Battle of Tabuk: Difference between revisions

The '''Battle of Tabuk''' (Arabic: {{ia|غَزوَة تَبوك}}) is the final [[ghazwa]] of [[the Prophet (s)]]. It took place During [[Rajab]] and [[Sha'ban]] of the [[9]]/630 in the region of Tabuk. As the Prophet (s) was heading toward Tabuk to fight Romans, some of the companions, specifically [[Munafiqun]] (hypocrites), refused to join the army or tried to weaken the morale of the army. Before the expedition, the Prophet (s) appointed [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] as his successor in [[Medina]] in his absence. After a short tarriance of few days, the army of Islam came back to Medina from Tabuk without any actual confrontation with the Romans. Some [[verse]]s were revealed about Munafiqun exposing them and their secret intentions and plans.

Most of the works by early biographers contain accounts of the expedition of Tabuk. But these narrations differ on some important factors like the cause of this expedition. According to a famous account, the Prophet's goal of this expedition was to counter the Romans' military activities in those lands.<ref>Wāqidī, ''Al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 989-990; Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 2, part 1, p. 118-119; Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 368.</ref>

One day, a Nabataean merchant said that Heraclius, then the Roman king, had prepared a great army by convincing some Arab tribes like Lakhm, Judham, Ghassan, and 'Amila. Forefront troops had already camped in Balqa', northern Tabuk; and the Roman king was in Homs.<ref>Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 989-990; Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 2, p. 118-119.</ref> In other accounts, without mentioning this story, it's only been reported that [[the Prophet (s)]] left Medina to fight Romans.<ref>ʿUrwat b. Zubayr, ''Maghāzī Rasūl Allāh'', p. 220.</ref> [[Al-Ya'qubi]] believes the aim of the Prophet (s) in this military expedition had been to take revenge for murdering [[Ja'far b. Abi Talib]].<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 67.</ref>

After the Prophet (s) revealed his intentions to fight Romans, some of the [[Sahaba]] (his companions), specially the [[Munafiqun]] (the hypocrites) refused to join the army or tried to weaken the morale of other soldiers.<ref>ʿUrwat b. Zubayr, ''Maghāzī Rasūl Allāh'', p. 220; Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 995-996.</ref> It can be assumed that the great emphasis on going to this military expedition had been more a tactic of the Prophet (s) to expose some of Munafiqun and the reality behind their activities in Medina, than a response to a Roman threat. There are historical indications that may support this view, such as the extensive efforts of Munafiqun to weaken the morale of Muslim soldiers, embattling of [['Abd Allah b. Ubay]] forces against the Muslim Army<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 103.</ref> and based on one account, an attempt on the Prophet's life on his way back from Tabuk by some of Munafiqun.<ref>ʿUrwat b. Zubayr, ''Maghāzī Rasūl Allāh'', p. 221; Ṭabrisī, ''Iʿlām al-warā'', vol. 1, p. 245-247.</ref>

After some days, the Muslim army reached the Tabuk area and stayed there for twenty days.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 2, p. 119-121.</ref> There, based on al-Waqidi's report, it became clear that the reports about the Roman military expedition had not been correct.<ref>Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 1019.</ref> However, based on other accounts, the Roman king sent some envoys to the Prophet (s) who were kindly welcomed by the Prophet (s).<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 368.</ref> Meanwhile, the Prophet (s) signed a peace treaty on the condition of receiving [[jizya]] from Ukaydir b. 'Abd al-Malik al-Kindi, the head of [[Dumat al-Jandal]], and the inhabitants of Adruh, Jirba, and Ayla.<ref>Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 1029-1032; Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 1, p. 37.</ref>

The Prophet returned to [[Medina]] in the [[Ramadan]] of [[9]]/630.<ref>Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 1056; Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 68.</ref> He accepted the excuses of those who had refused to join the Army and made [[istighfar]] (request Allah's forgiveness) for them. However, he ordered Muslims to cut their relations with three of them; who were forgiven after [[revelation]] of [[verse]]s 117 and 118 of [[Sura al-Tawba]].<ref>Waqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol. 3, p. 1049-1056; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 111.</ref>{{enote|{{iarabic|لَقَد تابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالمُهاجِرينَ وَالأَنصارِ الَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ في ساعَةِ العُسرَةِ مِن بَعدِ ما كادَ يَزيغُ قُلوبُ فَريقٍ مِنهُم ثُمَّ تابَ عَلَيهِم إِنَّهُ بِهِم رَءوفٌ رَحيمٌ (۱۱۷) وَعَلَى الثَّلاثَةِ الَّذينَ خُلِّفوا حَتّىٰ إِذا ضاقَت عَلَيهِمُ الأَرضُ بِما رَحُبَت وَضاقَت عَلَيهِم أَنفُسُهُم وَظَنّوا أَن لا مَلجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلّا إِلَيهِ ثُمَّ تابَ عَلَيهِم لِيَتوبوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوّابُ الرَّحيمُ (۱۱۸)}}: Certainly Allah turned clemently to the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Helpers, who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a part of them were about to swerve. Then He turned clemently to them —indeed He is most kind and merciful to them— (117) and to the three who were left behind. When the earth became narrow for them with [all] its expanse and their own souls weighed heavily on them, and they knew that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, then He turned clemently toward them so that they might be penitent. Indeed Allah is the All-clement, the All-merciful. (118)}}

Ka'b b. Malik, Marara b. Rabi' and Hilal b. Umayya were under social and familial boycott. They were not hypocrites, even when the king of Ghassanid sent them a letter to inform them about the plans of Muslims' oppositions about them, they became irritated. They finally separated from each other and made [[repentance]] (Tawba) which was accepted by God after fifty days.<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 8, p. 213.</ref>

In another incident, When Muslim troops were resting, they saw a man from a distance who was walking toward them. Prophet Muhammad (s) said: "I hope he is [[Abu Dhar al-Ghifari]]." Prophet (s) was told, by God, he is Abu Dhar. Then Prophet (s) said: "May God bless Abu Dhar; he walks alone, he dies alone and he will be resurrected alone." And it happened, as he was exiled to [[Rabadha]] in the time of [['Uthman b. 'Affan]] and he passed away there in loneliness.<ref>Subḥānī, ''ʿIlm-i ghay'', vol. 1, p. 113.</ref>

The military expedition to Tabuk and its related verses (mainly in Sura al-Tawba) exposed the [[Munafiqun]], their activities, and subversive plans and had a great role in the later spread of [[Islam]] through [[Arabian peninsula]].