War with the al-Fazari and their Escape

Time and place of the attack

This surprise attack took place at night in the year 6 A.H. in the region of Mazinah which was close to the city of Medina.

Background of the attack

The Prophet’s camels

As a tax on the spoils of war, twenty she-camels were gathered for the Prophet, all of whom were impregnated and were milk-bearing - the term used for such camels in Arabic is al-Liqah. These camels were sent to graze with the other animals on the outskirts of Medina and every day, towards the evening, the shepherds would bring their milk back to Medina.

Abu Darr’s request to assist in the animals’ grazing and the Prophet’s warning

Abu Darr al-Ghaffari requested permission from the Prophet to allow him to assist in the animals’ grazing. He said, <blockuote>“O’ Prophet of Allah, do you give me and my nephew permission to go to Mazinah (the place where the Prophet’s camels were located) and to settle there?” </blockuote> The Prophet replied, <blockuote> “I fear that a number of Arabs will attack you and kill your nephew, and because of this, in a state of agitation, you will come to me walking with your stick and say, ‘My nephew has been killed and the camels have been taken as spoils.” </blockuote> Abu Darr said, <blockuote> “O’ Prophet of Allah, if Allah wills it, such a thing will not happen.” </blockuote> The Prophet then gave his permission to Abu Darr, his nephew, and his nephew’s wife settle there.

The al-Fazari night attack on Abu Darr

It had not been long since Abu Darr and his family left Medina when riders from Bani Fazarah, amongst whom Uyanah ibn Hisn was also present, made a surprise attack at night, took the camels as spoils, killed Abu Darr’s nephew, took his wife - who was from Bani Ghaffar – as a captive, and beat Abu Darr almost to death.

Abu Darr narrates the event as such, <blockuote> “We were in our house and the Prophet’s camels had finished grazing for the day. He had milked them at the beginning of the evening and then went to sleep. On Tuesday night, the third of Rabi al-Thani, in the year 6 A.H., Uyanah ibn Hisn al-Fazari along with forty riders surrounded us, attacked us, killed my nephew and spared the life of his wife and three other people with us. While they were busy untying the camels’ knee-bindings to take them, I used the opportunity to escape, noticing that they managed to take all of the camels with them.” </blockuote>

Abu Darr’s agitation in regards to disregarding the Prophet’s warning

After that Abu Darr said, <blockuote> “My work is strange! The Prophet would tell me, ‘I see such a fate for you.’ But despite this, I continued to insist on this request. By Allah, the event occurred just as the Prophet said.” </blockuote>

Details of this event reach the Prophet

One of the companions by the name of Salamah ibn al-Akwa narrates,

“In the early morning I left to go to the Prophet’s camels to bring their milk back to Medina. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf’s camels were closer to Medina and his servant, who was busy grazing the camels said, ‘Uyanah ibn Hisn along with forty riders launched a surprise night attack on the Prophet’s camels and have taken them as spoils.’ I mounted my horse and returned to Medina and informed the Prophet.”

The movement of the Muslims towards the enemy

The Prophet arrived outside, donning the clothes of war and the first person who joined him was Miqdad ibn Amr who had worn his chainmail and helmet, and had his sword unsheathed in his hand. The Prophet tied a banner to his spear and said,

“Go forth so that the riders join you and we too will join.”

Miqdad said,

“I went ahead with the desire to attain martyrdom in the presence of Allah. I tied the banner to such a place that my helpers could see it and so they would join me.”

The recapture of the camels

The Prophet went with a number of riders and people were continually mounting their horses, camels and mules and joining until they all met up together at Dhu Qarad. The Muslims were able to recapture ten of the milk-bearing camels, while the other ten were taken by the polytheists.

The Post-War Accounts

The pursuit of the enemy by a group commanded by Salamah

Salamah says,

“At the time of the isha prayers, I reached the Prophet and his riders and said to him, ‘O Prophet of Allah, the people are thirsty and do not have access to water. If you permit me, send me along with a hundred men so that I may retrieve those things which they have taken and so that I may arrest the polytheists.’ The Prophet replied, ‘I have made you the commander. Go, for they are now at Ghatafan.”

The camping of the Prophet’s soldiers at Dhu Qarad

That night, the Prophet stayed at Dhu Qarad. The Prophet’s helpers ranged from five hundred to seven hundred people and the Prophet gave one camel to each hundred soldiers so that they may slaughter and eat it. That evening, the prayers were performed in the unique format of the prayer in times of fear (al-Khawf).

The Prophet praises Sad ibn Ubadah

Sad ibn Ubadah along with three hundred people from his tribe remained in Medina and protected the city for five days and nights until the Prophet returned. In this time, he sent dates for them ten times through his son Qays ibn Sad. Regarding this, the Prophet said,

“O’ Qays! Your father has sent you as a warrior so that you may increase the strength of the soldiers and has placed himself in vigilance over Medina against the enemies. O Allah, bless Sad and his family.”

Thereafter he said,

“What a good man Sad ibn Ubadah is!”

At that moment some of the Khazrajis said,

“O Prophet of Allah, we are the great and the sons of the great. The people of this family fed the people of their vicinity, protected the orphans, respected their guests, helped those during times of disaster and helped their tribe.”

The Prophet replied,

“The best of people in Islam, the best of them are those who, during times of ignorance, they become knowledgeable in the religion.”

The return of Abu Darr’s nephew’s wife

The Prophet returned to Medina when Abu Darr’s nephew’s wife entered whilst mounted on one of the Prophet’s camels and explained how she was saved through the help of that camel and said,

“O Prophet of Allah! I had made a vow that if Allah saves me with the help of this camel, I would slaughter it (and offer its meat to the people of Medina).”

The Prophet smiled and said,

“You have intended a bad reward for him! She saved you and you made a vow to slaughter it!? Any vow that is made on a Divine sin or on a thing which does not belong to a person is not valid. This camel is one of mine and through Divine grace she has returned you to your family.”