Despite
the improved relations between Mecca and Medina after the
signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the ten-year peace was
to be broken by Quraysh who, with their allies, the Bani
Bakr, attacked the Khuza’ah tribe. Now Khuza’ah were
allies of the Muslims and when the Prophet (pbuh)heard of
the attack he immediately ordered his men to prepare for
war. When they were ready he told them that their
destination was Mecca and, as he did not want any fighting
within the walls of the city, he told them they must move
quickly and take the enemy by surprise. In this way the
Meccans would not have time to prepare for war and, being
surrounded would have to surrender. The Muslims would then
be able to take the city without injury or loss of life to
anyone. When the Muslim army, which numbered ten thousand,
set out for Mecca it was the month of Ramadan in the eighth
year of the Hijrah. Many of the men kept the fast, even
though they were not obliged to because they were travelling.
Everyone was jubilant because they were going to Mecca,
especially as some of them had not seen their homes in the
city for eight long years.In the meantime, the Prophet's
uncle, al-'Abbas, had decided that the time had come for him
and his wife to leave Mecca and join the Prophet (PBUH) in
Medina. They did not, however, have to go far as after a
distance of only twenty-five kilometers they came across the
Muslim camp. When the Prophet (PBUH) saw them he said,
'Uncle, your emigration is the last emigration. My prophecy
is the last prophecy.' Al-'Abbas then joined the army and
his wife went on to the safety of Medina.Night fell and the
Muslims made fires to light their camp. The Meccans, looking
out of the city, were amazed to see the many fires, and Abu
Sufyan went all over Mecca trying to find out whose camp it
was. Suddenly he saw al-‘Abbas riding towards him from the
direction of the fires. He was returning as a messenger of
peace from the Prophet (PBUH) and said to Abu Sufyan, 'The
Muslims have come with a large army. They do not wish to
fight, only to enter the city. It would be better to
surrender and not fight. Come under my protection and meet
the Prophet (PBUH).'Abu Sufyan agreed, and got up behind al-Abbas,
who was riding theProphet’s white mule. It was still night
as they entered the Muslim camp. Each time they passed a
fire, someone would call out, 'Who goes there?' None of them
recognized the stranger as the leader of their enemy but all
knew al-‘Abbas and so let them through.As they passed by 'Umar,
however, he immediately recognized Abu Sufyan and yelled
out, 'Abu Sufyan! The enemy of Allah!' He ran after them
intending to kill his enemy but al-‘Abbas made the mule go
faster. They reached the Prophet's tent just before ‘Umar
who rushed in after them quite out of breath.'Umar begged
the Prophet (pbuh), 'O Messenger of Allah, let me end the
life of Abu Sufyan, this enemy of Islam, who has led the
Quraysh armies in their attacks on us!' Al-‘Abbas
interrupted, saying, 'I have sworn to protect him during his
time here whereupon the Prophet (PBUH) told his uncle to
take Abu Sufyan to his tent for the night.In the morning Abu
Sufyan was taken to the Prophet (PBUH) who said, 'Abu Sufyan!
Have you not yet realized that there is no divinity but
Allah?' To this Abu Sufyan replied, 'If there had been
another he surely would Have helped me by now.’ ‘Shame
on you, Abu Sufyan', responded the Prophet (PBUH), 'it is
time you realize that I am truly Allah's Messenger.' After a
moment or two, Abu Sufyan, who remembered how ‘Umar had
not been allowed to kill him, replied: 'I can see you are a
generous and forgiving man but I still cannot be sure of
that.'At this, al-‘Abbas, who had been standing nearby
turned to him and said:‘Believe as I do now.' Abu Sufyan
stood quietly for a moment, then in a calm, clear voice
swore in front of everyone, there is no divinity but Allah,
and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.'The Prophet (PBUH)
then told Abu Sufyan to go back to Mecca and tell the people
that the Muslims would enter the city the next morning.
Before he left, however, al-'Abbas suggested to the Prophet
(PBUH) that as Abu Sufyan was a proud man, it would be good
to give him an honorable position. The Prophet (PBUH) took
this advice, saying to Abu Sufyan, 'Tell the people that
when we enter, anyone seeking refuge in your house will be
safe.' This was a great honor for Abu Sufyan. In addition,
the Prophet (PBUH) told him to assure the Meccans that those
who remained in their own homes or at the Ka’bah would
also be protected.Abu Sufyan returned quickly to the city.
He made straight for the hill Hagar had climbed in her
search for water and from which the Prophet (PBUH) later
spoke, and called upon Quraysh to come to him. Abu Sufyan
then spoke to the people, 'O people of Mecca, the fires we
saw all around us were the camp fires of Muhammad and his
men. He has come with a strong army and there are too many
for us to fight. It is best, therefore, to surrender. Anyone
who stays in my house, or in his own home, or at the Ka'bah
will be safe.'Early next day, the Muslims entered Mecca from
all sides. They had been ordered to cause no harm unless
anyone tried to stop them entering. When the Prophet (PBUH)
arrived, he got off his camel, bowed down on the ground and
thanked Allah for this victory. When the unbelievers saw
this, they knew that the Prophet (PBUH) had come in peace.
People began leaving their homes and running towards the
Ka’bah. When they arrived there, they found the Prophet (PBUH)
performing the ritual encircling of the Ka'bah, the tawaf on
his camel, surrounded by the Muslims. When he had finished,
he said, 'There no divinity except Allah and He has no
partner. Men and women of Quraysh be not proud for all are
equal; we are all the sons of Adam, and Adam was made of
dust.' Then he recited this verse to them: In the Name of
Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful O mankind! Lo! We have
created you male andfemale, and have made you nations and
tribes soyou may know each another. Surely the noblest of
you,in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct.0Lo! Allah
is All-knowing, All-aware.(Koran xlix.13 After this he said
to them: 'O Quraysh, what do you think I am going to do to
you?' The people thought carefully before answering because
they knew that according to the laws of war they could all
be taken prisoner. They also knew, however, that the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) was generous, so they replied, ‘You will
treat us as a kind nephew and a generous brother would.' To
this he replied with the words used by the Prophet Joseph
when his brothers came to Egypt: 'God forgives you and He is
the Most Merciful of the merciful.' Later the Prophet (PBUH)
went to the hill of Safa and there the crowd followed him
and surged forward, taking his hand one by one, to declare
themselves Muslim. He then turned to the Ka'bah and,
pointing his staff at the three hundred and sixty-five idols
which were placed there, recited from the Koran:In the Name
of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful… Truth has come and
falsehood has vanished away.Lo! Falsehood is ever bound to
vanish.(Koran xvii.81) At this, each idol fell over onto its
face. Together with his followers the Prophet (PBUH) then
proceeded to purify the Ka'bah, after which he ordered Bilal
to climb on top of it and perform the call to prayer. Since
then the call to prayer has been heard five times a day in
Mecca. The Ka'bah, the House of Allah, has served the
purpose for which it was built by Abraham thousands of years
ago, as a sanctuary for the worship of Allah, our Creator,
and Mecca continues to be the spiritual center of Islam.On
the day Mecca was conquered, the Prophet (PBUH) addressed
the people saying: 'Allah made Mecca holy the day He created
heaven and earth and it is the Holy of Holies until the
Resurrection Day. It is not lawful for anyone who believes
in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein, nor to cut
down trees therein. It was not lawful for anyone before me
and it will not be lawful for anyone after me. Indeed it is
not lawful for me except this time, Al's anger against his
people makes it permissible. Mecca has now regained its
former holiness. Let those here now go forth and tell
others.'
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