A
Soul-shattering Incident
Soon after, in Safar, 4 AH, Abu
Bara' Âmir bin Mâlik bin Ja'far bin Kilâb bin Rabi'ah bin Âmir bin Sa'sa'ah
called on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
He invited him to accept Islam. But he neither confessed Islam nor abhorred it.
However, he said, "I have some concern about my people. So let some of
your people accompany me to the Najd to give my people the rudimentary teachings
of Islam "But I am apprehensive of the people of Najd," the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said. "You care
not about the Muslims. I shall take them under my protection," Abu Bara'
said.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) sent Mundhir bin Amr Sâ'idi at the head
of seventy Companions in all. When they arrived at a well Bir Ma'unah, lying
between Banu Âmir and Banu Sulaim, a letter from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) came to Âmir bin At-Tufail through Harâm
bin Milhân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
This Âmir bin At-Tufail was the nephew of Abu Bara' Âmir bin Mâlik. He put
Harâm bin Milhân to death without reading the letter. Then he incited the
people to kill the Muslims. Banu Âmir refused but Banu Sulaim's clans Ri'l,
Dhakwân and Usayyah carried out his wish. However, Abu Bara' Âmir bin Mâlik
felt aggrieved that the incident took place in spite of the protection provided
by him. He succumbed to his grief and died after a fortnight. Âmir bin
At-Tufail took Amr bin Umayyah Damri (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) with him as a captive. He was then set free after his beard
was shaved on behalf of his mother who had vowed to free a slave.
He hurried to Al-Madinah and
reported the event to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم). While in the way he killed two men taking mistakenly as
enemies. In a state of profound distress, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) invoked the curse of Allâh on the
assassins, and Âmir bin At-Tufail died of plague.
Faithfulness
to the Promise
The two people killed by Amr bin
Umayyah Damri on his way back to Al-Madinah, were under the protection of
Muslims so their blood money had to be paid. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself went to hold consultations with
Banu Nadir concerning the blood money as they had an agreement with the Muslims
in this regard. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
went to the settlement along with Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ).
Banu Nadir apparently showed their
interest in giving their share of blood money. They seated the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in the shade of the
wall of their fortification and left the place pretending to collect people for
the discussion. While away from the Prophet (صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم), they conspired to kill the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) by pushing a huge stone down on his head
from the top of the fortification.
Mischief
of the Jews
With this plan in view, Amr bin
Jahsh bin Ka'b got on the top of the citadel, but Allâh the Almighty informed His
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) of the plot through
Revelation, with the result that he got up at once and came back to Al-Madinah
accompanied by his Companions. When the Jews tried to call the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) back, he rejected
the offer point-blank saying, "You hatched a plan to kill me in such and
such way, so you cannot be trusted any more." The Jews didn't even deny it
nor did they show any sense of shame.
Having arrived in Al-Madinah, the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) wrote the Jews to
finalize another agreement but they refused it. He again wrote them to either
sign the agreement or leave the territory. But they agreed to nothing and got
ready to fight the Muslims. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) invaded their territory and the Jews retreated inside their
fortress. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
laid siege around the fortification, which continued for a fortnight. Abdullah
bin Ubai and the hypocrites of Al-Madinah assured the Jews of their unflinching
support if they either fight or accept an exile.
Banishment
of Banu Nadir
However, the Jews conveyed to the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) through Abdullah bin
Ubai that they were ready to accept banishment provided they were granted
safety of life. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
finally ordered them to put on their camels as much goods and belongings as
they could, except the weapons, and leave the territory. They demolished their
dwellings and broke even their earthen vessels and jars before taking leave.
One section went to Khaibar and another one went to Syria and settled there.
The rest of the goods and property were distributed among the Muhâjirin, except
for Abu Dujânah and Sahl bin Hanif (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ), who were from the Ansâr, and received a share from the booty
as they were extremely poor. Yâmin bin Umair and Saeed bin Wahb from the Jews
accepted Islam, so their property remained intact. This expedition is known as
the Expedition of Banu Nadir, it took place in Rabi' Al-Awwal, 4 AH. This was
exactly six months after the battle of Uhud. Sûrat Al-Hashr (59) was sent down
during this expedition.
The
Expedition of Dhât-ur-Riqa'
During this period, news came
constantly pouring in about Banu Muhârib and Banu Tha'labah of Ghatfân tribe
that they were making large-scale preparations to wage a war against the
Muslims. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
proceeded to meet the enemy at the head of four hundred Companions, appointing
Uthmân bin Affân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
the administrator of Al-Madinah. They had collected in an oasis and took to
their heels on receiving the news of the arrival of the Muslim troops. No
fighting took place. This expedition marched in Jumâda Al-Ula, 4 AH. It was
named Dhât-ur-Riqa' because the feet of the Muslim army were injured due to
making a long and arduous journey through rocky lands and they had to wrap up
their feet with rags.
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