THE STORY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD SAW - Permission to Fight and War Expedition

After a few months after migrating, the condition of the Muslims in Medina became more stable. Even though Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims from Mecca had begun a new life in Medina, the Quraish infidels continued to make plans to stop Islamic da'wah. They will endeavor to make threats and attacks.

Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims did not underestimate the threat of the Quraysh infidels even though the Muslim power had increased. He and his companions were always prepared to face the possibility of an attack.

In this tense situation, Allah SWT revealed a verse that allows Muslims to fight to defeat the evil and uphold Islam.

Surah Al-Hajj verse 39:

أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ ظُلِمُواْۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصۡرِهِمۡ لَقَدِيرٌ  ٣٩

39.  Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.

Even so, after the verse came down, Rasulullah did not immediately carry out war just like that against the infidels of Quraish which at that time was still very strong. The first action taken by Rasulullah was to master the trade routes of the Quraysh between Mecca and Sham. In order to succeed, Rasulullah applied two good strategies:

First, enter into agreements with tribes around the trade route and not disturb them. This would make it easier for the Muhajirin to attack the Quraysh trade group, without anyone being able to protect Quraysh.

Second, form and send patrol teams to carry out surveillance and anticipate the threat of enemy attacks. They also want to know the ins and outs of the road out of the city of Medina or the road to Mecca. With the teams only being followed by the Muhajirins, the Quraysh party had to be more vigilant.

Hamzah's troops were not more than 30 Muhajirites, ‘Ubaida ibn Harith's troops also no more than 60 people, and Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqash troops consisted of eight or some who mentioned 20 people. While the guards of the Quraysh trade group usually multiplied in number. Since Rasulullah entered into an agreement with local tribes, the infidels of Quraish increased the number of people and weapons.

There have been several incidents during the expedition, when a team on duty was carrying out a military patrol, and there had been close to a number of clashes, but did not increase. Basically, the trading group of the Quraysh who were escorted by the inhabitants of Mecca had blood relations with most of the Muhajirites. They don't easily kill each other or trigger civil war. The Muslim expedition also signaled the Jews and Bedouin Arabs that the power of the Muslims indeed proved resilient and also as a warning to the infidels of Quraysh not to belittle Muslims.

One of the well-known teams was the team led by Abdullah ibn Jahsy. They were assigned to the month Rajab in second year of Hijri / 624 AD and consisted of 12 Muhajirites. The team carries a letter from Rasulullah that cannot be opened except after a two-day trip. Abdullah carried out the order well. Then after two days of travel, the letter was opened and contained as follows,

"If you have read my letter, walk to the Nakhlah which is located between Mecca and Thaif, intimate the group of Quraysh and inform us about them."

So the team of Abdullah ibn Jahsy was known as the Saraya Nakhlah (troops). They continued their journey all the way to Nakhla. It was here that they met a Quraysh trade group led by Amr ibn Al Hadhrami. Abdullah ibn Jahsy and his friends recalled the acts of the infidels of Quraish who had previously seized their property. They conferred, "If we leave them tonight, they will arrive in Mecca by having fun. If we attack them, we attack in the holy months". Actually they are still afraid to move forward. But they ventured and agreed to attack the trading group of Quraysh.

So, the team ambushed the Quraysh trade group, so that one of those killed was Amr ibn Al Hadzrami and some were captured, and their property was confiscated. Even though it was the month of Rajab which was respected by the Arabs as a holy month which was forbidden to kill and fight. Therefore, their actions were not approved by Rasulullah.

The news reached the infidels and they immediately spread the negative issue that the Muslims had violated Allah's orders, so that this received various responses from the public.

But Allah SWT revealed revelation to Rasulullah to answer the accusations of the infidels in Surah Al Baqarah verse 217:

يَسۡ‍َٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّهۡرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ قِتَالٖ فِيهِۖ قُلۡ قِتَالٞ فِيهِ كَبِيرٞۚ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَكُفۡرُۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَإِخۡرَاجُ أَهۡلِهِۦ مِنۡهُ أَكۡبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَكۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۗ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِينِكُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْۚ وَمَن يَرۡتَدِدۡ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَيَمُتۡ وَهُوَ كَافِرٞ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ  ٢١٧

217.  They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.

This verse clearly states that what the idolaters have done so far against the Muslims in Haram land is far greater and violates the rules of Allah SWT compared to the actions of some friends who fought in the Haram month at that time. The infidels of Quraish did worse and were more evil than the actions of the team Abdullah ibn Jahsy, they did not want to repent and did not stop to fight the Muslims.

That way the Muslims feel relieved again. The resolution of the problem and the two captives were taken care of by Rasulullah, who later by Quraish would be redeemed. But Rasulullah did not accept their redemption before the two friends who had previously been kidnapped, namely Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqash and ‘Utba ibn Ghazwan were returned.

So Sa'ad and ‘Utba have returned and Rasulullah wants to receive a ransom from Quraysh. Rasulullah paid diyat (the price of blood) to the family of those killed. But one of the two captives, namely Al Hakam ibn Kaisan, converted to Islam and lived in Medina, while another returned to the belief of his ancestors.

Reference:

·         Mubarakfuri, Syekh Shafiyyur-Rahman, and Haidir, Abdullah (Translator). 2005. Sejarah Hidup dan Perjuangan Rasulullah. Riyadh: Kantor Dakwah dan Bimbingan bagi Pendatang Al-Sulay.

·         Haekal, Muhammad Husain, and Audah, Ali (Translator). Sejarah Hidup Muhammad.

·         Al-Mubarakfuriyy, Syeikh Safy Al-Rahman. Seerah Nabawiyyah, Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.

·         Abu Muhammad Abdul Malik bin Hisyam Al-Muafiri. Sirah Nabawiyah Ibnu Hisyam. 2000. Jakarta Timur: Darul Falah.