Manifest victory in Hudaibiyah Treaty

SUHAIL IBN AMR came to Hudaibiyah, where Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his Companions were encamped to discuss the terms of peace treaty.

Suhail said, "We lay down the condition that you should return to us whoever comes to you from us, even if he embraced your religion."

The Muslims protested, "How can a person be returned to the idolaters after he has become a Muslim?"

At this time, Abu Jandal, the son of Suhail himself, who was put in chains and severely tortured for accepting Islam, came from the valley of Mekah and fell down among the Muslims. He showed great desire to be taken to Madinah. But Suhail cried, "To signify that you are faithful to your contract, an opportunity has just arrived."

The Prophet said, "But the treaty was not signed when your son entered the camp."

Suhail burst out saying, "But the terms of treaty were agreed upon."

The Prophet wanted to release Abu Jandal but he also had to honour his words. He consoled Abu Jandal and said, "Be patient, submit yourself to the Will of Allah. Allah will provide you and your helpless companions' relief and means of escape."

The following were the full terms of the treaty:

(1) The Muslims shall return this year and come back next year to perform the pilgrimage, and they will not stay in Mekah for more than 3 days.

(2) The Muslims shall not carry any weapons, except a sheathed sword.

(3) War activities will be suspended for ten years, during which both will live in security and not raise sword against the other.

(4) If anyone from the Quraisy goes over to Muhammad without his guardian's permission, he should be returned back to the Quraisy, but anybody of Muhammad's followers returns to Quraisy, he will not be sent back.

(5) Any tribe of Arabia is free to join the treaty with Muhammad or with the Quraisy.

The conditions were unjust but the Messenger of Allah accepted them all, even though the Sahabah disliked it.

Umar Ibn Khattab said, "I went to the Prophet and said: 'Are you not truly the Messenger of Allah?' The Prophet said: 'Yes, indeed.' I said: 'Is not our cause just and the cause of the enemy unjust?' The Prophet said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Then why should we be humble in our religion?' He said: 'I am Allah's Messenger and I do not disobey Him, and He will make me victorious.'

I said: 'Did you not tell us that we would go to the Ka'bah and perform Tawaf around it?' He said: 'Yes, but did I tell you that we would visit the Ka'bah this year?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'So you will visit it and perform Tawaf around it.'

When the peace treaty was written down, Allah's Messenger said to his companions: "Get up and slaughter your sacrifices and have your heads shaved."

One of the Companions of Allah's Messenger relates: 'By Allah none of them got up, and the Prophet repeated his order thrice. When none of them got up, he left them and went to Umm Salamah (the Prophet's wife) and told her of the people's attitude towards him. Umm Salamah said: 'O Prophet of Allah! Do you want your order to be carried out? Go out and don't say a word to anybody until you have slaughtered your sacrifice and call your barber to shave your head.' The Messenger of Allah did as Umm Salamah suggested. Seeing the Messenger of Allah, the Companions got up, slaughtered their sacrifices and started shaving the heads of one another. There was so much of a rush and sadness that there was a danger of killing each other..."

When the month of Zulhijjah came, the seventh year of Hijrah, the Prophet accompanied by those who were with him at al-Hudaibiyah went to Mekah for Umrah.

The Prophet and the Companions approached reciting the Talbiyah aloud. The leaders of the disbelievers left Mekah so that they would not have to look at the Prophet and his Companions, out of rage.

Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: "When Allah's Messenger and his companions came to Makkah, the fever of Yathrib (Madinah) had weakened and bothered them. The idolaters circulated the news that a group of people were coming to them and that they had been weakened and bothered by the fever of Yathrib... Allah conveyed to His Prophet what the idolaters said, so he ordered his companions to do Ramal (run) in the first three rounds, so that the idolaters witness their strength. The companions did Ramal in the first three rounds. He also ordered them to walk normally between the two corners, for from there the idolaters would not be able to see them. The Prophet did not order them to do Ramal in all the rounds of Tawaf out of pity for them. The idolaters commented, 'Are these the people who you claimed were weakened by the fever. They are stronger than so and so!" (Sahih Muslim)

When Allah's Messenger was on his way back to al-Medina after the peace treaty, Allah, the Exalted, revealed, "Verily, We have given you a manifest victory." (Surah al-Fath: 1)

Allah's Messenger said upon its revelation, "Tonight, an Ayah, that is dearer to me than all the earth carries, was revealed to me." (Ahmad)

The wisdom of Allah behind the peace treaty of al-Hudaibiyah and Allah's calling it, 'a manifest victory' revealed shortly after the truce.

According to the terms of the treaty, the Quraysh showed no interest in the religion of people outside Mekah. So, the Muslims now had the opportunity to openly and freely call people to Islam and preach the faith. And within two years double the number of people entered Islam than ever before.

When Allah's Messenger returned back from al-Hudaibiyah, he had only 1,400-1,500 companions but when he returned back to liberate Mekah after two years, he had with him 10,000 men.

Allah, the Exalted, caused the Muslims in Mekah to escape the disbelieving pagans. After the Muslims returned back to Madinah, Abu Bashir, who had already professed Islam in Mekah escaped and reached Madinah for shelter. The Quraisy sent two men to bring him back and the Prophet sent him back.

On the way back, Abu Bashir said to one of the men, 'Your sword appears to be of the highest quality.' Another guard unsheathed the sword and began to admire it. Abu Bashir said: 'Let me see the sword.' He gave it to Abu Bashir without the least concern. Abu Bashir struck him with the sword so hard that his head fell on the ground.

The other guard fled towards Madinah and Abu Bashir followed him. When he reached the Prophet, he said: 'Your obligation is over and Allah has freed you from it. You duly handed me over to the men and Allah has rescued me from them." The Prophet said: "He would have kindled a war if there had been others with him."

Abu Bashir fled from Madinah and went to the seacoast. When Abu Jandal Ibn Suhail knew about him, he too escaped from Madinah and joined Abu Bashir.

Similarly, whoever embraced Islam would join them until they grew so strong that they soon began to intercept the Quraysy caravans as revenge.

The situation got so worse that the Quraisy requested Allah's Messenger to terminate the condition, and asked him to send for the group to join the Muslims in Madinah.

The unjust condition was thus proved to be a source of destruction for the disbelievers and a blessing for the Muslims.

Also, the conquest of Mekah (two years after the truce) was the fruit of the peace treaty of al-Hudaibiyah.

The Quraisy did not keep up with the terms of the peace treaty and along with Banu Bakr (who had joined the Quraisy in the peace treaty) attacked Banu Khuza'ah (who had joined Allah's Messenger in the peace treaty). When Allah's Messenger was informed, he gathered the Muslims and approached Mekah. Allah, the Exalted, granted Fath al-Mekah (Conquest of Makkah) to the Muslims.

The treaty of al-Hudaibiyah teaches us an important lesson that Allah only chooses the best for his believing slaves, even though they might look unfavorable outwardly.

The treaty of al-Hudaibiyah resulted in great goodness, even though Sahabah disliked the treaty but they obeyed Allah and His Messenger.

If Allah had willed, he would have defeated the disbelievers as Allah says next, "to Allah belong the armies of the Heavens and the earth" but for His Great Wisdom, Allah willed peace treaty to be established. "Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise."

Allah further mentions some reasons behind the peace treaty. "That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein forever. And He may expiate from them their sins And that He may punish the hypocrite men and women, and also the idolaters' men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah, for them is a disgraceful torment."

As-Sunnah