[6][7][8][9] 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.

[10][11] During his stay in Medina, Muhammad began conducting frequent raids on Quraysh trade caravans and plundering their goods.

[20] Soon, Muhammad managed to eliminate the last major Jewish tribe in Medina, the Banu Qurayza, which cemented his position in the city.

[21] After a period of not making attacks on Quraysh caravans and instead focusing his raids to the north, such as to the Banu Lihyan and Mustaliq, among others, the attitude of Muhammad's tribesmen toward him grew more favourable.

[22] 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.

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).

After his followers were persecuted by the Quraysh, Muhammad ordered them to move to Abyssinia to seek refuge in 615, where they were welcomed with open arms.

After the death of his uncle Abu Talib in 619, Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, was lacking someone who provided him security in an increasingly hostile environment in Mecca.

[24][25] In Medina, they spread the word of Muhammad and Islam and in February 621, a new delegation reached Mecca, among them were two members of the community of Banu Aws.

Following his migration, Muhammad took to intercepting the caravans of the Quraysh as a means of retaliation and compensation for the wealth lost by his Meccan companions.

These raids were generally offensive[26] and carried out to gather intelligence or seize the trade goods of caravans financed by the Quraysh (such retaliation was explained as being legitimate by saying many Muslims' possessions and wealth, left behind when they migrated from Mecca, were stolen).

[29][30] Another reason for the raids appears to have been economic stress, as the food output of Medina was barely capable of feeding the Muslim newcomers.

Aware of this problem, Muhammad introduced the usage of sealed letters of instructions and appointed 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh to lead an expedition of eight or twelve men.

After marching for two days, Ibn Jahsh opened the letter to learn that, according to most sources, he was instructed to gain intelligence information about the movement of Meccan caravans deep in Quraish territory, in Nakhlah, near modern-day Rabigh.

[36] Ibn Jahsh and his men returned to Medina with the seized caravan,[37] which carried wine, leather goods and raisins.

[38] In March 624, Muhammad was given news of a caravan of the Quraysh travelling from the Levant back to Makkah, led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb.

Muhammad and his warriors marched offside the common roads to avoid Meccan scouts, passing through little-known canyons and wadis.

[39][40] Abu Sufyan, realized that Muslim scouts were nearby and ordered the caravan to take a different route, sending a messenger to Mecca.

After the messenger arrived in Mecca and told the Quraysh that a Muslim attack was imminent, a Meccan relief force of more than 1,000 men was sent.

Shortly before the Muslims reached the battlefield, 300 men from their army led by Abd Allah ibn Ubayy returned to Medina, discontent with the decision to fight the Meccans in the open.

In early 626, leaders of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir which was expelled from Medina in May 625 met with the Quraysh in Mecca and swore allegiance to Safwan ibn Umayya.

[55][56] Following this meeting, the Banu Nadir rallied the Arab tribes of Najd against Muhammad, whose forces combined with the army of the Quraysh numbered 10,000 men.

[57] Warned by the Banu Khuza'ah one week prior to the arrival of the Confederates, the Muslims dug a deep trench to avoid direct confrontation with them along the northern side of the Medina at the suggestion of Salman the Persian.

[59] The Confederates tried to strike a deal with the Banu Qurayza, the last remaining Jewish tribe in Medina, but these attempts proved unworthy.

[60][61] Growing mutual distrust, loss of morale, lack of resources, and a failure to strike a deal with the Banu Qurayza led to a breakdown of the Confederates.

In early 628, in Dhu al-Qa'dah 6 AH, Muhammad put on the ihram and led a contingent of Muslims and camels for sacrifice toward Mecca intending to perform the 'umrah.

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb traveled to Medina to negotiate a renewal of the treaty, but his attempts proved unworthy.