Expedition (Sarya, سریہ) of Ubaidah Ibn Harith رضى الله عنه

Expedition (Sarya, سریہ) of Ubaidah ibn Harith ibn Al-Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf took place in the month of Shawwal 1 A.H., around 8 months after

Muhammad’s migration to Madinah. It was the second military expedition sent by Prophet Muhammad from Madinah, which consisted of 60 ¹ or 80 riders, ² all from the immigrant (Muhajreen) companions only. For this expedition, Ubaidah ibn Harith travelled as far as the water springs in the region of Al-Juhfa. ³

Prophet Muhammad ordered to prepare a white flag for Ubaidah ibn Harith and sent him towards a place called Rabigh (رابغ), ⁴ which is located 10 miles away from Juhfah (جحفة) on the way to Qudaid ⁵ The flag of the expedition was held by Mistah ibn Athatha . ⁶

Some of the biographers are of the opinion that Sarya of Ubaidah took place earlier than the Sarya of Hamza , and it was the first military expedition against the pagans of Makkah. Other scholars claim that Prophet Muhammad sent Ubaidah ibn Harith when he returned from the Battle of Al-Abwa, before his arrival at Madinah, ⁷ while he sent Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib with 30 riders to Saif Al-Bahr after reaching Madinah. ⁸ So both of them are regarded as the first commanders dispatched by Prophet Muhammad for military expedition in the way of Allah.

Advancement of Muslim Army

Ubaidah ibn Harith moved with his cavalry on the orders of Prophet Muhammad and they met the enemy at the waters of Ahya (أَحْيَاءٌ), located at the foothills of the Rabigh valley. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was moving with a caravan consisting of 200 men. ⁹ Some accounts suggest that Ikrama ibn Abu Jahl was in command of the Makkans while others state that they were commanded by Mikraz ibn Hafs ibn Al-Akhyaf, ¹⁰ but the authentic view is that the Makkans were led by Abu Sufiyan whose real name was Sakhr ibn Harb. ¹¹ Both armies faced each other, but no regular fight took place. The soldiers did not draw their swords, rather just shot arrows at each other. ¹²

Saad ibn Abi Waqqas’ Role

On this occasion, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas opened his quiver and went ahead of his companions while they protected him with their shields. Saad was the first Muslim to shoot an arrow in the way of Allah. It is said that he shot all 20 arrows of his quiver on this occasion and each of his arrows injured a non-believer or their animals. When the enemy retreated, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas advised Ubaidah ibn Harith to follow the enemy and make them prisoners as they were afraid of Muslims, but Ubaidah did not accept his suggestion and decided to return to Madinah. ¹³

Two Makkans joined the Muslims

During Sarya Ubaidah ibn Harith two of the men from the Quraysh tribe deserted the polytheists and joined the Muslim Army. Their names were Miqdad ibn Amr Al-Bahrani , who was an ally of Banu Zuhra, and Utba ibn Ghazwan ibn Jabir Al-Mazni , who was an ally of Banu Naufil ibn Abd Manaf tribe. They were Muslims and had purposefully travelled with the Makkan army and when they got a chance, they fled from the army of Makkan

and joined the Muslims during the battle. ¹⁴

Alleged Poetry Regarding the Expedition

Ibn Hisham quotes Ibn Ishaq and states that Abu Bakr Siddique composed some poetic verses about Sarya of Ubaida ibn Harith , but Ibn Hisham has also mentioned his doubts about its genuineness, whether it was really composed by Abu Bakar Siddique or by someone else who later attributed it to him. ¹⁵ Same is quoted by Ibn Kathir. ¹⁶ Poetry referred to Abu Bakr regarding Sarya Ubaida ibn Harith is quoted as:

  أمن طيف سلمى بالبطاح الدمائث
أرقت وأمر في العشيرة حادث
ترى من لؤي فرقة لا يصدها
عن الكفر تذكير ولا بعث باعث
رسول أتاهم صادق فتكذبوا
عليه وقالوا: لست فينا بماكث
إذا ما دعوناهم إلى الحق أدبروا
وهروا هرير المجحرات اللواهث
فكم قد متتنا فيهم بقرابة
وترك التقى شيء لهم غير كارث
فإن يرجعوا عن كفرهم وعقوقهم
فما طيبات الحل مثل الخبائث
وإن يركبوا طغيانهم وضلالهم
فليس عذاب الله عنهم بلابث
ونحن أناس من ذؤابة غالب
لنا العز منها في الفروع الأثائث
فأولي برب الراقصات عشية
حراجيج تحدى في السريح الرثائث
كأدم ظباء حول مكة عكف
يردن حياض البئر ذات النبائث
لئن لم يفيقوا عاجلا من ضلالهم
ولست إذا آليت قولا بجانث
لتبتدرنهم غارة ذات مصدق
تحرم أطهار النساء الطوامث
تغادر قتلى تعصب الطير حولهم
ولا ترأف الكفار رأف ابن حارث
فأبلغ بني سهم لديك رسالة
وكل كفور يبتغي الشر باحث
فإن تشعثوا عرضي على سوء رأيكم
فإني من أعراضكم غير شاعث. ¹⁷

  "Is it from the vision of Salma in the blood-soaked plains
That I lost sleep and a matter arose in the tribe?
You see a division from Luy that cannot be deterred
From disbelief by reminders or the call of a messenger.
A truthful messenger came to them, but they disbelieved him,
And said, 'You shall not linger among us.'
Whenever we call them to the truth, they retreat
Like the whinnying of thirsty camels.
How many ties of kinship have I lost among them,
And virtue is something they do not cherish?
If they turn away from their disbelief and disobedience,
Then nothing is as good as the pure and lawful.
And if they persist in their tyranny and misguidance,
Then the punishment of God will not be delayed.
We are people from the lineage of Ghalib,
From whom honor flows through noble branches.
So let them face the Lord of the dancers in the evening,
And the warriors challenge in the remnants of battle.
Like gazelles around Mecca, they are dwelling,
Seeking the watering holes of the well of tales.
If they do not awaken quickly from their misguidance,
I do not swear an oath to speak softly.
They will be confronted by a raid that is certain,
That will deny pure women the comforts of life.
Leaving behind the slain, the birds will circle around them,
And the infidels will not be spared by Ibn Harith.
So convey a message to the Banu Sahm,
And to every ungrateful one seeking to do harm.
If my honor is trampled upon by your poor opinion,
Then know that I am not concerned with your slanders."

Abu Bakr's link to this poetry or any other type of poetry has been denied by Aishah . Al-Zuhri quotes her narration which states that anyone who stated that Abu Bakr composed poetry in

is a liar. ¹⁸

Poetry of Saad ibn Abi Waqqas

It is cited that Saad ibn Abi Waqqas also composed some poetry and referred to his arrow shooting in the battle. That poetry is quoted as:

  ألا هل أتى رسول الله أني
حميت صحابتي بصدور نبلي
أذود بها أوائلهم ذيادا
بكل حزونة وبكل سهل
فما يعتد رام في عدو
بسهم يا رسول الله قبلي
وذلك أن دينك دين صدق
وذو حق أتيت به وعدل
ينجى المؤمنون به، ويجزى
به الكفار عند مقام مهل
فمهلا قد غويت فلا تعبني
غوي الحي ويحك يا بن جهل. ¹⁹

  "Has the messenger of God not been informed that I
Defended my companions with the shafts of my arrows?
I fend off their first wave with every hardship and ease,
So no archer can rely on a shot against the enemy
Before me, O Messenger of God.
And indeed, your religion is the religion of truth,
A right that you have brought with justice.
It saves the believers and punishes
The disbelievers at the time of reckoning.
So be patient; you have strayed, so do not trouble me,
O misguided one, woe to you, O son of Jahl."

Authenticity of the Poetry related to Sarya of Ubaida ibn Harith

After quoting the above poetries, Ibn Hisham himself has mentioned that the poetries related to the Sarya of Ubaida ibn Harith are not verified by the majority of scholars and it is doubtful whether these poetic verses were composed by the referred individuals or by someone else who attributed it to them. ²⁰

 

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• ¹ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1989), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-A’alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 10.
• ² Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktaba wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 591.
• ³ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1976), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifa lil Taba’a wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 339.
• ⁴ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1976), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifa lil Taba’a wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 338.
• ⁵ Abu Al-Fatah Muhammad ibn Syed Al-Naas (1993), ‘Uyoon Al-Athar fi Funoon Al-Maghazi wal-Shamail wal-Siyar, Dar Al-Qalam, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 261.
• ⁶ Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-‘Ibad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 6, Pg. 13.
• ⁷ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktaba wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 595.
• ⁸ Abu Al-Rab’i Sulaiman ibn Moosa Al-Himyari (2000), Al-Iktifa Bima Tazammanahu Min Maghazi Rasool Allah wal-Thalatha Al-Khulafa, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 319.
• ⁹ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1989), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-’Alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 10.
• ¹⁰ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 592.
• ¹¹ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1976), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifa lil Taba’a wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 339.
• ¹² Abu Al-Abbas Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Husaini (1999), Imta’ Al-Asma bima lin Nabi Min Al-Ahwal wal-Amwal wal-Hafadah wal-Mata’a, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 72.
• ¹³ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1989), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-’Alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 10-11.
• ¹⁴ Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-‘Ibad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 6, Pg. 13.
• ¹⁵ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 592-593.
• ¹⁶ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1976), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifa lil Taba’a wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 357-358.
• ¹⁷ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 592-593.
• ¹⁸ Mus’ab ibn Muhammad Abu Bakr ibn Masood (N.D.), Al-Imla Al-Mukhtasar fi Sharah Gharib Al-Siyar, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 148.
• ¹⁹ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 594-595.
• ²⁰ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 595.