Seerah | Lecture 15 | Permission to defend & the change of Qiblah

The second year of the Hijra was marked by the transition of the Muslim community in Madina from a state of defensive patience to the authorization of military action against the mushrikin of Makka. This period saw the formal revelation of divine permission to fight those who had oppressed the believers and driven them from their homes. Alongside these military developments, the community underwent a significant change in the direction of prayer, shifting from Baitul-Maqdis in Palestine back toward the Ka'ba in Makka. This change served as a test of obedience, distinguishing those who followed the Messenger of Allah out of sincere submission from those who wavered in their faith.

Defensive measures and military expeditions

• Permission to fight — Allah revealed the verse udhina lilladhina yuqataluna bi-annahum zulimu in the month of Safar, granting the Muslims permission to defend themselves against those who had oppressed them ▸7:13.
• Nature of the conflict — The fighting was strictly defensive, intended to protect the lives, wealth, and families of the Muslims ▸9:03.
• Definition of Sariya — A military expedition in which the Messenger of Allah did not personally participate ▸18:44.
• Definition of Ghazwa — A military expedition in which the Messenger of Allah personally participated ▸19:01.
• Frequency of expeditions — Estimates by scholars suggest there were between 47 and 56 saraya and between 19 and 27 ghazawat during the ten years in Madina (▸19:30, ▸20:14, ▸21:06).
• Sariya-e-Hamza — The first sariya, led by Sayyiduna Hamza with 30 Muhajirin, sent to monitor 300 of the mushrikin led by Abu Jahl; the conflict was averted by the intervention of a third party ▸23:09.
• Sariya-e-Ubayd ibnul-Harith — An expedition where Sayyiduna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas fired the first arrow in the path of Allah; no casualties occurred ▸25:05.
• Ghazwa-e-Abwa — The first ghazwa in which the Messenger of Allah participated; he stayed in the village of Abwa for 15 days and established non-aggression agreements with local tribes ▸27:48.
• Ghazwa-e-Dhul-'Ushayra — An expedition involving 200 Muhajirin intended to intercept a caravan carrying the seized goods of the Muslims ▸31:31.
• Sariya-e-Nakhla — A mission led by Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Jahsh to monitor the activities of the mushrikin near Makka, which resulted in a skirmish that provided the mushrikin with a pretext for further aggression ▸32:44.

The change of Qibla

• Initial direction — Upon arriving in Madina, the Muslims were ordered to face Baitul-Maqdis in prayer ▸35:27.
• Divine observation — Allah continuously observed the Messenger of Allah turning his face toward the sky in anticipation of the command to return to the Ka'ba ▸37:32.
• The revelation — While leading the Zuhr prayer at the mosque of the tribe of Bani Salama, the command was received to turn toward the Masjid-e-Haram ▸39:16.
• Masjidul-Qiblatain — The location where the change of direction occurred, now known as the "Mosque of the Two Qiblas," situated northwest of the Masjidun-Nabawi ▸40:35.
• Purpose of the change — The change served to distinguish the truly obedient from those who followed the previous direction only because it aligned with the practices of the Jews ▸42:34.
• Prophetic sign — The change confirmed the status of the Messenger of Allah as the Sahib-ul-Qiblatayn (the one who followed two Qiblas), a sign mentioned in previous scriptures ▸44:14.

Internal and external threats

• Abdullah ibn Ubayy — The leader of the munafiqin (hypocrites) who became an enemy of the Prophet after his own ambitions to be crowned king of Madina were thwarted by the Prophet's arrival ▸3:06.
• Threats from Makka — The mushrikin of Makka sent a letter to the leaders of Madina threatening to kill the Muslims and exploit their women if they did not expel the Prophet ▸3:59.
• Hostility of the Jews — Despite agreements, the Jewish tribes in Madina plotted with the mushrikin of Makka to eliminate the Muslim community ▸6:52.
• Enmity of Abu Jahl — Abu Jahl actively sought to unite tribes against the Muslims and attempted to prevent Sayyiduna Sa'd ibn Mu'adh from performing tawaf in Makka ▸11:34.