Tabuk - Battle of Tabuk
Tabuk an oasis town, northwestern Saudi Arabia . The town is situated amid a grove of date palms. In former times it was a station on the Hejaz railway (now defunct). At the edge of the old part of Tabuk town stands a Turkish fort, built in 1694. Modern Tabuk is developing as one of the fastest-growing industrial center of Saudi Arabia.
Some of the tribes were still ensnared in the mirage that the rise of Islam was temporary like a cloudburst, whose tide would be stemmed before long. It was therefore necessary to warn or even threaten such people before they device an opportunity to strike at the Muslims. The expedition of Tabuk had the desired effect on such halfhearted tribes much in the same way as the conquest of Mecca had gone a long way in clearing away the clouds of opposition. This expedition against the Byzantine Empire whose might and magnificence was well-known to the Arabs, virtually meant that the Muslims were ready to hurl down the gauntlet even to the greatest power of the day. As to how much respect the Arabs had for the Byzantines whom they called Romans. The Arabs could not then dream of attacking the Byzantine Empire; they themselves feared Byzantine invasion or rather did not rate themselves so high as to be converted by any great power. The Tabuk Expedition really brought the match to a chain of victories which eventually catapulted the Muslims as the masters of Syria. What was the genesis of this expedition? It is related that the Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him got reports of Byzantine forces converging in the northern frontiers of Arabia with the purpose of rising an attack on the Muslims. The Messenger Muhammad peace be upon him intended to forewarn the Byzantines that they should not consider the Muslims weak nor should they take any precipitate action to infringe their territorial sovereignty. The expedition was thus considered a precautionary measure since one that does not have enough strength could neither dare shake one's fist at a great power nor could one take the risk of descending on its borders. It is certain, at all events, that the true purpose of the expedition was what the revelation in this connection had explained in these words: On the other hand war is also important for the protection of your Deen) so O Jamaat-ul-Momineen fight hard your enemies who are around you so that they may know how tough you are, at the same time you should keep in mind that Allah Almighty is with those who are duty-conscious - Quran chapter 9 verse 123
The Tabuk campaign was undertaken in the month of Rajab, 9 A.H. It was the time when the date palms had ripened and their shades were very pleasant.The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him undertook a long journey for the Tabuk expedition and crossed deserts and baked plains to face an enemy hugely great in numbers. As the Muslims were then passing through a period of famine, the Messenger peace be upon him told the companions in advance, unlike in previous occasions, that he intended to fight with the Byzantines so that they might make suitable preparations. The hypocrites fell out on different excuses. They either disliked arduous wars against the potent enemy or disliked going out in the harsh heat. They even doubted the truth and had little interest in fighting for the sake of God, so they avoid doing from accompanying the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on this instance. Allah Almighty warn about such disaffected persons as is related in this Quranic verse: O Rasool, those hypocrites who did not accompany you in the expedition are delighted that they did not obey the Rasool's orders. They were averse to striving in the cause of Allah Almighty with their possessions and their lives.They themselves stayed away and also asked others not to go in the hot weather.Say to them O Rasool that the fire of Jahannam is more severe in heat if they could only understand - Quran chapter 9 verse 81
When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) saw that there was no movement of troops by the enemy who seemed to have abandoned the border towns, he gave orders for the return march. The objective of the expedition having been achieved, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not consider it necessary to advance further in the enemy's territory to carry on the hostilities. Never in the history of human conflict had any vanquisher exhausted so little bloodshed yet achieved such a extraordinary triumph. In all these clashes, only 1018 persons, made up of Muslims as well as non-Muslims lost their lives. But, it would be to appropriate the impractical to gamble any guess as to how much blood of the ferocious Arabs was saved from being spilled or how many souls escaped degradation and humiliation because of this tiny loss to human life. Such was the public calm and method resulting from the Prophet (Peace be upon him) campaigns that a woman pilgrim would go from Hira to Mecca and return after circumambulating the Kaaba without any fear in her heart save that of God Almighty.
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