1. Battle of badr(part3)
Pages: 22-29

2. ZAID BIN HARITHAH LEADS A CAMPAIGN ON THE TRADE ROUTES OF QURAISH:
This was the most successful campaign prior to Uhud Battle. It took place in Jumada Ath-Thaniyah, the year 3 A.H. Summer approached and it was high time for the Makkan trade caravans to leave for Syria.
The people of Quraish whose lives depended mainly on a mercantile economy consisting of summer caravans to, Syria and winter caravans to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), were now at a loss as to what route they would have, to follow in order to avoid the backbreaking military strikes that the Muslims successfully inflicted on the polytheists.
They held a meeting to discuss the chances of escaping the economic blockade and decided to go along a trade route across Najd to Iraq. Furat bin Haiyan was appointed as a guide for the caravan. Safwan bin Omaiyah led the caravan along the new route. News of the meeting leaked out through Na‘im bin Mas‘ud Al-Ashja‘i under the effect of wine, and it flew fast to Madinah by Sulit bin An-Nu‘man.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) immediately mustered 100 horsemen under the leadership of Zaid bin Harithah Al-Kalbi and despatched them to intercept and capture the caravan..

3. Continuation…
They caught up with the camels at a place called Al-Qardah.
They took the polytheists by surprise and arrested their guide and two other men. Safwan and his guards fled away without showing the least resistance.
The caravan was carrying silver and wares whose value amounted to 100 thousand dirhams. The booty was distributed among the Muslim warriors after one-fifth had been set aside for the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
Furat bin Haiyan embraced Islam out of his own sweet free will. As a result of this episode, the Muslims foiled Quraish’s plans to find a new trade route. The economic siege laid to Makkah was thus consolidated and had a great impact on the mercantile economy of Makkah.
The Makkans were terribly anxious and worried about their prospects of life now at stake with no hope whatsoever for any possible rehabilitation of commercial life or redemption of former prestige at the socio- political level except through two avenues categorically contrasting: Relinquishing all symbols of arrogance and all attitudes of haughtiness through reconciliation with the new status quo, and peaceableness with the Muslims; or launching a decisive overwhelming war with the aim of crushing down the military forces of Madinah. It was apparent through the process of events that Quraish had opted for the second alternative. Loud cries were being heard everywhere in Makkah demanding immediate vengeance and quick retaliatory action These movements on all levels constituted the direct preliminaries to the battle of Uhud.

4. MILITARY PLATOONS AND MISSIONS BETWEEN THE BATTEL OF UHUD AND THE BATTLE OF THE CONFEDERATES
Uhud’s misfortune left a bad impact on both the credibility and military reputation of the Muslims. Their dignity and power in people’s eyes were impaired. Troubles and dangers spread everywhere in and out of Madinah. The Jews, hypocrites and bedouins declared publicly their enmity to the Muslims and each party was keen on degrading and, in the final place, exterminating their whole existence.
Two months had almost passed after this battle, when Banu Asad made preparations to raid Madinah, ‘Udal and Qarah tribes conspired against the Muslims in the month of Safar, 4 A.H. and killed ten of the Prophet ’s Companions. Similarly Banu ‘Amir plotted against them too, and seventy Companions were killed in the battle of Ma‘una Well. During that period, Banu Nadeer kept on announcing their enmity and were involved in a plot to kill the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in Rabi‘ Al-Awwal in 4 A.H. Banu Ghatfan were about to attack Madinah in Jumada Al-Ula in 4 A.H.
Thus we see that the Muslims turned into an attractive target of several potential dangers after they had lost their military credibility in the battle of Uhud. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) most wisely managed to hold all those hostile currents at bay, and even redeem the lost dignity of the Muslims and gain them anew fresh glory and noble standing. The first initiative he took in this process was Hamra’ Al-Asad pursuit operation, whereby he could retain the Muslim military reputation. He succeeded in recovering his followers’ dignity and awe-inspiring position in such a manner that astonished or even astounded both the Jews and hypocrites, alike, then he proceeded to crown his successful attempts by despatching military errands and missions:

5. ABI SALAMAH MISSION:
The first people to take up arms against the Muslims in the aftermath of Uhud reverse were Banu Asad bin Khuzaimah. “The Intelligence Corps” of Madinah reported that Talhah and Salamah, sons of Khuwailid have mustered some volunteers to fight the Messenger of Allâh (Peace b upon him). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) immediately despatched a 150-man-platoon of Helpers and Emigrants headed by Abu Salamah. The Muslim leader took Bani Asad bin Khuzaimah by surprise in their own homeland, neutralized their attempts, dispersed them and captured their cattle. On his return, Abu Salamah had an inflammation of a previous wound he sustained in Uhud, and caused him to die soon after. This expedition took place on Muharram 1st, 4 A.H.

6. AN ERRAND LED BY 'ABDALLAH BIN UNAIS:
On the fifth day of the same month Muharram, 4 A.H., it was reported that Khalid bin Sufyan Al-Hudhali was gathering some mob to raid the Muslim positions. ‘Abdullah bin Unais, at the behest of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) set out to destroy the enemies. The Muslim military leader stayed away for eighteen days during which he successfully fulfilled his task, killed the head of the rebels and brought his head back to Madinah on Saturday, seven days before the end of Muharram. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), as a reward, gave him a stick saying “This will function as a sign of recognition for you and me on the Day of Resurrection.” On his death bed, ‘Abdullah requested that the log be with him in his shroud.

7. THE EVENT OF AR-RAJI:
After the Battle of Uhud, some Arab tribes thought that Muslims became weak due to their defeat in the battle ; they started to have some movements and acts against Madinah, the center of Islam. One of those who started to prepare was Khalid b. Sufyan. When he completed the preparations to walk against Madinah, the Prophet heard about it. He sent Abdullah b. Unays in order to find out about news. Abdullah b. Unays, who learned that it was true from Khalid b. Sufyan, who was the planner of act, killed him with his sword.[1]
This event caused the other tribes around to be inactive for a while but they were fostering their feelings of vengeance and attack against Muslims.
When the sly enemy found out that they would not cope with Muslims openly, they tried to find other ways to satisfy their feeling of vengeance. A delegate of six people from the tribes of Adal and Qara disguised as innocent people came to Madinah. They said that they were Muslims and went to the presence of the Prophet. 
They said, “O Messenger of God! Islam has spread among our tribe. Please send some of your Companions to explain us the decrees of Islam and to teach the Quran!”[2]
The Messenger of God did what they wanted because their demand seemed innocent and reasonable and it would serve Islam. He sent ten Companions under the command of Marsad b. Abi Marsad with them. Seven of the ten Companions whose names were known were as follows:
Marsad b. Abi Marsad, Khalid b. Abi Bukayr, Abdullah b. Tarıq, Asim b. Thabit, Hubayb b. Adiyy, Zayd b. Dasinna and Muattib b. Ubayd.[3]

8. Continuation….
When the Companions came to the well belonging to the tribe of Huzay called Raji, they understood that they faced a mean and villainous betrayal. They were exposed to the attack of about a hundred archers all of a sudden. The people who had said, “We embraced Islam; send us a delegate to teach us” left them under the attack of the archers of the tribe of Lihyan.
The Muslims drew their swords and took shelter on the mountain. They tried to defend themselves with their swords but they could not resist for a long time. The traitors surrounded the mountain they had sheltered.
They said, “If you surrender and come down, we will not kill you!” The Muslim teachers did not rely on what the polytheists said and refused to surrender. One of them, Asim b. Thabit said, “I have sworn that I will never accept the protection of polytheists. I will never surrender to those unbelievers” Then, he prayed, “O God! Inform your Messenger about us.” Meanwhile, he was throwing arrows at the polytheists. While throwing arrows, he said, “Why should I not fight? I am strong enough; my arrows are with me; the string of my arrow is thick; arrows flow thanks to my bow.

9. The other Companions fought heroically, too
The other Companions fought heroically, too. However, what could ten people do against one hundred people. Eventually, seven Companions, including Asim b. Thabit, were martyred by the arrows of the polytheists. When the remaining three Companions were promised by the polytheists that they would not be killed, they surrendered. The polytheists tied them fast with the strings of their bows. Then, they set out for Makkah. Their aim was to sell them to the polytheists of the Quraysh, whose hearts were full of grudge and hatred against them.
On the way to Makkah, Abdullah b. Tariq ran away. However, he was martyred by the stones thrown by the polytheists. Two Companions were left: Zayd b. Dasinna and Hubayb b. Adiyy. The polytheists sold them in Makkah.

10. Continuation….
The first was Khubaib who was detained for some time and then it was unanimously decided to crucify him. He was taken from the Holy Sanctuary to AtTan‘im for crucifixion. He requested a respite to offer a two-Rak‘a prayer. After the final greeting, he turned to his executioners, and said: “Had I not been afraid that you would think that I was afraid of death, I would have prayed for a long time.” It was then that Khubaib first set the tradition of praying two Rak‘a before being executed. He then said: l O Lord! Count them one by one, exterminate them to the last one.”
Abu Sufyan then addressed him saying: “I adjure you by Allâh, don’t you wish that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) were here in your place so that we might cut off his head, and that you were with your family?” Khubaib answered, “By Allâh, I do not wish that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) now were in the place I occupy or that a thorn could hurt him, and that I were sitting with my family.” Quraish ordered ‘Uqbah bin Al-Harith, whose father had been killed by Khubaib himself, to crucify him.

11. Continuation…
Asim b. Thabit had killed two sons of Sulafa, a ferocious polytheist woman, in the Battle of Uhud. That evil woman had sworn that she would drink wine out of Asim’s skull if she captured him. The Sons of Lihya knew about it. Therefore, they wanted to take the head of Asim b. Thabit to that woman in Makkah. However, God did not let them do it. God Almighty accepted Asim b. Thabit’s prayer, “O God! I sacrificed my soul in order to protect your sublime religion beginning from the day I became a Muslim. Today is my last day. Protect my dead body from the polytheists!”[5], which he said just before he was martyred. When the polytheists wanted to approach his dead body, a swarm of bees appeared next to his dead body and did not let them approach it. Therefore, they left that place and decided to take the dead body the next morning. However, when they arrived there in the morning, his dead body was not there. The polytheists were surprised because God Almighty sent rain during the night and the flood drifted the dead body, protecting it from the filthy hands of the polytheists.

12. THE TRAGEDY OF MA'UNA WELL:
Ma‘una Well tragedy, which was even more horrible than that of Ar-Raji‘, took place in the same month.
Abu Bara Amir b. Malik, who was the leader of Sons of Amir tribe, came to Madinah to visit the Prophet. Abu Bara was a sincere person and a friend of the Messenger of God and Muslims. He brought two horses and two camels as present to the Messenger of God. However, the Prophet said to him, “I do not accept the presents of polytheists. If you want your present to be accepted, be a Muslim.” The Prophet did not accept his present and asked him to be a Muslim.
Abu Bara did not become a Muslim at that time but he did not lose interest in Islam. He said to the Prophet, “O Muhammad! The religion that you ask me to accept is very nice and honorable. My tribe will obey what I say. If you send some of your Companions to them in order to teach the Quran and the sunnah, I hope they will accept your call!”

13. Continuation…
The Messenger of God did not rely on the people of Najd very much. He was worried that they could betray and kill his Companions. He expressed his concern by saying, “I fear the people of Najd regarding the people I will send.”
However, Abu Bara gave a guarantee and said, “The people of Najd cannot dare to touch them if I take them under protection.”
The worry of the Prophet was eliminated because Abu Bara was a trustable man. Then, he decided to send a group of forty or seventy people of guides and teachers. Six of them were from muhajirs and the others were from Ansar. All of them were the people of Suffa. Mundhir b. Amr was appointed as their leader.

14. Continuation…
In addition, the Prophet sent a letter with the group to the people of Najd and the leaders of Sons of Amir.
The group of guides and teachers reached a place called Bir Maunah. It was a water well belonging to Sons of Sulaym in the east of Madinah between the lands of Sons of Sulaym and Sons of Amir. Haram b. Milhan undertook the duty of taking the letter of the Messenger of God to Amir b. Tufayl. He delivered the letter to Amir. However, Amir did not even bother to read the letter and killed Haram b. Milhan. The last words of the martyr when he was killed were:
“Allahu Akbar! I swear by the Lord of the Kaaba that I have succeeded!”

15. Continuation…
Amir b. Tufayl did not find it to sufficient to kill that innocent Companion; he called Sons of Amir to help him kill the other Companions. However, Sons of Amir had promised Abu Bara not to do anything to the group of teachers and guides; so they did not help him.
When Sons of Amir refused to help Amir, he asked the help of some tribes of Sons of Sulayman, who were full of hatred and they agreed. They set off to kill the innocent Companions waiting near Mauna well without being aware of what had happened.
Meanwhile, when the other Companions noticed that the Companion who went to deliver the letter was late, they left Mauna well and started to go toward Najd.
Just then, they saw a large group of armed polytheists.
The Companions drew their swords and said to the people who surrounded them, “We swear by God that we have nothing to do with you. We are on our way to fulfill the duty given to us by the Prophet!”

16. Continuation…
However, the blood-thirsty polytheists did not heed their words. Their decision was final: they were going to kill those Companions, who had set off with the intention of teaching Islam and belief, one by one.
The Companions, who realized what would happen to them, opened their hands and prayed their Merciful Lord, “O Lord! There is nobody that can inform Your Messenger about our situation here. Send our greetings to him. O God! Inform our tribe through our Prophet that we have attained our Lord. Our Lord is pleased with us and we are pleased with our Lord”

17. Continuation…
Meanwhile, Gabriel informed the Prophet about the greetings and the situation of those heroic Companions. The Messenger of God answered their greetings by saying, “Alayhimussalam” (Peace be upon them); he turned to his Companions and said that the polytheists were about to martyr their self- sacrificing brothers; he asked them to ask forgiveness for them.
When the Prophet informed his Companions about their situation, almost all of those Companions had been killed through the spears of the enemy. Two of the Companions that had gone to herd the camels were saved; one Companion was left among the martyrs because they had thought he was dead. When the two Companions that had gone to herd the camels returned to Bir Mauna, they shivered due to the terrifying scene. They shed tears when they saw the deplorable scene. One of them could not bear it and started to follow the polytheists and fought them until he was killed. The other one was taken captive but he was released later. Ka’b b. Zayd, who had been left among martyrs went to Madinah after the polytheists left.

18. The Prophet’s Prayer against the Polytheists(continuation)….
The Messenger of God became extremely sad when those distinguished Companions were killed traitorously.
Anas b. Malik said, “I had never seen the Messenger of God feel so sad when he was informed that his Companions had been martyred in Bir Mauna.”
The deep sadness that the Prophet felt caused him to pray against the polytheists that had killed them. He was informed about their situation at night; the following day, in the second rak’ah of the morning prayer after bowing down and standing, he uttered the following prayer against them:
“O God!  Destroy the tribes of Mudar!
O God!  Make their years years of famine like the time of the Prophet Joseph; make life unbearable for them!
O God!  I refer Sons of Lihyan, and the tribes of Adal, Qara, Zi’b, Ri’l, Dhak­van and Usayya to your punishment because they opposed God and His Messenger!”
The Prophet kept saying this prayer for a month after each daily prayer. The Companions said ‘Amin’ when he prayed like that.[10]
The prayer of the Messenger of God was accepted. After a while, there was famine and drought in that region. Rains stopped and no water was left there.
On the other hand, Abu Bara could not bear it any longer when the Messenger of God said, “This incident was caused by Abu Bara” because his nephew Amir b Tufayl broke his promise; he got very ill due to grief and distress; he died after a short time.
About eighty distinguished Companions died in the tragedies of Raji and Bir Mauna, which took place one after the other.

19. The Prophet Remains Loyal to the Treaty(continuation….)
Amr b. Umayya, who had been saved from the tragedy by saying he was from Mudar, set off for Madinah. He met two people on the way. He thought they were from the tribe that killed the Companions in Bir Mauna and killed them.
When he returned to Madinah, he told the Messenger of God about it. The Prophet said, “You did something bad!”
In fact, those two people were from Sons of Amir. They had come to Madinah and talked to the Prophet. When they left Madinah, the Prophet gave them a document stating that they would not be harmed. The people that Amr killed were those people. 
Only the Prophet and those two people who had been killed know about the document. However, the Messenger of God paid ransom for those two people who had been killed by a Companion, who was not aware of the promise of the Prophet. Thus, he showed that he was loyal to his promise and treaties.

21. BANI AN-NADEER INVASION:
Their(jews) behaviour fluctuated between resignation and slackness after the Banu Qainuqa‘ event and the murder of Ka‘b bin Al-Ashraf, and rebellion coupled with treacherous clandestine contacts with Quraish and the hypocrites in order to establish an alliance against the Muslims after the battle of Uhud. Being inexperienced in war tactics, they resorted to conspiracy and intrigue hatching. They first of all declared open hatred and enmity, and chose to play all sorts of tricks that might harm the Muslims, but were very careful not to initiate any sort of hostilities that might involve them in open war. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), on his part, exercised the highest degree of patience with them but they went too far in their provocative deeds, especially after Ar-Raji‘ and Ma‘una Well events; they even made an attempt on his life.

22. Continuation….
Once the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with some of his Companions set out to see Banu Nadeer and seek their help in raising the blood-money he had to pay to Bani Kalb for the two men that ‘Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari had killed by mistake. All of that was in accordance with the clauses of the treaty that both parties had already signed. On hearing his story they said they would share in paying the blood-money and asked him and his Companions Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Ali and others to sit under a wall of their houses and wait. The Jews held a short private meeting and conspired to kill the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The most wicked among them, ‘Amr bin Jahsh, volunteered to climb up the wall and drop a large millstone on his head. One of them, Salam bin Mashkam, cautioned them against perpetrating such a crime, predicting that Allâh would divulge their plot to him, and added that such an act would constitute a manifest violation of the pact concluded with the Muslims. In fact, Gabriel did come down to reveal to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) their wicked criminal intention, so he, with his Companions, hurried off back to Madinah. On their way, he told his Companions of the Divine Revelation.

23. Continuation….
Soon after, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) delegated Muhammad bin Maslamah to communicate an ultimatum to Bani Nadeer to the effect that they should evacuate Madinah within ten days, otherwise, their heads would be cut off.
At first the Jews wanted to fight but, The siege did not last long for Allâh, the All-Mighty, cast horror into the hearts of the Jews, and they willingly offered to comply with the Prophet ’s order and leave Madinah. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) accepted their request and allowed them to carry as much luggage as their camels could lift, arms were excepted. Of course, they had no choice but to carry out the orders, so they took with them everything they could carry even the pegs and beams of ceilings. Their caravan counted 600 loaded camels including their chiefs, Huyai bin Akhtab and Salam bin Abi Al-Huqaiq, who left for Khaibar whereas another party shifted to Syria. Two of them embraced Islam, Yameen bin ‘Amr and Abu Sa‘d bin Wahab, and so they retained their personal wealth. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) seized their weapons, land, houses, and wealth. Amongst the other booty he managed to capture, there were 50 armours, 50 helmets, and 340 swords. This booty was exclusively the Prophet ’s because no fighting was involved in capturing it. He divided the booty at his own discretion among the early Emigrants and two poor Helpers, Abu Dujana and Suhail bin Haneef. Anyway the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) spent a portion of this wealth on his family to sustain their living the year around. The rest was expended to provide the Muslim army with equipment for further wars in the way of Allâh.