Sariyyah of Zaid bin Ḥārithah(ra) Towards Qaradah - Jamādiyul-Ākhirah 3 A.H.

After the Muslims had become somewhat free from the attacks of the Banū Sulaim and Banū Ghaṭafān, they were compelled to go forth from their homeland to put down another threat. Until now, for their trade ventures in the north, the Quraish would generally travel to Syria from the coastal route of Ḥijāz. However, they had now abandoned this route, because as mentioned above, the tribes of this region had become allies of the Muslims; hence there was less prospect for the Quraish to spur mischief. As a matter of fact, in these circumstances, they began to consider this coastal route to be a threat for themselves. In any case, they had now abandoned this route and begun to travel from the route of Najd, which led to Iraq. The tribes of Sulaim and Ghaṭafān, who were allies of the Quraish and were deadly enemies of the Muslims inhabited the close proximity of this region.1 As such, in the month of Jamādiyul-Ākhirah, the Holy Prophet(sa) received intelligence that a trade caravan of the Quraish of Makkah was to pass by this route of Najd. It is obvious that if the movement of caravans belonging to the Quraish to and from the coastal region was a cause of threat for the Muslims, there passing by the route of Najd was equally, rather, even more dangerous. The reason being that unlike the coastal route, this new route was inhabited by allies of the Quraish, who like the Quraish, were thirsty for the blood of the Muslims. It was very easy for the Quraish to join forces with them and launch a sudden attack upon Madīnah at night, or perform any other act of mischief. Then, in order to weaken the Quraish and push them so that they may be inclined to seek reconciliation, it was necessary to intercept their caravans on this route as well. Hence, as soon as the Holy Prophet(sa) received word, he dispatched a detachment of his Companions under the leadership of his freed slave, Zaid bin Ḥārithah(ra).

Chieftains such as Abū Sufyān bin Ḥarb2 and Ṣafwān bin Umayyah3 also accompanied this trade caravan of the Quraish. Zaid(ra) performed his duty with remarkable speed and intelligence, and subdued these enemies of Islām at a place known as Qaradah, situated in Najd. Flustered by this sudden attack, the people of the Quraish fled, leaving the goods and valuables of the caravan behind. Zaid bin Ḥārithah(ra) and his companions returned to Madīnah with success and triumph, with a large value of spoils. Some historians have written that the guide of this caravan of the Quraish was a man named Furāt, who was taken captive at the hands of the Muslims, and then set free upon his acceptance of Islām.4 However, it is ascertained from other narrations that he was an idolator commissioned to spy upon the Muslims. However, later on, after becoming a Muslim, he migrated to Madīnah.5