Muslim–Quraysh War

The Trench : 3,000 Mecca : 10,000 Badr : 600 (Watt’s estimate) –1,000 (Islamic sources) Uhud : 3,200 The Trench : 10,000 Casualties and losses KIA : 79–97 Muslims KIA : 115–121 Qurayshis POW : 70 Qurayshis The Muslim–Quraysh War ( Arabic : حرب المسلمين وقريش ) was a six-year military and religious conflict in the Arabian Peninsula between the early Muslims led by Muhammad on one side and the Arab pagan Quraysh tribe on the other. The war started in March 624 with the Battle of Badr , and concluded with the Conquest of Mecca . Muhammad, born in Mecca , began spreading Islam in the city at the age of 40. Initially, he met no opposition from the Meccans, who were indifferent to his activities until he attacked their beliefs. As tensions arose, Muhammad brought his followers to migrate to Medina after successful negotiations with the Banu Aws and Khazraj to mediate their tribal conflicts. During his stay in Medina , Muhammad began conducting frequent raids on Quraysh trade caravans and plundering their goods. A short while after he had earned rich loot after a successful raid by his troops on a caravan at Nakhla , Muhammad got word of a huge Quraysh caravan carrying abundant merchandise on its way back from the Gaza City . He thus sent his troops to intercept it at Badr . Getting wind of his plan, Abu Sufyan, who led the caravan, sent messengers to Mecca for help. The reinforcements then encamped near Badr out of sight of the Muslims, and the caravan was directed to another, more difficult route. After the caravan escaped, some of the Quraysh chose to withdraw, but those who remained were later forced into conflict with Muhammad after he captured their water carrier and covered up the water wells with sand, which left one only for him and his troops. The Quraysh were defeated in this battle. The Battle of Badr was followed by a victory for the Quraysh, led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb , in the Battle of Uhud , which took place in March 625. Two years later, a confederation of different Arab tribes, led by the Meccans, besieged Medina . That attempt at conquering Medina was thwarted, however, by a trench built by the Muslims at the suggestion of Salman the Persian . Soon, Muhammad managed to eliminate the last major Jewish tribe in Medina, the Banu Qurayza , which cemented his position in the city. After a period of not making attacks on Quraysh caravans and instead focusing his raids to the north, such as to the Banu Lahyan and Mustaliq , among others, the attitude of Muhammad's tribesmen toward him grew more favourable. A ten-year armistice, known as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah , was then concluded, which allowed Muhammad to return to perform Umrah in Mecca. There, Muhammad successfully reconciliated with his family, the Banu Hashim , and a number of notables admitted him as a man of the future in Arabia and converted to Islam. Sometime later, a belligerent party in Mecca supported one of its client tribes against the Banu Khuza'ah , who were allies of Muhammad, in violation of the treaty. When Muhammad brought his army to Mecca , Abu Sufyan and a few others approached Muhammad to ask for amnesty for those who abandoned armed resistance. Muhammad then managed to enter Mecca unopposed, and most of the population converted to Islam. Muhammad died just two years after that. The war holds high importance and significance in the history of Islam and forms a major part of Muhammad's biography ( Seerah or Seerat un-Nabi ). The war also paved the way for the Early Islamic expansion throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The Life of Muhammad . Muhammad and the Origins of Islam .