A treaty is concluded

When the Quraysh came to know of this oath of allegiance, they decided not to court war and sent Suhayl bin Amr to make peace. At the end of the prolonged talks, the following were agreed upon:

Firstly, the Prophet would go back that year with the Muslims without making Umrah. He was to come to Makkah the next year, stay for three days, and he and his followers were not to carry any weapons except swords in their sheaths.

Secondly, a truce was to be in effect for ten years. Also, whoever wished to enter a bond with the Prophet would be permitted to do so and, likewise, anybody could come to a similar agreement with the Quraysh.

Lastly, anyone from the Quraysh who escaped to Madinah had to be returned to Makkah, but the Quraysh were not required to extradite any of the Prophet’s followers who returned to Makkah. The Prophet then sent for Ali and bade him write:

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Suhayl protested, “I do not recognise the Most Gracious you name.” The Prophet then asked Ali to write: In Your name, O Allah. He then dictated to Ali, “This is what the Prophet Muhammad has decided.” Once Suhayl objected, “If we believed that you were God’s messenger, we would not have turned you away from the House of God, not fought with you.” “I am Allah’s Messenger even if you disbelieve me,” replied the Prophet . He asked Ali to erase what he had written earlier and write “Muhammad bin Abdullah” in place of “the Prophet Muhammad.”

“By Allah, I cannot do it,” replied Ali . The Prophet however, asked Ali to point out the words to be rubbed out. Ali pointed them out and the Prophet expunged them. Thereafter two copies of the document were written – one for the Quraysh and another for the Muslims.

The peace treaty was still in the process of being drafted when Abu Jandal, the Muslim son of Suhayl bin Amr, came on the scene, struggling in fetters, for his father had demanded he be returned to Makkah. The Prophet protested, “But the treaty is still being drafted. It has not been finalised.” Suhayl said, “If it is so, then I am not prepared to make any agreement with you.”

The Prophet said again, “Leave him for my sake.” But Suhayl arrogantly said, “I will not leave him even for your sake,” and beat his son mercilessly. Abu Jandal cried out, “Muslims! Shall I be sent back to the pagans so that I am put to trial regarding my faith once again?”

The Prophet said to him, “Be patient and take your extradition as a source of immense reward. Allah will bestow His blessings on you and on other oppressed Muslims.” Umar bin Khattab was so incensed at the proceedings that he urged Abu Jandal to kill his father, but Abu Jandal held himself back and submitted to the terms of the treaty.