It was reported to the Prophet that the people of Makkah...

It was reported to the Prophet that the people of Makkah, who had come out to protect the caravan, were centralized in the same environs and various tribes had participated in forming this army. The grand leader of Muslims saw himself on the crossroads.

He and his companions had come out of Madina to confiscate the merchandise and were not in a position, whether from the point of view of numbers or that of military equipments, to confront a big Makkan army, and now if they had returned from the way they had come, they would have lost the glory which they had earned by means of manoeuvers and military demonstrations. As it was very much likely that the enemy might continue his advance and attack…