The Ridda Wars

حروب الردة

c. 632 CE · c. 11 AH

In al-Baladhuri: when Abu Bakr succeeded, groups of the Arabs apostatized and withheld the alms, some saying 'we keep the prayer but will not pay the zakat', whereupon Abu Bakr said 'if they withheld from me a hobbling-cord — some say a she-goat kid — I would fight them', the 'iqal being a year's alms; Abdullah ibn Masud said the Muslims had stood after the Prophet ﷺ at a station where they nearly perished had God not graced them with Abu Bakr: they had all agreed not to fight over a young she-camel or a weaned camel 'and to eat the Arab villages' yield and worship God until certainty came to us', but God resolved him to fight, and he accepted from them only the humiliating condition or the annihilating war — the first that they confess their slain are in the Fire and return what they took of Muslim property, the second that they leave their homes; in Tariq ibn Shihab's report he offered the Buzakha delegation the choice of the annihilating war or the humiliating peace: surrender of armour and mounts, return of what was taken, blood-money for the slain Muslims, their own slain in the Fire; Aisha said 'when the Prophet died there befell my father what would have crushed the firm mountains — hypocrisy reared its head in Medina and the Arabs apostatized'; Abu Bakr went out to al-Qassa directing the columns against the apostates, was attacked by Kharija ibn Hisn and Manzur ibn Zabban the Fazaris who were routed with Talha ibn Ubaydillah pursuing them to lower Thaniyyat Awsaja, then appointed Khalid ibn al-Walid (may God be pleased with him) over the army and Thabit ibn Qays over the Ansar, beginning with Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid at Buzakha, followed by the affairs of Yamama, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Hadramawt, Mecca, Tihama and Iraq.

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After Abu Bakr took the caliphate, groups among the Arabs withheld the sadaqa — some saying they would keep the prayer but not pay the zakat — and Abu Bakr resolved to fight them and sent out the armies.

Al-Baladhuri's Futuh al-Buldan tells that groups among the Arabs withheld the sadaqa after Abu Bakr took the caliphate, some saying they would keep the prayer but not pay the zakat, and Abu Bakr resolved to fight them — for even a hobbling cord, 'or a she-kid' in another telling, the cord meaning the year's sadaqa. Ibn Mas'ud is quoted that the Muslims were near ruin but for God's favor through Abu Bakr, many leaning toward not fighting over the zakat; and Abu Bakr offered the choice of 'open war' or 'shameful peace'. He marched to al-Qassa and sent the armies — Kharija ibn Hisn and Manzur ibn Zaban turned them back, Talha ibn Ubaydullah (may God be pleased with him) following — then gave the standard to Khalid ibn al-Walid (may God be pleased with him) over the people and Thabit ibn Qays over the Ansar, beginning with Tulayha at Buzakha, then Yamama, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Hadramawt, Mecca, Tihama and Iraq.

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Al-Baladhuri's account in Futuh al-Buldan tells that groups among the Arabs withheld the sadaqa after Abu Bakr took the caliphate, some saying they would keep the prayer but not pay the zakat, and Abu Bakr resolved to fight them. Al-Baladhuri records Abu Bakr saying he would fight them for even a hobbling cord — 'or a she-kid' in another telling — the cord meaning the year's sadaqa. He quotes Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Muslims after the Prophet ﷺ's death were near ruin but for God's favor through Abu Bakr, as many of them leaned toward not fighting over the zakat. In Tariq ibn Shihab's telling Abu Bakr gave them the choice of 'open war' or 'shameful peace' and set out the peace terms; and the account relays Aisha's description of what befell her father when the Arabs apostatized and hypocrisy appeared in Medina. Abu Bakr marched to al-Qassa and sent the armies to the apostates — Kharija ibn Hisn and Manzur ibn Zaban al-Fazari turned them back with Talha ibn Ubaydullah (may God be pleased with him) following. Then Abu Bakr gave the standard to Khalid ibn al-Walid (may God be pleased with him) over the people and Thabit ibn Qays over the Ansar, beginning with Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid at Buzakha, then the events of Yamama, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Hadramawt, Mecca, Tihama and Iraq.

Overview

Al-Baladhuri relates in "Futuh al-Buldan" that groups of the Arabs withheld the alms after Abu Bakr became caliph, and some of them said that they perform the prayer but do not pay the zakat. Abu Bakr resolved to fight them. ¹

The position on those who withheld alms

Al-Baladhuri says that Abu Bakr said he would fight them even if they withheld a cord (iqal), and in another account "a kid goat" ('anaq). For him the iqal was the alms of the year. ¹

He quotes Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud that after the death of the Prophet the Muslims were on the brink of destruction, had it not been for God's grace through Abu Bakr, since the opinion of many of them had leaned toward abandoning the fight over the zakat. ¹

In the report of Tariq ibn Shihab, Abu Bakr gave them the choice between "the war that clears" and "the humiliating peace", and the report mentions the terms of the peace. The report quotes Aisha on what came upon her father when the Arabs apostatised and hypocrisy appeared in Medina. ¹

The campaigns

Abu Bakr set out to al-Qassa and sent armies against the apostates. Kharija ibn Hisn and Mandhur ibn Zaban al-Fazariyyan held them back, and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah followed them. Then Abu Bakr appointed Khalid ibn al-Walid over the people, and Thabit ibn Qays over the Ansar. He began with Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid at Buzakha, then battles took place at al-Yamama, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Hadramawt, Mecca, Tihama and Iraq. ¹

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The Ridda Wars

At a glance

In time

Overview

The position on those who withheld alms

The campaigns

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

Khalid ibn al-Walid