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13 The Battle of Honein and Siege of Tayif

The B. Hawazin assemble against Mahomet28th January, A.D. 630

 

The conquest of Mecca was peaceful. Only a few lives were lost and no spoils were taken. The Muslims who had accompanied Muhammad in this expedition had to be rewarded and the opportunity presented itself in no time. Only a fortnight after the conquest of Mecca , the news reached Muhammad that the great tribes of Thaqeef and Hawazin were stationed in Autas a valley between Mecca and Tayif. Muhammad decided to cut short his sojourn at Mecca and rallied his army to attack the Hawazin. From the Meccans two thousand men joined his army and now an impressive twelve thousand soldiers were at his command. Muhammad turned proudly to Abu Bakr and exclaimed: “This day we shall not be worsted by reason of the smallness of our numbers!” Safwan, the man he had given asylum for four months to leave Mecca , had a stock of arms and armor. Muhammad asked him to lend his armory and he gave one hundred coats of mail and sufficient arms for them, as if he had any choice, and he himself with his son took part in the expedition.  

 

The Muslim historians claim that it was the Bedouins, who had issued the call to battle. Although we do not have any independent source to know the truth, we know that the tribe had brought along, their women and children, with their property, herds and flocks. This seems to be odd. Although the Arabs were accustomed to take some women to the battle, these women had a job to do. They provided logistics for the men, cooked and nursed the injured. But it is unlikely that they took their children, livestock and all their belongings to the battlefield. The lust for such handsome booty would have given more incentive to the enemy to fight fiercely.  

The historians claim that the decision to bring the women and children along was taken by Malik the young leader of the Hawazin [He is said to be only 30 years old at the time] to excite the men to fight better, giving them no option to retreat. They also claim that the aged Duraid ibn Simna, the retired chief of the tribe had expostulated against the risky decision but his counsel was derided at by the youthful leader. [K. Waqidi, 130; Sirat 372] I do not find this a convincing argument. Even if Malik was young and inexperienced the men of his tribe would surely have objected carrying along their children to the battle. I am more inclined to believe Muhammad initiated the hostility, just as he did in Khaibar, to reward his men for the expedition. 

In three or four marches the army of Muhammad arrived near the entrance of the valley of Hunain . But the Bani Hawazin forewarned and lay in expectation. Malik positioned his army camouflaged at the entrance of the valley waiting in silence in every hollow, cranny and side-track for the enemy to enter the valley through the narrow passage.  It was a rainy day. In the early morning, before the rise of the sun the army of Muslims entered the valley. Muhammad, as usual was in the rear riding on his mule Duldul guarded by his entourage.

At the vanguard of the Muslim army was the Bani Suleim, led by Khalid. The division defiled slowly up the steep and narrow pass. The rest followed them. Upon entering the valley of Hunain , the Bedouins broke their swords from the scabbards and rushed forth on the enemy from their ambuscades and charged against them impetuously. Kalid’s men, stunned by the unexpected ensnare and darkened by the obscurity of the wee hours, fell into disarray, panicked and fled back towards the narrow passage while suffering heavy losses. They smack into the Meccans climbing right behind them; they too turned on their heels and began to run. The army broke apart and the confusion increased, the camels jostled wildly one against another; all was noise and clamor. The camels jostled and crashed against each other. Many were killed in the stampede, and many others were wounded. Passing in front of Muhammad in their hurried retreat, none heed to his cries: “'Where do you flee? Come back! I am the Apostle of Allah. I am Muhammad, son of Abdul Mutalib!' Abu Sofian who was standing next to him quipped: "They are running so fast that they will never stop till they reach the sea!"  "And Muhammad’s magic spell is this day broken", Sneered Jabala, the son of Safwan. 'Sorcery will not suffice today!' But Safwan told him, 'Be silent! I would rather be commanded by a man of the Quraish than of the Hawazin!'

 

Muhammad was lost amid the din and asked Abbas to cry aloud appealing to their chivalry and fealty and urging them to return. Abbas had a stentorian voice and he shouted in the pitch of his voice “O the Muslims! O men of the Tree of Fealty! [alluding to the covenant Muhammad had made with his followers a couple of years ago under the tree in Hudaibiah] Come back! Come back!" The voice of Abbas echoed in the narrow pass and almost everyone heard it. The flight was checked. The warriors stopped and when panic subsided they regrouped and rallied again around Muhammad.

 

Primitive people had very primitive minds. There was no rationality in their actions. The Meccans had joined to support a man, who had accosted them for eight years, robbing them and killing them and now just two weeks after surrendering to him they felt they have to defend him for he was after all one of their own. These thousands of men who had joined Muhammad from various tribes were his enemies only a short while ago. Now each man goaded by the other, subjugated their will to a man of whom they knew little. Many of these men had only heard of Muhammad and had just seen him from afar. Yet the cultish spirit of devotion and the zealotry evinced by his closer followers aroused and awed them. Just because everyone else believed, they also believed. These people were like unto sheep. They had no thoughts of their own, were incapable of critical thinking and logics. They believed in Muhammad when he was victorious and doubted him when his army suffered defeat.

 

Astonishingly 1400 years later Muslims’ thinking has not changed. Islam grows in exactly the same way that it grew during the time of Muhammad. New believers convert to Islam, not swayed by any logic, but because they are impressed of the fervor and fanatical devotion of other Muslims. It is true that Muslims are the most zealots of all the religious people, but zealotry is no proof of the truth of a religion. It is rather an indication of its cultish nature. Even the most educated Muslim is convinced that the claim of “Islam is the fastest growing religion” is the proof of it being a true religion. Yet neither that claim nor this logic have any substance.    

 

Stirred by Abbas’ repeated calls to chivalry and fealty, the Ansar and the Immigrants were the first to halt and the rest followed suit. They came back calling out: “Labeik! Labeik!”  “Here we are! Here we are; at your command” They rallied around Muhammad and others also regrouped.

 

Then one hundred of them ran back and threw themselves upon the advancing enemy of Hawazin and checked their progress. This gave the Muslims enough time to reorganize and return to the battle. A bloody conflict ensued. Muhammad alighted from his mule and climbed an elevation from the safely of that height watched the bloodshed. With him were Ali, his cousin and son in law; Abbas, his uncle; Fadhl the son of Abbas; Abu Sufian, his cousin and father in law; Rabi’a the brother of Abu Sufyan and three more close friends.

 

“Excited by the spectacle, of the war and the men murdering one another for him and his madness he exclaimed cheerfully: “Now at last the battle rages!” Then bidding Abbas to pick up for him a handful of gravel, he cast it towards the enemy, saying, "Ruin seize them!" [Muir  V. 4 p. 141] That was all Muhammad’s contribution to the war that he had instigated. A cloud of black ants, perhaps because their nest was disturbed, swarmed through the passage. Muhammad soon announced these are the angles that have come to assist the believers.

 

The skirmish was fierce and for a while it was not clear who is winning. But Hawazin were hampered in their mobility by their women and children. Muslims pressed their advantage and the enemy started to withdraw. Many were killed and among them women and small children. Muhammad saw a group of people gathered around the corpse of a woman “'What is this?” he enquired!  “A woman whom Khalid has killed”, said the crowd. “Go to Khalid and say, "The apostle of Allah forbids killing childern, women or slaves."

 

Malik led his forces to safety and they managed to escape the battlefield but were pursued with slaughter as far as Nakhla. A group of them fled back to Autas and the rest led by Malik sought refuge in Tayif. Muhammad sent a strong detachment to battle the former and after killing their leader with an arrow the Bedouins were dispersed again and found refuge in the surrounding hills.

 

The old chief Duraid who was trying escape was struck by the sword of a youth of Bani Sulaim. The aged man fell to the ground wounded. Looking into the eyes of his assailant he recognized him: “Your mother has armed you badly!” said Duraid, “Take my sword from behind my saddle, and strike me with it above the spine and beneath the skull. This is how I used to kill men. Afterwards, when you go to your mother, tell her you have killed Duraid; for during many a day I gave protection to the women of your family.” He had, in fact, saved the lad's mother, and his two grandmothers. The boy inebriated with the fervor of his new religion struck the fallen man again and dispatched him. [Sirat p. 377]

The women and children fell into the hands of the Muslims and the camp and all that it contained was confiscated as booty. The number of prisoners exceeded six thousand and the spoil included twenty-four thousand camels, forty thousand sheep and goats, and four thousand ounces of silver. The Muslims won the battle, but not without some considerable loss. Just as usual, Muhammad attributed the victory to the angelic aid and the invisible hosts. He refers to this battle in the Quran:

Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat. [Q. 9:25]

In this verse he alludes to his boastful remark made to Abu Bakr about the greatness of the number of his army, which proved to be a handicap in the straight pass during the war. Hindsight is 20/20. Curiously Muhammad’s Allah does not reveal to him this verse before the battle, but it is always in the aftermath of the events that Allah has some witty statements to make.

 

Seige of Tayif. February A.D. 630

 

Soon after the victory in Hunain Muhammad headed towards Tayif. Now even if we believe the tale of the Muslim historians who say it was the Bani Hawazin who had declared war on Muhammad, there is no disagreement that the war against the Taif was unprovoked. However, before Muhammad could reach Tayif, the city was put on alert by the fleeing Howazin and was prepared for the attack. Tayif was surrounded by strong battlements; it was well provisioned and had plentiful supply of water within its walls.

Muhammad laid siege on the city but his men were no match for the tall walls of the citadel. They were received with showers of arrows and a dozen of Muslims died in this way. Abdullah, the son of Abu Bakr was one of the wounded in this battle who died after Muhammad because of infection. The encampment proved to be too close to the city and they withdrew to a place farther apart. Failing to bring the city down Muhammad sought the help of Tufail, the friendly chief of Bani Dous who were settled in the south of Mecca . Tufeil and his tribe were familiar with the Roman warfare and joined the army providing Muhammad with testudos and catapults. Shielded by testudos Muslims tried to approach the walls but were received with balls of heated iron cast from the battlements. The soldiers had to flee and testudos and catapults were not used again.  

 

Vineyards cut down

 

Then Muhammad resorted to his favorite stratagem. He gave command to cut and burn the famous vineyards that surrounded the city. The wretched citizens of Taif watched in dismay and disbelief this senseless destruction from atop of their roofs and could do little to stop it. They pleaded with Muhammad, from their walls to, for the sake Allah desist this merciless act. Muhammad ordered his followers to stay farther destruction.

 

Then he proclaimed that if any slave of the city came out he would be set free. This is the origin of the myth that Muhammad set the slaves free. Muhammad took thousands of free people and reduced them into slaves. His offer to set the slaves of the unbelievers free should they join him was obviously for selfish reason. It was not a humanitarian act but a political one. By doing so, on one hand he would increase the size of his army and on the other; he would undermine the strength of his enemy. Only ten men, however managed to escape and avail themselves of the offer.

 

Towards the end of February 630, after about fourteen or fifteen days of fruitless siege the men were tired and grew more impatient (no angels came to help here). Muhammad ordered the siege to be lifted and the army headed back to Jirana where the spoil of the Bani Hawazin was being kept. 

Back in Jirana the prisoners were being roughly treated. An old woman claimed to be the daughter Halima and the foster sister of Muhammad who had suckled and raised Muhammad for about six months. She was brought to Muhammad and he showed kindness to her and gave her some presents and let her go. The elders of Hawazin then came to Muhammad, pledged their allegiance, reminded him of his infancy among them, how he was nurtured and cared for in their midst and how his foster mother and foster sisters are now captives in his hands. After complaining of what had befallen them, they besieged him to deal with them with kindness. Muhammad told them to choose between their families and their properties. 'Is there a choice?’ replied the elders, “of what use is to us our property without our loved ones?” Muhammad then said, of my share I will give back to you all the woman and children taken as captives. The Meccans and the Ansar also did the same. But some of the tribes refused to give up their human spoils. To persuade them, Muhammad offered to assign them six camels from the spoils of the future wars for every captive that they let go. They agreed and the women and children of Hawazin were returned to their families.

 

Then he enquired about Malik. They told him he is in Taif. 'Tell him that if he comes to me as a Muslim I shall restore his family and his property to him and shall present him with a hundred camels.' Malik accepted this offer and made profession of Islam. He then joined the army of the Muslims and was appointed as general. Once he converted to Islam, he turned against the people of Taif who had sheltered him when he was a refugee and engaged to maintain a constant warfare with the citizens of that town, cutting off their cattle whenever they were sent beyond the precincts of the city to graze, and reduced them to great straits.

 

The case of Malik is not uncommon; in fact Islam is such that as soon as one converts to it, he turns against his own friends. Malik’s tribe suffered great losses in the hand of the Muslims and all their belongings were plundered. Despite that, once he was restored to his position as the chief, he became subservient to Muhammad, disregarded his friends and fought valiantly for the man that had been his enemy not too long ago.  

 

A curious story that sheds more light on the character of Muhammad and the way of thinking of the Arabs is that in this occasion, Muhammad told the prettiest young girls of Hawazin to be brought to him and then he gave them as gifts, one to Umar, his father in law and one to Uthman and Ali each who were his sons in law. There is no doubt that the Arabs were a bunch of savages with the lowest moral standards. However, what is sad is that that low standard of morality is not hoisted proudly by a billion followers of Muhammad who unabashedly strive to follow his examples. 

 

After having to give up the captives the soldiers became restless and demanded their share of the booty. They crowded around Muhammad and cried aloud “distribute among us the booty”. The throng was so close and so aggressive that they pulled his mantel off his shoulder and he was forced to seek refuge beneath a tree. 'Shame!’ shouted Muhammad in indignation. “Restore my cloak to me! By Allah, if you had captured as many beasts as there are trees in Tihama, I would distribute them to you! You have never found me to be grasping, niggardly or false”. Then he turned to a camel, pulled one hair from its haunch and cried aloud while holding that hair aloof, “I have not retained as much as this hair, beyond my one-fifth. You must give back even the most worthless articles, because theft will bring shame, fire and disgrace on the day of the resurrection for the man who steals.' Then a Helper produced a bundle of camel hair, saying, “I took this bundle to make a cushion for the wounded back of my camel.” The apostle replied, “I make you a present of my share in it!” The man, however, exclaimed, “If it has come to that, I have no need of it” and he threw the whole bundle away. The mob was thus calmed down and Muhammad retired to his tent to ponder how to distribute the booty.

 

This shows Muhammad dexterity to manipulate people. He was under attack but soon he managed to turn the table, induce guilt in his followers, warn them of hell and take charge of the moment.

 

Sweetening the deal for the Meccans

 

Ibn Ishaq says “The apostle made gifts to those whose hearts he desired to win, nobles whom he wished to please”. He gave most of the share to the chiefs of the Quraish. Each chief received one hundred camels and other gifts. Among them were Abu Sofian, his two sons Yazid and Muavia, and other chiefs. The lesser chiefs received fifty camels and plenty of silver, flock and other property. In fact Muhammad’s largesse with his own folk was such that when someone complained he doubled the gift. Ibn Ishaq writes: “To one man he gave only male camels, and the man was displeased instead of grateful, so the apostle said, 'Take him away, and silence him.' So they gave him camels till he was satisfied. This is what the apostle meant by 'silence him'.

 

Most of the booty thus went to the Quraish. One of the companions complained that a man named Juayl had received no gift, and the apostle of Allah replied, 'I swear by Him in whose hand my life is that Juayl is better than men such as those to whom I have given gifts. The gifts were given to Meccans is because I wished to win their hearts Muallafa Qulubuhum. but in Juayl's belief I have perfect trust.”

 

A man of the Bani Tamim, impugned the equity of this distribution. Muhammad shouted at him angrily saying "Out with you! If justice and equity be not with me, where will you find them?”

It is baffling that a man that had plundered an entire population and now was distributing their stolen wealth leaving them dispossessed and unable to feed themselves or their children, was considering himself to be the main source of Justice and equity. To understand Muhammad’s bizarre and unwavering conviction of his own righteousness, we have to study his psychological profile. Muhammad was not the only ruthless tyrant who thought of himself to be just and equitable. When Saddam Hussein was asked about his genocides he responded “I was a just but a firm ruler”. Muhammad, like Saddam, had narcissistic personality disorder. Narcissists are bereft of conscience. They are convinced that their cruelties are justice and despite their ruthlessness they see themselves as fair and equitable people. They are also extremely manipulative.

 

This inequitable sharing of the booty caused much discontent among the Ansar. When Muhammad distributed his gifts to the Quraih and to the other Arab tribes he had given anything, they drooped. “Muhammad has reverted to his own tribe” they muttered among themselves. “Not so” responded Muhammad”. He gathered them and addressed them in these words: “What is this I hear about you? What has taken possession of your minds? Did I not come to you when you strayed, and Allah showed you the right direction? Were you not poor, and Allah enriched you? Were you not enemies and Allah united you?' They replied, 'Yes. Allah and His apostle were merciful to us.' He continued, 'That is not the answer.” Then he added “You could have truthfully "You came to us dis­credited, but we believed you. Helpless, but we helped you! An outcast, but we sheltered you! Destitute and we provided for you!" Are you grieved in your souls because I have used the trifles of this world to gain the hearts of people that may become good Muslims, whereas I have had faith in the strength of your belief? Is it not enough for you to return home with the apostle of Allah, or must you have sheep and camels, too?”

 

These words moved the impressionable and foolhardy Medinans and some started weeping and said: “We are satisfied with our share and our portion.”

 

The following verses allude to that occasion:

Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
Among them are men who molest the Prophet and say, "He is (all) ear." Say, "He listens to what is best for you: he believes in Allah, has faith in the Believers, and is a Mercy to those of you who believe." But those who molest the Messenger will have a grievous penalty.
To you they swear by Allah. In order to please you: But it is more fitting that they should please Allah and His Messenger, if they are Believers.
Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the Fire of Hell?- wherein they shall dwell. That is the supreme disgrace. [Q. 9: 60]

The Meccans then were won through this bribery and as the Quran states their hearts were “reconciled” Muallafa qulubuhum, and retained this appellation ever after.  

Dr. Sam Vatkin writes:

"Some narcissists are ostentatiously generous – they donate to charity, lavish gifts on their closest, abundantly provide for their nearest and dearest, and, in general, are open-handed and unstintingly benevolent. How can this be reconciled with the pronounced lack of empathy and with the pernicious self-preoccupation that is so typical of narcissists?

The act of giving enhances the narcissist's sense of omnipotence, his fantastic grandiosity, and the contempt he holds for others. It is easy to feel superior to the supplicating recipients of one's largesse. Narcissistic altruism is about exerting control and maintaining it by fostering dependence in the beneficiaries.

But narcissists give for other reasons as well.

The narcissist flaunts his charitable nature as a bait. He impresses others with his selflessness and kindness and thus lures them into his lair, entraps them, and manipulates and brainwashes them into subservient compliance and obsequious collaboration. People are attracted to the narcissist's larger than life posture – only to discover his true personality traits when it is far too late. "Give a little to take a lot" – is the narcissist's creed. [http://samvak.tripod.com/journal81.html]  

The spoils captured from this war is said to be huge. Ibn Ishaq says that four camels, and forty sheep or goats, fell to the lot of each foot soldier, and three times that amount to each horseman.  

Earlier we read that were twenty four thousand camels. There were twelve thousand men. So how could each foot soldier receive four camels and the horsemen twice that much. This confirms that the entire booty went to the Meccans and the Helpers actually received nothing.

 

After the distribution of the booty, Muhammad went to Mecca and performed a quick pilgrimage and after leaving the youthful Attab as the governor and another youth Muadh, to complete the spiritual instruction of the city, he returned the same day. The next day he marched homewards to Medina .

 

First Half of the Ninth Year of the Hegira. 20th April to September, 630, A.D.

 

The conquest of Mecca and of the Hawazin began a new era in Islam. Muhammad was now the lord of the holy city and was elevated to a position in which he could assert a paramount authority throughout the Peninsula . No such authority had ever been vested by anyone in Arabia . The suzerainty of Arabia , enjoyed in remote times by the kings of Himyar, had been transferred to the dynasty of Hira, which was now a Satrapy of the court of Persia.

 

The fear of Islam spread across the land and tribes from as far away as Yemen , the borders of Syria and Persia , came to submit to Muhammad and he established his de facto rule by force and by religious authority across the land and taxes and tributes were levied on unbelievers as well as on the Faithful.

The conquest of Mecca now vested Muhammad with the rope of legitimacy and gave a color of right to his pretensions. Mecca was the spiritual hub of Arabia and therefore the most important city of the peninsula.  For thousands of years the Arab tribes form all over the country used to come to Mecca for pilgrimage and yielded their reverential homage. Mecca was the soul of Arabia as it is today the soul of the Islamic world. The custody of the Kaba which was the privilege of the Quraish was now in the hands of Muhammad.

For thousands of years the Pagans had the control of the Ka’ba and they had allowed people of all creeds to worship there and did not exclude anyone for differences in faith. In fact they did not bar even Muhammad and his men despite their contempt of their deities housed there. The idolaters did not discriminate against anyone on religious grounds and did not regard those of differing beliefs “unclean”. All that changed when Muhammad took possession of Mecca . One year after the conquest of Mecca he wrote:  

O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. [Q. 9: 28-29]

All these spiteful and censorious teachings are from Islam. In the last verse Muhammad classified the Jews and the Christians as second class citizens and ordered them to pay tribute, a penalty tax to Muslims in order to live in their lands.

Despite prohibiting the pagans to approach Mecca Muhammad kept all the pagan rituals of pilgrimage and incorporated them in his religion. Now he was the spiritual leader as well as the supreme temporal authority of Arabia . With that the secular nature of Arabia was also transformed and the country became a theocracy. Polytheistic and multi-faith societies are ecumenical and naturally secular. Although the chiefs of Quraish had control over Kaba, they had no authority over the rest of Arabia neither they imposed their religious views on other Arabs. Religion and politics were kept apart. With the advent of Islam that demarcation disappeared and politics and religion became indistinguishable. In fact it is fair to say that the main objective of Muhammad in inventing Islam was to rule over people. Politics is the art of governing and controlling people. Therefore Islam is politics. The religious aspect of Islam is merely a façade. The goal was conquest and domination and religion was a convenient tool. Muhammad would have never succeeded to arouse so many people ready to sacrifice everything including their lives of his plans had he not promised them afterlife rewards. It is this combination that Makes Islam dangerous. Islam is politics in the garb of religion.

 

Once his domain was fully established, the collectors were deputed to gather the tithes from Muslims and the jazyah or penalty tax from the non-Muslims. These taxes were used to fund more war expeditions. Muhammad had invented a system that only had to expand in order to survive. Muslim army was sent to conquer a pagan town. With the spoils plundered in that expedition the army was paid but the conquered had the chance to recoup its losses by joining the victor and participating in future expeditions and plundering other tribes. This was the secret of the success and the rapid growth of Islam. Muslims had to expand or they would have perished. Those who did not convert to Islam, e.g. the Jews were exterminated and those who were forced to convert became marauders. If they were nomads, their flock and herds were plundered and if they were farmers, their vineyards and plantations were burned. Commerce and industry came to halt. There was no peace in the land. The only option left was to join the victor, and invade other tribes. Eventually all the Arabia had come under Islam and the Muslims had to look elsewhere for their sustenance.

After establishing his suzerainty, Muhammad did not need to invade the villages and towns; he instead sent tax collectors and demanded the tithes. The Arabs lived as fee people since the dawn of time. They were not accustomed to pay a protection fee to a bully. Some rebelled but they were soon subdued and chastised.

 

Punishment of Bani Tamim

One of these tribes was Bani Tamim. When the tax collectors arrived to a neighboring tribe and was collecting the Prophet’s dues, rounding up the herds and flock, the Bani Tamim, anticipating a similar demand upon their own tribe, attacked the tax collectors and chased them away. Muhammad resolved to make an example of them and dispatched Uyeina at the head of fifty horsemen raided the Bani Tamim all of a sudden and grabbed a few scattered families (eleven men, eleven women and thirty children) as prisoners and carried them to Medina where they were kept as hostages.  

Now, the Bani Tamim had converted to Islam, many of them had fought by the side of Muhammad at Mecca and Honein. Some of them had been killed and few were rewarded from the booty confiscated in Honein. None of that mattered to Muhammad who felt no gratitude for their services and this was how he paid them back the favor.

A deputation of seventy of them headed by their chiefs rushed to Medina to plea the release of their captives. Among those few was Aqra, one of the chiefs, who had received one hundred camels at Jirana. When they arrived in Medina , the prisoners who were in chains recognized them and raised a loud cry of distress. The men were moved and hastened to the Mosque and waited impatiently for Muhammad to come out of his habitation. But Muhammad was in no hurry to meet them. After a while, in their crude Bedouin custom, they cried out loud, “O Muhammad, come out, we are waiting”. Muhammad was displeased of their lack of sophistication but since it was the mid-day and time for prayer, he came out anyway.

After the prayer he listened to the strangers. The Bani Tamim sought leave to contend in rhetoric and poetry with the poets of Medina . They stated that should the Medinan poets be superior they would at once acknowledge the superiority of Islam and submit to Muhammad’s commands. This is such a childish story, yet it reveals the manners and the mindset of the primitive Arabs, why they converted to Islam and what was their idiosyncrasy.

 

Muhammad accepted the challenge. Aqra said --- " Give us permission to speak; for, verily, my praise is an ornament and my reproach a disgrace." - "Nay," replied Muhammad, "you said a lie; that may be said of Allah alone." [K. Waqidi, 58.]

“First arose Otarid, the orator of the Tamim, and in an harangue of the ordinary boastful style, lauded his own people for their prowess and nobility. When he had ended, Muhammad motioned to Thabit ibn Qays that he should reply. Thabit descanted on the glory of Muhammad as a messenger from Heaven, on the devotion of the Refugees, and on the faithful and generous friendship of the citizens of Medina . He finished by threatening destruction against all who should refuse Islam. Then Zibriqan, the Bedouin bard, stood up, and recited poetry, in which he dilated on the greatness and unequalled hospitality of the Bani Tamim. When be sat down, Hassan the son of Thabit, by Mahomet's command, replied in glowing and well- measured verse. After dwelling upon the more ordinary topics, he ended thus :-

Children of Darim! [an ancestor of the tribe] contend not with us: Your boasting will turn to your shame."
"Ye he when ye contend with us for glory. What are ye but our Servants, our Nurses, and our Attendants?"
"If ye be come to save your lives, and your property, that it may not be distributed as booty;-
Then make not unto God any equal, embrace Islam, and abandon the wild manners of the Heathen."2

The strangers were astonished at the beauty of Hassan's poetry, and abashed at the force and point of the concluding verses.- "By the Lord!" they said, "how rich is this man's fortune! His poet, as well as his orator, surpasseth ours in eloquence!" [Muir V. IV p.174]

The orations are most likely apocryphal but they convey the gist of what they said. It shows how people converted to Islam. Here we see Thabit and his son threaten their challengers that if they do not accept Islam, they will be dealt without mercy. The eloquence or not eloquence of the poetry is irrelevant. The message conveyed is very clear. Submit or perish!

This is called argumentum ad baculum or appeal to force. An Appeal to Force happens when someone resorts to force (or the threat of force) to try and push others to accept a conclusion. This is a logical fallacy upon which Islam is built. Up to this day the mentality of Muslims is the same mentality of the Bedouins of the seventh century Arabia . In his letter to America , Osama Bin Laden used this “logic” to persuade Americans to convert to Islam.

Now suppose these Bani Tamim were indeed impressed by the superior oratory of the Meccan poets, in what ways it proves that Islam is a true religion?

As we go through the history of Islam and its theology we find not a single valid logical argument presented in defense of Islam. Every proof presented is a logical fallacy.  

After the men of Tamim confessed to the superiority of the Medinan poets and professed to the “truth” of Islam, Muhammad released their prisoners and dismissed them with rich presents and provisions for their trip. These shows of generosity were intended to win the hearts of his opponents and make him look magnanimous and companionate.

However Muhammad did not forget the roughness of the Bedouins but in the spirit of “modesty” he did not complain. However he was also concerned that this may affect his followers and they too may start acting with impertinent familiarity. When Muhammad felt shy about something, his god was always ready to speak on his behalf and the following verses were ‘revealed’ shortly after.

O Ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger.
O ye who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as ye may speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become vain and ye perceive not.
Those that lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger,- their hearts has Allah tested for piety: for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.
Those who shout out to thee from without the inner apartments - most of them lack understanding.
If only they had patience until thou couldst come out to them, it would be best for them: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Q.49:1-5]

 

First Half of the Ninth Year of the Hegira. 20th April to September, 630, A.D.

 

The conquest of Mecca and of the Hawazin began a new era in Islam. Muhammad was now the lord of the holy city and was elevated to a position in which he could assert a paramount authority throughout the Peninsula . No such authority had ever been vested by anyone in Arabia . The suzerainty of Arabia , enjoyed in remote times by the kings of Himyar, had been transferred to the dynasty of Hira, which was now a Satrapy of the court of Persia.

 

The fear of Islam spread across the land and tribes from as far away as Yemen , the borders of Syria and Persia , came to submit to Muhammad and he established his de facto rule by force and by religious authority across the land and taxes and tributes were levied on unbelievers as well as on the Faithful.

The conquest of Mecca now vested Muhammad with the rope of legitimacy and gave a color of right to his pretensions. Mecca was the spiritual hub of Arabia and therefore the most important city of the peninsula.  For thousands of years the Arab tribes form all over the country used to come to Mecca for pilgrimage and yielded their reverential homage. Mecca was the soul of Arabia as it is today the soul of the Islamic world. The custody of the Kaba which was the privilege of the Quraish was now in the hands of Muhammad.

For thousands of years the Pagans had the control of the Ka’ba and they had allowed people of all creeds to worship there and did not exclude anyone for differences in faith. In fact they did not bar even Muhammad and his men despite their contempt of their deities housed there. The idolaters did not discriminate against anyone on religious grounds and did not regard those of differing beliefs “unclean”. All that changed when Muhammad took possession of Mecca . One year after the conquest of Mecca he wrote:  

O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. [Q. 9: 28-29]

All these spiteful and censorious teachings are from Islam. In the last verse Muhammad classified the Jews and the Christians as second class citizens and ordered them to pay tribute, a penalty tax to Muslims in order to live in their lands.

Despite prohibiting the pagans to approach Mecca Muhammad kept all the pagan rituals of pilgrimage and incorporated them in his religion. Now he was the spiritual leader as well as the supreme temporal authority of Arabia . With that the secular nature of Arabia was also transformed and the country became a theocracy. Polytheistic and multi-faith societies are ecumenical and naturally secular. Although the chiefs of Quraish had control over Kaba, they had no authority over the rest of Arabia neither they imposed their religious views on other Arabs. Religion and politics were kept apart. With the advent of Islam that demarcation disappeared and politics and religion became indistinguishable. In fact it is fair to say that the main objective of Muhammad in inventing Islam was to rule over people. Politics is the art of governing and controlling people. Therefore Islam is politics. The religious aspect of Islam is merely a façade. The goal was conquest and domination and religion was a convenient tool. Muhammad would have never succeeded to arouse so many people ready to sacrifice everything including their lives of his plans had he not promised them afterlife rewards. It is this combination that Makes Islam dangerous. Islam is politics in the garb of religion.

 

Once his domain was fully established, the collectors were deputed to gather the tithes from Muslims and the jazyah or penalty tax from the non-Muslims. These taxes were used to fund more war expeditions. Muhammad had invented a system that only had to expand in order to survive. Muslim army was sent to conquer a pagan town. With the spoils plundered in that expedition the army was paid but the conquered had the chance to recoup its losses by joining the victor and participating in future expeditions and plundering other tribes. This was the secret of the success and the rapid growth of Islam. Muslims had to expand or they would have perished. Those who did not convert to Islam, e.g. the Jews were exterminated and those who were forced to convert became marauders. If they were nomads, their flock and herds were plundered and if they were farmers, their vineyards and plantations were burned. Commerce and industry came to halt. There was no peace in the land. The only option left was to join the victor, and invade other tribes. Eventually all the Arabia had come under Islam and the Muslims had to look elsewhere for their sustenance.

After establishing his suzerainty, Muhammad did not need to invade the villages and towns; he instead sent tax collectors and demanded the tithes. The Arabs lived as fee people since the dawn of time. They were not accustomed to pay a protection fee to a bully. Some rebelled but they were soon subdued and chastised.

 

Punishment of Bani Tamim

One of these tribes was Bani Tamim. When the tax collectors arrived to a neighboring tribe and was collecting the Prophet’s dues, rounding up the herds and flock, the Bani Tamim, anticipating a similar demand upon their own tribe, attacked the tax collectors and chased them away. Muhammad resolved to make an example of them and dispatched Uyeina at the head of fifty horsemen raided the Bani Tamim all of a sudden and grabbed a few scattered families (eleven men, eleven women and thirty children) as prisoners and carried them to Medina where they were kept as hostages.  

Now, the Bani Tamim had converted to Islam, many of them had fought by the side of Muhammad at Mecca and Honein. Some of them had been killed and few were rewarded from the booty confiscated in Honein. None of that mattered to Muhammad who felt no gratitude for their services and this was how he paid them back the favor.

A deputation of seventy of them headed by their chiefs rushed to Medina to plea the release of their captives. Among those few was Aqra, one of the chiefs, who had received one hundred camels at Jirana. When they arrived in Medina , the prisoners who were in chains recognized them and raised a loud cry of distress. The men were moved and hastened to the Mosque and waited impatiently for Muhammad to come out of his habitation. But Muhammad was in no hurry to meet them. After a while, in their crude Bedouin custom, they cried out loud, “O Muhammad, come out, we are waiting”. Muhammad was displeased of their lack of sophistication but since it was the mid-day and time for prayer, he came out anyway.

After the prayer he listened to the strangers. The Bani Tamim sought leave to contend in rhetoric and poetry with the poets of Medina . They stated that should the Medinan poets be superior they would at once acknowledge the superiority of Islam and submit to Muhammad’s commands. This is such a childish story, yet it reveals the manners and the mindset of the primitive Arabs, why they converted to Islam and what was their idiosyncrasy.

 

Muhammad accepted the challenge. Aqra said --- " Give us permission to speak; for, verily, my praise is an ornament and my reproach a disgrace." - "Nay," replied Muhammad, "you said a lie; that may be said of Allah alone." [K. Waqidi, 58.]

“First arose Otarid, the orator of the Tamim, and in an harangue of the ordinary boastful style, lauded his own people for their prowess and nobility. When he had ended, Muhammad motioned to Thabit ibn Qays that he should reply. Thabit descanted on the glory of Muhammad as a messenger from Heaven, on the devotion of the Refugees, and on the faithful and generous friendship of the citizens of Medina . He finished by threatening destruction against all who should refuse Islam. Then Zibriqan, the Bedouin bard, stood up, and recited poetry, in which he dilated on the greatness and unequalled hospitality of the Bani Tamim. When be sat down, Hassan the son of Thabit, by Mahomet's command, replied in glowing and well- measured verse. After dwelling upon the more ordinary topics, he ended thus :-

Children of Darim! [an ancestor of the tribe] contend not with us: Your boasting will turn to your shame."
"Ye he when ye contend with us for glory. What are ye but our Servants, our Nurses, and our Attendants?"
"If ye be come to save your lives, and your property, that it may not be distributed as booty;-
Then make not unto God any equal, embrace Islam, and abandon the wild manners of the Heathen."2

The strangers were astonished at the beauty of Hassan's poetry, and abashed at the force and point of the concluding verses.- "By the Lord!" they said, "how rich is this man's fortune! His poet, as well as his orator, surpasseth ours in eloquence!" [Muir V. IV p.174]

The orations are most likely apocryphal but they convey the gist of what they said. It shows how people converted to Islam. Here we see Thabit and his son threaten their challengers that if they do not accept Islam, they will be dealt without mercy. The eloquence or not eloquence of the poetry is irrelevant. The message conveyed is very clear. Submit or perish!

This is called argumentum ad baculum or appeal to force. An Appeal to Force happens when someone resorts to force (or the threat of force) to try and push others to accept a conclusion. This is a logical fallacy upon which Islam is built. Up to this day the mentality of Muslims is the same mentality of the Bedouins of the seventh century Arabia . In his letter to America , Osama Bin Laden used this “logic” to persuade Americans to convert to Islam.

Now suppose the men of Tamim were indeed impressed by the superior oratory of the Medinan poets, how can this be construed as the proof of the truth of Islam?  

As we go through the history of Islam and its theology we find not a single valid logical argument presented in defense of Islam. Every proof presented is a logical fallacy.  

After the men of Tamim confessed to the superiority of the Medinan poets and professed to the “truth” of Islam, Muhammad released their prisoners and dismissed them with rich presents and provisions for their trip. These shows of generosity were intended to win the hearts of his opponents and  and make him (Muhammad) look magnanimous and companionate.

However Muhammad did not forget the roughness of the Bedouins but in the spirit of “modesty” he did not complain. However he was also concerned that this may affect his followers and they too may start acting with impertinent familiarity. When Muhammad felt shy about something, his god was always ready to speak on his behalf and the following verses were ‘revealed’ shortly after.

O Ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger.
O ye who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as ye may speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become vain and ye perceive not.
Those that lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger,- their hearts has Allah tested for piety: for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.
Those who shout out to thee from without the inner apartments - most of them lack understanding.
If only they had patience until thou couldst come out to them, it would be best for them: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Q.49:1-5]

The verse six that continues the above verses has an interesting story. It reads:

O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.

And know that among you is Allah's Messenger: were he, in many matters, to follow your (wishes), ye would certainly fall into misfortune. [Q. 49:6-7]

Muhammad made his Allah reveal the above when his tax collector went to Bani Mustaliq to collect the tithes and a large body of the tribe went out to welcome him. Fearing that the tribe had come to fight the tax collector fled back to Muhammad who ordered his men to set out and avenge the affront. Meanwhile the Bani Mostaliq realizing this could mean trouble rushed a deputation to Medina to clear the misunderstanding. This put Muhammad’s mind at ease and the assault was put off. In the above verse he alludes to this incident and makes his Allah council the believers to ascertain the truth, lest they unwittingly harm innocent people.  

What is not clear is why Allah did not inform Muhammad beforehand about the mistake of his tax collector while he was preparing the assault.

Expeditions during the summer of  A.D. 630,

During the summer of this year several expeditions were sent to several recusant tribes for the purpose of chastisement, and demanding conforming as well as taking spoils. They followed the ordinary strategy of surprise and capture of prisoners and plunder to which Muhammad owed his successes.

Among these raids was an attack against Bani Khatam in Belsha during the month of May. Muslims, commanded by Kotba took the village by surprise, killed many and drove their camels away.

In June the Bani Qilab was asked to embrace Islam and pay the tax. On their refusal, they were attacked and discomfited.

In July Okkasha ibn Mohain was despatched towards the Syrian frontier, to subdue the Bani Odzra and Bali .  

During that summer Muslims moved against Jedda. Apparently Najashi the Christian emperor of Abyssinia who had been friendly towards Muhammad had finally realized Muhammad’s benevolence towards Christianity was nothing but a lip service and in reality he was killing the Christians. He sent an army to cross the Red Sea in the support of the Arabs of Jedda but was repelled by the Muslims.  [K. Waqidi, 133]

In July of the same year Ali headed 200 men and was sent to Bani Taee with the mission to destroy their temple of Fula . This tribe was partially Christian and partially pagan. After the destruction of the temple He took many prisoners and laden with plunder returned to Medina . Amongst the captives was the daughter of Hatam Taee, the legendary Christian Bedouin Arab who fame of generosity has survived in many literatures.

Hatam had died many years before and his son Adi, who was the chief escaped to Syria when Ali’s men arrived. His sister prostrated before Muhammad and told her plaintive story. Muhammad released her and gave her some raiment and a camel. She went in the search of her brother who presented himself before Muhammad and after making profession of faith was again appointed as the chief of his tribe.

It was during this time the most famous Arab poet Kab ibn Zuhair whose father was also a renowned poet converted to Islam and wrote the famous Poem of Mantel in praise of Muhammad. The story is that Kab was one of the critiques of Muhammad and he had written a diatribe against him. Kab’s brother who had converted to Islam warned him of the consequences and finally fearing for his safely he presented himself to Muhammad and professed Islam and offered him the poem. In this poem he lauded Muhammad saying: “Verily, the Prophet is a Light illuminating the World, A naked Sword from the armory of God, ---

Muhammad was do delighted that he gave him his mantle and hence the name. The irony of this most famous poem and this most famous poet is the fact that it was composed under duress. Kab was under constant threat of assassination and this was his way to secure his life. Is that poem really composed with sincerity?

The ninth year of Hegira is called the Year of Deputation. In this year various tribes sent deputies to Muhammad and professed their adherence to his religion. Failing to do so would have meant a surprise attack by the army of Islam and their destruction. Muhammad brutality and ruthlessness had finally paid off and now it was the Arabs who would rush to him to pledge their allegiance.

Muhammad always dealt with these emissaries courteously and showered them with gifts and presents worthy of their ranks.

But as Sam Vatkin wrote narcissist’s creed is to “Give a little to take a lot”. These deputies then went back home and convinced the rest of their tribes to surrender to Muhammad and pay him his lion’s share in order to remain safe. 

 

 

 

 

 

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