Muhammad: Victory and DeathQur'an 49Qur'an 49Qur'an 49Qur'an 49 begins with the command for believers to let Muhammad go
ahead of them and speak louder than themselves, and it is said that those
who speak more quietly in his presence are those who will be forgiven and
rewarded (vv. 1f). The vv. 4f are against calling to Muhammad from
outside of his house, and the vv. 6f seem to refer to the tax collection
incident with the Banu Mustaliq. The v. 9 gives regulations fo^204 r two
parties of believers who are at odds with each other, and v. 10 says that
believers are brothers (of one another). The vv. 11f forbid mockery and
defamation, etc. among the community, and v. 14 speaks of Arab nomads
who profess to believe, but in reality do not. In v. 15 believers are described
as believing Allah and Muhammad without doubting later, and they are
those who contribute and fight in "Allah's way." The v. 16 is a reply to
someone about not trying to teach God about their religion, and v. 17
maintains that God leads believers and that they did not accept Islam
themselves. The v. 18 says that God knows all.
During the 96th month after the Hijra, Muhammad sent Qutba b. Amir and 20 men to raid the al-Katham. They captured a man whom they later killed
as he tried to warn his tribe. The Muslims captured women, camels and
sheep, and were only able to elude those pursuing them because of a sudden
rainstorm which flooded a valley. The spoils, after Muhammad^205 's
one-fifth was deducted, were said to have been 4 camels or 40 sheep per
man.^206
In the 97th month after the Hijra, Muhammad sent al-Dahhak b. Sufyan to
raid the Banu al-Kilab at al-Zujj. The Muslims invited the al-Kilab to accept
Islam, but after they refused, the Muslims attacked them. One Muslim
fought with his pagan father, who was then killed by another Muslim (in
order that it not be said that the one had killed his own father).^207
During the 98th month after the Hijra, Muhammad sent `Alqama b.
Mujazziz with 300 men to attack Abyssinians, who had been seen from the
coast. The Muslims returned without having engaged anyone.^208
Also in the 98th month after the Hijra, Muhammad sent `Ali b. Abu Talib
with 150 men to destroy the idol al-Fuls. The Muslims are said to have