The Expedition of Mutah

Subsequent Expeditions

In between the two major expeditions to Mu’tah and Mecca, some smaller expeditions were also undertaken. One of them was the raid of Dhat as-Salasil in the country of Khuza’a near Wadi-‘L-Qura, in Jamada-al-Ukhra, 8 A.H. The raiding party returned after smearing the enemy. Another raiding party consisting of 300 Ansars and Muhajirin was sent to chastise a clan of Juhayna. The army was exhausted with hunger and had to live a few days on the leaves of the tree until God brought them a whale named ‘Anbar’ from the sea. The men spent about fifteen days on the flesh and fat of the whale and regained their strength. They brought back a portion of it, which was taken by the Apostle who said to the men, “It was sent by God for you.”1 This expedition goes by the names of Sif-al-Bahr and Khabat.

Footnotes:

1. Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 417; Bukhari, Chapt. Ghazwah Sif al-Bahr.

Not Deserters But Battlers

When the army returning from Mu’tah got near Medina, the Apostle and the Muslims went out to receive them. The boys also came running while the Prophet was on his camel. The Prophet said, “Take the boys and give me Ja’afar’s son. Ja’afar’s son, ‘Abdullah, was brought to the Apostle who seated him in his front.

This was the first time that a Muslim army had returned without winning a decisive victory. Some of the people started throwing dust on the men, saying all the while, “You defectors, you fled from the way of God.” The Apostle said, “They are not deserters, but battlers, if God wills.”1

Footnotes:

1. Musnad Ahmad b. Hanbal

Words, Kind And Comfortable

The Apostle went to the house of Ja’afar and asked his wife to bring her children. When they were brought, the Apostle took them to his face, tears running down his eyes. Then he told them about the death of Ja’afar. When the news about Ja’afar reached the Apostle from the front, he sent a word to his family, “Prepare food for the family of Ja’afar. They would be too shocked to cook their food.” The Prophet’s face at that time reflected his grief.1

Footnotes:

1. Ibn Hisham, Vol. II, pp. 380-81.

Ja’afar Tayyar

Another report about Ja’afar says that the Apostle said about him, “Allah has given two wings to Ja’afar in place of his arms. He flies in the paradise, whenever he likes.”1 Thereafter Ja’afar came to be known as Ja’afar Tayyar and Dhil Jinahin, meaning one who has two wings.

Footnotes:

1. Bukhari, Chap. Ghazwa Mu’ta and Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 415. Bukhari relates that ‘Umar used to greet the son of J’afar thus: “Peace be on you. O son of the two-winged man.”

A Glimpse Of The Battlefield

While the Muslims were engaged in fighting the enemy at Mu’ta, the Apostle was giving a description of the conflict in Medina. Anas B. Malik relates that the Messenger of God had announced the death of Zayd, Ja’afar and Abdullah B. Rawaha before the report about them reached Medina. Anas reports that the Apostle said: “Zayd took the standard and was smitten; then Ja’afar took it and was smitten, then Ibn Rawaha took it and was smitten”, the tears meanwhile tricking down from his eyes. The Apostle continued, according to Anas, “Finally one of God’s swords (meaning Khalid B. Walid) took the standard till God granted them success.”1

Footnotes:

1. Bukhari, Chap. Gazwah Mu’ta.

Khalid Assumes Command

Now the Muslim troops rallied around Khalid B. Walid who took the standard in his hand. With his strategic instincts, Khalid made his way to the south while the enemy forces turned aside towards the north.1 The day was done by this time and both forces, tired by daylong fight, thought it prudent to stop fighting. Khalid stationed a part of his force at a distance from his camp in the hush of the night. At the first flush of morning, the detachment set apart by Khalid started shouting cries of war, which gave an impression to the enemy that fresh reinforcement had arrived from Medina. The enemy had the experience of fighting the small force of 3,000 Muslims the previous day. Now they no longer dared to fight with them as they had been strengthened by additional troops. The Roman militia was disheartened and did not take the field. Muslims were thus spared the trouble of putting up a fight again.2

Footnotes:

1. Ibid
2. Al-Maghazi lil-Waqidi

Action Starts

When the Muslims reached near Balqa’, they found the Byzantine force stationed in a village called Mashrif. With the news of the arrival of Muslims forces, the enemy advanced towards them, and the Muslim troops took up their position in a village called Mu’ta where the actual operation took place.1

Zayd B. Haritha, who held the Apostle’s flag, descended on the enemy and died fighting bravely. He received innumerable wound spears. The emblem was now held by Ja’afar who led the fight. When the battle hemmed in, he jumped off his charger and hamstrung its forelegs, and fought until he lost his right hand. He held the flag in his left hand which was later cut off together with his arm but still managed to get hold of it thru his teeth. He fell down dead in the battlefield after receiving ninety cuts from swords and spears on his chest and arms, but none so far from his back.2 He was then 33 years of age.3 Thus fought this young man with reckless courage in the teeth of greatest odds, defying the enemy’s numbers and strength, until God honored him with martyrdom.

The Apostle’s insignia was then held aloft by ‘Abdullah B. Rawaha. He too dismounted from his horse and pressed onwards. One of ‘Abdullah’s cousins came up to him with meat bone, saying, “Take it for you have not had anything for the last few days. It will give strength to fight.” ‘Abdullah took it and ate a little. Then he threw it away and taking the sword in his hand fought bravely until he was also killed.4

Footnotes:

1. Ibn Hisham, Vol II, p. 377-78.
2. Ibn Hisham, Vol III, p. 474 and Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 415
3. Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 415
4. Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 415, Ibn Hisham, Vol III, p. 379.

Dauntless Warriors

‘Abdullah B. Rawaha made an impassioned speech encouraging his comrades, where he said: “Men, you dislike the thing, by God, for which you came out – martyrdom. We do not fight the enemy on the strength of our numbers, or our power; we fight them with the religion we have been honored by God. So come on, we shall be successful both ways; either we win or we court martyrdom.” So the men got up and forged ahead to meet the enemy.

First Expedition To The Byzantine Territoty

The Apostle decided to send a detachment to Busra in Jama-al-Ula, 8 A.H,

A force 3,000 strong was drafted. It was the strongest force sent out so far and a number of leading companions had enlisted for active service, but the Apostle gave its command to his freed slave Zayd B. Haritha. He also instructed that if Zayd were killed then Ja’afar B. Abu Talib would take the command, and if he were also slain then the command would pass on to ‘Abdullah B. Rawaha. When the expedition got ready to depart, the people bade farewell and saluted the commanders selected by the Apostle.3 The force had to undertake a long and arduous journey and to face an enemy backed by he strongest empire of the world.

The Force advanced to Ma’an in Syria where Zayd came to know that Heraclius was present at Balqa’ with a hundred thousand Roman troops joined by an equally strong force drawn from the Arab tribes of Lakhm and Judham and Bal-Qayn and Bahra and Bali. The Muslims bivouacked for two days at Ma’an. Pondering over the situation, they decided at last to inform the Apostle about the strength of the enemy. If he sends reinforcements well and good, otherwise they could face the enemy, if so ordered.1

Footnotes:

1. Ibn Hisham, Vol . II, p. 373
2. Zad al-Ma’ad Vol. I, p. 415

Expedition Of Mu’ta1

The Apostle had sent Harith B. ‘Umayr al-Azdi to deliver his letter to Sharhbil B. ‘Amr al-Ghassani, a satrap of the Byzantine Emperor at Busara. Harith was first tied up under the orders of Sharhbil and then beheaded.2 Howsoever a disagreeable message was conveyed by an embassy, it had never been the custom of kings to condemn the envoys to death sentence. The crime was disgraceful both for the sender of the letter and the addressee as well as fraught with danger to the envoys, and could not be allowed to go unpunished. The guilt of blood had to be avenged with firmness so that no tyrant would dare to repeat the crime in the future.

Footnotes:

1. Mu’ta lies 12 km. To the south of Kirk in Trans-Jordan. Thus Mu’ta is at a distance of about 1, 100 km. From Medina. The troops sent for this expedition had cover the entire distance on horse and camels in an enemy country without any hope of assistance or provision being made available by the local population.
2. Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 414.