Expedition of al-Abwa (Waddan)

The expedition of al-Abwa (also called Waddan) was the first expedition that the Prophet joined in person. It took place in Safar 2 AH (August 623 CE) with seventy men of the Muhajirun, and he left Sa'd ibn Ubada in charge of Medina ¹.

The banner of the expedition was white, carried by Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The Prophet set out to intercept a Quraysh caravan, reaching the place of Waddan and al-Abwa, but he met no hostile force and no fighting ^{1 2}.

On this expedition the Prophet concluded a treaty of alliance and truce with Amr ibn Makhshi al-Damri, chief of Banu Damra. It guaranteed that the Prophet would not raid Banu Damra and they would not raid him, that they would not help anyone against him, and that he would not help anyone against their enemy. The Prophet's absence lasted fifteen nights, and then he returned to Medina ^{1 3}.

In Safar of the second year, the Prophet went out himself with seventy men of the Muhajirun to intercept a Quraysh caravan. He reached Waddan without meeting any opposition, and there he made an alliance with Banu Damra and their chief Amr ibn Makhshi. It was the first expedition he undertook himself, and he left Sa'd ibn Ubada in charge of Medina ¹.