Habari zilimfikia Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ kwamba Warumi walikuwa wanajiandaa kushambulia upande wa Kaskazini wa Rasi ya Arabia kwa lengo la kufuta kumbukumbu ya mafungamano ya kimbinu ya ajabu ambayo jeshi la Waislamu lilifanya katika vita vya Mu’tah. Safari hii aliamua mwenyewe ﷺ kukabiliana na tishio hilo la kigeni, hivyo akaandaa mpango ulioundwa ili hatimaye kuondoa kabisa matamanio yoyote ambayo viongozi wa Kirumi walikuwa nayo ya kuingilia mambo ya Waislamu, pamoja na mawazo yoyote waliyokuwa nayo ya kuvamia ardhi zao ﷺ.

News reached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that the Romans were preparing to raid the North of the Arabian Peninsula in order to wipe out the memory of the spectacular tactical withdrawal which the Muslim army had staged in the battle of Mu’tah. This time he (pbuh) decided to face the foreign threat himself, so he (pbuh) drew up a plan designed to finally kill off any ambitions that the Roman leaders held about interfering in the affairs of the Muslims or any thoughts that they may have entertained about raiding their lands.

Ilikuwa mwishoni mwa kiangazi, joto lilikuwa kali na kulikuwa na ukame. Umbali kati ya Madina na al-Sham ulikuwa mrefu na mgumu, na haikuwa msimu wa kusafiri. Kwa hiyo, safari hiyo ingehitaji subira. Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, akizingatia mambo haya, alifichua kwa wanaume wake lengo la safari hiyo bila kawaida yake, ili waweze kujiandaa vya kutosha. Katika vita vyake vingine, Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ daima aliweka malengo yake siri, akiwapotosha adui kwa kutumia mbinu za hila za kupotosha.

It was the end of the summer, the heat was intense and there was a drought in effect. The distance between Madinah and al-Sham was long and hard and it was not the season for traveling. Therefore, the journey would require endurance. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh), taking these factors into account, uncharacteristically disclosed the destination to his men in order for them to make adequate preparations. In his other military encounters the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) always kept his aims a secret, misleading the enemy by adopting a strategy of deceptive maneuvers.

Hata hivyo, katika tukio hili, kwa kuzingatia hali ngumu zilizokuwepo, Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alitangaza nia yake ya kupigana na Warumi kwenye mipaka yao tangu siku ya kwanza. Aliwatuma watu kwa makabila yote, akiwaomba waandae vita ili wapatikane Mujahidina wengi iwezekanavyo. Aliwaamuru Waislamu matajiri watoe katika kile ambacho Allah (SWT) alichowapa kwa wingi, ili kuliwezesha jeshi la Waislamu, kama inawezekana, kuwa na silaha kamili. Mtume wa Allah ﷺ pia alianza kuwahamasisha na kuwasihi watu washiriki katika Jihadi. Waislamu walijibu kwa namna tofauti. Wale waliokubali Uislamu wakiwa mioyo yao imejaa uongofu na nuru, waliitikia wito wa Mtume wa Allah ﷺ kwa bidii na ujasiri mkubwa. Baadhi yao walikuwa maskini, hata hawakuwa na nyumbu wa kupanda, na wengine walikuwa matajiri, walileta mali zao zote na kuwakabidhi Mtume wa Allah ﷺ. Hawa ndio waliojitolea kwa moyo wote kupigana katika njia ya Allah (SWT), wakitamani kufa shahidi. Lakini wale waliokubali Uislamu kwa sababu nyingine zisizokuwa hizo, bali kwa woga au kwa manufaa binafsi, yaani woga wa Waislamu au kutarajia kupata sehemu ya ngawira, hao walikuwa wavivu katika kujibu, na ndio walioanza kutafuta visingizio. Walinong'onezana kuhusu msafara ulioelekea kwenye nchi hii ya mbali iliyokuwa ikiungua kwa joto kali. Hawa ndio wanafiki. Waliambiana, "Msipigane katika joto hili." Allah (SWT) aliteremsha kuhusu hali yao hii,

However, on this occasion, in view of the extenuating circumstances, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) declared his intention to fight the Romans alongside their borders from the first day. He (pbuh) sent for all the tribes asking them to prepare for war so that as many Mujahideen as possible could be gathered. He (pbuh) ordered the wealthy Muslims to spend from what Allah (swt) had generously provided them with in order to arm, if possible, the Muslim army to the teeth. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also began inciting and exhorting people to join in the Jihad. In reply the Muslim response varied. Those who had embraced Islam with their hearts full of guidance and light hurried to the call of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) with great zeal and courage. Some of them were poor, not even possessing a mule to ride on, and others were rich, they brought all their possessions and handed them to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). It was these who volunteered wholeheartedly to fight in the way of Allah (swt), longing all the while for martyrdom. But those who had embraced Islam for no other reason than out of fear or personal gain - fear of the Muslims or anticipation of gaining a share of the booty - those were lukewarm in their response and they were the ones who began finding excuses. They whispered among themselves about the raid that was to take place in this far off land that cooked in the burning heat. These were the hypocrites. They said to each other, “Do not fight in this heat.” Allah (swt) revealed the following concerning their predicament,

Nao walisema: "Msiende katika joto." Sema: "Moto wa Jahannamu ni mkali zaidi kwa joto, lau kama wangalikuwa wakifahamu" [At-Tawba, 9:81].

“And they said: “March not forth in the heat.” Say: “The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat, if only they could understand” [At-Tauba, 9:81].

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alimwambia Jadd ibn Qays, "Je, ungependa kupigana na Banu Asfar, Jadd?" Jadd akajibu, "Je, utaniruhusu nibaki nyuma na usininaribu, kwa kuwa kila mtu anajua kwamba nimezama sana katika wanawake, na ninaogopa kwamba nikiona wanawake wa Kirumi sitaweza kujizuia?" Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliposikia haya, aligeuka kutoka kwake. Ilikuwa kumhusu yeye ambapo Allah (SWT) aliteremsha aya ifuatayo,

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to Jadd ibn Qays, “Would you like to fight the Banu Asfar, Jadd?” Jadd replied, “Will you allow me to stay behind and not tempt me, for everyone knows that I am strongly addicted to women and I am afraid that if I see the Roman women I shall not be able to control myself ?” On hearing this the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned away from him. It was about him that Allah (swt) revealed the following verse,

"Na miongoni mwao yupo anayesema: “Niruhusu (nisishiriki Jihadi) wala usininyeshe mtihani.” Hakika wao wameshaingia katika mtihani. Na hakika Jahannamu inawazunguka makafiri.” [At-Tawba, 9:49].

“And among them is he who says: “Grant me leave (to be exempted from Jihad) and put me not into trial” Surely, they have fallen into trial. And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.” [At-Tauba, 9:49].

Wanafiki hawakuishia hapo, bali walianza kuwachochea watu wasishiriki katika Jihadi. Kwa hiyo Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliamua kuwashughulikia kwa ukali na kuwafundisha somo. Habari zilipomfikia kwamba baadhi ya wanafiki walikuwa wakikutana katika nyumba ya Suwaylim Myahudi, ambako walikuwa wakipanga njama na kuingiza shaka katika mioyo ya watu kwa kuwasihi wabaki nyuma wasipigane, alimtuma Talhah bin ‘Ubaydullah kwao pamoja na kundi la Maswahaba zake ﷺ, nao wakaichoma nyumba hiyo moto. Kila mtu alikimbia eneo hilo, na mmoja wao alivunjika mguu wakati akitoroka kutoka jengoni. Hili likawa onyo kwa wengine, wala hakuna mnafiki aliyethubutu tena kurudia fitina kama hiyo.

The hypocrites did not stop there, they began inciting people not to join in the Jihad and so the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) decided to deal with them harshly and teach them a lesson. When news reached him that some of the hypocrites were meeting in the house of Suwaylim the Jew, where they were plotting and introducing doubt into the peoples’ minds by urging them to stay behind and not fight, he (pbuh) sent Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah to them along with a group of his (pbuh) Sahabah and they burned the house down. Everyone fled the scene and one of them broke his leg while escaping from the building. This served as a warning to others and none of the hypocrites dared to repeat such sedition again.

Ukali na uthabiti ambao Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alitumia katika kuandaa jeshi ulileta athari kubwa kwa watu, na idadi kubwa sana ya wanajeshi ilikusanyika. Kwa jumla, takriban watu elfu thelathini waliitikia wito wa Jihadi. Jeshi hilo liliitwa jeshi la ‘al-‘Usrah (shida au dhiki) kwa sababu liliombwa kukabiliana na kikosi kikubwa cha Waroma wa Byzantine katika joto kali la kiangazi, mbali sana na Madina. Jeshi hilo pia lilihitaji fedha nyingi sana. Jeshi lililokusanyika liliongozwa katika sala na Abu Bakr, wakati Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alimalizia mambo yake yaliyokuwa bado hayajakamilika huko Madina na kutoa maagizo yake akiwa mbali. Maagizo hayo yalikuwa kwamba Muhammad bin Maslamah angesimamia Madina, na ‘Ali angebaki nyuma kuwatunza wake wa Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ. Kisha Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alijiunga tena na jeshi na kuchukua amri. Hapo, amri ilitolewa ya kusonga mbele. Walisonga mbele kwa pamoja katika onyesho la ajabu la nguvu na ukuu, ambalo lilishuhudiwa na watu waliobaki Madina. Wanawake walipanda juu ya paa za nyumba ili kuliaga jeshi hilo kubwa la Mujahidina.

The firmness and forcefulness with which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) went about preparing the army produced a deep effect on the public and a very large number of troops were gathered. In all, about thirty thousand people answered the call to Jihad. The army was named the army of ‘al-‘Usrah (crisis or hardship) because it was asked to face a formidable Byzantine force in the summer heat far away from Madinah. The army also required massive financing. The assembled army was led in prayer by Abu Bakr, while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sorted out his unfinished business in Madinah and issued his instructions during his absence. These were that Muhammad ibn Maslamah would be in charge of Madinah and ‘Ali would remain behind to look after the wives of Allah’s Messenger. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then rejoined the army and took command. Thereupon, the order went out to move forward. They proceeded to advance en masse in a spectacular display of strength and might which was witnessed by the people remaining in Madinah. Women climbed onto the rooftops to see off this massive force of Mujahideen.

Jeshi lilisonga mbele kwa nguvu kuelekea al-Sham, bila kusita wala kurudi nyuma, bila kujali joto, kiu wala njaa. Baadhi ya wale waliobaki nyuma walivutiwa na onyesho hili la nguvu na ujasiri, na hivyo punde wakajiunga na jeshi na kuandamana kuelekea Tabuk, ambako majeshi ya Warumi yalikuwa yamepiga kambi tayari kuwashambulia Waislamu. Hata hivyo, Warumi walipopata habari juu ya ukubwa na nguvu ya jeshi la Waislamu, kumbukumbu ya Mu’tah ikawajia mbele ya macho yao. Walikumbuka ushujaa na azma ya Waislamu licha ya silaha zao duni na uchache wa idadi yao. Ukweli kwamba safari hii Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alikuwa mkuu wa jeshi la Waislamu uliwatetemesha mno. Waliogopa tu, na hilo likawasababisha wakimbilie ndani ya ardhi ya al-Sham na usalama wa ngome zao. Baada ya kurudi nyuma kutoka Tabuk, vituo vya Warumi vilivyokuwa mpakani mwa al-Sham vilibaki tupu. Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliposikia hili, aliingia Tabuk bila kukabiliwa na yeyote, akaiteka bila vita na kupiga kambi humo. Hakuchagua kuwafuatia Warumi, bali aliridhika kwa kuiteka Tabuk na kudhibiti maeneo ya mpakani yaliyo karibu. Jeshi la Waislamu lilibaki Tabuk kwa karibu mwezi mmoja likishughulika na wale majeshi yaliyobaki waliotaka kupigana nao au kuwapinga. Mtume ﷺ alituma ujumbe kwa viongozi na magavana waliokuwa chini ya udhibiti wa Warumi katika eneo hilo. Aliandikia Yuhanna bin Ru’mah, gavana wa Aylah, watu wa al-Jarba’ na wa Adhrah, akiwaambia wajisalimishe au wakabiliane na uvamizi; nao wakanyenyekea kwake na kumtii. Walifanya amani na Mtume wa Allah ﷺ na wakalipa Jizyah. Baada ya kutimiza kikamilifu lengo lake, Mtume wa Allah ﷺ kisha alirejea Madinah.

The army moved relentlessly towards al-Sham, not entertaining any second thoughts, unperturbed by the heat, thirst or famine. Some of those who lagged behind were moved by this display of strength and courage and so they soon joined the force and marched towards Tabuk where the Roman armies were encamped ready to raid the Muslims. However, when the Romans heard about the size and strength of the Muslim army, the recollection of Mu’tah flashed before their eyes. They recalled the bravery and resolve of the Muslims despite their inferior weapons and lack of numbers. The fact that this time the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was at the head of the Muslim army sent shivers down their spines. They were simply terrified and this led to them rushing back into the interior of al-Sham and the safety of their fortresses. After their withdrawal from Tabuk the Roman positions on the border of al-Sham became deserted. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) heard this he moved unmolested into Tabuk, occupied it without a fight and encamped there. He (pbuh) chose not to chase the Romans, but contented himself with the occupation of Tabuk and control of the nearby border regions. The Muslim force remained in Tabuk for about a month dealing with those remaining forces who wished to fight or resist them. He (pbuh) sent messages to the leaders and governors who were under Roman control in the area. He (pbuh) wrote to Yuhanna ibn Ru’mah governor of Aylah, the people al-Jarba’ and of Adhrah telling them to submit or face invasion and they yielded to him and obeyed. They made peace with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and paid the Jizyah. Having completely fulfilled his objective the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then returned to Madinah.

Wakati hayupo, wanafiki walitumia fursa hiyo kueneza uvumi na kuleta mfarakano miongoni mwa waumini. Waliimarisha shughuli zao za fitina ndani ya jamii kwa kujenga "msikiti" huko Thu Awan, mji ulio umbali wa safari ya saa moja (wakati wa mchana) kutoka Madinah. "Msikiti" huo ulitumika kuwahifadhi wanafiki waliojaribu kupotosha maneno ya Allah na waliojaribu kuleta mfarakano katika jamii kwa kueneza hadithi zenye sumu. Wamiliki wa "msikiti" huo walimwendea Mtume ﷺ alipokuwa akijiandaa kwa safari ya Tabuk, wakimwomba aje na kuswali huko. Yeye ﷺ aliwaambia wasubiri hadi atakaporudi kutoka safarini. Mtume ﷺ aliporudi, alipata habari za matendo yao ya uovu, na ukweli kuhusu "msikiti" huo ukafunuliwa kwake. Iliamriwa "msikiti" huo ubomolewe, na ukachomwa moto kabisa. Wanafiki walishughulikiwa kwa ukali mkubwa sana. Kutokana na uzoefu huo, waliogopa sana na hawakuwahi tena kufikiria kujihusisha na mipango kama hiyo.

In his absence, the hypocrites took advantage of the situation to spread rumors and cause division among the believers. They strengthened their seditious operations within the society by building a “masjid” in Thu Awan, a town about an hour journey (during daylight hours) from Madinah. The “masjid” was used to shelter the hypocrites who tried to distort the words of Allah and who attempted to cause division in society by spreading poisonous tales. The owners of the “masjid” had approached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as he was preparing for the expedition to Tabuk asking him to come and pray there. He (pbuh) asked them to wait until he returned from his trip. On returning the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) heard of their mischievous deeds and the truth about the “masjid” was revealed to him. The “masjid” was ordered to be destroyed and it was categorically burned down. The hypocrites were dealt with very harshly indeed. In light of their experience they became terrified and never again thought to indulge in such ventures.

Safari ya Tabuk iliashiria kukamilika kwa mamlaka ya Waislamu juu ya Rasi nzima ya Arabia. Neno la Mwenyezi Mungu lilienea katika nchi yote, na Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alithibitisha utawala wake na kuimarisha mamlaka yake bila kubaki mtu yeyote wa kumpinga. Baada ya wakati huu, makundi ya makabila ya Kiarabu yalimjia kwa wingi, yakiahidi utii wao na kutangaza Uislamu wao.

The Tabuk expedition marked the completion of the Muslims’ authority over the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. The word of Allah spread all over the land and Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) secured his (pbuh) dominance and established his (pbuh) authority without anyone remaining to challenge him. After this time, the congregations of Arab tribes came to him in crowds pledging their obedience and declaring their Islam.