Apart from the three major battles (Badr, Uhud, and Khandaq), there were several other wars and conflicts between the Muslims and the non-Muslims during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. These battles can be bifurcated into two categories: the Ghazwa and Sariyya. The word Ghazwa is used for those wars in which the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَhimself took part, whereas the Sariyya refers to the fights, which were fought during his lifetime but he did not participate in them.
It is believed by the majority of Islamic historians and scholars that 27 battles were participated by the Prophet, whereas some others believe that the number of Ghazwas is 28. The total number of Saraya (plural of Sariyya) is believed to be more than 65. However, the exact number of such wars cannot be ascertained.
Lesser-Known Conflicts Between Muslims and non-Muslims
The total number of conflicts, including Ghazwas and Saraya, is around 100. These fights are discussed infrequently in Islamic history compared to the three major battles. However, all the Ghazwas have their significance, though most are relatively low-profile.
· The Battle of Khaybar (غَزْوَة خَيْبَر)
Ghazwa Khaybar (غَزْوَة خَيْبَر) was fought between the Muslims of Medina and the Jews of Khaybar in 628 CE (7 AH). Khaybar is some 93 miles (150 kilometers) away from Medina. It was a Jewish settlement during that era.
Banu Nadir was a prominent Jewish tribe expelled from Medina by the Muslims in 625 CE. They settled in the Khaybar territory and were considered the stronghold of the Jews then. The leadership of the Banu Nadir allied with the Meccans during the battle of Trench. This was one of the main reasons behind the Battle of Khaybar.
The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ started marching towards Khaybar along with his companions, with an army of around 1400 men and 100 horses. The march started during the month of Muharram 7 AH. The Jewish army consisted of around 10,000 soldiers. The Ghaftan and Fazara tribes also supported them. The Muslim army swiftly reached the Khaybar in just three days. The battle ended with Muslims being victorious. Jews suffered 93 casualties, while 20 Muslims were martyred and some 50 injured.
The highlight of the Battle of Khaybar was the fall of Fort Al-Qamus. In the first instance, the Muslim army did not succeed in capturing the fort. Next day, Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was sent by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ to capture the fort. He successfully accomplished the task and the fort of Al-Qamus fell to the Muslim forces. During the course of the fall of Al-Qamus, the leader of the Jews, Marhab, was also killed by Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ.
Apart from the formal battles, there were several other campaigns, either led by the Prophet himself or assigned to one of his companions. These are small-scale, local encounters between the Muslims of Medina and the non-Muslims of Mecca and other tribes.
A brief description of these lesser-known battles is summarized hereunder:
· Patrol of Waddan
After migrating from Mecca to Medina, the Muslims had to consolidate their newly established Islamic state in Medina. For this purpose, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ often sent his men to patrol the route of trading caravans from Syria to Mecca, which would pass through the outskirts of the Medina. The purpose of these expeditions was to protect the interests of the Muslims.
During the month of Rajab 2 AH, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ led a troop of around 70 men to patrol the area of Waddan, also known as Al-Abwa. When they reached the spot, it was revealed that the caravan of the Quraysh had already left the area. However, the Muslim troops encountered a group of the Banu Damrah clan of the Banu Kinana tribe. Eventually, the Banu Damhrah entered into a treaty of friendship with Muslims without any fighting.
· Patrol of Buwat
Within a period of one month after the Patrol of Waddan, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ took a troop of 200 Muslims, including both the Muhajirin and Ansar, to Buwat, which was situated on the trading route, passing near Medina. Quraysh often used to raid on this route. It was reported to the Prophet that the Quraysh forces led by Umayya Ibn Khalf used to raid this route near Buwat.
The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ stayed there with his men for some time, but Umayya changed his route. Hence, no direct combat took place. On his way back to Medina, the Prophet went to Dhat al-Saq and offered prayers there. A mosque was later built in this place.
· Patrol of Dhul Al-Ushairah (ذي العشيرة)
Around two months later, the Patrol of Dhul Al-Ushairah occurred in 623 CE, 2 AH. His sources informed the Prophet that a trading caravan led by Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb was approaching Dhul Al-Ushairah. The Prophet decided to intercept this caravan. Muslim force of around 150 men and 30 camels was prepared. They reached Dhul Al-Ushairah, but the trading convoy had already passed through this place by then.
No armed encounter took place on this occasion. However, Muslims entered into another treaty of allegiance with the local tribe, Banu Mudlij, who were the allies of Banu Damrah. Banu Damrah had already entered into a friendship treaty with Muslims during the Patrol of Waddan. The caravan of Abu Sufyan, though passed through the area without any armed conflict with Muslims, eventually resulted in the first major battle known as Ghazwa Badr.
· Expedition against Banu Qaynuqa
Soon after the battle of Badr (Ghazwa Badr), the expedition against Banu Qaynuqa took place in the month of Shawwl, 2 AH. Banu Qaynuqa was a tribe of Jews who were settled in Medina and had entered into an agreement with the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, popularly known as the “Constitution of Medina.”
After an incident of maltreating a woman, a Jew, a conflict arose between the Muslims and the Jewish tribe of Banu Qaynuqa, which resulted in a series of killings. The Jews were also angry over the outcome of the Battle of Badr. The ultimate result of this series of events was a direct fight between the Muslims and the Jews of the Banu Qaynuqa tribe. The Jews were well-equipped with arms.
The Muslim forces besieged Banu Qaynuqa, which lasted for 15 days, after which the Jews surrendered unconditionally. Thereafter, the Banu Qaynuqa tribe was expelled from Medina by the Prophet due to the fact that they had violated the Constitution of Medina. The arms and weapons of the Banu Qaynuqa were also captured by the Muslims, which were eventually distributed amongst them by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
· Invasion or Patrol of Buhran
The invasion of Buhran, also referred to as the Patrol of Buhran, happened in the first quarter of the 3rd year after Hijra (3 AH). Reports poured in that a huge force of Banu Sulaym was heading towards Medina from an area known as Buhran. The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ marched towards Buhran with a contingent of around 300 soldiers to intercept the troops of Banu Sulaym. When the Muslim forces reached Buhran, the Sulaym tribe fled from the area in panic. No formal battle happened during this expedition.
· Battle of Hamra Al-Asad (غزوة حمراء الأسد)
Ghazwa Hamra Al-Asad took place in 3 AH (March 625 CE). This happened immediately after the Ghazwa Uhud. It was the time when the Quraysh forces were heading back to Mecca after the battle of Uhud.
The Quraysh thought that after the battle of Uhud, Muslims had become weaker. They thought it to be the best chance to eliminate the Muslims of Medina. So, they planned to attack Medina immediately after the end of the Battle of Uhud. Meanwhile, the Prophet was also well aware of the situation. He ordered the Muslims of Medina to gather for combat right on the very next morning after the Ghazwa Uhud. He also ordered that only those who participated in the Ghazwa Uhud were eligible for this new expedition.
Muslim troops gathered at Hamra Al-Asad, anticipating to have a battle with Quraysh. But the Quraysh did not come there. The Prophet, along with his men, stayed there for three nights. During this period, Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, got the impression that Muslims had gathered a huge force at Hamra Al-Asad. This compelled him to terminate his expedition to eliminate the Muslim state in Medina. He, therefore, went back to Mecca without any battle at Hamra Al-Asad.
This expedition proved to be a source of encouragement and a morale-boosting event for the Muslims of Medina after the sad outcome of the Battle of Uhud.
· Expedition Against Banu Nadir
In May 625 CE, 4 AH, the invasion of Banu Nadir occurred. Banu Nadir was a Jewish tribe who lived in Medina. After an unfortunate incident of the killing of two men of the Banu Kilab by mistake, the Muslims were to pay blood money to the Kilba tribe. The Prophet, accompanied by his close companions, visited Banu Nadir to get their assistance in gathering the blood money. The leaders of the Banu Nadir tribe assured the Muslims to help them and asked them to stay there for a while.
Meanwhile, it was revealed upon the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَthat the Banu Nadir Chief was conspiring to kill him and his companions. So, the Prophet asked his companions to immediately get back to Medina. The Banu Nadir were ordered by the Prophet to leave Medina within ten days. Initially, the Banu Nadir expressed their willingness to obey the orders but later refused to do so, on the encouragement of the chief of the Khazraj tribe, Abdullah Ibn Ubayy.
Thereafter, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ decided to attack the Banu Nadir. The Islamic troops sieged the Banu Nadir tribe, which lasted for around 6 nights. Eventually, the Muslims emerged victorious and the Banu Nadir were expelled from the Medina.
· Siege of Banu Qurayza
Banu Qurayza was a Jewish tribe of Medina. They had entered into an alliance with the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. The alliance was going well until the battle of Trench (Ghazwa Khandaq). On the occasion of the battle of the trench, the Banu Qurayza assisted the Muslims in digging the trench by giving them the necessary equipment. However, during the battle, Banu Qurayza refused to take part in the battle. This resulted in a conflict between the Muslims and the Banu Qurayza tribe.
The battle of the trench ended with a victory for the Muslims. Immediately after this victory, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ decided to fight with Banu Qurayza, as they had breached the alliance by not fighting in the battle of trench.
In January 627 CE, 5 AH, the very next day the Meccans withdrew after the end of the battle of trench, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ decided to attack the Banu Qurayza tribe for breaching the treaty with him. The Muslim forces sieged the Banu Qurayza, which lasted for 25 days. Eventually, the Banu Qurayza surrendered.
On the request of some of his companions, to take a lenient view on the betrayal of Banu Qurayza, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ appointed Sa’ad ibn Muadh, a member of the Aws tribe to decide the fate of the Banu Qurayza. Everyone agreed with that. Sa’ad declared that all the men of Banu Qurayza should be killed, children and women be taken as slaves, and their property should be divided among the Muslims. The verdict of Sa’ad was implemented, and the Muslims killed all the adult men of the Banu Qurayza.
In addition to the conflicts mentioned earlier, there were several other such incidents that occurred during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. Some of these were physically attended by the Prophet himself, while he ordered many other small-scale expeditions, but he himself did not participate in them.
All these lesser-known conflicts between the Muslims and non-Muslims were fought for the protection and strengthening of the Islamic State and the Muslims of Medina. It is a history of continued struggle for self-defense and consistency of Islamic rule right from the earlier days of Islam, after the migration of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ along with his followers, from Mecca to Medina.
This continued struggle led to the Conquest of Mecca, which almost ended the ongoing conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims.
