The Invasion Of Tabuk In Rajab, In The Year 9 A.H.

As Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


The invasion and the conquest of Makkah was considered a decisive one between the truth and the error. As a result of which, the Arabs had no more doubt in Muhammad’s (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) mission. Thus we see that things went contrary to the pagans’ expectations. People started to embrace Islam, the religion of Allah, in great numbers. This is manifested clearly in the chapter — The delegations, of this book. It can also be deduced out of the enormous number of people who shared in the [i]Hajjatul-Wadâ‘[i] (Farewell Pilgrimage). All domestic troubles came to an end. Muslims, eventually felt at ease and started setting up the teachings of Allah’s Laws and intensifying the Call to Islam.

The Underlying Reasons:

The Byzantine power, which was considered the greatest military force on earth at that time, showed an unjustifiable opposition towards Muslims. As we have already mentioned, their opposition started at killing the ambassador of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam), Al-Harith bin ‘Umair Al-Azdi,(Radhi Allahu Anhu) by Sharhabeel bin ‘Amr Al-Ghassani. The ambassador was then carrying a message from the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) to the ruler of Busra. We have also stated that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) consequently dispatched a brigade under the command of Zaid bin Haritha (Radhi Allahu Anhu) who had a fierce fight against the Byzantines at Mu’tah. Although Muslim forces could not have revenge on those haughty over proud tyrants, the confrontation itself had a great impression on the Arabs, all over Arabia.

Caesar — who could neither ignore the great benefit thMu’tah Battle had brought to Muslims, nor could he disregard the Arab tribes’ expectations of independence, and their hopes of getting free from his influence and reign, nor he could ignore their alliance to the Muslims — realizing all that, Caesar was aware of the progressive danger threatening his borders, especially Ash-Sham-fronts which were neighbouring Arab lands. So he concluded that demolition of the Muslims power had grown an urgent necessity. This decision of his should, in his opinion, be achieved before the Muslims become too powerful to conquer, and raise troubles and unrest in the adjacent Arab territories.

To meet these exigencies, Caesar mustered a huge army of the Byzantines and pro-Roman Ghassanide tribes to launch a decisive bloody battle against the Muslims.


General News about the Byzantines and Ghassanide Preparations for War

No sooner news about the Byzantine’s preparations for a decisive invasion against Muslims reached Madinah than fear spread among them. They started to envisage the Byzantine invasion in the least sound they could hear. This could be clearly worked out of what had happened to ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allahu Anhu) one day.

The Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) had taken an oath to stay off his wives for a month in the ninth year of Al-Hijra. Therefore, he deserted them and kept off in a private place. At the beginning, the Companions (Radhi Allahu Anhu) of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) were puzzled and could not work out the reason for such behaviour. They thought the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) had divorced them and that was why he was grieved, disturbed and upset. In ‘Umar’s (Radhi Allahu Anhu) version of the very story he says: “I used to have a Helper friend who often informed me about what happened if I weren’t present, and in return I always informed him of what had taken place during his absence. They both lived in the high part of Madinah. Both of them used to call at the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) alternatively during that time of suspense. Then one day I heard my friend, knock at the door saying: “Open up! Open up!” I asked wondering, “What’s the matter? Has the Ghassanide come?” “No it is more serious than that. The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) has deserted his wives.” (Al-Bukhari 2/730)

In another version, ‘Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, “We talked about Ghassanide preparations to invade us. When it was his turn to convey the news to me, he went down and returned in the evening. He knocked at the door violently and said ‘Is he sleeping?’ I was terrified but I went out to meet him. ‘Something serious had taken place.’ He said. ‘Has the Ghassaindes arrived?’ Said I. ‘No,’ he said, ‘it is greater and more serious. The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) has divorced his wives.’” (Al-Bukhari 1/334)

This state of too much alertness manifests clearly the seriousness of the situation that Muslims began to experience. The seriousness of the situation was confirmed to a large degree by the hypocrites behaviour, when news about the Byzantines’ preparations reached Madinah. The fact that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) won all the battles he fought, and that no power on earth could make him terrified, and that he had always proved to be able to overcome all the obstacles that stood in his way - did not prevent the hypocrites, who concealed evil in their hearts, from expecting an affliction to fall upon the Muslims and Islam.

They used to harbour evil and ill-intentions against the whole process of Islam and the Muslims. On grounds of illusory hopes of destroying this great religious edifice, they erected a hotbed of conspiracy and intrigue in the form of a mosque — Masjid-e-Darar (the mosque of harm). They approached the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) with the request that he should come and consecrate the place by praying in it himself. As he was at the moment about to start for Tabuk, he deferred compliance with their request till his return. Meanwhile he came to know through Divine Revelation that it was not a Mosque for devotion and prayer but a meeting place for the anti-Islamic elements. On his return, therefore, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) sent a party to demolish the new structure.


Particular News about the Byzantine and Ghassanide Preparations for War:

A magnified image of the prominent danger threatening the Muslims life was carried to them by the Nabateans who brought oil from Ash-Sham to Madinah. They carried news about Heraclius’ preparations and equipment of an enormous army counting over forty thousand fighters besides Lukham, Judham and other tribes allied to the Byzantines. They said that its vanguard had already reached Al-Balqâ’. Thus was the grave situation standing in ambush for the Muslims. The general situation was aggravated seriously by other adverse factors of too much hot weather, drought and the rough and rugged distance they had to cover in case they decided to encounter the imminent danger.

The Messenger of Allah’s (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) concept and estimation of the situation and its development was more precise and accurate than all others. He thought that if he tarried or dealt passively with the situation in such a way that might enable the Byzantines to paddle through the Islamic controlled provinces or to go as far as Madinah, this would — amid these circumstances —leave the most awful impression on Islam as well as on the Muslims’ military credibility.

The pre-Islamic beliefs and traditions (Al-Jahiliyah) which were at that time dying because of the strong decisive blow that they had already had at Hunain, could have had a way to come back to life once again in such an environment. The hypocrites who were conspiring against the Muslims so that they might stab them in the back whereas Byzantines would attack them from the front. If such a thing came to light and they succeeded in their evil attempts, the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) and his Companions’ (Radhi Allahu Anhum) efforts to spread Islam would collapse and their profits which were the consequences of successive and constant fights and invasions would be invalidated. The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) realised all that very well. So — in spite of the hardships and drought that Muslims were suffering from — the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) was determined that the Muslims should invade the Byzantines and fight a decisive battle at their own borders. He was determined not to tarry at all in order to thwart any Roman attempt to approach the land of Islam.

When the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) had made up his mind and took his final decision, he ordered his Companions to get ready for war and sent for the Makkans and the other Arab tribes asking for their assistance.

Contrary to his habit of concealing his real intention of the invasion by means of declaring a false one, he announced openly his intention of meeting the Byzantines and fighting them. He cleared the situation to his people so that they would get ready, and urged them to fight in the way of Allah. On this occasion a part of Surat Bara’a (Chapter 9 — The Repentance) was sent down by Allah, urging them to steadfastness and stamina.

On the other hand, the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) cherished them to pay charities and to spend the best of their fortunes in the way of Allah.

No sooner had the Muslims heard the voice of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) calling them to fight the Byzantines than they rushed to comply with his orders. With great speed they started getting ready for war. Tribes and phratries from here and there began pouring in Madinah. Almost all the Muslims responded positively. Only those who had weakness at their hearts favoured to stay behind. They were only three people. Even the needy and the poor who could not afford a ride came to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) asking for one so that they would be able to share in the fight against the Byzantines. But when he said:

“...‘I can find no mounts for you’ they turned back while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad).” [Surah At-Taubah 9:92]

The Muslims raced to spend out money and to pay charities to provide this invasion. ‘Uthman, (Radhi Allahu Anhu) for instance, who had already rigged two hundred, saddled camels to travel to Ash-Sham, presented them all with two hundred ounces (of gold) as charity. He also fetched a thousand dinars and cast them all into the lap of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam), who turned them over and said: “From this day on nothing will harm ‘Uthman regardless of what he does.” (At-Tirmidhi 2/211) Again and again ‘Uthman gave till his charity toped to nine hundred camels and a hundred horses, besides the money he paid.

Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf (Radhi Allahu Anhu), on his side, paid two hundred silver ounces, whereas Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu Anhu) paid the whole money he had and left nothing but Allah and His Messenger as a fortune for his family. ‘Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) paid half his fortune. Al-‘Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) gifted a lot of money. Talhah, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah and Muhammad bin Maslamah, (Radhi Allahu Anhum) gave money for the welfare of the invasion. ‘Asim bin ‘Adi (Radhi Allahu Anhu), on his turn, offered ninety camel-burdens of dates. People raced to pay little and much charities alike. One of them gave the only half bushel (or the only bushel) he owned. Women shared in this competition by giving the things they owned; such as musk, armlets, anklets, ear-rings and rings. No one abstained from spending out money, or was too mean to grant money or anything except the hypocrites:

“Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allah’s cause) voluntarily, and those who could not find to give charity (in Allah’s cause) except what is available to them, so they mock at them (believers).” [Surah At-Taubah 9:79]