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The Sealed Nectar

 The Sealed Nectar by Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman

In the sixth year, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) announced his intent to perform `Umrah and set out with 1400 men, unarmed except for the sheathed sword normally carried by a traveller. His companions drove with them the sacrificial animals. When the Quraysh learned of this, they gathered to prevent them from reaching al-Masjid al-Haraam.
As they neared Makkah, the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) led his companions in salat al-khawf. Then, he started toward Makkah but his she-camel, al-Qaswa, sat down. They said, "She has become obstinate," but he replied,
"She has not become obstinate, but has been prevented as the elephant was prevented. By Allah, the Quraysh will not ask of me anything today which enhances the sanctity of Allah's religious rites and symbols but that I will give it to them." (Al-Bukhari)
Then he (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) shouted at his camel and she got up. He (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) returned to a well at Hudaybiyyah having little water, and pulled an arrow from his quiver, jabbing it into the well. The water flowed so abundantly that they scooped it up in their hands.

Budayl ibn Warqaa' al Khuza'i informed the Quraysh of the Prophet's (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) peaceful intent. They then sent `Urwah ibn Mas`ud(may Allah be pleased with them), who was told something similar. He also noticed how much the companions loved the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) and obeyed him; he went back and informed the Quraysh of what he had seen and heard. Then they sent a man from Bani Kinanah named al-Hulays ibn `Alqamah, and after him, Mikraz ibn Hafs. While he was talking to the Messenger of Allah(Peace and blessings of Allah upon him), Suhayl ibn `(may Allah be pleased with them) approached. The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) said,
"Your matter has now become easy."

A peace treaty was drawn up between the two sides. If the Muslims had chosen to fight at that time they would have been victorious, but they wanted to uphold the sanctity of the Ka`bah. The treaty consisted of the following:
1. Both parties would cease hostilities for a period of ten years.
2. The parties would not interfere with the free movement of one another.
3. The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) would return that year, but the Muslims would be permitted to enter Makkah the following year.
4. Any Muslim man coming from the Quraysh to join the Muslims would be sent back, but any man going from the Muslims to Quraysh would not be sent back.
5. Any tribes other than the Quraysh that wished to enter an alliance with Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) were free to do so, and any that wished to enter an alliance with the Quraysh were free to do so.
Results of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
Many of the companions were opposed to this treaty and considered its clauses unfair and biased against the Muslims.

But with time they, perceived its positive results and beneficial effects. Among them were:
1. The Quraysh's acknowledgement of the Muslim state - for an agreement can only be drawn up between two equals. This had its effect on the other tribes.
2. Fear was introduced into the hearts of the polytheists and hypocrites and many of them now expected that Islam would triumph. Signs of this were apparent in its acceptance by a number of prominent Qurayshites such as Khalid ibn al-Waleed(may Allah be pleased with them)and `Amr ibn al-`Aas(may Allah be pleased with them).
3. The opportunity was increased to spread Islam and make it known to people, which led to its acceptance by many of the tribes.
4. The Muslims were no longer in danger from the Quraysh, so they could concentrate on the threat from the Jews and other hostile tribes. Thus, the battle of Khaybar took place after the treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
5. Negotiations leading to the treaty allowed the allies of Quraysh to understand the position of the Muslims and sympathize with it. When al-Hulays ibn `Alqamah saw them reciting the talbiyah for `Umrah, he returned to his associates and said, "I saw the sacrificial animals garlanded and marked, so I do not think they should be prevented from the House of Allah."
6. The treaty of Hudaybiyyah enabled the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) to prepare for the battle of Mu'tah, which was a new step in extending the call to Islam outside the Arabian Peninsula.
7. The treaty of Hudaybiyyah enabled the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him) to send letters to the rulers of the Persians, Byzantines and Copts, inviting them to Islam.
8. The treaty of Hudaybiyyah led directly to the conquest of Makkah.

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