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Soon after this incident
the Muslim army left Tabuk to return to Madinah. It arrived home
in the middle of December 630, by which time the weather had become
very pleasant.
After Tabuk there was no major military
activity during the lifetime of the Prophet. Delegations came from
all the tribes of Arabia, swore allegiance to the Prophet, accepted
Islam and agreed to pay certain taxes. For each tribe the Prophet
appointed a leader from the converted members of the tribe. The
Prophet thus remained busy with affairs of state, consolidating
the gains of Islam and raising the edifice of the new state. Several
small expeditions were sent by him to various places in Arabia.
The mission given to them was to call the tribes to accept Islam,
but in case of armed opposition the tribe concerned was to be fought
and subdued.
In July 631 (Rabi-ul-Akhir, 10 Hijri), the
Prophet sent a military expedition under the command of Khalid to
the tribe of Bani Harithah bin Kab in Najran, which lies to the
north of the Yemen. The instructions to Khalid were: "Call
the tribe thrice to accept Islam. If they respond favourably, do
them no harm. If they refuse, fight them." 1
With Khalid went 400 mounted warriors.
Khalid arrived at Najran and made contact
with the Bani Harithah bin Kab. He called upon them to submit to
Islam, and they accepted his call. No blood was shed. Khalid remained
with the tribe for several months, teaching them the ways of Islam;
and when he was satisfied that they had become good Muslims, he
wrote to the Prophet and informed him of the progress of his mission.
The Prophet sent Khalid an appreciative letter in reply and instructed
him to return to Madinah and bring a delegation of the Bani Harithah
bin Kab with him. Khalid returned with the delegation in January
632 (Shawal, 10 Hijri). The Prophet received the delegation with
the usual courtesy shown to all delegations. The terms of submission
were explained to the delegates, a leader was appointed for the
tribe and the delegation then returned to Najran.
This was the last mission carried out by
Khalid in the time of the Prophet. 2
1. Ibn Hisham: Vol. 2, p. 592.
2. For opinions regarding other missions
supposed to have been carried out by Khalid, see Note 2 in Appendix
B.
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