The battle for Makkah (1)

In Ramadan 8 A.H., Allah honoured His Messenger with the conquest of Makkah. The event was the greatest victory in the history of the faith. Through it, Allah elevated and exalted His religion and His Prophet , and liberated His Sacred Mosque and His city from the infidels. The conquest of Makkah led to people entering Islam in multitudes.

The seeds of the battle lay in the Treaty of Hudaybia. According to its terms, all parties were free to enter alliances with either the Quraysh or the Prophet . Accordingly Banu Khuzaa, as previously mentioned, sided with the Muslims, while their rivals, the Banu Bakr, entered a pact with the Quraysh.

The Banu Bakr and Banu Khuzaa had been feuding long before the advent of Islam and were in the midst of a rare peaceful interlude during the campaign of Hudaybia. With the mighty Quraysh on their side, the Banu Bakr decided to capitalise on their strength, and in Sha’ban, 8 A.H. they made a night raid on Banu Khuzaa as they camped at a spring called Wateer. Banu Bakr killed more than twenty men of Banu Khuzaa and drove the rest into Makkah. Contravening all rules, they fought them even inside the sacrosanct city with the support of the Quraysh, who clandestinely helped them with men and materials.

Since Banu Khuzaa were bound in allegiance with the Muslims and some of their men had embraced Islam, they reported the clash to the Prophet , who assured them, “By Allah, we shall protect you with what we protect ourselves.” The Quraysh, on the other hand, knew they had transgressed greatly grew worried about the possible consequences of violating the treaty. They therefore sent Abu Sufyan bin Harb to Madinah to ratify the treaty and seek its extension. Abu Sufyan came to Madinah on a mission, and while he was there he visited his daughter, Umm Habeebah who was married to the Prophet .

When Abu Sufyan made to sit on the Prophet’s bed, she rolled it up. His pride hurt, Abu Sufyan said, “O daughter, I cannot understand whether you think the bed is too good for me or that I am too good for the bed.” She replied, “The fact is, that it is the Prophet’s bed, and you are an unclean polytheist.” “By God,” said Abu Sufyan, stung at his daughter’s succinct and unflattering description of him, “Evil has come over you since you left me.”

Abu Sufyan then went to the Prophet and talked to him about ratifying the treaty but did not receive a reply. Then he went to Abu Bakr and asked him to speak on his behalf to the Prophet , but Abu Bakr refused. He then approached Umar, who not only rejected his offer, but also spoke to him rudely. Ali , when approached, pleaded his inability to intervene. He suggested that Abu Sufyan simply announce a general cessation of hostilities and leave. Abu Sufyan proceeded accordingly and returned to Makkah.

The Prophet , on the other hand, had started preparations for war. He issued orders to his Companions and had the news announced among the Bedouins on the outskirts of Madinah, even as he enjoined secrecy. He prayed, “O Allah, confound the spies and the informers of the Quraysh so that we may take them by surprise in their own land.”

In order to mislead the enemy, the Prophet sent Abu Qatadah towards Batn Adam so that everyone would assume he had that territory in mind. Hatib bin Abu Balta’a, however, wrote a letter to the Quraysh informing them that the Prophet intended to attack Makkah. He handed over the letter to a woman, promising to pay her for delivering it to the Quraysh.

The Prophet who had received divine revelation about Hatib’s treachery, sent off Ali, Miqdad, Zubayr and Abu Marthad Ghanwi in pursuit of the woman. He said to them, “Ride until you come to the meadow of Khakh. There you will find a woman travelling on a camel. She has a letter which you must take from her.

They went off to find the woman, who denied having any such letter with her. Only after the men threatened to search her person did she draw the letter out from her tresses and hand it over to them. The company took the letter and returned to the Prophet who summoned Hatib. The Prophet said, “What’s this Hatib?” Hatib offered him this explanation, “I have my family in Makkah, but no kinsmen among the Quraysh so that they would protect my family. I have not done this to renounce Islam or to commit unbelief.”

Umar said furiously, “O Messenger of Allah, give me leave to cut off his head. He has committed breach of trust with Allah and His Prophet, and has turned Hypocrite.”

The Prophet replied, “He was present at Badr, do you know Umar, perhaps Allah has looked favourably on those who were present at Badr and said to them, ‘Do as you wish for I have forgiven you.’” At these words, Umar dissolved into tears saying, “Allah and His Messenger know better.”