The Battle of Dhu al-Qassah took place in the area of Dhu al-Qassah, located approximately east of Medina, in the Medina Province, in the central-western part of Saudi Arabia, from 25 to 30 July 632. It pitted the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate led by the Caliph Abu Bakr against the rebel apostates led by General Hibal ibn Khuwailid.Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Sword Of Allah by A. I. Akram - 2009 / Page 85Brother of Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid.
This battle, comprising four engagementsBiography of Khalifa Abu Bakr Siddiq by Supremeseerah Publisher - 2023 / Page 63 & 64Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Sword Of Allah by A. I. Akram - 2009 / Page 86 & 87 resulted in a victory for the Rashidun Caliphate, marking the beginning of the Wars of Apostasy,Biography of Khalifa Abu Bakr Siddiq par Supremeseerah Publisher - 2023 / Page 64 the withdrawal of the apostate rebels to the Abraq areaBiography of Khalifa Abu Bakr Siddiq by Supremeseerah Publisher - 2023 / Page 65A place associated with the Banu Dhubyan tribe in the Nejd region of Saudi Arabia, now a steep rocky promontory located north of Al Hinakiyah. and a consolidation of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq's legitimacy in his new role as caliph.
Background
Situation following the death of Muhammad
After the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, on June 8, 632,Treasures of Islam by Philip Bamborough - 1976 / Page 14The Arabs by Hodgkin E.C - 1966 / Page 28 Abu Bakr was appointed as his successor to lead the newly emerging state. However, the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, which had mostly submitted and become Muslim under Muhammad from 631The Year of Delegations in 631 marked the peak of Muhammad's power. The seventy tribes that entered into agreements with him sent emissaries to Medina to confirm their subjugation. abandoned Islam after his death, expelled the Zakat collectors, and triggered widespread apostasy affecting all the tribes of Arabia with the notable exception of the inhabitants of Mecca, Medina, and the Banu Thaqif of Ta'if. Some clans entirely renounced the faith, while others were divided between those who abandoned the belief and those who remained loyal.Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Sword Of Allah by A. I. Akram - 2009 / Page 84The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 69Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari explains in his book (The History of al-Tabari Volume 10: The Conquest of Arabia), page 69:
Two self-proclaimed prophets, Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid and Musaylima ibn Habib, as well as a false prophetess, Sajah bint Al-Harith, fueled this apostasy. Musaylima had long been known as an impostor, while Tulayha began proclaiming himself a prophet during Muhammad's illness.Les derniers jours de Muhammad by Hela Ouardi / Page 40 & 41
The main threat to Medina came from Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid and the tribes of central, western, and northern Arabia that followed him. + According to Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram, these tribes were:Banu Asad,Banu Ghatafan,The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 71 & 74,Tayy,Banu Hawāzin,
+ And according to Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, these tribes were:Banu Asad,Banu Ghatafan,, Banu Dhubyan,The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 70,The Great Arab Conquests by Hugh Kennedy - 2008 / Page 108 Banu Abs,Tayy,The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 96Banu Hawāzin,Banu Kinanah Banu Bakr Layth
Banu Mudlej
Course of events
Pre-battle
According to Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram
In his work The Sword Of Allah,Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Sword Of Allah by A. I. Akram - 2009 Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram relates that about a week or two after the departure of Usama bin Zayd's army,cf. the expedition of Usama bin Zayd. delegates from Dhu al-QassahThe closest concentration of apostates to Medina is in the area of Dhu al-Qassah, about east of Medina. came to Caliph Abu Bakr in MedinaThe History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 72Biography of Khalifa Abu Bakr Siddiq by Supremeseerah Publisher - 2023 / Page 60Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs by Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad - 2020 / Page 74 and declared: However, Abu Bakr refused this proposal. He responded firmly:
The next morning, before the one-day ultimatum expired, the emissaries discreetly left Medina, signaling their rejection of Abu Bakr's demands,. Shortly after their departure, Abu Bakr sent his own emissaries to all the apostate tribes, urging them to remain faithful to Islam and continue paying their taxes, which did not have the desired effect.
The emissaries from Dhu al-Qassah, observant and attentive, noticed the absence of fighters before leaving Medina,,Biography of Khalifa Abu Bakr Siddiq by Supremeseerah Publisher - 2023 / Page 62,. Upon their return, they reported to their compatriots about the conversation with Abu Bakr and the apparent vulnerability of Medina,,,, however, although Usama bin Zayd's main army had not yet returned from its expedition, the city was not as defenseless as they thought, as there were still many able-bodied men, particularly from the Banu Hashim clan,Clan of Muhammad. who had stayed behind to mourn their deceased relatives.
Meanwhile, Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid, now in , reinforced the apostates of Dhu al-Qassah with a contingent led by his brother Hibal ibn Khuwailid.
After hearing the reports from the emissaries, the temptation to destroy Medina while it was still vulnerable became too great for the apostates. They then decided to march on the city.The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 / Page 73 From Dhu Husa,According to Yaqut al-Rumi, Dhu Husa is located about east of Medina, just west of Al-Rabadha. where the apostates had established a base, part of the forces from Dhu al-Qassah advanced even closer to Medina in the third week of July 632 and set up camp, preparing to attack the city.
According to Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
In his work The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia,The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari - 1993 Al-Tabari relates that about ten days after the death of the Muhammad, delegations from the apostate tribes of the Banu Asad tribe, reinforced by a contingent of Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid led by Hibal ibn Khuwailid, the Banu Ghatafan, the Banu Hawazin, and the Tayy went to meet Caliph Abu Bakr. Upon their arrival to Medina, they were received by the Muslim leaders, except for Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. These delegations proposed performing the ritual prayer while requesting an exemption from the Zakat. Abu Bakr rejected this proposal, stating: He issued an ultimatum, giving the delegations one day and one night to accept his conditions,,.To perform the ritual prayer while paying the Zakat. After this period, the delegations, having refused the conditions imposed, returned to their respective tribes. Upon their return, they reported the small number of defenders in Medina, thus arousing their compatriots to covet the city and prompting them to prepare for an attack. After expelling the rebel delegations, Abu Bakr then placed men to monitor the mountain passes around Medina,, including Ali ibn Abi Talib, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Abd Allah ibn Masud, Khalid ibn al-Walid,Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs by Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad - 2020 / Page 77 and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf. He then gathered the people of Medina in the mosque and declared to them: As a result, the inhabitants of Medina prepared themselves.
Battle
First confrontation
According to Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram
Abu Bakr was informed of the rebels' movement and immediately began organizing the defense of Medina. The Caliph gathered a fighting force from the remaining men. Ali ibn Abi Talib, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, and Abd Allah ibn Masud each commanded a part of this new army.
For three days, nothing happened. The apostates, uncertain of where to start, took no action.Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Sword Of Allah by A. I. Akram - 2009 / Page 86 Abu Bakr then decided, on his order, to have the Muslims leave Medina to launch a swift attack on the apostates' forward camp. This successful offensive pushed the apostates back to Dhu Husa. Informed of this success, Abu Bakr ordered the Muslims to stay in place and await further instructions.
According to Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Less than three days later, the apostate forces launched a nighttime attack on Medina, leaving half of their men at Dhu Husa as a reserve. The attacking cavalry reached the mountain passes during the night, where fighters were already positioned. Scouts on foot preceded them, alerting the defenders and sending a message to Caliph Abu Bakr.
Abu Bakr ordered them to hold their positions, which they did, while the caliph led the inhabitants from the mosque, mounted on their pack camels.These camels were used for transporting goods, and according to Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, these camels were specifically used for carrying water. Faced with this response, the apostates lost their resolve and turned back.
According to Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad
In his work Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs,Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs by Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad - 2020 Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad relates that after three days, the apostate rebels began to move actively within the Dhu Husa camp. Muslim scouts reported that the apostates were planning to attack Medina that night. Caliph Abu Bakr gathered all the adult Muslim men in the mosque. After the Isha prayer, these men were divided into groups to guard the various neighborhoods of the city. Leading a contingent, Abu Bakr took position at a strategic point facing Dhu Husa, where the attack was expected to occur.Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs by Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad - 2020 / Page 62
The apostates launched the attack at midnight, hoping to take the city by surprise. Convinced that there was no fighting force in Medina, they expected to meet no resistance and anticipated an easy victory. As the apostate forces advanced in the darkness of the night, Abu Bakr's contingent fell upon them, taking them by surprise. Many apostate rebels were killed in the battle, while the others fled in total confusion back to Dhu Husa, where the Muslims pursued them.Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs by Tamir Abu Suood Muhammad - 2020 / Page 62 & 63
Second confrontation
According to Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram The day after this first victorious confrontation for the Rashidun Caliphate, Abu Bakr left Medina accompanied by a large number of pack camels,Used for transporting goods. as all the riding camelsUsed for transporting people. had been requisitioned for the Expedition of Usama bin Zayd. Upon their arrival at the abandoned camp of the apostates, the Muslims who had expelled them mounted the camels, and the army headed towards Dhu Husa, the apostates' base camp.