The conquest of Mecca in 630 CE (8 AH) was a great victory for Muslims. They conquered the city of Mecca, which they were forced to leave just 8 years ago. The campaign for the conquest of Mecca was a result of a breach of an agreement by the Meccans, which was signed between the Muslims and the Quraysh of Mecca just a year back, in 629 CE (7 AH). This agreement is known as the “Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.” Both the treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the conquest of Mecca are considered significant milestones in the history of Islam, as they ended the ongoing conflict between the believers and non-believers, with an emphatic win for the believers.
Historical Background of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ migrated from Mecca to Medina with his followers, as a result of continued persecution by the Quraysh of Mecca. This historic migration took place in 622 CE. The outcome of this migration proved to be positive for the Muslims, as they were able to establish the first Muslim State in Medina, under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ.
However, the Meccans, especially the Quraysh tribe, continued their aggression against the newly established Muslim state. The Prophet and his followers had to defend themselves and strengthen the Islamic State in Medina. On the other hand, Quraysh kept on trying to prevent the spreading of Islam. The newly established Muslim state was soon dragged into a full-scale battle, more commonly known as Ghazwa Badar (the Battle of Badar). It happened the second year after the migration, on 13th March 624 CE (17th Ramadan 2 AH). Despite being far less in numbers, Muslims won this battle under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ.
Just one year after the defeat in the war of Badar, Quraysh again launched a battle against Muslims, the battle of Uhud, which was fought on 23rd March in 625 CE (7th Shawwal 3AH). Despite the early success of the Muslim army, they lost the opportunity due to non-adherence to the instructions of the Prophet by the troops deputed by him at a strategic location.
After around two years, both the rivals again came head-to-head in the battle of Trench. The Battle of Trench took place in March 627 CE (5 AH). The strategic move by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, defending while staying within the city of Medina resulted in a big win. This was achieved by digging a trench around the city, which ultimately brought success to the Muslims of Medina.
So, Muslims won two of the first three battles. However, the conflict between Muslims and Quraysh did not end. Amid this persistent state of conflict, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ decided to travel to Mecca for the pilgrimage. This was the year 628 CE (Dhu al-Qa’dah 6 AH). He gathered a group of 1,500 Muslims, who were unarmed. They traveled to Mecca to perform a pilgrimage to the Ka’aba.
On hearing the news, the Quraysh of Mecca sent out a strong army of around 200 to encounter the Muslims. On the other hand, the Prophet Muhammad decided to camp at a location outside the City of Mecca, known as Hudaybiyyah. This was where a historic and most significant treaty was signed between the two rivals, Muslims and Quraysh. It is more commonly known as the “Treaty of Hudaybiyyah” (صُلح الْحُدَيْبِيَة).
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
Per some traditions, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ had a divine dream about circumambulating Ka’aba. It was the month of March 628 CE (6 AH). After having this dream, he decided to travel to Mecca for the pilgrimage of Ka’aba with his followers and close companions. Due to the ongoing conflict with Meccans, he asked his allies, such as Bedouins and other tribes living near Medina, to accompany him. However, most of the allies were not willing to do so.
In the Islamic month of Dhul Qa’da, 6 AH (March 628 CE), the Prophet and 1,500 followers started their journey towards Mecca. It is believed that the Muslims were unarmed, as this journey was only for pilgrimage. They also carried along some sacrificial animals as part of the pilgrimage. But the Quraysh of Mecca thought the Prophet and his companions wanted to fight with them. So, they sent a troop of around 200 soldiers to prevent Muslims from entering Mecca. To avoid any combat with Quraysh, the Prophet did not take the conventional route to Mecca; instead, he decided to camp at Hudaybiyyah, a place on the boundary of Mecca.
Resultantly, Muslims and Quraysh entered into negotiations. The Prophet emphasized that they intended to perform pilgrimage and had no other intentions, but the Quraysh were unwilling to let them in. In this sequence of events, the Prophet sent one of his close companions, Hazrat Usman رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, to Mecca for further negotiations. Rumors came in that he had been assassinated in Mecca. The Prophet took a pledge from his followers to take revenge for the assassination of his close companion. Historically, this pledge is “the pledge of the tree” (bayat al-ajar). However, the news of the assassination of Hazrat Usman proved to be wrong.
Thereafter, Quraysh sent their envoy, Sohail Ibn Amr, for final negotiations with Muslims. After hectic negotiations, both parties reached an agreement, historically known as “the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.”
The main clauses of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah can be summarized as under:
- Muslims and Quraysh will observe a complete ceasefire for the next 10 years.
- Muslims will return to Medina, this time, without performing the pilgrimage and can come back next year for the pilgrimage. Muslims will stay in Mecca for pilgrimage next year for three days, and the Quraysh tribe will vacate the city of Mecca during these days. During this pilgrimage, Muslims will not carry any weapons. They can, however, take along sheathed swords.
- If any person from Quraysh comes to Medina, Muslims will send him back to Mecca.
- If anyone from Muslims comes to Mecca, he will be retained by Quraysh and will not be sent back to Medina.
- Any person or tribe who wants to create an alliance with the Muslims can do so.
- Likewise, if anyone likes to join Quraysh, they will be allowed to do so, as well.
Apparently, it seems that the terms of this treaty were in favor of Quraysh and some of the companions of the Prophet were also of that opinion. However, the outcome of the treaty proved to be strongly in favor of the Muslims.
After reaching this agreement, the Prophet asked his followers to shave off their heads and sacrifice animals. Some of the Muslims showed reluctance, but ultimately, everyone followed the instructions of the Prophet. After that, Muslims left Hudaybiyyah to go back to Medina. At this point in time, Surah Al-Fath was revealed, the first verse of which is اِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِيْنًا (WE HAVE GIVEN you a splendent victory). This was the divine confirmation that the treaty of Hudaybiyyah was a historical victory for the Prophet and the Muslims.
The historians also refer to this treaty as a great success of the Prophet, as by signing this agreement, the Quraysh admitted Muslims as a parallel and equal force. Secondly, giving Muslims access to the Ka’aba provided a good opportunity for the Prophet to spread the Message of Islam among the tribes, who used to come to Mecca for the pilgrimage to the Ka’aba as part of a pre-Islamic practice.
The Conquest of Mecca
One of the important clauses of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was that any of the tribes were free to come into alliance per their preference, either with Muslims or Quraysh. The treaty further provided that any aggression against any such tribe would be considered aggression against the party to which they were allied.
However, this clause of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah was breached by Quraysh in less than two years. Banu Khuzah had allied with the Prophet, whereas Banu Bakar was the ally of the Quraysh. In 630 CE (8 AH), in the month of Sha’aban, Banu Bakar attacked Banu Khuzah. Some of the Quraysh’s renowned persons supported this attack by Banu Bakar by providing them with soldiers and weapons. The leader of the Quraysh, Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb, was not informed about this happening.
The people of Banu Khuzah tried to take refuge in Ka’aba, which was a norm at that time. But some 20 of them were killed by the attacking forces of Banu Bakar, in violation of the traditions of that time. Banu Khuzah, brought this aggressive attack in the knowledge of the Prophet for his support. The Prophet took this incident as a breach of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah and placed three demands on the Quraysh, asking them to accept anyone of these three:
- Pay blood money for the killed men of Banu Khuzah.
- Terminate alliance with Banu Bakar.
- Terminate the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
The matter was very serious, and the Quraysh were well aware of the consequences. Hence, they sent their leader, Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb, to Medina for negotiations with Muslims. He went to the residence of his daughter, Umm Habiba, who was the wife of the Prophet. He tried to have a direct talk to the Prophet. The Prophet did not allow him. He then approached the close companions of the Prophet, such as Hazrat Abu Bakar, Hazrat Umer, and Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ for their assistance in the renewal of the treaty. However, all of them refused to provide any assistance in this matter. He returned back to Mecca and apprised his men about his efforts and lack of any positive response from the Muslims.
After the unsuccessful mission of Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh were profoundly disheartened. On the other hand, the Prophet ordered his companions to prepare for a military campaign. In the meanwhile, the people of Banu Khazah, under the leadership of Amr Ibn Salim, reached Medina and asked for retaliation for what had happened to his tribe. However, the military preparations of the Muslims went on quietly.
Eventually, on the 10th of Ramadan, 8 AH, an army of ten thousand soldiers, led by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ started marching towards Mecca. While on their March to Mecca, Abbas Ibn Abd al Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet, joined the Muslim army along with his family. Similarly, Abu Sufyan Ibn Harith (not Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb) and Abdullah Ibn Umayya, the cousins of the Prophet, also approached to join the Muslims, but due to their harsh attitude towards Islam, they were not allowed to do so. However, on the advice of Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, they confessed and tendered apologies for their previous behavior. Eventually, they were allowed to enter into Islam.
The March towards Mecca continued till they reached Al-Qadeed, where the Muslim army broke their fast. Then they continued towards Az-Zahran. The Quraysh were totally unaware of all these happenings. However, the Prophet did not want to take Quraysh by surprise to avoid unnecessary loss of lives, so he advised his followers to light fires around the camp so that Quraysh could assess the strength of the Muslim army.
Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb Joins Islam
The leader of the Quraysh tribe, Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb, along with Hakik bin Hizam, were on a mission to assess the strength and strategy of Muslim forces when they encountered Abbas Ibn Abd al Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet. He convinced Abu Sufyan to accept Islam. Abu Sufyan, accompanied by Abbas, reached the Muslim camp and sought permission to meet the Prophet. The Prophet asked Abu Sufyan to come the next day. On that day, Abu Sufyan confessed and regretted his previous behavior and accepted Islam.
On 17th of Ramadan 8 AH, Muslim army, led by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, victoriously entered into Mecca. Apart from a few individual resistances, Mecca was conquered without any war. At this historic moment, the Prophet announced a general amnesty for the people of Quraysh as under:
- Those who take refuge in the house of Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb are safe.
- Those who confine themselves within their houses are safe.
- Those who take refuge in the Ka’aba are safe.
The Prophet, riding his she-camel, entered Mecca while reciting Surah Al-Fath. Immediately after the completion of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet entered the Ka’aba and started destroying the idols installed by the Quraysh. There were 360 idols in Ka’aba. The Prophet and his companions cleared the entire Ka’aba from all these idols. The Prophet was reciting the 81st verse of Surah Al-Isra while knocking down the Idols.
Translation – And say: “Truth has come and falsehood nullified.” Verily falsehood is perishable.
With that, the long-standing conflict between Muslims and Quraysh finally ended with a convincing victory of Muslims, led by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. After staying for some time in Mecca, the Prophet returned back to Medina and stayed there till his last breath.
