Expedition of Dhat al-Riqa

The Islamic prophet Muhammad learned that certain tribes of Banu Ghatafan were assembling at Dhat al-Riqa. == Battle ==

He proceeded towards Nejd leading 400-700 men after he is said to have mandated Abu Dhar to manage Madinah during his absence. In another version, Uthman ibn Affan, is given this honor. The Muslim fighters penetrated deep into their land until they reached Nakhlah where they came across bedouins of Ghatfan. When prayer time came, the Muslims worried that the Ghatafan men might descend from their mountain hideout and attack them while they were praying. Apprehending this fear, Muhammad introduced the ‘service of prayer of danger'. In this system, parties of faithful take turns standing guard while the other party prays. According to Muslim sources, God revealed verses 4:101 regarding shortening of a prayer. == Aftermath ==

While Muhammad was resting under a shade tree at Dhat al-Riqa, a polytheist man came to him with the intention of killing him. The man was playing with Muhammad's sword and pointed it to Muhammad; asking him: Muhammad replied: The man asked: Muhammad said: The would-be assassin then sheathed the sword and returned it to Muhammad. Verse 5:11 was then revealed, proclaiming Allah's protection for Muhammad. After fifteen days Muhammad returned to Medina. However, he was not at peace; he apprehended that the Banu Ghatafan might attack to reclaim their women. ==Timing==

Some scholars claim that the expedition took place in Nejd (a large tableland in the Arabian Peninsula) in Rabi‘ Ath-Thani or Jumada Al-Ula, A.H. 4 (or beginning of AH 5). They claim that it was strategically necessary to carry out this campaign in order to quell the rebellious Bedouins to prepare for the encounter with the polytheists, i.e. minor Badr Battle in Sha‘ban A.H. 4. However, Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri claimed that Dhat Ar-Riqa‘ campaign took place after the fall of Khaibar (and not as part of the Invasion of Nejd). This is supported by the fact that Abu Hurairah and Abu Musa Ashaari witnessed the battle. Abu Hurairah embraced Islam only some days before Khaibar, and Abu Musa Al-Ash‘ari came back from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and joined Muhammad at Khaibar. The rules relating to the prayer of fear that Muhammad observed at Dhat Ar-Riqa‘ campaign, were revealed at the Asfan Invasion. Scholars say that this took place after Al-Khandaq (the Battle of the Trench). This period is too long (the average is seven intercalations in nineteen years rather than seven in 21), which means that his dates become progressively later moving back from the reform of the calendar in AD 632. Since the day of the week in the Muslim calendar advances by one or two days per month the discrepancy is resolved by pushing Caussin de Perceval's calculated dates back a month. ==Islamic sources==

Quran 4:101 and 5:11 The Quran verse 4:101 was reportedly revealed in this event, regarding shortening of prayers, as was verse 5:11, regarding a man who was sent to kill Muhammad or threaten him Hadith literature The Sunni Hadith collection Sahih Muslim also says about this event: ==See also==