CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE APOSTATES
No sooner had Usamah Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, achieved victory in his expedition to the Levant and returned to Madeenah than Abu Bakr As-Sideeq, may Allah be pleased with him, made a plan to put an end to apostasy from Islam in all corners of the Arab Peninsula, after defeating the Zakaah withholders who tried to attack Madeenah.
To achieve this Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, made use of two ways: the peaceful way and the warring one. With regard to the peaceful way, he called upon the apostates to re-embrace Islam after they had bolted away from its fold and to give up their hostile activities. He sent envoys to all apostates and to draw their attention to the message the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, conveyed to the people, and to call upon them to return to Islam. The message read: “I am sending you a Muslim force consisting of the Muhqjreen and the Ansaarand Tabi ‘een. I have ordered them not to launch any attack against you till they first call you to return to Allah; he who repents, responds to the call, give up hostile activities against Islam, and do good deeds will be forgiven and granted amnesty. And he who refuses to return to Islam, and persists in hostility will be given no quarter; force will be used against him, he will be put to sword, slaughtered, or burnt to death. Their women and children will be taken captive. Nothing short of allegiance to Islam will be accepted. He who seeks refuge in Islam, such faith will stand him in good stead. But he who persists in his apostasy will never be able to humble Allah. I have ordered my envoys to read this message of mine in public gatherings. Calling the Adhcui (prayer call) will be regarded as an indication of the acceptance of Islam. If there is no Adhan this will be taken to mean that the tribe persists in its apostasy.”
As for the warring way, Abu Bakr formed the Muslim forces into eleven corps each under its own commander. Each commander was given a Hag and assigned an objective. The commanders were further authorized to recruit other soldiers on the way in their march to fulfil their objectives. The first corps were placed under the command of Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed. may Allah be pleased with him. They required to take action against Tulayhah of the Banu Asad tribe. Thereafter, they were to proceed against the Bani Tameems. The second corps under ‘Ikrama Ibn Abi Jahl, may Allah be pleased with him, were required to take action against the false Prophet Musaylmah of the Banu Haneefah tribe, but it was required not to engage the enemy till they received further reinforcement. The third corps under ‘ Amr Ibn Al-‘ Aas were required to take action against the tribes of Quzaa’ah, Wadee’ah and Harith in the areas of Gaza, and Doomat Al-Jandal near the borders of Syria. The fourth corps under Sharahbeel Ibn Hasanah, may Allah be pleased with him, was required to follow ‘ Ikramah and await further instructions. The fifth corps under Khalid Ibn Sa’ecd was required to operate on the Syrian border in the Hamqatan region. The sixth corps under Turayfah Ibn Haajiz were required to take action against the apostate tribes of Hawazin and Banu Sulaym in the region east of Makkah and Madeenah. The seventh corps under AL-‘Alaa’ Ibn Hadramyy were commissioned to operate against the tribes in Bahrain. The eighth corps under ‘ Agrafah Ibn Harsama were required to take action aeainst the tribes in the coastal area of lower Yemen. The ninth corps under Hudhayfah Ibn Muhsan were required to take action against the apostates in Oman. The tenth corps under Muhajir Ibn Ahi Umayyah were required to operate in Upper Yemen and Hadramaut. The eleventh corps under Suwayd Ibn Maqran were required to operate in the coastal areas north of Yemen.
As the various corps left to fulfil their objectives, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, instructed the commanders to fear and he conscious of Almighty Allah. They were to exert themselves to the utmost in Allah’s Cause, and to allow no sloth to retard their efforts. They were commanded that if any tribe responded with the Adhan it was not to be molested or attacked. Those who did not make such a response were to be dealt with by fire and sword. All apostates guilty of murdering Muslims were to be killed. Those who were guilty of burning Muslims alive were to be likewise burnt alive. Abu Bakr insisted that the only options for the apostate tribes were unconditional surrender or war until total destruction. The commanders were enjoined not to dishonor the vow they pledged. They were also forbidden to depart from the targets assigned to them, with out further instructions.
(Source: Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.)
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