an  affliction to fall upon the Muslims and Islam.
They used to harbour evil and ill-intentions against the whole process of Islam and the Muslims. On  grounds of illusory hopes of destroying this great religious edifice, they erected a hotbed of conspiracy  and intrigue in the form of a mosque — Masjid-e-Darar (the mosque of harm). They approached the
Prophet (peace be upon him) with the request that he should come and consecrate the place by  praying  in it himself. As he was at the moment about to start for Tabuk, he deferred compliance with their  request till his return. Meanwhile he came to know through Divine Revelation that it was not a Mosque  for devotion and prayer but a meeting place for the anti-Islamic elements. On his return, therefore,  the
Prophet (peace be upon him) sent a party to demolish the new structure.
Particular News about the Byzantine and Ghassanide Preparations for War:
A magnified image of the prominent danger threatening the Muslims life was carried to them by the
Nabateans who brought oil from Ash-Sham to Madinah. They carried news about Heraclius’  preparations and equipment of an enormous army counting over forty thousand fighters besides
Lukham, Judham and other tribes allied to the Byzantines. They said that its vanguard had already  reached Al-Balqâ’. Thus was the grave situation standing in ambush for the Muslims. The general  situation was aggravated seriously by other adverse factors of too much hot weather, drought and the  rough and rugged distance they had to cover in case they decided to encounter the imminent danger.
The Messenger of Allâh’s (peace be upon him) concept and estimation of the situation and its  development was more precise and accurate than all others. He thought that if he tarried or dealt  passively with the situation in such a way that might enable the Byzantines to paddle through the
Islamic controlled provinces or to go as far as Madinah, this would — amid these circumstances —  leave  the most awful impression on Islam as well as on the Muslims’ military credibility.
The pre-Islamic beliefs and traditions (Al-Jahiliyah) which were at that time dying because of the  strong  decisive blow that they had already had at Hunain, could have had a way to come back to life once  again in such an environment. The hypocrites who were conspiring against the Muslims so that they  might stab them in the back whereas Byzantines would attack them from the front. If such a thing  came to light and they succeeded in their evil attempts, the Prophet and his Companions’ efforts to  spread Islam would collapse and their profits which were the consequences of successive and constant  fights and invasions would be invalidated. The Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) realised all  that  very well. So — in spite of the hardships and drought that Muslims were suffering from — the Prophet
(peace be upon him) was determined that the Muslims should invade the Byzantines and fight a  decisive battle at their own borders. He was determined not to tarry at all in order to thwart any
Roman  attempt to approach the land of Islam.
When the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) had made up his mind and took his final decision,  he  ordered his Companions to get ready for war and sent for the Makkans and the other Arab tribes  asking  for their assistance.
Contrary to his habit of concealing his real intention of the invasion by means of declaring a false one,  he announced openly his intention of meeting the Byzantines and fighting them. He cleared the  situation to his people so that they would get ready, and urged them to fight in the way of Allâh. On  this occasion a part of Surat Bara’a (Chapter 9 — The Repentance) was sent down by Allâh, urging  them to steadfastness and stamina.
On the other hand, the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) cherished them to pay charities and  to  spend the best of their fortunes in the way of Allâh.
No sooner had the Muslims heard the voice of the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) calling  them  to fight the Byzantines than they rushed to comply with his orders. With great speed they started  getting ready for war. Tribes and phratries from here and there began pouring in Madinah. Almost all  the Muslims responded positively. Only those who had weakness at their hearts favoured to stay  behind. They were only three people. Even the needy and the poor who could not afford a ride came