Al-Is Caravan Raid

Expedition of Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib also known as 'Saif Al-Baḥr platoon' or 'Al-Is Caravan Raid' was sent in 1 A.H. of the Islamic calendar in the month of Ramaḍān (March, 623 CE). This operation preceded the expedition of Waddān. None of the Anṣār (Helpers of Madinah) participated in it.

Controversy over the timing
This troop was sent 7 to 9 months after the Hijrah (migration to Madīnah). However, there are differences of opinion among the early Islamic scholars on the exact timing of this operation. Some authorities hold that it was the first caravan raid the Prophet ordered being the first military action in the history of Islam. While, the others comment that Sariyyah Baṭn Rābigh was the first operation Muḥammad ordered entrusting ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Ḥārith with its commandership. According to Ibn Isḥāq, "Some people say that Ḥamzah's banner was the first awarded by the Messenger of Allah to any of the Muslims. This was because he had dispatched Ḥamzah and ‘Ubaydah at the same time; this confused people."

Ibn Kathīr commented that Mūsā ibn ‘Uqbah quoted Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhri as saying that the Prophet had dispatched Ḥamzah before ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Ḥārith. He maintained that Ḥamzah's mission came before the expedition to al-Abwā'. And that when the Messenger of Allah returned from al-Abwā’, he dispatched ‘Ubaydah b. al-Ḥārith along with 60 Emigrants.

Al- Wāqidī’s opinion was: "The raid made by Ḥamzah in Ramaḍān took place in 1 AH; ‘Ubaydah's expedition came thereafter, in Shawwāl in the same year." Ibn Isḥāq quoted from Ḥamzah’s poetry indicating that his banner was the first awarded in Islam. Ibn Isḥāq stated, "If Ḥamzah did speak this, then so it was for he only ever spoke the truth. But Allah knows best what happened. What we have heard from scholars was that ‘Ubaydah was the first.

Location
The event took place on the seashore in the neighborhood of aI-‘Īṣ (العيص), in the territory of Banū Juhayna, between Makkah and Madīnah.

Background
The Meccans would not leave Muḥammad at peace even in Madīnah. After their attempt to assassinate Muḥammad became futile, they were infuriated and sought to take vengeance after his successful escape. They were desperate in stopping him with whatever means possible.

To their utmost concern, they also saw that Muḥammad was gaining control over the principal trade route to Syria & Egypt by signing non-aggression treaties and forming alliances with the neighboring tribes (Banū Ḍamrah, Banū Juhaynah) of Madīnah. In a letter to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the would-be king of Yathrib, Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb & Ubayy ibn Khalaf threatened him for giving refuge to the Ṣābi‘ūn (i.e. heretics) and would wage war against Madīnah unless he either killed Muḥammad or surrendered him.

In succession of their conspiracies, the Quraysh sent Abu Jahl leading 300 riders in order to make a pre-emptive attack on the Muslims of Madīnah. The purpose of this raid was to regain the authority of Makkah over the lost territories. They also expected that this attack would terrorize the inhabitants of Madīnah so that they would surrender Muḥammad, drive him out or even execute him.

Under the circumstances of potential attack & onslaught on the Muslims, Muhammad was forced to keep constant vigilance on the borders as well as send out reconnaissance parties. This troop led by by Ḥamza ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muṭṭalib, Muḥammad’s uncle, was one of those scout teams serving to patrol the outskirts of Madinah.

After being informed of this imminent attack, the Prophet immediately dispatched a group of 30 Muhajirūn led by Ḥamza ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muṭṭalib to intercept them.

Criticism of western view
The state of Madīnah at its incipient stage had insignificant military strength to organize any offensive attack on the Quraysh, much less at the interval of nearly every 2 months. By making the first move, it would have been irrational & unwarranted for Muhammad to deliberately provoke his fierce opponent that was much superior to him in strength and other capabilities. In fact, the vulnerability & helplessness of the Muslims at the early stage of migration was revealed in the following verse of Qur’an: (8:26) Therefore any claim of the commentators who narrated that the objective of the early invasions was to relieve poverty by raiding the Quraysh caravans is unsupported. It is not plausible to send only 30 riders over a caravan of 300 armored men.

Description
It was led by Ḥamzah ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muṭṭalib and comprising 30 to 40 horse (or camel)-riders with a definite task of intercepting a caravan that belonged to Quraish. ‘Amr ibn Hishām (Abu Jahl), the leader of the caravan was camping at al-‘Is with 300 Meccan riders.

The two parties encountered each other, aligned and stood face to face in preparation for battle. In the heat of the moment, Majdi ibn ‘Amr al-Juhani, a Quraysh who was friendly to both the parties intervened between them; He happened to be there and compelled them to lay down their arms, thereby managed to prevent an imminent clash.

Both parties separated without fighting. So, Abu Jahl expressed much regret in an ode composed by him and hoped for a future victory over the Muslims. Hamzah returned to Madīnah and Abu Jahl proceeded towards Makkah.

On that occasion, the Prophet accredited the first flag in the history of Muslims. It was white in color and was entrusted to Kinaz ibn Husain Al-Ghanawi, to carry.