The Fujjaar war
The Arabs had been fighting wars for a long time before the emergence of Islam. One of those wars was known as ‘The Fujjaar War’. The Arabs used to consider the months of Zul-Qa’dah, Zul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab to be very sacred. They would consider it a sin to fight against anyone during those months. Usually, they would put their swords into scabbards1 and remove the sharp pointed ends of their lances. However, sometimes circumstances were so unfavourable that they had to fight wars unwillingly even during those months. The Arabs would call those wars ‘Huroob Fujjaar’ (i.e. sinful wars).
The last war of Fujjaar was fought between the tribes of the Quraysh and the Qays. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم was 20 years of age at that time. The Quraysh were right, so he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم also participated in the war along with Abu Taalib and his other paternal uncles. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم did not draw any weapon against anyone. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم only picked up arrows and gave them to his uncles. At first, the Qays dominated the Quraysh during the war but later on the Quraysh dominated them. Eventually, the war ended with a truce [i.e. peace agreement].2
(Seerat Ibn Hishaam, vol. 2, pp. 186)
1Scabbard is a metal or leather cover for the blade of a sword.
2Al-Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah ma’ Sharh-uz-Zurqaani, vol. 1, pp. 362; As-Seerat-un-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hishaam, pp. 75
