The Treaty Of Hudaybiyah
Ouraysh had tried to destroy Islam but had failed. The number of
Muslims grew and their armies increased from three hundred at the battle
of Badr, seven hundred at the battle of "Uhud, to three thousand at the
battle of the Trench. After the annual fast of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh)
had a dream, which indicated that the Muslims should go to Mecca for
the pilgrimage. One thousand and four hundred Muslims got ready to go
with him on the Lesser Pilgrimage called 'the `Umra'. They dressed in
white and went unarmed to show Quraysh that they had come to make the
pilgrimage and not to fight. When Quraysh heard that the Prophet (pbuh)
was on his way, they sent troops with Khalid Ibn al-Walid to stop the
Muslims from entering the city. To avoid meeting this small army the
Prophet (pbuh) changed his route and led the men through rugged
mountain passes. When they reached easier ground he told them, 'Say, we
ask Allah's forgiveness and we repent towards Him 'At Hudaybiyah,
south of Mecca, the Prophet's camel knelt down and refused to go any
further. The Muslims thought she was either stubborn or tired, but the
Prophet (pbuh) said: 'The same power that once stopped the elephant
from entering Mecca is now stopping us!' He then ordered them to make
camp, which they did, although they all hoped they would travel on to the
sacred Ka'bah the following day.
On setting up camp, the believers were dismayed to find that the
springs were almost dry. When he heard this the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) instructed a man called Najiyah to take the bowl of water in which
he had performed his ablutions, pour it into the hollows where the small
amount of spring water lay, and stir it with his arrows. Najiyah did as he
was told and the fresh water gushed up so suddenly that he was hardly
able to get out of the way in time.
Messengers were sent to Quraysh to tell them that the Muslims had
come only for the pilgrimage, to worship Allah at the Holy Ka'bah, and
that they wanted to enter the city peacefully. But Quraysh took no notice.
Finally, the Prophet's son-in-law, 'Uthman Ibn Affan, a wise and
respected man, was chosen to go, and the Muslims settled down to wait
and see what news he would bring back. After they had waited a long
time, the Muslims became very worried. At last they decided that he must
have been killed. A state similar to that of Revelation then came upon the
Prophet (pbuh). He gathered the Muslims around him under an acacia tree
and asked them to swear their allegiance to him, which they did. This
pact, which is mentioned in the Qur'an, became known as the Treaty of
Radwan (which means Paradise). Shortly after, `Uthman Ibn Affan
returned and the Muslims were relieved to see that no harm had come to
him. Some Meccan warriors tried to attack the Muslim camp but were
captured and brought before the Prophet (pbuh), who forgave them when
they promise to stop attacking the Muslims. Soon after this, official
messengers came from Quraysh and talks began for a peaceful settlement.
A man called Suhayl ibn 'Amr was sent by the Meccans to work out a
treaty. When the Prophet (pbuh) asked 'Ali to write 'In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful', on the top of the page, Suhayl
objected, saying 'Write only: bismik Allahumma (in Thy name, 0 Allah).
I don't know him as al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Rahim (the most
Merciful).' The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and dictated: 'This is a treaty
between Muhammad the Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn 'Amr.''Stop!'
cried Suhayl, 'I don't believe that you are Rasulallah (the Messenger of
Allah). If I thought you were Allah's Messenger, I wouldn't be fighting
against you, would I?' Calmly, the Prophet (pbuh) agreed that he should
be referred to in the treaty as Muhammad', son of 'Abd Allah. The
Muslims were very upset at this, and 'Umar furiously cried out, 'Are you
not Allah's Messenger, and are we not Muslims? How can we accept such
treatment when we are right and they are wrong? This will make people
laugh at our religion!' But the Prophet (pbuh) knew what was best and the
Treaty of Hudaybiyah was signed.
In this treaty the two sides agreed to stop fighting for a period often
years. It was also agreed that the Muslims should go back to Medinah
immediately but that they could return the following year for the
pilgrimage. This pilgrimage would last three days. In addition, the treaty
allowed Muslims wishing to leave Islam and return to Mecca to do so.
It also permitted Meccans to leave and become Muslims provided
they had the permission of their guardians. The Muslims agreed to send
any Meccan who did not have their guardian's permission back to Mecca.
Suhayl's son had come with his father with the idea of joining the
Prophet (pbuh) but when the treaty was signed he was, of course, forced
to return to Mecca. He cried bitterly. The Prophet (pbuh) said, '0 Abu
Jandal, be patient and control yourself. Allah will provide relief and find
a way out for you and others like you.'
The majority of the Muslims were very disappointed when they heard
the terms of the agreement and thought that it should not have been
accepted. They did not realize that this was in fact a great victory for the
Prophet (pbuh), which Allah would later confirm in a Revelation. The
agreement made sure that the following year they would enter Mecca
peacefully, and in time would result in Muslims becoming stronger and
more respected throughout Arabia. At the time the treaty was signed the
Muslims could not have foreseen that the number of people who would
travel to Medinah to become Muslims in following year would be greater
than in all the years before. Before the Muslims departed, they followed
the Prophet's example of making sacrifice and either shaving or cutting
their hair. Even though they were unable to visit the sacred mosque, their
pilgrimage was accepted by Allah because it had been their true intention.
On the return journey to Medinah, the 'Victory' chapter of the Qur'an
was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh). It begins:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
“Surely We have given thee (0 Muhammad) a clear victory, That
Allah may forgive thee of thy sin That which is past and that which is to
come, And may complete His blessings upon thee, And may guide thee
on the right path, And that Allah may help thee with mighty help”.
(Qur'an 48.1-3)
Now most of those who left Mecca to join the Prophet (pbuh) without
the consent of their guardians and were turned back by him as agreed,
Did not in fact return to Mecca, but lived instead in groups along the
seashore. Then they were joined by others who had left Mecca but these
groups began to endanger Quraysh caravans which were passing by and
disrupted their trade because of this, Quraysh told the Prophet (pbuh) that
if he wanted to take these new Muslims, they would not ask for them to
be returned. The young men, therefore, joined the Prophet (pbuh) and the
people in Mecca and Medinah grew more at ease with one another. The
young men from the seashore were shortly followed by those Muslims
who were still living in Abyssinia, and soon the numbers of believers in
Medinah had doubled.
About this time, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, the great warrior who had
defeated the Muslims at Uhud, set out from Mecca for Medinah. Along
the way he met 'Amr Ibn al-'As, the clever speaker who had pursued the
Muslims when they fled to Abyssinia. 'Amr, who had attempted to find
asylum in Abyssinia, had just returned from that country, the Negus
having urged him to enter Islam. He asked Khalid, 'Where are you
going?' Khalid replied, 'The way has become clear. The man is certainly a
Prophet, and by Allah, I am going to become a Muslim. How much
longer should I delay?' 'Amr Ibn al-As answered, 'I am travelling for the
same reason. So they both traveled on to Medinah to join the
Prophet(pbuh). The two men were, however, worried about meeting the
Prophet (pbuh) because of having fought against the Muslims in the past.
Therefore, 'Amr came before Allah's Messenger he said, 'O Prophet,
will my past faults be forgiven and no mention made of what has gone
before?' The Prophet (pbuh) replied, 'Amr, Islam wipes away everything
that happened before, as does the hijrah.'
A year after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet
(pbuh) was able to lead two thousand pilgrims on the 'Umra. Quraysh
vacated Mecca and watched the rites from the hills above the city. The
agreed period of three days was observed, after which the Muslims
returned to Medinah.
Ouraysh had tried to destroy Islam but had failed. The number of
Muslims grew and their armies increased from three hundred at the battle
of Badr, seven hundred at the battle of "Uhud, to three thousand at the
battle of the Trench. After the annual fast of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh)
had a dream, which indicated that the Muslims should go to Mecca for
the pilgrimage. One thousand and four hundred Muslims got ready to go
with him on the Lesser Pilgrimage called 'the `Umra'. They dressed in
white and went unarmed to show Quraysh that they had come to make the
pilgrimage and not to fight. When Quraysh heard that the Prophet (pbuh)
was on his way, they sent troops with Khalid Ibn al-Walid to stop the
Muslims from entering the city. To avoid meeting this small army the
Prophet (pbuh) changed his route and led the men through rugged
mountain passes. When they reached easier ground he told them, 'Say, we
ask Allah's forgiveness and we repent towards Him 'At Hudaybiyah,
south of Mecca, the Prophet's camel knelt down and refused to go any
further. The Muslims thought she was either stubborn or tired, but the
Prophet (pbuh) said: 'The same power that once stopped the elephant
from entering Mecca is now stopping us!' He then ordered them to make
camp, which they did, although they all hoped they would travel on to the
sacred Ka'bah the following day.
On setting up camp, the believers were dismayed to find that the
springs were almost dry. When he heard this the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) instructed a man called Najiyah to take the bowl of water in which
he had performed his ablutions, pour it into the hollows where the small
amount of spring water lay, and stir it with his arrows. Najiyah did as he
was told and the fresh water gushed up so suddenly that he was hardly
able to get out of the way in time.
Messengers were sent to Quraysh to tell them that the Muslims had
come only for the pilgrimage, to worship Allah at the Holy Ka'bah, and
that they wanted to enter the city peacefully. But Quraysh took no notice.
Finally, the Prophet's son-in-law, 'Uthman Ibn Affan, a wise and
respected man, was chosen to go, and the Muslims settled down to wait
and see what news he would bring back. After they had waited a long
time, the Muslims became very worried. At last they decided that he must
have been killed. A state similar to that of Revelation then came upon the
Prophet (pbuh). He gathered the Muslims around him under an acacia tree
and asked them to swear their allegiance to him, which they did. This
pact, which is mentioned in the Qur'an, became known as the Treaty of
Radwan (which means Paradise). Shortly after, `Uthman Ibn Affan
returned and the Muslims were relieved to see that no harm had come to
him. Some Meccan warriors tried to attack the Muslim camp but were
captured and brought before the Prophet (pbuh), who forgave them when
they promise to stop attacking the Muslims. Soon after this, official
messengers came from Quraysh and talks began for a peaceful settlement.
A man called Suhayl ibn 'Amr was sent by the Meccans to work out a
treaty. When the Prophet (pbuh) asked 'Ali to write 'In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful', on the top of the page, Suhayl
objected, saying 'Write only: bismik Allahumma (in Thy name, 0 Allah).
I don't know him as al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Rahim (the most
Merciful).' The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and dictated: 'This is a treaty
between Muhammad the Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn 'Amr.''Stop!'
cried Suhayl, 'I don't believe that you are Rasulallah (the Messenger of
Allah). If I thought you were Allah's Messenger, I wouldn't be fighting
against you, would I?' Calmly, the Prophet (pbuh) agreed that he should
be referred to in the treaty as Muhammad', son of 'Abd Allah. The
Muslims were very upset at this, and 'Umar furiously cried out, 'Are you
not Allah's Messenger, and are we not Muslims? How can we accept such
treatment when we are right and they are wrong? This will make people
laugh at our religion!' But the Prophet (pbuh) knew what was best and the
Treaty of Hudaybiyah was signed.
In this treaty the two sides agreed to stop fighting for a period often
years. It was also agreed that the Muslims should go back to Medinah
immediately but that they could return the following year for the
pilgrimage. This pilgrimage would last three days. In addition, the treaty
allowed Muslims wishing to leave Islam and return to Mecca to do so.
It also permitted Meccans to leave and become Muslims provided
they had the permission of their guardians. The Muslims agreed to send
any Meccan who did not have their guardian's permission back to Mecca.
Suhayl's son had come with his father with the idea of joining the
Prophet (pbuh) but when the treaty was signed he was, of course, forced
to return to Mecca. He cried bitterly. The Prophet (pbuh) said, '0 Abu
Jandal, be patient and control yourself. Allah will provide relief and find
a way out for you and others like you.'
The majority of the Muslims were very disappointed when they heard
the terms of the agreement and thought that it should not have been
accepted. They did not realize that this was in fact a great victory for the
Prophet (pbuh), which Allah would later confirm in a Revelation. The
agreement made sure that the following year they would enter Mecca
peacefully, and in time would result in Muslims becoming stronger and
more respected throughout Arabia. At the time the treaty was signed the
Muslims could not have foreseen that the number of people who would
travel to Medinah to become Muslims in following year would be greater
than in all the years before. Before the Muslims departed, they followed
the Prophet's example of making sacrifice and either shaving or cutting
their hair. Even though they were unable to visit the sacred mosque, their
pilgrimage was accepted by Allah because it had been their true intention.
On the return journey to Medinah, the 'Victory' chapter of the Qur'an
was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh). It begins:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
“Surely We have given thee (0 Muhammad) a clear victory, That
Allah may forgive thee of thy sin That which is past and that which is to
come, And may complete His blessings upon thee, And may guide thee
on the right path, And that Allah may help thee with mighty help”.
(Qur'an 48.1-3)
Now most of those who left Mecca to join the Prophet (pbuh) without
the consent of their guardians and were turned back by him as agreed,
Did not in fact return to Mecca, but lived instead in groups along the
seashore. Then they were joined by others who had left Mecca but these
groups began to endanger Quraysh caravans which were passing by and
disrupted their trade because of this, Quraysh told the Prophet (pbuh) that
if he wanted to take these new Muslims, they would not ask for them to
be returned. The young men, therefore, joined the Prophet (pbuh) and the
people in Mecca and Medinah grew more at ease with one another. The
young men from the seashore were shortly followed by those Muslims
who were still living in Abyssinia, and soon the numbers of believers in
Medinah had doubled.
About this time, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, the great warrior who had
defeated the Muslims at Uhud, set out from Mecca for Medinah. Along
the way he met 'Amr Ibn al-'As, the clever speaker who had pursued the
Muslims when they fled to Abyssinia. 'Amr, who had attempted to find
asylum in Abyssinia, had just returned from that country, the Negus
having urged him to enter Islam. He asked Khalid, 'Where are you
going?' Khalid replied, 'The way has become clear. The man is certainly a
Prophet, and by Allah, I am going to become a Muslim. How much
longer should I delay?' 'Amr Ibn al-As answered, 'I am travelling for the
same reason. So they both traveled on to Medinah to join the
Prophet(pbuh). The two men were, however, worried about meeting the
Prophet (pbuh) because of having fought against the Muslims in the past.
Therefore, 'Amr came before Allah's Messenger he said, 'O Prophet,
will my past faults be forgiven and no mention made of what has gone
before?' The Prophet (pbuh) replied, 'Amr, Islam wipes away everything
that happened before, as does the hijrah.'
A year after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet
(pbuh) was able to lead two thousand pilgrims on the 'Umra. Quraysh
vacated Mecca and watched the rites from the hills above the city. The
agreed period of three days was observed, after which the Muslims
returned to Medinah.
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