Two Opinions on How to Meet Them

It was now about time to tell the Muslims about what was happening, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) held a shūrā meeting with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on what to do. He gathered them and asked them what they thought. There were two opinions. One: that they should fight within Madīnah and use it as a fortress and fight in the streets, so that the women and children would be able to take part in the fighting by fighting from the roofs, throwing rocks at the enemy. This was the opinion of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and also of ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy, for different reasons: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) adopted this opinion from a strategic point of view, but ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy because he was too afraid to go out and fight. The majority opinion, however, was to go out and meet the enemy in the open field, the reasoning being that it would be shameful to hide inside Madīnah and have the enemy come and attack them in their own home, but that they should go out and meet them and not allow them to even come close to Madīnah. This was the opinion of those who had not attended Badr: they felt they had missed a lot by not being at Badr, so they were eager to meet the enemy, and they were afraid that if they stayed in Madīnah the enemy would not dare come in, and they did not want to miss the fighting. This group, who held this opinion, put some pressure on the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) until he agreed to adopt their opinion. So he stood up, left the meeting, and went inside his house to put on his armour.