The first year of these raids was a “near total failure”.[14] All Meccan caravans managed to evade Muhammad’s forces or were accompanied by forces with superior numbers, suggesting that the Quraish relied on a spy among the core of the Muslim community. Aware of this problem, Muhammad introduced the usage of sealed letters of instructions and appointed Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh to lead an expedition of eight or twelve men. After marching two days, ibn Jahsh opened the letter to learn that, according to most sources, he was instructed to gain intelligence information about the movement of Meccan caravans deep in Quraish territory, in Nakhlah.