Raid on Bani Thalabah

Time and Place of the Raid

This war occurred in the year 6 A.H. in the region of Dhu al-Qissah which is around twenty miles from the city of Medina. Some have named this war as ‘The War of Bani Muharib’.

Background of this Raid

The lands of Bani Thalabah, Anmar, and Muharib had been afflicted by a drought, and because of this, the settlers of these regions moved towards Taghlamin - land which belonged to another people. Thereafter, they decided to steal the livestock of the people of Medina in the region of Hiqa.

Account of the Raid

When news of this decision reached Prophet Muhammad, he sent Abu Ubaydah Jarrah along with forty Muslims after the evening prayers in the month of Rabi al-Akhir, in the year 6 A.H. They travelled throughout the night until they reached Dhu al-Qissah in the morning hours and the proceeded to attack the inhabitants and took one person captive while the others escaped and took shelter in the near-by caves.

The Post-Raid Account

The gathering of the spoils of war

After the raid, the Muslims gathered all of the livestock and merchandise that they had taken as spoils of war and returned to Medina.

The captive’s conversion to Islam

In Medina, the captive that had been taken from Bani Thalabah converted to Islam and so the Prophet of Allah released him. After taking the khums from the spoils of war, whatever remained was distributed amongst the Muslim fighters.

The order for a second attack on Bani Thalabah

After this, the Prophet sent Muhammad ibn Muslimah along with ten people to Bani Thalabah. The Muslims entered the region of Dhu al-Qissah at night and rested there.

The Muslims’ heedlessness of the enemy and their defeat

While the Muslims were camped out, one hundred people from the tribes of Bani Thalabah and Uwal became aware of the Muslims’ presence and surrounded them. The people of the two tribes waited until the Muslims fell asleep and then made a surprise night attack. At first, they sent a shower of arrows upon them, and then they attacked with spears, killing them all. During all of this, Muhammad ibn Muslimah fell unconscious and as he was not moving, they thought he too had died. After killing all of the Muslims, the polytheists stole all of the clothes off of the dead bodies, and left.

Muhammad ibn Muslimah’s return to Medina

The day after, a man passed by the area and saw the bodies of all of those who had been killed and recited the verse of istirja. Upon hearing this verse, Muhammad ibn Muslimah slowly regained consciousness and began to move. The man moved closer to him, gave him some food and water, and brought him to Medina.

The order to attack Bani Thalabah for the third time

The Prophet, upon receiving word of the situation, sent Abu Ubaydah Jarrah along with forty people towards Dhu al-Qissah, but Abu Ubaydah found no trace of them. He found some livestock which was left there, and so he took this and brought them back to Medina.