Divine Commander Par Excellence - Military Management in the Battles of the Prophet (s) Muhammad

Description

Islam was not propagated and never spread with sword in the time of Prophet Muhammad (s) Islam does not condone the idea of humiliation and subjugation by other human beings. For this reason we find that, after years of persecution at the hands of the Quraysh, the divine ordinance for battle was received by the Holy Prophet (s). Initially, some of the weaker Muslims showed hesitation at the idea of picking up weapons and fighting for their rights. Some lacked the courage while others were content being in the camp of the oppressed. However, the Prophet (s) recited to them the Holy verses wherein the believers were called to arms to protect their rights and property, and the Muslims complied. The beauty of the battles that followed was the humanity that was displayed by the Prophet (s) and his followers. Usually, when one goes to war, they tend to lose their ability of distinguishing right from wrong and many atrocities are committed by soldiers because of this. The adrenaline rush caused by life threatening situations clouds their judgment and they end up killing innocents and doing all sort of beastly things. The latest example of this is what the USA did (and continues to do) in ‘Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo. Translator’s Introduction I Author’s Introduction V Preface 1 NOTES AND REFERENCES 3 SECTION I PART ONE: THE MILITARY AND ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 7 NOTES AND REFERENCES 8 PART TWO: NOVEL WARFARE 11 NOTES AND REFERENCES 14 PART THREE: MANAGEMENT OF SUPPLIES AND MUNITIONS 19 NOTES AND REFERENCES 20 PART FOUR: THE SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION 23 NOTES AND REFERENCES 23 PART FIVE: STRIVING FOR HUMANITY 25 NOTES AND REFERENCES 26 SCOPE OF RESEARCH 29 A CHRONOLOGICAL INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SOURCES 33 THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORIANS (CHRONOLOGICALLY) 37 NOTES AND REFERENCES 42 SECTION II CHAPTER ONE 47 1) The Objectives of War 47 2) Wars of Arabs against the Sassanids 53 3) Civil Wars in the North 54 NOTES AND REFERENCES 55 CHAPTER TWO 61 Etiquettes of Leadership 61 (A) INTELLECTUAL TRAITS 62 One: Reflection, Contemplation and Far-sightedness 62 Two: Skill and Intellectual Brilliance in Executing the Duties of a Commander 65 Three: Sagacity and Perspicacity 66 (B) PRACTICAL TRAITS 68 1. Principles of Warfare 68 2. Pre-emptive Warfare (Harb al-Wiqāyah) 69 3. Lightning Strikes and Blitzes 70 4. Pursuing and Chasing After Fleeing Enemy Soldiers 71 5. Attacks and Onslaughts 71 6. Deception and Trickery 72 7. Superiority in Battle 73 8. Swiftness and Speed in Battle 74 9. Revolutionary and All-inclusive War 76 10. Psychological Warfare 77 (C) PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRAITS 80 1. Physical Traits 80 2. Spiritual Traits 81 NOTES AND REFERENCES 82 CHAPTER THREE 103 1. The Department of Planning and Scheduling 103 a) Planning the policy for the participation of the Ansār in battle 103 b) Methods of Negotiation 103 c) Designing a Program in order to Know the Enemy 104 d) Creating a Plan to Gain Control of the Most Important Routes and Courses 105 e) Appointing a Deputy in Madina 105 f) Reviewing of the Supreme Commander of the Army 105 g) Placing the Capable Individuals in Appropriate Positions 106 h) Preserving the Unity and Integration of the Army 107 i) Discipline 108 j) Determining the Number of Soldiers in the Army 109 k) Organization and arrangement of the troops 110 2. The Administrative Council 111 3. The Department of Doctrinal Guidance 112 NOTES AND REFERENCES 115 CHAPTER FOUR 129 The Intelligence Department 129 First: Intention and Objective 133 Second: Assembly (of enemy troops) 133 Third: Terrain and the points of advancement 133 Fourth: Identifying the area of operations 134 NOTES AND REFERENCES 136 CHAPTER FIVE 141 First: Department of Operations 141 1. Objective 143 2. Sending military missions and commanding the army in battle 145 3. Studying what was important and necessary 145 4. Preserving the goal 146 5. Exhortation to fight 146 6. The flag and banner 147 7. Code words and identification 147 8. Being prepared for war 148 9. General mobilization 148 10. Taking the appropriate counter-measures 149 11. The routes taken by the forces 150 12. The area of assembly and mobilization 151 13. The area of encampment and setting up base 151 14. Keeping the operations secret and covert 152 15. Specification and assessment of the battle ground 153 16. Co-operation 154 17. Invasion and attack 154 18. Display of strength and might 154 19. Forewarning prior to battle 155 20. The order to commence the war 156 21. Combat 156 22. Organization of the battle 157 23. Battles fought in order to capture forts (Harb al-Husun) 161 24. Battles with barriers (and impediments) 162 25. Battles in cities and towns (Harb al-Mudun) 165 26. Daily reports 173 An analysis of the battles on the various front-lines 173 a) The front-line against the Quraysh 173 b) The front-line against the other Arab tribes 176 c) The front-line against the Jews 177 d) The front-line against the Rome 179 Second: Department of Training 180 Third: Department of Armament 182 a) Offensive weapons 182 b) Defensive weapons 182 NOTES AND REFERENCES 184 CHAPTER SIX 217 (A) Department of Supplies and Reinforcements 217 1) Types of supplies and support: 217 2) The main points of relief support 218 3) Places of rest for the army 219 4) Modes of transport 219 5) Foods and rations 220 6) Sources for procuring the food 220 7) Water 221 8) Sources of nourishment 221 9) Shelter, tents and clothes 222 10) Storing foodstuffs 222 11) Clearing the field of operations 223 12) Trade and agriculture 223 13) Welcoming the soldiers 223 14) The minimum age for being accepted into the army 223 15) Teaching and education 224 16) Securing relief support in pre-emptive battle 224 17) Securing reinforcements when capturing fortresses 224 18) Difficulties in securing supplies 225 19) The division for training and exercise 225 (B) Department of War Booty 226 1) Ways of using the booty on the battlefield 226 2) The rules of distribution of war booty 226 3) The place where the booty was divided 227 4) Sources of booty 227 5) Prisoners 227 (C) Department of Medical Services 229 1) Designation and goals of the department of medical services 229 2) Losses 230 3) The number of martyrs in the battles 231 4) Burying the Martyrs 231 5) The role of women in securing supplies and relief support 232 An Analysis of the Military Management 233 NOTES AND REFERENCES 234 SECTION III CONCLUSION 251 NOTES AND REFERENCES 254 BIBLIOGRAPHY 255 Primary Sources 255 Secondary Sources 260 INDEX 263