Expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq (Battle of al-Muraysi')

Historical overview

The Expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq took place in 5 AH (627 CE) at the spring of al-Muraysi' near Qudayd. Prophet Muhammad received intelligence that al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar, chief of the Banu al-Mustaliq tribe, was gathering forces and procuring weapons to attack Medina. The Muslim army executed a rapid pre-emptive march, surprising the Banu al-Mustaliq camped near their water source. After refusing an initial invitation to submit peacefully, a brief battle ensued with arrow volleys followed by a swift Muslim charge. The Banu al-Mustaliq forces were quickly defeated, resulting in numerous captives including Juwayriyah bint al-Harith, who subsequently married the Prophet, leading to the release of all captives and a lasting alliance. The return journey was also notable for historical incidents including the slander against Aisha (Hadith al-Ifk) and the revealing of Surah al-Munafiqun following a dispute at the well.

Historical context and how to read this record

This record presents Expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq (Battle of al-Muraysi'), dated in the archive as 5 AH / 627 CE and associated with Al-Muraysi' Spring, near Qudayd, Hijaz. The date, place, summary, named groups, terrain features, and references shown here come from the bundled or published event record. They provide a concise entry point for study, while the linked source notes remain the place to check what each historical or religious text actually reports. A label in the archive is not, by itself, proof that every chronology, number, or interpretation is agreed across historians.

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Record timeline and tactical markers

1. Archive date: 2026-10-03 · 5 AH / 627 CE
2. Recorded setting: Al-Muraysi' Spring, near Qudayd, Hijaz
3. Map feature 1: Arid coastal Tihama plain
4. Map feature 2: Low sandy hills flanking the valley
5. Map feature 3: Wadi Qudayd depression
6. Map feature 4: Muraysi' natural water source
7. Schematic marker 1: Muslim Forces · Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) · approx. 700-1000 warriors, 30 cavalry
8. Schematic marker 2: Banu al-Mustaliq Encampment · Al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar · approx. 500-700 tribal warriors

Marker ordering is a reading aid, not a chronological claim about the event.

Forces and commanders

• Muslim Forces — Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (approx. 700-1000 warriors, 30 cavalry)
• Banu al-Mustaliq Encampment — Al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar (approx. 500-700 tribal warriors)

Geography: water and landscape

• Well of al-Muraysi' (well)
• Muraysi' Spring Marsh (oasis)
• Arid coastal Tihama plain
• Low sandy hills flanking the valley
• Wadi Qudayd depression
• Muraysi' natural water source

Sources

• Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 8 (The Events of 5 AH)
• Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 2 (Ghazwat Bani al-Mustaliq)
• Kitab al-Maghazi by al-Waqidi, Vol. 1
• Bihar al-Anwar by Majlisi, Vol. 20

More 3D maps

• Karbala · The Plain of 61 AH
• Battle of Badr · Wells and Two Slopes
• Khaybar · Basalt Harrat and Fortified Oases
• Hijrah Route · Makkah to Madinah
• Najaf & Kufa · The Historic Plain
• Siffin · Euphrates Campaign Landscape