Expedition of Ubaydah ibn al-Harith

Part of the Muslim–Quraysh War

Date	April, 623 AD (1 AH)
Location	Batn Rabigh, Mecca, Hejaz
Result	Bloodless battle

Belligerents

Muhajirun (Muslim migrants to Medina)

Quraish of Mecca

Commanders and leaders

Ubaydah ibn al-Harith

Abu Sufyan

Strength

60-80

200

Casualties and losses

Unknown (Arrows fired)

Unknown (1 arrow fired)

Campaigns of Muhammad

In April 623, the Islamic prophet Muhammad sent Ubaydah ibn al-Harith with a party of sixty armed Muhajirun (Muslim migrants to Medina) to the valley of Rabigh, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. They expected to intercept a Quraysh caravan that was returning from Syria under the protection of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and 200 armed riders.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] The Muslim party travelled as far as the wells at Thanyat al-Murra,^[1]^[4] where Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas shot an arrow at the Quraysh. This is known as the first arrow of Islam.^[6]^[7] Despite this surprise attack, "they did not unsheathe a sword or approach one another," and the Muslims returned empty-handed;^[2]^[3]^[4] however, two Meccans traders left their caravan, became Muslim, and went with the expedition back to Medina.^[8]

Timing

Some say that Ubaydah ibn al-Harith was the first to whom Muhammad gave a banner on a military expedition; others say Hamza was the first.^[2]

Some scholars assert that Muhammad sent out the expedition while he was in Al-Abwa' or upon his return to the Medina from the raid of Al-Abwa'.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume, p. 281.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ibn Saad/Bewley, p. 37.
^ ^a ^b Haykal, M. H. (1935). Translated by al-Faruqi, I. R. A. (1976). The Life of Muhammad, p. 256. Chicago: North American Trust Publications.
^ ^a ^b ^c Mubarakpuri, S. R. (1979). Ar-Raheeq Al-Maktum (The Sealed Nectar), p. 92. Riyadh: Darussalem Publishers.
^ Hawarey, Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust. ISBN 9789957051648.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here
^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 128.
^ Muir, Sir William (1877). The Life of Mohammed. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 128.
^ Al-ʻUmarī, Burayk Muḥammad Burayk (1996). Al-Sarāyā wa-al-buʻūth al-Nabawīyah ḥawla al-Madīnah wa-Makkah : dirāsah naqdīyah taḥlīlīyah السرايا والبعوث النبوية حول المدينة ومكة : دراسة نقدية تحليلية (in Arabic). Dār Ibn al-Jawzī. p. 81. Archived from the original on 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2016-03-30.