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The Muslims did harass Meccan trading, the objective was to close the Syrian route for the Quraish Clan of Mecca (Muhammad's former clan which led the persecution). Adverse criticism interprets these actions as designed to train the early Muslims in loot and plunder. Firstly, Islam declares loot and plunder to be a heinous crime. Moreover, facts tell their own tale. There is not a single report on record to say that the Muslims ever seized the merchandise of the caravan, nor spilled blood. Thirdly, if loot had been the object, the Meccan caravans should not have been the only target.
Some background history
In 612 Muhammad (pbuh) began teaching his revelation in his home city of Mecca, by 615 the persecution of the small band of Muslims became so bad, including the killing of a number of Muslims for their belief, that a small group of 80 were sent to Abyssinia to seek refuge. By 616 persecution in Mecca had risen to the point where Meccans were forbidden to trade with any Muslim, causing food shortages and other hardship.
In 620 a diplomatic envoy from Yatrib approached Muhammad, converted to Islam and invited the Muslims to relocate to Yatrib, latter to be called Madina To Nabi, or simply Medina. After the death of Muhammad's influential uncle the Meccans plot to assassinate Muhammad in his sleep but fail and Muhammad and the remaining Muslims in Mecca flee to Medina in 622. The Meccans see this flight as defection and vow revenge on the Muslims and Medina.
The Quraish had started preparations for an attack on Medina immediately after the Prophet (pbuh) had left Mecca. Small parties of the Quraish hovered around Medina, and Kurz Fihri (one of the chiefs of Mecca) had been bold enough to make off with some live-stock from the pasture-lands of the city.
Events began to change when Kurz Ibn Jabir Fihri attacked the pasture lands of Medina and stole some some cattle belonging to the Muslims. Three months later a party of the Quraish returning from Syria with some mechandise passed nearby. Abdullah Ibn Jahash, a Muslim, attacked them. One of the Meccans was killed and two others captured with some booty. On return to Medina Abdullah Ibn Jahash related the story to the Prophet and presented the booty. The Prophet reminded him that he had not been permitted to act like that and refused to accept the booty. The Companions were outraged and said, to Abdulah, "You did something for which you had no orders, and fought during the Prohibited month, which you were not permitted to do"
The first thing necessary for an attack by Mecca was enough money to bear the expenses of the expedition. Consequently, the trade caravan that left Mecca that spring was liberally financed, each Meccan investing whatever he had in cash.
The caravan had not yet left Syria for it's homeward journey, when Hadrami was slain. For the angry Quraish it added fuel to the fire. In the mean time a rumour went round in Mecca that the Muslims were coming out of Medina to plunder the caravan.
When the Prophet came to hear of this, he called the Muslims together and informed them of the situation. The Ansar, the Median Muslims, when they had first pledged their support had promised to unsheathe their swords only when the enemy fell upon Medina. After being appraised of the situation they vowed to join Muhammad in meeting the Meccan army at Badr.
In short, on 12 Ramadan, 2nd year of the Hijra, the Prophet left Medina with three hundred followers. They had gone about a mile, when the Prophet reviewed the Muslim army. Those who were young were sent back.
The quraish had set out from Mecca a thousand strong in addition to 100 cavalry men. All the chiefs of the Quraish were present except Abu Lahab, who was absent but had sent sent a substitute. Supplies were so abundant that the chiefs of the quraish, as, 'Abbas Ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, 'Utba Ibn Rabi'a, Harith Ibn 'Amir, Abu Jahl, 'Umayya and others slaughtered, each by turn, ten camels a day to feed the army. 'Uthba Ibn Rabi'a, the most honoured among them held the chief command.
On reaching Badr the Quraish learned that the caravan under Abu Sufyan had passed and was then out of danger. The men from the tribes of Zahra and 'Adi suggested that it was then needless to resort to fighting. But Abu Jahl would not agree. The Zahra and Bani 'Adi turned back, and the rest of the Meccan army moved on.
The battle of Badr was one of family member against family member. When the two armies met, warriors saw their own near and dear ones under the flash of their steel. Abu Bakr steped forward, to engage his own son who had not come to Islam . When 'Utba came ot, his Muslim son Hudhaifa advance to meet him, and the sword of 'Umar was red with the blood of his maternal uncle.
With these odds against them, 1000 footmen and 100 horsemen against 300 footmen, the Muslims found at the end of the battle, that they had lost only fourteen. On the other hand, the Quraish were crushed and almost all the Meccans who had led the tribes were lost. About seventy Meccan men were killed and as many taken prisoners. Out of the seventy prisoners, two, 'Uqbh and Nadr Ibn Harith, were put to death and the rest brought to Medina as captives.
The prisoners of war were distributed in twos and fours among the Companions, with instructions to look to their comfort. The Companions carried out the Prophet's wishes so faithfully that they offered their food to the prisoners, while they themselves had to be content with mere dates. Abu 'Aziz, the brother of Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair, was one of the prisoners. He says that the Ansaris, the Median Meccans, who had charge of him used to place bread before him while they themselves took date. He felt ashamed and forced it into their hands, but they would not even touch it and returned it to him. This was because the Prophet had ordered the Muslims to treat the prisoners well.
One of the captives was Suhail Ibn 'Amir, an eloquent speaker, who used to harangue against the Prophet in public. 'Umar suggested to the Prophet to have two of his lower teeth pulled out to rob im of his fine delivery. "If I disable him", replied the Prophet, "God may disable my limbs in return, though I am His Messenger."
Reaching Medina the Prophet consulted the Companions concerning the fate of the prisoners of war. Abu Bakr was in favour of setting them free for ransom as all of them happened to be their own kith and kin. But in the opinion of 'Umar Islam knew no kinship and they all deserved to be put death ,each to be slain by his own Muslim kinsman. The Holy Prophet approved the suggestion of Abu Bakr and the prisoners were set free on payment of ransom. Each prisoner was charged 4,000 Dirhams. Those who were poor to pay were set free without any ransom, and those who knew haw to write were asked to teach it to ten Muslims children in lieu of their ransom.
In addition to the battle of Badr, I'm aware of the following military campaings before the treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
625 - The Battle of Uhud, outside Medina. Mecca defeats the Muslims in retaliation for Badr 627 - The Battle of the Trench. 3000 Muslims defend Medina from 10,000 Meccans.
628 - Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. the treaty insures 10 years of peace between Mecca and Medina along with the right of Muslims to attend pilgramage the following year.
630 - Meccans violate the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Muhammad marches on Mecca with a large army of Muslims and allies. Mecca concedes defeat without a fight. Muhammad takes the city without bloodshed. There is no retaliation , nor is anyone forced to convert to Islam.
There is a great deal of information on each of the battles.
Doesn't the Koran explicitly authorize Mohammad himself to profit from war?
8:1 They ask thee (O Muhammad) of the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger, so keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference, and obey Allah and His messenger, if ye are (true) believers.
If I recall correctly, spoils were divided up equally among the troops with 1/5th going to Muhammad and the companions to be dipersed to the poor.
After a short illness, Muhammad died around noon on Monday 8 June 632, in the city of Medina at the age of sixty-three.
Muhammad had established Islam as a social and political force and had unified most of Arabia. If Muhammad were to have profited from his military campaings and short rule, it is sad that when he died he only owned a few possessions, including his bed mat and pillow made of reed fiber, a shield and sword.
Peace
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