MUHAMMAD’s latter years were full of warfare and adventure.
This was largely due to fear and jealous over Muhammad’s popularity and influence.
However, Muhammad remained humble and attributed all his work and triumph to Allah.
He participated in most of the battles and would take part in menial activities such as trench digging.
Muhammad also worked with Persian Muslims such as Salman who advised the Muslims to use trench warfare in their battles.
The black Judeans of north Arabia had increased in their revolt against Muhammad and seven years after the Hijrah (flight), Muhammad decided to lead a campaign against them.
The campaign was successful.
The city they were in was called Khaybar and the Muslims fought until all the forts had surrendered.
During this campaign in Khaybar, there was a black Judean woman who attempted to assassinate Muhammad by way of poisoning his food.
Muhammad put the food in his mouth but did not swallow it.
He spit it out and said “This food is poisoned.”
Unfortunately one of his friends had already eaten and swallowed the poisoned food and he died soon after.
The woman was captured and she admitted her crime.
When asked why she had done such a horrible thing, the black Judean woman replied; “I did it because Muhammad humiliated my people.”
When Muhammad heard this, he forgave her and let her go unpunished.
Many of the Qureysh tribesmen and black Judeans who fought against Muhammad would eventually repent and become Muslims after getting to know the prophet’s mercy, magnanimity and righteousness.
Muhammad became ill after the poisoning, but he recovered after a short time.
However, it is thought that it is this poisoning that may have led to his resultant death at the relatively young age of 63.
Around that time also, a large faction of the Muslims who had fled to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in the early days returned to Arabia.
They were led by Muhammad’s first cousin who was known as Ja‘far, the son of Abu Talib.
In that very same year, the prophet’s vision of visiting the holy place of Mecca unopposed came true.
In accordance a truce that was made between the Meccans and the Muslims, the idolaters evacuated the area of the Ka‘bah, but after three days, the idolaters returned and reoccupied the city.
Muhammad summoned all the Muslims who were capable of bearing arms and marched straight to Mecca.
The numerous numbers of Muslims overwhelmed the Meccans and though they tried to defend themselves, they were routed but all without bloodshed.
Muhammad for the first time, entered his native city of Mecca as conqueror.
He went to the ka‘bah and personally broke down all the idols in the sanctuary that had been wrongly referred to as partners and intercessors of Allah.
No one opposed Muhammad this time and from that time onwards, idolatry was no longer practiced at the ka‘bah.
Muhammad proclaimed a general amnesty to the surprise of the guilt-filled Meccans.
The result of this act of forgiveness was the conversion of numerous Meccans to Islam and they swore allegiance to Prophet Muhammad.
As he broke the idols, Muhammad spoke: “Truth has come, and darkness has vanished away.”
Although Muhammad had succeeded in regaining his native land of Mecca and subduing the black Judeans of northern Arabia, there were still some pagans and idolaters who wanted to regain the ka‘bah.
These idolaters mobilised themselves and attacked the Muslims in an area called Huneyn.
The Muslims were eventually victorious and they captured a lot of booty (war spoils) because many of these hostile tribes had brought along with them many of their personal possessions.
After the battle, Muhammad set up a Muslim as governor of Mecca.
Muhammad returned to Al Madina.
While in Al Madina, in the 9th year after the founding of the city, Muhammad drew up what was known as a declaration of immunity.
This declaration would from thenceforth allow only Muslims to make the pilgrimage to Mecca and this has been the case till this day.
Muhammad passed away about a year later but till today no one really knows where or how Muhammad was buried.
The Muslims announced Muhammad’s death saying, “He who worships Muhammad, knows that Muhammad is dead. But he who worships Allah, knows that Allah lives forever!”
Like Yahshua, Muhammad prophesied that a Son of man would again be raised in the last days and would execute the eternal judgment on the sinners and the heathens.
Muhammad prepared all Muslims for this coming Day of Judgment and till this day the Muslims await his coming.
This Son of man is referred to in Islam as Al Medhi, and through Allah, he is to cleanse and rid the earth of its corruption and sin.
The only clear distinction between Yahshua and Muhammad is that Yahshua was an Israelite and Muhammad was an Ishmaelite.
According to the Bible, the kingdoms of the earth were set up from the lineage of Isaac and not Ishmael.
However, as God promised Abraham in the Bible, Ishmael too would be blessed and the story of Muhammad is the evidence of the fulfillment of that prophecy.
Muhammad’s territory was then called the Arabian Empire and its citizens were united by Islam. Arabic became their official written language and the writings of Muhammad were compiled into the Quran we now have today.