to  the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) asking for one so that they would be able to share in the  fight against the Byzantines. But when he said:
“...‘I can find no mounts for you’ they turned back while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief  that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad).” 9:92
The Muslims raced to spend out money and to pay charities to provide this invasion. ‘Uthman, for  instance, who had already rigged two hundred, saddled camels to travel to Ash-Sham, presented them  all with two hundred o(of gold) as charity. He also fetched a thousand dinars and cast them all into  the  lap of the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him), who turned them over and said: “From this day on  nothing will harm ‘Uthman regardless of what he does.” Again and again ‘Uthman gave till his charity  toped to nine hundred camels and a hundred horses, besides the money he paid.
Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf, on his side, paid two hundred silver ounces, whereas Abu Bakr paid the whole  money he had and left nothing but Allâh and His Messenger as a fortune for his family. ‘Umar paid half  his fortune. Al-‘Abbas gifted a lot of money. Talhah, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah and Muhammad bin Maslamah,  gave money for the welfare of the invasion. ‘Asim bin ‘Adi, on his turn, offered ninety camel-burdens  of  dates. People raced to pay little and much charities alike. One of them gave the only half bushel (or  the  only bushel) he owned. Women shared in this competition by giving the things they owned; such as  musk, armlets, anklets, ear-rings and rings. No one abstained from spending out money, or was too  mean to grant money or anything except the hypocrites:
“Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allâh’s cause) voluntarily, and  those who could not find to give charity (in Allâh’s cause) except what is available to them, so  they mock at them (believers).” 9:79
The Muslim Army is leaving for Tabuk:
Upon accomplishing the equipment of the army, the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) ordained  that Muhammad bin Maslamah Al-Ansari should be appointed over Madinah — in another version Siba‘  bin ‘Arftah. To ‘Ali bin Abu Talib he entrusted his family’s safety and affairs and ordered him to stay  with them. This move made the hypocrites undervalue ‘Ali, so he followed the Messenger of Allâh
(peace be upon him) and caught up with him. But the Prophet made ‘Ali turn back to Madinah after  saying: “Would it not suffice you to be my successor in the way that Aaron (Harun) was to Moses’?”
Then he proceeded saying: “But no Prophet succeeds me.”
On Thursday, the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) marched northwards to Tabuk. The army  that numbered thirty thousand fighters was a great one, when compared with the previous armies of
Islam. Muslims had never marched with such a great number before.
Despite all the gifts of wealth and mounts the army was not perfectly equipped. The shortage of  provisions and mounts was so serious that eighteen men mounted one camel alternatively. As for  provisions, members of the army at times had to eat the leaves of trees till their lips got swollen.
Some  others had to slaughter camels — though they were so dear — so that they could drink the water of  their stomach; that is why that army was called “The army of distress”.
On their way to Tabuk, the army of Islam passed by Al-Hijr — which was the native land of Thamud  who cut out (huge) rocks in the valley; that is “Al-Qura Valley” of today. They watered from its well  but  later the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) told them not to drink of that water, nor perform the  ablution with it. The dough they made, he asked them to feed their camels with. He forbade them to  eat anything whatsoever of it. As an alternative he told them to water from that well which Prophet
Salih’s she-camel used to water from.
On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar: “Upon passing by Al-Hijr the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Do not enter the houses of those who erred themselves lest what had happened to them would  afflict you, but if you had to do such a thing let it be associated with weeping.”
Then he raised his head up and accelerated his strides till he passed the valley out.”
Shortage of water and the army’s need to it made them complain to the Messenger of Allâh (peace be  upon him) about that. So he supplicated Allâh, who sent a rainful cloud. It rained and so all people  drank and supplied themselves with their need of water.
When they drew near Tabuk, the Prophet said: “If Allâh will, tomorrow you will arrive at Tabuk spring.
You will not get there before daytime. So whoever reaches it should not touch its water; but wait till I  come.” Mu‘adh said: “When we reached the spring it used to gush forth some water. We found that