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The Tabuk Expedition In the course of history, wars between the Byzantines and the Persians had been fought every now and then. In the early years of the seventh century the Persians defeated the Byzantines. As the Christians were monotheists, the pagans of Arabia hailed the victory of the Persians over the Christian Byzantines.
At that time the Holy Prophet prophesied that within ten years the tables would be turned, and the Byzantines would defeat the Persians. This prophecy was fulfilled, and in the later twenties of the seventh century the Byzantine emperor Heracleus inflicted a crushing defeat on the Persians.
It was at this stage of the Perso-Byzantine conflict that Islam rose into power. The Byzantines could not view the growing strength of Islam with favor. It was rumored that the Byzantine emperor was mustering a large army in Syria to invade Arabia.
To forestall any invasion of Arabia by the Byzantines, the Holy Prophet decided to undertake an expedition to Tabuk on the borders of Syria. The hot season had set in, and the season was unfavorable to the undertaking of any expedition. It was the harvesting season, and the people were generally loath to leave their homes and go to the war. In spite of these difficulties the Holy Prophet was able to raise an army of thirty thousand men. To finance the expedition, the Holy Prophet invited voluntary contributions, and the Companions subscribed liberally to the cost of the war.
The Muslim army encamped at a place called Tabook for twenty days. When the Roman army saw the great force their spirits dampened and they gave up their intention of invasion or war. Rasulullah concluded many peaceful agreements with certain Christian tribes and returned to Madinah. The expedition of Tabook ended the warfare and tribe after tribe began to embrace Islaam. Within two years the whole of Arabia was united under the banner of Islaam and the cry of Allah-hu-Akbar resounded from all sides.
