Expedition of Hamra al-Asad
غزوة حمراء الأسد
غزوہ حمراء الاسد
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58 local-first recordsHistorical overview
The Expedition of Hamra al-Asad took place in Shawwal 3 AH (March 625 CE), immediately following the Battle of Uhud. Prophet Muhammad ordered the Muslim fighters—specifically only those who had fought at Uhud, despite many being severely wounded—to assemble and pursue the Meccan forces. The strategic goal was to prevent Abu Sufyan from returning to launch a direct assault on Medina and to demonstrate that the Muslim army remained resilient and undefeated in spirit. The Muslim force marched approximately eight miles south of Medina to Hamra al-Asad and established camp. To project overwhelming strength, the Prophet instructed his companions to light five hundred individual campfires across the hills at night. Ma'bad ibn Abi Ma'bad al-Khuza'i, an ally from Banu Khuza'a, encountered Abu Sufyan and informed him of the fierce Muslim pursuit, exaggerating their preparations. Deterred by this psychological maneuver, Abu Sufyan decided against returning to Medina and hastily withdrew his forces back to Mecca.
Historical context and how to read this record
This record presents Expedition of Hamra al-Asad, dated in the archive as 3 AH / 625 CE and associated with Hamra al-Asad, South of Medina, 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
- Archive date: 2026-10-03 · 3 AH / 625 CE
- Recorded setting: Hamra al-Asad, South of Medina, Hijaz
- Map feature 1: Red volcanic hill of Hamra al-Asad
- Map feature 2: Wadi Naq'a dry riverbed
- Map feature 3: Rocky basalt ridges of Harrah
- Schematic marker 1: Camp of the Prophet & Uhud Veterans · Prophet Muhammad (SAW) · ~500 wounded veterans
- Schematic marker 2: Retreating Meccan Force · Abu Sufyan ibn Harb · ~3,000 men
- Schematic marker 3: Scouting party of Ma'bad al-Khuza'i · Ma'bad ibn Abi Ma'bad al-Khuza'i · Small diplomatic group
Marker ordering is a reading aid, not a chronological claim about the event.
Forces and commanders
- Camp of the Prophet & Uhud Veterans — Prophet Muhammad (SAW) (~500 wounded veterans)
- Retreating Meccan Force — Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (~3,000 men)
- Scouting party of Ma'bad al-Khuza'i — Ma'bad ibn Abi Ma'bad al-Khuza'i (Small diplomatic group)
Geography: water and landscape
- Wadi Naq'a Basin (oasis)
- Red volcanic hill of Hamra al-Asad
- Wadi Naq'a dry riverbed
- Rocky basalt ridges of Harrah
Sources
- Al-Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, pp. 334-340
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Vol. 2, pp. 101-104
- Al-Tabari, History of the Prophets and Kings, Vol. 7, pp. 138-141