Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)
كتاب المغازى
Chapter 57: The Ghazwa of At-Taif
When Allah gave to His Apostle the war booty on the day of Hunain, he distributed that booty amongst those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Islam), but did not give anything to the Ansar. So they seemed to have felt angry and sad as they did not get the same as other people had got. The Prophet (ﷺ) then delivered a sermon before them, saying, "O, the assembly of Ansar! Didn't I find you astray, and then Allah guided you on the Right Path through me? You were divided into groups, and Allah brought you together through me; you were poor and Allah made you rich through me." Whatever the Prophet (ﷺ) said , they (i.e. the Ansar) said, "Allah and his Apostle have more favours to do." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What stops you from answering the Messenger of Allah?" But whatever he said to them, they replied, "Allah and His Apostle have more favours to do." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "If you wish you could say: 'You came to us in such-and-such state (at Medina).' Wouldn't you be willing to see the people go away with sheep and camels while you go with the Prophet (ﷺ) to your homes? But for the migration, I would have been one of the Ansar, and if the people took their way through a valley or mountain pass, I would select the valley or mountain pass of the Ansar. The Ansar are Shiar (i.e. those clothes which are in direct contact with the body and worn inside the other garments), and the people are Dithar (i.e. those clothes which are not in direct contact with the body and are worn over other garments). No doubt, you will see other people favoured over you, so you should be patient till you meet me at the Tank (of Kauthar).
When Allah gave Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) what he gave of the properties of the Hawazin tribe as a war booty, the Prophet (ﷺ) started giving some men 100 camels each. The Ansar (then) said, "May Allah forgive Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s as he gives to Quraish and leaves us although our swords are still dribbling with the blood of Quraish." Allah Apostle was informed of their statement, so he sent for the Ansar and gathered them in a leather tent, and did not call anybody else along with them. When they al I gathered, the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and said, "What is this talk being informed to me about you?" The learned men amongst the Ansar said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Our chiefs did not say anything, but some people amongst us who are younger in age said. 'May Allah forgive Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as he gives (of the booty) to Quraish and leaves us though our swords are still dribbling with their blood." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I give to these men who have newly deserted heathenism (and embraced Islam) so as to attract their hearts. Won't you be happy that the people take the wealth while you take the Prophet (ﷺ) with you to your homes? By Allah, what you are taking is better than whatever they are taking." They (i.e. the Ansar) said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We are satisfied." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said to them. "You will find others favored over you greatly, so be patient till you meet Allah and His Apostle and I will be at the Tank then." Anas added: But they did not remain patient.
When it was the day of the Conquest (of Mecca) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed the war booty amongst the people of Quraish which caused the Ansar to become angry. So the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Won't you be pleased that the people take the worldly things and you take Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with you? "They said, "Yes." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the people took their way through a valley or mountain pass, I would take my way through the Ansar's valley or mountain pass."
When it was the day of (the battle of) Hunain, the Prophet (ﷺ) confronted the tribe of Hawazin while there were ten-thousand (men) besides the Tulaqa' (i.e. those who had embraced Islam on the day of the Conquest of Mecca) with the Prophet. When they (i.e. Muslims) fled, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O the group of Ansari" They replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Sadaik! We are under your command." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) got down (from his mule) and said, "I am Allah's Slave and His Apostle." Then the pagans were defeated. The Prophet (ﷺ) distributed the war booty amongst the Tulaqa and Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants) and did not give anything to the Ansar. So the Ansar spoke (i.e. were dissatisfied) and he called them and made them enter a leather tent and said, Won't you be pleased that the people take the sheep and camels, and you take Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with you?" The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "If the people took their way through a valley and the Ansar took their way through a mountain pass, then I would choose a mountain pass of the Ansar."
The Prophet (ﷺ) gathered some people of Ansar and said, "The People of Quraish are still close to their Pre-lslamic period of ignorance and have suffered a lot, and I want to help them and attract their hearts (by giving them the war booty). Won't you be pleased that the people take the worldly things) and you take Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with you to your homes?" They said, "Yes, (i.e. we are pleased with this distribution)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "'If the people took their way through a valley and the Ansar took their way through a mountain pass, then I would take the Ansar's valley or the Ansar's mountain pass."
When the Prophet (ﷺ) distribute the war booty of Hunain, a man from the Ansar said, "He (i.e. the Prophet), did not intend to please Allah in this distribution." So I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him of that (statement) whereupon the color of his face changed and he said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses, for he was troubled with more than this, but he remained patient."
When it was the day of Hunain, Prophet favored some people over some others (in the distribution of the booty). He gave Al-Aqra' one-hundred camels and gave Uyaina the same, and also gave other people (of Quraish). A man said, "Allah's Pleasure was not the aim, in this distribution." I said, "I will inform the Prophet (about your statement)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bestow Mercy on Moses, for he was troubled more this but he remained patient."
When it was the day (of the battle) of Hunain, the tributes of Hawazin and Ghatafan and others, along with their animals and offspring (and wives) came to fight against the Prophet (ﷺ) The Prophet (ﷺ) had with him, ten thousand men and some of the Tulaqa. The companions fled, leaving the Prophet (ﷺ) alone. The Prophet then made two calls which were clearly distinguished from each other. He turned right and said, "O the group of Ansar!" They said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Rejoice, for we are with you!" Then he turned left and said, "O the group of Ansar!" They said, "Labbaik! O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Rejoice, for we are with you!" The Prophet (ﷺ) at that time, was riding on a white mule; then he dismounted and said, "I am Allah's Slave and His Apostle." The infidels then were defeated, and on that day the Prophet (ﷺ) gained a large amount of booty which he distributed amongst the Muhajirin and the Tulaqa and did not give anything to the Ansar. The Ansar said, "When there is a difficulty, we are called, but the booty is given to other than us." The news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) and he gathered them in a leather tent and said, "What is this news reaching me from you, O the group of Ansar?" They kept silent, He added," O the group of Ansar! Won't you be happy that the people take the worldly things and you take Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to your homes reserving him for yourself?" They said, "Yes." Then the Prophet said, "If the people took their way through a valley, and the Ansar took their way through a mountain pass, surely, I would take the Ansar's mountain pass." Hisham said, "O Abu Hamza (i.e. Anas)! Did you witness that? " He replied, "And how could I be absent from him?"
Chapter 58: The Sariya which was sent towards Najd
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a Sariya towards Najd and I was in it, and our share from the booty amounted to twelve camels each, and we were given an additional camel each. So we returned with thirteen camels each.
Chapter 59: Sending Khalid bin Al-Walid to Banu Jadhima
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Khalid bin Al-Walid to the tribe of Jadhima and Khalid invited them to Islam but they could not express themselves by saying, "Aslamna (i.e. we have embraced Islam)," but they started saying "Saba'na! Saba'na (i.e. we have come out of one religion to another)." Khalid kept on killing (some of) them and taking (some of) them as captives and gave every one of us his Captive. When there came the day then Khalid ordered that each man (i.e. Muslim soldier) should kill his captive, I said, "By Allah, I will not kill my captive, and none of my companions will kill his captive." When we reached the Prophet, we mentioned to him the whole story. On that, the Prophet (ﷺ) raised both his hands and said twice, "O Allah! I am free from what Khalid has done."
Chapter 60: The Sariya of the Ansar
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a Sariya under the command of a man from the Ansar and ordered the soldiers to obey him. He (i.e. the commander) became angry and said "Didn't the Prophet (ﷺ) order you to obey me!" They replied, "Yes." He said, "Collect fire-wood for me." So they collected it. He said, "Make a fire." When they made it, he said, "Enter it (i.e. the fire)." So they intended to do that and started holding each other and saying, "We run towards (i.e. take refuge with) the Prophet (ﷺ) from the fire." They kept on saying that till the fire was extinguished and the anger of the commander abated. When that news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) he said, "If they had entered it (i.e. the fire), they would not have come out of it till the Day of Resurrection. Obedience (to somebody) is required when he enjoins what is good."
Chapter 61: Sending Abu Musa and Mu'adh to Yemen
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent Abu Musa and Mu`adh bin Jabal to Yemen. He sent each of them to administer a province as Yemen consisted of two provinces. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to them), "Facilitate things for the people and do not make things difficult for them (Be kind and lenient (both of you) with the people, and do not be hard on them) and give the people good tidings and do not repulse them. So each of them went to carry on his job. So when any one of them toured his province and happened to come near (the border of the province of) his companion, he would visit him and greet him. Once Mu`adh toured that part of his state which was near (the border of the province of) his companion Abu Musa. Mu`adh came riding his mule till he reached Abu Musa and saw him sitting, and the people had gathered around him. Behold! There was a man tied with his hands behind his neck. Mu`adh said to Abu Musa, "O `Abdullah bin Qais! What is this?" Abu Musa replied. "This man has reverted to Heathenism after embracing Islam." Mu`adh said, "I will not dismount till he is killed." Abu Musa replied, "He has been brought for this purpose, so come down." Mu`adh said, "I will not dismount till he is killed." So Abu Musa ordered that he be killed, and he was killed. Then Mu`adh dismounted and said, "O `Abdullah (bin Qais)! How do you recite the Qur'an ?" Abu Musa said, "I recite the Qur'an regularly at intervals and piecemeal. How do you recite it O Mu`adh?" Mu`adh said, "I sleep in the first part of the night and then get up after having slept for the time devoted for my sleep and then recite as much as Allah has written for me. So I seek Allah's Reward for both my sleep as well as my prayer (at night).
That Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said that the Prophet (ﷺ) had sent him to Yemen and he asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about certain (alcoholic) drink which used to be prepared there The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What are they?" Abu Musa said, "Al-Bit' and Al-Mizr?" He said, "Al-Bit is an alcoholic drink made from honey; and Al-Mizr is an alcoholic drink made from barley." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "All intoxicants are prohibited."
That the Prophet (ﷺ) sent his (i.e. Abu Burda's) grandfather, Abu Musa and Mu`adh to Yemen and said to both of them "Facilitate things for the people (Be kind and lenient) and do not make things difficult (for people), and give them good tidings, and do not repulse them and both of you should obey each other." Abu Musa said, "O Allah's Prophet! In our land there is an alcoholic drink (prepared) from barley called Al-Mizr, and another (prepared) from honey, called Al-Bit"' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "All intoxicants are prohibited." Then both of them proceeded and Mu`adh asked Abu Musa, "How do you recite the Qur'an?" Abu Musa replied, "I recite it while I am standing, sitting or riding my riding animals, at intervals and piecemeal." Mu`adh said, "But I sleep and then get up. I sleep and hope for Allah's Reward for my sleep as I seek His Reward for my night prayer." Then he (i.e. Mu`adh) pitched a tent and they started visiting each other. Once Mu`adh paid a visit to Abu Musa and saw a chained man. Mu`adh asked, "What is this?" Abu Musa said, "(He was) a Jew who embraced Islam and has now turned apostate." Mu`adh said, "I will surely chop off his neck!"
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent me (as a governor) to the land of my people, and I came while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was encamping at a place called Al-Abtah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Have you made the intention to perform the Hajj, O `Abdullah bin Qais?" I replied, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" He said, "What did you say?" I replied, "I said, 'Labbaik' and expressed the same intention as yours." He said, "Have you driven the Hadi along with you?" I replied, "No, I did not drive the Hadi." He said, "So perform the Tawaf of the Ka`ba and then the Sai, between Safa and Marwa and then finish the state of Ihram." So I did the same, and one of the women of (the tribe of) Banu-Qais combed my hair. We continued follow in that tradition till the caliphate of `Umar.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Mu`adh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen. "You will come to the people of Scripture, and when you reach them, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers to be performed every day and night. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Sadaqa (i.e. rak`at) to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them. And if they obey you in that, then be cautious! Don't take their best properties (as Zakat) and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.
When Mu`adh arrived at Yemen, he led them (i.e. the people of Yemen) in the Fajr prayer wherein he recited: 'Allah took Abraham as a Khalil.' A man amongst the people said, "(How) glad the mother of Abraham is!" (In another narration) `Amr said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu`adh to Yemen and he (led the people) in the Fajr prayer and recited: 'Allah took Abraham as a Khalil. A man behind him said, "(How) glad the mother of Abraham is!"
Chapter 62: Sending 'Ali and Khalid رضي الله عنهما to Yemen
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent us to Yemen along with Khalid bin Al-Walid. Later on he sent `Ali bin Abi Talib in his place. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to `Ali, "Give Khalid's companions the choice of either staying with you (in Yemen) or returning to Medina." I was one of those who stayed with him (i.e. `Ali) and got several Awaq (of gold from the war booty.
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent `Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated `Ali, and `Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. `Ali)?" When we reached the Prophet (ﷺ) I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate `Ali?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus."
`Ali bin Abi Talib sent a piece of gold not yet taken out of its ore, in a tanned leather container to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed that amongst four Persons: 'Uyaina bin Badr, Aqra bin H`Abis, Zaid Al-Khail and the fourth was either Alqama or Amir bin at-Tufail. On that, one of his companions said, "We are more deserving of this (gold) than these (persons)." When that news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) , he said, "Don't you trust me though I am the truth worthy man of the One in the Heavens, and I receive the news of Heaven (i.e. Divine Inspiration) both in the morning and in the evening?" There got up a man with sunken eyes, raised cheek bones, raised forehead, a thick beard, a shaven head and a waist sheet that was tucked up and he said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Be afraid of Allah." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Woe to you! Am I not of all the people of the earth the most entitled to fear Allah?" Then that man went away. Khalid bin Al-Wahd said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall I chop his neck off?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No, for he may offer prayers." Khalid said, "Numerous are those who offer prayers and say by their tongues (i.e. mouths) what is not in their hearts." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have not been ordered (by Allah) to search the hearts of the people or cut open their bellies." Then the Prophet looked at him (i.e. that man) while the latter was going away and said, "From the offspring of this (man there will come out (people) who will recite the Qur'an continuously and elegantly but it will not exceed their throats. (They will neither understand it nor act upon it). They would go out of the religion (i.e. Islam) as an arrow goes through a game's body." I think he also said, "If I should be present at their time I would kill them as the nations a Thamud were killed."