The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah JSS2 Islamic Studies Lesson Note

THE TREATY OF HUDAIBIYYAH

The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah was a very important peace agreement in Islamic history. It happened in the year 628 CE (6 AH in the Islamic calendar) between the Muslims of Madinah, led by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the Quraysh tribe of Makkah. This treaty changed how Muslims and non-Muslims lived together and helped Islam grow peacefully.

Background

Before the Treaty

– After moving to Madinah, Muslims faced many problems with the Quraysh tribe in Makkah

– The Quraysh did not let Muslims visit the Ka’bah (the holy house in Makkah)

– There were fights and battles between Muslims and the Quraysh for several years

– Many Muslims missed their hometown of Makkah and wanted to perform pilgrimage

The Journey to Makkah

– In the sixth year after Hijrah (moving to Madinah), Prophet Muhammad had a dream about visiting the Ka’bah

– He told his followers about this dream

– About 1,400 Muslims joined him on a peaceful journey to Makkah

– They wore simple white clothes to show they came for worship, not fighting

– They brought animals to sacrifice, which was part of the pilgrimage custom

– They did not carry weapons except for travelers’ swords (small swords for protection on journeys)

Events Leading to the Treaty

Quraysh’s Reaction

– When the Quraysh heard Muslims were coming, they got worried

– They thought the Muslims might be coming to attack them

– They sent out 200 soldiers led by Khalid bin Waleed to stop the Muslims

– The Prophet changed his route to avoid meeting these soldiers

Stopping at Hudaibiyyah

– The Muslims stopped at a place called Hudaibiyyah, near Makkah

– The Prophet’s camel, Qaswa, sat down and wouldn’t go further

– People thought the camel was being stubborn

– The Prophet said: “Qaswa is not stubborn. The One who stopped the elephant from entering Makkah has stopped her too.”

– He decided to camp at Hudaibiyyah and talk with the Quraysh

Negotiations

– The Prophet sent Uthman bin Affan as his messenger to the Quraysh

– Uthman was from a respected Makkan family and could talk safely with them

– He was gone for a long time, and rumors spread that he was killed

– Muslims were very worried and gathered under a tree, promising to fight if needed

– This promise was called “Bai’at al-Ridwan” (The Pledge of Good Pleasure)

– Allah was pleased with this loyalty and mentioned it in the Quran

The Treaty Terms

After long talks, the Quraysh sent Suhail bin Amr to make a peace agreement. The main points of the treaty were:

1. Ten-Year Peace: Muslims and the Quraysh would not fight each other for ten years

2. Return of Converts: Any person from Makkah who became Muslim and went to Madinah without permission would be sent back to Makkah

3. No Return of Muslims: Any Muslim who left Islam and went to Makkah would not be sent back to Madinah

4. Tribal Alliances: Arab tribes could become allies with either the Muslims or the Quraysh

5. Pilgrimage Delay: Muslims would not perform pilgrimage that year but could come back next year for three days only

6. Weapons Rule: When Muslims would come next year, they could only bring travelers’ swords

Muslim Reaction to the Treaty

Many Muslims were upset with these terms because:

– They seemed unfair to Muslims

– They had to go back without visiting the Ka’bah

– They had to return people who became Muslim

Umar bin Al-Khattab was especially upset and questioned the Prophet about accepting such terms. The Prophet calmly explained that he was following Allah’s guidance.

Writing the Treaty

When writing the treaty, some interesting things happened:

1. The Prophet asked Ali bin Abi Talib to write “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” at the top

   – Suhail objected and said to write only “In Your name, O Allah”

   – The Prophet agreed to this change

2. The Prophet wanted to write “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah”

   – Suhail objected again, saying, “If we believed you were Allah’s Messenger, we wouldn’t fight you”

   – He asked to write “Muhammad, son of Abdullah” instead

   – The Prophet agreed to this change too

These changes showed the Prophet’s wisdom and patience.

The Benefits of the Treaty

What seemed like a bad deal turned out to be a great victory for Muslims:

1. Peace Time: Muslims got time to spread Islam without worrying about war

2. Recognition: The Quraysh finally recognized Muslims as a political power worth making agreements with

3. Growth of Islam: In the two years after the treaty, more people became Muslim than in all the previous years combined

4. Free Movement: Muslims could now travel and trade freely, meeting new people and sharing their faith

5. New Alliances: Many Arab tribes joined with the Muslims after seeing the treaty

6. Conquest of Khaybar: With peace on the southern front, Muslims could deal with threats from the north

The Breaking of the Treaty

About two years after signing the treaty, some allies of the Quraysh attacked allies of the Muslims. Instead of stopping this, the Quraysh helped their allies. This broke the treaty.

Conquest of Makkah

Because the Quraysh broke the treaty, the Prophet led 10,000 Muslims to Makkah. Seeing they couldn’t win against such a large army, the Quraysh surrendered. The Prophet entered Makkah peacefully and forgave the people who had fought against him for so many years.

Lessons from the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah

1. Patience brings rewards: What seemed bad at first turned out to be good in the end

2. Peace is better than war: More people joined Islam during peace than during war

3. Trust in Allah’s plan: Even when we don’t understand why things happen, Allah knows best

4. Keep your promises: Muslims followed all the treaty terms carefully until the Quraysh broke them

5. Be willing to compromise: Sometimes giving up small things helps win bigger things later

6. Look at long-term benefits: The treaty seemed unfair in the short term but brought great benefits in the long term

7. Leadership wisdom: Prophet Muhammad showed great wisdom by accepting the treaty despite objections

Conclusion

The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah teaches us that what seems like a setback can actually be a blessing. Allah called it “a clear victory” in the Quran (Surah Al-Fath 48:1). Through patience, peace, and keeping promises, the Muslims turned a seemingly unfair treaty into one of the greatest victories in Islamic history.