Ghazwah of Waddan & the Expedition of Ubaidah bin Harith
After migrating to Medina, the Holy Prophet (sa) implemented certain strategies in order to remain protected from the mischief of the disbelievers and in order to safeguard the Muslims, which serves as a clear proof of the excellent political acumen of the Holy Prophet (sa) and his farsightedness in terms of warfare.
In relation to this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) has stated the following in Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin
“Therefore, it is evident through history that when the Holy Prophet (sa) dispatched the very first company in the leadership of Ubaidah bin al-Harith, who happened to encounter a group led by Ikramah bin Abi Jahl, two weak Muslims who had come along with the Quraish, managed to escape from the Quraish and join the Muslims. As such, it is narrated: ‘In this campaign, when the Muslim party encountered the army of the Quraish, two people – namely Miqdad bin Amr and Utbah bin Ghazwan, who were allies of the Banu Zahrah and Banu Naufal – fled from the idolaters and joined the Muslims. They were Muslims and had only set out to join the Muslims under the cover of the Quraish.’ Therefore, one of the purposes of the Holy Prophet (sa) in dispatching these parties was also to give such people an opportunity to be delivered from the Quraish and join the Muslims.”
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 324)
After eight months had passed following the migration, the Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Ubaidah on an expedition with seventy or eighty riders. The Holy Prophet (sa) had tied a white flag for Hazrat Ubaidah bin Harith, which Hazrat Mistah bin Usasah was holding. The purpose of sending this army or this group of riders was to stop a caravan of merchants belonging to the Quraish in its tracks. Abu Sufyan was the chief of the caravan of the Quraish. According to some, it was Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl while there is also an opinion that it was Miqraz bin Hafas. This caravan consisted of two hundred men i.e. the caravan of the disbelievers who were carrying merchandise and goods. This group of companions (ra) confronted this caravan in the valley of Raabigh which is also known as Waddan. Apart from firing arrows, no battle took place between the two parties and no formal rows for combat were formed. The first arrow shot by the Muslims was done by the companion Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas. This was the very first ever arrow to be launched by the Muslims. On this occasion, Hazrat Miqdad bin Aswad and Hazrat Uyayna bin Ghazwan (according to Ibn Hisham and in Tarikh al-Tabari, it is mentioned as Utbah bin Ghazwan) escaped the group of idolaters and joined the Muslims as they had already accepted Islam and desired to join the Muslims. This was the second army of Islam, led by Hazrat Ubaidah bin Harith. After firing arrows at one another, both parties retreated as the idolaters were so awestruck by the Muslims that they thought they were a huge army of the Muslims and they were receiving support. Therefore, they became afraid and retreated and the Muslims also did not go after them.
(al-Sira al-Halbiyya, Vol. 3, pp.215-216, Sirya Ubaidah bin al-Harith, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002) (Sirat ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 592, Sirya Ubaidah bin al-Harith, Mustapha al-Babi, Egypt, 1955) (Tarikh al-Tabri, Vol. 2, p. 12, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1987)
They did follow them but not to chase after them or to attack them. Both parties had attacked each other by firing arrows at one another. However, when the idolaters retreated, the Muslims also returned.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) has written in his book, Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin:
“Upon his return from the Ghazwah of Waddan, in the month of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, the Holy Prophet (sa) dispatched a company of the Muhajirin, comprising of sixty men mounted on camels, in the leadership of a close relative, Ubaidah bin al-Harith Muttalibi. The objective of this campaign as well was to forestall the attacks of the Quraish of Mecca.” The objective of this expedition has been outlined here.
“As such, when Ubaidah bin al-Harith and his companions covered some ground and arrived close to Thaniyyatul-Murrah, they suddenly noticed that 200 armed young men had set up camp in the command of Ikramah bin Abi Jahl. The two parties encountered one another, and a few arrows were exchanged in a confrontation. However, this group of idolaters then stood down from further conflict due to the fear that the Muslims probably had hidden reinforcements at their disposal and consequently, the Muslims did not pursue them. Two individuals from the army of the idolaters named Miqdad bin Amr and Utbah bin Ghazwan fled from the command of Ikramah bin Abi Jahl and joined the Muslims. It is written that they set out with the Quraish for this very purpose, so that they could find an opportunity to join the Muslims. The reason being, that they were Muslims at heart, but could not migrate out of fear of the Quraish due to their weakness. Moreover, it is possible that this very occurrence caused them to lose heart and they decided to step back considering this to be an evil omen. History has not recorded whether this army of the Quraish, which was definitely not a trade caravan (as they were fully equipped with weapons and were disguising themselves as a trade caravan) and regarding which Ibn-e-Ishaq has used the words Jamun Azeemun (a grand army), set out in this direction with a specific objective. However, it is definite that their intentions were not favourable.”
It is evident that they did not come with good intentions and in fact came to launch an attack. Hence, the Muslims also fired their arrows.
“It was due to the grace of God that upon finding the Muslims vigilant and upon witnessing some of their own men joining the Muslims, they lost courage and retreated. Moreover, a practical benefit which the companions derived from this campaign was that two Muslim souls were delivered from the tyranny of the Quraish.”
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), pp. 328-329)