In today’s episode, we will discuss some fragments of the Battle of Tabuk. Several events occurred during the Battle of Tabuk, but it is not certain when and where they occurred. The first incident I will discuss is also narrated by Mu’azzabal. Mu’adh Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that after offering the Fajr prayer in Jamat, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out for the plains of Tabuk. The people began to travel on camels and as they approached the enemy, they began to fall asleep. That is, after dawn, everyone was very tired and was about to fall asleep on the back of his camel. As a result, their camels were getting scattered and seemed to be moving in one direction or another. Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that I was making my camel ride, and it bumped into the camel of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called out to me, “Mu’adh, come here.” I went to him and said, “Labbaik.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said to him, “Don’t you see that the camels of the people are moving towards each other?” I replied, “Everyone is very tired, so they are not able to drive properly.” Then I noticed that there was no one around me and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So I said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that May I ask you a question that has made me restless while thinking about it? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “Yes, you may ask.”
Then Mayyas (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me something that no one knows except you, that is, how I can enter Paradise.” Now the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied that it is enough that you believe in the Last Day, believe in Allah, and maintain that belief until the end of your life.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said that its pillar is the salat (prayer) and its peak is jihad. The Prophet of Islam then said that I have been ordered to fight until I believe, establish prayer and pay zakat. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that after the obligatory prayers, the most important duty for a servant is to fight in jihad.
They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend. And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.
(Quran 32:16-17)
While the Muslims were staying at Tabuk, King Uqayt sent some gifts as a sign of friendship. Among them was a shawl for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wore that shawl. It was so beautiful to look at that the companions went around the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) side by side to look at it.
We know how bad the financial situation was at that time, so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to his companions, “You are amazed by this sheet, but by Allaah, the handkerchief used by Saad Ibn Mu’aaz in Paradise is better than this sheet.”
Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the companions who fell behind during the expedition to Tabuk. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) set out on an expedition, Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting on a distinguished seat. Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) had two wives in his house. When Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the house, he saw that his wives had prepared food for him. Then suddenly he said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was in the hot desert and he was craving for wives and delicious food. Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he should send his wives to prepare the provisions for his journey. Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) set off for Tabuk on the back of a camel. On his journey, he found Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) as a companion. Omar (RA) was most likely coming from Mecca. Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) requested Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to speak to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) first. The companions saw someone approaching from a distance, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed that it might be Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him).
When Abu Qaysa (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “You were about to be destroyed.” When he explained it in detail, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed for him and had mercy on him.
The lesson from the incident is that a Muslim can stumble from the path of Islam, but he can get up and continue on his way. In this regard, Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
Indeed, those who fear Allah – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.
(Quran 7:201)
On the way back from Tabuk, the hypocrites or traitors tried to kill the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Ibn Kashir narrated that I was walking ahead of the camel carrying the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When we reached the pass, we saw 12 people standing there blocking the way. I caught the attention of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he challenged them and they fled. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “Did you recognize them?” I replied, “O Messenger of Allah, they were wearing masks, but I recognized their camels.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “By Allah, they will be among the hypocrites or traitors until the Day of Judgment.” Then he asked me, “Did you understand their intention?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) answered, “Their intention was to kill me.”
In today’s last episode, we will discuss Masjid Al-Tira, which was the mosque of the hypocrites. After leaving Medina, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was called to pray in a newly built mosque. The people said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that they wanted him to pray in this mosque so that it would be blessed. He replied that he was on an expedition and would pray when he returned from the expedition.
The people said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that they wanted him to pray in this mosque so that it would be blessed. He replied that he was on an expedition and would pray when he returned from the expedition.
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, “We intended only the best.” And Allah testifies that indeed they are liars. Do not stand [for prayer] within it – ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
(Quran 9:107-108)
Did Allah forbid the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from praying in this mosque? Rather, He told him to pray in a mosque where there are believers who are pure. The Prophet Muhammad ordered that the mosque be burned to the ground.
Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. Their building which they built will not cease to be a [cause of] skepticism in their hearts until their hearts are stopped. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
(Quran 9:109-110)
