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As in the Battle of Badr, the month of Ramadan was the
time in which Allah chose to grant the believers their greatest victory
ever. In AH 8, Allah Almighty delivered the sacred city of Makkah to the
Muslims, virtually without any resistance or bloodshed. With this
victory Allah rescued this great city from the yoke of polytheism; it
became an Islamic city forever, the city in which belief replaced
disbelief; and Islam and submission to Allah unseated obstinacy and
haughtiness. The worship of Allah was finally declared and the idols
were smashed.
In AH 6, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
and the Quraysh signed the famous treaty of Hudaybiyah, which included
the clause that any tribe that desired to join either party, the Quraysh
or the Muslims might do so. The Khuza`ah tribesmen decided to join the
Messenger of Allah, and Banu Bakar decided to join the Quraysh.
There was bad blood between the two tribes; a
pre-Islamic blood grudge. Banu Bakar seized this opportunity and
attacked the Khuza`ah without any provocation, while Quraysh, in
violation of the treaty, secretly gave their allies all the help they
asked for; men and supplies.
Khuza`ah had no choice but to inform the Messenger,
their ally, that Banu Bakar and their allies Quraysh had unilaterally
broken the treaty of Hudaybiyah by attacking them.
The Quraysh realized they had broken the treaty with the
Messenger by attacking the Muslims’ allies. Realizing the gravity of
the situation, they dispatched Abu Sufyan to Madinah on a peace-making
mission and to beg for mercy and apologize for their misdeed. However,
his efforts were of no avail.
On the other hand, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) called his companions to prepare for war. Unlike other battles
where he concealed his destination, this time he told them exactly where
they would be heading. However, he demanded that the battle plans be
kept secret from the enemy because he wanted to surprise them.
The news of the Muslims’ movement was so tightly
controlled that no Makkan knew of their approach until they were close
to Makkah. The army camped in a valley. Al-`Abbas, the uncle of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was alarmed that Makkah would
be in serious danger if war should break out. So he went out in search
of some means to convince Quraysh to make peace with the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him).
While Al-`Abbas was on his lookout, he came across
Abu-Sufyan who was gathering news. Al-`Abbas recognized his voice and
called out to him. Abu Sufyan answered and asked, “What do you want,
Abal Fadl?” Al-`Abbas replied, “I am the messenger of the Messenger
of Allah and his army of believers is heading this way.” Abu Sufyan,
shocked and terrified, asked, “What should I do?” Al-`Abbas said,
“Ride with me to the Messenger and I will protect you.”
When Abu-Sufyan was in front of him, the Messenger
(peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: “Is it not time for you
to know that there is no deity but Allah?” Abu-Sufyan replied: “By
my father and mother, you know that if there were any deity beside Allah
it would have helped me.” The Messenger continued: “Is it not time
for you to know that I am the Messenger of Allah.” Abu Sufyan
hesitated for a while, so Al-`Abbas encouraged him: “Woe to you.
Announce your Islam.” Abu Sufyan then declared the Shahadah, the
declaration of faith.
The Messenger told Al-`Abbas to take Abu Sufyan to the
foot of the valley and let him see the Muslim soldiers marching. The
army paraded past Abu Sufyan, squadron after squadron. No squadron would
pass but Abu Sufyan asked, “Who are those?” While they were
watching, a squadron commanded by Sa`d ibn `Ubadah passed. When they
were passing, Abu Sufyan overheard Sa`d saying: “Today is the day of
battle, the day of great war, the day when all taboos will be lifted.”
Hearing this, Abu Sufyan was alarmed, so when the
Messenger passed by him Abu Sufyan told him what Sa`d had just said. The
Messenger told him that this is the day in which the Ka`abah will be
glorified. Then the Messenger commanded that Sa`d be relieved of his
duty as commander and that his post be given to his son Qais, so he
would not be too much offended because it would remain in his family.
Had Sa`d been permitted to proceed, this would have violated the
Messenger’s commandment that no blood should be shed in Makkah.
The Messenger entered Makkah, a victorious conqueror
bowing down his head as a sign of humbleness to Allah Almighty. He bowed
until his head could be seen touching his horse’s neck.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared
that whoever enters into the Mosque is safe; whoever enters into the
house of Abu Sufyan is safe; whoever enters his own house and closes his
door is safe. The Messenger entered the Holy Mosque and made
circumambulation on his horse. There were about 360 idols around the
Ka`bah which were destroyed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him).
On that glorious day of victory, the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) set a great example of forgiveness and
magnanimity. He asked the people of Quraysh –who expelled him,
tortured his companions, and waged wars against his religion—“O
Quraysh, what do you think that I am about to do with you?” They
replied, “Good. You are a noble, son of a noble brother.” The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then said, “Well, go your
way for you are free.”
In fact, the conquest of Makkah is the greatest battle
by which Allah honored His religion and Messenger. He thereby rescued
the Sacred House whose guidance all people seek. It was the most
significant prelude to a new era that was to witness the entry of people
into the fold of Islam in huge hosts.
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