The Battle of Badr

INTRODUCTION:
The battle of Badr was the most important among the Islamic battles of Destiny. For the first time the followers of the new faith were put into a serious test. Had victory been the lot of the pagan army while the Islamic forces were still at the beginning of their developments, the faith of Islam could have come to an end.

CAUSES:
Muhammad was born in Mecca around 571 CE into the quraish tribe. In 622, to escape persecution of Muslims by the Meccans, Muhammad and many of his followers migrated from Mecca to the neighboring city of Medina. This migration is called the Hijra. Following the hijra, tensions between Mecca and Medina escalated and hostilities broke out in 623 when the Muslims began a series of raids (called

ghazawt in Arabic) on Quraishi caravans. Ghazawt (s. ghazw) were plundering

raids organized by nomadic Bedouin warriors against either rival tribes or wealthier, sedentary neighbors. Since Medina was located just off Mecca's main trade route, the Muslims were in an ideal position to do this. Even though many Muslims were Quraish themselves, they believed that they were entitled to such raids because the Meccans had expelled them from their property, homes and tribes, a serious offense in hospitality-oriented Arabia. Also, there was a tradition in Arabia of poor tribes raiding richer tribes. It also provided a means for the Muslim community to carve out an independent economic position at Medina, where their political position was far from secure. The Meccans obviously took a

different view, seeing the Muslim raids as banditry at best, as well as a potential threat to their livelihood and prestige.

AIMS:
The Quran clearly states in Sarah Al-Anfaal (revealed immediately after the battle of Badr) that the prophet had set out from Madeenah, not to attack the caravan, but with a clear goal of defending against the invading army and establishing the truth of Islam and his mission by standing up against the falsehood despite all the odds. Just as your Lord had brought you out of your house The sake of the Truth, though some of the believers dislike it. They argued with you in the matter of the Truth after it was made clear, as if they were watching themselves being driven to death. This was when Allah had promised one of the two bands to be yours, and you (some of the Muslims) wanted to go after the unarmed one, while Allah wanted to establish the legitimacy of the Truth and to uproot the disbelievers so that Truth was legitimately established as the Truth and falsehood was shown to be falsehood, even though the evil-doers (invaders) did not like it (. Al-Anfaal 8:5-8)

Thus, according to the Holy Qurans, the Muslim army left their homes clearly to establish the legitimacy of the Islamic state by defending itself against the invading army whose departure from Makkah was known before they ever left their homes, though some weak Muslims wanted to opt for chasing the caravan. The claim that Muslims set out to attack the caravan but changed their mind on their way when they discovered the coming of the army is totally invalid in the light of the Qur-aan.

IMPORTANCE:
No one was aware of the importance of the outcome of the battle as the Prophet (saww) himself. We might read the depth of his fervor in his prayer before the beginning of the battle when he stood up supplicating his Lord: God this is Quraish. It has come with all its arrogance and boastfulness, trying to discredit Thy Apostle. God, I ask Thee to humiliate them tomorrow. God, if this Muslim band will perish today, Thou shall not be worshipped.

HISTORY:
At this battle in which the pagan army consisted of 950 fighters and the Muslim army consisted of 314 (including the Messenger), the Islamic defense was a combination of three defensive lines: 1. The personality of the Messenger, his leadership and his unequalled firmness. He (saww) was to the Muslims the final refuge at Badr and at every battle he attended. 2. The Hashimites (the clan of the Prophet) were led by Ali Ibn Abu Talib who entered this battle relatively obscure and came out with unequalled military fame. His military performances became the most popular subject of the Arab caravans' conversations throughout the Arabian Peninsula. 3. The hundreds of companions of the Messenger had hearts that were filled with the faith and readiness for sacrifice. Many of them viewed matyrdom to be a gain, equal to life and victory. These good companions were the army of Islam, its first

line of defense and a thick wall behind which the Messenger (saww) used to stand. They were the attackers and the defenders. The Messsenger (saww) took a handful of gravel when the battle was extremely heated. He threw it at the faces of the pagans saying: "May your faces be disfigured. God, terrify their hearts . and invalidated their feet."

PROGRESS:
Allah caused approximately seventy of the Associators to be slain and the same number to be captured. Among these were al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdi 'lMuttalib, 'Aqil ibn Abi Talib and Nawfal ibn al-Harith, all of whom accepted Islam. Two others 'Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt and an-Nadr. Ibn al-Harith, the Messenger of Allah had slain in a nearby spot called as-Safra'. He said to al-'Abbas: "Ransom yourself, your two nephews 'Aqil . . . and Nawfal, your ally 'Utbah ibn 'Amr and the man of the tribe of al-Harith ibn Fihr, for you are a man of great wealth. al-'Abbas. Answered, "I was a Muslim, but the people coerced me!" The Prophet answered: "Allah knows best your Islam; if it were true, . . He shall reward you for it. As for your man ifest action, it was against us." Al-Abbas retorted: "I have no wealth!"

The Prophet asked, "Where is the wealth which you entrusted . . , . . to Umm al-Fadl in Mecca, when no one was with you? You then said to her, 'If I shall be slain on this journey, this wealth shall be given to my sons al-Fadl, 'Abdullah and Qutham.'" Al-Abbas exclaimed with amazement: "O Apostle of Allah, I now know that you are . indeed the Messenger of Allah! For this is something which no one else besides me and Umm al-Fadl knew! Calculate then, O Apostle of Allah, the amount Of wealth which falls to you as booty from me. I had with me twenty ounces (of precious metal)." The Messenger of Allah said: "May that which Allah has granted us through you be never exhausted!" al-'Abbas then ransomed himself with one hundred ounces and each of the others with forty. Abu Sufyan returned next morning to his men and sent a few men as raiders to Medina. They came to a spot called al-'Arid, where they came upon a man of the Ansar and his ally, both of whom they killed, and then ran away. The men of Medina also vowed revenge. The Messenger of Allah went out after them until he reached Qarqaratu 'l-Kudr near the quarter of the tribe of Sulaym, about eight miles from Medina. The Prophet, however, returned without overtaking Abu Sufyan. The Muslims found some provisions which Abu Sufyan and his men had left

on the road in order that they might lighten their load and thus run more swiftly to safety. The Muslims asked the Apostle of Allah when they returned to Medina: "O Apostle of Allah, do we deserve to consider this a battle (that is, an act of jihad in Allah's way)?" "Yes", He replied.

Impact of Islamic civilization

INTRODUCTION:
Muhammad bin Qasim in A.D. 712. After the foundation of Muslim rule in India, Islam spread far and wide and brought about a great change in the social a religious outlook of the people. Muhammad Bin Qasim, the great Muslim hero and commander, entered India as a conqueror and lived there for three years. He introduced Islamic system and left an indelible impact on Indian society by the example of his character and generosity. Islam, as a faith and system of life, won many followers in sub-continent because of its simple and humanitarian principles. Before the advent of the Muslims many foreign tribes had come to India, but all of them had been assimilated into Indian society. This however was not possible in case of the Muslims. The basic social and religious ideas of Islam differed so widely from those of Hinduism that Muslim invaders could not be absorbed in Indian society Islam was a well-defined faith and its monotheistic belief and exclusive religious outlook made its absorption into Hinduism impossible. During their stay in India from 12th century A.D. to 18th

century A.D., the Muslims converted a considerable number of native people into Islam. Yet throughout this period the Muslims remained a minority community. However gradually Hindus and Muslims came in close contact with each other in various fields like administration, literature and in religions. History has shown that when two civilizations, however opposed and different, come in close contact for centuries, both are bound to be influenced by each other. This is what has happened in India in the medieval period. The idea of brotherhood of man, the belief in one God, a total surrender to God, which are the basic principles of Islam made a deep impression on the minds of Indian thinkers and reformers of the period. Finally, as a result of Hindus and Muslims interacting with each other two religious movements developed, namely Sufism among the Muslims and Bhakti among the Hindus.

MAJOR

ISLAMIC

IMPACT

ON

SUBCONTINENT:
Impact on religion:
Before the coming of Islam to India, the people were divided in several religious factions and an intense struggle was going on between Hinduism and other religions. continent, it When Islam was introduced to the people of the submany followers because of its simple and easily attracted

understandable principles. The introduction of Islam completely transformed the Indian society into a well knit social fraternity. Islam came as blessing for the oppressed classed in India whose life had become miserable because of the deep rooted caste system. Most of the Indian Muslims converted to Islam were belonged to the lower classes of the Indian society. Besides these Muslims there are also Muslims who belonged to the ruling families of the different Indian kingdoms. Some of these rulers were Hindus who actually belonged to the warrior castes of the Hindu society and adopted Islam. Islam brought a new way of life for them which they had never experienced before in the Hindu society. The respectable way of life, shown to them under Islam, gave them a feeling of being human beings. Islam infused a different thinking and sentiments among the people of the sub-continent.

Impact on socialization:
India was divided into several sects and class when Islam reached here. Since Islam propounds that all human beings are equal and accordingly make no discriminations on the basis of caste or creed. Hindus in large numbers adopted Islam voluntarily. However, even the Muslim rulers got many Hindus forcibly converted to Muslim. Islam had its deep impact on the social life too.

The practice of purdah has been the result of the impact of Islam. Since the Hindu society was living in isolation for several thousand years under a tight Brahminic control, it had lost its vigor and vitality. Bottled in their own customs and rites the Hindus were politically divided and militarily weak. This naturally resulted in a major shake up by the Muslim who was strong and better equipped. A sense of homogeneity and oneness grew in the social set-up after the arrival of the Muslims in India. Indian society was now a well knit whole and a sense of centralism had evolved amongst the various sections of society. With the arrival of the Muslims, India established relations with the other countries of the world. Diplomatic and trade links were established.

Impact on culture:
The impact of Islam could be seen on the cultural life of the Indians too. The Hindus to a great extent have adopted the thoughts and belief of Islam. The impact of Islam on Indian culture has been inestimable. It permanently influenced the development of all areas of human like language, dress, cuisine, all the art forms, architecture and urban design, and social customs and values. Conversely, the languages of the Muslim invaders were modified by contact with local languages, to Urdu, which uses the Arabic script. The Farsi language was introduced in the sub-continent by the Muslims. At the time of the Mughal, Farsi became the official language in the whole sub-continent. Even the Hindus used this language for communication. By the interaction of these languages new languages like Urdu and Hindi emergedIn the rule of Delhi Sultans, there are constructions which are designed by Muslims and built by Hindus who could not shun their artistic excellence which they have shown in temple constructions. The materials used in temples were used later for the construction of Mosques which led to consist of Hindu element in Islamic constructions. Sometimes, they have only morphed the

temple into Mosque by changing roof. Islamic influence was visible in the miniature paintings of that time. Due to Muslim influence there was a wide transformation in Hindu Art and cultural activities. Sufi created the spirit of tolerance. Muslim influence brought music out of the temples into the courts and chambers of royal families. Some of the Muslim Mughal rulers, who loved music and helped it grow, enriched North Indian music by incorporating Persian elements. New types of music like the Khayal, Thumri and Tarana were introduced.The Muslim conquest of India left a considerable impact on the Indian architecture and there was a unique development in art during the Muslim rule

Impact on literature:
In every country that was conquered including India, the first duty of Islam was to build a mosque in which Allah would be worshipped. Attached to the mosque was a school (Madersa) where people were taught to read and study the Quran.
From this initial point they enlarged the study of science, literature and art. Schools were founded, great universities established, and libraries were built, which laid the permanent foundation of knowledge. The old languages Sanskrit and Parakrit were influenced by Arabic and Persian and later on by Turkish language. By the interaction of these languages new languages like Urdu and Hindi emerged.

Impact on history:
The arrival of Muslims in the sub-continent marks a new development in the art of recording historical events. Historical literature which existed before the arrival of the Muslims was mostly legendary and unauthentic.

Impact on architecture:
The Muslim conquest of India left a considerable impact on the Indian architecture and there was a unique development in art during the Muslim rule. Muslim architecture frequently mingled with the Hindu style of buildings. The Hindu temples, their pillars and domes reflected some glimpses of Muslims architecture. In the new buildings red stone and marble was used which was a significant characteristic of the Muslim way of construction. Muslim architecture frequently mingled with the Hindu style of buildings. The Hindu temples, their pillars and domes reflected some glimpses of Muslims architecture. In the new buildings red stone and marble was used which was a significant characteristic of the Muslim way of construction.

Serat nabawi (S.A.W.W)

Life in Makah:
LIFE BEFORE PROPHETHOOD:
It was in the year 571 of the Christian era that Prophet Muhammad was born, on the 12th of the lunar month Rabi' I. He came of the noblest family of Arabia, the Quraish, who were held in the highest esteem, being guardians of the Sacred House at Makka, the Ka'ba, the spiritual centre of the whole of Arabia. The Arabs belonged to one race and spoke one language, yet they were the most disunited people. Tribe made war on tribe, and family on family, on the most trivial excuse. The strong among them trampled upon the rights of the weak, and the weak could not get their wrongs redressed. The widow and the orphan were quite helpless and slaves were treated most cruelly.

Amongst this people was born Muhammad, an orphan from his birth, who lost even his mother when six years old. He came of the noblest family of the Quraish, yet, like the rest of his countrymen, he was not taught reading and writing. He tended sheep for some time, and the noblest of the Arabs had no

contempt for that occupation, but in his youth he was chiefly occupied in trade. It was, however, his high morals that distinguished him from the first from all his compatriots. The Holy Quran, which contains the most trustworthy account of the Prophet's life, says that he was the "possessor of sublime morals." [68:4] Leading generally a reserved life, he had for friends only those men whose moral greatness was admitted by all. His truthfulness is testified in the clearest words [6:33]. His bitterest opponents were challenged to point out a single black spot on his character during the forty years that he had passed among them before he received the Divine call [10:16]. It was in his youth that, on account of his pure and unsoiled character and his love for truth and honesty, he won from his compatriots the title of al-Amin, or the Faithful. Living in a country in which idol-worship was the basis of the everyday life of the community, Muhammad hated idolatry from his childhood, and the Holy Quran is again our authority for the statement that he never bent his forehead before an idol [109:4]. Even Sir William Muir bears testimony to the purity of his character in his youth:
"Our authorities all agree in ascribing to the youth of . . Muhammad a modesty of deportment and purity of Manners rare among the Makkans."

Above all, his earlier life was marked by that rare characteristic, rarest of all in Arabia at the time, love of the poor, the orphan, the widow, the weak, the helpless and the slave. Before he had affluence of means, he was one of the members who took an oath to stand by the oppressed and formed themselves into a league as champions of the injured. When at twenty-five he married a wealthy widow, Khadija, he spent freely for the help of the poor. To these great qualities was added his anxiety for a fallen humanity. The Quran refers to it repeatedly [9:128, 18:6, 26:3, and 35:8]. As

years went on, the gross idolatry of the Arabs and their evil ways pressed the more heavily on his heart, and he spent hours in solitude in the neighboring mountains.

LIFE AFTER PROPHETHOOD:

The first revelation:
It was his practice to retire often to a cave in the desert for meditation. His place of retreat was Hira, a cave in a mountain called the Mountain of Light not far from Makkah, and his chosen month was Ramadan, the month of heat. It was there one night toward the end of his quiet month that the first revelation came to him when he was forty years old. He heard a voice say: Read! He said: I cannot read. The voice again said: Read! He said: I cannot read. A third times the voice, more terrible, commanded: Read! He said: What can I read? The voice said: Read: In the name of thy Lord who created. Createth man from a clot. Read: And it is thy Lord the Most Bountiful Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not.

First converts:
For the first three years, or rather less, of his mission, the Prophet preached to his family and his intimate friends, while the people of Makkah as a whole regarded him as one who had become a little mad. The first of all his converts was his wife Khadijah, the second his first cousin Ali, whom he had adopted, the third his servant Zayd, a former slave. His old friend Abu Bakr also was among those early converts.

BEGNINING OF TABLIQ:
At the end of the third year the Prophet received the command to arise and warn, whereupon he began to preach in public, pointing out the wretched folly of idolatry in face of the tremendous laws of day and night, of life and death, of growth and decay, which manifest the power of Allah and attest His sovereignty. It was then, when he began to speak against their gods, that Quraysh became actively hostile, persecuting his poorer disciples, mocking and insulting him. The one consideration which prevented them from killing him was fear of the blood-vengeance of the clan to which his family belonged. Strong in his inspiration, the Prophet went on warning, pleading, threatening, while Quraysh did all they could to ridicule his teaching, and deject his followers.

FIRST pact of al- Aqabah:

These swore allegiance to him in the first pact of al-Aqabah. They then returned to Yathrib with a Muslim teacher in there, company and soon there was not a house in Yathrib wherein there was not mention of the messenger of Allah.

Second pact of al- Aqabah:

In the following year, at the time of pilgrimage, seventy-three Muslims from Yathrib came to Makkah to vow allegiance to the Prophet and invite him to their city. At al-Aqabah, by night, they swore to defend him as they would defend their own wives and children. It was then that the Hijrah, the flight to Yathrib, was decided.

Plot to the Murder of Prophet:

Soon the Muslims, who were in a position to do so, began to sell their property and to leave Makah unobtrusively. Quraysh had wind of what was going

on. They hated Muhammad in their midst, but dreaded what he might become if he escaped from them. It would be better, they considered, to destroy him now. The death of Abu Talib had removed his chief protector; but still they had to reckon with the vengeance of his clan upon the clan of the murderer. They cast lot and chose a slayer out of every clan. All these were to attack the Prophet simultaneously and strike together, as one man. Thus his murder would be blamed on all Quraysh. It was at this time (Ibn Khaldun asserts, and it is the only satisfactory explanation of what happened afterwards) that the Prophet received the first revelation ordering him to make war upon his persecutors Until persecution is no more and religion is for Allah only.

Migration to Medina:
The Holy Prophet (S) reached a cave in Mount Thawr near Makkah and hid there for three days. After three days, he left the cave and continued his journey until he reached Madinah where he was welcomed by the people of Madinah.

On the other side, the infidels of Makkah who had surrounded the house of the Holy Prophet (S) at night, dashed inside at dawn, and went to his bed with their swords pulled out. They unexpectedly found 'Ali (as) sleeping in the bed of the Holy Prophet (S). As soon as they found out that the Holy Prophet (S) had left Makkah, they began searching for him around Makkah, but after a thorough search they returned with a great disappointment. The Holy Prophet (S) stayed in Madinah where the people most willingly converted to Islam and wholeheartedly supported him. The city of Madinah turned into an Islamic city. Until then, this city was called "Yathrib", but after this occurrence, it assumed the name of "Madinat al-Rasul" (the City of Prophet) and became the first Islamic city. Of course, although munafiqin (hypocrites), the Arab

minorities of Madinah who formed about one-third of the city's population, being scared of the majority, pretended to be Muslims. Every day one of the roots of corruption and indecent behaviour was eradicated and replaced by piety and justice. Gradually, the followers of Islam, who had remained in Makkah after the Holy Prophet's (S) Hijrah and were under the harassment and severe torture by the unbelievers, left their homes and fled to Madinah where they were received with warm hospitality by their religious brethren. Muslims who had remained in Makkah gradually migrated and gathered in Madinah. These people were called muhajirin (immigrants) and the believers in the city of Madinah were called "Ansar"(helpers). The rapid advancement of Islam seriously annoyed the unbelievers of Makkah and increased their wrath and animosity towards the Holy Prophet (S) and the followers of Islam. They were after a pretext to disrupt the unity of the followers of Islam. On the other hand, the followers of Islam, too, especially the Muhajirin of Makkah who were quite unhappy with the unbelievers, expected a divine permission to punish the cruel unbelievers for their evil deeds and to liberate their women, innocent children, and helpless old people living under persecution and torture in Makkah.

The Battle of Badr:

The first battle between the Muslims and the unbelievers of Makkah took place at Badr (a valley between Makkah and Madinah) in the second year of the Hijrah. In this battle, the number of fully equipped unbelievers was about one thousand. The Muslims were about one-third of them and lacked all necessary war equipment, but divine dispensation afforded the Muslims a bright victory and defeated the unbelievers in the worst possible way.

Suffering heavy casualties and many captives and losing their entire stock of equipment in this battle, the mushrikin (polytheists) ran away to Makkah. It is said that in this battle, seventy unbelievers were killed, out of which almost half of them were killed by the sword of 'Ali (as). Also seventy people from the unbelievers were taken as captives.

The Battle of Uhud:

In the third year of Hijrah, the unbelievers of Makkah, led by Abu Sufyan again rushed towards Madinah with three thousand men (and according to one narration with five thousand men). They confronted the Muslims at Uhud outside Madinah. In this battle, the Holy Prophet (S) arrayed seven hundred Muslims to face the enemy. In the beginning of the battle, the Muslims had the upper hand again, but after a few hours due to the mistake of some Muslims, the army of Islam was defeated. At this time, the unbelievers attacked from all sides and the Muslims suddenly found themselves surrounded on all sides by the swords of unbelievers. One of the unbelievers who inflicted a blow on the Holy Prophet's (S) shoulder shouted: "I killed Muhammad". Hearing this, the army of Islam dispersed. Only 'Ali (as), along with a few men, remained steadfastly near the Holy Prophet (S). All these were killed but 'Ali (as) resisted the enemy until the end of the battle and defended the Holy Prophet (S). Although the Muslims sustained heavy casualties in this battle, in fact, it finished to the advantage of Islam and Muslims. The Muslims drew a more important conclusion out of this battle and experienced the inauspicious consequence of violating the order of the Holy Prophet (S). Having given up the battle, both the confronting sides promised to fight another battle in Badr next year at the same time. The Holy Prophet (S), with a group of his disciples, went to Badr on time, but the unbelievers refrained from coming. After this battle, the Muslims became very well prepared and made advancement on all sides in the peninsula except in the region of Makkah and Ta'if.

The Battle of Khandaq:

This was the third battle declared by the Arab unbelievers against the Holy Prophet (S). It was also the last battle under the leadership of the people of Makkah. It was a very severe battle in which the unbelievers had fully equipped themselves with their forces and powers. In the history, this battle is known as the "Battle of Ahzab" and "Khandaq". In spite of the non-aggression treaty signed by the Jews and Muslims, the Jewish people also had secretly involved themselves with the plot and violated the treaty and signed a cooperation agreement with the unbelievers. Thus, in the fifth year of Hijrah, a fully mobilized army comprising of Quraysh, various Arab tribes, and Jewish people rushed to Madinah totally equipped. It was in this battle only that ' Amr ibn 'Abdwudd, a most renowned equestrian and a most famous brave man of Arabia, was killed by the powerful hands of 'Ali (as). Finally, as a result of wind, cold, the fatigue of the Arab idolaters from the extended duration of the siege, and the difference and separation between the Jews and Arabs, the siege got broken without any result; thus the army of the unbelievers dispersed from around Madinah.

The Battle of Khaybar:

After the Battle of Khandaq, originally provoked by the Jews who cooperated with the Arab unbelievers and who had openly breached their treaty with Muslims, the Holy Prophet (S) proceeded to punish the Jewish tribes in Madinah by the order of Allah. He fought several battles, all of which ended in the victory and triumph of Muslims. The most important of these battles was the Battle of Khaybar. The Jews of Khaybar had several fortifications in hand and a considerable number of belligerents with adequate equipment at their disposal.

Inviting the Rulers and Kings To Islam:

The Holy Prophet (S) settled in Madinah. Gradually, a great number of the Muslims of Makkah, who were under the torture by the unbelievers, relinquished their homes and belongings and migrated to Madinah. Ansar also kept their promise and received them wholeheartedly. The Holy Prophet (S) constructed Masjid al-Nabi at Madinah. Other mosques were also built. Missionaries of Islam were sent to the outskirts and treaties were signed with Jewish tribes of Madinah and its suburbs and also with some Arab tribes. Thus Islam began to flourish with its enormous luminosity.In the 6th year of the Hijrah, the Holy Prophet (S) sent letters to the rulers and kings such as the King of Iran, Qaysar (Caesar) of Rome, Khedive of Egypt, and AlNajashi (Negus) of Ethiopia and invited them to embrace Islam. People of Makkah accepted Islam. The Holy Prophet (S) summoned all the leaders of Makkah, who had in the last 20 years shown their animosity and behaved inhumanely with him and his followers, and pardoned them all with utmost magnanimity and without showing the slightest harshness and moroseness.

The Battle of Hunayn:

After the conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet (S) proceeded to clear out the suburbs of the city and fought numerous battles with the Arab idol-worshippers, one of which was the Battle of Hunayn. The Battle of Hunayn was one of the most important battles of the Holy Prophet (S). It took place in the valley of Hunayn against the tribe of Hawazin. The army of Islam, with twelve thousand soldiers, arrayed in front of the army of Hawazin which was equipped with a few thousand men. A heavy battle took place between them.

The Battle of Tabuk:

In the 9th year of Hijrah, the Holy Prophet (S) dispatched an army to Tabuk (located at the borders of Hijaz and Damascus) to fight a battle with Rome,

because the rumors had spread that the Qaysar of Rome was preparing an army comprised of Romans and Arabs in that area. The Battle of Mu'tah was previously fought there with Rome, leading to the martyrdom of the commanders of the army of Islam such as Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, Zayd ibn Harithah, and 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah.

Other Battles:
Within ten years of his stay in Madinah, the Holy Prophet (S) fought almost eighty major and minor battles other than those previously mentioned. The Holy Prophet (S) personally participated in almost one-fourth of the number of these battles. In the battles in which he participated, unlike other commanders who remained in shelters and only issued the orders for attacks and killing, the Holy Prophet (S) himself took part in the battlefield along with other soldiers, but no occasion arose for him to embark upon killing anyone.