Part 3
Written by: Abu Rayyan Hamidi
The Second Ghazwah: The Battle of Buwāṭ
The Battle of Buwāṭ stands as the second military expedition in the series of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) campaigns. In the second year after Hijrah, during the months of Rabī’u’l Awwal or Rabi’ al-Thani, the Prophet (PBUH) received divine revelation informing him that a Quraysh caravan, led by Umayya ibn Khalaf, was en route to Mecca. In response, the Prophet (PBUH), accompanied by 200 armed companions, set out towards the Buwāṭ region with the aim of intercepting the caravan.
The flag of this expedition was white and carried by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA). Upon reaching the area, the caravan had already passed, leading the Muslim forces to return to Medina without engaging in battle. During their absence, the administration of Medina was entrusted to Sa’ib ibn Ma’zoon (RA), a distinguished early companion of Islam.
Buwāṭ is a mountain located along the route between Mecca and Syria, approximately 48 miles from Medina.
The Third Battle: The Battle of Al-‘Ushayrah
The Battle of Al-‘Ushayrah is regarded as the third in the sequence of the Prophet’s (PBUH) military expeditions, as per the majority of Sīrah scholars. In this campaign, a Muslim army comprising 200 Muhajir companions, including the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), set out from Medina in the second year of Hijrah, during the month of Jumada al-Awwal, with the intent of intercepting a Quraysh caravan traveling towards Syria.
During the journey, the army rested under the shade of a tree in the field of Ibn Azhar, where they partook in sustenance and prayers. They later rested again at the location of Yalyal before eventually arriving at Al-‘Ushayrah.
In Medina, Abū Salama ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Asad (RA) was appointed as the deputy. However, as the caravan had already passed, no conflict ensued. The Muslim forces entered into a peace agreement with the Banu Mudlij tribe and subsequently returned to Medina.
The same caravan, which had been traveling from Syria to Mecca, was later intercepted by the Muslims, resulting in the monumental Battle of Badr.
A Doubt and Its Response
The primary objective of the Muslim forces in these three expeditions was to intercept the Quraysh caravans traveling between Syria and Mecca. Critics of Islam have raised objections regarding the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) targeting of civilian and commercial caravans, claiming that such actions contradict the principles of Islam.
The response to this objection is that the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions had been forcibly expelled from Mecca. Their wealth, homes, and properties were unlawfully seized. Consequently, these expeditions were not an attempt to launch an aggressive campaign or to unlawfully seize the property of others, but rather an effort to reclaim their rightful possessions or secure compensation for their losses.
This is also the reason why, until the Battle of Badr, the Ansar (Medinan supporters) did not participate in these expeditions. All participants were solely the Muhajireen (emigrants from Mecca), as the conflict primarily involved the Quraysh and the Muslim emigrants.
