Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
already begun before these verses were composed. The povert^14 y of the
emigrants along with the possible fear that the Ansar were getting tired of
supporting them are thought to have moved Muhammad to begin the raids
on the Meccans, and it is probably no coincidence that Muham^15 mad's
disclaimer about not asking for a wage does not appear in any s^16 uras of this
period. Later passages in the Qur'an attempt to justify the Muslim attacks
by accusing the Meccans of having driven the emigrants from their homes
(2:79; 3:194; 22:41). But, to the contrary, the Sira traditions depict the
Meccans as generally having wanted to prevent the emigration to Medina.
Moreover, only much later passages sanction the Muslims' attacks on the
other polytheist (Arab) tribes (9:5), the Jews, Byzantines and other
Christian Arabs (9:29). Despite these obvious inconsistencies, one thing is
relatively clear: the armed conflict with the Meccans was started by
Muhammad.^17
The first attempted raid on Meccan caravans was led by Muhammad's uncle
Hamza some seven months after Muhammad's arrival in Medina. The 30
Muslims intercepted the caravan, which was being escorted by 300 men
under Abu Jahl, near al-Is on the Arabian coast. After arraying themselves for battle, the neutral Majdi b.Amr al-Juhani negotiated with both sides
until they left the field without engaging in combat.^18
About a month after this event Muhammad is reported to have married the
nine year-old `A'isha.^19
A second raid was sent out to Rabigh, where 60 Muslims under `Ubayda al-
Harith met 200 Meccans under Abu Sufyan. Although some arrows were
shot (allegedly the first in the name of Islam), there was no further
fighting.^20
In the ninth month after the Hijra, 20 Muslims were sent out with Sa`d b.
Abu Waqqas to al-Kharrar, but they arrived there one day after the caravan
had already passed.^21
Qur'an 2Qur'an 2Qur'an 2Qur'an 2 begins with mysterious letters, which are inferred to be the title of
the Book without doubt and which is a guidance for those who fear God
(v. 1). The vv. 2f describe those who believe as believing in the "hidden,"
performing prayer, giving alms, as believing that which was sent down to