Seerah | Lecture 30 | The Treaty of Hudaybiyah

The Prophet Muhammad arrived at Hudaybiyah with approximately 1400 to 1500 companions, intending to perform Umrah while in the state of ihram. The Quraish of Makkah gathered to oppose the Muslims, prompting the Prophet to send emissaries to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The work details the diplomatic exchanges with various representatives of the Quraish, including Budayl ibn Warqa, Urwa ibn Mas'ud Thaqafi, and Suhail ibn Amr, ultimately leading to a formal covenant.

The account emphasizes the profound devotion of the companions toward the Prophet, noting that they sought blessings from his ablution water and physical remains, and that they maintained extreme silence and respect in his presence. The work also addresses the specific terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the role of Abu Jandal in the negotiations, and the internal struggle of some companions, particularly Umar ibn al-Khattab, regarding the perceived leniency of the agreement. It clarifies that the Prophet's designation as Ummi signifies that he was taught directly by Allah rather than by human instructors, citing his ability to write the treaty terms himself as evidence.

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Key topics & takeaways

Diplomatic negotiations

• Initial message — the Prophet proposed a ceasefire for a specific period to avoid further loss of life and wealth, vowing to continue fighting only if the Quraish refused ▸3:05
• Role of Budayl ibn Warqa — he acted as an initial emissary to inform the Prophet of the Quraish's refusal to allow entry into Makkah ▸2:13
• Urwa ibn Mas'ud Thaqafi's visit — he attempted to negotiate directly and observed the Muslims' behavior, later reporting to the Quraish that he had never seen a leader as honored by his followers as the Prophet ▸5:59
• Halis ibn Alqama's observation — upon seeing the sacrificial animals brought for Umrah, he advocated for allowing the Muslims to complete their rites ▸17:06
• Suhail ibn Amr's arrival — the Prophet took his name as a good omen, predicting that the negotiations would become easy (sahl) ▸18:56

Respect for the Prophet

• Physical blessings — the companions treated the Prophet's saliva and phlegm as a source of cure and blessing, rubbing it on their faces and bodies ▸11:09
• Behavior in the Prophet's presence — the companions lowered their voices and avoided direct eye contact out of extreme reverence ▸12:47
• Defense of the Prophet — when Urwa attempted to touch the Prophet's beard, Mughira ibn Shu'ba struck his hand with a sword handle to prevent the action ▸8:28
• Status of the Prophet — the work asserts that while the Prophet was a human (bashar), he was the most virtuous of all creation, and his status was beyond the comprehension of even the greatest companions ▸14:12

The Treaty of Hudaybiyah

• Ten-year ceasefire — the primary term was a complete cessation of hostilities between the Muslims of Madina and the Quraish for one decade ▸20:39
• Postponement of Umrah — the Muslims agreed to return to Madina and perform Umrah the following year ▸20:44
• Conditions for return — the following year, the Muslims were permitted to stay in Makkah for only three days and could carry only sheathed swords in bags ▸20:54
• Asylum restrictions — the Muslims were prohibited from taking anyone from Makkah to Madina, even if they had accepted Islam ▸21:26
• Repatriation clause — any Muslim fleeing Makkah to Madina had to be returned, whereas the Quraish were not required to return anyone who fled Madina to Makkah ▸21:50
• Tribal alliances — other Arab tribes were granted the freedom to form alliances with either the Muslims or the Quraish ▸23:06

Drafting the agreement

• Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim — the Quraish objected to the use of the name Rahman, so the Prophet permitted the use of Bismikallahumma instead ▸23:46
• Rasulullah title — the Quraish refused to acknowledge the Prophet as the Messenger of Allah, leading the Prophet to instruct that his name and his father's name be written instead ▸24:36
• The Prophet's writing — the work states that the Prophet personally deleted the title Rasulullah and wrote Muhammad ibn Abdullah with his own hand ▸26:07
• Meaning of Ummi — the term denotes that the Prophet was taught directly by Allah, and the account of him writing the treaty is presented as evidence that he was not unlettered in the sense of being unable to write ▸26:31

The case of Abu Jandal

• Escape to Hudaybiyah — Abu Jandal, the son of Suhail ibn Amr, escaped Makkah while in chains and reached the Muslim camp ▸28:01
• Return to Makkah — despite the pleas of Abu Jandal and the distress of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Prophet returned him to his father to honor the terms of the treaty before it was even signed ▸30:12
• Patience — the Prophet instructed Abu Jandal to remain patient, promising that relief would come ▸30:24

Reactions of the companions

• Umar's distress — he questioned why the Muslims were accepting such terms, as he believed they were on the truth and the Quraish on falsehood ▸31:12
• Clarification of the dream — the Prophet confirmed that the dream of performing Umrah was true, but clarified that it was not specified to occur in that particular year ▸33:57
• Abu Bakr's steadfastness — he advised Umar to remain patient and obedient to the Prophet, affirming that the Prophet would never disobey Allah's command ▸35:24