Hudaybiyah Peace

While, on the one hand, exhausting his strength for struggle by putting the Quraish under blockade, on the other hand, the Prophet was seeking an opportunity to sign a peace with them. By means of this peace he would be able to realize some plans easily. As a matter of fact, the Jews were about to be a big danger for Medina. The Haybar Jews were trying to ally with the Fadak Jews by giving them Haybar’s dates. Without resolving the Jewish matter, Muslims could be hit from behind by the Jews while at war with the Quraish or, while at war with the Jews, they could be hit from behind by the Quraish. As a matter of fact, the treachery of the Banu Qurayza Jews in the Battle of the Ditch had caused the Muslims some major difficulty. In addition, in case of a peace to be made with the Quraish, power could be gained in regions like Bahrain, Amman and Yemen, which were under the control of Iran who had been defeated by the Byzantines. It would be easier to spread Islam in an environment of peace.

In the 6th year of the Hijrah the Prophet headed off with 1400 Companions for the purpose of visiting the Kaaba. It can be thought that, by taking advantage of amnesty during this month when war was forbidden, there was an aim to make a dialogue with the Quraish with this trip. The Prophet had announced that he would make an agreement with the Quraish regardless of the conditions, and he informed the Quraish of this decision. Actually, the Quraish who had become greatly weakened economically were in favor of this peace. After long negotiations the agreement was signed.

Although at first glance some rules of the agreement may appear to be against the Muslims, actually it was a great conquest. The farsightedness of the Prophet’s insistence upon signing this agreement in spite of all the resistance from the Companions was understood later. As a matter of fact, while returning to Medina after signing this agreement, Surat Al-Fath was revealed and Allah announced that this peace was a clear victory.

Zuhri explains clearly why the Hudaybiyah peace was a conquest: “There could be no greater conquest than this in Islam. Previously people (pagans and believers) would fight when they came face to face. When peace was signed, war was left aside and people were sure of each other. When they met face to face, they talked and debated. Some became Muslim when Islam was explained to them. Within two years after this peace, the number of new Muslims was greater than the previous number of Muslims.”

With this agreement, the Quraish accepted the Islamic state as a party and officially recognized it. More than that, they showed their weakness by signing the peace and they indicated that they were abandoning struggle. For this reason, the authority among the Arabs was completely shaken and Muslims began to assume the authority. This event elevated Muslims in the eyes of all Arabs. After this they began to enter Islam in large groups. Also during this period of peace, the Prophet, sending letters of invitation to all rulers and administrators he could reach with the means of that time, conveyed Islam’s message to very distant places. The Jewish presence in Medina was eradicated at this time. Also the abrogation of this peace by the Quraish gave a legitimate necessity for the Meccan conquest. Islam’s sovereignty was completed in Arabia with this conquest.