Tabuk

In the summer a kâfilah from Sham arriving at Medeenah, with carpets and provisions for sale, gave information that the army of Room, commanded by the emperor Herkul (Heraclius) in person, who had been joined by many of the Arab tribes, had arrived at Hams, the main body of the army having advanced as far as Bulkà, their object being to attack the Musulmâns. The prophet immediately made preparations to march to Tabook, and summoned all the tribes of Medeenah and Mekkah, with others, to the sacred war. He ordered that those who had property should assist the poor in the expedition. Great and general contributions were made to defray the expense of outfit and charges of the war. After leaving the city and encamping at Saynat-ul-Bidan, he made the following address to his army:

Praise and thanksgiving be to God: "O ye people, verily the truest word is the book of God; the best discourse is that of piety; the best of sects is that of Ibrâheem, and the best of religious observances are those of Mohammed. The most excellent utterance is praising God, the best of narratives are those of the Koran, the best of works are those which are moderate, and the worst of deeds is heresy. The best of religious directions are those of the prophets, and the best death is martyrdom. The worst of the blind are those of a blind heart, who wander after receiving religious instruction; the best works are those which confer advantages in the future world. The hand that gives is better than the hand that receives, and a small competence is better than great wealth, which makes men forgetful of God. The worst who ever ask for pardon are those that do so at death, and the most degraded of penitents are those that appear as such at the judgment. There are those who do not, except rarely, assemble for worship on Friday, and some only occasionally think of God, but the worst of all that commit faults with the tongue are liars. The most perfect independence is that from appetite, and the best of necessaries is fearing the wrath of God.

The beginning of wisdom is to fear God, and the best thing that comes to the heart of man is assurance in the faith. Doubt in religion is infidelity, and distance from the truth is the part of ignorance. Stealing from public spoils is the portion of hell fire, drunkenness is a flame of hell, poetry is of Shaytân, wine is the gatherer of all sins, and women are the nets of the devil. The worst of arts is that of women, and the worst of frauds is defrauding orphans. He is of a fortunate mind who receives admonition from the state of others, and he is ill-starred whom God knows to be such before his birth. Every one of you will at last go to a narrow cell, toward which all your acts tend. The worst device is that of lying. Whatever is to come soon arrives. Enmity to believers is corruption, fighting them is infidelity, and slandering them is sin against God. Their property is as sacred as their blood. Whoever trusts in God will be sufficiently assisted, and to the patient and persevering God will give the victory. Whoever pardons the faults of others, God will pardon his; whoever quells his anger, God will give him a great reward; whoever is patient under calamity, God will bestow on him a good recompense. Whoever wishes to make known his good deeds to men, God will make him abject in their estimation. Whoever fasts will receive a double reward, but God will punish all that sin against him. The prophet then repeated several times, 0 Lord, pardon me and my sect, and turning to his followers, said, I ask forgiveness of God for you and for myself. He then incited them to fight manfully for the faith, and all, after hearing this address, were eager for battle.

There was, however, a party of hypocrites who would not go to the war, and among them a man named Jed-bin-Kays, to whom Mohammed said, Will you not go? perhaps you may take a daughter of Room prisoner. The wretch replied, It is well known that there is no man fonder of women than myself; but what I fear is, that on seeing the daughters of Room, I shall not be able to restrain myself within proper bounds: do not therefore expose me to such temptation, but allow me to remain at Medeenah. Jed then advised his neighbors not to march, saying there was nothing to be gained by it but fatigue. His son reproved him, and admonished him that presently some verses would be communicated from heaven denouncing his infidelity, and which men would read and curse him down to the judgment day. This apprehension was soon realized, for directly the Most High sent down this verse: "There is of them who saith unto thee, Give me leave to stay behind, and expose me not to temptation. Have they not fallen into temptation at home? But hell will surely encompass the unbelievers." (Surah 9:49) Jed further observed, Mohammed thinks an engagement with the armies of Room is like the battles he has already fought, but not one of his army will return.

Aly was left in command at Medeenah, which arrangement was so scandalized by the hypocrites, that at last the commander of the faithful took his arms and overtook Mohammed at Jeraf. The prophet asked him why he had come. Aly replied that the hypocrites declared that he had been left, lest he should bring misfortune on the expedition. That is false, said Mohammed; and are you not satisfied with being my brother, and holding in respect to me the rank of Haroon to Moosâ, (Aaron to Moses) and to be khaleefah among my people, as there will never be a prophet after me? Thus consoled and reasoned, Aly returned to Medeenah.

Mohammed now ordered his army to be numbered, and it was found to be twenty-five thousand strong, besides slaves and servants. He then commanded the believers to be counted, and there were twenty-five persons who had not opposed him in that expedition.

An attempt was made to cut off Aly on his return from camp to Medeenah, but the plan was frustrated by Aly's horse, that miraculously spoke and warned the hero of .the slightly-covered pit dug for his destruction, but which he passed without harm, the frail covering miraculously becoming firmer than the adjacent ground. A plot was laid in this expedition by twenty-four men to assassinate the prophet. On arriving near the place where they intended to put their plan in execution, he summoned these men, and told them that the faithful spirit, Jibrâeel, had informed him that a party of hypocrites at Medeenah had plotted the death of Aly, who had been miraculously delivered. When these twenty-four men heard this announcement they whispered to one another that Mohammed must be wonderfully expert in magic, or some carrier-pigeon have brought him the news.

The band of assassins then agreed to go and congratulate the prophet on Aly's escape, and thus lull his own suspicions, and enable them more easily to execute their purpose. They waited on him accordingly, and inquired who was the most exalted, Aly or those angels privileged to approach near the Deity. He replied that the angels enjoyed their exaltation by loving Mohammed and Aly.

When Adam gave names to all creatures, the angels perceived that he excelled them in knowledge, and when they witness the temptations and troubles and miseries under which good men labor, they know themselves inferior in goodness. The Most High addressed them, saying, O my angels, neither the allurements of sense lead you astray, nor hunger impairs your strength, nor fear of enemies troubles you. Shaytan has no power to ensnare you, for you are under my protection. But whoever of the Sons of Adam holds fast his faith under the trials and calamities of life, endures what you never suffer, and treasures up for himself a number of blessings, consisting of nearness of approach to me, which you have not acquired.

The Most High made it evident that the good and pious were more excellent than the angels, and then commanded them to adore Adam because he was the progenitor of this race which is the best of creatures. Still this adoration was not paid to Adam, but be was the Keblah of the angels, towards which they prostrated themselves in adoration of God. The act was only a recognition of Adam's rank and greatness, for religious prostration must be made to none but God alone. Iblees disobeyed the Most High, and was destroyed for his disobedience, which originated in pride against Adam, who disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree, but was not destroyed, for his disobedience was not in pride against Mohammed and his sacred family. Accordingly God addressed him, saying, O Adam, Shaytan disobeyed me in respect to thee, and was proud against thee, therefore he was destroyed; but if be had humbled himself before thee, according to my command, and had ascribed to me exaltation, greatness and glory, verily he had been saved as you were. You disobeyed me in eating the fruit of the tree, but on account of humbling yourself before Mohammed and his family, you were saved and delivered from your fault and shame and dishonor. Adam took refuge in the name of the spirits of Mohammed and his family, and enjoyed the utmost degree of safety and pardon through them.

The prophet ordered his companions to commence their march in the first part of the last half of the night, directing at the same time a herald to proclaim his command, forbidding any one to ascend the mountain called Akabah or pass that place before himself, lie then ordered Huzayfah to advance to Akabah, and notice who passed in disobedience of his command. The man replied that ho perceived marks of some ill design among the officers of the army, and be feared he should be slain for his fidelity, if found at the appointed place alone. Mohammed answered, There is a large rock at the assigned place; when you reach it, say, The prophet og God commands thee to open for me, that I may enter thy centre, then to shut thyself again, leaving a passage for air and whence I may see all that pass Akabah. All this was soon accomplished, after which the twenty-four hypocrites came along on their camels, with footmen before them. Some of the hypocrites said, If any person is found here, kill him, that he may not tell ~ 1ahommed what he has seen, and prevent him from ascending Akabah till daylight and frustrate our plot. Finding no one, they took their positions, some on the hill, some at the base, and others in the public road. When all was arranged, they said to one another, Do you not see how ready every thing is for the death of Mohammed? and even he labors to accomplish it by forbidding the people to ascend Akabah before himself, that he may fall into our hands alone, and give us ample opportunity to execute our design before his companions come up.

The Most High brought all these remarks to the ear of Huzayfah, whom the rock now miraculously directed to go and tell the prophet what he had seen and heard. At the same time the rock opened to let him escape, and the Most High transformed him into a bird, and he flew to the presence of the prophet, and on alighting was restored to his former shape, and related what had happened and named all the conspirators. The prophet remarked, The Most High will accomplish His own decrees respecting the preservation of Mohammed, although all the world league against him. He then ordered Ruzayfah and Salman and Amâr to accompany him and trust in God. One led his camel, which another followed and urged on, while the third marched by his side. On reaching Akabah, the conspirators rolled down from the hill some bottles they had filled with sand, in order to make Mohammed's camel shy and throw him, but by divine power they bounded high in the air and passed over the camel without frightening her. The prophet now ordered Amâr to ascend the hill and with his staff beat the camels of the conspirators. Those camels shyed and cast their riders, some having their arms broken, and some their legs, and others their ribs, and they carried the marks of those fractures to their graves. Abubekr, Omar, Abusüfeeân, and his son Maveeah, were among those conspirators.

On arriving at Tabook, it appeared that the report of the emperor of Room's advancing against Mahommed was false. From this place he sent out a detachment that took several places and considerable booty. In some books it is recorded that he remained two months at Tabook. It was his practice to conceal his real destination in his expeditions, sometimes by announcing that he was going to another place; but on this occasion so much preparation was required that the destination of the army could not be kept secret. This expedition occupied the months of Rejeb, Shabân, and Ramazân, in the eighth year of the Hijret. It was attended with many miracles, but no battle. When provisions grew stale and scarce the prophet miraculously provided his army with a fresh supply. But he did not pray that a table should be sent down from heaven for his followers, lest it should be followed with a calamity, as in the days of Eesâ. For Mohammed said, When the people of Eesâ asked him to bring them a table from heaven, the Most High decreed to fulfil their request, but declared he would punish any of them who should be an infidel after the descent of the table, with such a punishment as had never before been inflicted in the universe. Accordingly after the miracle had been realized and many remained still in unbelief, the Most High transformed them into the shape of hogs, monkeys, bears, cats, and other kinds of creatures of the land, sea and air, to the number of four hundred species of animals. Mohammed, he continued, is too benevolent thus to expose you to the wrath of God.

A flying bird now appeared, and Mohammed said to some of his companions, Tell that bird that the prophet of God commands it to fall to the earth; which was no sooner said than done. He then addressed the bird, saying, By divine power become great. The bird immediately expanded to the size of a hill, so large that ten thousand people at the command of the prophet stationed themselves around it. He then ordered all the feathers to fall off, and the bird was instantly left bare. Next, by a word the flesh was separated from the bill, claws, and bones, which last, at another word, were changed to cucumbers, the feathers at the same time becoming different kinds of vegetables. The prophet then directed his followers to use their knives and begin the repast. A certain hypocrite remarking to another man, that Mohammed declared the birds of paradise had the flavor of roast meat on one side and grilled on the other, and wondering why he did not give them something of the kind on earth, all which the prophet perceiving, said to the people, Whenever you put a morsel into your mouths, pronounce, In the name of God the compassionate, the merciful, and blessings on Mohammed and his family, and you will enjoy the flavor of whatever food you desire, which was fully realized. When a wish was expressed for water, he told them to take a morsel and pronounce as before, and they would find the deliciousness of milk and any sherbets (Beverages made of sugar, water, and acid-was lemonade, etc.) they might wish, which was likewise fulfilled. He then commanded the bird to return to its original state and fly away, which it did, leaving no trace on the ground of the miraculous feast.

 Source - The Life and Religion of Muhammad -Hiyat al-Qulub, by Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi. Translated by Rev. James L. Merrick.