Najeebullah Ayaz, Missionary, Canada
Imagine history as a vast tapestry woven with the threads of war. From the rise and fall of empires to the shaping of societies, battles have been the loom that pulls it all together. Nations, tribes, and kings have wielded war like a tool – chasing power, wealth, or territory. Great civilisations were born on battlefields, and their ruins still whisper tales of conquest. Even today, ancient artefacts and art bear the scars and glory of those clashes.
Now picture a man who arrived in a small town called Yathrib – later known as Medina – after fleeing persecution in Mecca. Within just ten years, that modest city-state became the heart of a new civilisation, spreading the message of Islam across Arabia. Yet with expansion came conflict.
The Holy Quran tells us these wars were forced upon the early Muslims (Surah al-Hajj, Ch.22: V.40), and that Prophet Muhammadsa and his followers abhorred violence (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.217). Still, they were compelled to fight for survival.
During his years in Medina, the Prophetsa led or oversaw around eighty-eight military expeditions. Some were small patrols; whilst twenty-seven were major campaigns under his command. These revealed not only his moral integrity but also his unmatched genius as a strategist. Among them, the Conquest of Mecca stands as his most remarkable triumph.
This essay highlights one brilliant tactic from that campaign – compared to a legendary Chinese strategy from 342 BCE. Together they show that ranking the Prophetsa among the world’s greatest military minds is not devotion – it is historical fact.
How war evolved
Modern historians peg the earliest recorded war at around 2700 BCE, between Sumer (modern western Iraq) and Elam (southwestern Iran) in Mesopotamia. Prehistory is a black box, but earlier clashes surely occurred.
As technology evolved, so did warfare. Stone and wood gave way to iron swords, spears, and bows. Foot soldiers were complemented by mounted warriors on donkeys, horses, and camels. Animals were trained for battle – think Raja Porus’ war elephants in India or the Mongols’ lightning cavalry, the engine of their vast empire.
By the 9th century, China introduced gunpowder. Muskets, cannons, and explosives allowed armies to strike from afar. Victory shifted from sheer numbers to firepower and logistics. Naval battles became cannon duels on armored ships. Airplanes later turned the skies into killing fields.
In the modern West, mastery of gunpowder and its descendants granted dominance – culminating in nuclear arms capable of erasing cities. Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were a sobering glimpse of war’s apocalyptic potential.
The birth of strategy
Weapons alone never won wars – brains did. Early fighters charged in chaotic mobs until experience taught discipline. Formations like the Greek phalanx turned scattered warriors into solid walls.
Logistics became crucial – how long could an army sustain itself? Planning supplies became as important as swords.
Espionage revolutionised warfare. Knowing the enemy’s strength, plans, and weaknesses could determine victory. Spies became unsung heroes.
Temporary militias gave way to professional standing armies. Soldiers drilled relentlessly, mastering strategy as a career. Empires that built robust military institutions gained unbreakable edges in defence and expansion.
In this new era, the true difference was leadership – commanders who could think ahead and act with genius. Two great civilisations, Greece and China, became the earliest schools of war.
Genius in the East and West
In Greece, boys trained from age seven in weapons, tactics, and unit cohesion. Sparta’s Agoge was the pinnacle – a brutal forge producing warriors like King Leonidas. In 480 BCE, his 300 Spartans held Xerxes’ 300,000 Persians at Thermopylae for three days, buying the rest of Greece time to prepare and eventually repel the invasion, though at a steep cost.
Alexander the Great, conqueror of half the known world by age 32, was a product of such systems. He died young from a mysterious illness, leaving historians to wonder what might have been.
In the East, China’s military tradition was uniquely written. From the dawn of civilisation, treatises on war philosophy poured forth. Jiang Ziya’s Six Secret Teachings (11th century BCE) helped found the Zhou Dynasty, which lasted nearly 800 years.
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War – written around 500 BCE – became immortal, influencing East Asia for centuries. It reached Europe in the 17th century, was translated into English in 1905, and influenced generals like Douglas MacArthur and Norman Schwarzkopf.
Then came Sun Bin, Sun Tzu’s intellectual heir. Less famous, but in 342 BCE, at the Battle of Maling, he executed a tactic so brilliant it cemented his name among China’s elite strategists.
We will compare Sun Bin’s masterpiece with the Prophet Muhammad’ssa strategy at Mecca. Sun Bin commanded a trained army with centuries of doctrine; the Prophetsa had no academy, no professional army, and no ancient manuals – yet his tactic was breathtakingly effective.
Scene one: The battle of Maling, 342 BCE
The mighty Zhou Dynasty had crumbled into the Warring States era – seven kingdoms locked in endless strife. In Wei state, a prodigy named Sun Bin rose. Trained under the reclusive master Guiguzi and steeped in The Art of War, he became Wei’s military advisor.
However, betrayal struck: his classmate, General Pang Juan, framed him for treason. The king ordered Sun Bin’s kneecaps smashed. Crippled but alive, Sun Bin fled to Qi state, where his brilliance earned him the role of chief strategist.
In 342 BCE, Wei invaded its ally Han. Han requested Qi’s help. Sun Bin devised a daring ploy: instead of reinforcing Han, Qi would strike Wei’s capital, Daliang. A 120,000-strong army marched – nominally led by General Tian Ji, but truly commanded by Sun Bin.
Wei recalled its forces from Han. Near Daliang, 100,000 Wei soldiers faced Qi. Prince Shen was the figurehead; Pang Juan held real command – the same man who had maimed Sun Bin.
Sun Bin’s goal wasn’t conquest but crippling Wei’s military might with minimal Qi losses. He needed Wei weak but Qi strong.
When the armies clashed, Sun Bin ordered an immediate retreat. Pang Juan interpreted this as cowardice and pursued.
At night, Sun Bin issued a curious order: reduce the number of cooking stoves. In an era without drones, scouts estimated army size by counting campfires (one fire per 10–12 men).
- First night: Stoves suggested slightly fewer than 100,000 men. Wei spies reported 20,000 deserters – Qi down to 100,000.
- Second night: Stoves halved – 50,000 men. Pang Juan smelled victory.
- Third night: Stoves for just 20,000. Convinced Qi was crumbling, Pang Juan advanced with elite cavalry.
Sun Bin had chosen Maling – a narrow valley flanked by hills – and hid 10,000 archers in the trees. On a central tree, he carved in huge letters: “Pang Juan dies beneath this tree.”
As dusk fell, Pang Juan entered the gorge. Spotting the inscription, he lit a torch to read it. That flare was the signal.
Arrows rained like a storm. Cavalry could not maneuver. Pang Juan died instantly; most of his cavalry followed. Qi’s infantry mopped up survivors. Prince Shen was captured. Wei’s remaining army panicked and shattered. Wei never recovered – soon losing swaths of territory to Qin.
Historians dubbed this the “Tactic of Missing Stoves”. It echoed through Chinese military academies for centuries, elevating Sun Bin to legendary status.
Scene two: The Conquest of Mecca, 630 CE
Nearly a thousand years later, in 630 CE, another master tactician prepared for war – but his aim was peace.
Two years earlier, the “Treaty of Hudaybiyyah” had ensured a fragile truce between the Muslims of Medina and the Quraysh of Mecca. Tribes could ally with either side, but allies were off-limits for attack.
In early 630 CE, the Quraysh-backed Banu Bakr raided Muslim-allied Banu Khuza’ah, killing several. The Quraysh aided the assault – a blatant treaty violation. Khuza’ah pleaded for retribution in Medina.
The Prophetsa had every right to respond, yet he moved with restraint. He offered the Quraysh three options:
- Pay blood money for the slain
- Disavow Banu Bakr
- Declare the treaty void
The Quraysh arrogantly chose the third. War was on.
The Prophetsa mobilised 10,000 men but kept the target secret – even from most companions – to prevent leaks. After a week’s march, the army camped at Marr al-Zahran valley, mere miles from Mecca. Only then did the destination leak.
His aim wasn’t just conquest but a bloodless victory. As ruler and commander, he loathed unnecessary slaughter. Hudaybiyyah proved peace was his preference. His true battlefield? Hearts. He won enemies with magnanimity, not just might – evident in his treatment of prisoners and former foes.
Strategically, secrecy was vital. If the Quraysh learned the Muslim’s plan too early, they would summon allies from Ta’if and Hawazin. A bloody siege would weaken Muslim forces, risking their target of holding Mecca. As custodian of the Kaaba, Mecca was Arabia’s spiritual and political heart. Losing it would unravel everything.
At Marr al-Zahran, night fell. Normally, 10–12 soldiers shared one fire. The Prophetsa issued a striking order: Let every man light his own fire. Ten thousand fires blazed. From afar, the valley glowed like a sea of stars – suggesting 100,000 warriors.
This mirrored Sun Bin’s tactic but inverted: The Tactic of Adding Stoves. Where Sun Bin feigned weakness to lure and destroy, the Prophetsa projected overwhelming strength to deter and save lives.
The Quraysh suspected retaliation but were blind to the march. Their chief, Abu Sufyan, scouted with two companions. Cresting a ridge, they froze: an ocean of flames.“Whose army is this? By God, I’ve never seen such fires!” Abu Sufyan gaspe
“Must be Khuza’ah,” a companion of his guessed.
“Khuza’ah? A pitiful tribe couldn’t light this inferno!”
A Muslim patrol captured them and brought them before the Prophetsa. At dawn, after Fajr prayer, Abu Sufyan stood trembling.
“Has the time not come for you to affirm there is no god but Allah, and I am His Messenger?” The Prophetsa asked.
“My parents be sacrificed for you,” Abu Sufyan replied. “You are so forbearing, generous, and kind. I now know—if there were any god besides Allah, he would have helped us.”
Desperate for mercy, he asked: “If Mecca lays down arms, will they be safe?” The Prophetsa declared a general amnesty:
“Whoever stays home is safe. Whoever enters the Sacred Mosque is safe. Whoever discards weapons is safe. Whoever seeks refuge under Bilal’s banner is safe. Whoever enters the houses of Abu Sufyan or Hakim ibn Hizam is safe.”
Abu Sufyan’s resolve was shattered. To seal the psychological blow, the Prophetsa had him watch the Muslim columns march past. Regiment after regiment – immaculate, endless. When the Prophetsa himself passed, Abu Sufyan raced back, proclaiming through Mecca’s streets:
“O Quraysh! Muhammadsa comes with an army you cannot withstand! Stay home, enter the Mosque, or come to my house – you’ll be safe!”
Panic spread. Homes were barred shut.
Muslim forces entered from all sides. A few hotheads resisted briefly – a few dozen fell. By noon, Mecca was under Muslim rule. At the Ka‘bah, the Prophetsa proclaimed universal pardon. No revenge. No slaughter.
A city conquered without war. Muslim strength intact for future campaigns (i.e. Ta’if, Hunayn). A complete triumph – strategic, moral and spiritual.
Two Tactics, One Genius
| Aspect | Sun Bin (Maling) | Prophet Muhammadsa (Mecca) |
| Tactic | Missing Stoves – feign decline to lure & destroy | Adding Stoves – feign multitude to deter & save |
| Goal | Cripple the enemy power permanently | Conquer without bloodshed; win hearts |
| Resources | Professional army, centuries of doctrine | Faithful volunteers guided by divine insight |
| Outcome | Wei is broken; Qin rises | Mecca submits peacefully; Islam dominates Arabia |
| Ethical Edge | Ruthless annihilation | Magnanimity & mercy |
Sun Bin’s brilliance shattered an empire.
The Prophet Muhammad’ssa brilliance united one – without bloodshed.
One used deception to destroy; the other used perception to preserve. Both were masters of human psychology, but only one turned victory into peace.
The final verdict
No academy trained him. No manuals guided him. No standing army drilled under him. Yet in the crucible of history, the Prophet Muhammadsa stands among the greatest commanders ever known.
His was the “Tactic of Adding Stoves” – a triumph not of force, but of faith and compassion.
History remembers conquerors.
Faith remembers redeemers.
The Prophet Muhammadsa was both – but chose mercy over might.
References
1. Son Pin Heihō: Mō Hitotsu no “Sonshi” [Japanese], Kanaya Osamu, 2008
2. Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghaazi, Hadith 4280
3. Siratun Nabi [Urdu Translation], Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham, 1994, Vol. 2, pp. 262-287 (Published by Idara Islamiyat, Lahore)
4. Siratun Nabi [Urdu], Shibli Nomani, 2012, Vol. 1, pp. 342-353 (Published by Maktaba Islamia, Lahore)
5. Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum [Urdu], Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, 2002, pp. 535-557 (Published by Al-Maktaba Assalafiyya, Lahore)