Page 72 - BV14

In essence, there was nothing new in it because the Arabs were customarily used to plundering
the commercial caravans. To exploit this vice, Islam cleverly renamed brigandage and killing as Jehad,
which was to be carried out to glorify Allah, the Great. By reshaping common robbery into a Divine
pursuit, it inspired the lust for plunder with the spirit of untold devotion, discipline and desire that turned
the looters into crusaders, who carried out their atrocities with greatly enhanced enthusiasm; in fact, they
became ferocious robots who thought of pillage as piety and equated murder with melody.

The Quresh of Mecca were a trading community. In autumn, their commercial caravans pro-
ceeded to the Yemen and Abyssinia, and during spring to Syria. Among their merchandise were frank-
incense, gems, precious metals and leather. The last item was their major export, which had a high
demand in Syria and Persia; it commanded high prices. These Meccan entrepreneurs exchanged them
for piece-goods, silk and other items of luxury at Gaza and other marts. By the old standards, these
caravans were really huge because they might consist of as many as 2,000 camels whose cargo could
excel the value of 50,000 dinars or mithkals; the latter was a golden coin having the worth of a Byzan-
tine Aureus, roughly equal to two-thirds of a pound sterling. Fourteen centuries ago, 50,000 dinars rep-
resented the same value which millions of dollars do today.

The special trait of these caravans was that they constituted the economic life of the Meccans
because they were financed not only by the rich people of the community but also the small men, who
might have saved a dinar or two, and wanted to profit, which usually amounted to 50%. These caravans
represented communal investment, and because of their high value, were often the target of highway
robbers. Therefore, they had to be accompanied by an 'army of defenders', whose size corresponded
with the value of the goods. These commercial caravans had a good deal in common with the seafaring
joint stock companies of old England, whose venture capital was contributed by many participants, enti-
tled to profit according to their size of stake.

The successful journey of these caravans was a matter of special delight for the shareholders,
but whenever, it succumbed to the attack of the plundering Mafia, it created highly heart-rending scenes
of women, beating their breasts, pulling hair and singing mournful songs to express their loss, that might
also include the death of some defenders.

Enunciation of the doctrine of Jehad struck terror into the hearts of the Meccan traders, who
were alarmed about their trade with the north because its route passed between Medina and the sea
coast. It is baffling to realize that the Prophet, who prescribed hand-cutting as the punishment for steal-
ing, personally led the Ghazawats i.e. pillage-expeditions (razzias) against the Meccan caravans in 623.
Though he failed in all three attempts, in January, 624, he succeeded in robbing a caravan returning from
Yemen as it reached Nakhlah near Mecca.

Failure of the Prophet's third razzia is actually a part of the famous battle of Badr. Abu Sufyan
led a caravan to Syria in October, 623 A.D. (A.H.II). It carried huge loads of the Arab products de-
manded in the Syrian market. The Prophet asked for volunteers to join this predatory expedition. About
200 men came forward. They had only 30 camels, which they rode in turn. The plan was to attack the

72