The First Signs of Victory in Yathrib

Muhammad did not have to wait more than a few years before the first signs of

victory began to loom on the horizon, in the direction of Yathrib. Muhammad was

related to Yathrib in ways other than trade. He had relatives in Yathrib. Moreover, in

Yathrib was his father's grave. In Yathrib lived Banu al Najjar, uncle of his ancestor

'Abd al Muttalib, and hence his relative. To that grave, Aminah, the loyal wife, as well

as `Abd al Muttalib, the father who lost his son at the very height of his youth and

power used to come for yearly visits. Muhammad himself accompanied his mother to

Yathrib when he was six years old and visited his father's grave with her. On their

way back to Makkah, his mother, Aminah, fell ill and died and was buried at al Abwa'

midway between Yathrib and Makkah. It was no surprise to Muhammad that the first

sign of victory came from a town to which he was so closely associated, a town

which stood in the direction of al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, toward which he prayed

and where stood the shrines of his two predecessors, Moses and Jesus. No wonder

that circumstances prepared the town of Yathrib for this great destiny that

Muhammad might achieve victory therein and that it might become the capital from

which Islam was to conquer and to spread over the world.

Al Aws, al Khazraj, and the Jews

For this illustrious career, the town of Yathrib was better fitted than any other. Both

al Aws and al Khazraj were idolaters sharing their town with the Jews whom they

hated and often fought, and were hated and fought by them. History relates that the

Christians of al Sham who then belonged to the dominant church in the East Roman

Empire hated the Jews very strongly, regarding them as the crucifiers and torturers

of Jesus. These Christians had raided Yathrib in the past for the express purpose of

killing its Jewish citizens. When they could not succeed, they sought the assistance

of al Aws and al Khazraj in order to draw the Jews of Madinah into their trap. Such a

plan was responsible for the death of many a Jew and deprived the Jewish

community of its dominion and power within the city. It also raised al Aws and al

Khazraj to a position of power greater than that which trade relations with the

Byzantines had hitherto established for them. History further relates that once more

the Madinese tried to destroy Jewish power in their city in order to extend their

possessions and influence, and that they had succeeded. The surviving Jews hated al

Aws and al Khazraj deeply. Enmity was hence deeply rooted in the hearts of both.

However, the followers of Moses were quick to realize that they neither had the

power nor the numbers needed to meet force with force, and that continuation of

such adventures would in the end result in their own extermination should al Aws

and al Khazraj ever find allies among their own coreligionists in Arabia. Hence they

changed their tactics and, instead of victory in battle, they sought to divide and

separate al Aws from al Kharzaj and cause the two tribes to hate and fight each

other. In this they succeeded far better, for the two tribes were soon at each other's

throats. Through the continuing hostility of the two Arab tribes, the Jews secured

their position, increased their trade and wealth, and reestablished the dominion,

possession, and prestige which they had once enjoyed.

The Jews' Spiritual Influences

Besides this competition for power and dominion, there is a sphere in which the Jews

exerted greater influence upon al Aws and al Khazraj than they had over any other

tribe of Arabia. That is the realm of the spirit. As adherents of a monotheistic faith,

the Jews had been castigating their idolatrous neighbors for worshipping at the feet

of idols which they took to be intercessors for them with God. The Jews had been

threatening them with the prediction that soon a prophet would arise among the

Arabs who would destroy them and ally himself to the Jews. Nonetheless, they did

not succeed in judaizing the Arabs for two reasons: the first was that perpetual

enmity between Christianity and Judaism did not allow the Jews to entertain any

hope of political dominion in Yathrib. To realize for themselves a measure of security

and prosperity through trade was the highest desideratum to which they would

aspire. The second was that the Jews had thought of themselves as God's chosen

people and objected that any other people might share with them such favored

position. They do not missionarize their faith, for they do not wish for it to include

other than their own people, the children of Israel. This notwithstanding,

neighborliness and trade between Arab and Jew enabled al Aws and al Khazraj to

become more familiar with and more prepared for spiritual and religious discussion

than other tribes. The evidence of this preparation is in the fact that nowhere had

the Arabs responded to Muhammad's spiritual call with the same understanding and

enthusiasm.

Suwayd ibn al Samit

Suwayd ibn al Samit was one of the noblest men of Yathrib. His people called him

"the perfect" for his bravery, his eloquent poetry, his great honor, and his noble

lineage. During this period Suwayd, who came to Makkah for pilgrimage, was

approached by Muhammad, who called him unto God and Islam. Suwayd said,

"Perhaps what you have, Muhammad, is like that which I have." Muhammad

answered, "What is it that you have?" He answered, "The wisdom of Luqman."

Muhammad asked him to explain this wisdom, and after hearing him, he said: "Your

words are good, but those which I have are even better. For they are a Qur'an

revealed by God to me as light and guidance." He read to him the Qur'an and called

him to Islam. Suwayd was pleased with what he heard, and said: "That is indeed

good." When he left Muhammad, he was in deep thought; there are reports that

when al Khazraj killed him he had already become a Muslim.

Iyas ibn Mu'adh

Suwayd ibn al Samit was not the only example of the spiritual influence of the Jews

upon the Arabs of Yathrib. The Jews had not only instigated the enmity of al Aws for

al Khazraj and vice versa, but fanned its flames as well. This enmity caused each of

the two hostile tribes to seek alliances with other tribes to consolidate its power. It

was in search of an alliance from the Quraysh against al Khazraj that Abu al Haysar

Anas ibn Rafi` came to Makkah with a number of men from Banu `Abd al Ashhal,

including Iyas ibn Mu'adh. After Muhammad heard of their arrival, he visited with

them for a while, calling them unto Islam and reading to them the Qur'an. When he

finished, Iyas ibn Mu'adh, still young and of tender age, rose and said:"0 my people,

this is by God far better than your religion." The delegation returned to Yathrib with

one convert to Islam, namely Iyas. Apparently, they were too busy to listen

attentively to Muhammad's preaching and too preoccupied with their war

preparations. Upon the return of Abu al Haysar and his delegation from Makkah, al

Aws engaged them in the war of Bu'ath where both parties suffered grave losses.

Nonetheless, the words of Muhammad-may God's peace be upon him-left such a

deep impression upon them that both al Aws and al Khazra. carte to see in

Muhammad a prophet, a messenger of God, and a worthy spiritual leader.

The Battle of Bu'ath

A1 Aws fought the battle of Bu'ath against al Khazraj in which both tribes gave full

vent to their chronic enmity and hostility. So fierce did the battle rage that each

party was seriously considering exterminating the enemy and finishing with the affair

once and for all if it could only achieve victory. Abu Usayd was the general not only

of the legions of al Aws but of their hate and resentment as well. In the first round of

battle, al Aws lost and they ran toward the desert for their lives. A1 Khazraj, who

accused them of cowardice, began to sing in verse of their unmanliness and

poltroonery. When Abu Usayd heard this, he plunged his own spear in his leg, fell

from his horse and shouted, "Woe! Woe! By God I shall not move from this spot until

they kill me. If you my people must forsake me, go ahead and run." Moved by this

sacrifice of their own leader, al Aws returned to the battle with such enthusiasm and

resoluteness indeed despair that they inflicted a terrible defeat upon al Khazraj.

Pressing forth against their enemy, they burnt their houses as well as their orchards

until stopped by Sa'd ibn Mu'adh al Ashhali. Indeed Abu Usayd had intended to wipe

out the Khazraj tribe completely, house by house, tree by tree, and person by

person, until not one of them remained alive. Abu Qays ibn al Aslat, however, stood

in his way and begged him to save al Khazraj saying, "They are your co-religionists ;

it would still behoove you to keep them alive. They would be better neighbors for

you than the foxes and beasts of prey of the desert."

Islamic Beginnings in Yathrib

After that day, the Jews recaptured their position of dominance in Yathrib. Both

conqueror and vanquished realized the tragedy of what they had done, and they

pondered their fate with gravity. Together they looked forward toward appointing a

king to manage their affairs, a choice to fall upon `Abdullah ibn Muhammad, of the

vanquished al Khazraj, on account of his wisdom and sound opinions. The situation,

evolved too rapidly, however, to allow a realization of this dream. A group of al

Khazraj made a pilgrimage to Makkah where, they were met by Muhammad and

asked about their affairs. The Prophet knew they were clients of the Jews. In order to

keep their clients in check, the Jews used to threaten them that a new prophet was

about to appear whom they would follow and bring to any of their enemies that

dared oppose them the total destruction which was meted out to the ancient tribes of

'Ad and Iram. When the Prophet talked to this group and called them unto God, they

looked to one another and said, "By God, this is the Prophet by whom the Jews had

threatened us. Let us acclaim him before they do." They responded favorably to

Muhammad's call, were converted, and said, "We have left our people, al Aws and al

Khazraj, who are alienated from one another and are full of hatred for one another.

Would to God that they might meet you and unite under your leadership! Should this

ever become the case, you will be the strongest man in Arabia." The group included

in their numbers two men from Banu al Najjar, the uncles of 'Abd al Muttalib, and

the grandfather of Muhammad who had protected him ever since his birth; the latter

returned to Madinah and reported to their people their conversion to the new faith.

The relatives received the news with joy and enthusiasm, for now they could boast of

a religion that made them monotheists like the Jews indeed more excellent than

they. Soon, there was no house in al Aws or al Khazraj in which the name of

Muhammad God's peace by upon him was not mentioned with reverence and awe

The First Covenant of `Aqabah

As the year passed and the holy months and the pilgrimage season returned, twelve

men from Yathrib set out for Makkah. They met the Prophet at al 'Aqabah and

entered with him into an alliance known as "the first covenant of al 'Aqabah." In this

covenant they agreed to adhere to the absolute unity of God, neither to steal nor to

commit adultery, neither to kill their children nor knowingly to commit any evil, and

not to fail to obey God in His commandment of any good. They were satisfied that, in

case they succeeded in living the life of virtue and obedience, their reward would be

paradise; otherwise, their judgment belonged to God, His being the power to punish

as well as to forgive. On their return to Yathrib, Muhammad sent with them Mus'ab

ibn 'Umayr to teach them the Qur'an and the precepts of Islam. After this covenant,

Islam spread in Yathrib. Mus'ab resided with the Muslims of al Aws and al Khazraj

and taught them the religion of God and the revelation of truth while their numbers

increased with new converts every day. When the holy months returned, Mus'ab

traveled to Makkah and reported to Muhammad the progress of the Muslims at

Madinah in solidarity and power and informed the Prophet that a greater number of

them, surpassing their predecessors in faith, would be arriving this season to

perform the pilgrimage.

Muhammad Thinks of Emigration

Muhammad pondered the news which Mus'ab had brought for a long time. He

thought of his followers in Yathrib who were increasing in number and power and

who were progressing without let or hindrance from either Jews or others, unlike

their colleagues in Makkah who suffered from Quraysh at every turn. He thought of

Yathrib, the city of greater prosperity than Makkah on account of its large fields, its

orchards and vineyards. It must have occurred to him to ask whether it might not be

better that the Makkan Muslims emigrate to Yathrib, live with their coreligionists, and

enjoy the security they missed so much at Makkah. In all likelihood, he pondered the

observation which a member of the first group of converts from Yathrib once made,

namely, that should al Aws and al Khazraj unite under him, he would be the

strongest man in the country. Was it not better, now that God had united them

under him, that he, too, should consider to emigrate to Yathrib? Muhammad did not

want to return the injuries of Quraysh since he knew he was still weaker than they.

As for his allies, Banu Hashim and Banu al Muttalib, it is one thing for them to come

to his rescue as a sufferer of their injustice, but a totally different matter for them to

support him in a war of aggression against the Quraysh. He also pondered the fact

that Banu Hashim and Banu al Muttalib were not really capable of protecting all the

Muslims in such an open war with Quraysh. It is true that religious conviction is

man's strongest and most precious possession, for which he is prepared to sacrifice

wealth, peace, freedom and life itself. It is equally true that the nature of religious

conviction is such that physical injury inflames as well as strengthens it.

Nonetheless, it is also true that persistence of injury, suffering, and sacrifice rob the

believer of the possibility of the peaceful contemplation and precise vision necessary

for the nourishment of faith and the deepening of man's awareness of ultimate

reality. Previously, Muhammad had commanded his followers to emigrate to

Christian Abyssinia because of its sound faith and just rule. There was all the more

reason now to permit them to emigrate to Yathrib, to strengthen and be

strengthened by their fellow Muslims in order to achieve a measure of peace and

security against the evil designs of the enemy. There was all the more reason to ask

them to do so in order to give them the chance to contemplate the religious truths,

to cultivate their understanding, and to preach their faith to their fellow men. Islam

had ruled out coercion and propagated itself through gentleness, persuasion, and

conviction by argument alone.

The Second Covenant of `Aqabah

The year 622 C.E. saw a great number of pilgrims, seventy-three men and two

women, from Yathrib. When Muhammad learned of their arrival, he thought of

concluding another pact with them which would not be limited to the preaching of

Islam in the way followed during the last thirteen years. Beyond the preaching of

gentleness and forbearance and sacrifice under attack, the times and their present

dangers called for an alliance by which the Muslims would help one another to

prevent as well as to repel injury and aggression. Secretly Muhammad contacted the

leaders of the group and learned of their good preparation for a task such as this.

They agreed to meet at al `Aqabah during the night on the second day following the

pilgrimage. The Muslims of Yathrib kept this appointment secret and did not inform

the unbelievers among their own tribe. When the time came, they went to their

rendezvous with the Prophet, stealing themselves away under the cover of night.

When they reached al `Aqabah, men and women ascended the mountain and there

awaited the arrival of the Prophet.

Muhammad arrived with his uncle al `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib. Al `Abbas, who

had not yet converted to Islam, knew from his nephew that this meeting was to

conclude an alliance which might incite Quraysh to a war of aggression as much as it

was designed to achieve peace and security. Muhammad had informed his uncle that

together with some members of Banu al Muttalib and Banu Hashim he had agreed

with the new group from Yathrib that they would protect him personally. Anxious to

strengthen his nephew and people against a war whose losses might fall heavily

upon Banu Hashim and Banu al Muttalib, al `Abbas sought to make sure that among

this group from Yathrib he would find real helpers and allies. Consequently, he was

the first one to open the discussion. He said, "O men from Khazraj, Muhammad's

eminence and prestige among us are known to you. We have protected him even

against those of his own people who think as highly of him as we do. Among us, he

stands strong and secure. But he insists on joining your party. If you find yourselves

capable of fulfilling toward him what you have promised, then you may proceed. But

if you would betray him and send him over to his enemies once he has joined your

party, you had better now say so and leave him alone." After hearing this speech of

al `Abbas, the men from Yathrib said, "We have heard what you said, O `Abbas,"

and turning to the Prophet, they continued, "O Prophet of God, speak out and choose

for yourself and your Lord what you desire."

Muhammad, after reciting some verses from the Qur'an, preached his faith in God in

moving terms. He then said to the men from Yathrib, "I covenant with you on the

condition that you will protect me against all, just as you would protect your women

and children." A1 Bard' ibn Ma'rur, who was chief of his people and their elder, had

entered into Islam after the first covenant of al `Aqabah. Since then he had been

fulfilling all that Islam required of him, except that he directed himself toward the

Ka'bah whenever he prayed. Muhammad and all the Muslims were in the practice of

turning their faces toward al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. His disagreement with his

people on the subject of the qiblah was brought to the attention of the Prophet upon

their arrival to Makkah. The Prophet enjoined al Bara not to turn his face toward the

Ka'bah during prayer. Nonetheless, it was the same al Bara who first stretched forth

his hand to covenant with the Prophet when the latter asked for the protection that

the people of Yathrib were wont to give their women and children.

Discussion before Conclusion of the Covenant

A1 Bara said, "We have covenanted with you, O Prophet of God. By God, we are men

of many wars; we are men of the sword, having inherited it from father unto son."

Before al Bard' finished his words, Abu al Haytham ibn al Tayyihan said, "O Prophet

of God, there are pacts between us and some Jews which we are going to denounce.

Should your cause succeed later or among your own tribe, would you return to them

and leave us alone?" Muhammad smiled and said, "No! Rather, your blood is my

blood and your destruction is my destruction. You are of me and I am of you. I shall

fight whomsoever you fight and make peace with whomsoever you will make peace."

The people were about to rise and give covenant to Muhammad when al `Abbas ibn

`Ubadah interrupted and said, "O men of Khazraj ! Are you fully aware of what you

are about to covenant with this man? You are about to covenant with him to make

war against all sorts of men without discrimination. If you have any fear that, should

you lose your wealth and should your leaders fall by the sword, you might betray

Muhammad, say so now and withdraw from this covenant. For if you do not and then

betray your oath, you will have lost this world as well as the next. But if you feel

certain that you can stand by him and fulfill this oath, notwithstanding the loss of

your property and the murder of your dear ones, then go ahead and covenant with

him. He is, by God, the best gain in this world and in the next."

All the people present answered together, "We take him despite all threats to

property, wealth and life. Tell us, O Prophet of God, what will be our reward' if we

remain true to this oath?" With his usual self-reliance Muhammad answered,

"Paradise." They stretched out their hands to him, and he to them, and the covenant

was concluded. Thereafter, the Prophet said, "Elect among yourselves twelve

representative who will be responsible to me regarding your behavior and conduct."

After they elected nine from al Khazraj and three from al Aws, the Prophet addressed

them in the following words: "You are the guarantors of your people, just as the

disciples were guarantors of theirs before Jesus, Son of Mary. I, for my part, am the

guarantor of my people." Such was their second covenant which included the words,

"We have covenanted to listen and to obey in health and in sickness, in fortune and

misfortune, to tell the truth wherever we might be and, at all times, to fear none in

the cause of God."

The Covenant

All this had taken place in the middle of the night atop one of the hills of al `Aqabah

in perfect isolation from the surrounding world. Only God, the covenanters felt

certain, knew what they were about. No sooner had they terminated their meeting,

however, than they heard a crier warning the Quraysh in the following words,

"Muhammad and the apostates have covenanted to make war against you." The case

of this, however, was unique. He had heard a little bit about the matter as he

traveled to al `Aqabah and, being a Qurayshi and idolater, he thought of spoiling the

arrangement of Muhammad and of frightening the Muslims by pretending everything

the Muslims did was known to their enemies. A1 Khazraj and al Aws, however, stood

firm by their covenant. Indeed, al `Abbas ibn `Ubadah told Muhammad immediately

after he heard the crier, "By God, who has sent you with the truth, if you order us to

pounce upon Mina tomorrow morning with our swords, we shall do so." Muhammad

answered, "God has not commanded us to fight. Return to your quarters." The

covenanters returned to their quarters and slept until the morning.

Quraysh and the Covenant of al `Aqabah

The morrow had hardly come when the Quraysh, learning of the new pact, was

disturbed by it. The Quraysh leaders went to al Khazraj in their own quarters and

blamed them for what they had just done. The Quraysh reiterated that they sought

no war against them and asked them why they had covenanted with Muhammad to

fight them on his side. The unbelievers of al Khazraj denied that any of this had

taken place. The Muslims, on the other hand, kept silent and were saved from

embarrassment when the Quraysh believed the claim of their coreligionists. Thus the

news was neither confirmed nor denied, and the Quraysh allowed the matter to

stand until new evidence could be brought forth. The people of Yathrib returned to

their city before the Quraysh had reached any certainty about what had happened.

When later the Quraysh did learn the truth, they ran after the people of Yathrib who

had exited the day before but could catch up with none except Sa'd ibn `Ubadah.

They took him to Makkah in chains and tortured him until Jubayr ibn Mut'am ibn

`Adiyy and al Harith ibn Umayyah ransomed him as their agent in Yathrib when they

passed by there on their way to al Sham.

Tension between the Two Parties

Neither in its fear of them nor in its attempt to catch up with the people of Yathrib,

who covenanted with Muhammad to fight against them, did the tribe of Quraysh

overestimate the danger. For thirteen long years they had known and observed

Muhammad. They had exerted enough effort in their war against Muhammad to

exhaust their own as well as Muhammad's energies. The Quraysh knew Muhammad

to be a very strong and tenacious man who held only to his God and the message He

had entrusted to him. The Quraysh knew him as an unwavering man who feared

neither harm nor death. For a moment it seemed to the Quraysh that after all the

injuries they inflicted upon him, after blockading him within Makkah, and frightening

the tribesmen enough to keep them from joining him, Muhammad's cause was about

to fall. They predicted that Muhammad's activity would henceforth be restricted to

his followers alone and that these would soon fall apart under the constant pressures

of Quraysh to seek reconciliation. The new covenant brought a new determinant into

the situation and gave Muhammad and his followers some hope of victory. It at least

strengthened their freedom to conduct their missionary activity and renew their

attack upon the idols of the Ka'bah and their worship. But who could predict what the

situation would turn out to be throughout the Arabian Peninsula after Yathrib had

come to the rescue of Muhammad and both its tribes of al Aws and al Khazraj were

united under his leadership? The Quraysh were rightly apprehensive of the future

since the covenant of al `Aqabah rendered the Muslims safe against attack and gave

them freedom to practice their new faith, to preach it to the others, and to welcome

the new converts under their protection. Quraysh thought, therefore, that unless this

movement was uprooted and destroyed completely, the future would continue to be

threatening and the victory of Muhammad would be a most disturbing possibility.

The Quraysh thought very hard how it could counterattack Muhammad and

outmaneuver him in order to destroy this latent power. He, too, gave the same

problem no less thought than did the Quraysh. He looked upon the covenant as a

gate which God had unlocked before him in order to bring power and glory to His

religion, to God's truthful words. The war between him and the Quraysh had then

reached a new level of tension by becoming a matter of life and death for both

parties. Muhammad trusted, however, that victory belonged to the truthful. He

decided to rally his people to trust in God, in utter disregard to Quraysh and its

plotting. He therefore must march forward, but with wisdom, precision, and sure

step. The new situation called for the greatest possible statesmanship and the ablest

generalship in time of battle.