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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
After having fled with his followers from Mecca to Medina in the [[hijra]] Muhammad had continued his preaching, growing his ranks amongst the so called [[Ansar]] or partisans/helpers who came on board the movement, joining the ranks of the [[muhajiruun] or emigrants from Mecca. Once Muhammad had felt his position strong enough, he had embarked upon maghaazi or raids against the caravans of the Meccans, which were the life blood of the mercantile city. | After having fled with his followers from Mecca to Medina in the [[hijra]] Muhammad had continued his preaching, growing his ranks amongst the so called [[Ansar]] or partisans/helpers who came on board the movement, joining the ranks of the [[muhajiruun] or emigrants from Mecca. Once Muhammad had felt his position strong enough, he had embarked upon maghaazi or raids against the caravans of the Meccans, which were the life blood of the mercantile city. A raid on a Qurayshi caravan netted Muhammad and his followes a massive loot haul with no casualties. This whet the appetite of Muhammad and the Muslims for more loot. When they learned that the biggest caravan of the year was heading back to Mecca from Syria, Muhammad and his soldiers started planning their own raid. Abu Sufyan, chief amongst the Meccans, though, learned of Muhammad's plans, as Ling says "no doubt one of the [[munaafiquun|hypocrites]] or one of the Jews" <Ref> Martin Lings Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources Inner Traditions 2006, page 141 </Ref> and immediately set forth sound the alarm to his countrymen. The Meccans gathered outside of their place of worship and formed a force to stop Muhammad. | ||
==Order of Battle== | ==Order of Battle== |