A trade caravan of the Quraish was returning from Syria to Makkah Mukarramah on the last day of the sacred month of Rajab (in which engaging in battle and fighting was declared forbidden). However, mistakenly thinking that it was already the first of Sha’baan, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) launched an attack on this trade caravan of the Quraish.