82 No god but God
Revelation evolved from general statements about the goodness and
power of God to specific legal and civil rules for constructing and
maintaining a righteous and egalitarian society, so too did Muham-
mad’s prophetic consciousness evolve. No longer was his message to
be addressed solely to “the mother of cities [Mecca] and those who
dwell around it” (6:92). The dramatic success of the Ummah in
Yathrib had convinced Muhammad that God was calling him to be
more than just a warner to his “tribe and close kin” (26:214). He now
understood his role as being “a mercy to all the creatures of the world”
(21:107) and the Messenger “to all of humanity” (12:104; 81:27).
Of course, no matter how popular or successful or large his com-
munity became, it could never hope to expand beyond the borders of
Yathrib if the religious, economic, and social center of the Hijaz con-
tinued to oppose it. Eventually, Muhammad would have to confront
and, if possible, convert the Quraysh to his side. But first, he had to
get their attention.
Having learned in Mecca that the only effective way to confront
the Quraysh was through their pocketbooks, Muhammad made the
extraordinarily bold decision of declaring Yathrib to be a sanctuary
city (haram). This declaration—formalized in the Constitution of
Medina—meant that Yathrib could now conceivably become both a
religious pilgrimage site and a legitimate trading center (the two
being almost inseparable in ancient Arabia). But this was not merely a
financial decision. By declaring Yathrib a sanctuary city, Muhammad
was deliberately challenging Mecca’s religious and economic hege-
mony over the Peninsula. And just to make sure the Quraysh got the
message, he sent his followers out into the desert to take part in the
time-honored Arab tradition of caravan raiding.
In pre-Islamic Arabia, caravan raiding was a legitimate means for
small clans to benefit from the wealth of larger ones. It was in no way
considered stealing, and as long as no violence occurred and no blood
was shed, there was no need for retribution. The raiding party would
quickly descend on a caravan—usually at its rear—and carry off what-
ever they could get their hands on before being discovered. These
periodic raids were certainly a nuisance for the caravan leaders, but in
general they were considered part of the innate hazards of transport-
ing large amounts of goods through a vast and unprotected desert.