The early Muslim–Meccan conflict refer to a series of raids in which the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions participated.
[2] The raids were intended to harm the economy and in turn the offensive capabilities of Mecca by Muhammad.
[clarification needed][4] People of Arabia were either nomadic or sedentary, the former constantly traveling from one place to another seeking water and pasture for their flocks, while the latter settled and focused on trade and agriculture.
The survival of nomads (or Bedouins) was also partially dependent on raiding caravans or oases, thus they saw this as no crime.
Muhmmad also entrusted the first flag of Islam to Kinaz bin Husain an Ghanawi.
[10][11][12][13][14] It is mentioned in Ibn Hisham and Ibn Ishaq's biography of Muhammad (the earliest surviving biography of Muhammad from the 7th century), that for these caravan raids Muhammad gave permission to "plunder" the caravans of theirs enemies and seize their goods and property(s) and said: Go forth against this caravan; it may be that God will grant you plunder [Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 95, translation by Folio Society][15]The Muslim scholar Al-Waqidi also mentions in his Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi ("Book of History and Campaigns") that Muhammad said: "This caravan of the Quraysh holds their wealth, and perhaps God will grant it to you as a plunder".
[10][11][12][13] About a month after Hamzah's unsuccessful bid to plunder, Muhammad entrusted a party of sixty Muhajirun led by Ubaydah to conduct another operation at a Quraysh caravan that was returning from Syria and protected by two hundred armed men.
[10][12][18] The incident is partly referenced in the Sahih al-Bukhari hadith collection: I heard Sa'd saying, "I was the first amongst the 'Arabs who shot an arrow for God's Cause.
We used to fight along with the Prophet".Sahih al-Bukhari, 5:57:74[14] Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas was ordered to lead the third raid.
Sa'd, with his soldiers, set up an ambush in the valley of Kharrar on the road to Mecca and waited to raid a returning Meccan caravan from Syria.
[10][11][12][13][14] The fourth raid, known as the invasion of Waddan, was the first offensive in which Muhammad took part personally with 70, mostly Muhajir,troops.
[10] It is said that twelve months after moving to Medina, Muhammad himself led a caravan raid to Waddan (Al-Abwa).
[12] A month after the raid at al-Abwa, he personally led 200 men including Muhajirs and Ansars to Bawat, a place on the caravan route of the Quraysh merchants.
[21] Two or three months after Muhammad's return from Buwat, he appointed Abu Salamah Ibn Abd al-Assad to take his place in Medina while he was away commanding another raid.
When they arrived at al-Usharayh, they expected to raid a rich Meccan caravan heading towards Syria led by Abu Sufyan.
In this operation, Muhammad entered into an alliance with Banu Madlaj, a tribe inhabiting the vicinity of al-Ushayra.
[25] [26] It took place in Rajab 2 A.H., i.e. January 624 A.H. Muhammad despatched 'Abdullah bin Jahsh Asadi to Nakhlah at the head of 12 Emigrants with six camels.
[18][27][28][29] After his return from the first Badr encounter (Battle of Safwan), Muhammad sent Abdullah ibn Jahsh in Rajab with 8 or 12 men on a fact-finding operation.
[13] Zaid bin Haritha, at the head of a 170 horsemen, set out to a place called Al-'Ais, intercepted a caravan of Quraish led by Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabee, Muhammad's son-in-law (Zainab bint Muhammad's husband) and captured their camels as booty.
[13][42] Muhammad sent Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah along with 300 men to attack and chastise the tribe of Juhaynah at al-Khabat, on the seacoast, five nights journey from Medina.
[42] This expedition is famous because the Muslims were short of supplies and food was running out, and they were fighting for survival, they suffered from famine.