The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 363
VIII - Blow of a Misfortune, Law of Inheritance, Prohibition of Alcohol, Treachery of the Disbelievers and Two Tragic Incidents 363 Prophet sa was receiving horrific news from all four ends. However, the greatest danger posed to the Holy Prophet sa was from the Quraish of Makkah, who had grown very bold and daring due to the battle of Uḥud. Perceiving this threat, in the month of Ṣafar 4 A. H. , the Holy Prophet sa assembled a party of ten Companions, appointed ‘Āṣim bin Thābit ra as their Amīr and ordered them to secretly go towards Makkah and obtain intelligence with regards to the Quraish, and then inform him about their plans and motives. 1 However, this party had not yet departed, when a few people from the tribes of ‘Aḍal and Qārah presented themselves before the Holy Prophet sa , and said that many people from among their tribes were inclined towards Islām and that the Holy Prophet sa should send a few men with them, who could convert them to Islām and educate them. 2 The Holy Prophet sa was happy to hear their request and the same party which had been assembled for the reconnaissance mission was sent off with them instead. 3 However, in actuality, as was later discovered, these people were liars and had come to Madīnah upon the incitement of the Banū Laḥyān, who sought revenge for the execution of their chief, Sufyān bin Khālid, and had thus contrived the plan that when the Muslims come out of Madīnah on this pretense, they would attack them. In lieu of this service, the Banū Laḥyān promised the people of ‘Aḍal and Qārah a hefty reward of many camels. 4 When the treacherous people of ‘Adal and Qarah reached between ‘Asfān and Makkah, they secretly sent word to the Banū Laḥyān that the Muslims were accompanying them and that they should come as well. Upon this, 200 young men from the Banū Laḥyān, 100 of whom were archers, set forth in pursuit of the Muslims, and subdued them at a place known as Rajī‘. But how could 10 men compete against 200 warriors? The Muslims, however, 1 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Jihād Was-Siyar, Bābu Hal Yasta’sirur-Rajulu. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 3045 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwatir-Rajī‘. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 4086 * Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 7, p 484, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwatir-Rajī‘, Ḥadīth No. 4086, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi 2 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 591, Dhikru Yaumir-Rajī‘ Fī Sanati Thalāthin, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 277, Sariyyah Marthad bin Abī Marthad, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 3 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 2, p. 477, Ba‘thur-Rajī‘, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 4 * Kitābul-Maghāzī, By Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Umar bin Wāqid Al-Wāqidī, Volume 1, p. 300, Ghazwatur-Rajī‘, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2004) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 2, p. 477, Ba‘thur-Rajī‘, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)