The Karede Expedition of Hz. Zayd b. Harise (2nd Year of Hijra, 3rd of Jumada al-Akhir / November 624)

The Karede Expedition (سريّة القردة) was carried out in the 3rd year of Hijra (624 AD). The Prophet Muhammad assigned a unit under the command of Zayd b. Harise against the Quraysh. The Quraysh, preparing to take revenge for their defeat at Badr, were concerned about the safety of their own trade caravans passing through the Medina-Syria route. Therefore, they tried to find an alternative route through Najd to Iraq and then to Syria. Zayd b. Harise captured a Quraysh trade caravan using this alternative route near a water source called Karede. Except for Fuhrân b. Hayyan el-Anezî, who guided the caravan, the members of the caravan managed to escape; however, a large amount of silver and valuable goods fell into the hands of the Muslims. After one-fifth was set aside in Medina, the spoils were distributed among the fighters. The Karede Expedition is a successful link in the economic embargo against the Quraysh following Badr. It demonstrates that Muslims were increasingly effectively monitoring the trade routes of the Quraysh. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Karede Expedition" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/karede-seriyyesi; Vâkıdî, el-Megâzî, I, 196-198; İbn Hişâm, es-Sîre, III, 3-4]