Commencement of Jihād & Precautionary Measures of the Holy Prophet(sa)
It has already been mentioned that the first Qur’ānic verse which allowed Jihād by the sword was revealed on 12 Ṣafar 2 A.H. In other words, the divine indication which was made of defensive war in the migration, was officially announced in Ṣafar 2 A.H., when the Holy Prophet(sa) had become discharged of his initial undertakings relevant to his stay at Madīnah, and in this manner, Jihād began. It is discovered through history that the Holy Prophet(sa) initially employed four strategies in order to protect the Muslims from the evil of the disbelievers. This is conclusive evidence of the expert political aptitude and military insight of the Holy Prophet(sa).
These strategies are as follows:
FIRSTLY: The Holy Prophet(sa) began travelling to nearby tribes and establishing peace treaties with them, so that the surrounding region of Madīnah would become free of threat. In this respect, the Holy Prophet(sa) gave special consideration to those tribes who were situated close to the Syrian trade route of the Quraish. As every individual may gather, it was these tribes in particular, from whom the Quraish of Makkah could have derived most benefit against the Muslims and whose enmity could have resulted in severe threats for the Muslims.
SECONDLY: The Holy Prophet(sa) began to dispatch small companies in order to obtain intelligence in different directions from Madīnah, so that he was able to remain informed of the movements of the Quraish and their allies; and the Quraish also understood that the Muslims were not oblivious, so that in this manner, Madīnah could be safeguarded from the dangers of sudden attacks.
THIRDLY: Another wisdom in dispatching these parties was so that the weak and poor Muslims of Makkah and its surrounding areas could find an opportunity by these means, to join the Muslims of Madīnah. Until now, there were many people in the region of Makkah who were Muslims at heart, but were unable to publicly profess their belief in Islām due to the cruelties of the Quraish. Furthermore, due to their poverty and weakness, they were unable to migrate either, because the Quraish would forcefully hold back such people from migrating. As such, Allāh states in the Holy Qur’ān:
“O ye believers! There is no reason that you fight not for the protection of religion, and for those men, women and children who are in a state of weakness, who supplicate saying, ‘O our Lord! Take us out of this town, whose people are oppressors, and make for us, who are weak, a friend and helper from Thyself.’”1
Hence, one wisdom in dispatching these parties was so that such people could receive the opportunity to be delivered from a wrongdoing people. In other words, such people could reach close to Madīnah along with the caravans of the Quraish, and then escape to join the Muslim forces. Therefore, it is evident through history that when the Holy Prophet(sa) dispatched the very first company in the leadership of Abū ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Ḥārith(ra), who happened to encounter a group lead by ‘Ikramah bin Abī Jahl, two weak Muslims who had come along with the Quraish, managed to escape from the Quraish and join the Muslims. As such, it is narrated:
“In this campaign, when the Muslim party encountered the army of the Quraish, two people, namely Miqdād bin ‘Amr(ra) and ‘Utbah bin Ghazwān(ra), who were allies of the Banū Zahrah and Banū Naufal, fled from the idolaters and joined the Muslims. They were Muslims and had only set out to join the Muslims under the cover of the Quraish.”2
Therefore, one of the purposes of the Holy Prophet(sa) in dispatching these parties was also to give such people an opportunity to be delivered from the Quraish, and join the Muslims.
FOURTHLY: The fourth strategy employed by the Holy Prophet(sa) was that he began to intercept the trade caravans of the Quraish which travelled from Makkah to Syria passing by Madīnah en-route. The reason being that firstly, these caravans would spark a fire of enmity against the Muslims wherever they travelled. It is obvious that for a seed of enmity to be sown in the environs of Madīnah, was extremely dangerous for the Muslims. Secondly, these caravans would always be armed and everyone can appreciate that for such caravans to pass by so close to Madīnah was not empty of danger. Thirdly, the livelihood of the Quraish primarily depended on trade. Therefore, in these circumstances, the most definitive and effective means by which the Quraish could be subdued, their cruelties could be put to an end and they could be pressed to reconciliation, was by obstructing their trade route. As such, history testifies to the fact that among the factors which ultimately compelled the Quraish to incline towards reconciliation, the interception of these trade caravans played an extremely pivotal role. Hence, this was an extremely sagacious strategy, which yielded fruits of success at the appropriate time. Fourthly, the revenue from these caravans of the Quraish was mostly spent in efforts to eliminate Islām. Rather, some caravans were even sent for the sole purpose that their entire profit may be utilized against the Muslims. In this case, every individual can understand that the interception of these caravans, was in its own right, an absolutely legitimate motive.
Various prejudiced Christian historians, to whom even the qualities of Islām are perceived as a form of evil, have raised the allegation that God-forbid, the Holy Prophet(sa) and his Companions would set out for the purpose of plundering the caravans of the Quraish. We would like to inquire of these people who are an embodiment of justice and equity, that do your nations, whom you consider to be the epitomes of civility and nobility, not obstruct the trade routes of enemy nations? When they receive news that a trade vessel belonging to such and such enemy nation is passing by so and so place, do they not immediately dispatch a naval company in its pursuit so as to destroy it, or employ a strategy to subdue it and take possession of its wealth? Then for this reason can your leaders be labelled as robbers, pillagers and plunderers? Verily, if the Muslims intercepted the caravans of the Quraish, its purpose was not to take possession of the wealth of their caravans. Rather, military tactics demanded that the trade-route of the Quraish be obstructed, because there was no better means by which they could be brought to their senses and pushed to reconciliation. Aside from this, if a caravan of the Quraish happened to be defeated and as a result of this defeat, its wealth and riches came to the Muslims, then this was a part of the victories of war, to which a victor has always been deemed entitled in every nation and in every era. Do opponents mean to say that undoubtedly, the Muslims were at a right to intercept the caravans of the disbelievers and kill their men, but should have refrained from bringing the wealth of these caravans in to their own control; rather, they should have transported this wealth to Makkah, with extreme care, at their own expense and in the protection of their army, so that with the aid of this wealth, the Quraish could have prepared another two or four mighty armies and invaded Madīnah? If this is their view, then let it be blessed for them. We admit that the doctrine of Islām is clear of such foolishness, shamelessness and teachings of suicide. To assert that in the interception of these caravans, the Muslims were given teachings of pillage and plunder, is a grave injustice and far from equity. Were such a people given teachings of pillage and plunder, among whom there were a few who during a journey of Jihād, strained by extreme hunger, and as if having reached the mouth of death, caught and slaughtered two or four goats from a flock, but when the Holy Prophet(sa) arrived, he angrily upset their pots? He began to grind the meat beneath his feet and said, “Who has made this plunder lawful for you? This is no better than carrion.” Then, were such a people given teachings of pillage and plunder, among whom there were new Muslims that would inquire of the Holy Prophet(sa) upon setting out for Jihād that “O Messenger of Allāh! If the actual intention of an individual who takes part in Jihād is to safeguard religion, but the thought crosses his mind that he may also receive the wealth of spoils as well, would such a person be worthy of spiritual reward?” The Holy Prophet(sa) would respond saying, “Absolutely not, absolutely not, there is no spiritual reward whatsoever for such a person.” In light of these instances, can the interception of these caravans constitute a teaching of pillage and plunder? Then, not only would the Holy Prophet(sa) constantly explain to the Companions that there should be no taint of worldly motive in Jihād, but this teaching of the Holy Prophet(sa) had an impact on the Companions as well. So profound was this impression that not only did they endeavour to prevent thoughts of materialism from taking root in their own hearts, rather, on some occasions, they would even avoid such lawful opportunities where it was apprehended that thoughts of this nature could develop among weaker dispositions. As such, it is related with regards to the Ghazwah of Badr that many Companions did not participate in this Ghazwah, because they thought that this campaign was only to intercept a caravan. Otherwise, had they known that war was to take place with the army of the Quraish, they would have most definitely taken part.3 This is practical evidence to substantiate that in the interception of these caravans, the Companions had no interest in their wealth and riches. The reason being that if this was the case, then the state of affairs should have been that the Companions would have come forward to participate in greater majority, while here, the situation seems to be the exact opposite. I do not imply that all of the Companions were the same. Undoubtedly, among them there were weaker ones as well and naturally this weakness was relatively greater in the beginning. However, the transformation which the community of Companions exhibited under the training of the Holy Prophet(sa) as a whole, is remarkably astounding and truly unparalleled.