The concentrations of rebels nearest Medina are located in two areas: Abraq, seventy-two miles northeast of Medina, and Dhu Qissa, twenty-four miles east of Medina.

These concentrations consist of the tribes of Banu Ghatafan, the Hawazin, and the Tayy.

Abu Bakr sends envoys to all the enemy tribes, calling upon them to remain loyal to Islam and continue to pay their Zakat.

A week or two after the departure of the Islamic army under Usama, the rebel tribes had surrounded Medina, knowing that there are few fighting forces in city.

Meanwhile, Tulayha, a self-proclaimed prophet, reinforces the rebels at Dhu Qissa.

In the third week of July 632, the apostate army moves from Dhu Qissa to Dhu Hussa, from where they prepare to launch an attack on Medina.

Abu Bakr receives intelligence of this move of rebels, and immediately prepares for the defense of Medina.

As the main army is out of Medina under Usama, Abu Bakr scrapes together a fighting force mainly from the clan of Mohammad, the Banu Hashim.

The army has stalwarts like Ali ibn Abi Talib, Talha ibn Ubaidullah and Zubair ibn al-Awam, who will later (in the 640s) conquer Egypt.

Each of them is appointed as commander of one-third of the newly organized force.

Before the apostates can do anything, Abu Bakr launches his army against their outposts and drives them back to Dhu Hussa.

The following day, Abu Bakr marches from Medina with the main army and moves towards Dhu Hussa.

As the riding camels are all gone with Usama's army, he can only muster inferior pack camels, and the army mounts these camels.

These, being untrained for battle, bolt when Hibal, the apostate commander at Zhu Hussa, makes a surprise attack from the hills on the Muslims; and the Muslims retreat to Medina.

The apostates recapture the outposts that they had lost a few days earlier.

At Medina Abu Bakr reorganizes the army for the battle and attacks the apostates during the night, taking them by surprise.

The apostates retreat from Dhu Hussa to Dhu Qissa.

In the morning, Abu Bakr leads his forces to Dhu Qissa and defeats the rebel tribes, capturing Dhu Qissa on August 1, 632.

The defeated apostate tribes retreat to Abraq, where more clansmen of the Ghatfan, the Hawazin, and the Tayy are gathered.

Abu Bakr leaves a residual force of soldiers under the command of An-Numan ibn Muqarrin at Dhu Qissa and returns with his main army to Medina.

Usama had meanwhile marched to Mu'tah and attacked the Christian Arabs of the tribes of Banu Kalb and Ghassanids in a small battle.

He returns to Medina on August 4, bringing with him a large number of captives and a considerable amount of wealth, part of which comprises the spoils of war and part taxation of the re-conquered tribes.

The Islamic army had remained out of Medina for forty days.

Abu Bakr orders Usama to rest his men in Medina and re-equip them to fight against the rebels.

Meanwhile in the second week of August 632, Abu Bakr with his army moves to Zhu Qissa.

Taking the remaining forces from Numan ibn Muqarrin under his command, he moves to Abraq, where the retreated rebels have gathered, and defeats them.

The remaining rebels retreat to Buzakha, where Tulayha has moved with his army from Samira.