Third Expedition of Wadi al Qura

Third Expedition of Wadi al Qura, also known as the Campaign of Wadi al Qura^[5] or Ghazwah of Wadi al Qura^[6] took place in June 628 AD, 2nd month of 7AH, of the Islamic calendar.^[6][7]

The operation was successful and the siege lasted 2 days before the Jews surrendered and accepted Muhammed's terms, similar to what the Jews had done in the Battle of Khaybar and in the Conquest of Fidak.^[1][2]

This was the 3rd Expedition in Wadi al Qura, the 1st Expedition and 2nd Expedition in Wadi al Qura took place 1 year earlier.

Siege of Wadi al Qura

After the Battle of Khaybar and Conquest of Fidak, Muhammad made a fresh move towards Wadi Al-Qura, another Jewish colony in Arabia. He mobilized his forces and divided them into three regiments with four banners entrusted to Sa‘d bin ‘Ubada, Al-Hubab bin Mundhir, ‘Abbad bin Bishr and Sahl bin Haneef. Before the fighting, he invited the Jews to embrace Islam,an offer they ignored.^[1][8]

The first of their champions (best fighters) came out and was slain by Zubayr, the second of their champions came out and was slain also, the third was slain by Ali.^[9] In this way 11 of the Jews were killed one after another and with each one newly killed, a fresh call was extended inviting those people to profess Islam. Fighting went on ceaselessly and resulted in full surrender of the Jews.^[1][8]The Jews resisted for one or two days, then they surrendered on similar terms like the Jews of Khaybar and Fadak.^[2]

After the surrender of the Jews at Wadi al-Qura, Muhammad established his full authority on all the Jewish tribes of Medina.^[2]

Primary sources

The event is mentioned in the Sunni hadith collection Al-Muwatta^[10] (compiled by Imam Malik, founder of the Maliki school of thought), it states:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili from Abu'l-Ghayth Salim, the mawla of ibn Muti that Abu Hurayra said, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the yearof Khaybar. We did not capture any gold or silver except for personal effects, clothes, and baggage. Rifaa ibn Zayd presented a black slave boy to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose name was Midam. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made for Wadi'l-Qura, and when he arrived there, Midam was unsaddling the camel of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a stray arrow struck and killed him. The people said, 'Good luck to him! The Garden!' The Messenger of Allah said, 'No! By He in whose hand my self is! The cloak which he took from the spoils on the Day of Khaybar before they were distributed will blaze with fire on him.' When the people heard that, a man brought a sandal-strap or two sandal-straps to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'A sandal-strap or two sandal-straps of fire!' "

Al-Muwatta, 21 13.25

See also

• Muhammad as a general

Notes

1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sealed Nectar". Retrieved 17 December 2014. 
2. 1 2 3 4 "Life of Mahomet, 1878". Retrieved 17 December 2014. 
3. ↑ Tabari, Al (25 Sep 1990), The last years of the Prophet (translated by Isma’il Qurban Husayn), State University of New York Press, enumerating with them the expedition of Wadi al-Qura. He stated that he fought there with his slave Mid'am 
4. ↑ Mubarakpuri, The Sealed Nectar, p. 238. (online)
5. ↑ "Atlas Al-sīrah Al-Nabawīyah". Retrieved 17 December 2014. 
6. 1 2 List of Battles of Muhammad
7. ↑ "The Life of Muhammad". Retrieved 17 December 2014. 
8. 1 2 "than he started a fresh move towards Wadi Al-Qura...", Witness-Pioneer.com
9. ↑ "When The Moon Split". Retrieved 17 December 2014. 
10. ↑ Al-Muwatta, 21 13.25