The Battle of Fijar

There were two idols made of copper inside the Kaaba. Their names were Isaf and Nailah. While performing Tawaf, the polytheists used to touch them in order to seek blessings from them.

“Once, you ﷺ were performing Tawaf of the House of Allah, and I was also with you. While going around the Kaaba, when I passed by these idols, I also touched them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ immediately said:

‘Do not touch them.’

After that, we continued performing Tawaf. I thought to myself, “I will try touching the idols once again, just to find out what happens by touching them and why the Prophet ﷺ stopped me.”

So I touched them again. Then you ﷺ said in a stern tone:

“Did I not forbid you from touching them?”

And I swear by Allah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ never touched any idol, even until Allah granted him Prophethood and revelation began to descend upon him.

In the same way, Allah Almighty also protected you ﷺ from forbidden things. The polytheists used to sacrifice animals in the names of their idols. Then the meat would either be distributed or cooked and served to people. But you ﷺ never ate such meat.

You ﷺ yourself once said:

“I never tasted anything that had been slaughtered in the name of idols, until Allah Almighty granted me Prophethood.”

Similarly, you ﷺ were asked:

“Did you ever worship idols during your childhood?”

You ﷺ replied:

“No.”

You ﷺ were then asked:

“Did you ever drink wine?”

In reply, you ﷺ said:

“No! Although at that time I did not know what the Book of Allah was or what the details of faith were.”

Apart from you ﷺ, there were also some people during that time who did not eat the meat of animals slaughtered in the names of idols and did not touch wine.

۞

During your childhood, you ﷺ also grazed goats. You used to graze the goats of the people of Makkah. As payment, you were given a coin.

You ﷺ said:

“Allah Almighty sent every prophet, and all of them worked as shepherds. I used to graze the goats of the people of Makkah in exchange for qararit (coins).”

Along with the goats of the people of Makkah, you ﷺ also used to graze the goats of your own family members and relatives.

The reason why the prophets grazed goats is explained in this way:

There is great wisdom of Allah Almighty in this work. A goat is a weak animal. Therefore, the person who grazes goats naturally develops feelings of gentleness, affection, and humility within himself.

Every work and profession has certain characteristics. For example, a butcher develops hardness in his heart; a blacksmith becomes hardworking and enduring; a gardener becomes delicate and sensitive.

Now, when a person has spent time grazing goats and later begins the work of training and nurturing people, the heat and hardness have already left his temperament. He has become very gentle by nature for the training of people, and gentleness of temperament is greatly needed in the work of preaching.

۞

Among the Arabs, there was a man named Badr bin Ma’shar al-Ghifari. He used to sit at the fair of Ukaz. He would tell people stories of his bravery and boast about himself.

One day, he stretched out his legs, raised his neck, and said:

“I am the most honorable among the Arabs. If anyone thinks that he is more honorable than me, then let him prove it by the power of the sword.”

Hearing these boastful words, one man became angry. He suddenly attacked him and struck his knee with a sword. His knee was cut off. It is also said that his knee was only injured.

Because of this, the tribes of both men began fighting one another. A war broke out between them. This battle is called the First Battle of Fijar. At that time, the Prophet ﷺ was ten years old.

Another battle of Fijar took place because of a woman from Banu Amir. In this battle, Banu Amir fought against Banu Kinanah because a young man from Kinanah had harassed a woman belonging to that tribe.

The third battle of Fijar also took place between Banu Amir and Banu Kinanah. This battle occurred over the matter of repayment of a debt.

The Prophet ﷺ did not participate in any of these three battles of Fijar. However, you ﷺ did participate in the fourth Battle of Fijar.

Among the Arabs, there were four months during which shedding anyone’s blood was not permissible. These months were Dhul-Qadah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab.

Since these battles took place during these sacred months, they were called the Battles of Fijar. The meaning of “Fijar” is sin; that is, these battles were considered a sin on their part.

The fourth battle, in which the Noble Prophet ﷺ also participated, was called the Battle of Fijar al-Barrad.

This battle began in the following manner:

A man named Al-Barrad from the tribe of Banu Kinanah killed a man named Urwah. Urwah belonged to the tribe of Hawazin. This incident took place during one of the sacred months.

The families of Barrad and Urwah, meaning Banu Kinanah and Hawazin, were present at that time at the fair of Ukaz.

There, someone informed Banu Kinanah that Barrad had killed Urwah.

When the people of Banu Kinanah heard this news, they became worried that the people of Hawazin might attack them right there at the fair. If that happened, the matter would become very serious.

Therefore, they fled toward Makkah.

Hawazin had not yet received the news. After some days, or after some time had passed, they came to know about it. They pursued Banu Kinanah, but Banu Kinanah had already taken refuge within the Sacred Sanctuary.

Among the Arabs, shedding blood inside the Sacred Sanctuary was forbidden. Therefore, Hawazin stopped.

There was no fighting that day. But on the following day, the people of Banu Kinanah themselves came out to face them. The tribe of Quraysh also came into the battlefield to help them.

In this way, this Battle of Fijar began.

The battle continued for four or six days. Since Quraysh were also participating in this war, the uncles of the Prophet ﷺ took you ﷺ along with them.

However, you ﷺ did not participate in the fighting during any of the days of the war.

Nevertheless, whenever you ﷺ arrived at the battlefield, Banu Kinanah would begin to gain victory, and whenever you ﷺ were not present there, they would begin to suffer defeat.

You ﷺ participated in the battle only to the extent that you would hand arrows to your uncles. That was all.

Even after six days of fighting, no decision could be reached.

Finally, peace was established between the two groups, but it came only after considerable bloodshed.

Immediately after this war, the incident of Hilf al-Fudul took place.

The incident happened in the following manner:

A man from the tribe of Zubayd came to Makkah with some of his goods. Asim bin Wa’il bought these goods from him.

Asim bin Wa’il was one of the prominent men of Makkah and was highly respected.

He took the goods but did not pay their price.

The Zubaydi man continued demanding his money from him, but Asim bin Wa’il did not pay him.

The Zubaydi man then went to different tribes with his complaint. He told all of them that Asim bin Wa’il had wronged him and asked them to help him recover his money.

But because Asim was one of the prominent people of Makkah, all these people refused to help him against Asim. Instead, they scolded and rebuked him and sent him away.

When the Zubaydi man saw their attitude, he climbed Mount Abu Qubays early the next morning.

The Quraysh were still in their homes. After climbing the mountain, he recited some verses in a loud voice. The summary of those verses was:

“O descendants of Fihr! Help a wronged man who is far away from his homeland and whose entire wealth is currently inside Makkah.”

The Prophet’s ﷺ uncle, Zubair bin Abdul-Muttalib, heard the plea of this Zubaydi man.

It had a profound effect on him. He took Abdullah bin Jud’an with him and stood up to help this man.

Then the people of Banu Hashim, Banu Zuhrah, and Banu Asad also joined them.

All of them gathered at the house of Abdullah bin Jud’an. Food was served to all of them there.

After that, they all took an oath in the name of Allah.

The words of the oath were:

“We will always support the oppressed and will ensure that his right is given to him.”

This oath was called Hilf al-Fudul.

At the time of this agreement and oath, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was also present with the Quraysh.