Madni life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad

 First Year of Hijrah:

Why Madinah was Chosen:

Close to Makkah

As they were leaving all their friends and family behind, this was important

They had already offered him leadership during the time of the second pledge

People were of mild nature

They had already accepted Islam

No priest class

There would be no pre-fixed beliefs and religious practices

A safe haven for the Prophet

Due to the Second Pledge of Aqabah, it had been vowed to protect him from the Quraish

Allah ordered the Prophet to do so 

Arrival:

When he reached Madinah, there was a huge welcome

Everyone pled to him to stay with them

In order to avoid conflict, he left the choice of his home to where the camel stopped – an empty plot belonging to Sahar and Sohail in front of Abu Ayyub Ansari’s house

Despite their inclination to give it for free, it was bought from them 

He changed the name of Yasrab (City of Diseases) to Madinatun-Nabi (The Enlightened City)

Construction of Masjid e Nabvi:

After arriving in Madinah, the Prophet and his companions built a modest mosque

It measured 98*115 feet

It was built from unbaked bricks; the roof was made of mud, date palm leaves, and stones while the pillars were made of palm trunks

At the side, a platform (suffah) was made to provide shelter for poor Muslims

The Mosque was built for the Prophet’s camel (Qaswa) had stopped

The land belonged to two orphan brothers (Sahar and Sohail). 

Even though they offered it for free, Abu Bakr insisted on paying for it

There were living quarters at the side of it

The Prophet and his companions lived there

At first, all the doors were kept open. However, when the Prophet became older, he ordered it closed for privacy

One of the quarters was reserved for Bibi Aisha. The Prophet died there and a green dome was built over it to commemorate the occasion

“This shall be my home, my place of worship, and my resting place” Prophet Muhammad

Importance of Mosques:

Place where Muslims worship

Home where Muslims offer prayer in congregation

Brotherhood

Place to get together for enlightened religious discussions

Centre of the community

Important events occur there

Iftari, marriages, funerals,

Islamic education offered here

Shelter for poor Muslims and travellers

Importance of Masjid e Nabvi:

First place where the Muslims of Madinah could gather for prayer

The Prophet lived and died there

“This shall be my home, my place of worship, and my resting place.” Prophet Muhammad

The army made decisions there

Every political decision was taken there

Place to gather and receive delegations

First learning institution for Muslims

The students in suffah were sent as missionaries to preach Islam

It was a symbol of the Muslims’ newfound freedom

It showed Islam’s humbleness, as the mosque was very modest and humble

Azan:

After the construction of Masjid e Nabvi, people started gathering for prayer without being called

Due to this, the Prophet felt the need that a specific time for prayer when everyone gathered and worshipped be allotted

Many different methods were suggested to gather people; however, as they were used by other religions, they were not accepted.

This is because Islam was different from all other religions

The next day, Abdullah ibn Zaid and Hazrat Umar reported to the Prophet that they had dreamt the verses of the Azan

The Prophet confirmed that this was a true vision of Allah and told Hazrat Billal to become the first Muaddin

Importance:

Equality and brotherhood- a black slave was given this duty

Reminder of time for prayer

Revision of Muslim beliefs

Invitation to offer prayer in congregation

Azaan is the identity of a Muslim state

It shows the uniqueness of Islam

Its verses were dictated by Allah

As it is recited by voice alone, it shows Islam’s humbleness

Mawakhat:

After the construction of Masjid e Nabvi, the Prophet wanted to solidify the connection between the Muslims of Madinah (Ansaar) and the Muhajireen.

The Muhajireen were poorer as they had left all their belongings in Madinah while the Ansaar were much richer

He wanted them to unite to remove any ill-will. They needed to be equal in wealth

He called a meeting in the house of Anas bin Malik. 90 people came (45 Ansar, 45 Muhajireen)

They were paired up as brothers in faith- when one died, the other inherited their property, making them equal. This was in following with the Prophet’s saying: “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim”

The Ansaar also had to give provisions to the Muhajireen

This connection was stronger and more distinct than actual brotherhood

Some notable brothers:

The Holy Prophet and Hazrat Ali

Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Kharja

Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Usman Ibn Malik

Hazrat Usman bin Afwan and Hazrat Aws

Some notable incidents:

The Muhajireen refused to take anything for free

Saad bin ar-Rabin was ready to give one of his wives. His brother, Abdur Rehman, did not accept this

Once, some Ansar approached the Prophet with the request that their orchards be distributed equally, but the Prophet instead decided that the yield would be divided equally and the Muhajir would work alongside the Ansae in them

Two Muhajireen were placed in every family so that they could bestow their knowledge to the Ansaar

It was reversed in the Battle of Badr when the following Verse was revealed:

“But kindred by blood are nearer to one another regarding inheritance”

Importance:

Spirit of selflessness and eternal reward

Brought the Muhajireen and Ansaar on the same level as no one believed that they were better than the other

Provided Ansaar the opportunity to make sacrifices and be rewarded by Allah

Provided financial support to Muslims without hurting their ego

Unity between the two groups

Motivated the Muhajireen to stand up on their own feet as soon as possible

Charter of Madinah:

There were three Jewish tribes: Banu Quraiza, Banu Qunaiqa, and Banu Nadir. To avoid civil war, rules were needed where everyone was on the same page. Due to this, the Charter of Madinah was created. These are 12 of its terms:

All religious matters and customs (like Qisas) should be respected

Every clan should treat its prisoners with justice and kindness (no matter which religion they practiced)

Every believer should be accountable for themselves. Even if one is Muslim, or a chief’s child, that does not exempt them from punishment

No believer should slay a believer for the sake of an unbeliever or assist an unbeliever against a believer

A poor Muslim should have the right to protection as a rich Muslim

Jews and Muslims have the same rights and should help each other when in need

In a military expedition, Jews have to support Muslims and not support their enemies. Muslims will do the same

The only way to avoid the Charter was with permission from the Prophet

No one is allowed to shelter an evil-doer. This will result in anger from Allah on the Day of Judgement

If Muslims make peace with someone, the Jews have to take part in the pact, too

To be convicted of murder, there needs to be a witness. You shall have to face retaliation or pay blood money

All further disputes between those who accept this charter shall be referred, under Allah, to the Holy Prophet

The three main things ensured because of this charter

Freedom of business

Freedom of religion

Freedom of justice

to be ensured by the government

Importance:

It helped the Prophet to make an alliance of the residents of Makkah regardless of their religion

It allowed for an alliance with the stakeholder of the city (important)

Established Islam as diplomatic

Ensured peace in the region

The treaty made sure that Madinah is protected by its citizens

It established the Holy Prophet as the leader of Makkah

Showed the importance of blood money

Second Year of Hijrah

Quraish Hostility:

As the Quraish were jealous of the growing power of Islam, they kept a strict watch on the Muslims left over in Makkah and persecuted them at every opportunity

They forged a secret alliance with Abdullah bin Ubai, the chief of polythiests in Madinah, who had outwardly accepted Islam but was actually working against Muslims

They also sent a message to the Muslims of Madinah threatening to kill them.

Due to this, strict vigilance was kept and security guards were posted at the house of the Prophet

This continued until Allah revealed the following verse in the Quran: ”Allah will protect you from Mankind” After this, the Prophet (PBUH) told the guards to go away, making it clear that Allah would protect him.

Change of Qiblah:

As the Holy Prophet wanted the Kaabah to be the Qiblah for Muslims, Allah ordered the Qiblah be changed from Masjid Al Aqsa to Masjid Al Haram

This is partly because the Jews used to tease them as they prayed facing the direction of their monument despite claiming that Islam was unique

Due to this, Allah sent the following verse:

“…Surely, we shall turn you to a Qiblah that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of the Kaaba…” (Al Baqarah V:144)

In the month of Rajab, when the Holy Prophet was offering Zuhr with his Companions, Allah commanded him to change the Qiblah towards the Kaabah. The Holy Prophet turned towards the Kaabah mid-prayer and performed the remaining two Rakaat facing the Kaabah. The Mosque where this incident took place is called Masjid-e-Qiblatain (a Masjid having two Qiblahs)

Obligation of Fasting:

In this year, it was made obligatory on Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan in the following verse:

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become the pious” (Al Baqarah V:183)

Obligation of Zakat:

Zakat was made obligatory on well-off Muslims to financially help their poorer Muslim brothers in the following verse:

“And spend in the cause of Allah…” (Al Baqarah V:195)

Jihad:

Jihad was made obligatory on Muslims in the following verse during the second year of Hijrah:

“Fight in the Cause of Allah, those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors” (Al Baqarah V:190)

At first, they were only allowed to fight the Quraish and pagan tribes who oppressed them.

Later, they were allowed to fight Jews or Christians who persecuted or harassed them.

However, they were only allowed to defend, not to instigate. If the enemy surrendered and agreed to pay Jizya, they were not allowed to continue fighting.

Bait ul Maal:

A public treasury was set up in Madinah for welfare and relief

People contributed their Zakat and taxes to it

This fund, set up in 2AH, was kept at Bait ul Maal

The Battle of Badr

Reasons:

Permission for Jihad:

“Permission is given against those whom war is made. Because they were wronged, verily Allah is able to help them”

The Quraish:

Jealousy:

The Quraish used to trade with Madina for raw goods. However, not that Muslisms (some of whom were incredibly proficient traders) had migrated there, there was no longer any need for them as the Muslims would trade with Madniites instead of them.

Due to this, the Quraish took control of Muslim properties in Makkah to try to put Muslims down

They did not retaliate then as Allah had not yet given them permission to.

Disturbances in the outer tribes:

Karz bin Jabar, a Quraishi, used to raid and set fire to pastures in the outer tribes of Madinah. 

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) set out with 70 companions after him but could not catch up

The Quraish sent the Madniites a letter demanding that they return the Holy Prophet to Makkah

The hypocrites of Madinah secretly helped them 

The Incident of Nakhla:

During the holy month of Safar, the Prophet decided to put pressure on the Quraish by posting people at Nakhla to monitor the caravans coming in and out of Makkah.

 2 people were sent with a sealed letter containing information to watch over Nakhla (it was sealed for 2 days  so that it would not be leaked). 

They were not given permission to fight or kill, however.

At Nakhla, during the sacred month of Rajab where no fighting was permitted, Abdullah bin Jahash met a group of people heading towards Madinah. 

He tried to stop them, which initiated combat during which Omro bin Al Hazrami, an ally of the Quraish, was killed

The Prophet was extremely upset as he had violated the honour of the sacred month. He offered blood money to the Quraish as reconciliation but they declined it. 

The level of hostility was now increased in the Quraish, who were eager to avenge their slain members

The Caravan of Abu Sufyan:

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) received news that Abu Sufyan’s caravan was coming back from Syria with booty worth 50,000 gold dinars which was mounted on 1,000 camels, with investments of very prominent people.

Its profits were to be spent on arms for war

 As it was guarded by only 40 men and was moving relatively close to Madinah, the Prophet made the decision to intercept it

Abu Sufyan heard of this and asked for reinforcements. Abu Jahl, with a force of 1300 men, including many seasoned fighters, went to Badr (a place near Madinah). 

However, Abu Sufyan was able to go around Madinah by travelling during the night on a longer route to reach Makkah safely (Abu Jahl’s army also distracted the Muslims). He then sent a letter to those camped at Badr that he was safe.

Despite this, the Quraish were still eager to fight and Abu Jahl wanted to punish them and prevent them from intercepting any future caravans. 

However, 300 members of the Banu Zahra left as now there was no good reason to fight, leaving them with 1000 men.

When the Holy Prophet received the news of Abu Jahl approaching, he marched to Badr with his small army of 313 men. 

Events:

Armies:

The Muslim Army The Quraishi Army

313 soldiers: 86 Muhajireen, 61 Aws, 170 Khizraj 1300 soldiersAfter the Banu Zahra left with their 300 soldiers, they were left with 1000 soldiers

2 horses 100 horsemen

70 camels 600 mailed soldiers. Mail allowed for ventilation

Leader- Musab bin Umair There were many camels: 9-10 camels were slaughtered daily for food

There were two battalions:The Muhajireen, with a standard raised by Abu Abi TalibThe Ansar, with a standard raised by Muadh They also brought wine and dancers for entertainment (betraying their overconfidence)

Preparation:

The Quraish reached first and already occupied the points of advantage.

The Muslims initially camped some distance from the wells of Badr (which were already occupied), where there was also sandy soil.

However, on the advice of Hubab bin Mundhir, they took over the most nearby well

Even though they had full control of the water of this well, the Prophet allowed the enemies to use the water before the battle.

Since the sand here was sandy, they and their possessions started sinking. The camels’ feet also sank.

The Prophet spent the whole night in prayer, prayed the following before the battle:

“O Allah! If this small band of men perish, there will be no one alive to worship. And your faith will be destroyed forever.”

As a result: 

Allah let them sleep soundly the night before the battle. 

Allah sent heavy rain, which:

Firmed the ground

Filled small reservoirs

The Battle:

As per custom in Arabia, the 3 best soldiers from each army had to fight each other. This was psychological warfare used to bring the morale of soldiers to its highest.

The three Quraishi warriors:

Al Walid: Brother of Hinda (the wife of Abu Sufyan)

Utbah: Father of Hinda

Shayba: Uncle of Hinda

At first, three Ansaar came forward. The Quraish refused to fight them as they had come here to fight their equals, the Banu Hashim. Then, three Muhajireen were sent forward:

Hazrat Ali: Cousin of the Prophet

Hazrat Ubaydah bin Haris:  Cousin of the Prophet

Hazrat Hamza: Uncle of the Prophet

The following combat ensued:

Hazrat Ali killed Al Walid

Hazrat Hamza killed Shaybah

Utbah injured Hazrat Ubaydah (who died later when the wound got infected). Hazrat Ali and Hamza finished him off.

Next, the Quraish charged forcefully. The Prophet gave strict orders that his men should not fight until he gave the order.

First, the Prophet prayed and threw some dust at the enemy:

The dust flew in the eyes and noses of the Quraish. This also made them view more Muslim soldiers than there actually were.

First, the archers were told to fire and then his men were ordered to hurl stones.

Once the enemy was closer, spears were used.

Then, close combat with swords ensued.

Soon, the Quraish had started losing the battle.

Once the Quraish had finally reached the Muslim army, they were tired from the charging. This made it easier for the infantry to come up and push the Quraish back. 

Their prominent leaders started getting killed, including:

Abu Jahl (by two Ansari teenagers – Maudh and Muadh

Ummiyah ibn Khalaf was killed by Bilal, his former slave

Utabah ibn Rabi

The army lost hope and scattered in dismay. They ran in such a rush that they left everything behind- their armour, weapons, and idols.

It is said that 3000 Angels helped Muslims but did not actually kill any Quraishi soldiers.

They were led by Gibrael, Mikaeel, and Israfeel, who each led 1000 angels

Israel, the angel of death, was busy due to the battle

The Outcome of the Battle:

The Muslim Army The Quraishi Army

14 soldiers were martyred 70 soldiers were killed

The Prophet and believers stayed for three more days in Badr 70 soldiers were captured as prisoners of war

Burial of dead warriors:Muslim martyrs were buried in separate gravesAll the fallen Quraishi warriors were buried in a common grave Many important Quraishi leaders were killed, including: Shaiba UtbaAbu JahlAbu BakhtariAas bin HashimUmmaiyah bin Kahlaf (who was killed by his previous slave, Hazrat Bilal)

A large amount of booty was gathered. ⅕ was set aside for the Prophet and his family, while the rest was divided equally between the soldiers and the martyrs’ families Loss of 2-5 Lakh Dirham

Abdullah bin Rawahah and Zaid bin Haritha were dispatched to Madinah to convey the glad tidings of victory

Due to this, the Prophet entered Madinah as a man to be accounted for in a new dimension in the military field.

Prisoners of War:

The prisoners were dealt with kindness.

The rich were allowed to give ransom for bail while the poor and old were set free

Hazrat Zainab’s husband produced the necklace of Hazrat Khadija. He could not accept this and asked him to send Hazrat Zainab. On her way, she was attacked, injured, and killed 

The learned were given the duty to teach a certain amount of children for a fixed time for their freedom.

Even if they were illiterate, they were eventually set free

Many of them were so impressed by the treatment they received that they embraced Islam

One such person was Hazrat Abbas

Lessons:

Separating: 

Right from wrong

“On the day when true was distinguished from false- the day the two groups met in battle” The Quran on the Battle of Badr

Iman from Kufr

Passiveness from engaging in defending and spreading Islam

Loyalty to Islam from loyalty to tribe and family

Many had to fight their own family

True, sincere sacrifice for Allah from earthly gains

Muslims became confident

The Kuffar learnt to take Muslims seriously, became less overconfident

Personal Lessons:

Unity is important

Intentions have to be clean for success

Allah is the best planner

We should fight to protect the rights of Muslims when necessary

Don’t be overconfident/underestimate others

Importance:

Mentioned in the Quran ad “Yaum-ul-Furqan” (Day of Criterion)

The victory inspired Muslims with new hope, gave them confidence in their physical power and encouraged them for future success

United Muslims

Immensely helped the strengthening of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s position in Madinah

Established the status of the Holy Prophet as a commendable military commander

Pride and prestige of the Quraish was totally destroyed by the absolute Muslim victory and the fact that many leaders were killed

Great Quraishi leaders were killed

This led to the rise of Abu Sufyan

A large number of the people of Madinah accepted Islam, which added a lot to the strength, power, and moral standing of the region and Islam

The polythiests of Arabia and the Jews, for the first time, became aware of the new power of Islam when they felt the strength of Muslims

This battle of right and wrong drew a clear line as to what is right in war and what is a war crime

The Expulsion of Banu Qunaiqah:

The Jews of Banu Qunaiqah continued their harassment and humiliation of Muslims, despite the Charter and the victory and Badr

The Banu Qunaiqah was the first tribe to break the Charter of Madinah:

Once, an Ansari woman went to a Jew’s shop. The shopkeeper molested her.

Hearing her cries, a passerby Muslim came to her defence and killed the instigator. 

More Jews came and then killed him. 

When the Prophet asked for blood money they denied it and threatened him.

He said “For Allah’s lest, Allah’s curse should fall on you as in Badr.”

Instead of being ashamed, they replied “We are not Quraish. In case of war, we will teach you a lesson.”

When they declared war, the Prophet had to fight them.

The Jews shut themselves in their fortress and the Muslims laid siege to it, which lasted for a fortnight.

Siege warfare is a battle of patience. It is ultimately decided when the supplies run out. For fifteen days they camped outside till the Qunaiqahs’ supplies ran out.

Being hard-pressed, they submitted unconditionally, leaving the terms of peace to be settled by the Holy Prophet himself.

Abdullah bin Ubai, their leader, interceded on their behalf, and the Prophet asked them to leave Madinah.

The 700 Jews of Banu Qunaiqah then left for Syria in Shawwal, 2 AH.

The Battle of Uhud:

Reasons:

Revenge:

Family members killed

Profit loss

Pride lost

Leaders lost

To gain support of Banu Qunainah and people of Tihamah

To crash the commonwealth of Islam once and for all

To regain prestige and power

To open the blockade of the trade route to Syria

Many poets were sent to the nearby tribes to instigate them through their poetry (including Jew named Kaab):

Ridicule Prophet

Described women so that they would want them as slaves

Events:

The Quraish prepared an army of 3,000 men and marched towards Madinah under the leadership of Abu Sufyan in 6 AH

Abu Sufyan had vowed that he wouldn’t bathe till he had defeated the Muslims in battle

700 men had chain mail

They had 200 horses and 3,000 camels

The profit from the caravan of Abu Sufyan was invested in preparation for the battle

The Prophet came to know of their preparations via his uncle, Abbas, three days before the battle

Even though the Prophet personally thought they should not go out to meet them, he decided to do so due to popular demand. He set out with a 1000 men

300 hypocrites, under the leadership of Abdullah ibn Ubai, left him under the excuse that he had not followed his suggestion to fight from Madinah

100 of the 700 remaining men had chain mail

This was also the first battle in which women participated

Their duties were to supply water to the wounded and to dress their wounds

Three Muslim women participated:

Hazrat Aisha, Umm-e-Salmah, and Umm Amara

Around 16 Quraishi women participated:

Hinda, Umm-e-Hakeem, and Fatima

The Muslims reached earlier than the Quraish

He took up the position within the rocks of Uhud to protect the rear

At the back, there was an entry which could potentially be vulnerable. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) appointed 50 archers under Abdullah bin Jubair to guard it. 

They were explicitly told not to leave under any circumstances

When the battle began, the 650 Muslim warriors had the upper hand

This was quite impressive for they were facing a force of 3,000 men, which meant that for every Muslim, there were more than 4 Quraish

During this time, Hazrat Hamza was slain by Washi, an Abyssinian slave/hunter who had been promised freedom by Hinda if he killed Hazrat Hamza. 

The Quraish were beginning to flee, leaving behind substantial booty 

Upon seeing this, 35 archers ran to collect it

Khalid bin Walid, the head of the Quraishi cavalry, saw that the pass was unguarded, and attacked. He had made attempts to do this previously but was held back

Now that the Muslims were being attacked from both sides, they panicked

This was made worse by a rumour that the Holy Prophet had died, which had arose since Musab bin Umair, who looked extremely similar to Prophet Muhammad, had been martyred

During the confusion, the Holy Prophet fell in a ditch and was badly injured

The strap of his helmet got stuck in his cheek, wounding his face badly. He also lost a tooth.

Despite this, the Holy Prophet prayed for them: “O my Lord! Forgive my people, for they do not know”

Due to this, a rumour spread that the Prophet had died. Thus, the morale of the troops broke down.

However, this was not true. 2 Mujahireen and 7 Ansaar, including Hazrat Talha, surrounded the Prophet and supported him in his climb up Mount Uhud, to safety.

Seeing this, the rest of the Muslims followed them

After this, the Quraish got tired of battling as it was virtually impossible to defeat the Muslims when they had the high ground.

They started preparing to leave, during which they mutiliated Muslim martyrs

Hinda cut open Hazrat Hamza’s body and chewed upon his liver

Other women cut off Muslim’s noses and hair to make necklaces

When they were about to leave, Abu Sufyan went up to the mountain and said loudly: 

“Well deeds! Today we have taken revenge of Badr. This for that. War is attended with alternate success.” He also challenged them to a battle next year 

To this, Hazrat Umar replied:

“No. They are not the same. Our killed men are housed in Paradise; but yours are in Fire.”

The Prophet spent the night pondering over the situation

He feared that the idolaters might regret and decide to invade Madinah again

The next morning, he ordered the Muslim army to march on and encounter the enemy of Islam

The Muslims marched and encamped at Hamra’ Al-Asad, 8 miles away from Madinah

The Prophet was right

When the Quraish got to know about the presence of the Muslims,  they deemed it safest to go back to Makkah

Results:

70 Muslims died in battle and many were injured, including the Prophet 

Harat Hamza and Hazrat Musab bin Umair were martyred

30 disbelievers were killed

The hypocrites very clearly revealed themselves

Lessons:

This was a lesson about greed, military discipline, and humility, as it was their disobedience and acquisitiveness that led to their defeat

Allah has described this battle as both a punishment and a test of their steadfastness

As the Quraish were unable to capture Madinah, the Makkan victory was not a complete one.

Thus, their morale fell

Muslims found inspiration in the Quran and reinforced their commitment

Muslims learned not to disobey their leader, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Importance:

Lesson for Muslims not to disobey the Holy Prophet(P.B.U.H.)

Muslims realized that Allah would help them only when their intentions were pure

The Quraish realised that they could never defeat Muslims by themselves 

Muslims learned to remain united and disciplined 

Distinction between truthful and deceitful

If continually victorious then deceitful will join them and truthful will not be distinguished

If continually defeated then objective will never be met

Balance

The hypocrisy of the hypocrites was shown

Martyrdom is the highest rank of the true friends of Allah

Eg. Hazrat Hamza

In Surah Al-Imran, rather than coming down hard on the Muslims, Allah addressed them with a mild reproach

Mercy of Allah

Women took part in this battle on both sides

The Battle of the Trench/Ahzaab:

Expulsion of the Banu Nadeer:

After Uhud, many tribes ended their alliance with the Muslims. 

Due to this, a Muslim missionary sent to the tribe of Salamah was attacked in the Bin Mayla incident

During this, 70 were killed. Therefore, the Prophet was forced to send an army to them to restore them to their former submission

After this, a Muslim was trading with two people from another tribe. Thinking that one of them was from the same tribe which killed the 70 Muslims, he killed them. They had to pay the blood money 

According to the treaty of Madinah, payment of blood money was to be split

The Banu Nadeer invited the Prophet to their tribe to give him the money. They planned to kill him when he arrived

As the Prophet received a revelation that he was to be killed (by a boulder thrown at him by the Banu Nadeer), he left and told Banu Nadeer to leave Madinah within 10 days

At first, they resisted, but after a siege of 15 days, they left

Reasons for the Battle of Ahzaab:

The behaviour of the Banu Nadeer fluctuated between resignation and slackness after the expulsion of Banu Qunaiqah. 

They were glad at the high casualties of Muslims at Badr and made an alliance with the Quraish as the did not have the sole strength to declare all out war

After expulsion, they migrated to Khaibar and continued plotting against the Muslims

A number of leaders went to the polytheists of Makkah and other tribes, such as:

The Banu Ghatafan (a warrior tribe), Banu Asad, Banu Sulaim, and Banu Kinanah and invited them to besiege and invade Makkah

The Quraish accepted as:

It was a good opportunity for revenge

This was a chance to regain their prestige

This was a chance to destroy Islam before it got too powerful

They now had support from others, due to which they didn’t have to spend much money – all they had to do was fight

Abu Sufyan had already challenged the Muslim to a battle after he failed to achieve his objective of killing the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

The Jews were so rich that they were able and willing to pay Banu Ghatafan and other tribes to fight

It is due to this alliance that this battle is also known as the Battle of Ahzaab (confederacy)

Thus, an army of 10,000 was gathered against 3,000 Muslims

Events:

Building of the Trench:

The Holy Prophet consulted with his companions when he heard of the army of 10,000

Hazrat Salman bin Farsi, an Iranian, suggested that they dig a trench around Madinah. 

This was new in Saudi Arabia, where the only two types of warfare were hand-to-hand and siege warfare.

The terrain of Madinah was such that to the East and West there were volcanic mountains and to the south there was a thick mountain that was difficult to navigate. 

The only vulnerable side was to the north, where it was decided that a trench would be built

Why a trench was chosen:

Defensive advantage

As the Quraish greatly outnumbered them, they couldn’t afford to go hand to hand

If the enemy decides to charge, you could shoot at them

Animals could not charge over it

They would be able to see and assess the enemy threat

They would be able to store resource

If someone fell into it, they would not be able to climb out themselves

It was unexpected, giving them the advantage of the element of surprise

They would be fighting at home, so they knew the terrain well

As collecting 10,000 men is not easy, the Prophet had some time to prepare. 

The Prophet assigned every 10 men 40 feet of land to dig in 20 days

The Prophet, too participated in this 

During this time, a famine was occurring. On top of this, they had to build a trench, due to which everyone was hungry

One day, a companion came and told the Prophet that he was so hungry that he had tied a rock around his stomach, which blocked his stomach, reducing his hunger.

The Prophet lifted his shirt to reveal two stones

Miracles:

While building the trench, they came across a large, unmovable stone. They tried and failed to break it. 

When the Prophet was told, he came up and hit it thrice. Upon each strike he received news that he would defeat the Persians, Egyptians, and the Romans. 

After the third, it crumbled into pieces

Siege:

When the enemy arrived, they could not enter Makkah, due to which, they laid a siege

The 3000 Muslim men remained on guard while the Muslim women, children, and elderly took shelter in Madinah

Hazrat Ali and Amr ibn Abd Wudd:

The trench was narrow from one place. From here, Dinar, Jubari, Naufil and Amr crossed over. 

Hazrat Ali set out to meeting despite the Prophet’s warnings about Amr ibn Abd Wudd’s reputation

Before a one on one battle, Hazrat Ali gave them 3 options: accept islam, retreat, or fight. 

Hazrat Ali killed Amr Ibn Abd Wudd, who was such a great fighter that he was said to be equal to 1,000 horsemen. 

In the battle, Amr Ibn Abd Wudd saw that Hazrat Ali was quite short, due to which he was a bit embarrassed.

Amr was on a horse. He was so overconfident that he got off it and cut off its legs

In his first attack, its sword penetrated through Hazrat Ali’s shield, cutting him. Then, Hazrat Ali killed him.

Dinar and Jubari retreated after this. Naufil fell in the trench and got killed.

Betrayal of Banu Quraizah:

Banu Nadir sent out missionaries to Banu Quraizah. Initially, they resisted, but eventually, they gave in 

They attacked the Muslim women and children. 

In response to this, the women spread rumours that there were men in Madinah to protect them

After this, a few small skirmishes broke out and arrows were constantly being fired.

Now, a war on two fronts had been initiated

First, a missionary consisting of Saad bin Muadh and Saad bin Ubadah was sent to Banu Quraizah, but that failed.

The women were in a fort, being guarded by Hassan, a man who fainted every time he saw blood.

The Jews sent out a spy to see if there were actually any men there. Hassan was told to kill him, after which he refused. 

Due to this, Hazrat Safia threw a rock at the spy, beheaded him, and threw his head towards the Banu Quraizah, which scared them off

Hazrat Naeem bin Masood:

Hazrat Naeem bin Masood, from the tribe of Ghatafan, came to the convert and declared that he was a secret convert.

He was told to create dissension amongst the enemies.

He met the chiefs of Quraizah and told them not to trust the Quraish unless they promised to give them some captives

Then, he went to the Quraish and said that Jews maintained correspondence with the Muslims and forbade them from sending hostages to the Jews

He did the same with the Banu Ghatafan

He was successful, due to which a state of distrust and suspicion was created amongst the allies

Storm:

The Prophet then made the following Dua:

“Allah! You are quick in account, You are the sender of the Book, we beg you to defeat the confederates”

In response, a horrible storm of wind, rain, and cold was sent to weary the allies

Tents were blown down, cooking vessels and other equipment were overthrown, and animals ran away in terror. Thus, they prepared to leave, frustrated

“O you who believe! Remember Allah’s favour unto you when there came against you hosts and we sent against them a great wind and hosts you could not see” (33:39)

Victory:

Due to the tribal conflicts, 

This was a battle of nerves, not losses

Even though no bitter fighting was recorded, it was one of the most decisive battles in early Islam, and proved beyond a shadow of doubt that there were no longer any forces that could destroy Islam

Expulsion of Banu Quraizah:

After the Confederacy had left, the Prophet set out immediately to deal with the Banu Quraizah

He laid siege to their fortress for more than 25 days, when they gave in as long as they be judged by their former ally, Saad ibn Muaz, under the Torah

It was decided that all Banu Quraizah’s men be killed and women and children be enslaved and their belongings taken as booty

As it was not the decision of the Prophet, they did not go against it.

Thus, the three major Jewish tribes were no longer with the Holy Prophet

Results:

Quraishi prestige took a huge blow.

The trade route to Syria was still blocked and their influence waned

The Holy Prophet’s competence as an excellent strategic planner was further proven

This caused disunity against the allied tribes

This was not a battle of strength but of nerves. Muslims prove that they were able to keep their wits together in panic, starvation, severe cold, and lack of supplies

Banu Quraiza were expelled

Importance:

Jews in Madinah were abolished 

Even though no bitter fighting was recorded, it was one of the most decisive battles in early Islam, and proved beyond a shadow of doubt that there were no longer any forces that could destroy Islam

This was the last battle between Quraish and the Muslims

A new way of fighting – trench warfare, was introduced to Saudi Arabia

The Treaty of Hudaibiyah

Reasons:

In 7 Hijrah, the Prophet had a dream in which believers went to Makkah and performed Umrah. Delighted, he told everyone

As everyone was eager to return to their hometown, they agreed

The 1400 all set out, unarmed, peacefully, to perform Umrah

Events:

They Quraish saw them approaching and gathered a force of 2000 men led by Khalid bin Walid despite the please of Budail, the chief of Khuzaah

As they approached Makka, at Zi Hulaifa, they donned their Ihram.

Scouts then told the Prophet of the army. Due to this, they camped outside of Makkah in the plains of Al-Hudaobyah, where the Prophet’s camel had stopped and refused to go any further

There, there was a dry well. After the Prophet offered a prayer, it started producing water again

At this point, the Quraish were unwilling to negotiate with the Muslims. Hazrat Khurash ban Umayyah was sent as an envoy. He was beaten and his camel was killed.

The Quraish then sent a detachment to kill Muslims, but it was captured and released after the Prophet forbade spilling of blood in this Holy month

Next, Hazrat Usman bin Affan was sent.

They offered him the allowance to perform Umrah, but he refused to perform it without his Prophet 

He told them that they were there to perform Umrah and not to fight, but would fight if they had to.

He stayed for a few days while the Quraish considered their actions

When Hazrat Usman did not return, a false rumour spread that he had been killed

The Prophet then gathered all his companions around a tree to pledge Bait ur Rizwan. They were told to raise their right hand and swear that they would:

Fight till the death, and

Not escape the battlefield.

He raised his left hand on the behalf of Hazrat Uthman

Allah was so pleased by this that he mentioned it in the Quran:

“Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave their Bait to you under the tree”

The dedication of the Muslims in this pledge scared the Quraish. Thus, they sent Sohail bin Amr as a final negotiator for peace

Muslims had sent a few envoys before, all of which had failed because some believed that they should fight and not go for peace

During the negotiations of the treaty, a conflict emerged when Sohail objected to Hazrat Ali writing down the Prophet’s name as the Messenger of Allah.

 While Hazrat Ali refused to erase it, Prophet Muhammad erased it himself

A treaty was decided upon. 

There were to be 10 years of peace

If any Quraish came to Madinah to embrace Islam, they would be sent back

However, escaped Muslims would not 

This was thought to be a huge advantage for the Quraish, but this was not so

Muslims who escaped were not wanted by Islam anyways

This was later a burden for them in the case of Abu Basir. He escaped to Madinah. When some envoys were sent to get him, he killed one of them. The Quraish begged the Muslims to take him but he refused

Muslims were not to perform Umrah that year

Thus, they were told to open their Ihram

Hazrat Umar did not like this, but Hazrat Abu Bakr convinced him that it was the will of Allah

Muslims were to gain unchallenged access to Mecca for Umrah from next year but would stay for only 3 days

Muslims who came for Umrah were to be unarmed – they were only allowed to carry a sheathed sword

Whoever wished to join either side in an alliance could do so 

While they were signing this, Abu Jandal, Sohail’s son, escaped and begged Prophet Muhammad to take him back with him. Even though the treaty had not yet been signed, Sohail bin Amr refused to let him go

Quote:

“Verily, we have granted you a manifest victory” Quran

Importance:

As Muslims were allowed to preach in Makkah, Islam spread there

It gave them a peaceful time to prepare the troops and resources

Trade to Syria was opened

The trustworthiness of the Prophet was proven

They could now make alliances with whomever they wanted

Letters to Different States:

Reasons:

These letters were sent in order to establish himself as the leader of a state, thus enhancing his power and prestige.

To make alliances. 

Moreover, these letters were sent to secure their borders.

It is very important to have positive relations with your neighbours in order to prevent those who have easy access to your land from attacking.

These letters were also sent to spread Islam and to open up new trade route and partners.

Due to the Treaty of Hudaibiya, there was no war for 10 years. Thus, after his return to Madinah he prepared ambassadors to rulers of Arabia

Letters:

Ambassador Ruler

Amr bin Umaiyyahh Negus, King of Abyssinia

Hazrat Hatib Muqawqis, King of Egypt

Abdullah bin Huzaifah Chosroes, King of Persi

Dihyah Kalbi Heracleus, Emperor of Byzantine

Ala bin Hadrami Munzir bin Sawa, Governor of Bahrain

Sarlit bin Umar Hudhah, Chief of Yamamah

Hazrat Shuja Haris Ghassani, King of Damascus

Amr bin as Sahmi Jaifer and his brother Abd, the Rulers of Oman

They were sealed with a ring of silver with the words “Muhammad Rasulullah” engraved on it

The wordings of the letters were extremely similar. The letter sent to Heraclius is as follows:

“In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of all Mercy

From Muhammad, Worshiper and Messenger of Allah to Heraclius the Great of the Romans:

Peace be upon he who follows the guidance.

Furthermore, I invite you with the invitation of peace. If you submit then you will find safety and God will double your reward. If you turn away, you will bear the Arians’ sins:

“O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).” (3:64)” 

Reactions:

King Negus of Abyssinia:

King Negus immediately embraced Islam

Muqawqis, King of Egypt:

He did not embrace Islam but respectfully sent presents, amongst which were two maids and a mare

Hazrat Maria married the Holy Prophet and gave birth to Ibrahim

Sereen was given to the poet Hassan

The mare, Duldul, was rode by the Holy Prophet in the Battle of Hunain

Chosroes, King of Persia:

He was enraged that the Prophet addressed him on equal terms and tore the letter in two

Upon hearing this, the Prophet said: “May Allah tear his empire in pieces”

The Governor of Yemen was told to arrest the Prophet

Upon arriving, he was told that Islam would spread in Persia and that Chosroes had already been killed (by his own son)

After this, he joined Islam

Heracleus, Emperor of Byzantine:

When he received the message, he asked for the Prophet’s closest relative who was in Byzantine to present himself

Abu Sufyan, the Prophet’s cousin, came up

He was told to answer a few question about Islam with a few factcheckers preventing him from lying

Due to this, Islam was painted in quite a positive light

Heraclues commented on the truth of Islam but didn’t join it

Munzir Bin Sawa, Governor of Bahrain:

He wrote a letter back saying that some had prosecuted converts and asked what to do

He was praised for his open mindedness and told to pardon them

Hudhah, Chief of Yamamah:

He didn’t accept Islam but asked whether there was a share in the Kingdom for him

He received a negative response

Haris Ghassani, King of Damascus:

Angered he ordered his army to attack Madinah

The Muslim troops waited in preparation, but the force never came

Jaifer and his brother Abd, the rulers of Oman:

They both accepted Islam

The Battle of Khyber

Reasons:

The Jewish tribes saw the Treaty of Hudaibyah as sign of weakness, due to which they started instigating the Muslims

The envoys for peace were all turned down

The raiding of pasture by Banu Ghatafan

When Ghatfan raided the pasture, they captured Abu Dharr and his wife (whom they killed), who were tending to the Prophet’s pastures. 

The Prophet heard about Jewish gatherings at Khyber, where they were plundering caravans, due to which he decided to go for a preemptive strike

Due to the small force (only 1600), they managed to arrive in only 3 days

Events:

When they arrived, they camped out for the night near Khyber

The Jews were not aware of this. In the morning, when they proceeded after Fajr, the ~20,000 Jews realised and rushed to their forts. 

As the Prophet did not want a long siege, he immediately attacked and captured all the fortresses but one.

The Alamsaq was introduced. It was made of Hazrat Aisha’s blanket.

There were 6 fortresses, the biggest one being Al-Qamus

All forts were captured but Al Qamus. 

After a few failed attempts to capture it, the Muslims were getting disheartened. Thus, he announced that, the next day, he would give the Alam to someone blessed by Allah.

“Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man who loves Allah and His Prophet and Allah and His Prophet love him.”

The next morning, everyone gathered around the Prophet.

He announced that Hazrat Ali would lead the army. He had developed an eyesore, which went away when the Prophet (PBUH) applied his spit to it.

When they went to battle, the Jew’s strongest warrior, Mahrab, came out to meet them

He was wearing a stone helmet from Syria under his helmet.

During his battle with Mahrab, Hazrat Ali was spit on. After this, he stopped.

This was because he didn’t want to fight for revenge but for Allah

After killing Mahrab with a blow to the head, he used the door as a bridge across the moat

The Jews then gave up – if their greatest warrior had been defeated with such ease, they knew they held no chance

Hazrat Ali then proceeded to singlehandedly open the gate which it took 40-50 men to open

It was after this that he was given the title ‘Asadullah’ (lion of Allah)

The Jews, realizing their fate, signed a peace treaty that they would be alowed to live in their lands if they gave up half their yield as Jizya

They did not take over the lands of the Jews as they did not know how to farm. Thus, it was better to let the Jews, who had experience, cultivate crops, and to take some of their harvest.

He did not take women as slaves, either

He also ordered Muslim soldiers to go back to Madinah and told a few people to watch over the financial affairs

Results:

19 Muslims and 93 Jews were killed

They gained a lot of Gold and Silver from the Jewish stockpiles

They gained access to the finest arsenals of Arabia, which contained the newest weapons

They got vast herds of horses, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats

They gained access to rich fertile land with palm

The Battle of Moutah

Date: Jamid-ul-Awal 8AH

Reason:

During the seventh year, the Prophet was sending envoys to many places. One such messenger, Harith bin Umair, who was sent to Basra, was intercepted by Shurahbil ibn Amr (a Roman governor who was a Christian Arab who was allied with the Quraish)

Killing a messenger was always a sign of war.

Hearing about this incident, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was enraged. 

If they let go of this incident, that would mean that anyone could stop Muslim messengers. Thus, despite his low numbers, he could not let it slides 

Events:

After this, 3000 Muslims set out.

He set three commanders (listed below)) who would take charge if their predecessor had been killed. If all were killed, the people were to elect a new commander

Zaid bin Haris, then 

Freed slave of Prophet Muhammad and his adopted son. 

Some objected to this, but the Prophet did not listen to them.

 This shows his equality and sense of justice – the quality of a companion was based on their piety alone.

Jafar ibn Abu Talib, then 

He was the cousin of the Prophet, the brother of Hazrat Ali

He presented Muslims in the court of the Abyssinian King

Rawaha ibn Abdullah

Close friend of the Prophet

Before sending them, he reminded them of the way of Jihad. They were told to present three options

To join Islam

To pay blood money

To fight

The Romans chose this. 

While fighting, Muslims were not allowed to kill the elderlies or destroy fruit-bearing trees

There, they saw a huge army of 100,000 with another 100,000 reinforcements- the Romans had come to support 

First, Hazrat Zaid bin Haris led and fought with such a valour that he died by stabbing

Then, Hazrat Jafar fought. Only after both of his arms were cut off did he drop the flag, and even then he fought with his sword in his mouth

Prophet Muhammad was then in Madinah. He stood up and said that Hazrat Jafar’s hands had been cut off and he had been given wings by the Prophet as a gift for fighting with such valout

He was given the title of Tayyar- one who can fly

Hazrat Rawaha, too, was martyred

Hazrat Khalid bin Walid was then told to take command

At first, he was hesitant, as he had been a convert for only 1 year. However, everyone urged him to take command

He fought with such valour that he broke 8 swords

Due to this, he was given the title of Saifullah (sword of Allah)

At night, when the battle stopped, he adopted three strategies:

He shuffled the flanks – the right side to the left and the left to the right

This was psychological warfare – the Romans were made to believe that they had received reinforcements

He formed the Muslims in columns

This made the enemy believe that they had started to envelop them, making them fearful

While fighting, he retreated slowly into the desert

The enemies began to think that they were being led to the desert

There, it was extremely hot. Romans could not fight there as they were used to colder weather. Due to this, they stopped pursuing the Muslims after a certain distance.

In this way, Khalid bin Waleed was able to save the lives of many soldiers

Result:

Shurahbeel’s brother was killed while he himself was hidden in a fort

This was not a victory. However, their prestige increased – the surrounding tribes realised that they were brave enough and able enough to stand up to Muslims. Thus, they wanted to make alliances with them so that they wouldn’t have to come under the rule of the Romans

Several tribes such as the Banu Saleem, Ashja, Ghatfan, Dhubyan, and the Frazah professed Islam of their own free will.

Furthermore, they were able to hold their ground against 200,000 soldiers far better equipped than them. This was sure evidence that Allah was with them

Importance:

We learn to stand up for ourselves and our rights

We realise that strategy and intelligence is often more important than strength

From the Prophet’s appointment of Zaid bin Haris, we learn the importance of equality

We learn the importance of being brave and valorous.

From Prophet Muhammad’s interactions with Hazrat Jafar’s children, we learn how to treat orphans

The Conquest of Makkah

Reasons:

According to the treaty of Hudaibyah, the Arab tribes were given the option to join either the Muslims or the Quraish

Banu Bakr joined the Quraish and Khuzaa the Holy Prophet. 

Thus, they lived in peace for some time, but the Quraish incited Banu Bakr and their allies to attack the Khuzaah tribe at Wateer. This was known as the Wateer incident

During the battle, they covered their faces to prevent the Muslims from knowing that the Quraish were supporting them

During the battle, Khuzaah was nearly defeated. Thus, they took refuge in the Kaabah. Despite this, the Quraish attacked and nearly eradicated Khuzaah

The survivors rushed to Madinah, where they related to the Prophet to incident

The Holy Prophet was enraged, and sent them a letter with the following clauses

To pay blood money to the victims

To terminate their alliance with Banu Bakr

To consider the Treaty of Hudaibyah broken

Abu Sufyan was not in Madinah at the time. Qartah, a Quraishi leader, chose the third options

When Abu Sufyan went to the Prophet to try to patch things up, he was ignored as he had violated the treaty

Even though the Prophet had followed it even before he had signed it, Abu Sufyan had violated it. This shows the importance of keeping your word to the Prophet

Disheartened, he went to his daughter, the wife of the Prophet – Umm-e-Habiba

In her house, there was only one place to sit – the mat of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

He was not allowed to sit on it as she did not want a lying pagan to sit on the mat of the Holy Prophet.

The Makkans were dismayed but did not expect any danger

He planned to attack the Quraish to prevent further attacks on Muslims Ummah after Badr, Uhud, and Ahzaab

Events:

Organization:

The Muslims organised 10,000 soldiers

He left Madinah on 10th Ramadan in 610 AD

This was in complete secrecy

He gave the impression that he was preparing to battle the Romans

They fent fake Sariyah for distraction

Sariyan are battles in which the Prophet did not participate

The battles in which the Prophet participates are Ghazwa

Story of Hatib

Hatib was in a caravan with a letter. The Prophet’s companions were told to intercept him. 

When they did, he at first hid the letter in his hair.

When confronted, some thought they should kill him. However, it turned out that it was to protect his relatives and he was forgiven due to his genuine apologies

Build-up:

On the way, he met Hazrat Abbas, who embraced Islam

He also met his uncle

He camped at Mar Al-Zahran

He used psychological warfare by asking all 10,000 warriors to spread out in the area and light a fire outside each camp

When they saw such a large army and fire all around them, they were all terrified

The Muslims, on the other hand, all wanted revenge

Abu Sufyan came to survey the situation. He was recognized and brought to the camp, where he converted to Islam

Entrance into Makkah:

Before entering Makkah, he announced that whoever took refuge in Abu Sufyan’s house would be forgiven

Those who seeked refuge in the house of Kaabah would be forgiven

Those who closed their doors would be forgiven

Those who laid down their weapons would be forgiven

Those who embraced Islam would be forgiven

He spoke to them about equality:

“O Mankind, We created you from a drop of blood..”

When he entered the Kaabah, he put Abu Sufyan on an exalted place so he could see their strength

Every tribe had their own battalion. One of the tribe leaders raised Nar-e-Takbir and there was such a large echo that Prophet Muhammad didn’t like it. He took the flag from him and gave it to his son

They were not prepared to fight and surrendered

Thus, Makkah was conquered without bloodshed, except for a few people who fought against Khalid bin Waleed’s battalion

It was a custom at the time for all the conquered cities citizens to be slaves

The Prophet immediately set them all free

When asked, the people of Makkah said that he was their cousin and as they knew his character they expected nothing but mercy

First, he destroyed all the idols in the Kaabah while reciting “Say, the truth has come and falsehood has vanished…” (17:81)

Hazrat Bilal was made to pronounce Azaan

The key of the Kaabah was given to Hazrat Usman bin Talha

He stayed for a few days then appointed a governor

A few rebels tried to agitate the people of Makkah. They were not listened to and 70 were sentenced to death, most of whom were pardoned after they promised not to cause any more trouble

Importance:

Important trade route was open

The Quraish were wealthy merchants

Islam spread to Makkah

Abu Sufyan accepted Islam

The Prophet’s mercy was shown

Political:

The Prophet was given the leadership of not only Madinah but also Makkah. Thus, he state spread out and now there was no doubt of his leadership

They gained alliances with the surrounding tribes, considering that they were now the most powerful force in the region 

The power of the Muslims was increased as the surrounding tribes embraced Islam

Religious:

The Kaabah, the religious hub of Muslims, was under the control of Muslims

This was the first time in hundreds of years that the Kaabah was free of idols and pictures

The Battle of Hunain

After Conquest:

After the conquest of Makkah, Hawazen and Thaqif refused to give up the fight against Islam and prepared for war

When Khalid bin Walid entered Makkah, these were the only two tribes to initiate bloodshed. They were defeated and ran away from Makkah

Malek bin Awf took command of the Pagan army and drove the Hawazen and Thaqif with all their property to the valley of Awtaas

He made some very unwise decisions, one of them being that he took everything to Awtaas, where they were preparing for war

Someone stopped him, saying that he should not take his family and finances to the battlefield. However, he was under the impression that if losing meant losing everything, there would be more of a motivation to fight

When the Prophet received the news that they were preparing for battle, he set out to defeat them.

They left Makkah to defend it only 19 days after the conquest of Makkah

There were 12,000 warriors

9,000 from Madinah

3,000 from Makkah

The Quraish also gave armour

Muslims liked their odds. Whenever they felt overconfident, Allah reminded them that they could not win without His help

On the way, they had to pass through Hunain

Events:

The enemy tribes had prepared an ambush for the Muslims

They stationed archers along the cliffs

Muslims marched into Hunain at dawn on the 10th of Shawwal while going towards Taif, where they thought they would meet them

The Arabs used to have a superstition that they hung their weapons on a tree for luck. The new believers asked the Prophet to make such a tree for them, he was angered. 

While they were going, they were also very confident that they would win due to their large numbers. Allah later punished them for this.

Once they entered and charged, they were ambushed and shot by archers from both sides

Like at Uhud, the army was in chaos and they started to withdraw, especially the new converts. There was so much confusion that the camels started bumping into each other

The Prophet, however, remained standing. He asked Al-Abbas to call those of the pledge of the Tree

In that time, it was a huge insult to be called by your name while running. Thus, they all came back and attacked with a combined force

This was orchestrated by Allah to show them not to be overconfident

After this, Muslims reorganized, reentered, and drove back the enemy

The Prophet threw a handful of dirt on them, saying “Let their faces be disfigured” which struck fear in the heart of all the enemies

They climbed up the rocks and killed the archers

The enemy retreated with the Muslims chasing after them.

Quote:

“Surely Allah did help you in many battlefields, and on the days of Hunain when your great number elated you but it availed you naught, and the earth, for all that is wide, did constrain you and you back in retreat.” Prophet Muhammad

Siege of Taif:

The Hawazins, after their defeat at hunain, camped at Taif, where strong garrisons were posted

Muslims laid a siege on it for a month, during which nothing happened but the martyr and injury of a few Muslims via arrows

Eventually, he consulted his companions as to what was to be done

They suggested that he lift the siege and curse the Taif

Instead, the Holy Prophet prayed for them: “O Allah! Give guidance to the tribes of Thaqif and send them to me.”

Results:

After this, they got huge spoils of war

While distributing the spoils of war, he gave extra shares to the new converts

The Ansaar didn’t like this as they felt that their continued support deserved more. In response, the Prophet gave them a beautiful speech: “Do you want the Prophet, or do you want money? Let them have money, for I am coming with you.”

Importance:

The Muslims learned the importance of unity

The importance of the Prophet over wealth

The Muslims were reminded not to be overconfident

The faith of the new converts was strengthened by battlefield experience 

Financial benefits

The Invasion of Tabuk

Reasons and Preparations:

Prophet Muhammad received news that Heraclius was preparing an army to fight the Muslims

He was fearful that Islam was getting so powerful that they would annexe the Roman Empire

They were embarrased that a Muslim army of 3000 had resisted them.

They called their allies – Ghassan

The Prophet prepared for battle and announced a Jihad against Romans

The Muslims, especially the newly converted, were extremely scared due to the power of the Romans

At that moment, the hypocrites showed their new colours – they refused to fight.

Some, who were sincere and wanted to fight, said that they would fight, but they didn’t have horses. As the Holy Prophet could not provide them with this, they started crying

At that time, there was a drought in Madinah

Due to this, the Prophet once again asked for their financial support

Women gave their jewelry and ornaments. Everyone gave whatever they could

During this battle, Hazrat Ali was asked to stay behind

The hypocrites started teasing him over this

He received the response that as he was very important to him, he didn’t want to risk his life

Events:

30,000 Muslims set out

It was called the army of distress – they didn’t have enough to eat and had to eat leaves, due to which their mouths swelled

They had so little water that when they sacrificed animals 

They had one stop – where Aad and Samud were punished

There, they found a well, which they were forbidden to drink from

Later, upon complaints from the believers, the Holy Prophet prayed for rain and received it.

Hindrances:

The journey to the battle was extremely long – the Roman army was gathering near the Syrian border at Tabuk

The whole thing – going, staying for 20 days, and returning, took 50 days

When they reached, they waited for 20 days. 

The Romans, seeing 30,000 Muslims, were extremely scared

Their army dispersed in the towns and went away

These twenty days were very fruitful for Islam. Many tribes around that area left the Romans and joined the commonwealth of Islam

On the way back, 20 hypocrites attacked and tried to kill the Holy Prophet

He had two companions – Hazrat Huzaifa and someone holding the camels

Huzaifa removed the veil of the attackers and saw their faces. He was told not to tell their names to anyone else.

Before going, the Holy Prophet received an invitation from the hypocrites that they had made a mosque. He was asked to pray in it; he said that he would after he came back from Tabuk 

He received a revelation that the Mosque was actually made to plan a conspiracy against him

People were sent to destroy it.

When the Holy Prophet returned, those who did not go were asked about

Three companions who didn’t go gave weak reasons. They were told to be socially isolated

They were in a social boycott for 30 days till he received a revelation that they had repented

They were very happy when they were forgiven.

The donations and contributions by Muslims

Hazrat Abu Bakr gave his whole household

Hazrat Usman gave thousands of camels

Hazrat Umar gave half of his household

Importance:

Support was gained

No superpower dared to attack Muslims anymore 

The impact of this invasion is great as regards extanding and confriming the Muslim’s influence and domination of the Arabian Peninsula

The Muslims had obtained the great political benefits that they were far better than the once they could have acquired of two armies had been involved in military confrontation

The hypocrites who used to conspire against the Muslims had lost their expectations and desire to rule over Muslims

The hypocrites gave up their attempts after realising their efforts were useless

The Holy Prophet’s Final Sermon:

The Holy Prophet’s Performance of Hajj:

In the 10th year of Hijrah, the Holy Prophet announced that he Himself was to proceed with Hajj.

On a Saturday of the last four days of Zeqa’ad, the Holy Prophet started the departure preparations by combing his hair, applying Ert, wearing his garment, and saddling his camel. He set off in the afternoon

By the time he reached Makkah, he had 1 lakh companions performing Hajj with him

Those who went ahead were called back

Those who were behind were waited for

The Holy Prophet’s Final Sermon: 

On the 8th day of Hajj, he gave his last sermon, a summation of his 23 years of Prophethood

To deliver it, the Holy Prophet climbed onto two saddles. People were told that every distance somebody must repeat his words so that everyone would hear it.

People were told to listen with attention and to “take these words to those who couldn’t be present here today.”

Its Contents are as Follows:

The Foods a Muslim is Allowed to Eat:

Muslims were allowed to eat all four-footed animals with the exception of Animals of the Chase while they were in the Sacred Precincts/pilgrimage garb

Forbidden for Muslims were dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and animals which had been sacrificed for religions other than Islam. 

Furthermore, if an animal was killed by strangling, a violent blow, a fall, or by being gored, it was not Halal

If it was partially eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it, you are forbidden to eat it. 

Socio-Economic Justice and Equality:

Interest was banned on all loans

Goods were to be returned to their entrusted owners

Hurt no-one and no one else must hurt you 

Advice relating to Unity, Patience, and Prayers:

Muslims were told that, in order to live life well, one must seek Allah’s help through patience, perseverance, and Prayer.

Muslims were told to Unite themselves on the grounds of their common cause of Islam in order to guide themselves.

They were told to be grateful for what Allah had given them 

Women’s Rights:

They were told to respect women’s rights, for while marrying them, they had made certain promises to Allah, placing Allah as a witness as to the fact that they had taken their wife under their own wing

It was their right unto them that they do not make any friends with those whom they didn’t approve

They were to treat their wives with respect and kindness. 

If they abided their responsibilities, they were to be clothed and fed kindly

Muslim Relationship with Allah:

Muslims were told to pray, fast, give Zakat, and perform Hajj (if they could afford to) in order to please Allah. 

Equality: 

No white was superior over blacks or blacks over white except in piety

Muslims constitute a brotherhood

Don’t steal/use objects without permission

Accountability:

Muslims were told that their sins and good deeds would be weighed on the Day of Judgement in order to decide their fate in the afterlife

In order to ensure a positive fate, one was to follow the Quran and Sunnah

Seal of the Prophet:

No new Prophet was to come after the Holy Prophet – he was the last and final messenger.

In order to prevent from going astray in the absence of the Prophet, Muslims are to refer to the Quran and his Sunnahs

Ending:

While ending the speech, the Holy Prophet asked his companions “What shall you tell when Allah asks you about me on the Day of Judgement?”

To this, the companions unanimously answered: “We shall say that you have delivered the Message.”

Then, the Holy Prophet directed his eyes towards the heavens and said: “O Lord! You are my witness”

In response, Allah revealed to the Holy Prophet the following Surah:

“This Day I have perfected for you the Religion and completed My Favours upon you and have chosen Islam as your religion” (3:5)

Death of the Holy Prophet:

Two months after the final Hajj, the Holy Prophet fell sick. However, he still carried on his duties in this time, going to Uhud and praying for the martyrs

He remained in the Masjid-e-Nabwi, revising the Quran with Angel Gibrael twice and setting the order of it

He continued praying in congregation till he was so ill that he could not move, after which Abu Bakr was given that duty

He felt better a few days before his death, but his condition soon became serious, due to which he fainted multiple times and was shifted to Hazrat Ayesha’s apartment

During this, he was repeating “Forgive me O Lord!”

Late into the afternoon of the final day, he said

“Stick to Salat and treat slaves kindly.” Then, he wiped his face with water, raised his hand, and pronounced thrice: “Unto the Companion, Most High”

He passed away on the 12fth of Rabi-ul-Awwal when he was 63 years old and was buried in Hazrat Aisha’s compartment.

Following his death, Abu Bakr gave a speech to calm down the remorseful Muslims

The Prophet left behind two things – his Sunnah and the Quran

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Posted byAral MajidApril 19, 2021Posted inUncategorizedTags:2058 Paper 1, Islamiat 2058

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