Table of Contents
Setting of the Battle of Tabuk
The Battle of Tabuk was the last major military expedition in the life of the Prophet ﷺ. It took place in the ninth year after the Hijrah, known as the year of “Tabuk” and also remembered as the year of Surat at-Tawbah, because many verses in that surah were revealed about it.
Unlike earlier confrontations such as Badr or Uhud, there was no direct clash between armies at Tabuk. Instead, this expedition was a great test of faith, sincerity, and willingness to sacrifice in hard conditions. Through it Allah exposed the hypocrites, raised the rank of the truthful believers, and showed the strength of the growing Muslim community.
The word “Tabuk” refers to a region in the north of the Arabian Peninsula, on the route that led toward the lands of the Romans (Byzantines). It was very far from Madinah, and the journey took place in one of the hardest seasons of the year.
Background and Reasons for the Expedition
By the ninth year after Hijrah, Islam had spread across most of the Arabian Peninsula. Many tribes had entered into Islam, and the power of Quraysh had been broken after the conquest of Makkah and the Battle of Hunayn. A new stage was beginning, in which the Muslim community had to face the great powers that existed beyond Arabia.
Reports reached the Prophet ﷺ that the Byzantine (Roman) Empire and some of the Arab Christian tribes allied with it were gathering forces in the north. There was talk of a possible invasion of the Muslim state in Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ did not wait to be attacked. He decided to move out with an army, both as a defensive measure and as a statement that the Muslims would not be intimidated.
Allah alluded to this situation in Surah at-Tawbah:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ
أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ
فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ
“O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told, ‘Go forth in the cause of Allah,’ you cling heavily to the earth?
Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter?
But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a little?”
(Qur’an 9:38)
The command “go forth” was a clear order for a difficult journey, not a minor march. The expedition was therefore announced clearly, and its destination was made known. In earlier campaigns, secrecy was often used. Here, the Prophet ﷺ openly called the Muslims to prepare, because the enemy was powerful and the distance was very long.
Hard Conditions: The “Hour of Difficulty”
The expedition of Tabuk is often called “the Hour of Difficulty,” a phrase taken from the Qur’an itself. Allah says:
لَّقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ
الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ
…
“Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Helpers who followed him in the Hour of Difficulty…”
(Qur’an 9:117)
This “Hour of Difficulty” describes the harsh reality of the campaign. It took place in intense heat. The journey was across desert terrain, water was limited, and it was the time when fruits were ripe and people naturally wanted to stay in their homes and rest in the shade of their orchards. On top of that, the Muslim community did not have abundant wealth. They had to prepare for a long march toward the greatest power of the time.
The hardships were not only physical. There were emotional and social tests. Some people feared the strength of the Romans. Others felt the pull of worldly comfort. Those with weak faith tried to avoid participating. It is in this context that many verses of Surah at-Tawbah were revealed to distinguish between those who were sincere and those who only claimed to be with the Muslims.
Preparation of the Army and the Role of Sacrifice
For Tabuk, the Prophet ﷺ called the people to give generously to fund the expedition. This call brought out different responses. The sincere believers, from the wealthiest to the poorest, responded according to their capacity.
Among the most famous examples is the generosity of Uthman ibn Affan رضي الله عنه. It is reported that he equipped a large part of the army with mounts and provisions. In one narration, the Prophet ﷺ said about him:
مَا ضَرَّ عُثْمَانَ مَا عَمِلَ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ
“Nothing will harm Uthman after what he has done today.”
(Reported by at-Tirmidhi and others)
This statement shows the weight of his sacrifice at that crucial moment, when resources were needed to move an army far into the north.
On the other hand, there were very poor companions who wanted to join but truly could not find a means of transport. The Qur’an describes them:
وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ
تَوَلَّوا وَّأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنفِقُونَ
“Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, ‘I can find nothing upon which to mount you.’
They turned away while their eyes overflowed with tears, out of grief that they could not find something to spend.”
(Qur’an 9:92)
This verse shows a different kind of sacrifice. These believers were ready in their hearts, but materially they were unable. They cried because they could not participate. Their sincerity is praised by Allah Himself.
By contrast, some wealthy people held back. They used excuses and refused to give what they could. Through these different reactions, hearts were tested and revealed.
The expedition of Tabuk became a clear dividing line between true faith and hypocrisy. The sincere believers sacrificed wealth, comfort, and safety in obedience to Allah, while the hypocrites clung to excuses and worldly ease.
The Hypocrites and Their Excuses
The difficult nature of the journey exposed the hypocrites more than ever. Hypocrites were those who outwardly claimed Islam but inwardly disbelieved. They looked for reasons to avoid joining the army and to discourage others.
The Qur’an records and refutes many of their excuses. Some said the heat was too much:
وَقَالُوا لَا تَنفِرُوا فِي الْحَرِّ
قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا لَّوْ كَانُوا يَفْقَهُونَ
“And they said, ‘Do not go forth in the heat.’
Say, ‘The fire of Hell is more intense in heat, if they would but understand.’”
(Qur’an 9:81)
Others tried to claim that they would fall into temptation if they went. One of them said that he feared being tested by the beauty of Roman women. Allah exposed this as a false excuse:
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ائْذَن لِّي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي
أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا
“And among them is he who says, ‘Grant me leave and do not put me to trial.’
Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen…”
(Qur’an 9:49)
Instead of admitting their laziness or fear, they tried to make religious-sounding arguments. The Qur’an shows that such speech was only a cover for their unwillingness to support the cause of Allah.
Some hypocrites even built a separate place that they claimed was a mosque, but its real purpose was to divide the believers and to support those who opposed Islam. Allah revealed the reality of this “mosque of harm”:
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ…
“And [there are] those who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers…”
(Qur’an 9:107)
The Prophet ﷺ was informed by revelation and ordered that this building be destroyed. This shows that outward religious forms do not benefit if the inner intention is to harm the community.
The Journey to Tabuk and Miracles on the Way
The army that set out for Tabuk is commonly known as “Jaysh al-‘Usrah,” the Army of Hardship, because of the severe conditions it faced. Estimates in reports mention around thirty thousand men, a very large number compared to earlier battles, which shows how much the Muslim community had grown.
The march took place in extreme heat. Supplies were limited. Some companions shared one camel between several men. Others had to ration their food and water very strictly. It is reported that at one point the companions felt extreme thirst, and the Prophet ﷺ made du‘a to Allah, after which a cloud appeared and rain fell so that they could drink and store water. Such incidents reminded them that even in hardship Allah was watching over them.
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions, raised their morale, and led by example. He bore the difficulties with patience, which gave strength to those who followed him. The Qur’an captures this spiritual support when it says:
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِ
“Then He sent down tranquility upon him…”
(Qur’an 9:26, in the context of another event, but the idea of sakinah applies generally to Allah’s support in hardship)
On the journey to Tabuk, the Prophet ﷺ also gave guidance about manners, such as how to treat animals and how not to waste water, even in scarcity. These details showed that obedience to Allah includes behavior on the road and in daily life, not only on the battlefield.
Arrival at Tabuk and the Outcome
When the Muslim army reached the area of Tabuk, there was no large Roman army waiting for them. The feared confrontation did not take place. Whether the Romans withdrew when they heard about the size and determination of the Muslim force, or whether the original reports were exaggerated, the result was that no actual fighting occurred.
This lack of direct battle did not mean the expedition was meaningless. On the contrary, its outcome was very important. Local tribes in the north, who had been under Roman influence, saw the power and seriousness of the Muslims. Some of them made agreements with the Prophet ﷺ and accepted his leadership. Others at least chose not to oppose him.
The expedition sent a clear message that the Muslim state in Madinah had become strong enough to march hundreds of kilometers toward the borders of the Roman Empire without fear. It showed that Islam was now a regional power, not a small group defending itself in one city.
The Prophet ﷺ remained in Tabuk for about twenty days, according to some narrations. During this time, he organized alliances, taught the people, and led the prayers. Then he led the army back to Madinah in an orderly way, without losses in battle. The real victory of Tabuk lay in the moral and political strength it displayed, and in the purification of the community from hypocrisy.
The Three Who Stayed Behind
One of the most powerful stories connected to Tabuk is that of three sincere companions who did not join the expedition without having a valid excuse. They were Ka‘b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn ar-Rabi‘, and Hilal ibn Umayyah رضي الله عنهم.
They were not hypocrites and did not lie to the Prophet ﷺ. When the army returned and the Prophet ﷺ took the pledges and listened to the excuses of those who had stayed behind, hypocrites came and swore false oaths. The Prophet ﷺ accepted their outward statements and left their inner reality to Allah.
These three companions, however, chose to tell the truth. Ka‘b ibn Malik later narrated the incident in detail in an authentic hadith reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. He said that he had never been stronger or more comfortable than at the time of Tabuk, but he delayed his preparations, day after day, until it was too late to catch up. He had no real excuse other than negligence.
When they confessed, the Prophet ﷺ told them that Allah would decide their matter. The Muslims were then commanded to cut social contact with them. For fifty days, no one spoke to them, and even their wives were separated from them. Ka‘b described how the earth felt very tight for them even though it was wide, echoing the words of the Qur’an:
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ
وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ
وَظَنُّوا أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ
ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
“And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind,
until, when the earth, despite its vastness, became constricted to them,
and their souls became constricted,
and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him,
then He turned to them so they could repent.
Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.”
(Qur’an 9:118)
After this period of painful isolation and sincere turning back to Allah, revelation came announcing that Allah had accepted their repentance. The Prophet ﷺ gave Ka‘b the glad tidings, and Ka‘b said that nothing in his life after Islam was more beloved to him than that day. He understood that truthfulness, even when it brings immediate hardship, leads to Allah’s pleasure in the end.
The story of the three who stayed behind teaches that sincere believers may fall into weakness, but the path back is through honesty, patience, and repentance, not through lying or false excuses.
Exposing Hypocrisy and Strengthening Faith
The verses revealed around the time of Tabuk form a large part of Surah at-Tawbah. This surah is unique in that it does not begin with “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.” It has a stern tone in many passages, especially when speaking about the hypocrites and their behavior.
Through these verses, Allah showed the inner states of people who mixed with the Muslims. For example:
الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّن بَعْضٍ
يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ
وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ
نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ
إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another.
They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right
and close their hands [from spending].
They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them.
Indeed, the hypocrites are the defiantly disobedient.”
(Qur’an 9:67)
By contrast, Allah praised the believers who followed the Prophet ﷺ in that Hour of Difficulty:
لَّكِنِ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ
جَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ
وَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْخَيْرَاتُ
وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“But the Messenger and those who believed with him
strove with their wealth and their lives.
Those will have the good things,
and it is those who are the successful.”
(Qur’an 9:88)
Thus, Tabuk acted like a mirror in which everyone saw his true reflection, either as a sincere believer or as a hypocrite.
Key Lessons from Tabuk
The Battle of Tabuk, even without direct fighting, holds several major lessons that are important for understanding the Seerah and for applying it in our lives.
First, it teaches readiness to sacrifice for the sake of Allah when faith is tested. The companions did not wait for perfect conditions. They obeyed the call in intense heat and with limited supplies. Their example shows that one should not delay obedience until life becomes easy.
Second, it shows that telling the truth has a central place in faith. The three companions who stayed behind were punished in this world with social separation, but their honesty led to divine praise in the Qur’an. Qatadah رحمه الله and other scholars have commented that this story shows the virtue of sidq, or truthfulness, as a core of iman.
Third, it highlights that success is not always measured by a visible victory on the battlefield. At Tabuk, no swords clashed, but the Muslims gained respect, alliances, and a clear moral position. They proved that they were willing and able to meet one of the mightiest empires of their age.
Fourth, Tabuk illustrates that Allah’s help comes with hardship. The verse about the Hour of Difficulty ends by stating that Allah was kind to the believers:
إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“Indeed, He is to them Kind and Merciful.”
(Qur’an 9:117, part)
The mercy of Allah appears in the forgiveness granted to those who strove, in the repentance accepted from those who slipped, and in the exposure of hypocrisy that protected the community.
Finally, Tabuk marks the nearing completion of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission. By this time, the message of Islam had reached across Arabia and had stood firm before the idea of Roman power. The community was prepared for the Prophet’s final year, in which he would deliver his Farewell Sermon and complete the foundations of the religion.
In the Seerah, Tabuk therefore stands as a chapter of inner struggle, hidden testing, and outward strength that prepared the Ummah to carry the message of Islam beyond Arabia to the rest of the world.