The Expedition of Banu Lahyan: Causes and Events

The Expedition of Banu Lahyan took place in the 6th year after Hijrah, in the month of Rabi al-Awwal. ¹ It was a disciplinary and retaliatory expedition led by Prophet Muhammad against the tribe of Banu Lahyan, who had previously acted treacherously against the Muslims and had caused the brutal martyrdom of several noble companions of the Holy Prophet . ²

Cause of the Expedition

The Expedition of Banu Lahyan was prompted by a deeply tragic incident known as the Incident of Raji'. This incident occurred when some Arab tribes came to Prophet Muhammad  and requested that a group of Companions be sent to their region to teach them Islam and guide them in matters of religion. Reports differ regarding the number of Companions sent by the Holy Prophet : one narration mentions 6, ³ while another states that 10 were dispatched to teach Islam. According to the latter account, 7 were martyred at Al-Raji' when Banu Hudhayl, supported by allied tribes, attacked them. The remaining three were deceitfully taken captive. While being led towards Makkah, one of them resisted his captors and was also martyred. ⁴

This was a heartbreaking tragedy for the Muslims. The Holy Prophet was deeply grieved by the martyrdom of his beloved companions. However, at that time, the political and military situation did not allow an immediate response. The Muslims were facing internal threats from the Jewish tribes of Madinah, while externally the Quraysh of Makkah remained a major danger. ⁵

Preparations of the Expedition

When conditions became favorable in the 6th year after Hijrah, the Holy Prophet decided to lead an expedition against Banu Lahyan. ⁶ Their region was more than 200 miles away from Madinah, but the Holy Prophet was determined to seek justice for the martyred companions at Raji'. Accompanied by 200 companions, including 20 mounted horsemen, ⁷ the Holy Prophet set out from Madinah and left Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum as his deputy in Madinah so that he could manage the affairs of the city in his absence. During this journey, Prophet Muhammad used a wise military strategy. In order to keep the enemy unaware of his real destination, he initially took a route that gave the impression that the Muslim army was heading towards Syria. This was done so that the spies and scouts of Banu Lahyan would not discover the true purpose of the expedition. ⁸ Prophet Muhammad first went towards al-Jurf (جرف). From there, he passed through Bayn (بین) and then reached Sukayrat al-Thamam (صخیرات الثمام). After that, he suddenly changed direction and moved towards the valley of Gharan (غران), ⁹ which was near the territory of Banu Lahyan.

Arrival of the Muslims in the Territory of Banu Lahyan

When the people of Banu Lahyan heard about the arrival of the Muslim army, they became frightened and fled into the mountains. They did not come forward to face the Muslims in battle. At this point, the Prophet Muhammad stopped at the site of Raji', where the blood of the martyred companions had been shed. There, he prayed for the martyrs and remembered their sacrifice. He stayed in that area for 2 days and also sent small groups of companions to nearby places in order to observe and secure the surrounding regions. ¹⁰

The Return to Madinah

Since Banu Lahyan had hidden in the mountains and refused to come into open battle, the Holy Prophet moved further ahead towards Usfan (عسفان), a place close to Makkah. This was also an important strategic move. By reaching near Makkah, the Muslims made it clear to the Quraysh that they were no longer weak and that they had the ability to reach close to Makkah ¹¹ whenever necessary. After this, the Holy Prophet returned to Madinah. In total, he remained away from Madinah for around 14 days during this expedition. ¹²

Results of the Expedition

The Expedition of Banu Lahyan showed that the Muslims had become much stronger than before. Banu Lahyan, who had earlier committed treachery against the Muslims, were now so afraid that they abandoned the battlefield and hid in the mountains. ¹³ Their retreat proved that the Muslims were no longer in a position where they could be attacked, betrayed, and then ignored. ¹⁴ The expedition also sent a clear message to the Quraysh of Makkah: the Muslims had gained strength, discipline, and confidence, and they were capable of reaching close to Makkah if needed. ¹⁵

This expedition teaches several important lessons. First, Islam does not allow treachery and betrayal to go unanswered when innocent lives are unjustly taken. Second, the Holy Prophet combined courage with wisdom; he did not act emotionally, but waited for the right time and used careful strategy. Third, the Muslims were trained to remain patient in hardship, but also prepared to defend justice when the situation demanded it.

• ¹  Abu Al-Fatah Muhammad ibn Syed Al-Naas (1993), ‘Uyoon Al-Athar fi Funoon Al-Maghazi wal-Shamail wal-Siyar, Dar Al-Qalam, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 119.
• ²  Abu Muhammad Ali ibn Ahmed ibn Hazm Al-Undulasi (2002), Jawami Al-Seerat al-Nabawiyya, Dar Al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 159
• ³  Muhammad ibn Ismail Al-Bukhari (1999), Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith: 3045, Dar Al-Salam lil Nashr wal-Tawzi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pg. 503.
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• ⁸  Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-'Ibad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 5, Pg. 30.
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• ¹¹  Moosa ibn Rashid Al-Aazmi (2011), Al-Lu'lu' Al-Maknun fi Seerat Al-Nabi Al-Mamun, Al-Maktaba Al-'Aamiriyah, Kuwait, Vol. 3, Pg. 232.
• ¹²  Husain ibn Muhammad Al-Diyar Bakri (N.D.), Tareekh Al-Khamees fi Ahwal Anfus Nafees, Dar Sadir, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 4.
• ¹³  Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktaba wa Matba'a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 2, Pg. 280.
• ¹⁴  Muhammad ibn Ahmed Bashmeel (1988) Min M'arik Al-Islam Al-Fasila, Al-Maktaba Al-Salfiyah, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 5, Pg. 33.
• ¹⁵  Abu Al-Abbas Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Husaini (1999), Imta' Al-Asma bima lin Nabi Min Al-Ahwal wal-Amwal wal-Hafadah wal-Mata'a, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 258.