Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
The Truce of Hudaibiyah
In the 6th year of Hijrah, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), along with his Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), left for Makkah Mukarramah to perform umrah. The Quraish heard of the news, and decided to resist Rasulullah’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) entry into Makkah, as they felt that it would be a disgrace for them to allow the Muslims entry into Makkah. Thus, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) had to encamp at Hudaibiyah.
The devoted Sahaabah, 1 400 in number, were however determined to enter, even if it involved an open fight; but the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) viewed the matter differently, and in spite of the Sahaabah’s (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) eagerness to fight, he entered into a peace treaty with the Quraish, and accepted all the conditions they laid down.
This one-sided and seemingly ungraceful truce was a very bitter pill for the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) to swallow, but their devotion to the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would not allow them to demur, and even the most valiant man like Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) could not but submit to his decision.
According to one of the conditions of the treaty, people who converted to Islam during the period of the peace treaty who migrated to Madinah Munawwarah were to be returned to Makkah Mukarramah, but the same would not apply for those Muslims who forsook Islam and joined Quraish.
Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), a Muslim in Makkah Mukarramah, was suffering great persecution at the hands of the Quraish. They kept him constantly in chains. On hearing about the arrival of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in Hudaibiyah, he escaped somehow and managed to reach the Muslim camp at a time when the truce was about to be signed. Tied in chains, with difficulty he reached the Muslims in the hope that he will gain protection and escape the torture he was undergoing.
His father, Suhail who was till then a non-Muslim (but embraced Islam at the Conquest of Makkah Mukarramah), was the envoy of the Quraish in the negotiations for the truce. He slapped Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) on his face and insisted on taking him back to Makkah. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) intervened and said that since the truce had not till then been signed and completed, it should not be applied to Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
Suhail, however, remained adamant and was not prepared to give in and leave his son with the Muslims, even at the personal request of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), counting his hardships, remonstrated at the top of his voice saying, “I have come as a Muslim, and I have suffered so much torture! How can I be returned to Makkah?” The pain that went through the hearts of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) at that time is known only to Allah. Due to the truce, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) could not do anything, and thus he had to be returned. However, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) consoled him and encouraged him to adopt patience saying, “Allah will shortly open a way for you.”
After the truce was signed and the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had returned to Madinah Munawwarah, another person from Makkah, Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), embraced Islam and escaped to Madinah Munawwarah, seeking the Prophet’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) protection.
Two people were sent from Makkah Mukarramah to bring him back, and the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), according to the condition of the treaty, allowed them to take him back. Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) addressed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, “I have embraced Islam and come to you! Why are you allowing me to be returned to the disbelievers?” The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) advised him, as he had advised Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), to exercise patience and to hope for the help of Allah. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “Soon Allah Ta‘ala will open a way for you.”
When Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the two disbelievers were on their way back to Makkah Mukarramah, Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to one of them, “Friend, your sword is extremely fine!”
The man was flattered, took it out from the sheath and said, “Yes, it is really very fine, and I have tried it on so many persons. You can have a look at it.”
Most foolishly he made over the sword to Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who immediately ‘tried’ it on its owner and killed him. Realizing that he was next, the other man took to his heels and reached Madinah Munawwarah to report to the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
In the meantime, Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) also arrived. He said to the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Prophet of Allah, you once returned me and absolved yourself of the truce obligations. I had no obligations to fulfil and I managed to escape from them in this way, as I was afraid that they will force me to forsake my faith.”
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) remarked, “Your action could spark off a war. If only there was someone to help you (and give you refuge)!” From this statement of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to understand that he would be returned to the Quraish again when they demanded him. He therefore left Madinah Munawwarah and fled to a place on the seashore.
When the news reached Makkah Mukarramah that Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had fled to the seashore and taken sanctuary there, Hazrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) also managed his escape and joined him there. More Muslims of Makkah Mukarramah followed, and in a few days, quite a small group of such refugees gathered in the wilderness where there was neither habitation nor vegetation. Only Allah Ta‘ala knows the hardship and difficulty they had to undergo to survive. However, being bound by no treaty, they proved a great nuisance for the Quraish by dealing blows after blows on their caravans passing that way.
This compelled the Quraish to approach the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and beseech him saying, “We plead with you, in the name of your Lord, Allah, and by virtue of our family ties, to intervene and call back the refugees to Madinah Munawwarah so that they might be bound by the terms of the treaty, like the other Muslims, and our caravans might pass in safety.”
It is said that Hazrat Abu Baseer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was on his death bed when the letter sent by the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) permitting his return to Madinah Munawwarah reached him. He died while holding the Prophet’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) letter in his hand. (May Allah Ta‘ala be pleased with him, and may Allah Ta‘ala please him.)
No power on the earth can make a person forsake his faith, provided it is a true faith. Moreover, Allah Ta‘ala has given an assurance to help those who are genuine Muslims.
