Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alihamia Madina, ambako mara moja alianza kutekeleza kanuni za Kiislamu katika jamii. Ni katika kipindi hiki ambapo Wahyi kuhusu sheria ulishuka. Alisimamisha misingi ya Dola ya Kiislamu na kuijenga jamii juu ya msingi wa Uislamu na mifumo yake. Alianzisha undugu miongoni mwa Waislamu, na ndipo Uislamu ulipohuishwa kama mfumo unaotegemea Shari'ah, ukipitishwa na jamii iliyojitwika jukumu la kueneza Ujumbe wake. Idadi ya Waislamu iliongezeka kwa kiasi kikubwa, nao wakawa nguvu ya kuhesabiwa; watu binafsi na makundi walisilimu kila baada ya siku chache, miongoni mwao wakiwemo Mayahudi na wengineo.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) settled in Madinah, where he at once began to implement the Islamic rules in the society. It was at this time that the Revelation concerning legislation descended. He (pbuh) strengthened the fundamentals of the Islamic State and built the society on the basis of Islam and its systems. He (pbuh) created a brotherhood amongst the Muslims and it was then that Islam came to life as a system based on the Shari’ah, adopted by a society that took on the task of spreading its Message. The number of Muslims substantially increased and they became a force to be reckoned with, individuals and groups alike embraced Islam every other day, amongst them Jews and others.

Mara Mtume wa Allah (ﷺ) alipokuwa na uhakika kuhusu hadhi ya Uislamu huko Madina, alianza kufikiria kueneza Ujumbe nje, kwa sehemu nyingine ya Rasi ya Arabia. Hata hivyo, alijua kwamba Quraysh walikuwa kikwazo kikubwa mbele ya Da'wah, kikwazo cha kimwili ambacho njia za majadiliano ya kiakili zingeanguka masikioni mwa viziwi. Kwa hiyo, kikwazo hicho kingelazimika kushindwa kwa nguvu.

Once the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was confident about the status of Islam in Madinah, he began to think about spreading the Message outside to the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. However, he knew that Quraysh formed a formidable obstacle in the way of the Da’wah, a material obstacle where the means of intellectual discussion would fall on deaf ears. Therefore, the obstacle would have to be overwhelmed by force.

Rasulullah ﷺ hakuweza kuondoa kikwazo hiki cha kimwili alipokuwa Makka kwa sababu Uislamu haukuwa na Dola iliyoweza kuzalisha nguvu ya kimwili inayohitajika kuondoa kikwazo hicho. Hata hivyo, tangu kuanzishwa kwa Dola ya Kiislamu, Rasulullah ﷺ aliweza kufanya kazi ya kuondoa vikwazo vya kimwili kama hivyo kwa njia kubwa alizokuwa nazo sasa. Kwa kuwa sasa alikuwa na njia za kutekeleza sera hiyo, kilichohitajika kwake ni kuandaa jeshi na vita, na kupitisha sera mpya ya kueneza Da'wah. Hii ndiyo sababu aliyoanzisha misafara ya kivita na mashambulizi, baadhi yake akishiriki mwenyewe binafsi, ili kuipinga Quraysh kwa kuonyesha nguvu. Msafara wa mwisho ulikuwa wa 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh, ambao ulitumika kama utangulizi wa vita vya Badr.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was unable to remove this material obstacle when he was in Makkah because Islam did not have a State capable of generating the required material force necessary to remove that obstacle. However, since the establishment of the Islamic State, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was able to work to remove such material obstacles by considerable means now at his disposal. With the means to enforce such a policy now available to him, all he (pbuh) had to do was to prepare the army and war, and adopting a new policy to spread the Da’wah. This is the reason why he (pbuh) initiated expeditions and raids, some of which he took part in personally, so as to defy Quraysh with a show of force. The last expedition was that of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh which served as an introduction to the battle of Badr.

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alimtuma 'Abdullah bin Jahsh pamoja na kundi la Muhajirina katika mwezi wa Rajab, mwaka wa pili wa Hijra. Alimwandikia barua, na akamwamuru asiitazame hadi awe amesafiri kwa siku mbili, ndipo atende kulingana na maagizo yake, lakini asiwashinikize wenzake yeyote. 'Abdullah alipokuwa amesafiri kwa siku mbili, alifungua barua na kuisoma. Ilisema hivi: "Utakapoisoma barua yangu hii, endelea hadi utakapofika Nakhlah, kati ya Makkah na Ta'if. Jificha huko kwa ajili ya Quraysh, na utufahamishe wanachokipanga." Akawaambia wenzake kuhusu barua hiyo na kazi aliyopewa, pia akawajulisha maagizo ya Mtume wa Allah ﷺ kwamba wasimshinikize mtu yeyote.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh out with a group of Muhajireen during the month of Rajab in the second year of Hijra. He (pbuh) wrote him a letter, and ordered him not to look at it until he had journeyed for two days whereupon he should act on its instructions, but he should not put pressure on any of his companions. When ‘Abdullah had traveled for two days he opened the letter and read it, this is what it said, “When you have read this letter of mine, proceed until you reach Nakhlah between Makkah and Ta’if. Lie there for the Quraysh and find out for us what they are up to.” He told his companions about the letter and the task assigned to him, he also informed them about Allah’s Messenger’s instructions not to put any pressure on anyone.

Waliamua wote kuendelea, hivyo yeye akaendelea pamoja na masahaba wake. Walisafiri pamoja kama kundi hadi Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri na 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan walipotengana walipokwenda kutafuta ngamia wao waliyempoteza. Hatimaye wao wangeangukia mikononi mwa Quraysh wakiwa mateka. 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh alipiga kambi huko Nakhlah akiwatazama Quraysh, na akiwa huko msafara wao mmoja uliobeba bidhaa ulipita. 'Abdullah na masahaba wake walifanya shauri miongoni mwao kuamua la kufanya, kwa sababu hii ilikuwa siku ya mwisho ya mwezi mtukufu wa Rajab, na Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alikuwa bado hajatoa maagizo yoyote kuhusu kupigana. Walisemezana, "Kwa Allah, mkiwaacha usiku huu wataingia katika eneo takatifu na watakuwa salama kutoka kwenu, na mkiwaua, mtawaua katika mwezi mtukufu." Mwanzoni walisita na waliogopa kuwashambulia. Kisha wakatiana moyo na kuamua kupigana. Mmoja wa Waislamu alimpiga mshale kiongozi wa msafara, 'Amr ibn al Hadrami, akamuua. Waislamu walichukua mateka wawili na kuulinda msafara hadi Madinah.

They all agreed to continue and so he proceeded with his companions. They traveled together as a group until Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri and ‘Utbah ibn Ghazwan became separated when they went to look for the camel they had lost. Eventually they were to fall prisoners to the Quraysh. ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh camped in Nakhlah watching out for the Quraysh and while there one of their caravans carrying merchandise passed by. ‘Abdullah and his companions took council among themselves to decide what to do because this was the last day of the sacred month of Rajab and Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) had not issued any instructions about fighting. They said to each other, “By Allah, if you leave them alone tonight they will get into the sacred area and will be safe from you, and if you kill them, you will kill them in the sacred month.” At first they were hesitant and feared to attack them. Then they encouraged each other and decided to fight. One of the Muslims shot the leader of the caravan ‘Amr ibn al Hadrami and killed him. The Muslims took two prisoners and escorted the caravan to Madinah.

Walipofika kwa Mtume wa Allah (pbuh) alimwambia, "Sikukuamuru kupigana katika mwezi mtukufu." Kisha Mtume wa Allah (pbuh) aliweka kwa muda jambo la msafara na wale wafungwa wawili, akikataa kuchukua chochote kutoka kwao. Hilo lilikuwa mwisho wa msafara wa 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh, ambaye Mtume wa Allah (pbuh) alimtuma kuwachunguza Quraysh, lakini badala yake ulisababisha mapigano, mauaji, na kuwateka baadhi ya watu wao, pamoja na kuchukua msafara kama mateka wa vita katika mwezi mtukufu. Je, hukumu ya Kiislamu kuhusu kitendo hiki ingekuwa ipi? Hili ndilo lililomsumbua Mjumbe wa Allah (pbuh), na ndiyo sababu alishikilia wafungwa na mali ya nyara kwa kusubiri, akingojea hukumu kutoka kwa Allah (swt) kuhusu jambo hilo. Quraysh walichukua fursa hiyo kuitumia kama chanzo cha propaganda dhidi ya Uislamu na Muhammad (pbuh). Walipiga kelele miongoni mwa Waarabu wote kwamba Muhammad (pbuh) na Masahaba wake wamevunja heshima ya mwezi mtukufu, wamemwaga damu, wamenyang'anya mali na kuwafunga watu. Mabishano yalizuka huko Makka kati ya Quraysh na Waislamu waliobaki huko, na kujibu hayo Waislamu walisema kwamba ndugu zao walishambulia msafara katika Sha'ban na si Rajab, lakini jibu lao halikutosha na lilishindwa kuzima propaganda iliyoanzishwa na Quraysh dhidi ya Uislamu. Mayahudi pia walijiunga na kampeni hiyo na wakaanza kudharau na kusengenya kitendo cha 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh. Propaganda hiyo iliwaathiri Waislamu, wakati huo huo Mtume wa Allah (pbuh) alinyamaza akingojea Wahyi na hukumu ya Allah (swt) juu ya jambo hilo, hadi Allah (swt) alipofunua katika Surat al-Baqarah:

When they came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) he said to them, “I did not order you to fight in the sacred month.” Then he (pbuh) put on hold the issue of the caravan and the two prisoners refusing to take anything from them. That was the conclusion of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh’s expedition whom the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had sent to watch the Quraysh, but instead had led to fighting, killing, and imprisoning some of thier men and taking the caravan as booty during the sacred month. So what would be the Islamic verdict on this action? This is what concerned Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and hence that is the reason why he held the prisoners and the booty in suspense, to wait for the verdict from Allah (swt) on the matter. The Quraysh grabbed the opportunity of using the issue as a source of propaganda against Islam and Muhammad (pbuh). They trumpeted among all the Arabs that Muhammad (pbuh) and his Sahabah had violated the sacred month, shed blood, seized properties and imprisoned people. Arguments arose in Makkah between the Quraysh and the Muslims who had remained there, and in reply the Muslims said that their brothers had attacked the caravan in Sha’ban and not Rajab, but their response was not enough and failed to quell the propaganda launched by the Quraysh against Islam. The Jews picked up on the campaign as well and began disgracing and slandering ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh’s action. The propaganda took its toll on the Muslims, meanwhile Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) kept silent awaiting the Revelation and Allah’s verdict on the affair until Allah (swt) revealed in Surah al-Baqarah:

"Wanakuuliza kuhusu kupigana katika miezi mitukufu. Sema: “Kupigana humo ni dhambi kubwa, lakini kubwa zaidi mbele ya Allah ni kuwazuia watu kufuata njia ya Allah, kumkufuru Yeye, kuwazuia watu kuingia Al-Masjid-al-Haram, na kuwatoa wakazi wake humo; na ‘Al-Fitnah’ ni mbaya zaidi kuliko kuua. Nao hawataacha kukupigana mpaka wakurudishe katika dini yenu (Uislamu) ikiwa wataweza.”" [Al-Baqarah, 2:217].

“They ask you concerning fighting in the sacred months. Say, “Fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) in the sight of Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-al-Haram, and to drive out its inhabitants, and ‘Al-Fitnah’ is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your deen (Islam) if they can.” [Al-Baqarah, 2:217].

Aya hii ilipoteremka, Waislamu walifurahi, na Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ akaendelea kugawa ngawira kutoka kwenye msafara, na kuwabadilisha wale wafungwa wawili kwa Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri na 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan. Aya hizi zilikuwa kama pigo kwenye uso wa propaganda ya Quraysh dhidi ya Uislamu. Qur'an ilijibu swali la Quraysh kuhusu kupigana katika mwezi mtukufu, ikikubali kwamba kupigana ni dhambi, lakini kuwazuia watu wasiende kwenye njia ya Msikiti Mtukufu na kuwafukuza watu wake kutoka humo ni jambo zito zaidi kuliko kupigana na kuua katika mwezi mtukufu.

When this verse was revealed the Muslims rejoiced and Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) then proceeded to distribute the booty from the caravan and exchange the two prisoners for Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri and ‘Utbah ibn Ghazwan. These verses came as a slap in the face of the Quraysh’s propaganda against Islam. The Qur’an answered the Quraysh’s question concerning fighting in the sacred month, agreeing that fighting is a sin, but keeping people back from the way of the sacred Masjid and driving its people away from it was far more serious than fighting and killing in the sacred month.

Vitendo vya Quraysh vya kuwaonea Waislamu kwa sababu ya Dini yao, kwa kuwatishia, kuwatesa na kuwafuatia, vilikuwa vibaya zaidi kuliko kupigana na kuua katika mwezi mtukufu, au katika mwezi wowote mwingine. Quraysh walipigana nao bila kuchoka wakijaribu kuwageuza wasiache Dini yao; kwa hiyo Waislamu walikuwa na haki ya kupigana na Quraysh katika mwezi mtukufu, na hakuna lolote lililoweza kuwahesabia kuwa kosa. Ni Quraysh waliokuwa wakitenda kosa kubwa zaidi kwa kusimama kizuizi mbele ya Da'wah ya Kiislamu, kwa kuwazuia watu kutoka katika njia ya Allah, kwa kukufuru Allah, kwa kuwafukuza watu kutoka Msikiti Mtukufu na kwa kuwatesa Waislamu. Walistahili kupigwa vita katika kila mwezi, iwe mtukufu au la. Vita ambavyo 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh alivianzisha dhidi ya Quraysh kwa hiyo havikuwa aibu kwake wala kwa Waislamu.

The Quraysh’s actions of oppressing the Muslims for their Deen by threatening, torturing and persecuting them was far worse than fighting and killing in the sacred month, or any other month for that matter. The Quraysh had relentlessly fought them in an attempt to turn them back from their Deen, therefore the Muslims were entitled to fight the Quraysh in the sacred month and nothing could be held against them. It was the Quraysh who were committing the graver offense by standing in the way of the Islamic Da’wah, by keeping people back from the way of Allah, by disbelieving in Allah, driving out the people from the sacred Masjid and persecuting the Muslims. They deserved to be fought in any and every month, sacred or otherwise. The fight that ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh initiated against the Quraysh was therefore neither a disgrace to him nor to the Muslims.

Hivyo, msafara wa ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh ulikuwa ni kipindi cha mabadiliko katika historia ya Uislamu. Ulileta mabadiliko makubwa ya sera katika namna Da’wah ya Kiislamu ilivyopaswa kufanywa. Waqid ibn ‘Abdullah al-Tamimi alimpiga kiongozi wa msafara kwa mshale na kumuua. Hii ilikuwa damu ya kwanza kumwagwa na Waislamu katika njia ya Allah (SWT). Hadi aya za Jihadi zilipoteremshwa zikiwaamuru Waislamu kupigana, mapigano ya silaha wakati wa miezi mitukufu yalikuwa hayaruhusiwi. Kuanzia wakati huo, hata hivyo, kanuni zilibadilika. Hivyo, katazo la awali la kupigana katika miezi mitukufu lilifutwa kwa ubainifu wa aya iliyotajwa hapo juu.

Thus, the expedition of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh was a turning point in the history of Islam. It marked a profound change of policy in the way that the Islamic Da’wah was to be conducted. Waqid ibn ‘Abdullah al-Tamimi shot the leader of the caravan and killed him. This was the first blood the Muslims shed in the way of Allah (swt). Until the verses of Jihad were revealed commanding the Muslims to fight; armed combat during the sacred months had been unauthorized. From that time on though the rules were different. Thus the previous prevention against fighting in the sacred months was abrogated by the specificity of the above mentioned verse.