Battle of Sawiq

Battle of Sawiq
By Who Muhammad Is Team
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After the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina, he began to establish the Islamic state, solidify the Islamic call, and set up a base for spreading the Islamic message beyond the Arabian Peninsula. It was necessary to engage in a number of Battles and wars against the polytheists of the Quraysh and others, especially since the Quraysh had confiscated the wealth of the emigrants in Mecca. 

Therefore, the objective of many of these battles was economic. Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meaning): "Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought because they were wronged, and indeed, Allah is capable of granting them victory" [Quran, Surah Al-Hajj, 22:39]. One of the Battles led by the Prophet, peace be upon him, was the Battle of Sawiq. In this article, the events of the Battle of Sawiq will be discussed.

The Site and History of the Battle of Sawiq

The Battle of Sawiq took place at Al-Urayd, and its date was in the month of Dhul-Hijjah in the second year of the Prophet's migration. One interesting aspect of the Battle of Sawiq is that the polytheists, including Abu Sufyan, had a significant amount of Sawiq (roasted grain) and supplies with them. They left much of their belongings and Sawiq behind to facilitate their escape from the Muslims. Among the items they left was a bag of Sawiq. Sawiq is roasted wheat or barley, which is then ground and eaten with water, ghee, or honey. They discarded their provisions in haste to flee. Consequently, this Battle became known as the Battle of Sawiq.

When the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his noble companions, along with the other Muslims, arrived, they found the Sawiq and collected it. It's worth noting that during this Battle, the Prophet, peace be upon him, appointed Abu Lubabah as the deputy governor of Al-Madinah.

Reasons for the Battle of Sawiq

In the Quran, it is said (interpretation of the meaning): "Those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, 'Our Lord is Allah.' And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned". [Quran, Surah Al-Hajj, 22:40]. This verse is one of the significant reasons that led the Muslims to engage in battles against the polytheists who had confiscated the wealth of the emigrants when they left Mecca.

As for the specific cause of the Battle of Sawiq, it goes as follows: After Abu Sufyan escaped with a Qurayshi caravan and safely reached Mecca, the Muslims achieved a significant victory in the Battle of Badr, inflicting substantial losses on the Quraysh polytheists. This defeat prompted Abu Sufyan to seek revenge against the Muslims. He made a vow not to touch his head with water from impurity until he waged war against the Muslims. So, Abu Sufyan gathered around two hundred riders from the Quraysh to fulfill his vow. He arrived in Medina at night and sought hospitality with the Jewish tribe of Banu al-Nadeer, who lived in the city. However, their leader, Huyayy ibn Akhtab, refused to receive him out of suspicion that he might bring harm.

Abu Sufyan then sought shelter with Salamah ibn Mishkam, their master and the holder of their treasures. The two men discussed the affairs of the Muslims, and Abu Sufyan informed Salamah about what was happening in Medina, the situation of the emigrants, and the Ansar (the Helpers). Salamah, being a Jew, knew that the Jews had no security with the Muslims. Abu Sufyan left on the same night and sent a group of Quraysh men who traveled east of the city, reached Al-Urayd, and set some of its palm trees on fire. They also killed a man from the Ansar who was working in agriculture and another man who was his ally. The name of the slain Ansari was Ma'bad ibn Amr. After these actions, they returned. Abu Sufyan considered this as fulfilling his vow to wage war against the Muslims, and he and his men returned to Mecca. This incident was one of the factors that led to the Battle of Sawiq.

Events of the Battle of Sawiq

Upon receiving news of the actions taken by Abu Sufyan's men, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) decided to confront them and gathered an army consisting of both Muhajireen (emigrants) and Ansar (helpers) with a total of two hundred fighters. He appointed Bashir ibn Abdul-Mundhir (may Allah be pleased with him) to oversee Medina.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) set out to meet the Quraysh on the fifth day of Dhul-Hijjah. When Abu Sufyan and the polytheists learned of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) departure with his followers, they hastened to retreat out of fear of the Muslims. Abu Sufyan, along with those accompanying him, became apprehensive about facing the Muslims. He believed that by cutting down palm trees and killing two individuals, he had fulfilled his vow to take revenge against the Muslims for their victory at the Battle of Badr. Hence, they left behind the Sawiq (roasted grain) they had with them to lighten their load, ensuring that the Muslims would not catch up with them and engage in combat.

Results of the Battle of Sawiq

When the Muslims reached the location where Abu Sufyan and his party had been, they did not find them. The Muslims could not catch up with the Quraysh army as they had already moved away from the area. Consequently, the Muslims returned to Medina without engaging in any fighting with the polytheists. This event took place on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah.

The results of the Battle of Sawiq include:

  1. Abu Sufyan and his men fled from the polytheists out of fear of the Muslims. The Muslims could not catch up with them because they had distanced themselves.
  2. The polytheists left behind Sawiq (roasted grain), supplies, and provisions to facilitate their escape from the Muslims. The Muslims collected the Sawiq and supplies left behind by Abu Sufyan and his party.

Categories Battles

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