The Prophet of Islam had learnt in the light of the Heavenly...

The Prophet of Islam had learnt in the light of the Heavenly teachings that idol-worship is like the germs of cholera. It destroys virtue, excellence and good morals, and, pulling down man from his high status, makes him humble even as compared with stones, clay and other inferior beings. He was, therefore, appointed by Allah to eradicate the disease of polytheism, to abolish all sorts of idol-worship, and to use force against those who stood up to oppose him in the discharge of Divine mission.

The military superiority of Islam provided an opportunity to the Prophet of Islam to depute parties to different parts of the Hijaz to destroy all idol-temples and not to spare even one idol in this region. The Prophet had received information earlier that there was a big idol with the tribe of Tayyi' and some persons still had faith in it.

He, therefore, dispatched Ali, his wise and experienced officer along with one hundred and fifty mounted soldiers to go and pull down the idol-temple and to break the idol. The Commander of the Faithful came to know that the said tribe would oppose the action of the army of Islam and the matter would not be settled without warfare. He, therefore, attacked, early in the morning, the spot where the idol was placed and achieved complete success in the performance of his mission.

He also arrested some persons belonging to the opposing group and took them to Madina as a part of war booty. Adyy bin Hatim, who later joined the ranks of the brave Muslim warriors and held chiefship of that area after his generous and noble-minded father Hatim, narrates the story of his flight in these words: "Before embracing Islam I was a Christian and had enmity against the Prophet of Islam on account of the adverse propaganda which had been carried on against him.

I was also not unaware of the great successes of Islam in the Hijaz and was certain that one day its power would also reach the area of Tayyi', of which I was the ruler. However, as I did not wish to forsake my religion and did not also like to fall a prisoner in the hands of the Muslims, I had ordered my slaves to keep the camels ready for journeying so that whenever I was faced with danger I should immediately proceed to Syria and get beyond the approach of the Muslims.