Siege of Ta'if

The Siege of Taif took place in 630, as the Muslims besieged the city of Taif after their victory in the Battle of Hunayn and Autas. However, the city did not succumb to the siege. One of their chieftains, Urwah ibn Mas'ud, was absent in Yemen during that siege. Muhammad brought catapults and testudos to use against the fortress, but was unable to penetrate it, with the weapon.

Battle

Sunni sources state regarding the Siege of Ta'if:

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb lost his first eye in the Siege of Taif. He told Muhammad of his loss for Allah to which Muhammad said “Which would you prefer: An eye in heaven or shall I pray to Allah that he brings it back?” To this Abu Sufyan said he would rather have his eye in heaven. He lost his other eye in the Battle of Yarmouk.

Blockade of Taif

A few unsuccessful tries were made by the Prophet to break through the gates of Taif. Muhammad may have even used the Roman Testudo formation in this siege, but it was reported that the Taif inhabitants break this siege by dropping hot irons upon the Muslim armies from the city walls. Muhammad allegedly told them that he would burn and cut down the vineyard, as he saw no other way to make the people of Taif surrender. He offered amnesty to those who surrendered themselves to Islam. Only twenty people surrendered and became followers of Muhammad.

The siege went on for half a month and some soldiers were becoming impatient.

Muhammad desired to get the chief of the Banu Hawazan (called Malik) on his side, and promised that his family will be released and all his property given back, if he embraced Islam. He accepted the offer and became a Muslim and aided Muhammad in his blockade of Taif. Malik took their cattle's wherever they grazed.

Aftermath

Although the siege was unsuccessful, Muhammad vowed to return to Ta'if after the sacred months in which fighting was forbidden were over. During this period, the inhabitants of Ta'if, the Banu Thaqif, sent a delegation to Mecca; they demanded that Muhammad let them continue to worship their Goddess Al-lāt for a period of three years, Muhammad refused the proposal, he would only accept their surrender if they agreed to adopt Islam and let the Muslims destroy their temple, eventually the Banu Thaqif consented to Muhammad's requests, so they then surrendered and allowed the Muslims into their city to destroy the temple.

Participants

• Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
• Tufayl ibn Amr

References

See also

• Banu Thaqif