May 09
Peace Treaty of Hudaibiya
Thursday 1 Dhul Qidah, 1445
May 09
Thursday 1 Dhul Qidah, 1445
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah, also known as Sulah Al-Hudaibiyah, is an extremely significant
political event in Islamic history. It was signed in the sixth year after Hijrah (when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his followers migrated from Makkah to Madinah). The exact date of this contract is January 628 (Dhu al-Qi’dah, AH 6).
Even though the Muslims had been successful in the battle of Badr, fought in the second year after Hijrah, they were not powerful enough at that time to attack the Pagans of Makkah. However, they deeply desired to visit the Holy Kaaba and perform Tawaf. As a result of this wish, this significant agreement between the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Quraish tribe took place.
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah had many advantages. The most important was reduced tension between the Muslims and Quraish and a ceasefire for 10 years. Moreover, due to this agreement, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his followers were permitted to enter Makkah the next year for what became known as the ‘First Pilgrimage’.
After migrating from Makkah, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) had a dream in which he was performing Tawaf. Considering this as a good sign, he put on the Ihram and traveled to Makkah with 1400 followers intending to perform Umrah.
In the sacred state of Makkah, Muslims were forbidden to be hostile against one another or engage in battle. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions traveled unarmed with the hope that the Quraish would recognize their peaceful purpose of pilgrimage and allow them to enter the city.
Unfortunately, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions were stopped outside Makkah. Subsequently, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) set up camp at Al-Hudaibiyah, located about 9 miles (14.5 km) outside the city. He had many harmonious discussions with the Makkan envoys, but was still refused entry.
However, the lengthy talks resulted in both parties agreeing to settle the issue diplomatically and the terms of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah were outlined.
It was decided that a Muslim delegate would be sent to Makkah. This was to clarify to the Quraish that the Muslims had come peacefully to perform Umrah and had no ill intentions toward them. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) specifically chose his son-in-law Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) because he was a well-respected former resident of Makkah.
The Quraish received Hazrat Uthman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) warmly and informed him that he could perform the Umra. However, Hazrat Uthman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) refused. He stated that he could not perform Umrah alone and that the Quraish needed to allow the Prophet (ﷺ) and all the Muslims accompanying him to enter the city. He was then arrested and rumors started circulating that he had been killed.
These reports led the Prophet (ﷺ) to believe that the hatred of the Quraish toward Muslims had no limits. The Prophet said that if it was true that they had murdered the delegate sent by the Muslims, and that also someone as prestigious as Hazrat Uthman ibn ‘Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), then the Muslims must anticipate the worst, although they were not prepared to face any kind of conflict.
It was then that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reengaged his forces by having them pledge loyalty. In this pledge, he used his own hand to symbolize Hazrat Uthman’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) loyalty. This incident is known as Bay’at Al-Ridwan (The Pledge of Satisfaction) since Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) announced His pleasure with everyone who took part in it in Surah Al-Fath (The Victory):
لَّقَدۡ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحۡتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَثَٰبَهُمۡ فَتۡحٗا قَرِيبٗا
“God was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, for He knew well what was in their hearts, and sent down tranquility on them, and rewarded them with an expeditious victory”. (48:18)
This readiness of the Muslims to fearlessly face any consequences seems to have made the Quraish consider a more rational perspective. They realized that their stubbornness might result in unwanted bloodshed and violence. Moreover, Hazrat Uthman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had not been assassinated as rumored and had just been arrested, and the Quraish also released him.
After this, envoys from the Quraish started visiting Al-Hudaibiyah repeatedly to convince the Prophet (ﷺ) to go back to Madinah. They sent Budayl Bin Warqa Khuza`i, Urwah Bin Mas’ood Saqafi, Hulais Bin Alqama, and Mikraz for negotiations, respectively.
Ultimately, the Quraish sent Suhayl bin Amr to the Muslim camp to negotiate a treaty with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). He was a well-known orator and flexible negotiator. Upon seeing him, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) realized that the Makkans really wanted to come to an agreement.
After lengthy discussions, the Prophet (ﷺ) started to dictate the terms of the treaty to Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The Prophet stated: “Write, in the name of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), the Most Compassionate, the Most Kind.” Suhayl bin Amr immediately objected and stated, “Do not write this. Instead, write, ‘In Your name O Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).' The Prophet (ﷺ) agreed to this request.
The Prophet (ﷺ) then instructed Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to write: “This is a peace agreement between Muhammad (ﷺ), the Messenger of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and the Quraish…” Suhayl once more objected, stating: ‘If we recognized you as a messenger of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), why would we be battling you?’ So, don’t use the phrase ‘the Messenger of God' and only write your name along with your father’s name.
The Prophet (ﷺ) was willing to meet this request and remove the phrase, but Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had already written it and he would not erase it. He told the Prophet (ﷺ): ‘This esteemed position has been granted to you by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Himself, and I will never erase the phrase ‘Messenger of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)' with my hand.’ Upon hearing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) took the pen and deleted the phrase himself.
This action highlights the cooperative and patient nature of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). He did not want to offend the Quraish because he knew this agreement would benefit the Muslims, so he politely agreed to their demands. He did not boast about his Prophethood and calmly deleted the phrases pointed out by Suhayl bin Amr. This shows his humble personality and willingness to do anything for the betterment of the Muslim Ummah.
Subsequently, the Muslims and the Quraish developed the terms of the treaty as follows:
The treaty was signed on two copies, one for the Muslims and the other for the Quraish. The original was kept by the Prophet (ﷺ) while a duplicate was given to Suhayl bin Amr for safekeeping in the archives of Makkah.
The Prophet’s (ﷺ) companions were reluctant to accept the demands of the treaty and did so with great difficulty. They viewed it as degrading to Islam and its followers. However, on their way back to Madinah, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) revealed the following verse of Surah Al-Fath:
اِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِيْنًا
“WE HAVE GIVEN you a splendent victory.” (48:1)
Despite being difficult terms, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) agreed to all the requests made by Quraish’s envoy. He did this for a greater objective, which was to establish peace in the region and secure a truce between the Muslims and Quraish. Although most of the clauses appeared to be unfavorable for the Muslims, they became beneficial for them in the long run.
In Makkah, the proud Quraish leaders celebrated the Treaty of Hudaibiyah as a victory for their diplomatic efforts. They believed that Muhammad (ﷺ) had finally been outsmarted and that the treaty was equal to an unofficial ‘surrender’ by the Muslims.
Among the Prophet’s (ﷺ) followers, the Treaty of Hudaibiyah triggered some intense, hostile reactions. Some of them also associated it with surrender. Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was most significantly opposed to the terms of the treaty, regarding it as ‘dishonorable’.
However, future events would reveal that the Treaty of Hudaibiyah was one of the most significant triumphs in Islamic history.
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah highlighted the extraordinary statesmanship and exceptional political skills of the Prophet (ﷺ). It made the Quraish recognize Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as an equal. Up to this point, they had viewed him as a rebel who was seeking revenge from them. With the signing of the treaty, the Quraish also acknowledged the emerging Islamic State of Madinah.
Another very important change after the treaty was signed was that Muslims started to openly practice Islam in Makkah. Earlier, they had hidden their beliefs from the Quraish due to fear of being persecuted by them. Moreover, numerous Arab tribes who were initially afraid of the Quraish’s resistance started establishing treaty relations with the Muslims without any fear.
The 10-year ceasefire clause was a major turning point in Islam. Until 6 A.H. (6 years after Hijrat), there had been a constant ongoing conflict between the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the Arabs and the Jews. This did not give the non-believers a chance to witness Islam in practice. After the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, the non-believers saw the practice of Islam for the first time. This resulted in numerous individuals embracing Islam. Hence, the Treaty of Hudaibiyah helped unlock the doors for spreading Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) word in the entire region.
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah also proves that Islam was spread through violence. It is the best evidence of Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) rejection of war as a means of policy and his sincere affection for peace. The Quraish had convinced the Arabs that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) craved conflict. They could now observe that he and his followers calmly returned to Madinah without any hostility, despite having an army accompanying him.
Similarly, the Treaty of Hudaibiyah also highlights the Holy Quran's dislike for conflict. Before this treaty, the Muslims had won two major battles, Badr and Ahzab (Trench). If they had lost in either battle, Islam would have disappeared forever from the earth. Nonetheless, the Quran has not referred to either of these battles as a clear triumph, but it mentions the Treaty of Hudaibiyah as a ‘clear victory’ among all of Muhammad's (ﷺ) campaigns.
Most significantly, only a year and a half after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) peacefully entered Makkah as a conqueror, accompanied by ten thousand followers. Hence, the Treaty played a major role in the capture of Makkah and Islam’s ultimate triumph.