Before we discuss the expulsion of the Banu Nadir, we will discuss the personal events of the Prophet PBUH, in particular the marriages that took place around and before this time [4 AH].
The Prophet's PBUH Personal Life After the Death of Khadija RA
We need to understand what is happening in the personal life of the Prophet PBUH. After the death of Khadija RA, it is said that for many months, the Prophet PBUH was not seen smiling. Eventually, Khawlah bint Hakim (خولة بنت حكيم) suggested that he get married again, and she said, "If you want an elderly lady, then Sawda; if you want a younger lady, then Aisha."
So the Prophet PBUH married the both of them within a month of each other, but Aisha, he did not consummate the marriage for another three and a half years. He just got the nikah done.
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Sawda bint Zam'a RA
So the next wife of the Prophet PBUH after Khadija RA (~6 months after her death) was Sawda bint Zam'a ibn Qays ibn Abd Shams (سودة بنت زمعة بن قيس بن عبد شمس). Her previous husband was al-Sukran ibn Amr (السكران بن عمرو) the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr. Al-Sukran had migrated to Abyssinia, and he either died in Abyssinia or right after his return to Makkah — he died a very early death. He is one of the few sahaba whose name we know who died in the Makkan era. And Sawda, when she converted to Islam, her family had disowned her, so she had no one to take care of her after his death. So the Prophet PBUH felt compassion for her and married her — probably in Shawwal in the 10th year of the dawah. She was also the eldest of all of the wives of the Prophet PBUH. We do not have any dates of her age, but we know that she was the eldest and that she was a rather large lady and she would walk slowly. We know this because she herself tells us this: "In Hajjat al-Wada' (حجة الوداع - the Farewell Hajj [10 AH]), I asked permission from the Prophet PBUH to leave Muzdalifah (مزدلفة) early to avoid the crowds, because I am of a large build and I walk very slowly"—and Ibn Abbas was sent with her to avoid the rush. (Side note: From this, we get the fiqh position that on the night of Muzdalifah, anyone who has any need [e.g., the elderly, the weak, and those who need to take care of them] can leave and go to Makkah early.)
In the Madinan era, around the 6th-7th year, she began to feel perhaps the Prophet PBUH might divorce her, so she negotiated of her own will, "O Messenger of Allah, I have no jealousy of your other wives, and I want to be with you so that I can be resurrected among your wives on the Day of Judgment, so take my night and give it to Aisha." So she gave up her night and voluntarily donated it to Aisha RA, knowing that the Prophet PBUH would welcome this. And it is said that when she did this, Allah revealed in Surah al-Nisa (سورة النساء) verse 128:
وَإِنِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنۢ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًۭا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًۭا
"If a woman fears indifference or neglect from her husband, there is no blame on either of them if they seek [fair] settlement, which is best" [Quran, 4:128]. This too is a blessing from Allah SWT, there is no doubt about that. Aisha RA was, as we know, the Prophet's PBUH favorite wife, and he did want to spend more time with her, but he could not do so because he was being fair to all of his wives; so it's as if Allah SWT willed for him that he has a lady that has no need for her night with him and just gift him of her own free will. So it is as if Allah SWT gifted the Prophet PBUH to have a double share with Aisha RA. And this clearly shows us the permissibility of negotiating —even amongst spouses— on that which is their right.
Sawda RA died relatively early —in the time of Umar RA— and was buried in Baqi' al-Gharqad. This is the 2nd wife after Khadija.
Sawda RA died relatively early —in the time of Umar RA— and was buried in Baqi' al-Gharqad. This is the 2nd wife after Khadija.
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Aisha bint Abi Bakr RA
As for Aisha bint Abi Bakr (عائشة بنت أبي بكر), she deserves multiple lectures — we cannot talk about her in a few minutes. She was the one whom in Sahih Bukhari the Prophet PBUH said he saw in a dream an angel carrying a lady who was covered up to him and the angel said, "This shall be your wife," and the Prophet PBUH uncovered the hijab and it was Aisha RA. He said, "If this dream is from Allah SWT, it will come to pass," and it indeed did come to pass, and Aisha RA became his wife. The nikah was done in Makkah, but the marriage was consummated later in Madinah in the 2nd year of the Hijrah.
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Hafsa bint Umar RA
The 4th wife was Hafsa bint Umar (حفصة بنت عمر). And Hafsa was married to the Prophet PBUH right at this time in the seerah [4 AH], and that's why we are discussing the wives of the Prophet PBUH in this episode. Most likely, she was born 5 years before the dawah began; and she was married at a very young age, around 12, to one of the early converts, Khunays ibn Hudhafah (خنيس بن حذافة). And she migrated with Khunays to Abyssinia. We don't know much about Khunays — all we know is he participated in Badr and Uhud and thus was a blessed sahabi. And we know that he died a shaheed after Uhud because of the wounds. Hafsa was very pained at this. She was lonely and traumatized. And she was only 19 or 20 at the time.
Her father Umar RA felt for her loss, so after her iddah was over, he went to Uthman ibn Affan and asked him, "What do you think of Hafsa?" (Side note: So this is how it was done: The wali [ولي] would go to the potential husband and offer his daughter/sister/the one he is in charge of. Or the other way is also permitted: The man comes to the wali and says he is interested in the wali's daughter/sister/the one he is in charge of.) Recall Uthman's first wife Ruqayyah bint Muhammad (the daughter of the Prophet PBUH) had just passed away after Badr; and Uthman —being the shy person that he was— is still single. However, when Umar offered his daughter, he remained quiet and said, "Let me think about this," and a few days later, he came back and said, "I think I don't want to get married right now"—and there was a secret he could not tell Umar at this time.
Umar RA felt grieved at this. He then went to Abu Bakr and said the same thing, "What do you think of Hafsa?" (Abu Bakr is married but Umar wants a noble son-in-law even if it means his daughter is going to be a second wife.) Abu Bakr said, "Let me think about it," and he didn't return at all for days. He didn't even know what to tell Umar; he didn't even give Umar a response. At this, Umar RA said, "This was much more painful to me than Uthman's!" And according to some books, it's mentioned that Umar RA went to complain to the Prophet PBUH about Uthman and Abu Bakr that they turned Hafsa down. The Prophet PBUH said, "Hafsa will marry someone better than Uthman, and Uthman will marry someone better than Hafsa." And Umar RA still did not get it until finally the Prophet PBUH himself proposed to Hafsa. (And of course, as for Uthman, he married the daughter of the Prophet PBUH Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad [أم كلثوم بنت محمد].) Abu Bakr RA afterward excused himself and told Umar, "Perhaps you felt something against me when I didn't come back to you." Umar: "Yes." Abu Bakr: "The Prophet PBUH had mentioned Hafsa to us, and I could not inform you of his secret." This shows us that the Prophet PBUH, despite being who he was, was getting istishara/advice from the other people, "What do you think of Hafsa as a wife for me?" He had asked Abu Bakr and Uthman, so the both of them didn't know what to tell Umar — it was very awkward for them. And then Abu Bakr said to Umar, "Had the Prophet PBUH not proposed for her, I would have accepted" — he is letting Umar know that there is nothing wrong with his daughter.
And Aisha RA used to say that Hafsa RA was her main competition for the Prophet's PBUH company and love. Subhan'Allah, the daughter of Abu Bakr RA and the daughter of Umar RA are just like their fathers, competing with one another. And Hafsa RA was just as bold as Aisha RA, her age was similar to Aisha, and she had the same tongue as her father, the wit, etc. It's even reported that some issues happened between the Prophet PBUH and Hafsa, and according to one narration, the Prophet PBUH thought of divorcing her, or according to another version, he gave one talaq (طلاق - repudiation). However, at this, Jibril AS came down and said to the Prophet PBUH, "Allah commands you to take her back, for she is sawwama qawwama (صوامة قوامة - one who fasts all the time and prays all the time), and she shall be your wife in Jannah." So the Prophet PBUH took her back. Allah SWT intervened in this dispute. What a great honor for Hafsa RA.
Umar RA felt grieved at this. He then went to Abu Bakr and said the same thing, "What do you think of Hafsa?" (Abu Bakr is married but Umar wants a noble son-in-law even if it means his daughter is going to be a second wife.) Abu Bakr said, "Let me think about it," and he didn't return at all for days. He didn't even know what to tell Umar; he didn't even give Umar a response. At this, Umar RA said, "This was much more painful to me than Uthman's!" And according to some books, it's mentioned that Umar RA went to complain to the Prophet PBUH about Uthman and Abu Bakr that they turned Hafsa down. The Prophet PBUH said, "Hafsa will marry someone better than Uthman, and Uthman will marry someone better than Hafsa." And Umar RA still did not get it until finally the Prophet PBUH himself proposed to Hafsa. (And of course, as for Uthman, he married the daughter of the Prophet PBUH Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad [أم كلثوم بنت محمد].) Abu Bakr RA afterward excused himself and told Umar, "Perhaps you felt something against me when I didn't come back to you." Umar: "Yes." Abu Bakr: "The Prophet PBUH had mentioned Hafsa to us, and I could not inform you of his secret." This shows us that the Prophet PBUH, despite being who he was, was getting istishara/advice from the other people, "What do you think of Hafsa as a wife for me?" He had asked Abu Bakr and Uthman, so the both of them didn't know what to tell Umar — it was very awkward for them. And then Abu Bakr said to Umar, "Had the Prophet PBUH not proposed for her, I would have accepted" — he is letting Umar know that there is nothing wrong with his daughter.
And Aisha RA used to say that Hafsa RA was her main competition for the Prophet's PBUH company and love. Subhan'Allah, the daughter of Abu Bakr RA and the daughter of Umar RA are just like their fathers, competing with one another. And Hafsa RA was just as bold as Aisha RA, her age was similar to Aisha, and she had the same tongue as her father, the wit, etc. It's even reported that some issues happened between the Prophet PBUH and Hafsa, and according to one narration, the Prophet PBUH thought of divorcing her, or according to another version, he gave one talaq (طلاق - repudiation). However, at this, Jibril AS came down and said to the Prophet PBUH, "Allah commands you to take her back, for she is sawwama qawwama (صوامة قوامة - one who fasts all the time and prays all the time), and she shall be your wife in Jannah." So the Prophet PBUH took her back. Allah SWT intervened in this dispute. What a great honor for Hafsa RA.
It is said that once, there was another dispute, and she was crying — and Umar RA came and saw her crying. But of course, when your son-in-law is the Prophet PBUH, you can never side against him. So Umar RA said to her, "Perhaps you had another dispute with him. Wallahi, if he divorces you again, I will never speak to you again for the rest of my life!"—i.e., "You had better make up to him now!"
Hafsa RA was one of the few ladies who learned to read and write in the time of the Prophet PBUH. When Umar died, the mus'haf written in the time of Abu Bakr (i.e., the first mus'haf ever written) was inherited by Hafsa, and she kept it with her until she died. And when Uthman wanted to copy it, he had to get it from Hafsa. So she sent the mus'haf to Uthman, and then it was recopied and sent all over the cities of Islam.
Hafsa RA was one of the few ladies who learned to read and write in the time of the Prophet PBUH. When Umar died, the mus'haf written in the time of Abu Bakr (i.e., the first mus'haf ever written) was inherited by Hafsa, and she kept it with her until she died. And when Uthman wanted to copy it, he had to get it from Hafsa. So she sent the mus'haf to Uthman, and then it was recopied and sent all over the cities of Islam.
It is said she died at 41 or 45. And if she died 45, it is said Marwan ibn al-Hakam (مروان بن الحكم), who was the governor at the time, prayed janazah over her, and she was buried in Baqi' al-Gharqad.
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Zaynab bint Khuzayma RA
The Prophet PBUH then married Zaynab bint Khuzayma al-Hilaliyah (زينب بنت خزيمة الهلالية). A lot of people get confused — there were two wives of the Prophet PBUH called Zaynab, and this is not the same person as Zaynab bint Jahsh who is the Prophet's PBUH cousin from the Quraysh. Zaynab bint Khuzayma is not from the Quraysh, but rather from the Banu Hilal (بنو هلال) in Najd; and she was one of two wives who died during the Prophet's PBUH life (the other being Khadija RA). The marriage was very short — some say three months, some say five months, and some say eight months. We have hardly any details about her. One report says: She was married to al-Tufayl ibn al-Harith ibn Abdul Muttalib (الطفيل بن الحارث بن عبد المطلب) (the cousin of the Prophet PBUH) in the days of Jahiliyyah, and then he divorced her and Ubaydah ibn al-Harith married her. He was one of the three who fought in the mubaraza in the Battle of Badr — the oldest out of Hamzah and Ali; and his leg was cut off and he eventually died.
Zaynab bint Khuzayma was known as Umm al-Masakin (أم المساكين - Mother of the Poor) because she used to take care of the orphans and the poor. She had a heart of gold — very generous, very caring. That was her kunya even before the coming of Islam. It shows her pure heart and nobility. And when her husband died, the Prophet PBUH married her — probably around the 3rd year of the Hijrah. But she lives only for a few months after this, and passes away in Rabi' al-Awwal in the 4th year of the Hijrah. She was the first of the wives of the Prophet PBUH to be buried in Baqi' al-Gharqad. (Trivia: If you go to Baqi' now, you see all of the graves of the wives of the Prophet PBUH one after the other. As for Khadija RA, she is buried in al-Hujun [الحجون] in Makkah.)
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Tangent: Daughters of the Mother of Zaynab bint Khuzayma
We have a really interesting, fascinating tidbit/story about Zaynab's mother, Hind bint Awf (هند بنت عوف). It is said in some books of history that Zaynab's mother is the most noble mother-in-law in the history of mankind. She had five daughters, and all five of them married luminaries.
1 & 2) Two of them became Ummahat al-Mu'minin (أمهات المؤمنين - Mothers of the Believers, i.e., wives of the Prophet PBUH). The first is Zaynab bint Khuzayma; and the second is Zaynab's half-sister who also later on married the Prophet PBUH, and that is Maymunah bint al-Harith (ميمونة بنت الحارث).
3) The third daughter is Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith (أم الفضل بنت الحارث), a.k.a., Lubaba al-Kubra (لبابة الكبرى) — Abbas's wife. And Umm al-Fadl gave birth to al-Fadl ibn Abbas (الفضل بن عباس) and Abdullah ibn Abbas (عبد الله بن عباس) — two very famous sahaba.
(Note: Sh. YQ counted al-Asma bint al-Harith [العصماء بنت الحارث] a.k.a. Lubaba al-Sughra [لبابة الصغرى] who was married to al-Walid ibn al-Mughira as one of Hind bint Awf's daughters, but this was a mistake. Lubaba al-Sughra's mother is Fakhitah bint Amir [فاختة بنت عامر]. Lubaba al-Sughra and Lubaba al-Kubra are half-sisters.)
4) The fourth daughter is another very famous sahabiyya, Asma bint Umays (أسماء بنت عميس). She was married to Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and became a widow at the death of Ja'far [later in 8 AH]. She was the one whom the Prophet PBUH visited, consoled, and said, "Do not cry over my brother; his children are now my children (i.e., I will take care of them)" [see episode 74]. And in the khilafa of Abu Bakr RA, Abu Bakr married Asma a few months before he passed away, and she gave birth to his son, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (محمد بن أبي بكر). And after Abu Bakr's death, Asma married Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ja'far's younger brother; and she gave sons to Ali RA as well. So she was married to Ja'far, Abu Bakr, and Ali — noble husbands, masha'Allah.
5) The fifth daughter is Salma bint Umays (سلمى بنت عميس) who was married to Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib RA, and they had a daughter together named Umara (عمارة). After the Muslims had performed Umrah al-Qada [later in 7 AH / episode 72], the sahaba all argued to take care of Umara, and the Prophet PBUH gave her to Ja'far because Ja'far's wife (Asma bint Umays) was her khala (خالة - maternal blood aunt).
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Ummi Salama RA
A few months later, the Prophet PBUH married Ummi Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya al-Makhzumiyah (أم سلمة هند بنت أبي أمية المخزومية) — she is also a Qureshiyah. We have heard her name so many times. She is well known. And when the Battle of Uhud took place, she was married to Abu Salama Abdullah ibn Abd al-Asad (أبو سلمة عبد الله بن عبد الأسد), who was a cousin of the Prophet PBUH from the mother's side. She had emigrated both of the emigrations. (Note: All of the wives of the Prophet PBUH had immense Iman and great contributions to Islam. Emigrating the two Hijrahs is very rare for women, and yet we see so many of them in the list of the names of the wives of the Prophet PBUH — because Allah AWJ will choose those who are worthy to be chosen.) And she was the very first lady to Migrate to Madinah. Abu Salama was known for his gentle manners and akhlaq, and the couple had a very strong and good relationship. In the Battle of Uhud, Abu Salama was wounded severely, and he passed away a few months later. On his deathbed, she comes to him —and this shows the love that they had— she says, "I have heard that if a man of Jannah dies and his wife never remarries, she will automatically go to Jannah with him (i.e., they will be reunited in Jannah). And if a woman of Jannah dies and her husband doesn't remarry, they will be reunited in Jannah too. So let's make a promise to each other that we are not going to [re]marry if one of us dies." Subhan'Allah, she is trying to inform him in the best way that, "Don't worry, I won't marry after you." Abu Salama asked, "Will you obey me?" She said, "Yes, of course!" He told her, "Then after I die, marry someone." Then he made a du'a on his deathbed, "O Allah, bless her with a husband better than me who will take care of her and never harm her." What a husband, subhan'Allah — Ummi Salama was relatively young (mid-30s), so Abu Salama didn't want her to live the rest of her life single.
And we all know this famous story of Ummi Salama: She said, "One day, my husband came home very happy and he said, 'I heard a beautiful hadith from the Prophet PBUH!'"—Abu Salama came home with a beautiful hadith; so Ummi Salama asked him, "What?" He said the Prophet PBUH said, "Never does anyone afflicted with a calamity and he is patient at that and makes this du'a (see below), except that Allah will surely reward him for it and replace it for him with a better thing."
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ، اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا
(Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we will return. O Allah, reward me for my calamity, and replace it for me with that which is better.)It's amazing how Allah SWT basically taught this du'a to Ummi Salama through her husband. If Allah had wanted, she could have heard it directly from the Prophet PBUH or other sahabiyyat — but it is her husband telling her this. Wallahi, it's amazing.
Ummi Salama said, as soon as Abu Salama died, she remembered this hadith, so she said the du'a. But deep down, she said to herself, "Who can possibly be better than Abu Salama?" And to show you how great Abu Salama was, the first person who proposed for her afterward was none other than Abu Bakr RA, yet she turned him down. (By the way, notice how most of the sahaba were not single. By and large, it's not conceivable for them that a man or a woman is just there without a husband or a wife; it doesn't make sense for them. Stigmas attached to the word divorcee/widow in our time have to be gone.) And after a while, the Prophet PBUH proposed for her. And subhan'Allah, look at her wisdom —Ummi Salama was known for her great wisdom (and also lineage and beauty)— she says, "Ya Rasulullah, how can I not be pleased that you are interested in me — but there are three things you should know:
Ummi Salama said, as soon as Abu Salama died, she remembered this hadith, so she said the du'a. But deep down, she said to herself, "Who can possibly be better than Abu Salama?" And to show you how great Abu Salama was, the first person who proposed for her afterward was none other than Abu Bakr RA, yet she turned him down. (By the way, notice how most of the sahaba were not single. By and large, it's not conceivable for them that a man or a woman is just there without a husband or a wife; it doesn't make sense for them. Stigmas attached to the word divorcee/widow in our time have to be gone.) And after a while, the Prophet PBUH proposed for her. And subhan'Allah, look at her wisdom —Ummi Salama was known for her great wisdom (and also lineage and beauty)— she says, "Ya Rasulullah, how can I not be pleased that you are interested in me — but there are three things you should know:
1. I am a woman that has ghayra (غيرة - jealousy) and you are a man that already has wives — I am worried that that jealousy will act up and displease you, which will then displease Allah.
2. I am a woman coming on in my age and I am not young (mid-30s).
3. I am a woman that has family (four children)."
To which, the Prophet PBUH said, "As for your ghayra, I will make du'a to Allah SWT (and insha'Allah, it will be removed from your heart). As for your age, I am afflicted with the same calamity as you." (Notice his humor PBUH.) "And as for your family, they are my family." Subhan'Allah, what a beautiful proposal. And obviously, Ummi Salama then marries the Prophet PBUH — probably sometime around the 4th year of the Hijrah.
A lot can be said about Ummi Salama, but the most important story is that of Hudaybiyyah [6 AH - episode 66] when the Prophet PBUH was in a state of quandary and the sahaba were irritated at what was happening with the Quraysh — Ummi Salama was the one who said, "Ya Rasulullah, don't negotiate with them (the sahaba); just shave your hair off and they will follow you." So the Prophet PBUH took the advice; and when the sahaba saw him shaving his hair off, they began racing one another to see who would shave each other's hair off. This shows us the wisdom of Ummi Salama RA.
Ummi Salama lived a relatively long life, one of the last of the wives of the Prophet PBUH to die — she died in the year 59 AH in her late 80s, and Abu Hurairah RA led her janazah and she was buried in Baqi' al-Gharqad.
So Ummi Salama RA was the 6th wife of the Prophet PBUH (but the 4th at the time because two had passed away).
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Zaynab bint Jahsh RA
Zaynab bint Jahsh (زينب بنت جحش) is the next wife, and we will cover her story in one of the future episodes [episode 69].
And it's worth noting that at her marriage, that was when the laws of hijab were revealed. And before that by a few months or maybe a year, khamr had become haram. So the shariah of Islam is now being solidified: Salah, zakat, and fasting had all been revealed by the 2nd year of the Hijrah (Hajj obviously is delayed until the very end because Makkah is enemy territory right now), and hijab is one of the later laws to be revealed (i.e., around the end of the 4th year/beginning of the 5th year of the Hijrah).
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The Battle That Didn't Take Place
We now return to the political accounts of the seerah; back to the ghazawat of the Prophet PBUH.
As we mentioned, right at the end of the Battle of Uhud, Abu Sufyan had said, "We will meet again one year from now at Badr!" Uhud took place in the 3rd year of the Hijrah, thus in the month of Sha'ban in the 4th year of the Hijrah, the Prophet PBUH left with around 1,500 sahaba and camped once again at Badr. And the Prophet PBUH camped there for more than a week waiting for the Quraysh's army to show up —and he assigned Ali ibn Abi Talib to be the flag bearer— but no army showed up. And it shows us the Quraysh were not able to live up to their promise. What happened? They in fact did gather an army of ~2,000 strong, but they were half-hearted and not into it — they marched out of Makkah, but a lot of talk and back-and-forth took place, so they just called it quits. They gave an excuse and said, "This year has been difficult, it's been a year of drought, there has been little rain, we need to take care of our families and be strong to fight — but it has been a difficult year." Of course, the Muslims did not complain, they were there at Badr waiting. In any case, the Quraysh abandoned the entire fight, and we see from this that the tide is shifting: The Muslims are getting stronger, and the Quraysh are getting weaker.
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Ghazwa Dhat al-Riqa
Ghazwa Dhat al-Riqa (غزوة ذات الرقاع) was another ghazwa — no fighting took place, but it was important. Ibn Ishaq places this ghazwa right now, i.e., in the 4th year during Sha'ban. However, people such as Bukhari said it occurred after the Battle of Khaybar [7 AH]. And there is evidences for both sides. And one of the main evidences that is used to say it took place right now [i.e., 4 AH] is the story of Jabir (discussed in detail below) in which Jabir says, "My father was martyred at Uhud, and I got married. And the Prophet PBUH did not know I was married." So the Prophet PBUH didn't know Jabir was married, and Jabir got married right after Uhud — so this suggests this ghazwa took place now in the 4th year.
The Ghazwa Dhat al-Riqa involved a very large Bedouin tribe up north called Ghatafan (غطفان) who was known for looting, robbery, lack of morals, etc., and it is said they wanted to raid the Muslims preemptively. At this, the Prophet PBUH led an army of 700 men, and they camped in front of the Ghatafan for a week or two. No battle took place, the both of them just remained in eyesight of one another without a physical confrontation — the Ghatafan decided not to actually engage in battle. But a number of things happened:
1. Revelation of the Procedure of Salat al-Khawf
During this ghazwa, Allah revealed the procedure of salah that is performed at times of danger and warfare, known as Salat al-Khawf (صلاة الخوف). It's a type of salah that you pray in shifts. The imam will pray the full salah, and the ma'mum behind him will take shifts in praying. Allah says in the Quran, "When you [O Prophet] are [campaigning] with them and you lead them in prayer, let one group of them pray with you — while armed. When they prostrate themselves, let the other group stand guard behind them. Then the group that has not yet prayed will join you in prayer — and let them be vigilant and armed. The disbelievers would wish to see you neglect your weapons and belongings, so they could launch a sweeping assault on you. But there is no blame if you lay aside your weapons when overcome by heavy rain or illness — but take precaution. Indeed, Allah has prepared a humiliating Punishment for the disbelievers" [Quran, 4:102]. One group will pray, the other will guard, and then they will change over. So the two groups take shifts praying and the imam prays the full prayer.
2. Ghawrath ibn al-Harith's Attempt to Assassinate the Prophet PBUH
The second incident was regarding a miracle that took place on the way back from Dhat al-Riqa to Madinah. It was a hot summer's day in the desert, so when it came time to stop (probably around 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM when the sun became too hot), everybody ran for shelter — everybody just got some tree, some shade, find a narrow crevice, etc., and all of the sahaba fell asleep. (Side note: It was the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH to march after Fajr all the way until it was too hot.) And the Prophet PBUH as well fell asleep under a tree.
It was here that one of the Bedouins of Ghatafan by the name of Ghawrath ibn al-Harith (غورث بن الحارث), who was following the Prophet PBUH and the army, saw the opportunity to assassinate the Prophet PBUH. So when he saw the Prophet PBUH was all by himself, he walked all the way through the Muslim camp, came to the Prophet PBUH, took the Prophet's PBUH sword from the tree, and he unsheathed it. And at this point in time, the Prophet PBUH wakes up. The Bedouin shook the sword in front of the Prophet PBUH and said, "Are you scared of me?" The Prophet PBUH said, "No. And why should I be scared of you?" The man said, "Are you not scared of me and I have a sword?"—he is trying to make the Prophet PBUH scared. The Prophet PBUH still said, "No. I am not scared of you." And in the process, the man begins to tremble out of fear. Allah SWT threw fear into his heart, and the sword dropped from his hand. (Note 1: The man is not even a warrior; he's just a Bedouin.) (Note 2: According to one report, the question the man asked was not "Are you scared of me?" but rather, "Who will protect you from me?" And the Prophet PBUH said, "Allah." And when the Prophet PBUH said Allah, the sword just dropped from the man's hand.) And when the sword dropped from his hand, the Prophet PBUH picked it up, turned it around, and said, "Who will protect you from me?" At this, the man said, "Be the better of the two who takes the sword," i.e., "I didn't want to have mercy on you, but be the better of the two and have mercy on me." So the Prophet PBUH said, "Will you testify that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" The man said, "I promise that I will never fight you again or help anybody who fights you"—he did not accept Islam, but he was honest.
And Jabir then narrates this story in Bukhari: "We scattered in the valley to find shade, and we went to sleep, and we were woken up by the voice of the Prophet PBUH calling us, 'Come here! Come here!'" (Side note: The sahaba were *that* asleep — this whole incident is taking place and nobody is the wiser until the Prophet PBUH called them.) And when they all came, they found the Prophet PBUH with his sword at the neck of Ghawrath. And the Prophet PBUH told them the entire story. And Jabir says, "The Prophet PBUH did not do anything, he forgave the man, the man promised never to attack again, and he returned to his people saying, 'I have come back from the best of all of mankind.'"
It was here that one of the Bedouins of Ghatafan by the name of Ghawrath ibn al-Harith (غورث بن الحارث), who was following the Prophet PBUH and the army, saw the opportunity to assassinate the Prophet PBUH. So when he saw the Prophet PBUH was all by himself, he walked all the way through the Muslim camp, came to the Prophet PBUH, took the Prophet's PBUH sword from the tree, and he unsheathed it. And at this point in time, the Prophet PBUH wakes up. The Bedouin shook the sword in front of the Prophet PBUH and said, "Are you scared of me?" The Prophet PBUH said, "No. And why should I be scared of you?" The man said, "Are you not scared of me and I have a sword?"—he is trying to make the Prophet PBUH scared. The Prophet PBUH still said, "No. I am not scared of you." And in the process, the man begins to tremble out of fear. Allah SWT threw fear into his heart, and the sword dropped from his hand. (Note 1: The man is not even a warrior; he's just a Bedouin.) (Note 2: According to one report, the question the man asked was not "Are you scared of me?" but rather, "Who will protect you from me?" And the Prophet PBUH said, "Allah." And when the Prophet PBUH said Allah, the sword just dropped from the man's hand.) And when the sword dropped from his hand, the Prophet PBUH picked it up, turned it around, and said, "Who will protect you from me?" At this, the man said, "Be the better of the two who takes the sword," i.e., "I didn't want to have mercy on you, but be the better of the two and have mercy on me." So the Prophet PBUH said, "Will you testify that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" The man said, "I promise that I will never fight you again or help anybody who fights you"—he did not accept Islam, but he was honest.
And Jabir then narrates this story in Bukhari: "We scattered in the valley to find shade, and we went to sleep, and we were woken up by the voice of the Prophet PBUH calling us, 'Come here! Come here!'" (Side note: The sahaba were *that* asleep — this whole incident is taking place and nobody is the wiser until the Prophet PBUH called them.) And when they all came, they found the Prophet PBUH with his sword at the neck of Ghawrath. And the Prophet PBUH told them the entire story. And Jabir says, "The Prophet PBUH did not do anything, he forgave the man, the man promised never to attack again, and he returned to his people saying, 'I have come back from the best of all of mankind.'"
3. Abbad ibn Bishr's Extraordinary Love for Salah
Another incident was that of the two sahaba who were protecting the army and caravan of the Muslims at nighttime on the way back to Madinah. Ammar ibn Yasir and Abbad ibn Bishr (عباد بن بشر) were assigned to check and ensure the Ghatafan wouldn't attack again. Abbad said, "I'll be the first watchman and you can be the second." So Ammar went to sleep. And Abbad stood up in salah to pray when one of the mushriks of Ghatafan fired an arrow. And it went straight into Abbad's body, so he pulled it out, and he continued praying. Another arrow came in, he pulled that one out too. And he continued praying until finally, when he thought he was going to faint, that was when he woke up Ammar. And noticing the blood on him, Ammar asked, "Why didn't you break the salah before?" Abbad said, "I was reciting a surah and I didn't want to break it"—and it is said he was reciting Surah Yusuf. The sweetness of reciting the Quran was so much that he didn't want to break his salah. And he said, "I swear by Allah, were it not for the fact that I might have failed the duty that the Prophet PBUH gave, I would rather have died than stop my salah."
4. The Story of Jabir ibn Abdillah RA
The final story is a very beautiful story of Jabir ibn Abdillah (جابر بن عبد الله). It's a story that Ibn Hajar says you can derive more than 100 benefits from.
Who is Jabir? Jabir ibn Abdillah is one of the most famous Companions of the Prophet PBUH. He was from the Ansar, and accepted Islam as a young boy. His father was the famous warrior Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Haram (عبد الله بن عمرو بن حرام). Jabir was perhaps the youngest Companion to witness and participate in the blessed Treaty of Aqaba before the Hijrah of the Prophet PBUH. He was also blessed to live an extremely long life. Because of this, Jabir became one of the most profuse narrators of hadith, earning his name in the top five Companions in terms of the quantity of hadith narrated.
Jabir narrated this story in the first person: He said, "We were coming back from the Ghazwa of Dhat al-Riqa, and my camel was the oldest and the weakest camel, so I was straggling behind the entire army. And I was in a very sad mood because my father had just died at Uhud and he had left a big loan; and I had seven sisters (no brothers, and I am the oldest). All of my worry and grief were piling on me. And then I heard a voice who said, 'Who is that in the back?' I looked up to see who the voice belonged to, and it was the Prophet PBUH. So I answered, 'This is Jabir, ya Rasulullah.' The Prophet PBUH said, 'Why do I see you so depressed?'" — And Jabir explained that his father has just died, he has seven sisters, etc., and that the only possession he has is the old camel he is riding. The Prophet PBUH asked him, "Are you married?" Jabir said, "Yes. I got married." (Jabir was 16-17 years old at the time.) The Prophet PBUH asked, "To whom? Did you marry a virgin or a widow? (Or in one version, it's said he asked: a young girl or an older girl?)" Jabir said an older girl, a widowed lady. (The Prophet PBUH is having a conversation with him that every young man would understand — he is trying to cheer him up.) The Prophet PBUH said, "Why didn't you marry a young girl? You will play with her and she will play with you; and you will make her laugh and she will make you laugh." He said, "Ya Rasulullah, I wanted to marry someone who would take care of my sisters and not add one to their number." The Prophet PBUH said, "You have done right." This shows that marrying a young or old or virgin or widow depends on individual circumstances. In Jabir's case, marrying an older woman proved advantageous, as she could assist in caring for his sisters — a decision endorsed by the Prophet PBUH.
The Prophet PBUH then told Jabir to stop his camel, so he stopped and dismounted his camel. And the Prophet PBUH also stopped his own camel. (Notice all of the people are ahead now and the Prophet PBUH is having a one-on-one conversation with Jabir who at the time was just a teenage kid.) Then he PBUH rides the camel of Jabir, says 'Bismillah!', and he hits the camel the way you would hit camels, and —Jabir narrates—: "It became the fastest camel I had ever seen — it raced in front of me as the fastest camel ever! And I caught up with the Prophet PBUH!"—Jabir is getting happy now. But guess what? When he catches up with the Prophet PBUH, the Prophet PBUH says to him, "Sell it (i.e., this camel) to me." The young man, out of care for his sisters, he said, "No." The Prophet PBUH said again, "Sell it to me!" When Jabir saw the Prophet PBUH really wanted it, he said, "It's for you (i.e., you can take it as a gift from me, ya Rasulullah)." The Prophet PBUH said, "No, sell it to me." Jabir said, "How much will you give?" The Prophet PBUH said, "A dirham," which is nothing for a camel (in our time, it's like 5 bucks for a car). Jabir said, "No!" — and then he said, "How much?" The Prophet PBUH still joked, "Two dirhams." And Jabir kept on increasing the price until finally, it got to a 'reasonable' 40 dirhams. An okay price. Then Jabir said to the Prophet PBUH, "But let me ride this camel back to Madinah first, and then I will sell it to you."
Jabir narrated this story in the first person: He said, "We were coming back from the Ghazwa of Dhat al-Riqa, and my camel was the oldest and the weakest camel, so I was straggling behind the entire army. And I was in a very sad mood because my father had just died at Uhud and he had left a big loan; and I had seven sisters (no brothers, and I am the oldest). All of my worry and grief were piling on me. And then I heard a voice who said, 'Who is that in the back?' I looked up to see who the voice belonged to, and it was the Prophet PBUH. So I answered, 'This is Jabir, ya Rasulullah.' The Prophet PBUH said, 'Why do I see you so depressed?'" — And Jabir explained that his father has just died, he has seven sisters, etc., and that the only possession he has is the old camel he is riding. The Prophet PBUH asked him, "Are you married?" Jabir said, "Yes. I got married." (Jabir was 16-17 years old at the time.) The Prophet PBUH asked, "To whom? Did you marry a virgin or a widow? (Or in one version, it's said he asked: a young girl or an older girl?)" Jabir said an older girl, a widowed lady. (The Prophet PBUH is having a conversation with him that every young man would understand — he is trying to cheer him up.) The Prophet PBUH said, "Why didn't you marry a young girl? You will play with her and she will play with you; and you will make her laugh and she will make you laugh." He said, "Ya Rasulullah, I wanted to marry someone who would take care of my sisters and not add one to their number." The Prophet PBUH said, "You have done right." This shows that marrying a young or old or virgin or widow depends on individual circumstances. In Jabir's case, marrying an older woman proved advantageous, as she could assist in caring for his sisters — a decision endorsed by the Prophet PBUH.
The Prophet PBUH then told Jabir to stop his camel, so he stopped and dismounted his camel. And the Prophet PBUH also stopped his own camel. (Notice all of the people are ahead now and the Prophet PBUH is having a one-on-one conversation with Jabir who at the time was just a teenage kid.) Then he PBUH rides the camel of Jabir, says 'Bismillah!', and he hits the camel the way you would hit camels, and —Jabir narrates—: "It became the fastest camel I had ever seen — it raced in front of me as the fastest camel ever! And I caught up with the Prophet PBUH!"—Jabir is getting happy now. But guess what? When he catches up with the Prophet PBUH, the Prophet PBUH says to him, "Sell it (i.e., this camel) to me." The young man, out of care for his sisters, he said, "No." The Prophet PBUH said again, "Sell it to me!" When Jabir saw the Prophet PBUH really wanted it, he said, "It's for you (i.e., you can take it as a gift from me, ya Rasulullah)." The Prophet PBUH said, "No, sell it to me." Jabir said, "How much will you give?" The Prophet PBUH said, "A dirham," which is nothing for a camel (in our time, it's like 5 bucks for a car). Jabir said, "No!" — and then he said, "How much?" The Prophet PBUH still joked, "Two dirhams." And Jabir kept on increasing the price until finally, it got to a 'reasonable' 40 dirhams. An okay price. Then Jabir said to the Prophet PBUH, "But let me ride this camel back to Madinah first, and then I will sell it to you."
And subhan'Allah, when the camel becomes fast, Jabir is now at the front of the army eager to get home. At this, the Prophet PBUH advised, "Don't just barge into your family in the middle of the night; let the crier announce to the city of our return, and let the family be aware that you are coming, so that she can clean, comb, and shave herself and be ready for you." (The Prophet PBUH is encouraging spouses to have intimacy and dress up for each other. He even said, "So that she can shave herself" — and the only reason for that is obvious. This shows us the frankness of the Prophet PBUH. Jabir doesn't have a father or an older brother, so the Prophet PBUH becomes like a father to Jabir telling him these things that nobody else will tell him.)
The next morning, Jabir comes to the Prophet's PBUH Masjid. The Prophet PBUH asked, "Have you prayed two rak'at?" Jabir said, "No," and so he prayed. Then the Prophet PBUH said to Bilal RA, "O Bilal, weigh the 40 uqiyas, and give him some extra." So Jabir sold the camel, and then walked away. But then, the Prophet PBUH called him back, "O Jabir, come back," and he asked, "Where are you going?" Jabir: "Home." The Prophet PBUH: "You forgot your camel is here." Jabir: "Ya Rasulullah, I sold it to you." The Prophet PBUH: "O Jabir, did you think I will cheat you out of your camel? Take the money and take your camel!" Subhan'Allah. This whole ploy was just to give Jabir money in a way that Jabir doesn't feel it is a sadaqa.
And there are so many benefits we can derive from this hadith of Jabir; of them:
1. It shows us the care the Prophet PBUH had. He looked at every single person, so much so a 17-year-old kid at the back of the army — he had a conversation with him and cheered him up.
2. The Prophet PBUH encouraged spouses to be intimate with each other.
3. This hadith is always mentioned in the fiqh of selling and buying because there are so many benefits you can derive. Most importantly: (i) The fact that you can bargain —bring the price up and down— and (ii) you are allowed to say "no" even to someone who is older and senior to you. And (iii) you are allowed to put conditions to the contract — Jabir said, "Let me ride it back to Madinah first, then you can take it."
[Transcribed by Br. Safwan Khan & Faizan]
safwan-khan@hotmail.com
[Revised by Br. Syed Haq & MAR, March 2021]
safwan-khan@hotmail.com
[Revised by Br. Syed Haq & MAR, March 2021]
