A Critical Analysis of 'Real Islam'. Its People ... - Bukti dan Saksi

The successful journey of these caravans was a matter of special delight for the shareholders, but
whenever, it succumbed to the attack of the plundering mafia, it created highly heart-rending scenes of
women, beating their breasts, pulling hair and singing mournful songs to express their loss, that might
also include the death of some defenders.
Enunciation of the doctrine of Jihad struck terror into the hearts of the Meccan traders, who were
alarmed about their trade with the north because its route passed between Medina and the sea coast. It is
baffling to realize that the Prophet, who prescribed hand-cutting as the punishment for stealing, personally
led the Ghazawats i.e. pillage-expeditions (razzias) against the Meccan caravans in 623. Though he failed
in all three attempts, in January, 624, he succeeded in robbing a caravan returning from Yemen as it
reached Nakhlah near Mecca.
Failure of the Prophet's third razzia is actually a part of the famous battle of Badr. Abu Sufyan led a
caravan to Syria in October, 623 A.D. (A.H.II). It carried huge loads of the Arab products demanded in
the Syrian market. The Prophet asked for volunteers to join this predatory expedition. About 200 men
came forward. They had only 30 camels, which they rode in turn. The plan was to attack the caravan at
Osheira on its way to Yenbo, but it had passed this point by the time the holy plunderers reached there.
These rich cargoes were very important to the Muslims, who had hardly any effective equipment to
fight the unbelievers for spreading Islam. So, Muhammad tried to enhance his influence in the territory of
Osheira to make the caravan trade more hazardous for the Meccans. His efforts did bear fruit and a
number of tribes living in the area entered into alliance with them. The initial escape of the caravan seems
to have disturbed the apostolic plan and he became determined to waylay Abu Sufyan on his return
journey. During the espionage activities, the Prophet found his son-in-law, Ali, asleep "on the dusty
ground under the shade of a palm grove". Seeing his face soiled , the Prophet, in a pleasantry, said, "Sit
up, O, Abu Turab", and he sprang up immediately, conscious of his neglect. This became his sobriquet
during the rest of his life. This is why he is called "Ali, Abu Turab".
So alarming was the Prophet's resolve to rob the caravan that his Medinite opponents warned Abu
Sufyan's people at Mecca of the impending danger. Damdam, a swift and efficient courier, was
immediately sent to Mecca with the bad news.
As a reconnaissance, Muhammad dispatched two scouts, in early January, to the caravan station at
Al-Haura. They were well received by the chief of the Juheina tribe, who took suitable measures to
protect their identity. His services were thought so valuable that after the battle of Badr, he was rewarded
with the grant of Yenbo.
It was Sunday, the 12th of Ramadan, when realizing the significance of the caravan, the Prophet set
out on the predatory exercise without waiting for the return of his two spies, who were to brief him on the
situation. It seems that the impatience to possess all that the caravan was carrying, played heavily on the
minds of the Muslims. Hearing tales of the expected rich booty, even some non-Muslim citizens of
Medina tried to join the expedition. Having noticed a couple of them, the Prophet called them to his camel
that he rode and asked them about the nature of their business. They told him that they were heathen but
as their city had extended protection to him, he ranked as their kinsman and they wanted to join him for
plunder. The Prophet replied that it was meant for the believers only, and the unbelievers were not
allowed to participate in such ventures. He emphasized in no uncertain terms: "Believe and fight". Since
this was the only way to share the loot, they confessed that Muhammad was the Prophet of God. It is then
that they got the permission to join his party.
His army, after necessary adjustments, contained 315 men; amongst them eighty were Refugees i.e.
who had emigrated from Mecca with the Prophet, and of the remainder "about one-fourth belonged to the
Aus, and the rest to the Khazraj". They had two horses and thirty camels which they rode in turns to
overcome tediousness of the long hard journey. In terms of size and equipment, it may not be called an
army, but in effectiveness, even the mighty hosts may not be compared with it because it had no equal in
fervor, ferocity and fortitude. Their newly acquired faith was a novel specimen of moral justice and piety;
being based on Jihad, it did not condemn but commended rapine, rape and ruination of unbelievers and
held it as the way to secular success in this life and paradisiac comfort in the next world. The fervor of