The Muslims’ dejection over the truce

After the peace treaty was finalised, the Prophet said to his Companions, “Get up and slaughter your animals.” None of them got up. The Prophet repeated this call thrice, but his words went unheeded. He then went to Umm Salamah , and described to her the state of affairs. She advised the Prophet to sacrifice his animal and get his head shaved without talking to anybody.

The Prophet did so. Moreover, in order to enrage the polytheists, the Prophet also slaughtered a camel of Abu Jahl that had a silver ring in its nostril. This made the Companions take note, and they sacrificed their animals and shaved their heads. Cows and camels were also sacrificed on behalf of seven people. The Muslims were apathetic and depressed about the treaty, which to them was weighted heavily in favour of the Quraysh. However, their reverence for the Prophet kept them silent.

Their depression stemmed from two main reasons. They had marched out of Madinah with the intention of performing Umrah, and here they were returning without even having entered Makkah. Then there was the matter of the clause which compelled them to return anyone coming over to them from the Quraysh, while the Quraysh were not bound to return any Muslim who had crossed over to their side. Poor Abu Jandal was being dragged back to Makkah against his will simply because his polytheistic father wanted him back.

The Prophet tried to console them saying that they would perform Umrah the next year in fulfilment of his dream. As for the second clause, he satisfied his men by saying that any Muslim who went to the Quraysh was being sent by Allah to live and preach there, while anyone from the Quraysh who came to them had come for shelter and would find it. He was right on this point since several Muslims were still in Abyssinia, outside the jurisdiction of the treaty, and any Muslim from Makkah could simply flee there. Despite the Prophet’s efforts to cast a favourable light on the situation, the treaty still seemed in favour of the Quraysh. Umar bin Khattab asked, “O Messenger of Allah, are we not on the path of truth and they on that of untruth?”

The Prophet assented: Umar then asked, “Are our slain not in Paradise and theirs in Hell?” The Prophet affirmed it was so. “Why then should we accept unjust terms and leave when the issue has not been decided?” Umar asked, voicing what everyone wanted to say. The Prophet replied, “O son of Khattab! As Allah’s Prophet, I cannot disobey Him. He will help us and will not allow us to be ruined.” Still seething with resentment, Umar went to Abu Bakr . He recounted his conversation with the Prophet and got the same answer from Abu Bakr, who added, “Hold on to the stirrup of the Prophet until death, for, by Allah, he is right.”

Allah revealed the following verse concerning the treaty to strengthen the Prophet’s resolve and comfort the Muslims: “Verily, I have granted you a manifest victory.” (48: 1) Following this the Prophet sent for Umar and recited the verse before him. Umar remarked sceptically, “Is this a victory, O Messenger of Allah?”

The Prophet replied, “Yes.” This firm assertion of the Prophet satisfied Umar, who went back silenced at last. Later, Umar was engulfed with guilt at having challenged the Prophet’s judgment, and he tried to atone for his lapse by giving charity, fasting, and praying, and freeing slaves in hopes of gaining forgiveness.