"One day, while we were sitting in Abu Bakr's house at noon, someone said to Abu Bakr: 'This is Allah's Messenger ()
with his head covered coming at a time at which he never used to visit
us before.' Abu Bakr said: 'May my parents be sacrificed for him. By
Allah he has not come at this hour except for a great necessity.' So
Allah's Messenger ()
came and asked permission to enter, and he was allowed to enter. When
he entered, he said to Abu Bakr: "Tell everyone who is present with you
to go away.' Abu Bakr replied: 'There are none but your family, May my
father be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Messenger ()!' The Prophet ()
said: 'I have been given permission to migrate.' Abu Bakr said: 'Shall I
accompany you? May my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Messenger
()!' Allah's Messenger () said: 'Yes.' Abu Bakr said, 'O Allah's Messenger ()! May my father be sacrificed for you, take one of these two she-camels of mine.' Allah's Messenger ()
replied: 'I will accept it with payment.' So we prepared the baggage
quickly and put some journey food in a leather bag for them. Asma, Abu
Bakr's daughter, cut a piece from her waist belt and tied the mouth of
the leather bag with it, and for that reason she was named
'Dhat-un-Nitaqain' (the owner of two belts).
"Then Allah's Messenger ()
and Abu Bakr reached a cave on the mountain of Thaur and stayed there
for three nights. Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr who was an intelligent and
sagacious youth, used to stay with them overnight. He used to leave them
before daybreak so that in the morning he would be with Quraish as if
he had spent the night in Mecca. He would keep in mind any plot made
against them and when it became dark he would go and inform them of it.
'Amir Ibn Fuhaira, the freed slave of Abu Bakr, used to bring the milch
sheep (of his master, Abu Bakr) to them a little while after nightfall
in order to rest the sheep there. So they always had fresh milk at
night, the milk of their sheep, and the milk which they warmed by
throwing heated stones in it. 'Amir Ibn Fuhaira would then call the herd
away when it was still dark (before daybreak). He did the same in each
of those three nights. Allah's Messenger ()
and Abu Bakr had hired a man from the tribe of Bani Ad-Dail from the
family of Bani Abd Ibn Adi as an expert guide, and he was in alliance
with the family of Al-As Ibn Wail As-Sahmi and he was in the religion of
the infidels of Quraish. The Prophet ()
and Abu Bakr trusted him and gave him their two she-camels and took his
promise to bring their two she-camels to the cave of the mountain of
Thaur in the morning after three nights later. And when they set out,
Amir Ibn Futhaira and the guide went along with them and the guide led
them, along the seashore." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
The nephew of Suraqa Ibn Ju'sham said that his father informed him that
he heard Suraqa Ibn Jusham saying: "The messengers of the pagans of
Quraish came to us declaring that they had assigned for the persons who
would kill or arrest Allah's Messenger ()
and Abu Bakr, a reward equal to their bloodmoney. While I was sitting
in one of the gatherings of my tribe, Bani Mudlij, a man from them came
to us and stood up while we were sitting and said: 'O Suraqa! No , I
have just seen some people far away on the seashore, and I think they
are Muhammed ()
and his companions.' I, too, realized that it must have been they. But I
said: 'No, it is not they, but you have seen so-and-so and so-and-so,
whom we saw set out.' I stayed in the gathering for a while and then got
up and left for my home, and ordered my slave-girl to get my horse,
which was behind a hillock, and keep it ready for me.
"Then I took my spear and left by the back door of my house dragging the
lower end of the spear on the ground and keeping it low. Then I reached
my horse, mounted it and made it gallop. When I approached them
(Muhammed ()
and Abu Bakr), my horse stumbled and I fell down from it. Then I stood
up, gold hold of my quiver and took out the divining arrows and drew
lots as to whether I should harm them or not, and the lot which I
disliked came out. But I remounted my horse and let it gallop, giving no
importance to the divining arrows. When I heard the recitation of the
Qur'an by Allah's Messenger ()
who did not look hither and thither while Abu Bakr was doing it often,
suddenly the forelegs of my horse sank into the ground up to the knees,
and I fell down from it. Then I rebuked it, and it got up but could
hardly take out its forelegs from the ground, and when it stood up
straight again, its forelegs caused dust to rise up in the sky like
smoke. Then again I drew lots with the divining arrows, and the lot
which I disliked came out. So I called upon them to feel secure. They
stopped, and I remounted my horse and went to them. When I saw how I had
been hampered from harming them, it came to my mind that the cause of
Allah's Messenger ()
(Islam) would become victorious. So I said to them: 'Your people have
assigned a reward equal to bloodmoney for your head.' Then I told them
all the plans the people of Mecca had made concerning them. Then I
offered them some journey food and goods, but they refused to take
anything and did not ask for anything, but the Prophet ()
said: 'Do not tell others about us.' Then I requested him to write for
me a statement of security and peace. He ordered 'Amir Ibn Fuhaira, who
wrote it for me on a parchment, and then Allah's Messenger () proceeded on his way." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
"Narrated 'Urwa Ibn Az-Zubair: "Allah's Messenger () met Az Zubair in a caravan of Muslim merchants who were returning from Sham. Az -Zubair provided Allah's Messenger () and Abu Bakr with white clothes to wear. When the Muslims of Medina heard the new of the departure of Allah's Messenger ()
from Mecca (towards Medina), they started going to the Harra every
morning,. They would wait for him till the heat of the noon forced them
to return. One day, after waiting for a long while, they returned home,
and when they went into their houses, a Jew climbed up to the roof of
one of the forts of his people to look for something, and he saw Allah's
Messenger () and his companions, dressed in white clothes, emerging out of the desert mirage.
"The Jew could not help shouting at the top of his voice: 'O you Arabs!
Here is your great man whom you have been waiting for!' So all the
Muslims rushed to their arms and received Allah's Messenger () on the summit of Harra. The Prophet ()
turned with them to the right and alighted at the quarters of Bani Amr
Ibn Auf, and this was on Monday in the month of Rabi ul Awal. Abu Bakr
stood up, receiving the people, while Allah's Messenger () sat down and kept silent. Some of the Ansar who came and had not seen Allah's Messenger () before began greeting Abu Bakr, but when the sunshine fell on Allah's Messenger () and Abu Bakr came forward and shaded him with his sheet, only then the people came to know Allah's Messenger (). Allah's Messenger ()
stayed with Bani Amr Ibn Auf for ten nights and established the mosque
(Mosque of Quba) which was founded on piety. Allah's Messenger ()
prayed in it and then mounted his she-camel and proceeded on,
accompanied by the people till his she-camel knelt down at the place of
the Mosque of Allah's Messenger ()
at Medina. Some Muslims used to pray there in those days, and that
place was a yard for drying dates belonging to Suhail and Sahl, the
orphan boys who were under the guardianship of Asad In Zurara. When his
she-camel knelt down, Allah's Messenger () said: 'This place, Allah willing, will be our abiding place.' Allah's Messenger ()
then called the two boys and told them to suggest a price for that yard
so that he might take it as a mosque. The two boys said: 'No, but we
will give it as a gift, O Allah's Messenger ()!' Allah's Messenger () then built a mosque there. The Prophet ()
himself started carrying unburned bricks for its building and while
doing so, he was saying: 'This load is better than the load of Khaibar,
for it is more pious in the Sight of Allah and purer and better
rewardable.' He was also saying: 'O Allah! The actual reward is the
reward in the Hereafter, so bestow Your Mercy on the Ansar and the
Emigrants.' Thus the Prophet ()
recited (by way of proverb) the poem of some Muslim poet whose name is
unknown to me." (Ibn Shibab said, 'In the hadiths, it does not occur
that Allah's Messenger () recited a complete poetic verse other than this one.') (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Thus was accomplished the hijrah, or the flight of Muhammed () as called in European annals, from which the Islamic calendar dates.
When the Prophet Muhammed ()
and his companions settled at Yathrib, this city changed its name, and
henceforth was called, Al-Medina, Al-Munawara, the Illuminated City, or
more shortly, Medina, the City. It is situated about eleven-day's
journey to the north of Mecca. At that time it was ruled by two
Kahtanite tribes, Aws and Khazraj. These two tribes, however, were
constantly quarreling among themselves. It was only about that time when
the Prophet ()
announced his mission at Mecca that these tribes, after long years of
continuous warfare, entered on a period of comparative peace. When the
Prophet ()
settled at Medina, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj forgot entirely their
old feuds and were united together in the bond of Islam. Their old
divisions were soon effaced and the Ansar", the Helpers of the Prophet (), became the common designation of all Medinites who had helped the Prophet () in his cause. Those who emigrated with him from Mecca received the title of "Muhajereen" or the Emigrants. The Prophet (),
in order to unite both classes in closer bonds, established between
them a brotherhood, which linked them together as children of the same
parents, with the Prophet () as their guardian.
The first step the Prophet ()
took, after his settlement at Medina, was to built a mosque for the
worship of Allah according to principles of Islam. Also, houses for the
accommodation of the emigrants were soon erected.
Medina and its suburb were at this time inhabited by three distinct
parties, the Emigrants, the Helpers, and the Jews. In order to weld them
together into an orderly federation, the Prophet ()
granted a charter to the people, clearly defining their rights and
obligations. This charter represented the framework of the first
commonwealth organized by the Prophet (). It started thus: 'In the name of he Most Merciful and Compassionate Lord, this charter is given by Muhammed (),
the Messenger of Allah to all believers, whether of Quraish or Medina,
and all individuals of whatever origin who have made common cause with
them, who shall all constitute one nation."
The following are some extracts from the charter: The state of peace and
war shall be common to all Muslims; no one among them shall have the
right of concluding peace with, or declaring war against, the enemies of
his co-religionists. The Jews who attach themselves to our commonwealth
shall be protected from all insults and vexations; they shall have an
equal right with our people to our assistance and good offices. The Jews
of the various branches and all others doiciled in Medina shall form
with the Muslims one composite nation; they shall practice their
religion as freely as the Muslims. The allies of the Jews shall enjoy
the same security and freedom. The guilty shall be pursued and punished.
The Jews shall join the Muslims in defending Medina all enemies. The
interior of Medina shall be a sacred place for all who accept this
charter. All true Muslims shall hold in abhorrence every man guilty of
crime, injustice or disorder; no one shall uphold the culpable, though
he be his nearest kin.
After dealing with the interior management of the State, the charter
concluded as follows: "All future disputes arising among those who
accept this charter shall be referred, under Allah to the Prophet ()."
Thus this charter put an end to the state of anarchy that prevailed among the Arabs. It constituted the Prophet Muhammed () as chief magistrate of the nation.
The party of the Ansars, or Helpers, included some lukewarm converts who
retained an ill-concealed predilection for idolatry. These were headed
by Abdullah Ibn Ubai, a man with some claims to distinction. They
ostensibly joined Islam, but in secret were disaffected. They often were
a source of considerable danger to the newborn commonwealth and
required unceasing watchfulness on the part of the Prophet ().
Towards them he always showed the greatest patience and forbearance,
hoping in the end to win them over to the faith, which expectations were
fully justified by the result. While the death of Abdullah Ibn Ubai,
his party which were known as the party of the "Munafiqeen" (the
Hypocrites) disappeared.
The Jews who constituted the third party of the Medinites were, however,
the most serious element of danger. No kindness or generous treatment
on the part of the Prophet ()
would seem to satisfy them. They soon broke off and ranged themselves
with the enemies of the new faith. They did not hesitate to declare
openly that they preferred idolatry, with its attendant evils, to the
faith of Islam. Thus, the Prophet ()
had to keep an eye on his enemies outside Medina, on the one hand, and
those within the city on the other. The Meccans who had sworn Muhammed ()'s
death were well acquainted, thanks to the party of the Hypocrites and
of the Jews at Medina, with the real forces of the Muslims. They also
knew that the Jews had accepted Muhammed ()'s
alliance only from motives of temporary expedience and that they would
break away from him to join the idolaters as soon as the latter showed
themselves in the vicinity of Medina. The safety of the state required
the proscription of the traitors who were secretly giving information to
the common enemy. About six men were executed for high treason of this
nature.
Towards the second year of the hijrah, the idolaters of Mecca began a
series of hostile acts against the Muslims of Medina. They sent men in
parties to commit depredations on the fruit trees of the Muslims of
Medina and to carry away their flocks. Now came the moment of severest
trial to Islam. It became the duty of the Prophet ()
to take serious measures to guard against any plot rising from within
or a sudden attack from without. He put Medina in a state of military
discipline. He had to send frequent reconnoitering parties to guard
against any sudden onslaught. No sooner did the Prophet ()
organize hi state than a large well-equipped army of the Meccans was
afield. A force constituting of one thousand men marched under Abu Jahl,
a great enemy of Islam, towards Medina to attack the city. The Muslims
received timely notice of their enemies' intention. A body of three
hundred adherents, of whom two thirds were citizens of Medina, was
gathered to forestall the idolaters by occupying the valley of Badr,
situated near the sea between Mecca and Medina. When the Prophet () saw the army of the infidels approaching the valley, he prayed that the little band of Muslims might not be destroyed.
The army of the Meccans advanced into the open space which separated the
Muslims from the idolaters. According to Arab usage, the battle was
began by simple combats. The engagement that became general. The result
of the battle was that the Meccans were driven back with great loss.
Several of their chiefs were slain, including Abu Jahl. A large number
of idolaters remained prisoners in the hands of the Muslims. They were,
contrary to all usage and traditions of the Arabs, treated with the
greatest humanity. The Prophet ()
gave strict orders that sympathy should be shown to them in their
misfortune and that they should be treated with kindness. These
instructions were faithfully obeyed by the Muslims to whose care the
prisoners were confided. Dealing with this event, Sir William Muir, in
his book Life of Muhammed (),
quotes one of the prisoners saying: "Blessing be on the men of Medina;
they made us ride, while they themselves walked; they gave us wheaten
bread to eat, when there was little of it, contenting themselves with
dates."
Almighty Allah said: And Allah has already made you victorious at
Badr, when you were a weak little force. So fear Allah much (abstain
from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden and love
Allah much, perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained) that
you may be grateful. (Remember) when you (Muhammed ())
said to the believers, "is it not enough for you that your Lord (Allah)
should help you with three thousand angels; sent down? Yes, if you hold
on to patience and piety, and the enemy comes rushing at you; your Lord
will help you with five thousand angels having marks of distinction.
Allah made it not but as a message of good news for you and as an
assurance to your hearts. And there is no victory except from Allah the
All Mighty, the All Wise. That He might cut off a part of those who
disbelieve, or expose them to infamy, so that they retire frustrated." The remarkable circumstances, which led to the victory of Badr, and
results, which followed from it, made a deep impression on the minds of
the Muslims; the angels of the heaven had battled on their side against
their enemies. The division of the spoils created some dissension
between the Muslim warriors. For the moment, the Prophet ()
divided it equally among all. Subsequently, a Qur'an revelation laid
down a rule for future division of the spoils. According to this rule, a
fifth was reserved for the public treasury for the support of the poor
and indigent, while the distribution of the remaining four fifths was
left to the discretion of the Chief of the State.
The next battle between the Quraish and the Muslims was the battle of
Uhud, a hill about four miles to the north of Medina. The idolaters, to
revenge their loss at Badr, made tremendous preparations for a new
attack upon the Muslims. They collected an army of three thousand strong
men, of whom seven hundred were armed with coats of mail, and two
hundred horses. These forces advanced under the conduct of Abu Sufyan
and encamped at a village six miles from Medina, where they gave
themselves up to spoiling the fields and flocks of the Medinites. the
Prophet (),
being much inferior to his enemies in number, at first determined to
keep himself within the town and to receive them there; but afterwards,
the advice of some of his companions prevailing he marched out against
them at the head of one thousand men, of whom one hundred were armed
with coats of mail; but he had no more than one horse, besides his own,
in his whole army. With these forces he halted at Mount Uhud. He was
soon abandoned by Abdullah Ibn Ubai, the leader of the Hypocrites, with
three hundred of his followers. Thus, the small force of the Prophet () was reduced to seven hundred.
At Mount Uhud the Muslim troops passed the night, and in the morning,
after offering their prayers, they advanced into the plain. the Prophet ()
contrived to have the hill at his back, and, the better to secure his
men from being surrounded, he placed fifty archers on the height in the
rear, behind the troops, and gave them strict orders not to leave their
posts whatever might happen. When they came to engage, the Prophet ()
had superiority at first. But afterward, his archers left their
position for the sake of plunder, thus allowing the enemy to attack the
Muslims in the fear and surround them. the Prophet ()
lost the day and very nearly lost his life. He was struck down by a
shower of stones and wounded in the face by two arrows, and one of his
front teeth was broken. Of the Muslims, seventy men were killed, among
whom was the Prophet ()'s uncle Hamza. Of the infidels, twenty-two men were lost.
The Quraish were too exhausted to follow up their advantage, either by
attacking Medina or by driving the Muslims from the heights of Uhud.
They retreated from the Medinite territories after barbarously
mutilating the corpses of their dead enemies.
Almighty Allah said: So do not become weak (against your enemy),
nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed
(true) believers. If a wound (and killing ) has touched you, be sure a
similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days
(good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allah may test
those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And
Allah likes not the Zalimeen (polytheists and wrongdoers).
And that Allah may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and
destroy the disbeliveers. Do you think that you will enter Paradise
before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also)
tests those who are patient? You did indeed wish for death
(Ash-shahadah- martyrdom) before you met it. Now you have seen it openly
with your own eyes."
( 3:139-143 Quran)
Allah the Exalted also said:
We shall cast terror into the hearts of those
who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allah for
which He has sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how
evil is the abode of the Zalimeen (polytheists and wrong-doers). And
Allah did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them
(your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your
courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He
showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire
this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee
from them (your enemy), and He might test you. But surely, He forgave
you, and Allah is most Gracious to the believers.
And remember when you ran away (dreadfully) without even a casting a side-glance at anyone, and the Messenger (Muhammad ())
was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one
distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for
that which had escaped you, nor that which had befallen you. And Allah
is Well Aware of all that you do.
Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook
a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves (as
how to save their ownselves, ignoring the others and the Prophet ()) and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in the affair?" Say you (O Muhammad ()):
"Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah." They hide within
themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: "If we had anything
to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here." Say:
"Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was
decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death,"
but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to Mahis (to
test, to purify, to get rid of) that which was in your hearts (sins),
and Allah is All Knower of what is in (your) breasts."
( 3:151-154 Quran).
Narrated Al-Baraa' Ibn Azib: "the Prophet ()
appointed Abdullah Ibn Jubair as the commander of the infantry men
(archers) who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud. He
instructed them: 'Stick to your place, and don't leave it even if you
see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have
defeated the infidels and made them flee, even then you should not
leave your place till I send for you.' Then the infidels were defeated.
By Allah I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing
their leg bangles and their legs. So, the companions of Abdullah Ibn
Jubair said: "The booty! O people, the booty! Your companions have
become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" Abdullah Ibn Jubair
said: "Have you forgotten what Allah's Messenger ()
said to you?" They replied: "By Allah! We will go to the people (the
enemy) and collect our share from the war booty." But when they went to
them, they were forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's
Messenger () in their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophet (), and the infidels martyred seventy men from us.
"the Prophet ()
and his companions caused the Pagans to lose one hundred and forty men,
seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed. Then Abu Sufyan
asked three times: 'Is Muhammad () present among these people?' the Prophet ()
ordered his companions not to answer him. Then he asked three times:
'Is Ibn Abu Quhafa present amongst these people?' He asked again three
times: 'Is Ibn Al Khattab present among these people?' He then returned
to his companions and said: 'As for these (men), they have been killed.'
'Umar could not control himself and said to Abu Sufyan: ' You told a
lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive,
and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there.' Abu Sufyan
said: 'Our victory today compensates for yours in the Battle of Badr,
and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by
the belligerents. You will find some of your killed men mutilated, but I
did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed.'
After that he started reciting cheerfully: 'O Hubal, be superior!' On
that the Prophet () said (to his companions): 'Why don't you answer hiback?' They said: 'O Allah's Messenger ()!
What shall we say?' He said: 'Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime.'
Then Abu Sufyan said: 'We have the idol of Al-Uzza, and you have no
'Uzza.' the Prophet () said (to his companions): 'Why don't you answer him back?' They asked: 'O Allah's Messenger ()! What shall we say?' He said: 'Say Allah is our Helper and you have no helper.'" (Sahih Al Bukhari)
The moral effect of this disastrous battle was such as to encourage some
neighboring nomad tribes to make forays upon the Medinte territories,
but most of these were repelled.
The Jews also were not slow to involve in trouble the Prophet ()
and his followers. They tried to create disaffection among his people
and slandered him and his adherents. They mispronounced the words of the
Qur'an so as to give them an offensive meaning. They also caused their
poets, who were superior in culture and intelligence, to use their
influence to sow sedition among the Muslims. One of their distinguished
poets, called Ka'b, of the Bani An-Nadir, spared no efforts in publicly
deploring the ill success of the idolaters after their defect at Badr.
By his satires against the Prophet ()
and his disciples, and his elegies on the Meccans who had fallen at
Badr, Ka'b succeeded in exciting the Quraish to that frenzy of vengeance
which broke out at Uhud. He then returned to Medina, where he continued
to attack the Prophet ()
and the Muslims, men and women, in terms of the most obscene character.
Though he belonged to the tribe of Bani An Nadir, which had entered
into the compact with the Muslims and pledged itself both for the
internal and external safety of the State, he openly directed his acts
against the commonwealth of which he was a member.
Another Jew, Sallam by name, of the same tribe, behaved equally fiercely
and bitterly against the Muslims. He lived with a party of his tribe at
Khaibar, a village five days' journey northwest of Medina. He made
every effort to excite the neighboring Arab tribes against the Muslims.
The Muslim commonwealth with the object of securing safety among the
community, passed a sentence of outlawry upon Ka'b and Sallam.
The members of another Jewish tribe, namely Bani Qainuqa', were
sentenced to expulsion from the Medinite territory for having openly and
knowingly infringed the terms of the compact. It was necessary to put
an end to their hostile actions of the sake of maintaining peace and
security. the Prophet ()
had to go to their headquarters, where he required them to enter
definitively into the Muslim commonwealth by embracing Islam or to leave
Medina. To this they replied in the most offensive terms: "You have had
a quarrel with men ignorant of the art of war. If you are desirous of
having any dealings with us, we shall show you that we are men." They
then shut themselves up in their fortress and set the Prophet ()
and his authority at defiance. The Muslims decided to reduce them and
laid siege to their fortress without loss of time. After fifteen days
they surrendered. Though the Muslims at first intended to inflict some
severe punishment on them, they contented themselves by banishing the
Bani Qainuqa'.
The Bani An-Nadir had now behaved in the same way as Bani Qainuqa'. The
had likewise, knowingly and publicly, disregarded the terms of the
Charter. the Prophet ()
sent them a message similar to that which was sent to their brethren,
the Qainuqa'. Then, relying on the assistance of the Hypocrites' party,
returned for a defiant reply. After a siege of fifteen days, they sued
for terms. The Muslims renewed their previous offer, and the Jews of An
Nadir chose to execute Medina. They were allowed to take with them all
their movable property, with the exception of their arms. Before leaving
Medina, they destroyed all their dwellings in immovable property and
arms which they could not carry away with them were distributed by the
Prophet ()
with the consent of the Ansar and the Emigrants. A principle was
henceforth adopted that any acquisition not made in actual warfare
should belong to that state and that its disposal should be left to the
discretion of the ruling authorities.
Almighty Allah said: (And there is also a share in this booty) for
the poor emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their
property, seeking Bounties from Allah and to please Him. And helping
Allah (helping His Religion) and His Messenger (Muhammad ()).
Such are indeed the truthful (to what we say); and those who, before
them, had homes (in Al Madina) and had adopted the Faith, love, those
who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that
which they have been given (from the booty of Bani An Nadir), and give
them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in
need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are
they who will be the successful."
( 59:8-9 Quran)
The expulsion of the Bani An-Nadir took place in the fourth year of the
hijrah. The remaining portion of this year and the early part of the
next were passed in repressing the hostile attempts of the nomadic
tribes against the Muslims and inflicting punishment for various
murderous forays on the Medinite territories. Of this nature was the
expedition against the Christian Arabs of Dumat Al Jandal (a place about
seven days' journey to the south of Damascus), who had stopped the
Medinites traffic with Syria and even threatened a raid upon Medina.
These marauders, however, fled on the approach of the Muslims, and the
Prophet ()
returned to Medina after concluding a treaty with a neighboring chief,
to whom he granted permission of pasturage in the Medinite territories.
In the same year, the enemies of Islam made every possible attempt to
stir up the tribes against the Muslims. The Jews also took an active, if
hidden, part in those intrigues. An army of ten thousand well-equipped
men, marched towards Medina under the command of Abu Sufyan. They
encamped near Mount Uhud, a few miles from the city. The Muslims could
gather only an army of three thousand men. Seeing their inferiority in
numbers on the one hand, and the turbulence of the Hypocrites within the
town on the other, they preferred to remain on the defensive. They dug a
deep moat round the unprotected quarters of Medina and encamped outside
the city with a trench in front of them. They relied for safety of the
other side upon their allies, the Quaraiza, who possessed several
fortresses at a short distance towards the south and were bound by the
compact to assist the Muslim s against any raiders. These Jews, however,
were induced by the idolaters to violate their pledge and to join the
Quraish. As these Jews were acquainted with the Hypocrites within the
walls of the city were waiting for an opportunity to play their part,
the situation of the Muslims was most dangerous.
)
