THE EXPEDITION OF SHUJA‘ IBN WAHB AL-ASADI TO A GROUP OF HAWAZIN TRIBE
The expedition of shuja‘ ibn wahb al-asadi to a group of hawazin tribe
Al-Waqidi, related on the authority of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Hakam who said, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent Shuja‘ Ibn Wahb with twenty-four men to raid a group of Hawazin. They proceeded, traveling by night and hiding by day till they got to them and carried out the raid. Meanwhile, he had counseled his companions not to go to extremes in pursuit (of the enemies). They captured a large number of herds of cattle and sheep which they herded back to Madinah. The portion given to each participant in the raid was fifteen camels. It is possible that this expedition is the same one mentioned in what was related by Ash-Shafi‘i from Malik from Nafi‘ on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent a raiding party in the direction of Najd. Among the raiding party was ‘Abdullah Ibin ‘Umar who said, “We gained a huge number of camels as war booty. The share of each one of us was twelve or eleven camels, and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, gave us an extra camel each.”
Expedition of Ka‘b Ibn ‘Umair Against Banu Quda‘ah of Sham
Al-Waqidi related: Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah narrated to us from AzZuhri that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent Ka‘b Ibn ‘Umair Al-Ghifari with fifteen men (and they traveled) till they reached Dhat Atlah in Sham where they found a group among their numerous groups. They invited them to Islam but they declined and shot a hail of arrows at the Muslims. When the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw this, they fought a grim battle against them till they were all martyred except for one, who was injured and awoke under the calm of the night and managed to return to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,. He was prepared to send against them a punitive force but was informed that the enemy had moved on to another location.
The Battle of Mu’tah
On the authority of ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent him to Mu’tah in Jumada al-Oola in the 8th year (of Hijrah). He appointed Zaid Ibn AlHarithah, may Allah be pleased with him, as their commander with the instructions: “If Zaid is killed, then Ja‘afar should assume the mantle of command over the people, and if Ja‘afar is also killed, then ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah should command the people.”
The people equipped themselves and in no time they were prepared to march forth. They numbered three thousand fighting men.
Ibn Ishaq related: When the time for their departure came, the people bade farewell to and greeted the commander of Allah’s Messenger. When ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, bid farewell among the others, he wept. When he was asked what made him weep, he said, “By Allah, I neither have an attachment to the world nor prefer remaining with you, rather, I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reciting a portion of the Book of Allah in which Hellfire was mentioned: “There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord; a Decree which must be accomplished.” (Surah Maryam 19:71) and I do not know what my fate will be when I come across it.” The Muslims supplicated, “May Allah accompany you, protect you and bring you back to us in righteousness.”
‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, said in a poem:
As for me, I ask Ar-Rahman for forgiveness,
And a wide cut spouting out blood,
Or a mortal piercing,
With a spear penetrating the intestines and the liver,
Such that whenever they come across my corpse, they would say:
Allah has guided him as a warrior and he was indeed guided.
Ibn Ishaq also related: They proceeded till they encamped at Ma‘an in Sham. Information reached the Muslim forces that Heraclius had also encamped at Balqa’ with 100,000 Roman soldiers and yet another 100,000 men joined them from Lakhm, Judham, Al-Qain, Bahra’ and Baliyy commanded by a man from Baliyy and another from Irashah named Malik bin Zafilah. In the narration of Yoonus from Ibn Ishaq (it says): Information got to them that Heraclius had encamped at Ma’ab with 100,000 Roman army and another 100,000 from the Arab tribes. It is also claimed that the Roman army was two hundred thousand while their opponents numbered 15,000 men. The least number that was reported is 100,000 Romans, and the Arabs numbered 50,000 men as narrated by Al Suhaili. When this information reached the Muslims, they remained in their camp at Ma‘an for two days ruminating over their situation. Some of them suggested: “We should write to inform the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, of the number of the enemy forces so that he may either send us reinforcements or give us his orders which we can execute.”
However, ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, emboldened the people saying, “O men, by Allah what you dislike is exactly what you have come out seeking – martyrdom. We neither fight with numbers nor with our power and multitude. We do not fight them except with this faith with which Allah The Almighty has ennobled us. So, proceed either of the two good outcomes shall be yours – victory or martyrdom.” Then the men responded, “By Allah, Ibn Rawahah has spoken well.”
Ibn Ishaq added: The Muslim army marched ahead till they reached Balqa’ where they met a combined force of the Romans and the Arab tribes at a village called Masharif. The enemies moved closer and the Muslims positioned themselves at a village called Mu’tah where the two forces eventually met. The Muslims positioned themselves [in preparation] for the enemy. The right flank was manned by a member of Banu Udhrah named Qutbah Ibn Qatadah while the left flank was commanded by an Ansari called Abayah Ibn Malik.
Ibn Ishaq also related: When the two armies clashed, Zaid, may Allah be pleased with him, fought gallantly with the banner of Allah’s Messenger until he was killed by a swarm of spears. Then Ja‘afar, may Allah be pleased with him, took over the banner and fought as well till the battle became grim; he was alighted from his horse, so he hamstrung it and resumed fighting till he was killed. Ja‘afar, may Allah be pleased with him, was the first Muslim ever to do this act in Islam.
When Ja‘afar, may Allah be pleased with him, was killed, ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, took over the banner and stepped forward upbraiding his soul and encouraging himself saying:
O soul, I have sworn that you will fight in the battle willingly,
Or you shall be coerced to fight,
When the people assembled and shouted the war cry,
Why do you not advance with them? Or do you hate to enter Paradise?
No doubt, you have remained at ease for so long,
Were you not a lowly drop of water in the womb?
He also said:
O soul, if you are not killed, still you will die,
And you will meet this bird of death,
What you wished for has been bestowed on you,
If you can do what your martyrs have done,
You will be guided.
Reciting these poems, he advanced and he fought strenuously till he was martyred. May Allah be pleased with him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had announced the death of Zaid, Ja‘afar and Ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with them, to the people before the news of their death reached them. He said with his eyes flowing with tears: “Zaid took the flag and was martyred; then Ja‘afar took the flag and was martyred, and then Ibn Rawahah took the flag and was martyred. Finally the flag was taken by one of Allah’s Swords (i.e. Khalid bin Al-Waleed) and Allah gave them (i.e. the Muslims) victory.”
Al-Bukhari related on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, that, “Allah’s Messenger appointed Zaid Ibn Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him, as the commander of the army during the Ghazwah of Mu’tah and said: “If Zaid is martyred, Ja‘afar should take over his position, and if Ja‘afar is martyred, ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah should take over his position’.” ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, further said, “I was present amongst them in that battle and we searched for Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib and found his body amongst the bodies of the martyred ones, and found over ninety wounds over his body, caused by stabs or shots (of arrows).” Al-Bukhari related it exclusively.
Al-Bukhari also related from Nafi‘ that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, informed him that he (on the day of Mu’tah) stood beside Ja‘afar, may Allah be pleased with him, who was dead (i.e. killed in the battle), and he counted fifty wounds on his body, caused by stabs or strokes, and none of those wounds was in his back. This Hadith is also exclusively related by Al-Bukhari. A reconciliation between this narration and the one before it is that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, came upon these numbers while others counted more than that or that this number of wounds on his front side were the ones he sustained before he was killed. However, when he fell dead, they (the enemies) struck him several times on his back. Thus, Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, counted the wounds sustained in his front while facing the enemy prior to his martyrdom, may Allah be pleased with him.
Al-Bukhari related on the authority of Qais Ibn Abi Hazim who said: I heard Khalid Ibn Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, saying, “On the day (of the battle of) Mu’tah, nine swords were broken in my hand and nothing was left in my hand except a small Yemeni sword.”
Ibn Ishaq related from Umm Ja‘afar Bint Muhammad Ibn Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Taalib on the authority of her grandmother, Asma’ Bint ‘Umais who narrated: “When Ja‘afar was killed, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, came to me while I had finished tanning, kneaded my flour, bathed, cleaned and embellished my children. He requested: “Bring me Ja‘afar’s children, I brought them to him. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his eyes. Apprehensive, I asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, why are you crying? Has any news reached you concerning Ja‘afar and his Companions?” ‘Yes,’ he replied. “They were killed today.” She added: “I got up and yelled and other women gathered round me and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, left for his house and said: “Don’t forget to prepare food for the family of Ja‘afar for there came upon them an incident which has engaged them.” This is how Imam Ahmad related it from the Hadith of Ibn Ishaq. Ibn Majah also related it through Muhammad Ibn Ishaq and from Ibn Abi Bakr from Umm ‘Eesa from Umm Awn Bint Muhammad Ibn Ja‘afar on the authority of Asma’ and he mentioned the matter along with the provision of food. The correct view is that she is Umm Ja‘afar and Umm Awn.
On the authority of Amrah who said: I heard ‘A’ishah saying, “When the news of the martyrdom of Ibn Harithah, Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib and ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawahah was delivered, Allah’s Messenger sat with sorrow explicit on his face.” ‘A’ishah added, “I was then peeping through a chink in the door. A man came to him and said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! The women of Ja‘afar are crying.’ Thereupon the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, told him to forbid them to do so. So the man went away and returned saying, ‘I forbade them but they did not listen to me.’ The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, ordered him again to go (and forbid them). He went again and came saying, ‘By Allah, they overpowered me (i.e. did not listen to me).’ ‘A’ishah said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said (to him), ‘Go and throw dust into their mouths.’ ‘A’ishah added, ‘I said, May Allah rub your nose in the dust! By Allah, neither have you done what you have been ordered, nor have you relieved Allah’s Messenger of trouble.’”
‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair related that when the returning army was close to entering Madinah, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, went to welcome them along with other Muslims. (The narrator added): The children also swarmed around the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, while he was accompanying the army back (into Madinah) on his animal. He said: “Take the children (let them ride with you) and give me Jafar’s son.” ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja‘afar was brought to him. He took him and placed him in his front (on the animal). (The narrator added): Meanwhile, the people were throwing dust at the returning army saying: “You deserters, you deserted (fighting in) the cause of Allah.” The Messenger Allah however said: “They are not deserters rather they are resumed by Allah’s wish.” This narration is mursal.
Imam Ahmad has related on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja‘far who said: Whenever Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, returned from a journey, he would be welcomed by the children of his household. He once returned from a journey and I was presented to him and he carried me in his front. Then one of the two sons of Fatimah, either Hasan or Husain was brought too and he also rode along with us on his back and three of us entered Madinah on a horse.”
By: Ibn Katheer
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