Invasion of Buwat

Raid on Meccan Caravans, Buwat 2
DateOctober 623 , 2 AH
LocationBuwat
Result Caravan takes unknown route[1][2]
Belligerents
Muslims of Medina Quraish of Mecca
Commanders and leaders
Muhammad Umayyah ibn Khalaf
Strength
200 100 (1500-2500 Camels)

The Invasion of Buwat[1] took place in the year 2 A.H of the Islamic calendar, in the month of Rabi ul Awal.

This was the 5th Caravan Raid Muhammad ordered. Muhammad was the commander of this raid also.[2]

Background and Raid

A month after the raid at al-Abwa, he personally led two hundred men including Muhajirs and Ansars to Bawat, a place on the caravan route of the Quraysh merchants. A herd of fifteen hundred camels was proceeding, accompanied by one hundred riders under the leadership of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a Quraysh.[1][3]

According to Muslim scholars Ibn Hisham and Ibn Ishaq's the purpose of these raid was to get back what they lost when they migrated from Mecca to Medina to avoid persecution by Quraysh for practicing their religion. Quraysh seized the property and belongings left behind by muslims and sold those. It is mentioned in their biography of Muhammad (the earliest surviving biography of Muhammad from the 7th century) that for these caravan raids Muhammad gave permission to "plunder" the caravans of theirs enemies and seize their goods and property(s) and said: "Go forth against this caravan; it may be that Allah will grant you plunder.[4][5] The Muslim scholar Al-Waqidi also mentions the same.[6]

No battle took place and the raid resulted in no booty. This was due the caravan taking an untrodden unknown route. Muhammad then went up to Dhat al-Saq, in the desert of al-Khabar. He prayed there and a mosque was built at the spot. This was the first raid where a few Ansars took part. [1][3]

Islamic primary sources

The Sahih Muslim hadith collection mentions that Muhammad carried out a military Expedition in Buwat, the hadith states:

“ It is reported on the same authority: We set out along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) on an expedition of Batn Buwat. He (the Holy Prophet) was in search of al-Majdi b. 'Amr al-Juhani. (We had so meagre equipment) that five. six or seven of us had one camel to ride and so we mounted it turn by turn. Once there wan. the turn of an Ansari to ride upon the camel. He made it kneel down to ride over it (and after having. mounted it), he tried to raise it up but it hesitated... Sahih Muslim, 42:7149 ”

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mubarakpuri, Saifur Rahman Al (2005), The sealed nectar: biography of the Noble Prophet, Darussalam Publications, p. 244, ISBN 978-9960899558
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Haykal, Husayn (1976), The Life of Muhammad, Islamic Book Trust, pp. 217–218, ISBN 9789839154177
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 List of Battles of Muhammad
  4. ↑ ʻAbd al-Malik Ibn Hishām, The life of Muhammad, Apostle of Allah, p. 95, Folio Society, 1964. Translated by Michael Edwardes. Quote: "Go forth against this caravan; it may be that Allah will grant you plunder." (archive)
  5. ↑ Calcutta Review, Volumes 86-87, p. 93, University of Calcutta and Indiana University, 2008. Quote: "On another occasion Muhammad himself left the town with 200 proselytes to plunder a caravan"
  6. ↑ Rizwi Faizer, The Life of Muhammad: Al-Waqidi's Kitab Al-Maghazi, p. 12, ISBN 1136921141, Routledge, 2013