Chapter: The Ghazwa of Al-Hudaibiya

We went out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the year of Al-Hudaibiya. One night it rained and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) led us in the Fajr prayer and (after finishing it), turned to us and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said?" We replied, "Allah and His Apostle know it better." He said, "Allah said:-- "(Some of) My slaves got up believing in Me, And (some of them) disbelieving in Me. The one who said: We have been given Rain through Allah's Mercy and Allah's Blessing and Allah's Bounty, then he is a believer in Me, and is a disbeliever in the star. And whoever said: We have been given rain because of such and- such star, then he is a believer in the star, and is a disbeliever in Me."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) performed four `Umras, all in the month of Dhul-Qa'da, except the one which he performed with his Hajj (i.e. in Dhul-Hijja). He performed one `Umra from Al-Hudaibiya in Dhul- Qa'da, another `Umra in the following year in Dhul Qa'da a third from Al-Jirana where he distributed the war booty of Hunain, in Dhul Qa'da, and the fourth `Umra he performed was with his Hajj.

We set out with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the year of Al-Hudaibiya, and all his companions assumed the state of Ihram but I did not.

Do you (people) consider the conquest of Mecca, the Victory (referred to in the Qur'an 48:1). Was the conquest of Mecca a victory? We really consider that the actual Victory was the Ar-Ridwan Pledge of allegiance which we gave on the day of Al-Hudaibiya (to the Prophet). On the day of Al-Hudaibiya we were fourteen hundred men along with the Prophet (ﷺ) Al-Hudaibiya was a well, the water of which we used up leaving not a single drop of water in it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed of that, he came and sat on its edge. Then he asked for a utensil of water, performed ablution from it, rinsed (his mouth), invoked (Allah), and poured the remaining water into the well. We stayed there for a while and then the well brought forth what we required of water for ourselves and our riding animals.

That they were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day of Al-Hudaibiya and their number was 1400 or more. They camped at a well and drew its water till it was dried. When they informed Allah's Apostle of that, he came and sat over its edge and said, "Bring me a bucket of its water." When it was brought, he spat and invoked (Allah) and said, "Leave it for a while." Then they quenched their thirst and watered their riding animals (from that well) till they departed.

Jabir said "On the day of Al-Hudaibiya, the people felt thirsty and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had a utensil containing water. He performer ablution from it and then the people came towards him. Allah's Apostle said, 'What is wrong with you?' The people said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We haven't got any water to perform ablution with or to drink, except what you have in your utensil.' So the Prophet (ﷺ) put his hand in the utensil and the water started spouting out between his fingers like springs. So we drank and performed ablution." I said to Jabir, "What was your number on that day?" He replied, "Even if we had been one hundred thousand, that water would have been sufficient for us. Anyhow, we were 1500.'

I said to Sa`id bin Al-Musaiyab, "I have been informed that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the number (of Al-Hudaibiya Muslim warriors) was 1400." Sa`id said to me, "Jabir narrated to me that they were 1500 who gave the Pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) on the day of Al-Hudaibiya.'

On the day of Al-Hudaibiya, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to us' "You are the best people on the earth!" We were 1400 then. If I could see now, I would have shown you the place of the Tree (beneath which we gave the Pledge of Allegiance)." Salim said, "Our number was 1400."

Who was among those (who had given the Pledge of allegiance) under the Tree: Pious people will die in succession, and there will remain the dregs of society who will be like the useless residues of dates and barley and Allah will pay no attention to them.

The Prophet (ﷺ) went out in the company of 1300 to 1500 of his companions in the year of Al-Hudaibiya, and when they reached Dhul-Hulaifa, he garlanded and marked his Hadi and assumed the state of Ihram.

That Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw him with the lice falling (from his head) on his face. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Are your lice troubling you? Ka`b said, "Yes." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) thus ordered him to shave his head while he was at Al-Hudaibiya. Up to then there was no indication that all of them would finish their state of Ihram and they hoped that they would enter Mecca. Then the order of Al-Fidya was revealed, so Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered Ka`b to feed six poor persons with one Faraq of food or slaughter a sheep or fast for three days.

Once I went with `Umar bin Al-Khattab to the market. A young woman followed `Umar and said, "O chief of the believers! My husband has died, leaving little children. By Allah, they have not even a sheep's trotter to cook; they have no farms or animals. I am afraid that they may die because of hunger, and I am the daughter of Khufaf bin Ima Al-Ghafari, and my father witnessed the Pledge of allegiance) of Al-Hudaibiya with the Prophet.' `Umar stopped and did not proceed, and said, "I welcome my near relative." Then he went towards a strong camel which was tied in the house, and carried on to it, two sacks he had loaded with food grains and put between them money and clothes and gave her its rope to hold and said, "Lead it, and this provision will not finish till Allah gives you a good supply." A man said, "O chief of the believers! You have given her too much." "`Umar said disapprovingly. "May your mother be bereaved of you! By Allah, I have seen her father and brother besieging a fort for a long time and conquering it, and then we were discussing what their shares they would have from that war booty."

That his father said, "I saw the Tree (of the Ar-Ridwan Pledge of allegiance and when I returned to it later, I was not able to recognize it. (The sub--narrator MahmiJd said, Al-Musaiyab said, 'Then; forgot it (i.e., the Tree).)"

When I set out for Hajj, I passed by some people offering a prayer, I asked, "What is this mosque?" They said, "This is the Tree where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took the Ar-Ridwan Pledge of allegiance. Then I went to Sa`id bin Musaiyab and informed him about it. Sa`id said, "My father said that he was amongst those who had given the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) beneath the Tree. He (i.e. my father) said, "When we set out the following year, we forgot the Tree and were unable to recognize it. "Then Sa`id said (perhaps ironically) "The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) could not recognize it; nevertheless, you do recognize it; therefore you have a better knowledge."

That his father was amongst those who had given the Pledge of allegiance (to the Prophet (ﷺ) ) beneath the Tree, and the next year when they went towards the Tree, they were not able to recognize it.

(The tree where the Ridwan Pledge of allegiance was taken by the Prophet) was mentioned before Sa`id bin Al-Musaiyab. On that he smiled and said, "My father informed me (about it) and he had witnessed it (i.e. the Pledge)."

(Who was one of those who had given the Pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) beneath the Tree) When the people brought Sadaqa (i.e. rak`at) to the Prophet (ﷺ) he used to say, "O Allah! Bless them with your Mercy." Once my father came with his Sadaqa to him whereupon he (i.e. the Prophet) said. "O Allah! Bless the family of Abu `Aufa."

When it was the day (of the battle) of Al-Harra the people were giving Pledge of allegiance to `Abdullah bin Hanzala. Ibn Zaid said, "For what are the people giving Pledge of allegiance to `Abdullah bin Hanzala?" It was said to him, "For death." Ibn Zaid said, "I will never give the Pledge of allegiance for that to anybody else after Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Ibn Zaid was one of those who had witnessed the day of Al-Hudaibiya with the Prophet.

My father who was amongst those who had given the Pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) beneath the Tree, said to me, "We used to offer the Jumua prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and then depart at a time when the walls had no shade for us to take shelter in."

I said to Salama bin Al-Akwa`, "For what did you give the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day of Al-Hudaibiya?" He replied, "For death (in the Cause of Islam.).

I met Al-Bara bin `Azib and said (to him). "May you live prosperously! You enjoyed the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) and gave him the Pledge of allegiance (of Al-Hudaibiya) under the Tree." On that, Al- Bara' said, "O my nephew! You do not know what we have done after him (i.e. his death).

that Thabit bin Ad-Dahhak had informed him that he was one of those who had given the Pledge of allegiance (of Al-Hudaibiya) beneath the Tree.

regarding Allah's Statement: "Verily! We have granted you (O, Muhammad) Manifest victory." (48.1) It refers to the Al-Hudaibiya Pledge. And the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to the Prophet), "Congratulations and happiness for you; but what reward shall we get?" So Allah revealed:-- "That He may admit the believing men and women to gardens beneath which rivers flow." (48.5)

(who was one of those who had witnessed (the Pledge of allegiance beneath) the Tree) While I was making fire beneath the cooking pots containing donkey's meat, the announcer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) announced, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbids you to eat donkey's meat."

The same narration was told by Majzaa from a man called Uhban bin Aus who was one of those who had witnessed (the Pledge of allegiance beneath) the Tree., and who had some trouble in his knee so that while doing prostrations, he used to put a pillow underneath his knee.

who was one of those who witnessed (the Pledge of allegiance beneath) the Tree: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and his companions were given Sawiq and they chewed it.

I asked Aidh bin `Amr, who was one of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) one of those (who gave the allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) the Tree: "Can the witr prayer be repeated (in one night)?" He said, "If you have offered it in the first part of the night, you should not repeat it in the last part 'of the night." (See Fath-ul-Bari page 458 Vol 8th).

My father said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was proceeding at night on one of his journeys and `Umar bin Al- Khattab was going along with him. `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked him (about something) but Allah's Apostle did not answer him. `Umar asked him again, but he did not answer him. He asked him again (for the third time) but he did not answer him. On that `Umar bin Al-Khattab addressed himself saying, "May your mother be bereaved of you, O `Umar, for you have asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) thrice, yet he has not answered you." `Umar said, "Then I made my camel run fast and took it in front of the other Muslims, and I was afraid that something might be revealed in my connection. I had hardly waited for a moment when I heard somebody calling me. I said, 'I was afraid that something might have been revealed about me.' Then I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and greeted him. He (i.e. the Prophet) said, 'Tonight there has been revealed to me, a Sura which is dearer to me than (all the world) on which the sun rises,' and then he recited: 'Verily! We have granted you (O Muhammad) A manifest victory." (48.1)

(one of them said more than his friend): The Prophet (ﷺ) set out in the company of more than onethousand of his companions in the year of Al-Hudaibiya, and when he reached Dhul-Hulaifa, he garlanded his Hadi (i.e. sacrificing animal), assumed the state of Ihram for `Umra from that place and sent a spy of his from Khuzi'a (tribe). The Prophet (ﷺ) proceeded on till he reached (a village called) Ghadir-al-Ashtat. There his spy came and said, "The Quraish (infidels) have collected a great number of people against you, and they have collected against you the Ethiopians, and they will fight with you, and will stop you from entering the Ka`ba and prevent you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people! Give me your opinion. Do you recommend that I should destroy the families and offspring of those who want to stop us from the Ka`ba? If they should come to us (for peace) then Allah will destroy a spy from the pagans, or otherwise we will leave them in a miserable state." On that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah Apostle! You have come with the intention of visiting this House (i.e. Ka`ba) and you do not want to kill or fight anybody. So proceed to it, and whoever should stop us from it, we will fight him." On that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Proceed on, in the Name of Allah !"

That he heard Marwan bin Al-Hakam and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama relating one of the events that happened to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the `Umra of Al-Hudaibiya. They said, "When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) concluded the truce with Suhail bin `Amr on the day of Al-Hudaibiya, one of the conditions which Suhail bin `Amr stipulated, was his saying (to the Prophet), "If anyone from us (i.e. infidels) ever comes to you, though he has embraced your religion, you should return him to us, and should not interfere between us and him." Suhail refused to conclude the truce with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) except on this condition. The believers disliked this condition and got disgusted with it and argued about it. But when Suhail refused to conclude the truce with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) except on that condition, Allah's Apostle concluded it. Accordingly, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then returned Abu Jandal bin Suhail to his father, Suhail bin `Amr, and returned every man coming to him from them during that period even if he was a Muslim. The believing women Emigrants came (to Medina) and Um Kulthum, the daughter of `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait was one of those who came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she was an adult at that time. Her relatives came, asking Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to return her to them, and in this connection, Allah revealed the Verses dealing with the believing (women).

-- "O Prophet! When the believing Women come to you, to give the pledge of allegiance to you." (60.12) `Urwa's uncle said, "We were informed when Allah ordered His Apostle to return to the pagans what they had given to their wives who lately migrated (to Medina) and we were informed that Abu Basir..." relating the whole narration.

`Abdullah bin `Umar set out for Umra during the period of afflictions, and he said, "If I should be stopped from visiting the Ka`ba, I will do what we did when we were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." He assumed Ihram for `Umra in the year of Al-Hudaibiya.

Ibn `Umar assumed Ihram and said, "If something should intervene between me and the Ka`ba, then I will do what the Prophet (ﷺ) did when the Quraish infidels intervened between him and (the Ka`ba). Then Ibn `Umar recited: "You have indeed in Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) A good example to follow." (33.21)

One of `Abdullah's sons said to `Abdullah (bin `Umar) "I wish you would stay this year (and not perform Hajj) as I am afraid that you will not be able to reach the Ka`ba." On that he (i.e. `Abdullah bin `Umar) said, "We went out with the Prophet (for `Umra), and when the Quraish infidel intervened between us and the Ka`ba, the Prophet (ﷺ) slaughtered his Hadi and shaved (his head), and his companions cut short their hair." Then `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I make you witness that I have intended to perform `Umra and if I am allowed to reach the Ka`ba, I will perform the Tawaf, and if something (i.e. obstacles) intervene between me and the Ka`ba, then I will do what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did." Then after going for a while, he said, "I consider the ceremonies (of both `Umra and Hajj as one and the same, so I would like you to witness that I have intended to perform Hajj along with my `Umra." So he performed only one Tawaf and one Sai (between Safa and Marwa) and finished the Ihram of both Umra and Hajj).

The people used to say that Ibn `Umar had embraced Islam before `Umar. This is not true. What happened is that `Umar sent `Abdullah to bring his horse from an Ansari man so as to fight on it. At that time the people were giving the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) near the Tree, and `Umar was not aware of that. So `Abdullah (bin `Umar) gave the Pledge of Allegiance (to the Prophet) and went to take the horse and brought it to `Umar. While `Umar was putting on the armor to get ready for fighting, `Abdullah informed him that the people were giving the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle beneath the Tree. So `Umar set out and `Abdullah accompanied him till he gave the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and it was this event that made people say that Ibn `Umar had embraced Islam before `Umar.

"The people were along with the Prophet (ﷺ) on the day of Al-Hudaibiya spreading in the shade of the trees. Suddenly the people surrounded the Prophet (ﷺ) and started looking at him." `Umar said, "O `Abdullah! Go and see why the people are encircling Allah's Apostle and looking at him." `Abdullah bin `Umar then saw the people giving the Pledge o allegiance to the Prophet. So he also gave the Pledge of allegiance and returned to `Umar who went out in his turn and gave the Pledge of allegiance to the Prophet.'

We were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) when he performed the `Umra. He performed the Tawaf and we did the same; he offered the prayer and we also offered the prayer with him. Then he performed the Sai between Safa and Marwa and we were guarding him against the people of Mecca so that nobody should harm him.

When Sahl bin Hunaif returned from (the battle of) Siffin, we went to ask him (as to why he had come back). He replied, "(You should not consider me a coward) but blame your opinions. I saw myself on the day of Abu Jandal (inclined to fight), and if I had the power of refusing the order of Allah's Apostle then, I would have refused it (and fought the infidels bravely). Allah and His Apostle know (what is convenient) better. Whenever we put our swords on our shoulders for any matter that terrified us, our swords led us to an easy agreeable solution before the present situation (of disagreement and dispute between the Muslims). When we mend the breach in one side, it opened in another, and we do not know what to do about it."

The Prophet (ﷺ) came to me at the time of Al-Hudaibiya Pledge while lice were falling on my face. He said, "Are the lice of your head troubling you?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Shave your head and fast for three days, or feed six poor persons, or slaughter a sheep as sacrifice." (The sub-narrator, Aiyub said, "I do not know with which of these three options he started.")

We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at Al-Hudaibiya in the state of Ihram and the pagans did not allow us to proceed (to the Ka`ba). I had thick hair and lice started falling on my face. The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by me and said, "Are the lice of your head troubling you?" I replied, Yes." (The sub-narrator added, "Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:-- "And if anyone of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp, (necessitating shaving) must pay a ransom (Fida) of either fasting or feeding the poor, Or offering a sacrifice." (2.196)