Fath al-Rabbani

From Ma'mar, al-Zuhri said: 'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr informed me from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah and Marwan ibn al-Hakam, each of them confirming the narration of his companion. They said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, set out during the time of al-Hudaybiyyah with a group of his companions numbering over a thousand. When they reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, garlanded and marked the sacrificial animals and entered into ihram for 'umrah. He sent ahead of him a scout from Khuza'ah to inform him about Quraysh. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, continued until he reached Ghadir al-Ashat, near 'Usfan. His Khuza'ah scout came to him and said: "I have left Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy and 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy, who have gathered the Ahabeesh and other groups for you. They are going to fight you and prevent you from the House." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Advise me. Do you see that we should turn towards the children of those who helped them and attack them? If they sit, they will sit bereaved and plundered, and if they escape..." Yahya ibn Sa'id from Ibn al-Mubarak said: "...grieved, and if they incline, it will be a neck Allah has cut. Or do you see that we should head for the House, and whoever prevents us from it, we fight him?" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Allah and His Messenger know best, O Prophet of Allah. We have only come to perform 'umrah and not to fight anyone, but whoever comes between us and the House, we will fight him." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Then proceed." Al-Zuhri said: Abu Hurayrah used to say: "I never saw anyone consult his companions more than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family." Al-Zuhri said in the narration of al-Miswar ibn Makhramah and Marwan ibn al-Hakam: They proceeded until they were on part of the road. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Khalid ibn al-Walid is at al-Ghamim with a cavalry of Quraysh as a vanguard, so take the right path." By Allah, Khalid did not notice them until he saw the dust of the army, so he rushed off as a warner to Quraysh. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, continued until he reached the pass from which they would descend upon them. His she-camel knelt down. Yahya ibn Sa'id from Ibn al-Mubarak said: "His she-camel knelt down." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Hul, hul!" but she persisted. They said: "Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Al-Qaswa' has not become stubborn, nor is that her nature, but the One who restrained the elephant has restrained her." Then he said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, they will not ask me for a plan by which they honor the sanctities of Allah except that I will grant it to them." Then he urged her on, and she stood up with him. He turned aside until he camped at the farthest part of al-Hudaybiyyah, at a small waterhole which people were barely able to draw water from. The people soon exhausted it, and they complained of thirst to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. He took an arrow from his quiver and ordered them to place it in the waterhole. By Allah, it continued to gush forth with water for them until they left it. While they were in that state, Budayl ibn Warqa' al-Khuza'i came with a group of his people, who were sincere advisers to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, from the people of Tihamah. He said: "I have left Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy and 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy camped at the water sources of al-Hudaybiyyah, with their young camels, and they are going to fight you and prevent you from the House." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "We have not come to fight anyone, but we have come to perform 'umrah. Quraysh has been worn down by war and it has harmed them. If they wish, I will make a truce with them for a period, and they should allow me and the people to go. If I prevail, and if they wish to enter into what the people have entered, they may do so, otherwise they have had time to consider. If they refuse, then by Him in Whose hand is my soul, I will fight them over this matter until my neck is severed or Allah brings about His command." Yahya from Ibn al-Mubarak said: "...until my neck is severed." He said: "If they wish, we will make a truce with them for a period." Budayl said: "I will convey to them what you say." He went to Quraysh and said: "We have come to you from this man and heard him say something. If you wish, we will present it to you." Their foolish ones said: "We have no need for you to tell us anything about him." Those of sound judgment among them said: "Bring us what you heard." He said: "I heard him say such and such," and he told them what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, had said. 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi stood up and said: "O people, am I not your son?" They said: "Yes." He said: "And am I not your father?" They said: "Yes." He said: "Do you suspect me?" They said: "No." He said: "Do you not know that I called the people of 'Ukaz, and when they failed me, I came to you with my family and those who obeyed me?" They said: "Yes." He said: "This man has offered you a wise plan, so accept it and let me go to him." They said: "Go to him." He went to him and began speaking to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, saying to him something similar to what he had said to Budayl. 'Urwah then said: "O Muhammad, what do you think if you destroy your people? Have you ever heard of any Arab who destroyed his own people before you? And if it is the other case, by Allah, I see faces and a rabble of people who may flee and leave you." Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him: "Suck the clitoris of al-Lat! Would we flee from him and leave him?" He said: "Who is this?" They said: "Abu Bakr." He said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, were it not for a favor you have with me which I have not repaid, I would have answered you." He continued speaking to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and whenever he spoke to him, he would take hold of his beard, while al-Mughira ibn Shu'bah was standing over the head of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, with a sword and helmet. Whenever 'Urwah reached out his hand to the beard of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, al-Mughira would strike his hand with the blade of the sword and say: "Remove your hand from the beard of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family." 'Urwah raised his hand and said: "Who is this?" They said: "Al-Mughira ibn Shu'bah." He said: "O traitor! Was I not striving to make peace for your treachery?" Al-Mughira had accompanied some people in the Jahiliyyah, killed them, and taken their wealth, then came and accepted Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "As for Islam, I accept it, but as for the wealth, I have nothing to do with it." Then 'Urwah began to observe the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, never spat except that it fell in the hand of one of them, who would rub it on his face and skin. When he ordered them, they hastened to carry out his command. When he performed ablution, they almost fought over his water. When they spoke, they lowered their voices in his presence, and they did not look at him directly out of reverence for him. He returned to his companions and said: "O my people, by Allah, I have visited kings and I have visited Caesar, Chosroes, and the Negus. By Allah, I have never seen a king whose companions honor him as the companions of Muhammad honor Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. By Allah, he never spat except that it fell in the hand of one of them, who would rub it on his face and skin. When he ordered them, they hastened to carry out his command. When he performed ablution, they almost fought over his water. When they spoke, they lowered their voices in his presence, and they did not look at him directly out of reverence for him. He has offered you a wise plan, so accept it." A man from Banu Kinana said: "Let me go to him." They said: "Go to him." When he approached the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and his companions, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "This is so-and-so, and he is from a people who honor the sacrificial animals, so send them to him." They sent them, and the people received him chanting the talbiyah. When he saw that, he said: "Glory be to Allah! It is not right for these people to be prevented from the House." When he returned to his companions, he said: "I saw the sacrificial animals garlanded and marked. I do not see that they should be prevented from the House." Then a man among them named Mikraz ibn Hafs stood up and said: "Let me go to him." They said: "Go to him." When he approached them, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "This is Mikraz, and he is a wicked man." He began speaking to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. While he was speaking, Suhayl ibn 'Amr came. Ma'mar said: Ayub informed me from 'Ikrimah that when Suhayl came, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Your matter has become easy." Al-Zuhri said in his narration: Suhayl ibn 'Amr came and said: "Bring, let us write an agreement between us and you." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, called the scribe and said: "Write: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." Suhayl said: "As for the Most Gracious, by Allah, I do not know what it is." Ibn al-Mubarak said: "What it is, but write: In Your name, O Allah, as you used to write." The Muslims said: "By Allah, we will not write except: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Write: In Your name, O Allah." Then he said: "This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has agreed upon." Suhayl said: "By Allah, if we knew you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have prevented you from the House nor fought you, but write: Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "By Allah, I am the Messenger of Allah even if you deny me. Write: Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah." Al-Zuhri said: "That was because of his saying: 'They will not ask me for a plan by which they honor the sanctities of Allah except that I will grant it to them.'" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "On the condition that you allow us to reach the House and circumambulate it." Suhayl said: "By Allah, the Arabs will not say that we were forced, but you may come next year." So it was written. Suhayl said: "On the condition that no man from us comes to you, even if he is upon your religion, except that you return him to us." The Muslims said: "Glory be to Allah! How can he be returned to the polytheists when he has come as a Muslim?" While they were in that state, Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl ibn 'Amr came dragging his chains. Yahya from Ibn al-Mubarak said: "Dragging his chains." He had come from the lower part of Mecca until he threw himself among the Muslims. Suhayl said: "This, O Muhammad, is the first thing I require of you, that you return him to me." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "We have not concluded the agreement yet." He said: "By Allah, then we will never make peace with you on anything." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Then grant him to me." He said: "I am not granting him to you." He said: "Yes, do so." He said: "I am not doing it." Mikraz said: "Yes, we have granted him to you." Abu Jandal said: "O assembly of Muslims, am I to be returned to the polytheists when I have come as a Muslim? Do you not see what I have suffered?" He had been severely tortured for the sake of Allah. 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I went to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and said: 'Are you not the Prophet of Allah?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Then why do we accept humiliation in our religion?' He said: 'I am the Messenger of Allah and I do not disobey Him, and He is my Helper.' I said: 'Did you not tell us that we would come to the House and circumambulate it?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Did you tell me that you would come to it this year?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'You will come to it and circumambulate it.'" 'Umar said: "I went to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: 'O Abu Bakr, is he not truly the Prophet of Allah?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Then why do we accept humiliation in our religion?' He said: 'O man, he is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and he does not disobey his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, and He is his Helper, so hold fast.' Yahya ibn Sa'id said: 'To his stirrup.' He said: 'Hold fast to his stirrup until you die, for by Allah, he is upon the truth.' I said: 'Did he not tell us that we would come to the House and circumambulate it?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Did he tell you that you would come to it this year?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'You will come to it and circumambulate it.'" Al-Zuhri said: 'Umar said: "I did many deeds because of that." When the agreement was concluded, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said to his companions: "Stand up, slaughter your sacrifices, and shave your heads." By Allah, not one man among them stood up until he had said that three times. When none of them stood up, he entered upon Umm Salamah and mentioned to her what he had encountered from the people. Umm Salamah said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you want that? Go out and do not speak to any of them a word until you slaughter your sacrifice and call your barber to shave you." He stood up, went out, and did not speak to any of them until he had done that—he slaughtered his sacrifice and called his barber, who shaved him. When they saw that, they stood up, slaughtered, and some of them began shaving each other until some of them nearly killed others out of grief. Then believing women came to him, and Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed: "O you who believe, when believing women come to you as emigrants..." until "...the bonds of the disbelievers" [الممتحنة: 10]. 'Umar divorced two wives he had who were in shirk that day; one of them was married by Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan and the other by Safwan ibn Umayyah. Then he returned to Madinah. Abu Basir, a man from Quraysh who was a Muslim, came to him. Yahya from Ibn al-Mubarak said: "Abu Basir ibn Usayd al-Thaqafi came to him as a Muslim emigrant." Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq hired a disbeliever from Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy and a freedman with him, and wrote with them to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, asking him to fulfill the agreement. They sent two men in pursuit of him and said: "The covenant you made with us." He handed him over to the two men, who took him until they reached Dhu al-Hulayfah. They stopped to eat some of their dates. Abu Basir said to one of the two men: "By Allah, I see your sword, O so-and-so, is a fine one." The other drew it and said: "Yes, by Allah, it is fine. I have tried it and tried it again." Abu Basir said: "Let me see it." He gave it to him, and he struck him with it until he was dead. The other fled until he reached Madinah, entered the mosque running. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "This man has seen something frightening." When he reached the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, he said: "By Allah, my companion has been killed, and I am about to be killed." Abu Basir came and said: "O Prophet of Allah, by Allah, Allah has fulfilled your obligation. You returned me to them, then Allah saved me from them." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Woe to his mother! He is a war kindler if he had anyone with him." When Abu Basir heard that, he knew that he would be returned to them, so he left until he reached the seashore. Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl escaped and joined Abu Basir. No man from Quraysh who had accepted Islam would leave except that he joined Abu Basir, until a group of them gathered. By Allah, whenever they heard of a caravan of Quraysh heading to Syria, they would intercept it, kill them, and take their wealth. Quraysh sent to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, imploring him by Allah and kinship to send word to them that whoever came to him would be safe. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, sent to them. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed: "And He it is Who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them..." until "...the zealotry of the Age of Ignorance" [الفتح: 24]. Their zealotry was that they did not acknowledge that he was the Prophet of Allah, nor did they acknowledge 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,' and they prevented him from the House. (Musnad Ahmad: 19136)