The polytheists take flight

Three groups of pagan soldiers managed to escape, the largest group fleeing to Ta’if, another group to Nakhlah, and a third group barricaded themselves in Autas. The Prophet sent Abu Amr Ash’ari , the uncle of Abu Musa Ash’ari , to Autas at the head of the squadron. He successfully dispersed the enemy before being martyred. Abu Musa Ash’ari then took over and led the squadron back with the spoils they had won.

Another squadron went on the Nakhlah in pursuit of the second group of pagans, and there they captured Durayd bin Simma and killed him. At the end of the fight, the Prophet asked his men to pile all the spoils of the battle in one spot. When everything was gathered, the spoils amounted to, 24,000 camels, 40, 000 or more goats, 160,000 dirhams worth of silver, and 6,000 women and children. The Prophet ordered everything be taken to Jerana, and he appointed Ma’ud bin Amr Ghifari to oversee the process.

The battle of Ta’if

In Shawwal of the same year (8 A.H.), the Prophet marched toward Ta’if with a large Muslim army. As he passed by the citadel of Malik bin Auf Nasari, he ordered its demolition. By the time he reached Ta’if, the citizens had already closed the city gates and had stocked enough provisions to last them a year. The Prophet then began his siege of the city that had once expelled him, when unarmed and sincere, he had taken his message to its people. The Muslims tried several devices to force the army of Ta’if to lay down its arms, but nothing proved successful. Khalid bin Waleed would go stand before the gate and challenge the people to come out and fight, but no one dared accept the challenge. The catapults were brought into use, but they also proved ineffectual. A group of Muslims attempted to drill a hole in the wall; however, before they could finish they were repulsed by the defenders of Ta’if, who dropped molten metal bits onto them. Finally, the Prophet ordered that the city’s renowned vineyards and date palms be cut down. Vulnerable at last, the people of Ta’if begged the Prophet in the name of God to spare their orchards, at which he immediately took pity on the enemy and had his men stop.

The Prophet then had someone announce that any slave who escaped from the city would be set free, a strategy designed to weaken the enemy numbers. Twenty-three slaves responded to this offer and fled. One of them scaled the wall and slid down the wheel used for drawing water, so the Prophet dubbed him “Abu Bakrah,” which means “Father of the wheel” in Arabic.

The siege was long, continuing for twenty days, while others estimate it lasted a month. Finally, the Prophet consulted with Naufal bin Muawiyah Deli. “The fox has rushed into its hole,” Naufal said. “If you remain firm, you will capture it; but if you leave it, no harm will come to you.” Heeding this bit of practical wisdom, the Prophet ordered his men to break camp. Before they began the long journey back, some Muslims beseeched the Prophet to curse the enemy.

As he looked back at the walled city, the Prophet was faced with the same choice Allah had given him years before when the people of Ta’if had run him out of the city as if he were a criminal. “O Allah,” he said. “Guide the people of Ta’if and rescue them from disbelief.”