THE TREATY OF HUDAIBIYAH

In order to insure impartiality and unbiased approach, we are collecting the historical facts as reported by the Orientalists and Western writers.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) had a dream that he was performing tawaf of the House of Allah (Ka’ba) and when he told his companions, they also got ready to go to Makkah for the pilgrimage and 1,400 Muslims started towards Makkah. At the place of Hudaibiyah, the Polytheists of Makkah denied entrance and the Muslims camped. The Glorious Qur’an for-told the victory in Suarh al-Fath Ayah 1: “We have granted to you, (Muhammad), a manifest victory”

Sir William Muir was an Scottish Orientalist, educated at Glasgow and Edinburg Universities and a British civil servant served at very high positions in the British India and author of 18 books. He wrote about “The Treaty of Hudaibiyah” as:

                The first messenger from Muslims to the Meccans was treated rudely; the Prophet’s camel                   on which he was travelling was killed and the messenger himself was threatened.                                 Muhammad desired Umar to proceed to Mecca but he declined on the ground of lack                  of safety for his own life.

Samuel Margoliouth was also an orientalist, professor of Arabic at University of Oxford. Some of his books on Islam became the standard treatises, and was a winner of numerous awards on classical and oriental languages. He wrote in Mohammad and the rise of Islam:

                Presently it was determined to send a representative to Mecca rendered the heroes of Islam                 unwilling to risk their lives on such an errand; even Omar, ordinarily so ready with his                     sword, hung back.

Bai’at-e-Rizwan (Pledge of Rizwan): When Omar declined to go Uthman was sent and when no news came from him and a rumor circulated that the Meccans had killed him. On hearing this rumor, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) asked the Muslims to renew their allegiance to the Messenger of God regardless of the events which might takes place.

Suhayl bin Amr came out from Makkan side to negotiate a treaty along with Othman who was also released.

The more important terms of treaty were as follows:

                Muhammad and his followers would return to Madinah without performing Umra                       (the lesser pilgrimage).

                There would be peace between the Muslims and the Quraysh for a period of 10 years.

                If any Makkan accepts Islam and seeks sanctuary with the Muslims in Madinah, they                would extradite to Makkah. But if a Muslim fleeing from Madinah seeks sanctuary                      with the pagans in Makkah, they would not extradite him.

                All the tribes in Arabia would be free to enter into treaty with any party – the                              Muslims or the Quraysh.

                The Muslims would visit Makkah to perform the pilgrimage the following year but                      they would not stay in the city for more than 3 days, and the only weapons which they                  would be allowed to bring with them, would be their swords in the scabbards.

The Treaty of Hudaibiyah was the most important in the history of Islam. The Treaty was being written by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s). The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) was dictating to Imam Ali (a.s.): “Write, In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent.”Suhayl objected and suggested to write: “In Thy name of Allah”. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) accepted it. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) asked Imam Ali (a.s.) to write: “This is a treaty between Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah and the Quraysh” Suhayl again objected to the word Messenger of Allah, as Imam Ali (a.s.) had already written ”Muhammad the Messenger of Allah”, he refused to delete it by his own hand saying: “This high rank has been bestowed upon you by Allah Himself, and I shall never delete the words “Messenger of Allah” with my hand!” The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) deleted by his own hand.

Tore Andre wrote in “Mohammed- the Man and His Faith”: Umar turned excitedly to Abu                    Bakr and other leaders who were near the Prophet to ascertain whether they really                      intended to submit to this humiliation. He declared later that never before he had he                    such doubts concerning Mohammed’s truthfulness, and if he had found merely a                          hundred like-minded men, he would have resigned from the umma of Islam.”

R.V.C.Bodley, a British army officer, a writer, moved to U.S. and joined the War Information Office             in 1935 wrote in the book “The Messenger-The life of Mohammed”: “Umar read in the treaty,             the ‘surrender’ of the Muslims, it is truly remarkable. But if Umar’s saber-rattling that day                   had led to a showdown with Quraysh, and then one can surmise what part he would have                     played in it, judging by his own “track record” both before and after.

Sources used:

                WIKIPEDIA, Duas.org

                Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims by Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy