Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 222
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 222 bound by his oath of abstinence, resolved by way of revenge, to beard his enemies at their very doors. Setting out with two hundred mounted followers, he took the eastern road skirting the tableland of Nejd, and arriving by night at the settlement of Bani Nadhir, one of the Jewish tribes living close to Medina. Refused admittance by their chief, Huyay, Abu Sufyan repaired to another leading man of the same tribe, who furnished him with intelligence regarding Medina, and hospitably entertained his party duri ng the night. When the dawn was about to break, the party moved stealthily forward, and fell upon the cornfields and palm gardens two or three miles north east of the city. Some of these, with their farm - houses, they burned to the ground, and killed two of the cultivators. Then, holding his vow fulfilled, Abu Sufyan hurried back to Mecca. Meanwhile, the alarm was raised in Medina and Muhammad hastened, at the head of the Citizens, in pursuit. To accelerate their flight, Quraish cast away their wallets fille d with meal (whence the name of the expedition), which were picked up by the pursuers. After an absence of five days, Muhammad returned from the fruitless chase. Shortly after, he celebrated the first festival of Idal - Adha. During the summer and autumn, two or three expeditions were undertaken against the tribes inhabiting the plain east of Medina. These were of a minor interest in their immediate results, but are significant of the widening circle of the struggle. Juheina