The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 296
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 296 Meaning, In that era, the state of the Companions was such that they would not even put off their arms at night and during the day they would walk around armed in case of a sudden attack. They would say to each other let us see if we live till such a time when we might be able to sleep in peace and security at night without any fear except the fear of God. ” 1 What difficulty and helplessness, and what a longing for a life of peace and security is hidden in these words. Every just individual can measure this for himself. Sariyyah of Zaid bin Ḥārithah ra Towards Qaradah - Jamādiyul-Ākhirah 3 A. H. After the Muslims had become somewhat free from the attacks of the Banū Sulaim and Banū Ghaṭafān, they were compelled to go forth from their homeland to put down another threat. Until now, for their trade ventures in the north, the Quraish would generally travel to Syria from the coastal route of Ḥijāz. However, they had now abandoned this route, because as mentioned above, the tribes of this region had become allies of the Muslims; hence there was less prospect for the Quraish to spur mischief. As a matter of fact, in these circumstances, they began to consider this coastal route to be a threat for themselves. In any case, they had now abandoned this route and begun to travel from the route of Najd, which led to Iraq. The tribes of Sulaim and Ghaṭafān, who were allies of the Quraish and were deadly enemies of the Muslims inhabited the close proximity of this region. 2 As such, in the month of Jamādiyul-Ākhirah , the Holy Prophet sa received intelligence that a trade caravan of the Quraish of Makkah was to pass by this route of Najd. It is obvious that if the movement of caravans belonging to the Quraish to and from the coastal region was a cause of threat for the Muslims, there passing by the route of Najd was equally, rather, even more dangerous. The reason being that unlike the coastal route, this new route was inhabited by allies of the Quraish, who like the Quraish, were thirsty for the blood of the Muslims. It was very easy for the Quraish to join forces with them and launch a sudden attack upon Madīnah 1 Lubābun-Nuqūli Fī Asbābin-Nuzūl, By Imām Jalāluddīn As-Suyūṭī, p. 174, Sūratun-Nūr, Verse No. 55, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Arabiyy, Lebanon, Beirut, First Edition (2003) 2 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 513, Sariyyatu Zaid bin Ḥārithah Ilal-Qaradah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)