CHAPTER 54: HE FIRST MILITARY EXPEDITION WAS THE EXPEDITION OF AL-ABWA’ ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE BATTLE OF WADDAN
THE FIRST MILITARY EXPEDITION WAS THE EXPEDITION OF AL-ABWA’ ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE BATTLE OF WADDAN
Al-Bukhari related in the Book of Military Expedition that Ibn Ishaq said: The first battle ever fought by the Messenger of Allah was that of Al-Abwa’, then Buwat and then Al-Ushairah. It has also been narrated from Zaid Ibn Arqam that he was asked, “How many Ghazawat did the Prophet undertake?” Zaid replied, “Nineteen.” They said, “In how many Ghazawat did you join him?” He replied, “Seventeen.” I asked, “Which of these was the first?” He replied, “Al-Usairah or Al-Ushairah.”
It is also recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari from Buraidah who said: He participated in sixteen Ghazawat alongside Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Imam Muslim also related that he participated in sixteen battles. And in another narration it added that he participated in nineteen battles and fought directly in eighteen of them.
Hanbal Ibn Ishaq related that Az-Zuhri said that the first Verse to be revealed concerning fighting was:
“Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they (believers) have been wronged.” (Al-Hajj [22]:39) this was after the arrival of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. The first one of the battles which he personally witnessed was that of Badr which occurred on Jumu’ah of the 17th day of the month of Ramadan.
He also added that he (Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessing of Allah be upon him]) fought the battle of Uhud in Shawwal i.e. in the third year and then he fought the battle of Khandaq also in Shawwal of the fourth year (of Hijrah). He fought Banu Lihyan in Sha’ban the fifth year and then he fought in the battle of Khaybar in the sixth year and then the conquest (of Makkah) occurred in Sha’ban of the eight year. The Battle of Hunain occurred in the month of Ramadan of the same year. The Prophet fought the 11th battle but did not personally fight in it.
The first battle fought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was that of Al-Abwa’, then Al-‘Ushairah, then the battle of Ghatafan followed by the Battle of Banu Sulaim, then Ghazwah of Al-Abwa’ followed by the first Badr, then the battle of At-Ta’if. Thereafter he fought the battle of Hudaibiyah and then that of As-Safra’ followed by Tabook which was the last battle (he fought).
Then he mentioned military detachments that were sent out. This is how I have written it from the (book of) history of Al-Hafiz Ibn Asakir and it is extremely odd. The correct version is what we shall mention in their order shortly by the permission of Allah. This branch (of knowledge) is from those that is incumbent to be concerned with, to be revered and to be prepared to acquire as narrated by Muhammad Ibn Umar Al-Waqidi from Abdullah Ibn Umar Ibn Ali from his Father that he heard Ali Ibn Al-Husain saying: “We used to teach about the battles of the Prophet just as we used to teach the chapters of the Qur’an.”
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, Allah have mercy on him, said in Al-Maghazi: Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) girded his loins concerning what Allah has commanded him of Jihad against His enemies. From Allah’s command was the fighting against those who were close among the polytheists.
Then Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) marched forth to fight in the month of Safar exactly twelve months after his arrival at Madinah. Ibn Hisham added: And he appointed Sa’d Ibn Ubadah over Madinah in his stead.
Ibn Ishaq continued: The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) marched forth till he reached Waddan which is also known as the Battle of Al-Abwa’. Ibn Jareer said: “It is also known as the Battle of Waddan.” With the intention of fighting the Quraish and Banu Damrah Ibn Bakr Ibn Abd Manat Ibn Kinanah but they made peace agreement with him and the one who made that peace pact amongst them was Makhshi Ibn Amr Ad-Damri and he was their chief at the time. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) returned to Madinah and no fighting ensued. He remained in Madinah for the remainder of the month of Safar and the beginning of Rabee’ ul-Awwal. Ibn Hisham added: And that was the first battle ever fought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).
Ibn Ishaq related: In his stead, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) appointed Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Abd Manaf Ibn Qusayy to lead other sixty or eighty horsemen from the emigrants. There was no single Ansari among them. He marched forth until he reached the water of Hijaaz at the lower part of Thaniyyat Al-Marah. They confronted a great multitude of the Quraish but no serious fighting took place between them except that Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas was hit by an arrow that day. He was the first to be shot an arrow in the part of Allah in Al-Islam.
Ibn Ishaaq related: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) also appointed Hamzah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Hashim to in his stead to lead a military contingent comprising of thirty horsemen only from the emigrants and none of them was an Ansari to the seashore in the direction of Al-Aees. He met Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham at that sea coast ahead of three hundred riders from the people of Makkah. Majdi Ibn Amr Al-Juhani restrained and made peace between both parties and they went their different ways without a fight.
Ibn Ishaq also related: Some people say that the standard of Hamzah was the first war standard affixed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) for anyone among the Muslims and that his dispatch and that of Ubaidah occurred simultaneously and so it became seeming to the people (that Ubaidah was the first)
By Ibn Katheer
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