MUHAMMAD did not yet feel it necessary to rush to liberate Mecca. He knew full well that it was only a matter of time. The Treaty of Hudaibiya had only been in effect for a year. Nor was it his intention to commit any violation. Muhammad was a man of great fidelity; not a single word he ever uttered, nor any agreement he ever made, would he ever break. Therefore when he returned to Medinah, for several months no clashes occurred except minor ones, such as the sending of 50 men to the Banu Sulaim with the task of preaching and inviting them to embrace Islam, who were then killed treacherously and without any provocation by the Banu Sulaim, so that their leader only managed to escape by chance. The same happened with the Banu Laith and Zafar who had attacked and plundered them. The same too with the punishment meted out to the Banu Murra for their earlier betrayal. Likewise there were fifteen men who had been sent to Dhat't-Talh on the border of Syam with the task of preaching and inviting them to follow Islam, who were also met with murder, so that none survived except their leader.
Indeed the Prophet's attention was directed toward the region of Syam and these northern parts, after a security treaty had been made with the Quraish in the south and after the ruler of Yemen had agreed to accept his call. The first route for the spread of Islamic preaching beyond the Arabian peninsula had already been envisioned by him. He saw that Syam and the areas near it formed the first gateway of that path of preaching. Therefore a few months later, upon returning from umrah, he mobilised three thousand men who then, at Mu'ta, faced a hundred thousand enemy troops.
Historians still differ over the cause of the expedition of Mu'ta. Some say that the killing of the Prophet's companions at Dhat't-Talh was what caused the assault as punishment against those who had betrayed them, while others hold that when the Prophet sent an envoy to the Heraclian governor at Bushra (Bostra), the envoy was killed by a Bedouin, from Ghassan, in Heraclius's name. Muhammad then sent them to fight at Mu'ta in order to mete out punishment to that ruler and to whoever had assisted him.
If the Treaty of Hudaibiya was the prelude to the 'umrat'l-qadza', followed by the liberation of Mecca, then the expedition of Mu'ta was likewise a prelude to Tabuk; and after the Prophet passed away the liberation of Syam followed. The matter would be the same either way; what gave rise to the expedition of Mu'ta was the killing of the Prophet's envoy to the ruler of Bushra, or the killing of the fifteen companions at Dhat't-Talh.
In the month of Jumada al-Ula in the eighth year of the Hijrah [year 629 CE] the Prophet ﷺ summoned three thousand chosen men from among his companions, entrusting their command to Zaid b. Haritha, saying:
"If Zaid falls, then Ja'far b. Abi Thalib shall take command, and if Ja'far falls, then Abdullah b. Rawaha shall take command.
When this army set out, Khalid bin'l-Walid also joined voluntarily. With sincerity and readiness in battle he wished to show his good faith as a Muslim. The people bade farewell to the commanders and their troops, and Muhammad also accompanied them out of the city, giving them this instruction: Do not kill women, infants, blind people or children, do not destroy houses or cut down trees. The Prophet ﷺ prayed for them and the Muslims also prayed together saying: May Allah accompany and protect you all. May you return safely.
The commanders of that army all planned to take the people of Syam by surprise, as was usually done in previous expeditions. In this way victory would be achieved more quickly and they would return victorious. They marched until they reached Ma'an in the region of Syam, without knowing what awaited them there.
However, news of their departure had already arrived beforehand. Syurahbil, Heraclius's governor in Syam, had already gathered the tribal groups around him. An army made up of Greeks and Arabs, sent as reinforcement by Heraclius, was also brought in. Some accounts state that Heraclius himself came forward to lead his army until he was stationed at Ma'ab in the region of Balqa', consisting of a hundred thousand Byzantines, plus another hundred thousand from Lakhm, Judham, Qain, Bahra' and Bali. It is also said that Theodore, Heraclius's brother, was the one who led the army, not Heraclius himself.
When the Muslims were at Ma'an, they became aware of these groups. For two nights they remained there while considering what they should do in the face of such a large number. One of them said: Let us write to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informing him of the size of the enemy force. We may be given reinforcements, or we may receive other instructions, and we shall press on. This suggestion was almost accepted by the majority had it not been for Abdullah ibn Rawaha, known as a valiant man and also a poet, who said:
Brothers, what we do not like is precisely what we seek here, namely martyrdom. We fight the enemy not for equipment, not for strength, nor for the size of numbers. Rather we fight them only for the sake of religion, by which Allah has honoured us. Therefore let us press on. We shall attain one of two rewards: victory or martyrdom.
The pride of this brave poet quickly spread to the other members of the army. They said: Ibn Rawaha is right!
They then pressed on. When they reached the border of Balqa', at a village called Masyarif, they encountered Heraclius's army, made up of Byzantines and Arabs. When the enemy's position drew near, the Muslims immediately veered toward Mu'ta, which they saw as a better stronghold than Masyarif. It was at Mu'ta that the fierce battle - between a hundred or two hundred thousand of Heraclius's troops and three thousand Muslim troops - began to rage.
How great was their faith, how strong it was! The Prophet's banner was carried by Zaid b. Haritha, and he pressed forward into the midst of the enemy. He was certain that his death could not be avoided. But to die here meant martyrdom in the path of Allah. Apart from victory, there was only one other choice, namely martyrdom. And it was here that Zaid fought to the death until he was finally shattered by an enemy spear. At that moment the banner was taken up by Ja'far b. Abi Thalib from his hand. At that time he was only thirty-three years old, a handsome and brave young man, and Ja'far continued fighting while carrying the banner. When his horse was surrounded by the enemy, he broke through and cut it loose, and he himself leapt into the midst of the enemy, charging forward, swinging his sword at the neck of whoever came within reach.
At that time the banner was held in Ja'far's right hand; when this hand was severed, he held it with his left hand; and when this left hand too was severed, he clasped the banner between the stumps of both his arms until he fell. It is said that the one who struck him was a Byzantine who cut him in two with a single blow.
After Ja'far fell, the banner was taken up by Abdullah ibn Rawaha. He advanced on his horse carrying the banner. Meanwhile it crossed his mind to dismount. He was still somewhat hesitant. Then he said:
O my soul, I swear I shall dismount, I shall dismount Or be still forced to Whether people have already gone to war and the drums have already sounded Why do I see you still hating Paradise?
Then he took up his sword and continued fighting until he too finally fell.
They were Zaid, Ja'far and Ibn Rawaha. All three had been martyred in the path of Allah, in a single event. But when this news reached the Prophet, he was deeply moved, especially over Zaid and Ja'far. Then he said: They were raised up to me in Paradise - as in the dream of someone sleeping - upon golden couches. Then I saw that Abdullah b. Rawaha's couch was tilted somewhat compared to those of his two companions. Then it was asked: Why is that? He answered: The two of them advanced without hesitation, but Abdullah hesitated somewhat. Then he too advanced.
People have already seen this good example and lesson! This means nothing other than that a believer must not hesitate or fear death in the path of Allah. On the contrary, whenever he faces any matter he must be certain that it is for Allah and for his homeland, he must grasp his life in his hand, ready to hurl it in the face of whoever obstructs him from that path. One of two things: either he triumphs and succeeds in attaining Allah's truth and that of his homeland, as has become his conviction, or he falls as a martyr. This is a living example for later generations, and an eternal memory for great souls who can understand that the worth of life lies in a life sacrificed for its ideals; that clinging to life in disgrace is like squandering life. Such a person need not be remembered any longer in our lives. There are those who throw themselves into danger when they feel their life is threatened in such a way that they too become a victim for a worthless cause. Likewise it means sacrificing oneself if one still clings to life when Allah the Almighty demands that one's life be hurled in the face of falsehood, so that falsehood may be destroyed. Yet instead he hides behind a veil, already afraid to face death, a fear that is in truth more wretched than death itself.
So if the slight hesitation shown by Ibn Rawaha, even though afterward, with extraordinary courage, he fought again until he died a martyr, is still not placed on the same level as Zaid and Ja'far who charged into the ranks of death joyfully facing martyrdom, how much more so for someone who then turns back merely in hope of position or wealth or some other worldly aim! If so, he is nothing more than a lowly insect, even if his standing before the multitude is already high and his wealth already exceeds a buried treasure. Truly the human soul only feels joy when it can sacrifice for something it believes to be true, until it finally falls in defence of that truth, or that truth comes to govern its life!
Ibn Rawaha fell after a brief hesitation, then came forward again with extraordinary courage. This time the banner was taken up by Thabit b. Arqam [Banu 'Ajlan], who then said:
Brother Muslims. Let us nominate one of us.
They immediately answered: "You should do it."
"No, I would not be able to,"
Their choice then fell upon Khalid bin'l-Walid. Khalid took up the banner after seeing the Muslim ranks beginning to scatter, their morale beginning to weaken. Khalid himself was a highly capable general, a military commander with few equals. He thus began issuing commands. The Muslim ranks were reorganised. Now in facing the enemy he deliberately created small, drawn-out skirmishes that continued until evening. That night both armies would naturally lay down their arms and wait until morning.
It was at that moment that Khalid took the opportunity to devise his battle strategy. His men were scattered in considerable numbers along an extended line, which was brought forward from the rear ranks. In the morning when people awoke, they sensed a bustle and commotion of a kind that was enough to instil fear among the enemy, who assumed that reinforcements had arrived from the Prophet's side. If the three thousand men had, on the first day, already played such a great role against the Byzantine army, and no small number of them had already been killed - though this could not be confirmed with certainty - what more, they thought, could be done now with the arrival of these fresh reinforcements, whose true size no one knew!
Therefore the Byzantines withdrew from Khalid's attack and were quite content if Khalid did not press an attack on them. But in truth Khalid was even more content. He was able to withdraw his forces, returning to Medinah, after a battle that brought no victory for the Muslim army, and likewise brought no victory for their enemy either.
When Khalid and his army had nearly reached Medinah, Muhammad and the other Muslims had already come out together to meet them. At Muhammad's request Abdullah b. Ja'far was then brought forward and lifted up in front of him. The crowd came scattering dust at the army
They are not fugitives. Rather they are men who will come forward again, God willing.
Even though Muhammad had comforted the men who had just returned from Mu'ta in this way, the Muslims still would not forgive them for having withdrawn and returned; so much so that Salama ibn Hisyam refused to join the other Muslims in prayer, fearing that he might still hear people's voices upon seeing him:
You fugitives! You fled from the path of Allah.
Had it not been for the meaningful actions of those who returned from Mu'ta, especially Khalid's own actions, Mu'ta would surely still be regarded as a disgrace, a mark of flight smeared upon the foreheads of their fellow believers by them.
So piercing was the grief that stabbed at Muhammad's heart when he learned that Zaid and Ja'far had fallen. So deep was the sorrow he bore over them.
After Ja'far met his fate, Muhammad went himself to his house, and found his wife Asma bt. 'Umais, who at that time had already prepared bread dough, and her children had already been bathed, oiled and cleaned.
"Bring Ja'far's children here," Muhammad said to her.
When they were brought, he kissed the children, with tears already streaming down.
Messenger of Allah," said Asma' anxiously; she had already sensed what had happened. "By my father and mother! Why are you weeping, Messenger of Allah?! Has something happened to Ja'far and his companions perhaps?
"Yes," he answered. "Today they were martyred." As he said this his tears could no longer be held back, flowing heavily. Asma' too then wept loudly, so that many women came and gathered.
When Muhammad returned home he said to his family:
"Do not forget Ja'far's family. Prepare food for them. They are now in hardship." When he saw Zaid's daughter - his former slave girl - come, he stroked her shoulder while weeping. Some companions were surprised to see the Messenger of Allah weeping over one who had died a martyr. Then he said, meaning: But these are the tears of a friend who has lost his friend.
Some sources state that Ja'far's body was brought to Medinah and buried there three days later after Khalid and his army arrived. From that day the Messenger of Allah told people not to weep any longer. Ja'far's two severed hands were replaced by Allah with a pair of wings that carried him flying to Paradise.
A few weeks after Khalid's return, Muhammad intended to restore Muslim authority in the northern part of the peninsula. In this matter he assigned 'Amr bin'l-'Ash to mobilise the Arabs toward Syam. Indeed, ibn 'Amr came from a tribe of that region. It would certainly be easier for him to get on with them. But when he reached a watering post in the territory of the Judham tribe called Silsil, he began to feel apprehensive. He quickly sent a courier to the Prophet ﷺ requesting reinforcements. And the Prophet promptly sent Abu 'Ubaida bin'l-Jarrah, from among the earliest Emigrants, including Abu Bakr and Umar. Since he was still new to Islam, Muhammad was concerned that 'Amr might quarrel with Abu 'Ubaida as a member of the earliest Emigrants, so he instructed Abu 'Ubaida as he set off. Do not quarrel.
"You have come here as my assistant. Command of the army is in my hand," 'Amr then said to Abu 'Ubaida.
Abu 'Ubaida was a man of great gentleness, and quite flexible in worldly matters.
"The Messenger of Allah has instructed," he said to 'Amr, "that we must not quarrel. If you will not obey me, then I shall obey you." And in leading the congregational prayer too, it was 'Amr who became the imam.
He now began to advance, leading his army.
Meanwhile Muhammad still had Mecca and all its affairs in mind. However, as has already been mentioned, he held firmly to the terms of the Treaty of Hudaibiya. He had to wait until the two years had passed. Meanwhile detachments continued to be sent out to guard against rebellion among the tribes, whose nature indeed inclined toward rebellion. But this did not require much effort. Envoys had already been arriving to him from every direction, already declaring their full obedience and loyalty to him. This was what served as the prelude to the liberation of Mecca and to Islam's firm standing in that place, as the most sanctified site for all time.
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