Countering Islamic Propaganda: The Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri Raid

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Persecution at Medina?

The Expedition Against
Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri

From Discover the Truth:

Persecuting, killing, and stealing the wealth from Muslims in Mecca did not satisfy these Quraysh polytheists to leave Muslims alone when they fled to Madina. Their satanic plots never stopped when the Muslims arrived in Medina to find safety. One of Quraysh’s men, raided and tried to steal livestock belonging to the Muslims.
(January 23, 2016)

What the Apologists Want You to Believe

As proof that the Muslims were under persecution after fleeing to Medina, DTT offers the story of a raid by Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri and says that he was a Quraish member sent to steal livestock "belonging to the Muslims."

What They Offer as Proof

A passage from Ibn Ishaq reads as follows:

The apostle stayed only a few nights, less than ten, in Medina when he came back from raiding AI-Ushayara, and then Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri raided the pasturing camcls of Medina. The apostle went out in search of him, until he reached a valley called Safawan, in the neighbourhood of Badr. Kurz escaped him and he could not overtake him. This was the first raid of Badr.

What They Leave Out and Why They are Wrong

In this case, the DTT editors didn't snip out the biggest reason they are wrong: It's right there in the passage. Where did Muhammad return from before Kurz's raid? "He came back from raiding al-Ushayra."

What? Yes, it turns out that Muhammad had staged several raids prior to hearing news that a raid had been staged against his community. In the real world, that's known as really important context.

Muhammad's armed raids began well before this event, exactly one year after arriving in Medina:

He [Muhammad] then, in Safar, at the start of the 12th month after his arrival there, went forth to do battle... The [next] party went as far as a well in Hijaz below Thaniyyat al-Murra, where he met a large contingent of Quraysh. There was no engagement with them, however, except that Sa'd b. Aha Waqqas did that day cast one arrow. That was the first arrow shot for God's cause after the coming of Islam. (Ibn Kathir v.2 p.235)

The first arrow shot, then, was by a Muslim in an incident in which there was otherwise no engagment. The Muslims were the ones to provoke hosilities following the hijra.

Why else would Muhammad send out armed forces at this early stage? Is it to fight on behalf of the "oppressed and weak", as DTT insists? Hardly. Here is Ibn Kathir's explanation for that raid:

His purpose was to interfere with a Quraysh caravan (Ibn Kathir v.2 p.239)

And this was the Muslim raid that preceded the Muslim raid that occured while there was a minor raid on a Medinan property by Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri.

What is also not found in the early sources is the part about Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri being Quraish or even sent by the Quraish. While the story has been embellished over the last century or so, there is no evidence from early historians that he was anything other than a minor bedouin figure doing what what was fairly common in Arabia at the time.

Neither is it even said that the camels he took belonged specifically to the Muslims at Medina. Of course, the same cannot be said of the Quraish caravans being looted by Muhammad.

So, to summarize, property that may or may not have belonged to the Muslims was stolen by someone who may or may not have belonged to the group from which the Muslims were actively stealing from - and that's supposed to be evidence that Muslims were the ones being persecuted.

TheReligionofPeace

Jihad Report Dec 07, 2024 - Dec 13, 2024

Jihad Report November, 2024

List of Attacks

Persecution at Medina?

The Expedition Against Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri

From Discover the Truth:

What the Apologists Want You to Believe

What They Offer as Proof

What They Leave Out and Why They are Wrong

Further Reading

Jihad Report
Dec 07, 2024 -
Dec 13, 2024

Jihad Report
November, 2024

The Expedition Against
Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri