The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATH~R 365
Section: On the expedition against the Bana Sulaym in the secondyear after the
emigration of the Prophet (WS).
Ihn Ishzq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) had finished with Badr by the
end of Ramadan or in Shawwd.
"He remained only seven nights in Medina before he himself conducted an
expedition against the Bann Sulaym."
Ibn Hisham stated, "He placed Siba' h. Wrfug al-Ghifai, or Ihn Umm
Makmm, the blind, in charge of Medina."
Ibn Ishaq stated, "He reached one of their wells at a place called al-Kadr,
where he stayed fur three days before returning to Medina without engaging in
battle. He remained there for the rest of Shawwd and Dhii al-Qa'da and it was
while he stayed there that he accepted ransom fur the majority of the Quraysh
captives."
Section: On the expedition against al-Sawiq in Dha al-Hija that year, it also being
known as the expedition to Qarqarat al-Kadr.
Al-Suhayli stated, "The word al-qarqara means 'smooth ground'. The word
al-kadr refers to a bird whose colonrs are dingy."
Ihn Ish~q stated, "According to what I was told by Muhammad h. Jacfar h.
al-Zubayr and Yazid h. R&na, as well as by others whose word I do not doubt,
from 'Ahd Allah h. Ka'b h. Mnlik, one of the most knowledgeable of the Helpers,
that when Aha Sufynn and later the captives of Quraysh returned to Mecca, he
swore that he would abstain from intercourse until he had carried out an attack
against Muhammad.
"He therefore went forth with 200 mounted warriors of Quraysh to fulfil his
oath. He travelled along the Nejd road and stopped at the head of a water-course
into the mountain called Nayb which is approximately one postal stage from
Medina.
"From there he went on by night to the Bana al-Nadir and called at the home
of Huyayy b. Akh@b. He knocked on the door, hut he refused to open up, being
afraid. So Aha Sufyan went on to Sallzm h. Mishkam, who was at that time the
chief of the Bana &Nadir and the custodian of their treasure. He asked to go in
and was invited to do so; he was treated as a guest and given wine and food.
"When the night was over he left and returned to his companions, sending
some men of Quraysh ahead. They then went on to a place in that vicinity called
al-Wrayd, where they burnt some young date-palms. They came across one of
the Helpers and a man allied to him in a garden there, killed them both and then
left again.
"People were warned about them, and the Messenger of God (SAAS) left in
pursuit."
Ihn Hishzm stated, "He left Aba Lubzha Bashir h. 'Ahd al-Mundhir in command
of Medina."