THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 067 THE SPOILS OF THE HUNAIN ENCOUNTER by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem The Spoils of the Hunain Encounter The Journey to Ta'if The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) and his Companions set out for Ta'if by night, and as they traveled on their camels the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) became a little sleepy. On the track that led to Ta'if there grew a Lote-tree. As he approached the tree recognized the noble traveler and did not wish that he be disturb so it split its self into two and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) rode through the parted tree without being disturbed. The Siege of Ta'if Ta'if was a city fortified with strong walls from which well trained archers had the advantage of protection. Its fertile land abounded with orchards so Ta'if was capable of self-support when it came to providing food for its citizens. As the Prophet's army approached the walled city they were met by volleys of arrows, which were returned with equal ferocity. One day during the siege, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) instructed a herald to cry out that any slave belonging to the Thakif who wished to join them as Muslims would be set free and soon after the word had been passed among the slaves, approximately twenty-three slaves slipped away from the city to embrace Islam. One of the slaves made a daring escape from the fortified city and because of this became known as Abu Bakrah which means “small wheel”. Abu Bakrah made good his escape by tying himself to a small water wheel and letting himself down to the ground, and it was because of this the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) gave him the nickname of Abu Bakrah. Three weeks had passed since the beginning of the siege and there was no progress. The city was self-sustaining whereas the Muslims were suffering. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) decided it was in the best interests of the Muslims to return to Medina as no progress was being made and issued instructions to break camp and return to Al-Ja’ranah. Whilst they were in the midst of breaking camp some asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to curse the inhabitants of Ta'if but the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) did not do so, rather, he raised his hands and supplicated for them saying, "O Allah, guide the Thakif and bring them to us" for he always wanted good for people, even his adversaries. Very few casualties had been sustained during the siege, however, amongst the martyred was Lady Umm Salamah's half-brother, the newly converted Abdullah, who was also the cousin of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Spoils of the Hunain War Upon reaching Al-Ja’ranah, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) found Masood, son of Amr Al Ghifari had arranged for the captives -- six thousand women and children -- to be lodged in a very large enclosure protected from the sun. The captives had been well cared for and their needs met, however, it was noticeable that most were in need of new clothing so he gave a Khuzahite some silver from the spoils of war, and sent him to Mecca to buy new robes for each of them. Ten days had passed since the Prophet’s return and the spoils of war remained undivided and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wished it to remain that way for the time being as he could, no doubt, expect to receive a deputation from the Hawazin requesting leniency and the return of some of the confiscated property. However, Allah had decreed in the Koran that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) should receive one fifth of the spoils and until he disposed of its responsibility it remained a burden to him for he was never one to hoard wealth. Allah had also instructed that charity should be spent on those attracted to belief and this applied to the new converts from the Koraysh whose faith needed to be strengthened and encouraged. "The obligatory charity shall be only for the poor and the needy and those who work to collect it, and to influence hearts (to belief) and for ransoming captives, and debtors in the Way of Allah and the destitute traveler. It is an obligation from Allah. Allah is Knowing, Wise." Koran 9:60 From the vast herd of twenty-four thousand camels the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gave Abu Sufyan a hundred camels who then asked for a hundred camels each of his two sons Yazid and Muawiyah. The Upper Hand is Better than the Lower Lady Khadijah's nephew, Hakim, was given a hundred camels and asked for two hundred more to be added. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed but told him that whosoever took it in charity of his soul would be blessed by it, but whosoever took it for pride of his soul would not be blessed by it, and that he would become like one who eats but is never satisfied. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) continued to advise Hakim that the upper hand is better than the lower and that he should begin giving with his family on account of their dependency upon him. Hakim was deeply moved by the Prophet's advice and told him that from now onward he would not accept anything from anyone else other than he. Hakim also retracted his additional request for the extra two hundred camels. Safwan and Suhayl were among those mentioned as eligible recipients in the Koran and were also given three hundred camels. Some of the chieftains of the Koraysh were given one hundred camels whereas others were given fifty or forty camels. The Conversion of Safwan Later that day Safwan, who had already received his camels, rode together with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) through the valley. In one part of the valley there was a pass which was particularly lush with vegetation and it was there that some of the herds had been taken to graze. It was indeed a beautiful, refreshing sight to see such an abundance of grazing livestock. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) noticed how taken Safwan was by the sight and asked, "Does this pass please you?" whereupon he replied, "Indeed it does!" "Then," said the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) "it is yours, and all that is in it." The overwhelmed Safwan exclaimed, "I bear witness that no soul could be full of such goodness as this, if it were not the soul of a prophet." Then in all sincerity he proclaimed, "I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and that you are His Messenger." The Conversion of Suhayl To be amongst Muslims could not help but make an impression upon Suhayl and moreover he had just witnessed the miraculous victory at Hunain when all odds appeared to be against them. He had also been blessed to accompany the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and had been greatly impressed as well as touched by his noble, gentle character. Suhayl had also been reunited with his son, Abdullah, and observed how upright he had become on account of his new faith and no longer felt in his heart any resistance to Islam, so he too became a Muslim. Three years later, when Abdullah was martyred, Abu Bakr went to console Suhayl whereupon he replied, "I have heard that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) said, 'A martyr shall intercede for seventy of his people.' It is my hope that my son will not begin with anyone before me." Other Conversions Amongst the other converts at Al-Ja’ranah were several notables from the Makhzum tribe. The two brothers of Abu Jahl embraced Islam as did Khalid's half-brother Hisham; Zuhair, the son of the Prophet's aunt Atikah, who had many years before the Migration been instrumental in bringing about the cessation of the boycott levied against the persecuted Muslims in Mecca. Impatience The remaining spoils of war were not distributed immediately and several people started to grow impatient for their share, however, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) preferred to wait a few more days to see if the Hawazin and their allies intended to send a deputation to request the return or ransom some of the confiscated property. Several days had now passed and there was neither word nor sign of a deputation and it seemed that no one was coming so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) decided enough time had elapsed and that the spoils of war could now be distributed amongst his followers and so much to the delight of everyone the distribution began. Amongst those taken captive were the family and property of Malik, the commander of the Hawazin, and so with great wisdom and diplomacy the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) arranged for both them and their property to be escorted to his maternal aunt Atikah in Mecca for safe keeping and therefore not for distribution for the time being. The Late Arrival of the Hawazin Deputation The distribution of the spoils of war had just finished when a deputation from the Hawazin arrived. Amongst those accompanying the delegation was the brother of Abi Kabshah, the Prophet's foster-father, who, upon meeting the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told him that fourteen of his tribe had been Muslims for sometime and that the remainder of his tribe had recently embraced Islam. Abi Kabshah's brother had come to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to ask leniency for the Hawazin with whom his tribe had kindred ties. Abi Kabshah's brother was of the opinion that on account of the Prophet's connection with his own tribe, the tribe of Hawazin should also be considered as part of his extended family and said, "We nursed you on our laps and suckled you at our breasts." After presenting his case he then proceeded to ask the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to be generous towards them. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told him that they had waited for several days for them to come and present their claim, but when they had not arrived the spoils of war had been distributed. Then, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked which was dearer to them, their children and wives, or their possessions, to which they replied, "Return our children and wives to us." The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told the deputation that the families given to him and the sons of Abd Al Muttalib were theirs, and that he would make an appeal for the return of the others. Then he told them that after he had led the noon prayer they should stand up and say, "We ask the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to intercede for us with the Muslims, and we ask the Muslims to intercede for us with the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam)." And so when the time arrived their spokesman arose and made the request to the congregation. As the congregation remained seated after the prayer the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) addressed them and explained that the deputation were asking for the return of their wives and children. The Ansar and Muhajirin were quick to respond saying, “What belongs to us, belongs to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam)” and so the women and children allotted to them were released immediately and the other tribes followed suit. The Farewell As the deputation prepared to leave the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) fulfilled his promise and gave Shayma, his foster-sister, some more camels, sheep and goats. Just as they were about to depart the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) inquired about their commander, Malik, and was told that he was with the tribe of Thakif at Ta'if. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked them to convey a message to him, which was that if he came to him as a Muslim he would return not only his family and possessions to him, but an additional herd of one hundred camels. In the meantime, Malik could not help but reflect upon the miraculous turn of events at Hunain neither could he dismiss the matter from his mind. When a messenger arrived at Ta'if the Prophet's message was conveyed to him whereupon he left Ta'if and journeyed back with the messenger to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) where he embraced Islam. Malik's conversion was sincere, it was not just to regain his family and property, and in the days that followed it was he who played a major role in destroying the resistance at Ta'if. Wisdom in Distribution The wisdom of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was not always immediately understood by some of his followers. The recent events were somewhat of a puzzlement as some were unable to comprehend why the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had been so generous to chieftains and other nobility, who had not as yet embraced Islam or whose Islam was not yet mature. They wondered why he appeared not have been so generous to those whose Islam was well established and were, for the most part, poor. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) knew better than anyone else that Islam has power in itself to work upon the heart, and understood the underlying Koranic wisdom of giving to "those attracted to the belief," and had acted in accordance with its injunction of the distribution. Sa’ad from the tribe of Zurah, like some others, had not as yet understood this wisdom and inquired why he had given Uyaynah from the tribe of Ghatfan, and Akra from the tribe of Tamim a hundred camels each whilst he had given nothing to his faithful, pious follower Juayl from the tribe of Damrah who was very poor. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) replied gently saying, "By Him in whose Hand is my soul, Juayl is worth more than a world full of men such as Hisan's son, and Akra, Habis' son; I reconciled their souls so that they might submit to Allah, whereas I have entrusted Juayl to the submission he has already made." Sa’ad and several of the Muhajirin who had gathered around the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the Prophet’s statement and it was then that they understood the wisdom of his actions. Murmurings also stirred from the Ansar, who had supported the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) even before his arrival in Medina, as well as others from the Muhajirin. Neither party could comprehend why they had received just four camels each, or their equivalent in sheep or goats from the bountiful spoils of war when they witnessed others, such as the Koraysh -- who they considered less deserving, and far wealthier than themselves -- being given much greater rewards. The discontent started to grow amongst the Ansar as satan, the stoned and cursed, whispered to some of them causing them think that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had rejoined his tribe and taken to favoring his people. Now it was being said, "We would like to know where this comes from. If it is from Allah we can accept it with patience, but, if it is none other than a thought which occurred to the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), we ask him to favor us as well." Those Dearest to Me Not long after the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) became aware of the murmurings and said, "It is true I have given to some and not to others. Those to whom I did not give are dearer to me than those to whom I gave. I gave to those in whose hearts I felt was anxiety or unease; the others I left in their faith, understanding and self-reliance that Allah has instilled in their hearts." However, Abdullah, Masood's son went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to tell him directly of the discontent and reported the murmurings. As the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) listened to Abdullah his facial expression changed to one of sorrow and he asked, "Who then is just if Allah and His Messenger are not?" He continued, "May Allah have mercy on Moses, he was caused more distress than this and was patient." Abdullah felt ashamed of himself for drawing the Prophet's attention to the matter and promised himself that he would never, ever again communicate anything of this kind to him. Then the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) turned to the Ansar and said referring to the new converts, “Aren’t you pleased that the people return with wealth but you return with the Prophet of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) in your care?” Tears welled up in their eyes and with tears of regret they wept as they replied: “We are indeed pleased with Prophet of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam)!” The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) commented, “If the Ansar take a road, and others take another road, I will take that of the Ansar.” He also told them, “If it was not on account of the Migration I would wish that I were an Ansar.” As the Ansar began to realize the Prophet's wisdom they too felt ashamed and sorry they had questioned his decision, for there had never been a time when he had been unfair to them and knew that he would never do anything to earn the displeasure of Allah, and wept again because they had fallen prey to the whisperings of satan, the stoned and cursed. The Return Journey to Medina It was time to leave Al-Ja’ranah for Mecca. As soon as Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) arrived in Mecca he offered Umra, the lesser pilgrimage, after which he returned to Medina to await the birth of his child. Medina was but a few miles away when Urwah, from the tribe of Thakif, caught up with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), he had been amongst those present at the signing of the Treaty at Hudaybiyah and had been in Yemen during the recent encounter. At Hudaybiyah he had been greatly impressed by the message of Islam with its lifestyle, and was deeply touched by the respect the Muslims had for the Prophet of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Upon his return to Ta'if, he learned of the miraculous victory and felt the time had come for him to embrace Islam and so it was for this reason he had ridden post haste to catch up with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). After having embraced Islam, Urwah expressed his earnest desire to return to the Thakif and tell them about Islam, but the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) warned him that they would not listen and kill him. Urwah was so sure he could convince them that he pleaded with him saying, "O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), I am dearer to them than their first-born." But the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) warned him again. Urwah asked the Prophet's permission once again and this time the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed. Urwah and the Thakif Urwah and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) parted company and Urwah rode on to Ta'if with high hopes of converting his fellow tribesmen to Islam. However, Urwah had misjudged the Thakif, for when he tried to tell them about Islam they rose up against him and became violent, forcing him to retreat to his home. Archers surrounded his house and arrows were fired into his home; soon after Urwah lay mortally wounded. As Urwah lay dying his family asked him what he thought about his death, whereupon he replied, "It is a blessing which Allah, in His Favor, has given to me." Just before he passed away he asked his family to bury him beside those who had been martyred during the recent siege, and so it was that his dying request was granted. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) learned of his martyrdom, he said, "Urwah is like the man in (the chapter) 'Ya Seen'. He called his people to Allah but they killed him." “Then, a man came running from the furthest part of the village, ‘My nation,’ he said, ‘follow the Messengers, follow those who ask no wage of you and are rightly guided. Why should I not worship Him who has originated me and to whom you shall be returned? What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? Surely, I would then be in clear error. Koran 36: 20-24 Soon after his martyrdom, Urwah's son and nephew left Ta'if and journeyed to Medina where they converted and lived with Mughirah, one of their Muhajirin cousins. The Spoils of the Hunain Encounter 067 Back Cover Subtitles The Journey to Ta'if The Siege of Ta'if The Spoils of the Hunain War The Upper Hand is Better than the Lower The Conversion of Safwan The Conversion of Suhayl Other Conversions Impatience The Late Arrival of the Hawazin Deputation The Farewell Wisdom in Distribution Those Dearest to Me The Return Journey to Medina Urwah and the Thakif