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THE
MILITARY DIMENSION OF
MUHAMMAD’S
PROPHETHOOD
Islam
is the religion chosen by God for humanity’s individual and
collective welfare in this world and the next. It is based on
belief in and worship of God, without associating with Him any
partners, whether in the form of something created, a person,
or a concept. True belief and worship requires a deep concern
for all animate and inanimate things. The deeper their belief
in and submission to God is, the deeper is their concern for
all creatures. Belief in God’s Unity prevents humanity from
enjoying and exercising absolute freedom in dealing with
creatures.
Islam
is derived from the Arabic root s-l-m, which means
salvation, peace, and submission. In its religious context, it
is the expression of God’s Grace flowing in the universe’s
arteries, the Divine system to which all creatures-except
humanity-have submitted willingly. The universe displays
perfect order, for everything therein is Muslim, in the
sense that it submits to God’s laws. Even people who reject
belief in God or worship that which is not God are Muslims, as
far as their bodily existence is concerned. While we journey
between being an embryo and a corpse, every bodily tissue and
every limb follows the course prescribed for them by God’s
law.
The
fundamental Islamic principle of Tawhid implies that
humanity necessarily must be in harmony with the surrounding
world. The vast Muslim universe displays a coherence
and harmony of which our world is a part. Although our world
is subject to laws special to itself and to the general “laws
of nature,” it is also in harmony with other laws governing
surrounding phenomena. Human beings, unlike other creatures
who tread “the path of nature,” have free will. We bear
the gift of freedom and the obligation to harmonize our life
with nature. This harmony is also the path of our exaltation
and progress, the path upon which God created human nature: Set
your face to the religion, a man of pure faith-God’s
original nature in which He originated humanity. There is no
changing God’s creation. That is the right religion, but
most of humanity know it not (30:30).
To
harmonize our lives with nature, we first should realize our
personal integrity. To do this, we must apply our free will to
our energies (e.g., desires, thoughts, and actions) to keep
them within the limits established by God. If we do not
recognize such limits, we might usurp other’s property, seek
illicit sexual relations, and indulge in other sins. If we do
not recognize such limits with respect to our intellect, we
may use it to deceive others. Our powers must be held in
check, our intellect used with wisdom, and our desire and
anger restrained by lawful behavior and moderation. In
addition, we should remember that we are social beings; if we
do not restrain ourselves as God demands, wrongdoing,
injustice, exploitation, disorder, and revolution will occur
in society.
God
does not approve wrongdoing and disorder. Rather, it is His
Will that we live in peace and justice. Therefore, those who
believe in God and worship Him faithfully are obliged to work
for justice in this world. Islam calls this responsibility jihad.
JIHAD
Jihad
has the literal meaning of exerting our best and greatest
effort to achieve something. It is not the equivalent of war,
for which the Arabic word is qital. Jihad has a much
wider connotation and embraces every kind of striving in God’s
cause. A mujahid is one who is sincerely devoted to his
or her cause; who uses all physical, intellectual, and
spiritual resources to serve it; who confront any power that
stands in its way; and, when necessary, dies for this cause.
Jihad in the way of God is our struggle to win God’s good
pleasure, to establish His religion’s supremacy, and to make
His Word prevail.
A
related principle, that of enjoining good and forbidding evil
(amr bi al-ma‘ruf wa nahy an al-munkar) seeks to
convey the message of Islam and establish a model Islamic
community. The Qur’an introduces the Islamic community as a
model community required to inform humanity of Islam and of
how the Prophet lived it: Thus We have made you a community
justly balanced, that you might be witnesses for all humanity,
and the Messenger may be a witness for you (2:143).
The
greater and lesser jihad
There
are two aspects of jihad. One is fighting to overcome carnal
desires and evil inclinations; this is called the greater
jihad; the other is encouraging others to achieve the same
objective and is called the lesser jihad.
The
Muslim army was returning to Madina after they had defeated
the enemy in a battle, when the Messenger of God said to them;
We are returning from the lesser jihad to the greater one. When
the Companions asked what the “greater jihad” was, he
explained that it was fighting with the carnal self.1
The
aim of either jihad, the greater or the lesser, is that the
believer be purified of sins and so attain true humanity. The
prophets were sent for this purpose. God says in the Qur’an:
Thus
We have sent unto you a Messenger from among you, who
recites unto you Our revelations (and makes Our signs
known to you), and who purifies you and instructs you in
the Book and in the Wisdom, and also instructs you in
what you don’t know. (2:151)
Human
beings are in some sense like raw minerals to be worked upon
by the Prophets who purify and refine them by removing the
seal from their hearts and ears, and by lifting the veils from
their eyes. Enlightened by the message of the Prophets, people
are enabled to understand the meaning of the laws of nature,
which are signs of the existence and Unity of God, and to
penetrate into the subtle reality behind things and events.
Only through the guidance of the Prophets can mankind attain
the high status expected of them by God.
In
addition to teaching the signs, the Prophets also instructed
men in the Book and in Wisdom. As the Qur’an was the last
Revelation to the Last Prophet, upon him be peace and
blessings, God means the Qur’an when He speaks of the Book,
and the Sunna when He speaks of Wisdom. We must therefore
follow the Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad, if
we desire to be rightly guided.
The
Prophet also teaches us what we do not know and humanity will
continue to learn from the Prophet until the Day of Judgment.
We learn from him how to purify ourselves of sins. By
following his way, many great saints have attained their
distinctions as saints. Among them ‘Ali says that his belief
in the pillars of Islam is so firm that even if the veil of
the Unseen were lifted, his certainty would not increase.2
‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani is said to have had insight into the
mysteries of the seventh heaven. These and many others, such
as Fudayl bin ‘Iyaz, Ibrahim bin Adham and Bishr al-Khafi
might well have been endowed with Prophethood, if God had not
already set a seal on Prophethood.
The
dark clouds of ignorance have been removed from human
intellectual horizon through the guidance of the Prophet
Muhammad, and many more advances will be made in science and
technology as a result of the light he brought from God.
Jihad
is the legacy of the Prophets, and Prophethood is the mission
of elevating men to God’s favor by purifying them. Jihad is
the name given to this prophetic mission, which has the same
meaning as bearing witness to the truth. Just as judges listen
to witnesses to settle a case in a court of law, so those who
have performed jihad have borne witness to the existence and
Unity of God by striving in His way. The Qur’an says: God
bears witness that there is no god but He and so do the angels
and the people of learning, maintaining justice. There is no
god save He, the All-Mighty, the Wise (3.18). Those who
have performed jihad will also bear witness to the same truth
in the heavenly court where the case of unbelievers will be
settled.
Those
who bear witness to the existence and Unity of God should
travel far and wide into the remotest parts of the world and
preach this truth. This was the duty of the Prophets as stated
in the Qur’an, and it should be our duty as well:
...Messengers
who brought good news to mankind and who admonished
them, so that they might have no argument against God
after their coming. God is the All-Mighty and the
All-Wise. God Himself bears witness by what He has
revealed to you that it has been revealed with His
knowledge; and so do the angels. There is no better
witness than God. (4.165-6)
There
has been no people to whom God did not send a Prophet, so that
every people has some notion of Prophethood. As the term used
to describe the activity of Prophethood, jihad is
deeply engraved on the heart of every believer so that he or
she feels a profound responsibility for preaching the truth in
order to guide others to the Straight Path.
The
lesser jihad, which has usually been taken to mean fighting
for God’s cause, does not refer only to the form of striving
done on battlefields. The term is comprehensive. It includes
every action done for God’s sake. Whether speaking or
keeping silent, smiling or making a sour face, joining a
meeting or leaving it, every action taken to ameliorate the
lot of humanity, whether by individuals or communities, is
included in the meaning of the lesser jihad.
While
the lesser jihad depends on the mobilization of all the
material facilities and is performed in the outer world, the
greater jihad means a person’s fighting against his or her
carnal soul. These two forms of jihad cannot be separated from
each other.
The
Messenger of God has taught us how to perform both forms of
the jihad. He has established the principles of preaching the
truth, which have application until the Day of Judgment. When
we scrutinize the way he acted, we shall see that he was very
systematic. This is actually another proof of his Prophethood
and a wonderful example of following the way of God in
behavior.
The
believers kept their belief vigorous and active by means of
jihad. Just as a tree keeps its leaves as long as it yields
fruits so a believer can preserve vigor as long as he performs
jihad. Whenever you encounter a hopeless pessimist you soon
realize that he or she is one who has abandoned jihad. Such
people have been deprived of the spirit, and are sunk in
pessimism because they have abandoned preaching the truth.
Whoever performs jihad unceasingly never loses his or her
enthusiasm and always tries to increase the scope of his or
her activities. Every good deed results in a new one, so that
believers never become deprived of a good: As for those who
strive for us We surely guide them to our path. God is with
the good (29.69).
There
are as many paths leading to the Straight Path as the number
of breaths drawn in the creation, mankind included. Whoever
strives for His cause, God guides him to one of these paths
and saves him or her from going astray. Whoever is guided to
His Straight Path by God lives a balanced life, exceeding the
limits neither in his or her human needs and activities nor in
his/her worship and other religious observances. Such balance
is the sign of “true guidance.”
However
great the sacrifices made in fighting with the oppressive
unbelievers, they nevertheless all constitute the lesser
jihad. It is striving to discharge religious obligations as
perfectly as possible. As for the greater jihad, it is really
much more difficult to accomplish since it requires us to
fight against all our own destructive drives and impulses such
as arrogance, vindictiveness, jealousy, selfishness,
self-conceit, and the carnal desires.
Although
the person who abandons the lesser jihad is liable to
spiritual deterioration, he or she may recover. Everything in
the universe praises and glorifies God with its every breath
and is, accordingly, a sign of the existence and Unity of God:
a person may be guided to the Straight Path through one of
these signs. For this reason, it is said that there are as
many paths leading to the Straight Path of God as the breaths
of all His creatures. A person returning from the lesser jihad
is vulnerable to worldly weaknesses. Pride, love of comfort
and ease may captivate that person. These are some of the
perils awaiting one who has returned from the lesser jihad. It
is for this reason that the Prophet warned us through his
Companions: returning to Madina after a victory, he said: We
are returning from the lesser jihad to the greater.
The
Companions of the Prophet, upon him be peace, were fearless on
the battlefields on the one hand, and as sincere and humble as
dervishes in worshipping God on the other. Those
victorious warriors used to spend most of their nights in
prayer to God. Once, when night fell during battle, two of
them had to take turns in standing guard. One took his rest
while the other began to pray to God. Having become aware of
the situation, the enemy shot a shower of arrows at him. He
was hit and bled profusely but did not abandon his prayer.
When he finished his devotions, he woke his friend, who asked
him in amazement why he had not woken him sooner. His reply
was: “I was reciting the sura al-Kahf, so I
did not wish the deep pleasure I found in this prayer to be
interrupted.”3
The
Companions went into a trance-like state of ecstasy when in
prayer, and would recite the Qur’an as if it were being
revealed directly to them, so they did not even feel the pain
caused by arrows which penetrated their bodies. Jihad,
in its lesser and greater aspects, found complete expression
in them.
The
Prophet, upon him be peace, combined these two aspects of jihad
in the most perfect way in his own person. He displayed
monumental courage on the battlefields. ‘Ali, who was one of
the most courageous figures of Islam, confesses that the
Companions took shelter behind the Prophet, upon him be peace,
at the most critical moments of the fighting. To give an
example, when the Muslim army experienced a reverse and began
to scatter in the first phase of the Battle of Hunayn, he
urged his horse towards the enemy lines and shouted to call
back his soldiers who were retreating: I am a Prophet, I do
not lie; I am the grandson of ‘Abd al Muttalib, I do not
lie.4
Jihad’s
stages and main principles
The
first Revelation to God’s Messenger was the command: Read!
This command, coming at a time when there was nothing readily
available to read, meant that believers should use their
intellectual and spiritual faculties to discern God’s acts
in the universe and His laws related to its creation and
operation. Through such discernment, believers seek to purify
themselves and their minds of all ignorance-based
superstitions and to acquire true knowledge through
observation and contemplation.
Human
beings are not composed only of their minds. God has endowed
us with many faculties, each of which needs satisfaction. So
while feeding our minds with the Divine “signs” in the
universe, we seek to cleanse our hearts of sin. We live a
balanced life in awareness of Divine supervision, and
continuously seek His forgiveness. In this way, we eventually
conquer our desire for forbidden things and, through prayer,
ask God to enable us to do good deeds.
Thus,
read! signifies action. For God’s Messenger, who
already was absolutely pure in spirit and devoid of
superstition, it meant that it was time to start his mission
as a Messenger of God. He was to recite the Revelation in
public and instruct people about His signs. By doing this, he
would purify their minds of superstitions carried over from
the Age of Ignorance, and their hearts of sin. He would
enlighten them, intellectually and spiritually, by instructing
them in the “Revealed Book of God” (the Qur’an) and His
“Created Book” (the universe): We have sent among you,
of yourselves, a Messenger who recites Our signs to you,
purifies you, and instructs you in the Book and in the Wisdom,
and also instructs you in what you don’t know (2:151).
After
he received this first revelation, God’s Messenger returned
home in great agitation. He was sleeping wrapped in a cloak,
“enwrapped” by his people’s suffering and this heavy
responsibility, when God commanded him: O enwrapped one,
keep vigil the night long, save a little (a half of it, or
diminish or add a little), and chant the Qur’an in measure,
for We shall charge you with a weighty word (73:1-5).
The
short period between the first revelation and the spreading of
the Message, a period marked by such verses as those mentioned
above, was a preliminary stage for God’s Messenger. He had
to prepare himself to convey the Qur’an by keeping long
night vigils and reciting the Qur’an in measure. As is
known, night vigils are times when impression is more keen and
recitation more penetrating.
In
addition to conveying the Message, jihad, as discussed above,
entails the believers’ struggles with their carnal selves to
build a genuine spiritual character, one overflowing with
belief and inflamed with love. These two dimensions of jihad
continue until the believer dies (the individual sphere) and
until the Last Day (the collective sphere). Therefore, soon
after this verse was revealed, God’s Messenger received the
following revelation: O enshrouded one, arise and warn!
Magnify your Lord, purify your robes, and flee defilement! Do
not show favor, seeking worldly gain! For the sake of your
Lord, be patient! (74:1-7).
These
revelations ordered the Prophet to begin preaching Islam. He
started with his family members and nearest relatives and,
after Warn your tribe of nearest kindred (26:214) was
revealed, spread this call throughout his tribe. His
subsequent public preaching was met with derision, threats,
torture, enticing bribes if he would stop, and boycott.
In
Makka, God’s Messenger never resorted to or allowed
retaliation. Islam came not to spread trouble or cause
dissention, but, in the words of Amir ibn Rabi‘, to bring
people out of the darkness of unbelief into the light of
belief, to free them from serving that which is not God so
that they can serve the One True God, and to elevate them from
the pits of the Earth to the heights of Heaven.5
As
Islam literally means peace, salvation, and submission, it
obviously came to establish peace. This is established first
in our inner worlds, so that we are at peace with God and
natural environment, and then throughout the world and the
universe. Peace and order are fundamental in Islam, for it
seeks to spread in a peaceful personal and collective
atmosphere. It refrains from resorting to force as much as
possible, never approves of injustice, and forbids bloodshed: Whoever
kills someone, other than in retaliation for murder or
corruption on the Earth, in effect has killed humanity;
whoever saves a life in effect has saved humanity (5:32).
Coming
to eradicate injustice and corruption, and to “unite” the
Earth with the Heavens in peace and harmony, Islam calls
people with wisdom and fair exhortation. It does not resort to
force until the defenders of their corrupt order rooted in
injustice, oppression, self-interest, exploitation, and
usurpation of others’ rights seek to prevent its preaching
in peaceful ways and suppress it. Thus, force is allowed in
the following cases:
If
unbelievers, polytheists, or those who cause trouble and
corruption actively resist the preaching of Islam and
prevent others from listening to its message. As Islam
is a Divine religion seeking to secure human well-being
and happiness in both worlds, it has the right to
present itself. If this is not allowed, theoretically,
its opponents are given three alternatives: accept
Islam, allow its preaching in peaceful ways, or admit
its rule. If they reject these alternatives, force is
allowed.
However,
with respect to using force there is an important point
to mention. In order to use force, there must be an
Islamic state. It was allowed only after the Prophet
emigrated to Madina and established an independent
state, for the Muslims had been wronged (22:39). The
verses revealed to give this permission explain the
Islamic view of just war:
(Fighting
is) permitted to those who are fought against, because
they have been wronged. God is able to give them
victory. Those who have been driven from their homes
unjustly only because they said: “Our Lord is God.”
For had it not been for God’s repelling some people by
means of others, cloisters and churches and synagogues
and mosques, wherein the Name of God is much mentioned,
would have been pulled down. God helps one who helps Him
[His religion]. God is All-Strong, All-Mighty. Those
who, if We give them power in the land, establish
worship and pay zakat and enjoin the good and forbid the
evil. And God’s is the sequel of events. (22:39-41)
It
is clear from these verses, and from history, that Islam
resorts to force only to defend itself and establish freedom
of belief. Under Muslim rule, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians,
Hindus, and adherents of other religions are free to practice
their religion. Even many Western historians and writers have
agreed that Christians and Jews experienced the most
prosperous and happiest period of their history under Muslim
rule.
Islam,
being the true religion revealed by God, never approves
of injustice. As declared in Surely We have written
(decreed) in the Psalms after the Torah (and remind once
more in the Qur’an) that My righteous servants will
inherit the earth. (21:105), God’s righteous
servants must submit the Earth to God’s rule, which
depends on absolute justice and worship of the One God.
They also are obliged to strive until persecution, as
well as any worship of and obedience to false deities
and unjust tyrants, is ended. Thus Muslims are to fight
for the feeble and oppressed: How should you not
fight for the cause of God and of the feeble and
oppressed men and women and children, who cry: “Our
Lord! Bring us out of this town whose people are
oppressors! Give us from Your presence some protecting
friend! Give us from Your presence some defender!”
(4:75).
Some
rules
As
believers cannot transgress God’s limits, they must observe
His rules related to fighting. Some are deduced direct from
the Qur’an and the Sunna (practice of Prophet Muhammad) and
are as follows:
A
believer is one from whom God has bought his or her
life and wealth in exchange for Paradise (9:111).
They are dedicated solely to His cause and seek only His
good pleasure. Therefore, whoever fights for other
causes (e.g., fame, wealth, racial or ideological
considerations) is excluded from God’s good pleasure.
Fight
in the way of God against those who fight you, but do
not transgress. God does not love transgressors
(2:190). Believers are told not to fight neutral
parties, and to reject unscrupulous methods or
indiscriminate killing and pillage, which characterize
all wars waged by non-Muslims. The excesses alluded to
consist of, but are not limited to, fighting women and
children, the old and the injured, mutilating enemy
corpses, destroying fields and livestock, and other acts
of injustice and brutality. Force is to be used by
Muslims only when unavoidable, and only to
the extent absolutely necessary.
When
fighting cannot be avoided, the Qur’an tells believers
not to avoid it. Rather, they must prepare themselves,
both morally and spiritually, and take precautions.
These are:
Strive
for that spiritual stage when 20 Muslims can overcome
200 of the enemy: O Prophet! Exhort the believers to
fight. Twenty steadfast men shall overcome 200; 100
hundred steadfast men shall overcome 1,000 unbelievers,
because unbelievers have no understanding or sound
judgment (8:65), and when those who will meet their
Lord exclaim: How often a small company has overcome
a mighty host by God’s leave! God is with the
steadfast (2:249).
To
attain such a rank, Muslims must have an unshakable
belief and trust in God and avoid all sins as much as
possible. Belief and piety or righteousness are two
unbreakable weapons, two sources of inexhaustible power:
Don’t faint or grieve, for you shall gain the upper
hand if you are true believers (3:139), and The
sequel is for the righteous people (7:128).
In
addition to moral strength, believers must equip
themselves with the latest weaponry. Force is vital to
obtaining the desired result, so believers cannot ignore
it. Rather, they must be further advanced in science and
technology than unbelievers so that the latter cannot
use their superiority for their own selfish benefit. As
Islam states that “right is might,” believers must
be able to prevent unbelievers and oppressors from
showing that “might makes right”: Make ready for
them all you can of armed force and tethered horses,
that thereby you may dismay the enemy of God and your
enemy, and others beside them whom you don’t know; God
knows them. Whatever you spend in the way of God will be
repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged
(8:60).
An
Islamic state should be powerful enough to deter the attacks
of unbelievers and oppressors, as well as their plans to
subject weaker people. It should be able to secure peace and
justice, and to prevent any other power from causing trouble
or corruption. This will be possible when Muslims equip
themselves with strong belief and righteousness, and with
scientific knowledge and the latest technology. They must
combine science and technology with faith and good morals, and
then use this force for the good of humanity. Belief in God
calls for serving people. Greater belief means a greater
concern for the created’s welfare. When Muslims attain this
rank, God will not allow unbelievers to defeat believers
(4:141). Otherwise, what the Prophet predicted will happen:
“(The forces of unbelief) will unite to make a concerted
attack upon you. They will snatch the morsel out of your
mouths and pillage your table.”6
When
fighting is necessary, Muslims must report for duty, for:
O
you who believe! What ails you that when you are told:
“Go forth in the way of God,” you sink down heavily
to the ground? Are you so content with the life of the
world, rather than the world to come? Yet the enjoyment
of the life of the world, compared with the world to
come, is a little thing. If you don’t go forth, He
will afflict you with a painful doom. He will replace
you with another people; and you will not hurt Him. God
is powerful over everything. (9:38-39)
God
loves those who battle for His cause in ranks, as if
they were a solid structure. (61:4)
O
you who believe! Shall I show you something that will
save you from a painful doom? You should believe in God
and His Messenger, and strive for the cause of God with
your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if
you only knew. He will forgive your sins and admit you
into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and to
dwelling places goodly in Gardens of Eden. That is the
mighty triumph; and other things you love, help from
God, and a nigh victory. Give good tidings to believers.
(61:10-3)
A
community is structured and functions like a body, for it
demands a “head” having “intellect.” Therefore,
obedience to the head is vital for communal prosperity. When
God’s Messenger was raised in Arabia, people resembled a
broken rosary’s scattered beads and were unaware of the need
for obedience and the benefits of collective life. God’s
Messenger inculcated in them the feeling of obedience to God,
His Messenger, and their superiors, and used Islam as an
unbreakable rope to unite them:
O
you who believe! Obey God, the Messenger, and those of
you who are in authority. If you have a dispute
concerning anything, refer it to God and the Messenger
if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better
and more seemly in the end. (4:59)
O
you who believe! When you meet an army, hold firm and
remember and mention God much, so that you may be
successful. Obey God and His Messenger, and don’t
dispute with each other lest you falter and your
strength departs ??). Be steadfast, and God is with the
steadfast. (8:45-6)
The
Companions’ resulting consciousness of obedience made many
previously impossible things possible. For example, when he
appointed the 18-year-old son of his emancipated (black) slave
as commander of an army containing many elders, among them Abu
Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, no Companion objected.7
In another case, during a military expedition the commander
ordered his soldiers to throw themselves into a fire. Even
though this was not an Islamic order, some tried to obey it.
However, others prevented them from committing suicide and
persuaded them to ask God’s Messenger whether they had to
obey such un-Islamic orders.8 Although it is
unlawful to obey sinful orders, obedience to law is vitally
important to a community's collective life, particularly if it
wants to win a war.
Believers
must remain steadfast and are forbidden to flee the
battlefield: O you who believe! When you meet
unbelievers in battle, don’t turn your backs to them.
Whoever does so on that day, unless maneuvering for battle
or intending to join a company, has incurred God’s
wrath, and his habitation will be Hell-an evil homecoming!
(8:15-16)
Fleeing
the battlefield is one of the seven major sins, for it causes
disorder in the ranks and demoralizes the others. Their belief
in God and the Hereafter cannot be firm, for their actions
show they prefer this life to the Hereafter. Believers may
leave the battlefield only to maneuver, as a tactic, or to
join another company.
In
the Battle of Yarmuk (636 CE), 20,000 valiant Muslims
fought-and defeated-200,000 Byzantines.9 Qabbas ibn
Ashyam, one of the heroes, only realized that he had lost a
leg (around noon) when he dismounted from his horse hours
later. His grandson later introduced himself to Caliph ‘Umar
ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, saying: “O Caliph, I am the grandson
of the one who lost his leg at noon but became aware of it
only toward evening.”
During
the Battle of Mu’ta (629 CE), the Muslim army consisted of
3,000 soldiers; the opposing Byzantine forces had about
100,000 soldiers. The Muslims fought heroically, and both
armies retreated at the same time. Despite this, the Muslims
thought that they had fled the battlefield and so were ashamed
to meet God’s Messenger. However, he welcomed and consoled
them: “You didn’t flee; you retreated to join me. You will
collect strength and fight with them again.”10 It
happened just as he said, for just before his death the Muslim
army raided southern Syria; 2 years later, the Muslims dealt
the Byzantines a deadly blow at Yarmuk.
1.
Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, 1, 424.
2. Imam Rabbani, Ahmad Faruq al-Sarhandi, Maktubat, 1,
157).
3. Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3. 344; 359.
4. Bukhari, “Jihad,” 52, 61, 67.
5. The Muslim envoy to the Persian commander during the War of
Qadisiya. This took place in 637 CE, during the caliphate of
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.
6.
Abu Dawud, “Malahim,” 5; I. Hanbal, 5.278.
7. Muslim, “Fada’il al-Sahaba,” 63; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya,
6.336.
8. Muslim, “‘Imara,” 39; I. Ma’ja, “Jihad,” 40.
9. This battle took place in 636 CE, during the Caliphate of
Abu Bakr. (Tr.)
10. Abu Dawud, “Jihad,” 96; Tirmidhi, “Jihad,” 36; I.
Hanbal, 2.70, 86.
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