big army in order to attack Madinah. In order to combat them, the Final Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم issued an order to prepare an army. At that time, a severe famine had struck the entire Hijaz region and the weather was extremely hot too, such that it was very difficult for people to even come out of their homes.

It is this battle, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ presented all the belongings of his home and Sayyiduna Umar رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ presented half of the belongings of his home in order to equip the army.¹ Sayyiduna Uthman al-Ghani رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman Bin ‘Auf رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ gave special support in this regard.

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set out for Tabuk with an army of 30,000 troops. Having reached Tabuk, he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered the army to camp there. There was no sign of the Roman army even at a distance. Then, it was learnt that when spies informed Caesar about the glory and dignity of the Islamic army and their number, out of awe and fear, they lost courage for the battle and could not come out of their homes. The Final Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stayed in Tabuk for 20 days and then returned to Madinah. Tabuk and some nearby areas were included in the Islamic empire.²

Referance:

1 Tirmizi, vol. 5, p. 380, Hadith 3695

2 Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, p. 349, summarised

No comments:

Post a Comment