~Monday, 2 Sha'ban 5 AH · 5 AHDate debatedIbn Ishaq, al-Tabari, and Ibn al-Athir date it to the 6th year of the Hijrah; Ibn Sa'd, al-Zuhri, Ibn Hajar, and Ibn Kathir date it to the 5th year (the same month as Hasan RA's birth); a minority date it to the 4th year. Since Sa'd ibn Mu'adh RA, who died shortly after the Battle of Khandaq (5 AH), plays an important role in the subsequent Slander of Aisha RA incident, the 5th-year dating is judged strongest; the "4th year" that al-Bukhari attributes to Musa ibn Uqbah is, as Ibn Hajar notes, probably a slip of the pen, since Musa ibn Uqbah's own Maghazi gives the 5th year.
Dating debated
Ibn Ishaq, al-Tabari, and Ibn al-Athir date it to the 6th year of the Hijrah; Ibn Sa'd, al-Zuhri, Ibn Hajar, and Ibn Kathir date it to the 5th year (the same month as Hasan RA's birth); a minority date it to the 4th year. Since Sa'd ibn Mu'adh RA, who died shortly after the Battle of Khandaq (5 AH), plays an important role in the subsequent Slander of Aisha RA incident, the 5th-year dating is judged strongest; the "4th year" that al-Bukhari attributes to Musa ibn Uqbah is, as Ibn Hajar notes, probably a slip of the pen, since Musa ibn Uqbah's own Maghazi gives the 5th year.
The Banu al-Mustaliq were a tribe living by a pool of water called al-Muraysi', between Makkah and Madinah. They were allies of the Quraysh and had fought against the Muslims at Uhud.
News came that their chieftain, al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar, was planning a surprise attack on the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ first sent Buraydah ibn al-Husayb RA to check whether the rumor was true. Buraydah pretended to be a Bedouin who wanted to join the raid for a share of the spoils. Al-Harith confirmed the plan and welcomed him. That night Buraydah slipped away and reported back.
The Prophet ﷺ quickly gathered more than 700 Companions, 30 of them on horseback and fully armed. They attacked right after the dawn prayer, taking the tribe completely by surprise. The women were out collecting water and the children were playing outside. The tribe surrendered almost at once.
Because a large battle seemed so unlikely, many of the hypocrites (munafiqun) joined this expedition, including their leader Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul. They had stayed away from both Badr and Uhud.
Outcome: More than 2,000 camels, 5,000 sheep and 1,000 people of the Banu al-Mustaliq were taken as spoils and captives. Most of the captives were women and children, and only a handful of the tribe were killed. No Muslim was killed in the fighting. One emigrant, Hisham ibn Subaba RA, was killed by accident when one of the Ansar mistook him for an enemy.
The Expedition of al-Muraysi' matters less for the battle itself than for what followed it. On the journey home came the slander against Aisha RA. The Prophet ﷺ married Juwayriyya bint al-Harith RA, the chieftain's daughter. And Surah al-Munafiqun, the chapter about the hypocrites, was revealed.
A scuffle at a well on the return march set the Muhajirun and Ansar against each other.
The slander began on the return march from al-Muraysi', when Aisha RA was left behind by the caravan.
Her father al-Harith and his tribe accepted Islam in the wake of the expedition.
Juwayriyya was among the captives of al-Muraysi'; the Prophet ﷺ married her and the Muslims freed her people.
Other events recorded in 5 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
I accepted the blood money for my brother Hisham's death, then killed the Ansari who had killed him, and rode back to Makkah with the camels.
I have heard that you are launching an attack against the Muslims, I want to join so I can get a share of the booty.
Buraydah posed as a Bedouin wanting to join al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar's planned raid, sent by the Prophet ﷺ to confirm reports that the Banu al-Mustaliq were preparing to attack the Muslims.
Yes, it's true. And you can join us.