Expedition to Banu Amir
Time and Place of Expedition
This expedition took place in the year 8 A.H. in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal. [1]. It took place in al-Siyyi, on the outskirts of Rakbah – the precise geographical location for this place are unavailable to us. [2]
Background on the Expedition
The Messenger of Allah sent Shuja’ bin Wahb along with twenty-four others towards a group of people from the tribe of Hawazin who had previously participated in the battle of Ahzab. He asked them to go towards al-Siyyi – a town on the outskirts of Rakba where the Banu Amir resided in order to attack them. [1]
Details on the Expedition
The Muslims left at the night and would journey through the night and hide during the day. They arrived on one of the mornings and Shuja’ bin Wahb ordered his men to attack them, but to avoid chasing after them if they fled. [1]
Aftermath of the Expedition
Gathering the booty and capturing prisoners
The Muslim army captured many camels and sheep and brought them all back to Medina, and in addition, they had also taken some women as prisoners and they too were brought back with them – in all, this expedition took a total of fifteen days. They divided the war booty and every soldier was calculated to receive a worth of five camels, which was at that time equal to ten sheep. [1]
Amongst the captured women, there was an attractive girl who Shuja’ bin Wahb took for himself and married her after having paying a certain amount. [1]
Banu Amir requests for the return of prisoners
After some time, an envoy from Banu Amir who had become Muslim arrived in Medina and conversed with the Prophet regarding the prisoners which had been captured. The Prophet spoke with Shuja’ bin Wahb and his companions and decided to send back the captured women of Bani Amir with the envoy. [3]
The right to stay or remain
The girl whom Shuja’ bin Wahb had married was given the choice by Shuja’ to either return back or remain with him. She decided to remain with Shuja’. The two of them did not have any children together, and in the year 11 A.H., he was killed in the battle of Yamamah. [3]