Understanding Islam — Page 96
DID THE EARLY MUSLIMS LEAD OFFENSIVE RAIDS? 94 that time always only reacted to aggression by the Quraish. The Nakhlah expedition was preceded by a series of events demonstrating a very severe attitude of the Makkans towards the Muslims. As discussed earlier in this book, the hostility of the Quraish of Makkah and the other Arabian tribes had overtime reached such an extent that remaining quiet in response and not doing anything would have practically amounted to suicide for the Muslims. The Makkan life of Prophet Muhammad sa and the cruelties inflicted upon the Muslims by the Quraish and the plans they devised in order to destroy the religion of Islam were enough reason for war to break out. Muslims were brutally beaten and battered mercilessly, their wealth was confiscated, they were boycotted to the point of starvation, and some were martyred ruthlessly. The situation was so bad that some Muslims left Makkah and migrated to Abyssinia. Great pains were even inflicted upon the leader of the Muslims – Prophet Muhammad sa – who was dearer to them than their own selves. While on a visit to Ṭā ’if, stones were thrown at him till his body became