The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 97
III Early Battles, Commencement of Fasting, Alteration of the Qiblah and Initial Discussion on the Battle of Badr Commencement of Ghazwāt and Sarāyah 1 and the Ghazwah of Waddān - Ṣafar 2 A. H. Now the Maghāzī of the Holy Prophet sa practically commence. At times, it was a custom of the Holy Prophet sa to set out with the Companions himself and on some occasions he would dispatch a company in the leadership of a Companion. Historians have given separate names to each one of these two types of campaigns. As such, a campaign in which the Holy Prophet sa personally took part has been termed a ‘Ghazwah’ by historians. A campaign in which the Holy Prophet sa did not personally take part is referred to as a Sariyyah or Ba‘ath. However, it should be remembered that in a Ghazwah or Sariyyah , it is not necessary to set out specifically for the purpose of Jihād by the sword. Rather, every such journey in which the Holy Prophet sa personally participated, whilst in a state of war is known as a Ghazwah , even if it was not specifically for the purpose of fighting. In the same manner, every such journey which was undertaken by a community as per the command of the Holy Prophet sa is known as a Sariyyah or Ba‘ath in the terminology of historians, even if its fundamental purpose was not of battle. However, out of ignorance, some people consider every Ghazwah and Sariyyah to be a battle campaign, 1 Ghazwāt is the plural of Ghazwah and Sarāyah is the plural of Sariyyah [Publishers]