A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihad' Part 14

[Sidenote: 13. The Koreish again attack Medina with a large army.

Mohammad defends the city. The enemy retire. (Ditch or Nations.--A.H., V.)]

The winter season in the next year was chosen for the renewal of hostilities by the Koreish. They joined an immense force of the Bedouin tribes (the entire army was estimated at ten thousand), marched against Mohammad, and besieged Medina. Mohammad defended the city by digging a Ditch. The army of Medina was posted within the trench, and that of the Koreish encamped opposite them. In the meantime Abu Sofian succeeded in detaching the Jewish tribe of Koreiza from their allegiance to Mohammad.

The danger to Medina from this defection was great. The enemy made a general attack, which was repulsed. Bad weather set in, and Abu Sofian ordered the allied force to break up. The enemy retired, and never came again to attack the Moslems. This, therefore, was the last war of aggression on the part of the Koreish, and of defence on the part of Mohammad.

[Sidenote: 14. Mohammad, with his followers, advanced to perform the lesser pilgrimage of Mecca. The Koreish opposed Mohammad, who returned disappointed.--A.H. VI.]

Six years had pa.s.sed since the expulsion of Mohammad and his followers from Mecca. They had not since visited the Holy house, nor had they joined the yearly pilgrimage, which was an essential part of their social and religious life. Mohammad undertook to perform the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca in the month of Zalkada, in which war was unlawful throughout Arabia. Mohammad, with his followers, the pious and peaceful wors.h.i.+ppers, fifteen hundred in number, set forth for Mecca. The pilgrims carried no arms, but such as were allowed by custom to travellers,--_namely_, each a sheathed sword. The Koreish, with their allies, the surrounding tribes, hearing of the approach of the pilgrims, took up arms. They pushed forward to obstruct the pilgrims.

Mohammad encamped at Hodeibia, where a treaty of peace was concluded between the Koreish and Mohammad. The treaty was to the effect, that war should be suspended for ten years, neither party attacking the other.

Whosoever wished to join Mohammad and enter into treaty with him, should have liberty to do so. "If any one goeth over to Mohammad, without the permission of his guardian, he shall be sent back to his guardian. But if any one from amongst the followers of Mohammad return to the Koreish, the same shall not be sent back, provided, on the part of the Koreish, that Mohammad and his followers retire from us this year without entering our city. In the coming year he may visit Mecca--he and his followers--for three days, when we shall retire therefrom. But they may not enter it with any weapons, save those of the travellers--_namely_, to each a sheathed sword." Bani Khozaa entered into the alliance of Mohammad, and Bani Bakr adhered to the Koreish.

[Sidenote: 15. Violation of the treaty by the Koreish, and their submission.]

The peace remained unbroken until the Koreish violated the treaty of Hodeibia[161] and treacherously killed several men of the Bani Khozaa.

Mohammad marched against them in the eighth year of the Hegira in defence of the injured and oppressed Bani Khozaa, and to chastize the Koreish for violation of the treaty. But the Koreish submitted to the authority of Mohammad before he arrived at Mecca, and the city was occupied without resistance.

[Sidenote: 16. Two other tribes a.s.sume the offensive.]

Soon after, the great and warlike tribe of Hawazin and Thakeef a.s.sumed the offensive. They a.s.sembled at Autas, and advanced upon Honain to attack Mohammad. He was obliged to leave Mecca and set out to disperse them, who were beaten back at Honain (S. ix, 26-28). Taif of the Thakeef was besieged, but in vain.

[Footnote 161: Unfortunately several missionary expeditious sent by Mohammad were met with unfavorable circ.u.mstances. The party sent to Bani Suleim, demanding their allegiance to the faith of Islam, was slain.

Another party sent to Bani Leith was surprised, and its camels plundered. A small party sent by Mohammad to Fadak was cut to pieces by Bani Murra. Another party sent to Zat Atlah to call upon the people to embrace Islam, of which only one person escaped. Mohammad's messenger despatched to the Gha.s.sanide Prince at Bostra was murdered by the chief of Muta. His army sent to avenge the treachery of the chief was defeated. All these mishaps and reverses dangerously affected the prestige of Mohammad, and encouraged the Meccans to violate the truce.]

_The defensive character of the wars._

[Sidenote: 17. Verses from the Koran in support of the defensive character of the wars.]

This brief sketch of the defensive wars of Mohammad with the Koreish will fully show, that those who a.s.sert that Mohammad was aggressive or revengeful in his wars, or that he made war to force his religion upon the people, are altogether in the wrong.

I will now quote some verses of the Koran, showing that all the wars of Mohammad with the Koreish were defensive wars.

39. "Verily, G.o.d will ward off[162] _mischief_ from believers: lo, G.o.d loveth not the false, the unbeliever."

40. "A sanction is given to those who have been fought,[163] because they have suffered outrages, and verily, G.o.d is well able to succour them"--

41. "Those who have been driven forth from their homes wrongfully, only because they say, 'Our Lord is the G.o.d.' And if G.o.d had not repelled some men by others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques wherein the name of G.o.d is ever commemorated, would surely have been destroyed! And him who helpeth G.o.d will G.o.d surely help: Verily, G.o.d is Strong, Mighty."

42. "They who, if We established them in _this_ land, will observe prayer and pay the alms of obligation and enjoin what is recognized _as right_--and forbid what is unlawful. And the final issue of all things is unto G.o.d."--Sura, xxii.

186. "And fight for the cause of G.o.d against those who fight against you: but commit not the injustice of _attacking them first_: verily, G.o.d loveth not the unjust."

187. "And kill them wherever ye find them, and eject them from whatever place they have ejected you, for (_fitnah_)[164] persecution is worse than slaughter: yet attack them not at the sacred mosque, until they attack you therein; but if they attack you, then slay them--Such is the recompense of the infidels!"--

188. "But if they desist,[165] then verily G.o.d is Gracious, Merciful!"

189. "And do battle against them until there be no more (_fitnah_) persecution, and the wors.h.i.+p be that of G.o.d: but if they desist, then let there be no hostility, save against wrong-doers."

214. "They will ask thee concerning war in the Sacred Month. Say: The act of fighting therein is a grave crime; but the act of turning others aside from the path of G.o.d, and unbelief in Him, and to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and to drive out his people, is worse in the sight of G.o.d; and persecution[166] (_fitnah_[167]) is worse than bloodshed.

But they will not cease to war against you until they turn you from your religion, if they be able: but whoever of you shall turn from his religion, and die an infidel, their works shall be fruitless in this world and in the next: and they shall be consigned to the fire; therein to abide for aye."

215. "But they who believe, and who fly their country, and do their utmost in the cause of G.o.d, may hope for G.o.d's mercy: and G.o.d is Gracious, Merciful."

245. "And fight in the cause of G.o.d; and know that G.o.d is He who Heareth, Knoweth."

247. "Hast thou not considered the a.s.sembly of the children of Israel after _the death of_ Moses, when they said to a prophet of theirs,--'Raise up for us a king; we will do battle for the cause of G.o.d?' He said, 'May it not be that if to fight were ordained you, ye would not fight?' They said, 'And why should we not fight in the cause of G.o.d, since we are driven forth from our dwellings and our children?'

But when fighting was commanded them they turned back, save a few of them: But G.o.d knew the offenders!"

252. "And by the will of G.o.d they routed them; and (Daood) David slew Goliath; and G.o.d gave him the kings.h.i.+p and wisdom, and taught him according to his will: and were it not for the restraint of one by the means of the other imposed on men by G.o.d, verily the earth had a.s.suredly gone to ruin, but G.o.d is bounteous to his creatures."--Sura, ii.

76. "Let those then fight in the cause of G.o.d who barter this present life for that which is to come; for whoever fighteth on G.o.d's path, whether he be slain or conquer, We will in the end give him a great reward."

77. "But what hath come to you that ye fight not on the path of G.o.d, and _for_ the weak among men, women and children, who say, 'O our Lord!

bring us forth from this City whose inhabitants are oppressors; give us a champion from thy presence; and give us from thy presence a defender?'"

78. "They who believe, fight on the path of G.o.d; and they who believe not, fight on the path of Thagoot: Fight then against the friends of Satan--Verily, the craft of Satan shall be powerless!"

86. "Fight then on the path of G.o.d: lay not burdens on any but thyself; and stir up the faithful. The prowess of the infidels, G.o.d will haply restrain; for G.o.d is the stronger in prowess, and the stronger to punish."

91. "They desire that ye should be unbelievers as they are unbelievers, and that ye should be alike. Take therefore none of them for friends, until they have fled their homes for the cause of G.o.d. If they turn back, then seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; but take none of them as friends or helpers."

92. "Except those who seek asylum among your allies, and those who come over to you--prevented by their own hearts by making war on you, or from making war on their own people. Had G.o.d pleased, He would certainly have given them power against you, and they would certainly have made war upon you! But, if they depart from you, and make not war against you and offer you peace, then G.o.d alloweth you no occasion against them."

93. "Ye will find others who seek to gain your confidence as well as that of their own people: So oft as they return to sedition, they shall be overthrown in it: But if they leave you not, nor propose terms of peace to you, nor withhold their hands, then seize them, and slay them wherever ye find them. Over these have We given you undoubted power."--Sura, iv.

19. "_O Meccans!_ If ye desired a decision, now hath the decision come to you. It will be better for you if ye give over _the struggle_ (_or attacking upon Medina or the Moslem_). If ye return _to it_ we will return; and your forces, though they may be many, shall by no means avail you aught, because G.o.d is with the faithful."

39. "Say to the infidels: If they desist (_from persecuting, obstructing, and attacking the Moslems_), what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return _to it_ (commit again the hostilities), they have already before them the doom of the ancients!"

40. "Fight then against them till civil strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it G.o.d's; and if they desist, verily G.o.d beholdeth what they do."

41. "But if they turn their back, know ye that G.o.d is your protector: Excellent protector! and excellent helper!"

73. "... And they who have believed, but have not fled their homes, shall have no rights of kindred with you at all, until they too fly their country. Yet if they seek aid from you on account of the faith, your part it is to give them aid, except against a people between whom and yourselves there may be a treaty. And G.o.d beholdeth your actions."

74. "And the infidels have the _like_ relations.h.i.+ps one with another.

Unless ye do the same (_i.e., aid the oppressed and repel the oppressor_), there will be discord in the land and great corruption."--Sura, viii.

(When the Meccans broke the Hodeibia treaty mentioned in the above paragraph, the Koreish and Bani Bakr attacked Bani Khozaa, who were in alliance with Mohammad. It became inc.u.mbent on him to a.s.sist Bani Bakr and to chastize the aggressors. The following verses were published on that occasion, but happily, before the expiration of the fixed period, the Koreish submitted and Mecca was taken without bloodshed, and these verses were not acted upon:--)

1. "An immunity from G.o.d and His Apostle to those with whom ye are in league (_and they have violated the same--compare verses 4, 8 and 10_) among the polytheist Meccans."

2. "Go ye therefore at large in the land four months (_i.e., four sacred months from Shaw-wal. The treaty was violated by the Koreish in Ramzan, a month immediately previous to the sacred months. It is announced here that four months' time is given to the aggressors, who violated the treaty of Hodeibia, to make terms. After the time is over (verse 5) the Moslems will commence hostilities to defend their allies, the Bani Khozaa_), but know that ye shall not find G.o.d feeble, and that those who believe not, G.o.d will put to shame."

3. "And a proclamation on the part of G.o.d and His Apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage, that G.o.d is free from _any engagement with_ those who wors.h.i.+p other G.o.ds with G.o.d, as is his Apostle. If then, ye turn to G.o.d, it will be better for you; but if ye turn back, then know that ye shall not find G.o.d feeble: and to those who believe not, announce thou a grievous punishment."

4. "But this concerneth not those Polytheists with whom ye are in league, and who have afterwards in no way failed you, and not yet aided any one against you. Observe, therefore, your engagement with them through the whole time _of their treaty_. Verily, G.o.d loveth those who fear Him."