The
Expedition to Qudâ'ah (Dhât-us-Salâsil)
About a month after the battle of
Mu'tah came the news that the people of Qudâ'ah had collected an army near the
Syrian border to invade Al-Madinah. The Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) at once dispatched a detachment
consisting of three hundred Muhâjirin and Ansâr under the command of Amr bin Al-Âs
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). On reaching near the enemy, it came to
be known that the number of the enemy soldiers was far more than was expected.
A courier was immediately sent to Al-Madinah. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) sent Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrâh (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) at the head of
reinforcements. The enemy army could not stand the joint onslaught and
scattered in fear and confusion. The raiding party returned safe and sound.
Shortly after this came the news that the Juhainah tribe, along the seacoast,
at a distance of five stages from Al-Madinah had collected men and arms to raid
Al-Madinah. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
immediately sent Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrâh (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) at the head of three hundred Muhâjirin and Ansâr, but the
expedition came back without engaging the enemy because they were so terrified
at the sight of the Muslim detachment that they fled.
Conquest
of Makkah
A surprising incident occurred in
Sha'bân, 8 AH. Banu Khuza'ah and Banu Bakr had halted their long standing feud
and made peace after entering into alliances respectively with the Messenger of
Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the Quraish as
part of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. According to the Treaty they could not attack
one another for a period of ten years. But Banu Bakr developed an evil scheme
against Banu Khuza'ah and they planned to take revenge on their rivals. The
Quraish of Makkah should have held Banu Bakr back from implementing their plan
against Banu Khuza'ah making them uphold the Treaty. Instead of preventing
them, the Quraish, totally at variance with their obligation to the Treaty,
came out in the open lending full and active support to Banu Bakr with men and
material. They broke their covenant to the extent that Safwân bin Umayyah,
Irimah bin Abu Jahl, and Suhail bin Amr joined the fighting along with Banu
Bakr.
The combined attack of Banu Bakr and
the Quraish inflicted on Banu Khuza'ah a heavy loss of 20 or 30 men. Being
caught by a surprise attack at night while they were asleep, they found no
where to take refuge except at the House of Allâh, the Ka'bah, and even some of
them were killed there (this was also a breach of trust as the Ka'bah was a
sanctuary for all). That fateful night when the massacre of Banu Khuza'ah took
place and the terms of the Peace Treaty were thrown to the wind, a few persons
of Banu Khuza'ah in Makkah cried for help from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). At that same moment the Messenger of
Allâh was in the house of Maimunah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) in Al-Madinah and was performing Wudu (ablution). He heard
what they said in Makka and replied: "Labbaik! Labbaik! (I am at your
service)." Maimunah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
said, "Whom were you talking to when you said Labbaik?" The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) replied, "At
this moment the complaint of Banu Khuza'ah was being brought to me and I
responded to it." Amazingly, they also heard in Makkah at the same time
the consoling voice of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم). The next morning the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said to Aishah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), "Last night, Banu Bakr and the Quraish have jointly
massacred some of the Banu Khuza'ah." Aishah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "By this did the Quraish violate the Treaty in your
opinion?" The Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) confidently said, "They have certainly breached the trust,
and very soon, Allâh the Almighty will issue His Command concerning it."
A Few days after the incident Budail
bin Warqâ' and Amr bin Sâlim came to Al-Madinah and put their complaint before
the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
Amr bin Sâlim told his tale of woe in a poem filled with gloom and grief at
their being brutally attacked and killed. Some of the verses are as follows:
"The Quraish have committed a
breach of trust against you, and they have broken the firm treaty signed with
you. They have plundered us like hay, and they believe that we have nobody to
help us. They are mean and deficient in number, and they attacked us at Watir
when we were lying asleep."
The Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) consoled them
saying, "You will be helped." At the time of their departure from
Al-Madinah the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) remarked: "Abu Sufyân has set out from Makkah to seek an
extension in the duration of Peace Treaty and get it consolidated, but his
mission will end in failure."
When the Makkans found time to think
over the consequences of their misconduct, they were struck by fear. They sent
Abu Sufyân to renew the Peace Treaty. The Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) ordered the Muslims, on the other hand,
to make preparations for the ensuing battle and to keep it a top secret. On the
way back to Makkah, Budail bin Warqâ' and his group came across Abu Sufyân who
was heading for Al-Madinah. "Where have you been?" asked Abu Sufyân.
"I was only up in this valley," Budail replied. Abu Sufyân was under
the impression that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) was unaware of the attack against Banu Khuza'ah that had just
occurred. He was determined to get the Peace Treaty renewed as soon as
possible.
Abu
Sufyân in Al-Madinah:
Abu Sufyân came to Al-Madinah and
made several attempts to contact the Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), Umar and Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ),
but none of them paid attention to him. During this exercise in futility Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), in order to make him look foolish, said
to him, "You are the chief of Banu Kinânah, so you can go to the Prophet's
Mosque and announce that you extend the terms of the Treaty and confirm
it." He did accordingly and left in hurry. When he went back to Makkah and
related what had happened, they laughed at him saying, "Ali has made a fool
of you." Only then did Abu Sufyân become conscious of his stupidity.
Immediately after the departure of Abu Sufyân, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) asked the Companions to march on Makkah.
In spite of the massive size of the military preparations, the Companions did
not know the target of attack. It was simply because the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) wanted the Makkans
to be caught unaware.
However, a Companion of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), Hâtib bin Abu
Balta'ah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) informed the Quraish
of the impending Muslim attack, in a letter sent through a woman. Allâh the
Almighty informed this to His Messenger (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) through inspiration. He sent Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Zubair bin Awwâm (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) immediately after the woman with the description of her
features. They caught her after a hard chase, he searched her belongings but
the letter remained hidden. However, Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was quite sure about the letter because he knew the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) did not say anything that wasn't
absolutely true. When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) threatened her with
dire consequences, she drew out the letter from her hair and handed it over to
them. The letter was from Hâtib bin Abu Balta'ah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to the Quraish. The letter along with the woman was brought to
the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
Hâtib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was sent for and was
asked for an explanation. He said, "Since my relatives were still in
Makkah and in danger, I liked to oblige the Makkans by informing them about the
ensuing Muslim attack so that my relatives would remain safe from them."
Having heard this, Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
lost his temper and said, "O Messenger of Allâh! Allow me to cut his head
off." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
observed, "O Umar, Hâtib has committed a mistake which is
pardonable." And so Hâtib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was forgiven.
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