Why did Prophet Muhammad Participate in Wars?

Introduction

When people hear about ‘Prophet Muhammad wars’, they often imagine conquest and aggression. In reality, these battles were fought out of necessity, to defend the Muslim community, protect freedom of faith, and uphold justice.

Peace is the Rule, War is the Exception

In Islam, peace is the default, and war is only a rare exception. God states in the Quran:

The Prophet himself discouraged fighting. He said:

Like other religious personalities in history—such as Moses, David, Rama or Krishna, the Prophet also faced wars. 

Important Points to Remember

15 years with no war

After Prophethood, the Prophet lived for 23 years. For the first 15 years, even while facing torture and persecution in Makkah, he never fought back.

Ruler of Medina

When he migrated to Medina, he became a head of state, responsible for protecting tens of thousands of men, women, and children under his rule.

Permission to Defend

God in the Quran clearly states:

Self-Defense is Universal

Every country in the world today maintains an army for defense. Even the United Nations has a “Peacekeeping Force.” Likewise, the Prophet, as a ruler, had to protect and defend his people. While the phrase “turn the other cheek” may sound noble in theory, history and reality show that it is not practical in safeguarding justice, communities, or nations.

Like Surgical Strikes

After the Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks, India carried out surgical strikes on Pakistan. The purpose was not to conquer Pakistan, but to neutralize terrorists before they struck again. This is exactly how the Prophet’s campaigns should be understood, defensive and preventive, never aggressive or expansionist.

How many Wars?

In 23 years of Prophethood, the Prophet participated in only six wars. This is proof that he was not violent or a warmonger.

Aggressor or Defender?

If someone travels hundreds of kilometers to attack your home, and you step out to stop them, are you the aggressor or the defender?

This is exactly the case with the Prophet. His enemies marched hundreds of kilometers from Makkah to attack him. He only defended.

Battles of the Prophet

Battle of Badr

• Location: 150 km from Medina, 350 km from Makkah.
• The enemies travelled 350 km to fight; the Muslims only 150 km. This clearly shows the enemies were the aggressors.
• The Prophet’s small army of 313 and 2 horses faced 1000 men with over 100 horses.
• After victory, the Prophet freed all prisoners of war, proving his mercy even in victory.   

Battle of Uhud

• Location: Just 10 km from Medina.
• The enemies travelled nearly 450 km from Makkah. Imagine the planning and effort needed for such a long campaign. This is clear proof they came prepared for war, not peace.
• The Prophet defended Medina.
• Despite losing loved ones, including his uncle Hamza whose body was badly mutilated, he forbade the Muslims from retaliating in the same barbaric way.

Battle of Khandaq (Trench)

• Location: Outskirts of Medina.
• The Makkans planned for several months to destroy Muslims and travelled to Medina.
• They gathered support from other Arab tribes and Jewish people.
• An unprecedented massive 10,000-strong coalition army was gathered.
• The Prophet and Muslims defended Medina by digging a huge trench around it.
• The trench blocked the enemies, and their unprecedented attack failed.

Battle of Muraysi

• The Prophet increased intelligence after Khandaq to prevent surprise attacks.
• He learned that the Banu Mustaliq tribe, who had joined Makkans and fought in Uhud, were preparing to attack.
• The Prophet launched a campaign to defend against this threat.
• The tribe’s princess married the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).
• This marriage changed hostility into friendship. Muslims released all prisoners of war.
• As a result, the entire tribe of Banu Mustaliq embraced Islam and became allies of the Prophet.

Battle of Khaybar

• Khaybar was home to powerful Jewish tribes who had allied with Makkans during Khandaq.
• After Khandaq, they formed another alliance with Ghatafan, a mercenary tribe.
• They promised Ghatafan half of their yearly harvest in exchange for military support.
• Together, they raised an army of around 10,000 men.
• The Prophet defended against this threat.
• After victory, the Prophet allowed them to keep their land and share half their harvest, showing generosity.
• The Prophet even married the leader’s daughter to foster peace.
• This proved the Prophet was not interested in land or conquest but only peace and security.

Battle of Hunain

• This was the last battle of the Prophet.
• After the peaceful conquest of Makkah, nearby tribes Hawazin and Thaqif at Taif prepared to attack the Muslims.
• These tribes had earlier allied with Makkans in Khandaq.
• The Prophet defended against their aggression and secured peace.
• Again, the goal was defense, not conquest.

War Ethics of the Prophet

Fourteen centuries before the Geneva Convention, Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) gave the world its first true code of war ethics. His war ethics are unmatched in history and remain relevant even today, setting him apart as a leader of unparalleled moral vision.

• Do not kill women, children, the elderly, and the disabled. (Bayhaqi 9/91; Bukhari # 3015)
• Do not mutilate bodies, kill animals and cut down trees. (Bayhaqi 9/91)
• Do not harm monks, saints, and people devoted to worship. (Musnad Ahmad # 2728)
• Do not kill a non-combatant. The most cruel person is the one who kills a non-combatant. (Musnad Ahmad # 6757)
• Prisoners of War must be fed, clothed well, and not overburdened with work. (Sahih Muslim # 1662; Majma‘ al-Zawa’id 6/89)
• Prisoners of War should be released whenever possible. (Bukhari # 5373)
• Torture is strictly forbidden. (Sahih Muslim # 2613)
• Show mercy even to arch-enemies. The Prophet himself released Thumama ibn Uthal who had been sentenced to death for his crimes. (Bukhari # 4372)
• Plunder and looting are not permissible. (Ibn Majah # 3938)

Even when enemies violated all rules of war…

The Prophet never breached his code of war ethics, even when his enemies violated all rules of war. During the Battle of Uhud, the body of Prophet’s uncle Hamza was brutally mutilated. His liver was taken out and his face was disfigured so badly that he could not be recognized. Despite this, the Prophet commanded not to mutilate enemy corpses. (Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, Vol. 3, p. 124)

Those who killed and mutilated the Prophet’s uncle later embraced Islam. With unmatched mercy, the Prophet forgave them all.

Casualties

In all the Prophet’s battles combined, total casualties were about 1,000 both sides included. Compared to other wars in history, this is extremely small.

Conclusion

The Prophet never sought war. His battles were never waged for greed, colonization, or forced conversion. They were defensive responses to aggression and treachery, fought only to protect his people and ensure their survival. Even in war, he upheld justice, mercy, and humanity, principles that remain timeless.

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