Life of Muhammad — Page 120
sa 120 around Medina. Some men of the Faz a ra tribe mounted on camels attacked Muslims near Medina. They made away with the camels found in that part, took a woman as prisoner and escaped with the loot. The woman made good her escape, but the party of Faz a ra succeeded in taking away a number of animals. A month later, a party of the Gha t af a n tribe attacked from the north in an attempt to dispossess Muslims of their herds of camels. The Prophet sa sent Muhammad bin Maslama ra with ten mounted Companions for a reconnaissance, and for the protection of the Muslim herds. But the enemy waylaid the Muslim party and murderously attacking them, left them all for dead. Muhammad bin Maslama ra , however, was only lying unconscious. Recovering consciousness he pulled himself together, returned to Medina and made a report. A few days later, an envoy of the Prophet sa on his way to the Roman capital was attacked and robbed by men of the Jurham tribe. A month later, the Ban u Faz a ra attacked a Muslim caravan and made away with much loot. It is possible that this attack was not prompted by religious antagonism. The Ban u Faz a ra were a tribe of marauders given to looting and killing. The Jews of Khaibar, the main factor in the Battle of the Ditch, were also determined to avenge the crushing defeat which they suffered in that battle. They went about inciting tribal settlements and officers of State on the Roman frontier. Arab leaders, therefore, unable to make a straightforward attack on Medina, were intriguing with the Jews to make life impossible for Muslims. The Prophet sa , however, had yet to make up his mind for a decisive fight. Arab leaders might make an offer of peace, he thought, and civil strife might end.