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This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Expedition of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Expedition of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb or the Demolition of al-Lat, occurred in the same year as the Battle of Tabuk (which occurred in October 630 AD ). Muhammad sent Abu Sufyan with a group armed men to destroy the Idol Allāt (also referred to as al-Tagiyyah) that was worshipped by the citizens of Taif. The destruction of the idol was a demand by Muhammad before any reconciliation could take place with the citizens of Taif.The event is also mentioned in the Quran verse 17:73.

Quran 17:73

According to the Muslim scholar Al-Suyuti, the Quran verse 17:73 was "revealed" about this event, after the tribe asked Muhammad to be excused from the daily prayers

Islamic primary sources

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Expedition of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Quran

The event is mentioned in the Quran (according to al-Suyuti):

And their purpose was to tempt thee away from that which We had revealed unto thee, to substitute in our name something quite different; (in that case), behold! they would certainly have made thee (their) friend!

Al Suyuti's commentary on the verse is as follows:

The following was revealed regarding the Thaqīf, for they had asked him (s) to declare their valley inviolable and implored him : And indeed (wa-in, softened) they were about to, they nearly did, beguile you away from that which We revealed to you, so that you might invent against Us other than that; and then, had you done that, they would have taken you as a friend.

Early Muslim sources

The event is mentioned by the Muslim jurist Tabari (he refers to al-Lat as Tagiyyah, which is an alternate name). He wrote:

When they left the messenger of God turned down their homeland, the Messenger of God dispatched Abu Sufyan b. Harb and al- Mughirah b. Shu'bah to demolish al-Taghiyyah. The two traveled with the deputation until they approached al-Ta'if, at which point al-Mughirah asked Abu Sufyan to precede him. Abu Sufyan refused, saying "Go to your kinsfolk yourself," and stayed at his estate in Dhu al-Harm. When al-Mughirah b. Shubah entered he mounted the idol and struck it with a pickaxe while his folk, the Banu Mu'attib stood by him, fearing that he might be shot at or struck as 'Urwah had been. The women of Thaqif came out with their heads uncovered and said, lamenting the idol

"Oh, shed tears for the protector! Ignoble ones have forsaken her, those not competent in wielding swords"

He said: While al-Mughirah was striking the idol with the axe, Abu Sufyan was saying, "Alas for you, alas! " When al- Mughirah had demolished it, he took its treasure and ornamentation and sent to Abu Sufyan. Its ornamentation was made up of various items, while its treasure consisted of gold and onyx.

The Messenger of God had previously instructed Abu Sufyan to pay the debts of 'Urwah and al-Aswad, the sons of Mas'ud, from the property of al-Lat, so he discharged their debts.

See also

• Military career of Muhammad
• List of expeditions of Muhammad

References

1. ^ Tabari, Al (25 Sep 1990), The last years of the Prophet (translated by Isma'il Qurban Husayn), State University of New York Press, p. 46, ISBN 978-0-88706-691-7
2. Hawarey, Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here, and archive of page here
3. Rahman al-Mubharakpuri, Saifur (2003). Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Volume 9). Dar-us-Salam. p. 321. ISBN 978-9960-892-80-1. See also Tafsir Ibn Kathir,53:19- Text Version Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ Suyuti, Al, Tafsir al Jalayn, on 17:73, archived from the original on 2011-09-28, retrieved 2011-06-24Archive of page available

• 630
• 630s conflicts
• Campaigns ordered by Muhammad
• Al-Lat
• Destruction of religious buildings and structures