Muhammad leads or sanctions razzias that are apparently aimed at extending his own alliances and at preventing others from joining the Meccans.

The success of the Meccans' rousing of tribes against Muhammad reaps disastrous consequences for him and the Muslims with two main losses: one was when a Muslim party had been invited by a chieftain of the Ma'unah tribe, who were then killed as they approached by the tribe of Sulaym; while the other was when the Muslims had sent out instructors to a tribe which stated it wanted to convert to Islam—the instructors had been led into an ambush by the guides of the would-be Muslim tribe, and were subsequently killed.

Soon thereafter, Muhammad becomes convinced that the Jewish tribe Banu Nadir harbors enmity towards him and are plotting to kill him.

Opposition to Muhammad in Yathrib comes chiefly from 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy and other so-called hypocrites (munafiquin) who had abandoned Muhammad at Uhud and who together have fostered disaffection.