Acts17apologetics play mad max; Prophet's first military missions?

In answer to the video "Islamicize Me Day 11: Muhammad's Path to Financial Success!"

The Prophet's travels and engagements with others are referred to in the books of history as ghazawat/maghazi. The expeditions he sent are called siyar. But the biographers did not understand these terms as always including fighting. Some were preaching missions, forging alliances, while others had a clear fighting purpose. These war ghazawat were 9 in total, Badr, Uhud, The Ditch, Qurayzah, al-Mustaliq, Khaybar, Mecca' conquest, Hunayn, and al-Ta’if. Badr, Uhud, and the Ditch were clear defensive engagements, Khaybar preemptively quelled war preparations by the enemy, Qurayza was a retaliation for treachery. The battles of Hunayn and al-Ta’if occured when the clans of Hawazin and Thaqif marched to Hunayn to fight the Prophet after he took control in Mecca.

The first aim of the Prophet's military missions was thus to weaken the Quraysh by cutting off their caravan routes to al Sham through alliances with the various tribes along this route. This dissuasive blockade cut off their trade routes. Nations today amply make use of such tactics, in order to prevent or diminish military funding of an enemy. One would think, had the prophet's objective been to ambush passing caravans and raid them, as David harassed and raided the natives of Canaan who had escaped until now the sword of the Israelites destroying men and women but keeping the spoils 1Sam27:8-9, then he would have lured the Quraysh into using their trading routes instead of dissuading them.

He also had to send missions in order to seek protective alliances against the constant invasion threats by the Meccans, furious that Muhammad had slipped away from them in Mecca and that Islam was rapidly growing in Medina. The number of fighters sent to these first expeditions compared to the ennemy forces proves the aim was not to attack, or seize Quraysh goods in retaliation for the goods which the Quraysh had seized from them. The expeditions were sent out either to make alliances with neighboring tribes, or they were reconnaissance patrols because of the constant threats reaching Medina that the Meccans might strike any day.

It was also an occasion to show some military capabilities to the Medinites spies and hypocrites among the Muslims. These were the first to profess faith in Islam each time it gained some success through the efforts of the prophet and his companions but they were the first to run and hide as soon as Islam had a 'set-back'. The first military campaigns also served as a way to silence the constant plotting of the Jews. In none of the prophet's expeditions was there any question of looting, plundering or deliberatly aggressing innocents.

The Quran repeatedly warns the believers that wordly gains are not the objective of Jihad

4:94"when you go to war in Allah's way, make investigation, and do not say to any one who offers you peace: You are not a believer. Do you seek goods of this world's life? But with Allah there are abundant gains".

The believers can never go to war boastfully and for the sake of empty glory 8:47. The Quran relates in 8:5-8 how Allah tested the believers' motives in battle in order to purge them from their greed; if they would run after the booty or stand firm with the prophet to defend Islam.

When the aqcuisition of slaves became restricted to battles after which they had to be freed either voluntarly or as a ransom, God warned the Muslims that during battle the motive must be the attainement of the military objectives before any consideration for war gains, and once the objective is fully accomplished, only then the taking of war prisonners and seizing of other spoils is allowed 47:4. In a later verse following the battle of Badr, God admonished those among the Muslims who had shown weakness in their general outlook on life, who had succombed to their greed and begun capturing soldiers while the battle was still raging and the enemy threat hadnt been entirely contained

8:67"you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise".

But because God had already permitted the ransoming of war prisonners 47:4 that wealth gathered, although not in accordance with the spirit of the law, was considered lawful

8:68-9"Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to. Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful".

The believers are warned not to repeat this behavior and submit to their greed. They must keep in mind the higher objectives for going to war.

They are elsewhere strongly admonished 3:152 for their attitude during the battle of Uhud and them becoming "weak-hearted" for having "desired this world" after Allah "had shown you that which you loved". This was in reference to the spoils of war booty. Going to battle motivated by wordly gains is not noble in God's eyes.