Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) received information that Al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar, the chief of the Banu al-Mustaliq clan, was gathering his tribe and several other Arabian clans to march out and wage war against the Muslims.
In response, the Prophet (ﷺ) prepared his companions to set out for battle. A large group of hypocrites (Munafiqun), who had never participated in any prior military expeditions, joined the Muslim army this time.
The hypocrites, whose sole aim was to sow discord, created a massive rift within the Muslim ranks and fabricated a highly slanderous accusation against the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
The Malice of Abdullah ibn Ubayy
Abdullah ibn Ubayy was the leader of these hypocrites. He harbored deep-seated resentment against Islam, the Muslims, and especially Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The reason for his malice was that the Aus and Khazraj tribes had been ready to crown him as their king just before the Prophet’s migration (Hijrah) to Madinah. However, once the Prophet arrived, the people abandoned Ibn Ubayy and turned to the Prophet instead. Nursing a bitter grievance that the Prophet had “deprived” him of his kingship, he constantly plotted mischief and sought to cause harm.
Hypocrites are those who accept Islam only with their tongues but reject it in their hearts. They acted like Muslims outwardly to remain close to them, but they served as spies for the enemies of Islam, instigated people against the Prophet, and spread malicious rumors.
The Incident at the Watering Place
As the Prophet (ﷺ) was returning after the conclusion of the Battle of Banu al-Mustaliq, the army camped at a watering place called ‘Al-Muraysi’.
While drawing water, Jahjah al-Ghifari (a servant of Umar, from the Muhajirun) and Sinan ibn Wabar al-Juhani (an ally of the Khazraj, from the Ansar) got into a physical altercation.
During the fight, Al-Juhani shouted:
“O Ansar! Come to my aid!”
While Jahjah shouted:
“O Muhajirun! Come to my aid!”
Hearing these tribal battle cries, the Prophet (ﷺ) intervened and warned them:
“Are you invoking the slogans of the Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah) while I am still among you? Leave it, for it is foul and detestable!”
The Wicked Words of Abdullah ibn Ubayy
News of this incident reached Abdullah ibn Ubayy, which infuriated him. He was surrounded by a group of men from his tribe, including a young boy named Zayd ibn Arqam.
Abdullah ibn Ubayy angrily said:
“Have they really done this? They show us open animosity. These outsiders who came to our land are now trying to overpower us in our own home! By Allah, the example of us and these beggars of Quraish is just like the old saying: ‘Fatten your dog, and it will eat you.’ By Allah, when we return to Madinah, the more honorable ones (meaning himself and his allies) will surely expel the meaner ones (meaning the Prophet and his companions) from it!”
He then turned to the Ansar present around him and added:
“Look at what you have brought upon yourselves! You accommodated them in your city and shared your wealth with them. By Allah, if you withhold your charity and resources from them, they will abandon you and move to another town.”
Zayd ibn Arqam went and reported these words to his uncle, who in turn informed the Prophet (ﷺ). Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), who was present with the Prophet, immediately said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Order Abbad ibn Bishr to kill him!”
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
“O Umar, how can that be? People will say that Muhammad kills his own companions. No, do not do so. Instead, announce to everyone that we are marching out immediately.”
The Prophet (ﷺ) did not usually travel at that hour, but the army immediately packed up and started the journey in compliance with his command.
The Prophet’s Wise Strategy
During the march, Useyd ibn Hudayr (ra), an Ansari companion, met the Prophet (ﷺ), greeted him, and asked:
“O Prophet, you are traveling at a very unusual and difficult hour!”
The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him:
“Have you not heard what your companion, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, said?”
Useyd (ra) asked:
“What did he say?”
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
“He claimed that when he returns to Madinah, the honorable ones will expel the meaner ones.”
Useyd (ra) comforted the Prophet, saying:
“O Messenger of Allah! You can expel him from Madinah if you wish. By Allah, he is the base and humiliated one, and you are the honorable one!”
He added: “O Messenger of Allah, please be gentle with him. His people were just about to weave a crown to make him king when Allah brought you to us. Therefore, he feels that you have snatched away his kingdom.”
Following this, the Prophet (ﷺ) kept the people marching all through the day, through the entire night, and into the forenoon of the next day until the sun grew hot. Only then did he permit them to halt. Exhausted from the grueling, non-stop journey, the people fell fast asleep the moment they hit the ground. The Prophet (ﷺ) did this strategically so that the people would be too tired to engage in further idle gossip, arguments, or tribal divisions regarding Ibn Ubayy’s statements.
Divine Vindication of Zayd ibn Arqam
When Abdullah ibn Ubayy realized that the young Zayd ibn Arqam had reported his treacherous words to the Prophet (ﷺ), he quickly went to the Prophet and swore solemn oaths that he had said no such thing.
Some of the Ansar companions defended him, saying:
“O Messenger of Allah! Zayd is just a young boy, he might have misunderstood or failed to remember Ibn Ubayy’s words accurately. Please accept what Ibn Ubayy is saying, as he is an elder.”
Regarding this, Zayd ibn Arqam (ra) narrates:
“Because the people called me a liar, I was gripped by a profound grief like never before. Out of sheer humiliation, I stayed inside my house. Then, Allah revealed verses 1 to 8 of Surah Al-Munafiqun (Chapter 63) in the Qur’an, completely vindicating me and proving my words true.”
Zayd ibn Arqam (ra) added:
“When these verses were revealed, the Prophet (ﷺ) called for me, recited them to me, and said: ‘Allah has verified your truthfulness, O Zayd!’”
— Sahih al-Bukhari
The Unwavering Loyalty of Abdullah’s Son
The hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubayy had a son who was also named Abdullah. Unlike his father, he was a deeply sincere and outstanding companion (Sahabi) of the Prophet. When he learned of his father’s treasonous words, he distanced himself from him.
When the Muslim army reached the outskirts of Madinah, the young Abdullah stood at the very entrance of the city with his sword drawn.
When his father arrived, Abdullah blocked his path and said:
“By Allah! You cannot enter Madinah until the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) permits you to do so. Today, you shall know for certainty who is the honorable one and who is the humiliated one!”
He refused to let his own father take a single step forward until the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived at the spot and granted permission for Ibn Ubayy to enter. Only then did Abdullah (ra) lower his sword and clear the way.
In fact, when the news of his father’s betrayal first broke out during the journey, Abdullah (ra) had approached the Prophet (ﷺ) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! If you want him executed for his treason, command me to do it. By Allah, I will bring his head to you myself!”
— Sirat Ibn Hisham
