Muhammad: Victory and Deathabout unbelievers and their destiny Hell, and the vv. 66f give their alleged
regrets about not having obeyed Allah and Muhammad, but rather their
lords and powerful men. The vv. 69f instruct believers not to be as those
who hurt Moses (verbally), but rather to fear God and speak words of
sincerity. The message of v. 72 is ambiguous, and v. 73 is a request for God
to punish the hypocrites and unbelievers, and turn Himself to the believers.
`A'isha is said to have reported that this sura contained 200 verses in
Muhammad's time.^77
In the 59th month after the Hijra, Muhammad sent Muhammad b.^78
Maslama and 30 Muslims to raid the Banu Bakr (al-Qurata). Along the way
they plundered some of the Muharib and took their livestock. When they
raided the al-Qurata, they are said to have killed about 10 men and seized
their livestock as well. The spoils reportedly totalled 150 camels and 3000
sheep, from which Muhammad took his one-fifth.^79
During the 61st month after the Hijra, Muhammad and 200 Musli^80 ms left
Medina on short notice in an attempted surprise attack on the Banu Lihyan
at al-Raji, where these had killed some of Muhammad's followers in the 36th month after the Hijra. When the Muslims arrived, however, the Banu Lihyan had already left the area, and they could not find anyone. Muhammad is said to have sent Abu Bakr with 10 horsemen to al-Ghamim in order to frighten the Meccans, who had allegedly not yet executed their two prisoners from al-Raji.^81
Also in the 61st month after the Hijra, the polytheist Uyayna b. Hisn raided al-Ghaba with 40 horsemen. They killed a Muslim, captured his wife and seized 20 of Muhammad's milch-camels. Some of the Muslims immediately pursued them and were able to engage them. Three ofUyayna's m^82 en
were said to have been killed; the Muslims lost one man and were able to
retrieve 10 of the camels. Muhammad eventually assembled 500 Muslims,^83
but then decided it was too late to continue the pursuit. The woman who
had been captured allegedly escaped and returned to Muhammad.^84
In the same month, Muhammad sent `Ukkasha b. Mihsan with 40 Muslims
to raid al-Ghamr. When they arrived, the Banu Asad had already fled, but
the Muslims were able to capture a man who showed them where a herd of
camels was. The Muslims took 200 camels and set the man free.^85