Indexed OCR Text

21
The Life of Muhammad
renew the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah, to further strengthen it,
and to increase the period of the treaty.' After saying this, go
back to your city." Abu Sufyan left, went to the musjid and
made this announcement in a loud voice: "I am renewing the
peace treaty and increasing the period of the treaty." On saying
this, he returned to Makkah.
On reaching Makkah and relating the entire story to the
Quraysh, they asked him: "Did Muhammad accept this
announcement of yours?" He replied: "No." The Quraysh said:
"How can you feel pleased and satisfied without having gained
the permission and agreement of Muhammad? You have
merely come back with something useless - which is not
difficult to break. By Allah, 'Alī mocked you [when he told
you what to do]. You have neither come with any news about
the peace treaty, whereby we could feel at ease. Nor have you
come with any news of war whereby we could make
preparations."
When Abu Sufyan left [Madinah], Rasulullah ordered the
Sahābah to secretly make preparations for the journey to
Makkah and to get ready their weapons of war. He emphasized
that this should be kept a secret, it should not be announced. He
also sent a message to the surrounding tribes to make
preparations.1
The story of Hatib ibn Abī Balta'ah
It is stated in the Sahih of Imam Bukharī that during this
period, Hatib ibn Abī Balta'ah wrote a letter to the people of
Makkah informing them that Rasulullah was making
preparations for Makkah. He secretly sent this letter with a
woman going to Makkah. Allah ( informed Rasulullah % of
this through divine inspiration. He therefore sent 'Alī
,
1 Zurqānî, vol. 2, p. 293.

22
The Life of Muhammad %
Zubayr
and Miqdad
instructing them to continue
travelling till they reach a place called Raudah Khakh and they
find a woman riding a camel. She will have a letter written by
Hātib ibn Abī Balta'ah addressed to the people of Makkah.
They should bring it back to Madinah. They relate: "We
reached this place, found a woman there, made the camel to sit
down and we searched her. However, we did not find the letter.
We said to ourselves: 'By Allah! Rasūlullah % can never be
wrong.' We said to the woman: 'It would be better if you hand
over the letter to us. If not, we will strip you naked and take the
letter from you.' The woman then removed the letter from her
hair and handed it over to us. We returned with it to Rasūlullah
. He summoned Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah and asked him about
it. He replied: "O Rasūlullah! Do not hasten in punishing me. I
have no family ties with the Quraysh. I merely have a pact with
them. My family is at present in Makkah. They have no
protectors nor helpers there. On the other hand, the Muhajirun
whose families are there have other relatives there as well.
Their families are thereby protected there. I therefore thought
that since I have no family ties with the Quraysh, I should do
them a favour whereby they would protect my family. I take an
oath in the name of Allah that I did not do this out of apostasy
nor have I chosen unbelief after having embraced Islam. My
only reason was what I just mentioned."
The above is the narration of Sahih Bukhari. In the narration of
Ibn Mardawīyyah, Ibn 'Abbas % narrates from 'Umar 5. The
following words are mentioned in it:
فكتبت كتابا لا يضر الله ورسوله
"I wrote a letter in which [is my benefit] and which will cause
no harm to Allah and His Messenger ."
It is related in Sahīh Bukhārī, that on hearing his story,
Rasūlullah % said:

23
The Life of Muhammad %
أما إنه قد صدقکم
"Listen! He has surely spoken the truth to you."
'Umar 4% said: "O Rasulullah! Permit me to chop off the neck
of this hypocrite." Rasūlullah * replied:
إنه قد شهد بدرا وما يدريك لعل الله اطلع على أهل بدر فقال اعملوا ما شئتم فقد
غفرت لكم.
"He participated in the battle of Badr. Perhaps Allah
addressed the participants of Badr, saying: 'Do whatever you
wish, for I have forgiven you.""
On hearing this, 'Umar's 4% eyes were filled with tears and he
said: "Allah , and His Messenger _ know best."
What Rasulullah % meant was that those who participated in
the battle of Badr can never be hypocrites. The sacrifice and
submission that were displayed by them for the cause of Allah
was such that even the bearers of the throne [ 'arsh of Allah
] and close angels praised them. These participants of Badr
faced and fought against anyone who came against Allah % and
Rasulullah - irrespective of whether his adversary was his
father or son, brother or friend. They were so intoxicated with
the love of Allah , and Rasulullah _ that they even forgot
their own selves. They elevated the name of Allah , and
injured the head of unbelief in such a way that that wound
could not be healed.
As a reward for these great achievements, they were bestowed
with the splendorous titles of "Allah is pleased with them and
they are pleased with Him", and "It is they in whose hearts
Allah inscribed īman”. Forgiveness for the sins that could have
been committed by them in the future was explained in the past
tense, in other words, "I have already forgiven you" and not in
the future tense. This, He did to establish with absoluteness that

24
The Life of Muhammad %
the sins of the participants of Badr have certainly been
forgiven. Their forgiveness is established and certain like an
order that is issued in the past tense. The words:
اعملوا ما شئتم
"Do whatever you wish."
Are addressed by way of honouring and paying tribute to them.
It is a reference to the fact that irrespective of what these people
do, under no condition will they go out of the circle of pardon
and forgiveness. The words "Do whatever you wish", were not
said by way of permission to commit sins. Such an address can
only be given to those beloved and devoted servants of Allah
for whom it becomes impossible to disobey their beloved
[Allah ].
Participation in the battle of Badr may appear to be a single
good deed. However, the fact of the matter is that it entails and
encompasses thousands of good deeds. It is actually a
certificate of īman, righteousness, truthfulness and devotion.
Therefore, if a Sahabī & who participated in Badr commits a
mistake or an error due to human constraints, he cannot be
removed from the titles "Allah is pleased with them and they
are pleased with Him", and "it is they in whose hearts Allah
inscribed īman". This is because this is the statement of that all-
knowing and all-aware Allah % in whose speech there is no
possibility whatsoever of any falsehood. Allah g knew from
before hand that such mistakes and errors will be committed by
them. Despite this eternal knowledge of His, He still bestowed
them the title of "Allah is pleased with them and they are
pleased with Him". We learn from this that after this great deed
of theirs, they will not commit any mistake which could wipe
out this good deed. Rather, it is this great deed that will be an
expiation for them for the future. Allah % says:

25
The Life of Muhammad %
إِنَّ الْخُسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السََِّّاتِ
"Surely good deeds wipe out evil deeds."
A poet says:
وإذا الحبيب أتى بذنب واحد - جاءت محاسنه بألف شفيع
"When the lover commits a single sin, his good deeds come
with a thousand intercessors."
When there is no corrupt and poisonous substance in the heart,
disobedience cannot cause it any harm. Instead, the īmanī
strength of the heart keeps it ready for repentance and seeking
forgiveness whereby not only is the sin forgiven but it is
changed into good. Allah & says:
إِلَّ مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُوْرًا
رَّحِيْمًا.
"Except he who repents, and believes and does good deeds. It is
such whose evil deeds Allah changes into good deeds. And
Allah is forgiving, merciful."1
When a servant repented and sought forgiveness and thereby
changed his sin with remorse and regret, then Allah % changed
his evils deeds with good deeds and his evil actions with good
actions.
The above verse is applicable to all believers in general. The
participants of Badr are the most eligible to it. If a person's
heart has any poisonous and corrupt matter, then a thousand
acts of obedience and worship are not beneficial to it. Like
Satan, Bal'am Ba'ūra', the Khawarij and the Shi'ah - they may
offer thousands of salah, fasts and other acts of worship, but as
1 Sûrah al-Furqan, verse 70.

26
The Life of Muhammad %
long as the heart is not purified and the corrupt matter is not
removed from the heart, no act of obedience and worship will
be of any benefit.
Irrespective of how delicate a food is given to a person of
choleric temperament, it will be of no use to him. Because of
this bad temperament of his, even that delicate food will
become choleric. Allah % says:
فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللهُ مَرَضًا
"In their hearts is an illness, so Allah increased their illness."1
If a person of sound temperament and healthy body mistakenly
consumes something that is harmful, he does not really need
any particular treatment. His temperament will itself repulse
that temporary illness.
'Umar
assumed this mistake of Hatib to be based on a
corrupt temperament and therefore labelled him a hypocrite and
sought permission to kill him. The chief of spiritual doctors,
Rasūlullah , replied and said: "O 'Umar! Hatib's heart is
totally pure from the illness of hypocrisy." This is not
hypocrisy. Rather, he has committed an error due to negligence.
His spiritual temperament is sound. Participation in Badr has
made it pure. He mistakenly consumed something harmful.
Even a normal healthy person experiences a cold and fever at
times. For such a person, an ordinary antidote or neutralizer is
sufficient.
Rasūlullah į summoning Hatib and asking him: "What is this,
O Hatib?" was a sufficient antidote for this temporary
complaint or illness of his. The moment he "drank" this
antidote, his complaint was removed - never to bother him till
he died. May Allah &# be pleased with him. Consequently,
1 Sûrah al-Baqarah, verse 10.

27
The Life of Muhammad %
when Rasūlullah
wrote a letter to the ruler of Alexandria
inviting him towards Islam, he sent this very Hatib as his
ambassador. Glory be to Allah! Look at this court of Rasūlullah
. On one hand he gives this antidote to Hatib % while on the
other hand he teaches 'Umar % how to identify and treat
spiritual maladies so that when the time comes, 'Umar 4% will
not err in this regard.
The subject matter of Hatib's letter
The subject matter of Hatib's % letter also shows that his
purpose of writing it was not based on hypocrisy. This was the
letter:
أما بعد! يا معشر قريش فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جاءكم بحيش كالليل يسير
كالسيل فوالله لو جاءكم وحده لنصره الله وانجز له وعده فانظروا لأنفسكم والسلام.
"O Quraysh! Rasūlullah # is going to come to you with a
terrifying army like the night, which will flow like a flood. By
Allah, if Rasūlullah % comes all alone to you, Allah % will
help him and fulfil His promise of victory. (In other words, his
success is not dependent on an army). You should therefore
think about your consequences. Was salām."
This letter is related by Yahya ibn Salam in his commentary to
the Qur'an. 'Allāmah Qastalanī rahmatullahi 'alayh also relates
it in his commentary to Sahīh Bukhārī in the book on jihad
under the chapter concerning a spy. It is also related in Fath al-
Bārī - Bab Ghazwah al-Fath. It is also related in al-Bidāyah
wa an-Nihāyah.1
The subject matter of this letter clearly supports his excuse
which he had given previously: "I have written a letter that will
not harm Allah and His Messenger ." According to a
1 Al-Bidāyah wa an-Nihāyah, vol. 4, p. 284.

28
The Life of Muhammad
narration of Wagidī rahmatullahi 'alayh, this letter was
addressed to Suhayl ibn 'Amr, Safwan ibn Umayyah and
'Ikramah ibn Abi Jahal. All these three embraced Islam at the
time when Makkah was conquered. May Allah % be pleased
with them.1
Another narration states that the subject matter of the letter was
as follows:
إن محمدا قد نفر فإما إليكم وإما إلى غيركم فعليكم الحذر.
"Surely Muhammad is going to leave for war. [It is not known
to whom], either to you or to someone else. You should
therefore beware."2
Allah 5 revealed the following verse in connection to this
incident of Hatib
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوْا عَدُوِّيْ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ تُلْقُوْنَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ.
"O believers! Do not take My enemies and your enemies as
friends. You convey to them the message of friendship ... "3
In this verse, Allah s explains the injunctions concerning ties
of friendship with the unbelievers. Refer to the commentary of
this sūrah for details.
Departure from Madinah
On the 10th of Ramadan, Rasulullah % together with a group of
10000 Companions & left Madinah after the 'asr salah with the
intention of conquering Makkah. 4 From among his wives,
1 Zurqānî, vol. 2, p. 298.
2 Zurqānî, vol. 2, p. 298.
3 Sûrah al-Mumtahinah, verse 1.
4 Bukhārî, and Fath al-Bārî, vol. 2, p. 8.

29
The Life of Muhammad %
Umme Salamah and Maymūnah radiyallāhu 'anhumā
accompanied him.
When he reached Dhul Hulayfah or Juhfah, he met 'Abbas
and his family who left Makkah with the intention of
emigrating to Madinah. Acting on the instruction of Rasūlullah
, he sent his possessions to Madinah, joined the Muslim army
and headed towards Makkah in order to wage jihad. He had
embraced Islam since before but had been concealing his Islam
from the Quraysh. Rasulullah % said to him: "O 'Abbas! This is
your last emigration just as my prophet-hood is the last
prophet-hood." 'Abbas 4% had remained in Makkah under the
instruction of Rasūlullah % so that while living there, he could
convey information about the Quraysh to Rasūlullah .
It is related in the Musnad of Abū Ya'la and the Mu'jam of
Tabarānī that while 'Abbas 4% was living in Makkah he had
sought permission from Rasulullah % to emigrate. Rasulullah
wrote to him saying: "O my uncle! You should remain in your
place. Allah % will complete emigration with you just as He
completed prophet-hood with me."1
Abū Sufyan ibn Harith and 'Abdullah ibn Abī Umayyah were
at a place called Abwa'. They left Makkah for Madinah with
the intention of embracing Islam. Apart from Abu Sufyan ibn
Harith ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib being the cousin of Rasūlullah ,
he was also his foster brother. He was also breast-fed by
Halīmah Sa'dīyyah radiyallāhu 'anhā. He was a friend of
Rasūlullah % before prophet-hood and was always in his
company. However, when Rasūlullah % became a Prophet, he
became his enemy. He even said some lines of poetry in which
he disparaged Rasulullah . These lines of poetry were
1 Zurqānî, vol. 2, p. 300.

30
The Life of Muhammad %
responded to by Hassan ibn Thabit %. Abu Sufyan's son,
Ja'far, was also with him.
'Abdullah ibn Abī Umayyah was also the cousin of Rasūlullah
. He was the son of Rasulullah's aunt, 'Atikah bint 'Abd al-
Muttalib. He was also a very bitter opponent of Rasulullah .
They both wanted to meet Rasulullah # but because they had
inflicted untold suffering on him, he turned away from them
and did not permit them to meet him. Umme Salamah
radiyallahu 'anhā interceded on their behalf and said: "O
Rasūlullah! One is your uncle's son and the other is your aunt's
son." He replied: "I have no need to meet them. My uncle's son
humiliated me. As for my aunt's son, he is the one who had
said to me while I was in Makkah: 'By Allah! I will never
believe in you till you get a ladder going up to the heavens and
I see you climbing up with my very own eyes, and then you
come down with a mandate from above, and that four angels
come down with you and bear testimony that Allah has
appointed you as His Messenger. Even then, I do not think that
I will believe in you.""
Umme Salamah radiyallāhu 'anhā replied: "O Rasūlullah! It is
hoped of your noble character that both your cousins will not
be deprived of your favour. When your mercy and pardon is so
wide-spread, why should these two be deprived?"
On the other side, Abu Sufyan said: "If you do not permit me
entry in your court, I will take my son, Ja'far, to a desert and
die there out of hunger and thirst." On hearing the intercession
of Umme Salamah radiyallahu 'anha and the remorse of these
two, Rasūlullah % permitted them to meet him. The moment
they entered, they embraced Islam and joined the Muslims
heading towards Makkah.
Hafiz Ibn 'Abd al-Barr and Muhibb Tabarī both narrate that
'Ali advised Abu Sufyan to stand before the blessed

31
The Life of Muhammad
countenance of Rasulullah % and to say the words that the
brothers of Yusuf ( had said in the presence of Yusuf (!):
تَاللهِ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَخَاطِئِيْنَ
"We take an oath by Allah that Allah has certainly given you
superiority over us. And surely we are in error."1
'Alī 4% advised Abu Sufyan to approach Rasulullah _ from the
front so that the humility of his illustrious countenance would
come as a barrier between him and his reprimand. This is what
happened and the mercy to the worlds % and the embodiment
of modesty % uttered these words in reply:
لاَ تَْرِيْبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّحِمِيْنَ
"There is no reproach on you today. May Allah forgive you,
and He is the most merciful of those who show mercy."2
Abū Sufyan's repentance was accepted, and in accordance with
the prophetic teaching "Islam wipes out all that was committed
before embracing Islam", his heart became so purified that no
filth whatsoever remained in it. The qualities of īman,
righteousness, sincerity and conviction were pounded into fine
bits and filled into his heart in such a manner that no dust or
atom of unbelief could fly and reach into his heart. From that
very time he joined Rasūlullah % in order to sacrifice his life
for the cause of Allah , and His Messenger .
It is said that as long as Rasulullah # remained in their midst,
Abu Sufyan 4% did not look at him full in the face out of
Sûrah Yusuf, verse 91.
2 Sûrah Yûsuf, verse 92.

32
The Life of Muhammad %
modesty. Rasūlullah % used to give him the glad tidings of
paradise.1 May Allah be pleased with him.
Abu Sufyan 4% also said a few lines of poetry as a way of
seeking forgiveness for his past crimes.
لعمرك إني يوم أحمل رأية - لتغلب خيلُ اللات خيلَ محمد
لكالمدلج الحیران أظلم ليله - فهذا أواني حین اهدی واهتدي
"By your life! The day when I carried the flag so that the army
of Lat may overpower the army of Muhammad. Then on that
day I was like a person who is walking agitatedly and perturbed
in a dark night. Now the time has come that I am given
guidance [by Allah ] and I am following this guidance."2
After ‘Abdullah ibn Abī Umayyah embraced Islam, his
condition became such that due to modesty, he was unable to
look at Rasūlullah ¿ full in the face.
When Rasūlullah
and the Sahabah departed from
Madinah, they were fasting. On reaching a place called Kadīd3
and seeing the difficulties experienced by the Sahabah
Rasūlullah % opened his fast. The Sahabah & also followed
suite. (Bukhārī)
First of all travelling in itself is tiresome and hard. Furthermore,
they were going out for jihad and it was summer time.
Rasulullah % therefore opened his fast. He felt that if they kept
fast in such circumstances, then the duty of jihad in the cause of
1 Zurqānî, vol. 2, pp. 300-302.
2 For more lines of poetry in this regard, refer to Sîrah Ibn Hishām, vol. 4, p.
43.
3 This place is 72 miles from Makkah.

33
The Life of Muhammad
Allah s will not be fulfilled due to weakness and fatigue. It is
for this reason that a Hadith states:
لیس من البر الصيام في السفر
"Fasting while travelling is not an act of piety."
Obviously, if the journey is not for jihad and there is no real
difficulty in the journey, it is preferable to keep fast. Although
the fasts of Ramadan can be kept at a later date [if missed
because of travelling], the effulgence of Ramadan, the blessings
of the angels descending and ascending all the time, the devils
being shackled, the gates of paradise being opened, the shutting
of the gates of hell, the huffaz (those who have memorized the
Qur'an) being engaged day and night in the recitation of the
Qur'an, the angels' searching for the assemblies wherein Allah
dlg is remembered and glorified and where the Qur'an is recited
- these things cannot be found in any other month besides the
month of Ramadan. It is for this reason that Allah % says:
وَأَنْ تَصُوْمُوْا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ
"And that you fast is best for you."
In other words, although it is permissible for a sick person or a
traveller not to fast, it is better and preferable for such persons
to fast. This is also the opinion of Imam Abu Hanīfah
rahmatullāhi 'alayh.
The army of 10000 Companions that was travelling was doing
so to wage jihad and to raise the word of Allah g. In such a
situation, even salah, which is more meritorious than fasting,
can be delayed. Salah is a pillar of Islam and the best deed after
īman. Therefore, it is better not to fast when the journey is for
jihad. To come out in the cause of Allah , in order to lay your
life is an act which causes the angels of the heavens and the
earth to become envious. Although the Muslims could not

34
The Life of Muhammad #
benefit from the blessings of glorifying and praising Allah
and the descent of the angels, which they could have in a state
of fasting, walking by day and night in order to lay their lives
for the cause of Allah is, they traversed thousands of stages in
gaining proximity to Allah %. Had they engaged in continuous
glorification and praising of Allah % for a thousand years, they
would not have achieved these high stages that are achieved by
taking a few steps in jihad. They may have traversed a distance
of seven miles, but in reality, they reached beyond the seven
heavens.
These bare-headed and bare-footed Companions gave their
beloved lives in exchange for that paradise of Allah s. They
are handing over their lives to Allah % so that they may attain
paradise as quickly as possible and that no Satan may come in-
between and cause harm to this transaction of theirs. Lest they
cause them to change their minds into thinking that what is this
you are giving away to Allah s, and later they have to express
remorse over it. The angles of the heavens and the earth are
standing in lines and looking at them with envy.
Stopping over at Marr az-Zahran
Rasūlullah % then left Kadīd and reached Marr az-Zahran at
'isha time. On reaching there, he got off and ordered that each
person should light a fire outside his tent. This was an old Arab
custom that the army used to ignite fires. Rasulullah % ordered
the Muslims to do so accordingly. Due to their breaking the
treaty, the Quraysh were on their guard as to when Rasūlullah
would attack them. Abu Sufyan, Budayl ibn Warqa' and
Hakim ibn Hizam therefore set forth from Makkah in order to
obtain whatever information they could. When they came close
to Marr az-Zahran, they saw the army there and became
concerned. Abū Sufyan asked: "What fires are these?" Budayl
replied: "These are the fires of the Banū Khuzā'ah." Abū

35
The Life of Muhammad %
Sufyan replied: "How can the Banū Khuza' ah have such a large
army? They are very small in number."
The moment the night watchmen of Rasulullah % saw these
three people, they apprehended them. They asked them as to
who they were, and they replied that Rasūlullah and his
Companions were among them. While they were still
conversing, 'Abbas % was on the donkey of Rasūlullah
moving about. He recognized the voice of Abu Sufyan and
said: "How sorrowful for you, O Abu Sufyan! This is the army
of Rasulullah . By Allah, if he is victorious over you, he will
chop off your neck. It would be better for the Quraysh if you
seek peace from him and agree to obey him." Abu Sufyan says:
"On hearing this voice, I turned in that direction until I found
'Abbas 4%. I said to him: 'O Abu al-Fadl! May my parents be
sacrificed for you. How can I save myself and what is the way
out?'" 'Abbas 4% replied: "Climb onto this donkey with me. I
will take you to Rasūlullah % in order to seek asylum for you."
'Abbas 4% took him and left while showing him around the
Muslim army. When they passed by 'Umar 4% and the latter
saw him, he jumped up and said: "This is Abu Sufyan, the
enemy of Allah % and His Messenger . All praise is due to
Allah that he has fallen into my hands without any peace
agreement." 'Umar 4% was on foot while 'Abbas % and Abū
Sufyan were moving swiftly on the donkey. 'Umar
unsheathed his sword and ran behind them. He reached
Rasūlullah and said: "O Rasūlullah! Abu Sufyan, the enemy
of Allah g and His Messenger , has fallen into my hands
without any peace agreement. Permit me to kill him." 'Abbās
said: "O Rasūlullah! I have given him asylum." 'Umar
remained standing with his sword and made the same request
several times. He was waiting for a sign from Rasulullah _ to
carry out what he wanted. 'Abbas % said: "O 'Umar! Wait a
bit. If he was from the Banū 'Adīyy tribe you would not have
been so persistent in wanting to kill him. Because he is from

36
The Life of Muhammad %
the Banu 'Abd Manaf, you are so persistent in wanting to kill
him." 'Umar % replied: "O 'Abbas! I take an oath by Allah
that I was more happy with your embracing Islam than my own
father, Khattab, embracing Islam. Had my father embraced
Islam, I would not have experienced the happiness that I
experienced when you embraced Islam. This is because I knew
very well that Rasulullah ¿ would be more happy with your
Islam than the Islam of Khattab. This is the high position in
which I hold you. However, you can think whatever you wish
of me."
Rasūlullah ordered 'Abbas 4% to take Abu Sufyan to his tent
and to bring him back the next morning. Abu Sufyan remained
in the tent the entire night while Hakim ibn Hizam and Budayl
ibn Warqa' presented themselves before Rasulullah and
embraced Islam. Rasulullah ¿ remained with them for some
time asking them about the present conditions in Makkah. After
embracing Islam, they both returned to Makkah in order to
inform the people of Makkah of Rasulullah's _ arrival.
Abu Sufyan embraces Islam
The following morning, 'Abbas
took Abū Sufyan to
Rasūlullāh . He addressed Abu Sufyan saying: "O Abū
Sufyan! Has the time not come for you to believe that there is
none worthy of worship except Allah?" He replied: "May my
parents be sacrificed for you. You are extremely forbearing,
kind and one who maintains family ties. I take an oath by Allah
that had there been any deity apart from Him, he would have
benefited us today and I would have sought his help against
you." Rasūlullah % said: "O Abu Sufyan! Has the time not
come that you recognize me as the Messenger of Allah?" He
replied: "May my parents be sacrificed for you. You are
extremely forbearing, kind and one who maintains family ties.
You are still showing your kindness. Despite my enmity

37
The Life of Muhammad
towards you, you are still showing your kindness to me. I have
a slight doubt with regard to you being a Prophet or not."
After 'Abbas explained to him, Abu Sufyan embraced Islam.
After this, 'Abbas 4% said: "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufyan
is from among the leaders of Makkah. He likes position.
Therefore give him something that would be a source of
honour, nobility and distinction for him." Rasūlullah % replied:
"Okay, make this announcement that whoever enters the house
of Abu Sufyan will be safe." Abu Sufyan said: "O Messenger
of Allah! How will all the people fit in my house?" Rasūlullah
replied: "Whoever enters the Sacred Musjid will also be
safe." Abu Sufyan said: "O Messenger of Allah! Even the
Musjid will not be sufficient." Rasūlullah % replied: "Okay,
whoever enters his house and keeps his door shut will also be
safe." Abu Sufyan replied: "Yes, there is much leniency and
expansion in this."
When Rasulullah # began preparations to depart from Marr az-
Zahran, he ordered 'Abbās 48%
to take Abū Sufyan to the
mountain pass so that he would be able to see the Muslim army
in full view. Consequently, when the different tribes began
passing him in groups after groups, he was left astounded and
said to 'Abbas 4%: "The kingdom of your nephew has really
grown." 'Abbas 4% replied: "This is not kingship. Rather, it is
prophet-hood." In other words, like the power and authority of
Da'ud sey and Sulayman & were outwardly a kingship but in
reality and essence it was prophet-hood. It was therefore
contrary to the norm. It was not based on outward means and
materialism. An aeroplane flies through material and
technological means while the throne of Sulayman ( used to
fly without any material and outward means. This was a proof
of his prophet-hood. He was bestowed with this power and
authority so that the kings of the world may realize that their
material power is nothing compared to this real and essential
power which Sulayman sal was blessed with, and so that they

38
The Life of Muhammad %
may submit before this Prophet of Allah . In like manner, the
power and authority that is enjoyed by Muhammad % today
appears to be an outward kingdom, but in reality it is prophet-
hood and messenger-ship.
As each tribe used to pass by, Abu Sufyan would ask as to who
that particular tribe was. Khalid ibn Walid 4% was the first to
pass by with an army of 900 to 1000. After him, various tribes
passed by. Eventually, the group of Rasulullah , embellished
with inner and outer power passed by with a fully armed group
of the Muhajirūn and Ansār. The flag of the Muhajirun was
carried by Zubayr % while that of the Ansar was carried by
Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah . When the latter passed by and saw Abu
Sufyan 4%, he was overtaken by zeal and shouted out:
اليوم يوم الملحمة اليوم تستحل الكعبة
"Today is the day of fighting. Today, fighting and killing in the
Ka'bah will be lawful."
On hearing this, Abu Sufyan became scared and asked about
the identity of these people. 'Abbas 4% replied that it comprised
the Muhajirun and Ansar together with Rasūlullāh .
When Rasulullah passed by, Abu Sufyan
asked: "O
Rasūlullah! Have you ordered Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah to kill your
people?" He then quoted the words that Sa'd had uttered and
said: "O Rasūlullah! I ask you in the name of Allah and our
family ties, for you are the one who is most cognisant of
maintaining family ties." Rasūlullah % replied:
يا أبا سفيان اليوم يوم المرحمة يعز الله فيه قريشا
"O Abū Sufyan! Today is the day of mercy, in which Allah will
honour the Quraysh."
A Tradition of Sahīh Bukhārī states that Rasūlullah % said:

39
The Life of Muhammad %
كذب سعد ولكن هذا يوم يعظم الله فيه الكعبة ويوم تكسى فيه الكعبة
"Sa'd is wrong. Today is the day in which Allah % will honour
the Ka'bah and the Ka'bah will be given a covering."
Rasulullah % then ordered that the flag be taken from Sa'd ibn
'Ubadah1 45
and be given to his son, Qays.
A Tradition of Ibn 'Asākir states that when Rasūlullah
passed by, a Qurayshi woman said the following lines of
poetry:
يا نبي الهدى إليك لجا حي قريش ولا تحسين الجائحين
ضاقت عليهم سعة الأرض وعاداهم إله السمآء إن
سعدا يريد قاصمة الظهر بأهل الحجون والبطحاء
"O Prophet of guidance! The Quraysh have sought refuge in
you when this is not the time to seek refuge. This is the time
when the wide earth constricted upon them and Allah [the lord
of the heavens] became their enemy. Surely Sa'd wants to
break the back of the people of Hajun and Batha' [places in
Makkah]."
Abu Sufyan 4% then left Rasulullah and hastened towards
Makkah. On reaching there, he made the following
announcement: "Muhammad is coming with an army. It is my
opinion that there is no one who can fight against him. Embrace
Islam and you will remain in peace. The person who enters the
Sacred Musjid will be safe. The person who enters my house
will be safe. The person who shuts himself in his house or
1 Out of his zeal and enthusiasm, Sa'd 4% had uttered these words which
were not appropriate. Rasûlullah % therefore took the flag away from him.
However, in order not to dishearten him, Rasûlullah % handed the flag to his
son. Outwardly, it was not with him but in essence it was still in his hands.

40
The Life of Muhammad
surrenders his weapons will be safe." His wife, Hindah, caught
him by his moustache and announced: "O Banū Kinānah! This
old man has become mad and stupid. He does not even know
what he is saying." She uttered many other abusive words to
him. Many people gathered around them. Abu Sufyan % said to
them: "Such utterances will not help in any way. O people!
Don't ever be deluded by this woman."
"There is no one who can fight Muhammad . The person who
enters the Sacred Musjid is safe. The person who enters my
house is also safe." The people replied: "O foolish one! How
many people can fit into your house?" Abū Sufyan replied:
"The person who shuts himself in his house is also safe."
Abū Sufyan addressed his wife saying: "It is best that you also
embrace Islam or else you will be killed. Go into your house
and shut your door. I am speaking the truth." On hearing all
this, the people began rushing to the Sacred Musjid while
others ran towards their homes.
Entry into Makkah
Rasūlullah % then entered Makkah from the direction of Kada'.
On entering Makkah, he fully showed his respect and honour to
the Ka'bah. He entered with humility, with his head bowing
down. He did not enter haughtily like kings. 'Abdullah ibn
Mughaffal 4% narrates: "I saw Rasulullah on the day of the
conquest of Makkah. He was sitting on his camel and reciting
Surah al-Fath in a beautiful tone."
At the time of this great conquest, together with Rasūlullah
being extremely happy and in high spirits, the effects of
humility, modesty and tranquillity were also visibly seen on his
face. He was sitting on his camel. His head was lowered out of
humility to such an extent that his blessed beard was touching
the saddle. His servant, Usamah ibn Zayd 4% was sitting with
him.(Bukhārī)