The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 4
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 4 of unusual conveyance and movement for the Muslims. 1 They were forced to leave Madīnah, more or less, eighteen times, and among these expeditions, one expedition (i. e. , the Ghazwah 2 of Ḥudaibiyyah) was especially significant and widespread in its influence. In actuality, the tribes of Arabia after having exerted the utmost of their force at the Battle of Aḥzāb, which occurred at the end of 5 A. H. , became practically dismayed at the thought that they could annihilate the Muslims in their own home. However, the fire of enmity towards Islām was still aflame in their breasts. As a matter of fact, the deplorable defeat at the Battle of Aḥzāb had further enraged their inner animosity. For this reason, if at one hand the barbaric and bloodthirsty tribes of Arabia had abandoned the idea of a planned attack on Madīnah, and the prophecy of the Holy Prophet sa was fulfilled that after the Battle of Aḥzāb these people would not attack Madīnah, on the other hand they were arming themselves with new weaponry, and entering into the battlefield in order to wipe out Islām and expunge the Muslims. As such, in this era they undertook three plans: Firstly, they proposed that wherever the influence of Islām was spreading among tribes outside of Madīnah, or the probability of this existed, the publication of Islām be stopped by force, so that no new individual becomes a Muslim and migrates to Madīnah, consequently becoming a source of strength for the Muslims. Secondly, they proposed secretly conducting raids on the outskirts of Madīnah, causing the Muslims a loss of life and wealth. Thirdly, they secretly planned to assassinate the Holy Prophet sa , who was the nucleus of the Islāmic order. 3 Although, to some extent, these three plans were already a viable prospect for the infidels and they desired to carry them out whenever possible, they turned their attention and as if began to employ the whole of their efforts in the success of these plans in particular. Therefore, those expeditions, which shall now be mentioned, were primarily a result of these very plans of the infidels of Arabia. From among them, we present some details of some of these 1 The Life of Mahomet, By Sir William Muir, Chapter XVIII (Sixth Year of Hegira), Numerous Minor Expeditions. . . , p. 354, Published by Smith, Elder & Co. London (1878) 2 A military expedition in which the Holy Prophet sa participated himself (Publishers) 3 Clear mention of these conspiracies is not found in historical accounts but proof of them is established through latter occurrences.