Seerah
Madinah under threat
Three battles, then a treaty that looked like defeat. The Qur'an disagreed.
6 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 4
At the wells of Badr, about 313 poorly armed Muslims meet a Makkan army roughly three times their size. And they win. Many of Makkah's leaders are killed. Muslims saw it as a sign of God's help.
Qur'an 3:123
وَلَقَدۡ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِبَدۡرࣲ وَأَنتُمۡ أَذِلَّةࣰۖ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ١٢٣
123 Allah had helped you at Badr when you were weak; then fear Allah so that you may be grateful.
Lesson
At Badr the few beat the many, and some prisoners bought freedom by teaching children to read.
Part 2 of 4
A year after Badr, Makkah comes back with about 3,000 men. Muslim archers on a hill are told never to leave it. Seeing victory, most leave to collect spoils. Khalid ibn al-Walid's cavalry sweeps round. The Muslims are routed.
Qur'an 3:152
وَلَقَدۡ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥٓ إِذۡ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذۡنِهِۦۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلۡتُمۡ وَتَنَٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ وَعَصَيۡتُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمۡ عَنۡهُمۡ لِيَبۡتَلِيَكُمۡۖ وَلَقَدۡ عَفَا عَنكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضۡلٍ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٥٢
152 Indeed, Allah fulfilled His promise to you when you were slaying them by His permission, until you lost courage and disputed over the command and disobeyed after He had shown you what you liked [victory]. Among you are some who seek this world and some who seek the Hereafter. He then prevented you from [defeating] them so that He may test You, but He pardoned you, for Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.
A long ayah: scroll within the card.
Lesson
Uhud was lost because the archers abandoned their post too soon.
Part 3 of 4
In 627 around 10,000 men besiege Madinah. Salman, a Persian convert, gives the Muslims an idea: dig a trench across the open northern side. The siege drags on. A storm breaks the camp. The army leaves.
Qur'an 33:9
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ جُنُودࣰ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحࣱا وَجُنُودࣱا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا ٩
9 O you who believe, remember Allah’s favor upon you when [enemy] forces came against you, but We sent against them a violent wind and forces that you could not see. And Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.
Lesson
A foreign idea from a former outsider, Salman, saved Madinah.
Part 4 of 4
After the Trench, fighting gives way to a journey. In 628 the Muslims set out as pilgrims for Makkah, and are stopped. The Prophet accepts a ten-year truce on terms many companions find humiliating. The Qur'an called it a clear victory.
Qur'an 48:1
إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحࣱا مُّبِينࣱا ١
1 Indeed, We have given you [O Prophet] a clear conquest,
Lesson
The truce that looked like losing brought more people to Islam than all the years before.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
Three battles, then a treaty that looked like defeat. The Qur'an disagreed.