غزوة الطائف The Battle of Taif
التوقيت
في حدود العشرين من شوال مِن العامِ الثَّامِنِ الهِجْريِّ
المكان
الطَّائفُ مَدينةٌ تقَعُ في الغَربِ مِن شِبهِ الجَزيرةِ العَربيَّةِ، وهي اليومَ تابِعةٌ لمِنطَقةِ مكَّةَ المُكرَّمةِ على جانِبَيْ وادي «وَجٍّ»، وتَبعُدُ عن مَدينةِ مكَّةَ المُكرَّمةِ 75 كم تَقْريبًا، وكانت الطائف تمتاز بموقعها الجبلي وبأسوارها القوية وحصونها الدفاعية، وليس إليها منفذ سوى الأبواب التي أغلقتها ثقيف بعد أن أدخلت من الأقوات ما يكفي لسنة كاملة، وهيأت من وسائل الحرب ما يكفل لها الصمود طويلاً، وكان وصول المسلمين إلى الطائف
قتلي المسلمين والمشركين
وقد كثرت الجراحات في المسلمين. واستشهد منهم اثنا عشر رجلا. في حين لم يقتل من المشركين سوى ثلاثة بسبب امتناعهم بالحصون والأسوار
قبيلة ثقيف
احتمت بحصون الطائف بعد هزيمة هوازن وثقيف من رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم والمسلمين
أحداث الغزوة
لَمَّا حاصَرَ رَسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم الطَّائِفَ، فلَم يَنَلْ منهم شيئًا، قال: إنَّا قافِلونَ إن شاءَ اللهُ. فثَقُلَ عليهم، وقالوا: نَذهَبُ ولا نَفتَحُه! -[وفي رِوايةٍ]: نَقفُلُ- فقال: اغدوا على القِتالِ. فغَدَوا فأصابَهم جِراحٌ، فقال: إنَّا قافِلونَ غَدًا إن شاءَ اللهُ. فأعجَبَهم، فضَحِكَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم. [وفي رِوايةٍ]: فتَبَسَّمَ
فضحِكَ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ تَبسُّمًا حينَ وافَقَهم ذلك، فتَعَجَّبَ بضَحِكِه منِ اختِلافِ قولِهم بيْن أمسِ واليومِ للحالَينِ المُختَلِفَينِ
نأخذ من الحديث الشريف
رَحْمةُ النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، ورَأفَتُه بأصْحابِه، وحِرصُه عليهم.
مَشْروعيَّةُ مُحاصَرةِ العَدوِّ، والتَّضْييقِ عليهم.
مُشاوَرةُ الإمامِ أصْحابَه، وعَرضُه عليهم ما في نفْسِه.
مُخالَفةَ رَأيِ النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ فيها شرٌّ على المُسلِمينَ.
إلي التفاصيل
بعْدَ هَزيمةِ هَوازِنَ لجأَ إليها فُلولُ هَوازِنَ وثَقيفَ
واجتمَعَ بهما شَوكَتُهم ورُماتُهم، وكان لهم حِصنٌ مَنيعٌ، فلم يَستَطعِ المُسلِمونَ فَتحَ الحِصْنِ، ولم يَنالوا منهم شَيئًا، وذكَرَ أنَسٌ رَضيَ اللهُ عنه في حَديثِه عندَ مُسلِمٍ أنَّ مدَّةَ حِصارِهم كانت أربَعينَ يومًا
وعندَ أهلِ السِّيَرِ اختِلافٌ؛ قيلَ
استمر خمسة وعشرين يوماً
أو شهراً
أو أربعين يوماً
(والقول بهذا لا يتفق مع تواريخ الأحداث الأخرى وسياقها، وخاصة إذا قلنا أن الحصار دام أربعين يوماً. فإن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وصل إلى المدينة لست ليال بقين من ذي القعدة بعد أن مكث بضع عشرة ليلة في الجعرانة ثم قام بالعمرة ثم عاد إلى المدينة ويحتاج ذلك إلى ثمانية عشر يوماً على الأقل بعد فك الحصار عن الطائف)
فلمَّا رَأى النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ صُعوبةَ القِتالِ، قال لأصْحابِه على جِهةِ الرِّفقِ بهم والشَّفَقةِ عليهم: «إنَّا قافِلونَ غدًا»، أي: راجِعونَ غدًا، فثَقُلَ عليهم وعزَّ على أنفُسِهم، وظَنُّوا أنَّ هذا العَرْضَ مِن النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ على جِهةِ المَشورةِ، فقالوا مُتعجِّبِين: نَعودُ إلى الدِّيارِ دونَ فَتحِ الحِصنِ! وحَزِنوا لذلك، فلمَّا رَأى النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ منهم ذلك أمَرَهم بالقِتالِ، فقال لهم: «اغْدُوا على القِتالِ» صَباحَ اليَومِ التَّالي، فقاتَلوا كما أرادوا، فلمْ يُفتَحْ لهم، وأُصيبوا بالجِراحِ؛ لأنَّ الأعْداءَ رَمَوْا عليهم مِن أعْلى السُّورِ، فكانوا يَنالونَ منهم بسِهامِهم، ولا تَصِلُ سِهامُ المُسلِمينَ إلى مَن فوقَ السُّورِ، فلمَّا رأَوْا ذلك، تَبيَّنَ لهم تَصويبُ الرُّجوعِ، فلمَّا أعادَ عليهمُ القولَ بالرُّجوعِ أعجَبَهم حينَئذٍ
وقد نزل المسلمون قريباً من حصون الطائف
فكانوا في متناول سهام ثقيف فأصيب بعضهم فتحولوا بعسكرهم إلى الموضع الذي بنى فيه مسجده وهو المعروف اليوم بمسجد عبد الله بن عباس، والطائف قديماً كانت إلى الجنوب الغربي من المسجد وكان القتال تراشقاً بالسهام على بعد، وقد استخدم المسلمون آلة من الخشب الثخين المغلف بالجلود مركبة على عجلات مستديرة احتموا بها من السهام حتى وصلوا إلى الأسوار ليثقبوها، فألقت ثقيف عليهم قطع حديد محماة فأحرقت “الدبابة” – وهو اسم الآلة – وخرج المقاتلون من تحتها فأصابتهم السهام وهذه هي أول غزوة يستخدم فيها المسلمون آلات لضرب الحصون، وقد اشتهرت جرش اليمانية – التي لا تزال أطلالها قائمة أعلى وادي بيشة – بصناعة الدبابات والمجانيق والضبور. ويذكر ابن إسحق أن اثنين من وجوه ثقيف كانا يتعلمان في جرش صنعة هذه الآلات للاستفادة منها في الدفاع عن الطائف.
أما عن حصول المسلمين على آلات الحرب هذه
حيث ضربوا الحصون بالمنجنيق فقد ذكر أن خالد بن سعيد بن العاص جاء بمنجنيق ودبابتين من جرش في حين تفيد رواية أخرى أن سلمان الفارسي عمل المنجنيق بيده، ومن الواضح أن آلات فك الحصار لم تكن متوافرة للمسلمين بالقدر الكافي.
وقد أمر الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بتحريق بساتين العنب والنخيل في ضواحي الطائف
للضغط على ثقيف التي ناشدته ألا يفعل فتركها بعد أن أحدثت المحاولة أثرها في إضعاف معنوياتهم.
تقسيم الغنائم للمؤلفة قلوبهم
وقد عبر بعض المؤلفة قلوبهم عن أثر ذلك فقال صفوان بن أمية “لقد أعطاني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما أعطاني وإنه لأبغض الناس إلي، فما ربح يعطيني حتى إنه لأحب الناس إلي”.
لقد كان صفوان بن أمية من المؤلفة قلوبهم
وكان يحب أن يناله من أعطيات الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم فكلما أعطاه سأله المزيد، فبين له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نظرة الإسلام إلى المال ووعظه، فإذا به يرغب حتى عن أخذ عطائه السنوي من بيت المال مما يوضح ما حدث من تحول عظيم في نفوس المؤلفة قلوبهم التي تشبعت بمعاني الإسلام على مر الأيام.
وقد تأثر بعض المسلمين في بداية الأمر لعدم شمولهم بالأعطيات
فكان لابد من بيان الحكمة لهم في ذلك. فقال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم موضحا:«والله إني لأعطي الرجل وأدع الرجل، والذي أدع أحب إليَّ من الذي أعطي، ولكن أعطي أقواماً لما أرى في قلوبهم من الجزع والهلع، وأكل أقواما إلى ما جعل الله في قلوبهم من الغنى والخير».
فكان لابد من بيان الحكمة لهم في ذلك
فقال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم موضحا:«والله إني لأعطي الرجل وأدع الرجل، والذي أدع أحب إليَّ من الذي أعطي، ولكن أعطي أقواماً لما أرى في قلوبهم من الجزع والهلع، وأكل أقواما إلى ما جعل الله في قلوبهم من الغنى والخير».
وقال: «إني لأعطي رجالاً حدثاء عهد بكفر أتألفهم».
وقال: «إني لأعطي الرجل وغيره أحب إلي منه مخافة أن يكبه الله في النار».
قال أنس بن مالك: “إن كان الرجل ليسلم ما يريد إلا الدنيا فما يسلم حتى يكون الإسلام أحب إليه من الدنيا وما عليها”.
وقد أظهر بعض الأعراب المشتركين في غزوة حنين جفاءً وغلظة عند قسمة الغنائم بالجعرانة عن الرجوع من محاولة فك حصار الطائف
فقال أحدهم مخاطباً الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام: “اعدل، فقال: «شقيت إن لم أعدل». وقد غضب عمر بن الخطاب من كلام الأعرابي فطلب من الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يأذن له بقتله، فأبى عليه وقال: «معاذ الله أن يتحدث الناس أني أقتل أصحابي»
وقد ازدحموا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يقسم غنائم حنين
حتى علق رداؤه بغصن شجرة، فقال: «أعطوني ردائي، فلو كان عدد هذه العضاة – شجر الشوك وكان يملأ المكان – نعماً لقسمته بينكم، ثم لا تجدوني بخيلاً ولا كذوباً ولا جباناً». ثم أخذ وبرة من سنام بعير وقال: «والله مالي من فيئكم ولا هذه الوبرة إلا الخمس والخمس مردود عليكم» ثم ذكر لهم تحريم أخذ شيء من الغنائم قبل قسمتها فجاء رجل أنصاري بخيوط شعر مكببة كان قد أخذها من الغنائم فألقاها. ولما مات كركرة مولى الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «هو في النار» ففتشوا في متاعه فوجدوا عباءة قد غلَّها. وهكذا كانت تعليمات الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم واضحة لحماية الأموال العامة، وموقف الأنصاري يدل على الورع والالتزام بأوامر الرسول حتى في المال اليسير الذي لا قيمة له مثل خيوط الشعر التي أعادها
وبعد قسمة الغنائم، قدم وفد من هوازن يعلن إسلامها
ويطلب من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رد الأموال والسبي عليهم، فخيَّرهم بين السبي والمال، فاختاروا السبي، فخطب الرسول في المؤمنين فقال: «إن إخوانكم هؤلاء جاءونا تائبين، وإني أردت أن أرد إليهم سبيهم، فمن أحب منكم أن يطيب ذلك فليفعل، ومن أحب أن يكون على حظه نعطيه إياه من أول ما يفيء الله علينا فليفعل». فقال الناس: طيبنا يا رسول الله لهم. فقال لهم: «إنا لا ندري من أذن منكم فيه ممن لم يأذن، فارجعوا حتى يرفع إلينا عرفاؤكم أمركم»، فرجع الناس فكلمهم عرفاؤهم، ثم رجعوا إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبروه أنهم طيبوا وأذنوا.
ويلاحظ أن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أراد أن يعود السبي إلى هوازن عن طيب نفس المقاتلين
لأن الغنيمة من حقهم، فلا بد أن يتنازلوا عنها برضاهم ووعد من لا يرضى بتعويضه عن السبي، وتأكد من ذلك عن طريق العرفاء المسئولين عن الجند. وقد تنازل معظم الجند عن السبي سوى الأقرع بن حابس وتكلم باسم قبيلة تميم كلها وعيينة بن حصن وتكلم باسم قبيلة فزارة، فوعدهم الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بتعويضهم عنها وهذا يدل على أن قدوم وفد هوازن كان بعد تقسيم الأموال والسبي وليس قبل ذلك كما تشير رواية لابن إسحق.
موقف زعيم هوازن مالك بن عوف بعد كل هذه الاحداث
برزت أمور أثناء الحصار، منها
أ - الوحي يخبِر بعدم فتح الطائف
أخبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أبا بكر فقال: إني رأيت أنه أهديت لي قعبة - قدح - مملوءة زبدًا، فنقرها ديك فأهرق ما فيها فقال أبو بكر: ما أظن أن تدرك منهم يا رسول الله يومك هذا ما تريد، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنا لا أرى ذلك فلما علم عمر بن الخطاب بذلك قال: يا رسول الله، أنؤذن بالرحيل؟ قال: نعم فأذَّن عمر بالرحيل، ولعل ذلك رحمة بأهل الطائف كي يأتوه فيما بعدُ مسلمين.
ب- طلب خولة بنت حكيم - وهي امرأة عثمان بن مظعون
من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن تأخذ حلي بادية بنت غيلان أو الفارعة بنت الخزاعي - وكانتا من أجمل نساء الطائف - إن فتح الله عليك الطائف، فقال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: وإن كان لم يؤذن لنا في ثقيف يا خولة؟
ج - ما قاله عيينة بن حصن لما بدأ المسلمون بالرحيل عن الطائف
نادى سعد بن عبيد الثقفي: ألا إن الحي مقيم - عنى به رحيل المسلمين وانتصار ثقيف - فقال عيينة بن حصن: مجدة كرام - يمتدح ثقيفًا - فسمعه عمرو بن العاص، فقال له: قاتلك الله، تمدح قومًا مشركين بالامتناع من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقد جئت تنصره؟ فقال عيينة: إني والله ما جئت معكم أقاتل ثقيفًا، ولكن أردت أن يفتح محمد الطائف، فأُصيب جارية من ثقيف فأطأَها؛ لعلها تلد لي رجلًا؛ فإن ثقيفًا قوم مباركون - وفي رواية: قوم مناكير.
د - ما قاله المخنَّث هيث عن بادية عن أم سلمة قالت
دخل عليَّ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعندي مخنث، فسمعته يقول لعبدالله بن أبي أمية: يا عبدالله، أرأيت إن فتح الله عليكم الطائف غدًا، فعليك بابنة غيلان - واسمها بادية - فإنها تُقبِل بأربع وتُدبِر بثمان، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا يدخلن هؤلاء عليكن والمخنث هذا اسمه هيث، وفي رواية: "إنك دققت كثيرًا"؛ أي: أمعنت النظر إليها.
هـ - الشيماء، بعد هزيمة هوازن وما كان معهم من بني سليم
وأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الفرسان ألا يفلت منهم بجاد، وكان من بني سعد، وكان بجاد قد مثَّل برجل مسلم فقطعه عضوًا عضوًا ثم أحرقه، وعرَف بجاد جُرمه، وأنه مطلوب فهرب وتخفى، لكن خيل المسلمين أدركته وأخذته وأخذوا معه الشيماء، وهي أخت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من الرضاعة، وقالت الشيماء: إني والله أخت صاحبكم، فلم يصدقوها وأرهقوها بالسير إلى أن أتوا بها إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقالت: يا محمد، إني أختُك، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: وما علامة ذلك؟ قالت: عضضتَني وأنا متوركتك بوادي السرر، وقد نازعتك الثدي، وتذكر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما روته له، فقام وبسط لها رداءه، ثم قال: اجلسي عليه ورحَّب بها ودمعت عيناه، وسألها عن حالها وعن أمه وأبيه من الرضاعة، فأخبرته بموتهما في الزمان، ثم قال: إن أحببتِ فأقيمي عندنا مكرمة، وإن أحببت أن ترجعي إلى قومك وصلتك قالت: أرجع إلى قومي، وأسلمَتْ، فأعطاها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عطية مجزية، وعادت إلى قومها
و - كان رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم يحرص على ثقيف حرصه على قريش من قبل
فهم إن تحولوا إلى الإسلام كانوا مادة له، فهم أهل فطنة وذكاء، وكان يطمح لإسلامهم وقد سعى لنشر الدعوة فيهم منذ المرحلة المكية ودعا لهم بالهداية بعد أن رفضوا دعوته وآذوه، وقد سأله بعض الصحابة أثناء حصار الطائف أن يدعو على ثقيف فدعا لهم بقوله: «اللهم إهد ثقيف
ر- حكم المسبيات المتزوجات، وقد فرق السبي بينهن وبين أزواجهن
فأوضحت الآية جواز وطئهن إذا انقضت عدتهن، لأن الفرقة تقع بينهن وبين أزواجهن الكفار بالسبي وتنقضي العدة بالوضع للحامل وبالحيض لغير الحامل.
ز - منع المخنثين خلقة من الدخول على النساء الأجنبيات
وكان ذلك مباحاً إذ لا حاجة للمخنث بالنساء، وكان سبب المنع سماع الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أحد المخنثين يصف بادية بنت غيلان الثقفي قبيل حصار الطائف، وفي المنع حيطة لأخلاق المجتمع الإسلامي.
س - النهي عن قصد قتل النساء والأطفال والشيوخ والأجراء
ممن لا يشتركون في القتال ضد المسلمين
ش - إقامة الحد في دار الحرب
حيث فعل ذلك الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بشارب الخمر في يوم حنين.
ص - جواز الاستعانة بالمشركين
كما فعل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم باستعارة الدروع من صفوان ابن أمية مع ضمانه صلى الله عليه وسلم لها، ولا تكون الاستعانة بهم إلا بشرط الوثوق بهم، وألا يغلبوا على المعركة ويصبغوها بصبغتهم، بل يكون حكم الإسلام هو الغالب
ض - تشريع العمرة من الجعرانة
The Timing
Around the 20th of Shawwal in the 8th year of the Hijra
The Location
Ta'if is a city located in the western part of the Arabian Peninsula. Today, it is part of the Makkah region, situated on both sides of the Wadi Wajj valley. It is approximately 75 km from Makkah. Ta'if was distinguished by its mountainous location, strong walls, and defensive fortifications. The only access to it was through the gates, which were closed by the Thaqif tribe after they had brought in enough provisions for a whole year and prepared the means of war to ensure a long siege. The arrival of the Muslims at Ta'if
The killing Among Muslims and Polytheists
Many Muslims were wounded, and twelve were martyred. Only three polytheists were killed, as they had taken refuge behind fortresses and walls.
The Tribe of Thaqif
They sought refuge in the fortresses of Ta'if after the defeat of Hawazin and Thaqif by the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims.
Why did the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) reach Ta'if from the south, the more difficult route?
The Muslims advanced towards Ta'if along the old road that leads into the city from the south. They passed by Nakhlah al-Yamaniyyah, then Qarn al-Manazil – 80 kilometers from Mecca and 53 kilometers south of Ta'if – then al-Malih, one of the valleys of Ta'if, then Bahrat al-Ragha', 15 kilometers south of Ta'if. This was a long route compared to the paved road between Mecca and Ta'if, which is 90 kilometers long. However, Ta'if was impossible to conquer from the north due to its complex mountainous terrain, which provided it with natural defenses. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to cut off Thaqif from its reinforcements from Hawazin to the east and south of Ta'if.
The Events of the Expedition
When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) besieged Ta'if and gained nothing from them, he said, "We will return, God willing." This weighed heavily on them, and they said, "We will leave without conquering it!" [And in another narration]: We will return—so he said: Go forth to fight. So they went forth and were wounded. He said: We will return tomorrow, God willing. This pleased them, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, laughed. [And in another narration]: He smiled.
So, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, smiled when this agreed with them, and he was amazed by the difference in their words between yesterday and today, due to the two different circumstances.
From this noble hadith, we learn
The Prophet’s mercy, peace and blessings be upon him, his compassion for his companions, and his concern for them.
The legitimacy of besieging the enemy and tightening the noose around them.
The Imam consulting his companions and sharing his thoughts with them.
The disagreeing with the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) opinion in this matter is harmful to the Muslims.
The defeated tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif, led by Malik ibn Awf, retreated to Taif
They entered it hastily, leaving behind much booty, wealth, women, and children. They fled, seeking salvation for themselves, not caring about anything. Taif was their impregnable fortress, to which they retreated to heal their wounds. The Muslims pursued them and besieged Taif. There was an exchange of arrows, and the siege lasted for more than half a month. God did not decree that it would be conquered during this siege. So, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, ordered the siege to be lifted. He had announced that any slave who came down from the fortress and came out to us would be freed. A dozen men came out of the fortress, and many others fled. The Muslims freed them, and they embraced Islam. This resulted in a loss for the people of Taif. Because these people were working on farms, and when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned from besieging them, a man said: O Messenger of God, pray against Thaqif. So, he said: “O God, guide Thaqif and bring them here.” Twelve men from among the Muslims were killed, including Abdullah bin Abi Bakr, who was shot by Abu Mihjan al-Thaqafi with a fatal arrow, before Abu Mihjan converted to Islam.
Here are the details;
After the defeat of Hawazin, the remnants of Hawazin and Thaqif sought refuge there.
Their main force and archers gathered there, and they had a strong fortress. The Muslims were unable to breach the fortress and gained nothing from them. Anas (may God be pleased with him) mentioned in his hadith narrated by Muslim that the siege lasted forty days.
There is a difference of opinion among historians regarding the duration of the siege. It was said:
It lasted twenty-five days
Or a month
Or forty days
(This statement does not align with the dates and context of other events, especially if we assume the siege lasted forty days. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Medina six nights before the end of Dhu al-Qi'dah, after spending several nights in al-Ji'ranah. He then performed 'Umrah and returned to Medina, a journey that would require at least eighteen days after the siege of Ta'if was lifted.)
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw the difficulty of the fighting, he said to his companions, out of kindness and compassion, "We are returning tomorrow." This weighed heavily on them and was difficult for them to accept. They thought this offer from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was merely a suggestion, so they said... They were astonished: We are returning home without conquering the fortress! They were saddened by this, and when the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, saw this from them, he ordered them to fight, saying to them: “Go out to fight” the following morning. So, they fought as they wished, but the fortress was not conquered for them, and they were wounded because the enemies' shot arrows at them from the top of the wall, and they were hitting them with their arrows, and the arrows of the Muslims did not reach those above the wall. When they saw this, it became clear to them that returning was the right thing to do. So, when he repeated the command to return to them, they were pleased at that time.
The Muslims encamped near the fortresses of Ta'if.
They were within range of the Thaqif's arrows, and some were wounded. They then moved their army to the site where he built his mosque, known today as the Mosque of Abdullah ibn Abbas. Ta'if was originally located to the southwest of the mosque, and the fighting consisted of an exchange of arrows at a distance. The Muslims used a machine made of thick wood covered with leather, mounted on round wheels, which they used to shield themselves from the arrows until they reached the walls to breach them. The Thaqif threw pieces of red-hot iron at them, burning the "tank" – the name of the machine – and the fighters emerged from beneath it, only to be struck by arrows. This was the first battle in which the Muslims used machines to attack fortresses. Jarash al-Yamaniyya – whose ruins still stand at the top of Wadi Bishah – was renowned for its manufacture of tanks, catapults, and siege engines. Ibn Ishaq mentions that two prominent Thaqif men were learning the craft of making these machines in Jarash to use them in the defense of Ta'if.
Regarding the Muslims' acquisition of these war machines,
when they bombarded the fortresses with catapults, it is mentioned that Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-'As brought a catapult and two siege engines from Jarash, while another account states that Salman al-Farsi crafted the catapult himself. It is clear that siege-breaking equipment was not readily available to the Muslims.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the burning of vineyards and date palm groves in the outskirts of Ta'if
to pressure the Thaqif tribe, who pleaded with him not to do so. He refrained after the attempt had its effect in weakening their morale.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the burning of the vineyards and date palm groves in the outskirts of Ta'if.
This was to pressure the Thaqif tribe, who pleaded with him not to do so. He refrained after the attempt had its effect in weakening their morale.
The Distribution of Spoils to Those Whose Hearts Were to Be Reconciled
Some of those whose hearts were to be reconciled expressed the impact of this. Safwan ibn Umayya said, "The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me what he gave me, and he was the most hateful of people to me. He continued to give me until he became the most beloved of people to me."
Safwan ibn Umayya was one of those whose hearts were to be reconciled
He longed to receive gifts from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and whenever he received something, he would ask for more. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to him the Islamic perspective on wealth and admonished him. As a result, he even refused to take his annual stipend from the public treasury. This illustrates the profound transformation that occurred in the hearts of those whose hearts were to be reconciled, as they were gradually imbued with the meanings of Islam.
Some Muslims were initially affected by not being included in the gifts
Therefore, it was necessary to explain the wisdom behind this to them. The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, explained: “By God, I give to some people and leave others out, and the one I leave out is dearer to me than the one I give to. But I give to some people because of the anxiety and fear I see in their hearts, and I leave others to what God has placed in their hearts of wealth and goodness.
So, it was necessary to explain the wisdom behind this to them
The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, explained: “By God, I give to some and withhold from others, and the one I withhold is dearer to me than the one I give to. But I give to some people because of the anxiety and fear I see in their hearts, and I leave others to the contentment and goodness that God has placed in their hearts.”
He also said: “I give to men who are recent converts from disbelief, in order to win them over.”
He further said: “I give to some people, even though others are dearer to me, for fear that God might cast them into Hellfire.”
Anas ibn Malik said: “A man might embrace Islam desiring only worldly gain, but he would not truly embrace Islam until Islam became dearer to him than the world and all that is in it.”
Some of the Bedouin who participated in the Battle of Hunayn displayed rudeness and harshness when the spoils of war were being divided at al-Ji'ranah after their return from the attempt to break the siege of Ta'if.
One of them addressed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying, "Be just!" The Prophet replied, "I would be wretched if I were not just." Umar ibn al-Khattab was angered by the Bedouin's words and asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for permission to kill him. The Prophet refused, saying, "I seek refuge in God from people saying that I kill my companions.
They crowded around the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, as he was distributing the spoils of Hunayn
His cloak became caught on a tree branch, and he said, “Give me my cloak. If the number of camels in these thorny bushes—and they filled the area—were equal to the number of thorny bushes, I would divide them among you, and you would not find me to be stingy, a liar, or a coward.” Then he took a hair from a camel’s hump and said, “By God, I have no share in your spoils, not even this hair, except for one-fifth, and that one-fifth is returned to you.” Then he reminded them of the prohibition against taking anything from the spoils before they were distributed. An Ansari man came with some strands of hair he had taken from the spoils and threw them away. When Karkarah, the freed slave of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, died, he said, “He is in Hellfire.” So they searched his belongings and found a cloak that he had stolen. Thus, the Prophet's instructions regarding the protection of public funds were clear, and the Ansari's stance demonstrates piety and adherence to the Prophet's commands, even concerning seemingly insignificant items like the strands of hair he returned.
After the spoils of war were divided, a delegation from Hawazin came forward, declaring their conversion to Islam
They requested the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to return their captives and the spoils of war. He gave them the choice between the captives and the spoils, and they chose the captives. The Prophet then addressed the believers, saying, "These brothers of yours have come to us repentant, and I intend to return their captives to them. Whoever among you wishes to do so willingly, let him do so. And whoever wishes to keep his share, we will give it to him from the first spoils God grants us." The people replied, "We are willing, O Messenger of God." He said to them, "We do not know who among you has given permission and who has not. Return until your leaders report back to us." So the people returned, and their leaders spoke with them. Then they returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him that they had given their permission and consented.
It is noteworthy that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the captives to be returned to Hawazin willingly by the fighters
Because the spoils of war were their right, they had to relinquish them willingly. He promised compensation to those who refused, and this was confirmed through the leaders responsible for the soldiers. Most of the soldiers relinquished the captives, except for al-Aqra' ibn Habis, who spoke on behalf of the entire Tamim tribe, and 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn, who spoke on behalf of the Fazarah tribe. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) promised them compensation. This indicates that the arrival of the Hawazin delegation was after the distribution of the spoils and captives, not before, as Ibn Ishaq's account suggests.
The stance of Hawazin leader Malik ibn Awf after all these events
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was pleased with the conversion of Hawazin and asked them about their leader, Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri. They informed him that he was in Ta'if with Thaqif. The Prophet promised to return his family and possessions to him and to honor him with one hundred camels if he came to him as a Muslim. Malik came to him as a Muslim, and the Prophet honored him and appointed him leader over his people and some of the neighboring tribes. Malik's conversion was exemplary, and he fought Thaqif in Ta'if until he had put them under considerable pressure. Their leaders considered how to escape their predicament after Islam surrounded Ta'if from all sides, preventing any movement or trade. Some of their leaders, like Urwah ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi, were inclined towards Islam. He hastened to join the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on his way to Medina after distributing the spoils of Hunayn and performing Umrah at al-Ji'ranah. Urwah met him before reaching Medina, declared his Islam, and returned to Ta'if. He was a beloved leader among the Thaqif tribe, and he called them to Islam and gave the call to prayer from the top of his house. Some of them shot arrows at him, wounding him. He asked his people to bury him with the Muslim martyrs of the siege of Ta'if. However, the Thaqif leaders sensed the precariousness of their situation and sought to secure themselves and their wealth. In Ramadan of the ninth year – after the Prophet's return from Tabuk – they sent a delegation headed by Abd Yalil ibn Amr, accompanied by three men from Banu Malik and two from the confederates. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah met them in Wadi Qanat, a short distance north of Medina, and informed them of their arrival. Abu Bakr was the first to bring the good news to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and al-Mughirah taught them the Islamic greeting and the proper etiquette for addressing the Prophet.
The Prophet lodged them in a tent in a corner of his mosque so they could listen to the Quran and observe the Muslims praying there.
They declared their Islam, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote them a letter. They asked the Prophet to postpone the destruction of al-Lat for three years—fearing the anger of their people—but he insisted on destroying it. However, he excused them from doing so and sent Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah to carry it out. They also asked to be excused from prayer because they considered it degrading, as it involved bowing and prostrating to God Almighty, as if they had forgotten that they did the same to al-Lat and other idols and stones! He refused, saying, "There is no good in a religion that does not include bowing." They stipulated that they be exempted from paying zakat and participating in jihad, and he agreed to this. Jabir ibn Abdullah heard him say, "They will give charity and participate in jihad once they embrace Islam." They asked him to allow them to forgo ablution, claiming their land was cold, and to allow them to drink from gourds instead. They also asked him to return Abu Bakra al-Thaqafi to them, but he refused all of this.
Uthman ibn Abi al-As was the most eager among them to learn the Quran and deepen their understanding of the religion, so the Prophet appointed him governor of Ta'if, even though he was the youngest.
After the Thaqif delegation embraced Islam
they asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) many questions concerning their faith. They even asked the Companions how the Quran was divided into sections, saying, "How do you divide the Quran into sections?" The Companions replied, "We divide it into sections of three surahs, five surahs, seven surahs, eleven surahs, thirteen surahs, and the section of al-Mufassal (the last surahs) from Surah Qaf to the end." This is the same order of the Quran known today. It seems the delegation was deeply influenced by their meetings with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), their interactions with the Companions, and the discussions that took place between them and the Muslims, to the point that they fasted for the remainder of Ramadan.
The delegation stayed in the city for fifteen days
Then they returned to Ta'if, accompanied by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah al-Thaqafi, to destroy al-Lat. Ibn Ishaq recounted the incident of al-Lat's destruction, describing how the women of Thaqaf gathered around it, weeping, until al-Mughirah finished demolishing it and took its gold and agate. The people of Ta'if believed that she would seek revenge, but al-Mughirah mocked them, throwing down his pickaxe and running away. They exclaimed, "The goddess has taken her revenge!" He laughed, advised them to worship God alone, and returned to complete his task. Thus, the myth of al-Lat, which had long been worshipped instead of God, was shattered
Several events occurred during the siege, including
A - Revelation foretells the impending conquest of Ta'if
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed Abu Bakr, saying, "I dreamt that a bowl filled with butter was gifted to me, but a rooster pecked it and spilled its contents." Abu Bakr replied, "I don't think you will achieve what you desire from them today, O Messenger of God." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) responded, "I don't think so either." When Umar ibn al-Khattab learned of this, he asked, "O Messenger of God, should we be given permission to depart?" The Prophet replied, "Yes." So, Umar gave permission to depart, perhaps out of mercy for the people of Ta'if, so that they might later come to him as Muslims.
B - Khawla bint Hakim, the wife of Uthman ibn Maz'un, asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
to allow her to take the jewelry of Badia bint Ghaylan or al-Fari'a bint al-Khuza'i—both of whom were among the most beautiful women of Ta'if—if God granted her victory over Ta'if. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked her, "Even if we are not given permission to conquer Thaqif, Khawla?"
C. What 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn said when the Muslims began to leave Ta'if:
Sa'd ibn 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi called out: "The tribe is staying!"—meaning the Muslims' departure and the victory of Thaqif. 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn then said: "Glory to the noble ones!"—praising Thaqif. 'Amr ibn al-'As heard him and said: "May God curse you! You praise a people who are polytheists for refusing to submit to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), and you came to support him?" 'Uyaynah replied: "By God, I did not come with you to fight Thaqif, but I wanted Muhammad to conquer Ta'if so I could take a slave girl from Thaqif and have intercourse with her; perhaps she would bear me a son. For Thaqif are a blessed people"—or, in another version: "a people of good repute."
E - Al-Shayma, after the defeat of Hawazin and those of Banu Sulaym who were with them.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the horsemen not to let Bajad escape. He was from Banu Sa'd. Bajad had mutilated a Muslim man, cutting him limb from limb and then burning him. Bajad realized his crime and that he was wanted, so he fled and hid. However, the Muslim cavalry caught up with him and captured him, along with Al-Shayma, who was the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) foster sister. Al-Shayma said, "By God, I am your companion's sister." But they did not believe her and made her travel arduously until they brought her to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). She said, "O Muhammad, I am your sister." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "What is the sign of that?" She said, “You bit me while I was sitting on your back in the valley of As-Surr, and I struggled to nurse from you.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remembered what she had told him, so he stood up and spread his cloak for her. Then he said, “Sit on it.” He welcomed her warmly, and his eyes filled with tears. He asked her about her situation and about his foster mother and father. She told him that they had passed away long ago. Then he said, “If you wish, stay with us in honor. If you wish to return to your people, I will maintain ties with you.” She said, “I will return to my people,” and she embraced Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave her a generous gift, and she returned to her people.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was as concerned for the Thaqif tribe as he had been for the Quraysh before
If they were to convert to Islam, they would be a valuable asset to him, for they were intelligent and perceptive. He longed for their conversion and had striven to spread the message among them since the Meccan period. He prayed for their guidance after they had rejected his call and harmed him. Some of the Companions asked him during the siege of Ta’if to pray against the Thaqif, and he prayed for them. He said: “O God, guide Thaqif.”
R- The ruling on married captive women, who were separated from their husbands by captivity.
The verse clarified the permissibility of having intercourse with them once their waiting period (iddah) had ended, because the separation between them and their disbelieving husbands occurred through captivity, and the waiting period ended with childbirth for a pregnant woman and with menstruation for a non-pregnant woman.
Z- Prohibiting effeminate men from entering upon unrelated women.
This was previously permissible, as effeminate men had no need for women. The reason for the prohibition was that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard an effeminate man describing Badia bint Ghaylan al-Thaqafi before the siege of Ta’if. This prohibition was a precaution for the morals of the Muslim community.
S- The prohibition against intentionally killing women, children, the elderly, and hired laborers
who do not participate in fighting against Muslims.
H- Implementing the prescribed punishment in enemy territory.
This was done by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the one who drank alcohol on the day of Hunayn.
S - The permissibility of seeking help from polytheists
As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did by borrowing armor from Safwan ibn Umayya, guaranteeing its safety. Seeking their help is only permissible on the condition of trustworthiness, and that they do not gain the upper hand in the battle and impose their ideology, but rather that Islamic law prevails.
D - The legislation of performing Umrah from al-Ji'ranah
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