Banu Mustaliq

The Banu Mustaliq. The Banu Mustaliq, a branch of Banu Khuza'a occupied the territory of Qadid on the Red Sea shore between Jeddah and Rabigh. In 527 C.E. news was brought to Madina that the Banu Mustaliq in alliance with some other tribes were gathering to make a raid on Madina. The policy of the Holy Prophet was that the Muslims should not lose the initiative in such cases, and should take such tribes by surprise. Another aspect of the policy was that action against individual tribes should be taken before they could effect an alliance.

Expedition against Banu Mustaliq. In pursuance of this policy, the Holy Prophet decided to lead an expedition to Banu Mustaliq secretly and immediately. In the Muslim force that was mustered, Abu Bakr was the standard bearer of the Muhajireen. By forced marches the Muslim force reached Muraisi, where there was a spring from where Banu Mustaliq obtained their water supply. The Muslims cut off all communications by which other tribes could come to join Banu Mustaliq Banu Mustaliq were taken by surprise. They offered some resistance, but they lost heart and surrendered. In order to placate the tribe the Holy Prophet married a daughter of their chief Harith b Abi Dirar. Thereupon the entire tribe was converted to Islam.

Abdullah b Ubayye. The success of Muslims against Banu Mustaliq was marred by an unfortunate incident which exposed the hypocrisy of certain persons who professed to be Muslim but were otherwise hypocrites. In the matter of the watering of animals there was a dispute between two persons one of whom was a Muhajir and the other was Ansar. The Muhajir invoked the help of the Muhajirs while the Ansar invoked the help of the Ansar. Thereupon Abdullah b Ubayye a Muslim hypocrite said: "On reaching Madina we will drive away the Muhajreen from our city. By God our and their case is like the saying of old 'Fatten your dog and he will eat you. "

Reaction of the Holy Prophet. On hearing of this outburst of Abdullah b Ubayye, the Holy Prophet felt much annoyed but he suppressed his anger, and ordered an immediate return to Madina Some of the companions volunteered to cut off the head of the hypocrite. The Holy Prophet, however, remained silent. The son of Abdullah b Ubayye waited on the Holy Prophet and said, "I understand you are thinking of killing my father for his insolence. If some body else kills my father, it will be incumbent on me to rake revenge and kill his murderer, and thus one Muslim will be killed. If you are annoyed with my father and want him to be killed, command me, and I will kill him myself." The Holy Prophet was impressed with the loyalty of the young man to Islam, and assured him that he contemplated no action against his father.