The Prophet's Strategic Expeditions

Following the migration to Madinah, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions undertook expeditions for key strategic objectives. These included showing the Quraysh that Muslims were not weak but prepared to protect their rights and assert independence. Most expeditions during the early years targeted only the Quraysh, not other tribes, demonstrating restraint. A major goal was to disrupt the Quraysh's economic lifelines, especially their trade routes to Syria and Yemen, which brought prosperity to Makkah. By positioning in Madinah, the Muslims could intercept caravans on these routes, pressuring the Quraysh economically. Expanding the Muslim state was also a priority, and through alliances with nearby tribes, Madinah’s influence gradually grew, especially following key battles like Badr and Uhud.

Madinah became the political and spiritual center of Islam under the Prophet's leadership. Internally, he worked to unite the diverse community, managing resistance from hypocrites and maintaining agreements with Jewish tribes. Externally, the Quraysh sought to undermine the fledgling state, leading to escalating tensions and confrontations.

Types of Military Expeditions: Ghazwa and Sariyya

There were two main types of military expeditions: ghazwa, battles in which the Prophet personally participated, and sariyya, expeditions commanded by the Prophet but led by his companions. According to Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the Prophet participated in 19 battles, with key engagements including Badr, Uhud, Ahzab, al-Muraysi, Khaybar, the conquest of Makkah, and the battle of Taif.

Early Expeditions and Growing Influence

Ghazwa al-Abwa was the first military expedition, occurring 11 months after the migration. Though the Muslims missed capturing a Quraysh caravan, they secured a crucial alliance with the Banu Damra tribe, expanding their reach around Madinah.

Sariyya of Ubaydah ibn al-Harith رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  marked the first instance of armed confrontation, though no fighting ensued. It served as a symbolic milestone, as Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ famously shot the first arrow "in the Way of Allah."

Ghazwa al-Ushayra was a more ambitious expedition where the Prophet ﷺ, with 150-200 companions, sought to intercept the Quraysh’s largest caravan, led by Abu Sufyan. Despite missing it, this effort set the stage for the significant Battle of Badr, as they targeted the same caravan on its return journey to Makkah.

Ghazwa Badr al-Sughra involved a raid by Quraysh allies who stole camels in Madinah, prompting the Prophet ﷺ to establish a spy network. This move underscored the growing tactical sophistication of the Muslims in anticipating enemy actions.

Sariyya Nakhla: A Controversial Encounter

The Prophet ﷺ dispatched eight Muhajirun on the Sariyya Nakhla, a reconnaissance mission near Makkah, led by his cousin Abdullah ibn Jahsh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. Upon reaching Nakhla, the group, now down to six after Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and Utbah ibn Ghazwan رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  stayed back to search for their missing camels, spotted an unguarded Quraysh caravan on the 30th of Rajab. This caravan held significant wealth carried by 8-9 camels, guarded by only three men. Despite the opportunity, the companions hesitated to attack, as the Prophet’s ﷺ instructions were to gather intelligence, not to initiate combat. Additionally, it was still the sacred month, during which fighting was traditionally forbidden. Ultimately, they engaged, capturing goods and two prisoners. However, since this occurred during a sacred period, it sparked criticism across the Arabian Peninsula. 

Allah addressed the matter with a verse affirming that while fighting during sacred months is serious, the Quraysh’s persecution was a greater injustice. The Prophet ﷺ later accepted the captured goods and prisoners after this revelation. The Prophet ﷺ sent a message to the Quraysh requesting a ransom for two captured prisoners, with the condition that they wouldn’t be released until Sa'd and Utbah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ, who were searching for their lost camel, returned safely to Madinah. Though the Quraysh never encountered Sa'd and Utbah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ, the two eventually found their camel and returned to Madinah after a week or two. Consequently, the prisoners were released, and one of them, al-Hakam ibn Kaisan رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, embraced Islam, doing so only after his ransom had been paid.

Prelude to the Battle of Badr

During the expedition to al-Ushayra, the Muslims intercepted a Quraysh caravan led by Abu Sufyan. Realizing the danger, Abu Sufyan altered his route and sent word to Makkah for reinforcements. This chain of events eventually escalated into the historic Battle of Badr, one of the most significant battles in Islamic history.

The Prophet ﷺ acted swiftly to mobilize his forces, calling upon only those who were ready to march immediately. Despite their urgency, the Muslims faced an uphill battle: they were significantly outnumbered and poorly equipped compared to the Quraysh. The odds were daunting, but their determination and faith remained unwavering.

The Battle of Badr, named after a man who dug a well in the area, is historically significant as "Badr al-Kubra" or the Great Battle of Badr. It marked a turning point in Islamic history as the second major conflict between the Muslims and Quraysh.

Events Leading to the Battle

Abu Sufyan took multiple precautions to safeguard his caravan, including hiring a guide to bypass Madinah and sending a swift messenger, Damdam ibn Amr al-Ghifari, to Makkah for reinforcements. Damdam’s dramatic arrival in Makkah, where he tore his clothes and cried out warnings, spurred the Quraysh into action.

Three days before Damdam’s arrival, Atikah bint Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet’s ﷺ aunt, had a disturbing dream. She saw a crier riding swiftly into Makkah, calling out three times, “O traitors! Prepare for your death in three days!”—first at the Ka‘bah, then from its roof, and finally from Mount Abu Qubays. The crier then cast down a great rock that shattered and rolled through Makkah, striking every house. Although Abu Jahl mocked her dream, its ominous nature became undeniable when Damdam arrived with his dire message.

The Quraysh reacted swiftly to the threat posed by the Muslims. Abu Jahl, dismissive of Atika’s warning, rallied the Quraysh forces to protect their trade interests and confront the Muslims at Badr. Their decision to march toward the battlefield set the stage for one of the most defining moments in early Islamic history.

Internal Dissent and the State of Quraysh’s Leaders

The Quraysh’s assembly for this battle was the largest and swiftest in Makkah’s history, with contributions from every household. Even Abu Lahab, unwilling to participate himself, paid a debtor to take his place. However, internal hesitations emerged, particularly from leading figures who sought to avoid conflict. 

Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, a respected nobleman of Quraysh and distant uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, initially refused to join the Battle of Badr, unwilling to spill the blood of his own relatives. His brother Shaybah, however, persuaded him by appealing to tribal pride and fear of humiliation—an example of blind loyalty that Islam condemns.

When the armies faced one another, Utbah once more tried to prevent the fighting, urging Quraysh not to battle their own kin and even offering to take the blame for cowardice if it would avert bloodshed. His plea reflected true nobility and wisdom. Yet Abu Jahl mocked and provoked him until he finally went forth to fight. The Prophet ﷺ later said, “If there was any good or wisdom among the Quraysh that day, it was in the man on the red camel,” referring to Utbah. Sadly, his honor was overcome by pressure and anger, and he was killed in the mubaraza.

In contrast, Uqba ibn Abi Mu‘ayt’s reluctance to fight stemmed not from dignity but from sheer cowardice. He was among the most vile and abusive enemies of the Prophet ﷺ—cruel, dishonorable, and arrogant. He once strangled the Prophet ﷺ during prayer near the Ka‘bah until Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ intervened, and he participated in the assassination plot against the Prophet ﷺ. Uqba also threw an animal’s carcass on the Prophet ﷺ while he was in sajdah, mocking him with others. On another occasion, when he mockingly invited the Prophet ﷺ to a meal, and the Prophet ﷺ refused unless he accepted Islam, Uqba spat in his face. The Prophet ﷺ calmly wiped it off and foretold, “O Uqba, when I meet you outside the valleys of Makkah, I will execute you while you are tied up.”

When news of Badr came, Uqba hesitated, fearing this prophecy would come true. But mocked by his peers, he joined the army to prove his bravery. Despite having the fastest camel, Allah’s decree prevailed—his camel fled, leaving him stranded. He was captured and executed, fulfilling the Prophet’s ﷺ words.

Umayya ibn Khalaf, the master of Bilal رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, was another Quraysh leader marked by wealth and cowardice. Preferring to pay a substitute to fight on his behalf, he was pressured by Abu Jahl and Uqba, who publicly mocked his manhood until he agreed to go. Umayya intended only to make an appearance and had his wife buy him the best camel for a quick escape. Yet destiny could not be avoided—the Prophet ﷺ had named him in his supplication against the Quraysh, and as the Quran (8:42) affirms, Allah’s decree was fulfilled. Umayya, too, met his end at Badr.

The Quraysh faced internal dissent as some tribes hesitated to fight, fearing an attack from the Banu Bakr. To address these fears, Satan appeared in the guise of Suraqa ibn Malik, assuring the Quraysh of their safety and boosting their morale. Despite this reassurance, Abu Sufyan’s message that the caravan was secure caused further division. While Abu Sufyan’s messenger delivered his message urging the army to return to Makkah, Abu Jahl stubbornly insisted on marching to Badr to showcase Quraysh’s power and pride. Ultimately, the army’s size diminished from 1,300 to around 1,000 as some tribes chose to withdraw.

From Caravan to Confrontation

When the Muslims left Madinah, they expected nothing more than a swift raid on Abu Sufyan’s caravan — a small, lightly guarded target of about forty men. With only 315 companions, it seemed a simple mission. But soon, rumors spread that a full Quraysh army had marched out of Makkah to confront them.

The Prophet ﷺ, who had earlier seen a dream of facing an army, now sensed that this might be the moment it would come true. When he asked the companions how they would respond if they met an armed force instead of the caravan, many hesitated. They had brought neither armor nor provisions for war. Allah revealed verses (8:5–7) describing how some believers disliked the situation, though He had promised them victory — reminding them that He willed to establish the Truth even if they preferred an easier task.

Still uncertain whether they would meet forty guards or a thousand soldiers, the Prophet ﷺ went out personally with Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ to scout — the only time he did so in the entire seerah. They met a neutral Bedouin who accurately confirmed the positions of both armies. When asked who they were, the Prophet ﷺ used tawriya (hiding a truth with another truth, not a lie), replying, “We are from water,” referring to the Quranic verse that all life was created from water (21:30).

Soon after, two Qurayshi slaves were captured. The companions, eager to believe they were facing the caravan, beat the slaves until they gave the “right” answer. When the Prophet ﷺ heard, he corrected them, then calmly questioned the captives about how many camels the Quraysh slaughtered daily. They said nine or ten — from which the Prophet ﷺ deduced that the army numbered between 900 and 1,000. Hearing that the Quraysh noblemen — Abu Jahal, Utbah, Shaybah, and Umayyah — were among them, the companions grew anxious. But the Prophet ﷺ smiled, assuring them that Allah’s promise was true, and even pointed out where each of those leaders would fall in battle.

Sensing his companions’ fear, the Prophet ﷺ gathered them for shura, a council of consultation. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ spoke first, pledging unwavering loyalty. Then al-Miqdad ibn Amr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ declared passionately, “We will not say as Bani Israel said to Musa, ‘You and your Lord go fight’; rather, we will say, ‘You and your Lord go fight — we are right behind you!’”

Yet the Prophet ﷺ asked again, waiting for the Ansar to speak. Their original pledge in Madinah was to defend him, not to fight beyond their city. Realizing what the Prophet ﷺ was seeking, Sa’d ibn Mu‘adh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ rose and said words to the effect of, “O Messenger of Allah, we have believed in you, affirmed your truthfulness, and pledged to obey you. If you were to march into the sea, we would follow you without hesitation. We are not afraid to face the enemy tomorrow.”

His words lit up the Prophet’s ﷺ face like the full moon. With their faith renewed, he declared that Allah had promised them victory — not over the caravan, but over the army — and began the final preparations for the Battle of Badr.