Did the Prophet Muhammad Attack Peaceful People? The Raid on Banu Al-Mustaliq Explained

The Shiites and Christians claim that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, was a highwayman according to Sunni narrations.

Ali ibn al-Hasan narrated to us, Abdullah informed us, Ibn Awn informed us, he said: I wrote to Nafi’ and he wrote to me that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, raided Banu al-Mustaliq while they were unaware and their livestock were being watered at the watering place, so he killed their fighters and took their children captive, and on that day he captured Juwayriyah. Abdullah ibn Umar narrated it to me, and he was in that army.

This is why the call of the Prophet reached, became famous, and became apparent among the Arab tribes and became clear, so no excuse remained for anyone. Nothing remained but Islam. If they did not respond and did not submit, then they had no choice but to fight.

He used to raid, and he would wait — and if he heard the call to prayer, he would not raid. If he did not hear, it was an indication that it was the land of polytheism, so he raided them and did not warn them; because the general warning had preceded for them and others.

After being certain of the news, the Prophet summoned the Companions and hastened to leave. He left two nights before the end of Sha’ban. The Messenger of God reached Al-Muraisi’, lined up his companions, and ordered them to attack as one man — victory was achieved and the polytheists were defeated.

It is a delusion, because there was no fighting between them, but he raided them for water and took their children and money as captives, as in the Sahih: The Messenger of God raided Banu al-Mustaliq while they were unaware.

1. Did Banu al-Mustaliq not receive the call of Islam — making the hadith inauthentic?
2. Were Banu Mustaliq peaceful with the Muslims, so the Prophet surprised them unjustly?

This is like saying: “Egypt surprised the Jews and stormed the Bar Lev Line in 1973” is incorrect — because the narrator did not mention Egypt’s defeat in 1967 or the hostility between them. The narrator’s failure to mention an event does not necessitate denying the story.

“Fighting them by surprise” does not mean they were fought without knowledge of Islam or without committing a sin. The surprise here is temporal — it refers only to a temporal surprise that has no relation to causality. The Muslims simply surprised them in their homes while they were unaware.

Islam has reached them since Allah sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
— Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah (12/365) and Saeed bin Mansour (3/2/206/2486)

Historical evidence confirms they heard the call and openly declared their hostility to Islam.

1. Blood relations with Medina — Banu Al-Mustaliq are cousins of Aws and Khazraj, the Muslim Ansar of the Prophet. They share the grandfather Amr ibn Amir ibn Haritha ibn Imru’ al-Qais. How could the call not reach them when all their cousins converted to Islam?

2. From the tribe of Khuza’ah — Many of Khuza’ah converted to Islam, including Amina bint Khalaf, who migrated to Abyssinia with her husband before the Prophet even entered Medina. Also Atika Umm Ma’bad al-Khuza’iyah, Mu’tab bin Auf who witnessed Badr, and Nafi’ bin Badil who was martyred at Bir Ma’unah.

3. They rejected the call and prepared to fight — They mobilized armies against the Messenger of God, as will be detailed below.

The Christians claimed the Prophet attacked a peaceful people. This is a foolish myth.

1. The Abyssinian Bloc and the Battle of Uhud — Banu Al-Mustaliq were supporters of Quraysh within the Abyssinian bloc, a coalition of tribes who formed an alliance to fight the Messenger and the Muslims. They participated with Quraysh in the Battle of Uhud and fought the Muslims. (Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/373)

2. Two years of mobilization after Uhud — After returning from Uhud, Banu Mustaliq began mobilizing armies against Islam for two years in full readiness.

“A man from among you has come forward when I heard that you have gathered this man (meaning the Messenger of God), so I will march among my people and whoever obeys me, so that our hand will be one, until we eradicate him.”(Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 2/63, Maghazi Al-Waqidi 1/404–405)

Banu al-Mustaliq were not peaceful. They participated in Uhud, mobilized armies, and their leader openly declared intent to eradicate the Messenger of God. The myth of them being “safe and peaceful” is completely unfounded.

Narrations of the Battle of Banu al-Mustaliq (The Battle of al-Marisi’) by Ibrahim bin Ibrahim Qaribi — Islamic University of Medina.