In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

Battle of Tabuk

Written by Sk. Dr. Younis Saleh

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

17 July 2009 ad

25 Rajab 1430 H



All thanks be to Allah the Lord of the worlds, and peace and prayers are upon the most honourable of all messengers.

Let it be known with certainty that Allah in His wisdom had determined that right and wrong shall be in an ever lasting conflict and struggle until Allah shall inherit the earth and all that is above it. That is so Allah shall identify the good and the evil. Since the dawn of this faith; its enemies Jews, Christians, polytheists and hypocrites are trying with all they have to terminate it. Allah says: {and they try to turn off the light of Allah with their mouths, Allah will have His light completed despite the unbelievers hating it} 61:8. Past and testify that they shall not succeed as long as we hold on to our book and hold on to the teachings of our prophet Muhammad (ppbu).

When one looks at history, and one looks at the past, and when one looks at the Koran, and then looks at our present, and when one compares the past and the present, one feels a sigh of disappointment at the huge difference in the state of the nation. Our nation was a leader and now it is being led. Our nation changed from being in charge to being a subject. This happened when it became distant from Allah’s law and the doctrine of His prophet. What is needed is a return to the past, and the past is better. A return to the past to take lessons from in order to use in this struggling present, a return to the one whom the world had not received a call like his, nor the history had seen a better reformist than him, nor heard from a better preacher than he. We badly need when we live such difficult days, to go beyond time and live a day of the days of Muhammad (ppbu). So, we can learn lessons. Let us go back to the month of Rajab of year 9 of Hijrah so we live together the events of the battle of Tabbuk in which the faithful remained firm, and the unbelievers were knocked down, when the unbelievers were shamed and the true and faithful were honoured

It became known to the prophet (ppbh) that the Romans were pulling their forces together to fight him, and threaten the Muslim state at the time. They wanted to take the initiative before he did. Only then and for the first time the messenger announced his intention to prepare an army. Many came forward and many held back, but 30,000 became battle ready. They traded their lives for Allah and for the support of His messenger (ppbu). Hypocrite came up with many excuses in order to drop from the army. The messenger (ppbu) asked him: {do you have the strength to fight the yellow army (meaning the Roman army)}. He said: “Messenger of Allah, permit me to stay and do not make me go and put me through temptation. All my people know that I am the man who has the most love for women. My worry is that if I see the Roman women that I can not hold my self.” The messenger (ppbu) did not bring him to battle, but Allah said the following verse in the Koran: {and some of them say grant us exemption and do not put us through temptation. Is it not into temptation they have fallen? And Hell fire surrounds the unbelievers.}9:49. Allah also says: {those who remained behind were delighted staying behind the messenger of Allah, and they hated to fight with their money and their lives in the line of Allah. And they said: do not call for war in this heat. Say: the fire of hell is a lot hotter if they just knew}. It is during the preparation of this army many of what was within many souls became clear. There were rich people who put their riches to prepare the army with arms and horses and other supplies. The messenger (ppbu) after seeing how much Othman Ebn Affan gage towards the army said: {Nothing Othman can do after today that will do him any harm}.

Amongst them were those who were poor and could not donate the supplies or armour or a horse or a camel towards the war effort. The came to the messenger (ppbu) asking him to try and find them the armour and or a means of travel, and he couldn’t find anything for them. They went back home with tears in their eyes in sadness for not having the means to spend. They were crying but not for loosing a worldy matter but for loosing the chance to take part in the fighting in critical hour of difficulty. They have no objection if their life goes for the religion in which they have faith.

Alaba Ebn Zaid (علبة بن زيد) used to stay up the night in prayers. He used to cry and says in a prayer: “Dear God, you commanded jihad, and encouraged towards it. But you gave me nothing I can use, and you gave your messenger nothing to prepare me to be battle ready. What I can do is that I donate as a charity to each Muslim who done me any wrong in finance or in honour.” He kept on doing that and the next day his life goes back business as normal. The messenger (ppbu) said: “who made charity last night?” and no one came forward. The messenger (ppbu) came to Alaba Ebn Zaid and said: “I bring you good tiding, your charity was written as zakah for you”.

The messenger (ppbu) went out heading 30,000 strong army and camped at the Thanya tul Wadaa (ثنية الوداع) and he left Ali Ebn Abi Talib in charge in Madina. The hypocrites who stayed behind trying to create more problems with their plotting and conspiracies telling Ali that the only reason the messenger (ppbuj) left him behind is because him thinking that Ali was too slow and of no value for the war effort. He was very taken by that, and he put on his battle gear, held his sword and headed out. He reached the messenger (ppbu) and told him their allegations. The messenger (ppbu) said: {Ali, they lied. Would you not like to be to me as Haroon (Aron) was to Moses, except that there is no prophet to be after me?} Ali went back to Madina contented.

On his way with the army, the messenger (ppbu) passes by the ruins of people of Thamood. The town where Allah had anger and fury upon its people, their homes were destroyed, and their water wells were dis-functioning and their trees cut. The messenger (ppbu) went through it covering his face and crying. He advised his army against being inflicted by what people of Thamood were afflicted with.

See what Allah did to this land and its aggressor people. What do you think could happen to those who would socialise with transgressors, or support transgressors, or get at peace with aggressors, befriends, be affable and genial to aggressors? The messenger (ppbu) said: {do not use its water to drink or do ablution (wothoo) for a prayer, and if water was used to make any food then give it to the camel. And do not consume any of it your selves}.

The messenger (ppbu) continued towards Tabook. Hunger and fatigue took their toll on the messenger and the army. The messenger (ppbu) used to fall asleep on his camel tilting to one side until about to fall. Abu-Qatadah used to give him a push to balance him. Then he would tilt to the other side until about to fall and Abu-Qutadah used to come and prop him up. The messenger (ppbu) would lift his head and asks: {who is this?}He answers: “It is me, Abu-Qutadah”. The messenger (ppbu) said: {May Allah protect you as you have protected the messenger of Allah}. The historians say that Abu-Qutadah and his children after him were all protected from all harm until the time they died.

Omar Ebn-Khatab was asked to talk about the toughest of times? Omar said: “We went to Tabook in tremendous heat. We camped somewhere where we were so dry and thirsty that we thought we will perish. It was so dry that one would slaughter his camel, and squeeze out its dung just to drink the water in it. Abu-Bakr said: “Messenger of Allah, Allah has costumed to respond to your prayers or duaa with goodness, do make a prayer for us”. The messenger (ppbu) put his hands towards the heavens above and started making a prayer asking Allah. By the time he brought them down the skies have given signs of rain rain. Then the rain came and we filled our containers. We checked the rains and we found that it didn’t rain outside the camp.

Abu-Thur (أبو ذر) got to trail behind the entire army due to his weak camel. He left his camel and carried all his belongings on his back. The army stopped for a break when one of the Muslims looks back and spots Abu_Thur, and tells the messenger (ppbu) about the man walking alone along the rout. The messenger (ppbu) says: {May Allah bless Abu-Thur, he walks alone, and dies alone and will be resurrected alone}.

Days and years go by and Abu-Thur gets to be expelled and banished to a remote place called Rabtha (الربذة), and death came to him in that place only his wife and a young son were with him. Before he died he told them to give him his final wash ritual (Ghusl), shroud him, and put him along the side of the route and tell the first passers by: “this is Abu-Thur, the companion of the messenger of Allah (ppbu), help bury him”. And they did. Abdul-Allah ben Masoud and other passengers passed by and the son told them about the dead Abu_Thur. Abdul-Allah ben Masoud cried and said: The messenger (ppbu) was right when he said: you walk alone and you shall die alone. And they buried him.

The messenger’s journey gets to Tubook and he stays there for just over ten nights where they met no problems and they faced no enemy, yet they managed to place fear into the Romans and their supporters. And the Jiziah tax was imposed upon them. A number of incidences took place during those few days at Tabook. One is that angel Gabriel (pbu) appeared to the messenger (ppbu) to tell him to do a prayer for the dead in absence for Maawia ben Maawia Al-Laithy (معاوية بن معاوية الليثي) who died in Madinah. Well, this Maawia was a good man who remembered and worshiped Allah at all times. The messenger (ppbu) asked Gabriel about Maawia, and he was told that Mawiaa was reciting the “Sincerity or الإخلاص ” chapter while standing, sitting or laying down, day and night. And a prayer was said about him in Madina which was attended by two rows of angels. In each row there were seventy thousand angels. The messenger (ppbu) then got up and did the prayer for the dead in absence for Maawia ben Maawia Al-Laithy.

Abdul_Allah Ben Masoud said: one night in Tabook we went to sleep so tired, and I woke up in the middle of the night. I looked at the messenger (ppbu) would be asleep and I didn’t find him. And neither were Abu-Bakr nor Omar. And I saw a fire lighting at the end of the camp. I went following them and I found the messenger (ppbu) with Abu-Bakr and Omar and a grave was dug. And the messenger was gone down into the grave holding a lamp. And I asked who the dead were. The messenger (ppbu) said: {This is your brother Abul-Allah of the two-rags. He is one of the companions who converted to Islam. He was a businessman. His people tool all his money even the clothes he was wearing. He left and only found a peace of cloth which he cut into two rags and escaped with his faith seeking Allah and the next life} Eventually when the messenger (ppbu) was told his story he said to him: {You left your money for Allah and the messenger of Allah. May Allah replaces your two rags with a robe and a dress from paradise. You are (ذو البجادين) [the one with the two rags]} and he was nicknamed with that. Abdul-Allah ebn Masoud continued the story saying: “as the messenger (ppbu) was laying him in the grave cried with his tears falling upon the coffin. The he stood, putting his hands towards the heavens and facing Mecca and said a prayer (duaa) form him. He said: “Dear Allah, I am in satisfaction with him, please be satisfied with him, Dear Allah I am in satisfaction with him, please be satisfied with him.” Ebn Masoud said: “how I wished if I were the one in that grave and to have won that prayer or duaa”.

Battle of Tabook was in many ways similar to the battle of Ahzab, for at the beginning Muslims suffered tremendous hardship, but things turned out to the best at the end. The messenger (ppbu) started the journey home with gains and victory. He approached the Madina, people heared about their arrival and the women and children started reciting the welcoming poem “The full moon appearing for us, from the direction of the town of “Thuniat Al-Wadaa”. The army of the tough times was met with great celebrations. The messenger (ppbu) did not forget those with the big hearts who were not able to make with him despite their wanting to do so. Just as the army approached Madina in the way back the messenger (ppbu) said: {there are some in the Madina who were with you everywhere you went and at every valley you crossed.} His companions asked: were they with us and yet they were in Madina? He said: yes, they were prevented by proper excuses. With those simple words he consoled those who gave him their hearts on his way to meet the Romans. He put their minds at ease and off loaded them from their heavy burdens.

Those are some of the events in the battle of Tabook which ended with a victory for the Muslims. Even if it ended but yet its lessons and morals are not ended. We do not remember the battle to celebrate the past; this won’t do us much good.

Lesson 1:   This nation is a nation of Jihad and perseverance and patience. And if it leaves Jihad then it will be struck with shame indignity and humiliation. Remember that the entire life of our prophet was jihad followed by jihad from jihad against the unbelievers, to jihad against the hypocrites, to the jihad against the Romans.

Lesson 2: is that Allah has decreed honour and power for this nation whenever it remained faithful and truthful. For there it was the young country of Islam facing all forces of evil and defeats them.

Lesson 3:   is that the enemy can only penetrate through the lines of the hypocrites and traitors. And the weakness and the division and disunity of this nation is due to those with the black hearts and twisted ways.

Lesson 4:   is that meeting the enemy does not require the condition of the having equal powers. It is enough for the faithful to prepare themselves with whatever they can of power, but them to fear Allah and hang on to Allah, and be patient and Allah will grant them victory. Abul-Allah Ben Rawa7a said: “We do not fight people with numbers nor equipment, we only fight them with this religion with which Allah honoured us”

Lesson 5:   The right needs power to protect it and to puts fear into its enemies. It is not enough to have right without power.

Lesson 6:   one of the greatest lessons is that penetration of faith into the hearts of the Muslims is stronger than any armours or ammunition. Allah has also decreed that once a nation deviates from its faith and if it starts holding to something else then it shall twisting and turning into humiliation, catastrophes and ruins until it returns to the book of Allah.

Notes:

Adhan - The call to prayer.

Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.

Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran. I&&
t also means a miracle or a sign from God.

Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.

Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)

Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.

Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.

Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.

Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.

Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

Fiqh - Religious law.

Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.

Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.

Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.

Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.

Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.

Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.

Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.

Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.

Iman: belief or faith

Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.

Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.

Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.

Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."

Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.

Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.

Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.

Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.

Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)

Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.

Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.

Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act

Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).

Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.

Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.

Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah

Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.

Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.

Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.

Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.

PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.

Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.

Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.

Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.

Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.

Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.

Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.

Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.

Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.

Siam or Soam- Fasting

Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

Surah - A chapter of the Koran.

Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)

Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.

Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.

Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.

Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.

Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.

Zaboor - The Psalms

Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.

Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com