The Ghazwah of Ta’if

With regards to Ghazwah Ta‘if, it is written that Ta‘if was a famous town situated 90 km to the west of Mecca and is a mountainous town of Hijaz. Grapes and other fruits were available here in abundance and it was home to the Banu Thaqif.

(Sayyid Fadl al-Rahman, Farhang-e-Sirat [Karachi, Pakistan: Zawwar Academy Publications, 2003], p. 178)

The remaining army of the Banu Thaqif and Hawazin ran away to Ta‘if along with their leader Malik bin Auf al-Nasri and sought refuge in their fort. Thus, after finishing from Hunayn, and having gathered the spoils at Ji‘ranah and distributing it, the Holy Prophet (sa) headed towards Ji‘ranah in the same month of Shawal 8 AH.

(Al-Rahiq al-Makhtum, p. 567, al-Maktabah al-Salafiyyah, Lahore)

Ji‘ranah was the name of a well near Mecca on route to Ta‘if. It was situated 27 km from Mecca.

(Sayyid Fadl al-Rahman, Farhang-e-Sirat [Karachi, Pakistan: Zawwar Academy Publications, 2003], p. 88)

There are various narrations regarding how many days the Holy Prophet (sa) besieged Ta‘if; according to some narrations the siege lasted for a little over 10 nights, whereas some narrations state that the siege lasted a little over 20 nights. According to one narration, the Holy Prophet (sa) besieged Ta‘if for more than 30 nights. (Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-‘Ibad, Vol. 5, Dhikr Ghazwat Ta’if [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1993], p. 388)

Ibn Hisham states, “It is said that the Holy Prophet (sa) besieged Ta‘if for 17 nights.

(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Dhikr al-Ta’if ba’d Hunain [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 792)

Hazrat Anas (ra) bin Malik states in a narration of Sahih Muslim, “We laid siege to Ta‘if for 40 nights.”

(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Zakah, Bab I‘ta al-Muallafat Qulubihim ‘ala al-Islam, Hadith 2442)

During the siege of the Banu Thaqif in Ta‘if, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), “O Abu Bakr! I have seen in a dream that I was presented a bowl of butter, however, a cockerel pecked at the bowl as a result of which all the contents of the bowl fell down.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I do not believe that you will achieve the outcome regarding them today.” The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “I too do not see it happening.” After a short while, Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “Should I make an announcement to depart?” To which the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Yes, indeed.” And so Hazrat Umar (ra) made the announcement that they were to leave.

(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Dhikr al-Ta’if ba’d Hunain [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Sadir, 1977], p. 793)