The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 103
III - Early Battles, Commencement of Fasting, Alteration of the Qiblah and Initial Discussion on the Battle of Badr 103 of sudden attacks. Hence, for this purpose, the Holy Prophet sa assembled a party of eight Muhājirīn. 1 As an act of wisdom, the Holy Prophet sa selected such men for this party who were from the various tribes of the Quraish, 2 so that it was easier to obtain intelligence with regards to the hidden conspiracies of the Quraish. The Holy Prophet sa appointed his paternal cousin, ‘Abdullāh bin Jaḥsh ra as the commander of this party. In order to ensure that the prime mission of this party was kept secret even from the Muslim masses, upon ordering this Sariyyah , the Holy Prophet sa did not even inform the commander of this party as to where he was being sent and for what purpose. Rather, upon their departure, the Holy Prophet sa handed him a sealed letter and said that, “This letter contains necessary instructions for you. When you cover a distance of two days travel from Madīnah, open the letter and act in accordance with the stipulated instructions. ” As such, ‘Abdullāh ra and his companions set out by the command of their Master. When they had journeyed a distance of two days from Madīnah, ‘Abdullāh ra opened the instructions of the Holy Prophet sa , which were as follows: ْ فَامْض ِ حَتّٰی تَنْزِل َ نَخْلَة ً بَیْن َ مَكَّة َ وَالطَّائِف ِ فَتَرَصَّد ْ بِھَا قُرَیْشًا وَتَعَلَّم ْ لَنَا مِن ْ اَخْبَارِھِم “Go forth to the Valley of Nakhlah between Makkah and Ṭā’if, and obtain information on the Quraish and return with news therefrom. ” 3 Moreover, since an intelligence mission so close to Makkah was a very delicate task, at the bottom of this letter, the Holy Prophet sa had written that after the objective of this mission became known, if any one from among his companions was hesitant in accompanying this party and desired to return, then permission would be granted to do so. ‘Abdullāh ra read out this guidance 1 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 412, Sariyyatu ‘Abdillāhibni Jaḥshin. . . . . , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 14, Bihī , Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) 2 * Kitābul-Maghāzī, By Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Umar bin Wāqid Al-Wāqidī, Volume 1, p. 28, Sariyyatu Nakhlah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2004) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, pp. 412-413, Sariyyatu ‘Abdillāhibni Jaḥshin. . . . . , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) [Publishers] 3 * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 14, Bihī, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 413, Bihī / Faḍḍubnu Jaḥshin Kitāban-Nabiyyi sa. . . . . , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)