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The Conquest of Makkah
The Quraysh had been unable to exploit their own
victory over the Muslims at the battle of Uhud, but when the latter were defeated at the
battle of Mootah by the Christians, they were tempted to exploit the Christian victory,
and to restore the pre-Hudaybiyya conditions in Arabia. The Muslim defeat at Mootah played
a key role in the events preceding the fall of Makkah in 630. Muhammad Husayn Haykal We may recall that as soon as Khalid and the army
returned to Medinah without the proofs of victory (at the battle of Mootah), they were
called deserters. Many soldiers and commanders felt so humiliated that they stayed at home
in order not to be seen and insulted in public. The campaign of Mootah gave the Quraysh
the impression that the Muslims and their power had now been destroyed and that both their
dignity and the fear which they previously inspired in others had all but disappeared.
This made the Quraysh incline strongly to the conditions prevalent before the Treaty of
Hudaybiyya. They thought that they could now launch a war against which the Muslims were
incapable of defending themselves, not to speak of counterattacking or making retaliation.
(The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935) According to the terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyya,
the Arab tribes were free to enter into treaty relations with either the Muslims or the
Quraysh. Taking advantage of this stipulation, the tribe of Banu Khoza'a wrote a treaty of
friendship with the Prophet of Islam, and another tribe – Banu Bakr – became an
ally of the Quraysh. Hostility had existed between these two tribes since pre-Islamic
times but now both had to abide by the terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, and to refrain
from attacking each other But eighteen months after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya
had been signed, a band of the warriors of Banu Bakr suddenly attacked Banu Khoza'a in
their homes at night. The time of this attack is given as late Rajab of 8 A.H. (November
629). The Khoza'a had done nothing to provoke this attack. They took refuge in the
precincts of the Kaaba but their enemies pursued them even there, and killed a number of
them. Others saved their lives by seeking the protection of Budail bin Waraqa and his
friend, Rafa'a, in their houses, in Makkah. Muhammad Husayn Haykal The Treaty of Hudaybiyya prescribed that any
nonMakkans wishing to join the camp of Muhammad or that of the Quraysh may do so without
obstruction. On the basis of this provision, the tribe of Khuza'ah joined the ranks of
Muhammad, and that of Banu Bakr joined the Quraysh. Between Khuzaah and Banu Bakr a number
of old unsettled disputes had to be suspended on account of the new arrangement. With the
Quraysh now believing (after the battle of Mootah) that Muslim power had crumbled, Banu al
Dil, a clan of Banu Bakr, thought that the occasion had come to avenge themselves against
Khuzaah. (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935) Banu Bakr could not have attacked Khozaa without the
connivance and encouragement if not the open support of the Quraysh. Tabari, the
historian, says that Ikrima bin Abu Jahl, Safwan bin Umayya and Suhayl bin Amr, all
leading figures of Quraysh, disguised themselves and fought at the side of Banu Bakr
against the Khozaa. Of these three, the last named was the chief signatory of the Quraysh
to the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. Maxime Rodinson In Rajab of the year 8 (November 629), in
consequence of a vendetta which had been going for several decades, some of the more
excited of the Qurayshites at their rear, attacked a group of the tribe of Khuza'a,
Mohammed's allies, not far from Mecca. One man was killed and the rest badly mauled and
forced to flee into the sacred territory of Mecca. Pursued even there they took refuge in
two friendly houses. Shamefully the Banu Bakr laid siege to the houses. In all twenty
people of the Khuza'a were slain. (Mohammed, translated by Anne Carter) One of the chiefs of Khozaa, Amr bin Salim, went to
Medina and appealed to the Prophet for his intervention. The Prophet was shocked to hear
the story of the outrage. As an ally of the Khozaa, he had to defend them from their
enemies. But before considering military action, he made an attempt to employ peaceful
means to obtain redress and justice. He sent a messenger to the Quraysh, and suggested
that: *The clients of Quraysh, i.e., Banu Bakr, or Quraysh
themselves pay blood-wit to the Banu Khozaa, or; *Quraysh should waive their protection of Banu Bakr,
or; *They should declare the Treaty of Hudaybiyya to be
void. Zarqani says that the man who answered for the
Quraysh was Qurtaba bin Umar. He said to the envoy of the Prophet that only the last of
the three terms was acceptable to them. In other words, the Quraysh told him that the
Treaty of Hudaybiyya with its stipulation of a ten-year truce, was already a "dead
letter" as far as they were concerned. The hotheads of the Quraysh had been quick to
repudiate the Treaty of Hudaybiyya but very soon their more realistic and discreet leaders
realized that the answer they had sent to Medina was a blunder as it had been dictated,
not by prudence and sagacity, but by presumption and arrogance. And when they thought of
what the consequences of their action could be, they decided to act immediately to avert
disaster. But how? After an animated discussion, they agreed that Abu Sufyan should go to
Medina, and should try to persuade the Prophet to renew the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. When Abu Sufyan arrived in Medina, he first went to
see his daughter, Umm Habiba – one of the wives of the Prophet. As he was going to
sit on a rug, she pulled it from under him, and said: "You are an unclean idolater,
and I cannot allow you to sit on the rug of the Messenger of God." She treated him as
if he was an untouchable pariah. Shaken by such a reception, he left her, and went to the
mosque hoping to see the Prophet himself. But the latter did not give him audience. He
then solicited the aid of Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali but all of them told him that they could
not intercede for him with the Prophet, and he returned to Makkah empty-handed. The Quraysh had broken the pledge, and the envoys of
Khozaa were still in Medina, demanding justice. If the Prophet had condoned the crime of
the Quraysh, he would have seriously compromised his own position in the sight of all
Arabs. He could not allow this to happen. Eventually, the Prophet decided to capture
Makkah, and he ordered the Muslims to mobilize. The army of Islam left Medina on the tenth of
Ramadan of 8 A.H. (February 1, 630). The news that an army was marching southwards, spread
rapidly in the desert, and even reached Makkah itself. Those members of the clan of Banu
Hashim who were still in Makkah, decided, upon hearing this news, to leave the city and to
meet the advancing army. Among them were Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, the uncle of the
Prophet; Aqeel bin Abi Talib, and Abu Sufyan bin al-Harith bin Abdul Muttalib, his
cousins. They joined the army of Islam, and reentered Makkah with it. In the afternoon of the 19th of Ramadan, the army
arrived in Merr ad-Dharan in the north of Makkah, and halted there to spend the night. At
night the Prophet ordered his soldiers to light little fires, and the whole plain lit up
with thousands of bonfires. Abu Sufyan and Hakim bin Hizam had also left Makkah
to investigate the reports of the invasion by the Muslims. Riding north on the road to
Medina, they also arrived in Merr ad-Dharan, and were dumb-founded to see countless little
fires burning in the valley. When they realized they were in the camp of the Muslims, they
were greatly troubled not knowing what they could do to save themselves or their city. Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib also had great anxiety for
the safety of the Makkans. He feared that if they offered resistance, they would be
massacred. He was riding the white mule of the Prophet through the camp, when at its
southern perimeter, he suddenly ran into Abu Sufyan and Hakim bin Hizam. He told them that
they could see the numbers of the Muslims, and that the Quraysh had no power to resist
them. Abu Sufyan asked him what he ought to do. Abbas told him to ride behind him on his
mule, and that he would take him to the Prophet, and would try to get safe-conduct for
him. Hakim bin Hizam returned to Makkah to report on what he had seen and heard. Abbas and
Abu Sufyan rode through the Muslim camp Presently, they rode past the tent of Umar, and he
wanted to know who were the two visitors. When Umar recognized Abu Sufyan, he was thrilled,
and said to him: "O enemy of God, at last you are in my power, and now I am going to
kill you." But Abbas told him that he (Abu Sufyan) was under his protection.
Thereupon Umar rushed to see the Prophet and solicited his permission to kill him. But the
Prophet just told Abbas to bring him on the following morning. Early next morning, Abbas, Abu Sufyan and Umar, all
three appeared before the tent of the Prophet. Umar was raring to kill Abu Sufyan but the
Prophet restrained him, and invited the latter to accept Islam. Abu Sufyan was not very
eager to accept Islam but Abbas told him that if he didn't, then Umar would kill him, and
he would never return to Makkah. Faced by the specter of death, Abu Sufyan declared the
Shahadah which formally admitted him to the community of the Muslims. Abbas also requested the Prophet to grant Abu Sufyan
some favor which he would equate with a "distinction." The Prophet said that all
those Makkans who would enter Abu Sufyan's house, or would stay in their own houses, or
would enter the precincts of the Kaaba, would be safe from all harm. Abu Sufyan was very
proud that the Prophet had declared his house to be a sanctuary for the idolaters of
Makkah. His latter-day friends and admirers are flaunting his "distinction"
right to this day. It was Friday, Ramadan 20, 8 A.H. (February 11, 630)
when the army of Islam broke camp at Merr ad-Dharan, and marched toward Makkah. Abbas and
Abu Sufyan stood on the brow of an eminence to watch the squadrons march past them. The
latter was much impressed by the order, the discipline, the numbers and the espirit de
corps of the formations, and said to Abbas: "Your nephew has truly won a great kingdom and
great power." Abbas snapped: "Woe to you! This is prophethood and not a
kingdom." Abu Sufyan had never seen such an awesome sight before, and with his pagan
reflexes, and extremely limited vision, could interpret it only in terms of material
power. But he realized that the game for him and the idolaters was over at last, and the
only important thing now was to save his and their lives. Abu Sufyan rushed back to Makkah, and entering the
precincts of the Kaaba, called out aloud: "O Makkans! Muhammad has arrived with his
army, and you have no power to oppose him. Those of you who enter my house, would be safe
from harm, and now only your unconditional surrender can save you from
massacre." Abu Sufyan's wife, Hinda, heard his call. She flew
into a most violent rage, stormed out of her house, seized him by his beard, and screamed:
"O Makkans! Kill this unlucky idiot. He is in dotage. Get rid of him and defend your
city from your enemy." But who would defend Makkah and how? Presently, Abu
Sufyan was surrounded by other citizens of Makkah, and one of them asked him: "Your
house can accommodate only a few people. How can so many people find sanctuary in
it?" He said: "All those people who stay in their own houses or enter the
precincts of the Kaaba, would also be safe." This ordinance meant that all that the
idolaters would have to do to save their lives, would be to stay indoors, and to refrain
from challenging the invaders. Washington Irving Mohammed prepared a secret expedition to take Mecca
by surprise. All roads leading to Mecca were barred to prevent any intelligence of his
movements being carried to Mecca. But among the fugitives from Mecca, there was one Hateb,
whose family had remained behind, and were without connections or friends to take an
interest in their welfare. Hateb now thought to gain favor for them among the Koreish, by
betraying the plans of Mohammed. He accordingly, wrote a letter revealing the intended
enterprise, and gave it in charge of a singing woman, who undertook to carry it to Mecca.
She was already on the road when Mohammed was appraised of the treachery. Ali and five
others, well-mounted, were sent in pursuit of the messenger. They soon overtook her, but
searched her person in vain. Most of them would have given up the search and turned back
but Ali was confident that the Prophet of God could not be mistaken nor misinformed.
Drawing his scimitar, he swore to kill the messenger unless the letter was produced. The
threat was effectual. She drew forth the letter from among her hair. Hateb, on being taxed with his perfidy, acknowledged
it; but pleaded anxiety to secure favor for his destitute family, and his certainty that
the letter would be harmless, and of no avail against the purposes of the Apostle of God. Omar spurned at these excuses and would have struck
off his head; but Mohammed, calling to mind, that Hateb had fought bravely in support of
the faith in the battle of Badr, forgave him. Mohammed, who knew not what resistance he might meet
with, made a careful distribution of his forces as he approached Mecca. While the main
body marched directly forward, strong detachments advanced over the hills on each side. To
Ali who commanded a large body of cavalry, was confided the sacred banner, which he was to
plant on Mount Hadjun, and maintain it there until joined by the Prophet. Express orders
were given to all the generals to practice forbearance, and in no instance to make the
first attack. (The Life of Mohammed) Muhammad, the Messenger of God, entered Makkah from
the north. Usama, the son of his friend and the martyr of Mootah, Zayd bin Haritha, was
riding pillion with him. Muhammad's head was bowed low, and he was reciting the chapter
from Qur’an called "The Victory." Ali carried the banner of Islam as he rode at the
head of the cavalry. The Prophet ordered Zubayr bin al-Awwam to enter the city from the
west, and Khalid bin al-Walid from the south. He gave strict orders to his army not to
kill anyone except in self-defense. He had long desired to destroy the idols in Kaaba but
he wished to do so without any bloodshed. His orders were clear and explicit;
nevertheless, Khalid killed 28 Makkans at the southern gate of the city. He said he had
met resistance. Sir John Glubb The Muslim occupation of Mecca was virtually
bloodless. The fiery Khalid bin Waleed killed a few people at the southern gate and was
sharply reprimanded by Mohammed for doing so. (The Great Arab Conquests) Eight years earlier Muhammad had left Makkah as a
fugitive with a price on his head, and now he was entering the same city as its conqueror.
His manner, however, bespoke not of pride or even of exultation but of gratitude and
humility – gratitude to God for His mercy in bestowing success upon His humble slave,
and humility in the contemplation of the vanity of worldly glory, and the evanescence of
all things human. The Prophet rode into the precincts of the Kaaba,
dismounted from his camel, called his cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and both of them entered
the Kaaba, cognizant of the Divine Commandment to the Prophets, Abraham (Ibrahim) and
Ismael: ...and We covenanted with Abraham and Ismael
that they should sanctify My house... (Chapter 2; verse 125) The Prophet and Ali found the House of God (Kaaba)
in a state of defilement; it had become a pantheon of 360 idols, and it had to be
sanctified. The Prophet knocked down each idol as he read the following verse from
Qur’an: Truth has come, and Falsehood has vanished. For
Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to vanish. (Chapter 17; verse 81) The largest idol in the pantheon was that of Hubal,
the dynastic god of the clan of Banu Umayya. Abu Sufyan had taken it with him on a camel
into the battle of Uhud to inspire his warriors with its presence. Hubal was mounted on a
high pedestal, and the Prophet could not reach it. He, therefore, ordered Ali to climb on
his shoulders, and to knock it down. In obedience to the prophetic command, Ali had to
stand on the shoulders of the Prophet; he aimed a blow at the principal deity of the
idolaters, and smashed it into pieces. With that tremendous stroke, Ali put an end forever
to idolatry in the Kaaba! Kaaba, the House of God, had been sanctified. Abul Kalam Azad Some idols were on a high pedestal and the Apostle
could not reach them. He ordered Ali to climb on his shoulders and to knock them down. Ali
mounted the shoulders of the Apostle, and knocked down the idols. He thus removed the
impurity of idolatry from the Kaaba for all time. (The Messenger of Mercy, Lahore,
Pakistan, 1970) When all the idols had been destroyed, all images
had been effaced, and all vestiges of polytheism had been obliterated, Muhammad, the
Messenger of God, ordered Bilal to call out Adhan. Bilal called Adhan and the valley of
Makkah rang out with his rich and sonorous takbir. The Prophet then made the seven
circuits of the Kaaba, and offered prayer of thanksgiving to his Creator. In the meantime, the Quraysh had gathered in the
court of the Kaaba awaiting the Prophet. They hoped that he would give them audience
before giving a verdict on their fate. Presently the Prophet appeared at the threshold of
the Kaaba. He surveyed the crowd in front of him and addressed it as follows: "There is no god but Allah. He is One and all
Alone, and He has no partners. All praise and thanks to Him. He has fulfilled His promise.
He has helped His slave to victory, and He has dispersed the gangs of his enemies. ‘O people! Listen to me. All the arrogance, the
distinctions, the pride, and all the claims of blood of the Times of Ignorance are under
my feet today. ‘O Quraysh! Allah has destroyed the arrogance
of the Times of Ignorance, and He has destroyed the pride of race. All men are the
children of Adam, and Adam was a handful of dust." The Prophet then read the following verse from
Qur’an: O People! We created you from a male and a female
and distributed you among tribes and families for the facility of reference only. But in
the sight of God only those people have a place of honor who are God-fearing and
God-loving. Verily, God is knowledgeable and understanding. (Chapter 49; verse 13) This verse is the Magna Carta of the equality and
brotherhood of all men in Islam. There cannot be any distinction between men on the
grounds of race, color, nationality, family or wealth. But whereas Islam destroys all
other distinctions, it upholds a distinction of its own, and that is the distinction of
faith and character. Muhammad then posed a question to the Quraysh:
"How do you think, I am going to treat you now?" They said: "You are a
generous brother, and the son of a generous brother. We expect only charity and
forgiveness from you." He said: "I will tell you what Joseph said to his
brothers, 'there is no blame on you today.' (Qur’an. Chapter 12; verse 92). Go now;
all of you are my freedmen." The Prophet declared a general amnesty in Makkah.
The amnesty extended even to the apostates. He forbade his army to plunder the city or to
seize anything that belonged to the Quraysh. Quraysh had left nothing undone to compass
his destruction, and the destruction of Islam; but in his hour of triumph, he condoned all
their crimes and transgressions. The Quraysh, at first, were incredulous. They could
not believe their own ears. How could Muhammad resist the temptation to kill them all,
after all that they had done to him in more than two decades, and especially now that he
had so much power in his hand? The unwillingness of Muhammad to use his power was
something that utterly surpassed the comprehension of the polytheists of Makkah.
Considerable time passed before the meaning of the intent of Muhammad sank into their
minds, and the amnesty began to look possible and real to them. The aim of Muhammad, the Apostle of Peace, was to
capture Makkah without bloodshed, and in this he was successful. It was here that he
revealed himself, in the words of Al-Qur’an al-Majid "a mercy for all
mankind." History cannot furnish an example of such forbearance. Not only the pagans
were not exterminated; not only they did not have to pay any penalty for their crimes of
the past; they were not even disturbed in the possession of the houses which the
Muhajireen had left in Makkah, and which they had occupied. From the Kaaba, the Prophet went to Mount Safa, and
the people of Makkah came to acknowledge him as their sovereign in his dual character
– as Messenger of God, and as their temporal ruler. All men gave the pledge of their
loyalty to Muhammad by placing their hands on his hand. Next came the turn of women to
take the oath of loyalty. But he did not want to touch the hand of any woman who was not
his wife. He, therefore, ordered Umar bin al-Khattab to accept the pledge of women on his
behalf. Sir John Glubb The Apostle then ordered Umar ibn al-Khattab to
accept the oaths of women. The Great Arab Conquests) When oath-taking was over, the Messenger of God
addressed himself to the new political and administrative problems arising out of the
conquest of Makkah. The fascinating, complex story that had begun on
February 12, 610, in the cave of Hira, had climaxed on February 11, 630, in the court of
Kaaba. It was a day of emotion, promise and ceremony, and a day rich in history,
significance, and symbolism. The aspiration that had seemed hopeless in 620 in Ta'if, had
become an accomplished fact in 630 in Makkah. The Quraysh had carried on a long and bitter
struggle against Islam for twenty years but many among them now could see that the idols
which they worshipped as their gods and goddesses, were utterly useless things. They,
therefore, accepted Islam. Among them, there were both kinds of proselytes: a few who had
been convinced that Muhammad was the true messenger of God, and they acknowledged him as
such. But there were many others who accepted Islam because they had very little to choose
from. They realized that it was no use bucking the tide, and they also sensed that it was
not such a bad bargain after all to declare themselves Muslims, and they did, with what
reservations, was a question to be answered by the future alone. All members of the clan of Banu Umayya, including
Hinda, the wife of Abu Sufyan and the cannibal of Uhud, also "accepted" Islam. Here one may pause to reflect on the
"acceptance" of Islam by the Banu Umayya. A man can surrender to the enemy
because of fear, and fear can also seal his mouth. Fear can do many things but there is
one thing it cannot do – it cannot change hatred into love. For twenty years, Banu
Umayya had spearheaded the pagan opposition to Islam. They waged economic, political,
military and psychological war against its Prophet, and against his followers. Now to
imagine that one demonstration of military might by Muhammad "convinced" them
that he was the true messenger of God, would be too much to expect from human nature. The
demonstration of might by the Muslims did not change the hatred, resentment and bitterness
of the Banu Umayya into love and sweetness, especially at a time when Islam deprived them
not only of the idols they worshipped as their deities but also deprived them of their
prestige, privileges, status and power. They had, therefore, the same state of mind that
every defeated nation has. Their hearts were full of hatred, rancor and vindictiveness
against the guardians of Islam. The Banu Umayya accepted Islam in the reflexive
recoil from the collapse of the whole pagan effort in Makkah. Their efforts to rescue the
past, and their struggle to maintain their links to paganism as pagans had failed but
perhaps they could try to do the same thing as Muslims. The champions of the idols,
therefore, entered the ranks of the believers disguised as Muslims. This made them much
more dangerous than before when their opposition to Islam had been overt. At the moment,
however, they went "underground" and marked time awaiting an opportunity to
surface when they would destroy Islam, if possible; but if not, then they would change its
distinguishing characteristics, and would restore as many institutions of the Times of
Ignorance as possible. The Banu Umayya could not subvert Islam in the
lifetime of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, because he took effective safeguards against
the recrudescence of paganism. He was alert at all times, and they could not spring a
surprise upon him. He also took care not to give them any positions of authority which
they might use as a base for their self-aggrandizement. Some historians have claimed that the Prophet was
eager to enlist the Banu Umayya in the service of Islam since they had many rare skills
and talents. Von Grunebaum, for example, writes: Muhammad for his part needed the experience of the
Meccan ruling class; the expansion of the umma and above all its fundamental organization
could not be administered without the help of the men of the city. (Classical Islam
– A History 600-1258, 1970) This is one of those claims which cannot be upheld
against scrutiny. There is no evidence that the Prophet ever put the
"experience" of the Banu Umayya to any use. Equally fatuous is the claim that
the expansion of the umma and its fundamental organization could not be administered
without them. If the Banu Umayya had the abilities attributed to them, why they didn't put
them to use in their cynical war against Muhammad and Islam, and why were they
defeated?Muhammad, the Messenger of God, created and consolidated the Islamic State in the
teeth of the Umayyad opposition. The Islamic State could not coexist with the pagan
oligarchy of Makkah which was headed by the Banu Umayya, and he had to destroy it. He was
not impressed by their "abilities" before or after their acceptance of Islam,
and he did not appoint any of them as a general or an administrator or a judge or
anything. This component of his policy toward them could not be more explicit. Some Sunni historians have pointed out that the
Prophet appointed Muawiya, the son of Abu Sufyan and Hinda, his "scribe" to
record the Qur’anic verses. Muawiya may have written down some verses of Qur’an
but it does not mean that they could not be recorded without him. There were many scribes
available to the Prophet. In the first place, when Muawiya became a Muslim, most of the
Qur’an had already been revealed, and there was little, if anything, for him to
write. In the second place, he was only one out of a multitude of scribes. If writing the
verses of Qur’an is a "distinction" for him, then he shares it with many
other copyists. After all, Abdullah bin Saad bin Abi Sarh, the foster-brother of Uthman
bin Affan was also a scribe. He distorted the verses of Qur’an as he wrote them down.
The Prophet declared him to be an apostate. He was going to be executed but was saved by
Uthman. The Prophet banished him from Medina. Muawiya's skill as a scribe, therefore, was not one
that was in short supply at the court of the Medina. The historians have preserved the
names of 29 scribes of the Prophet. Nevertheless, the statement of Von Grunebaum quoted
above, would, in effect, be correct, if it is slightly modified to read that it was not
the Prophet of Islam but Abu Bakr and Umar who needed the experience and the expertise of
the Banu Umayya, and it were both of them who could not administer the new state without
their support. The Banu Umayya were indispensable for Abu Bakr and Umar. The story of the
revival of the Banu Umayya during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar is told in another
chapter. The Prophet did, however, try to mollify the
Umayyads with dowsers in the hope that they would shed their hostility to Islam, and some
day, they themselves or their children would become sincere Muslims. But his efforts were
fruitless. Nothing that he did for them, ever softened their hearts toward Islam. They
never acquired a sense of identity with Islam or an allegiance to it. They were
emotionally, constitutionally and ideologically unable to come to terms with it. Only by
failing to achieve their aims by the sword, did they recognize the virtues and accept the
mandate of peace. But for them, only the means had changed, not the end. The day Abu Sufyan; his wife Hinda, their son
Muawiya, and other members of the clan of Umayya, accepted Islam, the Trojan Horse of
polytheism also entered the fortress of Islam. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the philosopher of
Islam, summed up the nature of the conversion of the Banu Umayya to Islam as follows: "Banu Umayya have not become true believers.
They have only submitted to a superior force." In giving this verdict upon the conversion of the
Banu Umayya to Islam, Ali was paraphrasing the following verse from the Book of God: The Arabs say: ‘We have adopted the Faith
(amanna)'. Say (to them): "Faith ye have not. Rather say: ‘We have become Muslim
(aslamna). For Faith has not yet entered your hearts.'" (Chapter 49; verse 15) The Prophet of Islam spent a fortnight in Makkah
educating the newly converted Makkans into Islam, and in organizing the government of that
city. He had "de-contaminated" the Kaaba, and the Muslims were now in possession
of a city which was the social, political, cultural, commercial and religious hub of
Arabia. All the Arab tribes now recognized the authority of his government as paramount. The Prophet consolidated the new acquisitions of
territories between Makkah and Medina and the areas around Makkah. He then set to work to
reorganize the Arab society. In the past, the Arabs had familiarity only with basic tribal
and kinship structures in their social organization but now they had become a
"nation" (umma) under his leadership. Their loyalties as Muslims, did not take
into account racial origins, tribal affiliations, national or linguistic attachments or
even geographical boundaries. The loyalties of the Muslims transcended all natural
barriers and man-made distinctions. They had to give their new loyalty to the Community of
the Faithful which acknowledged God as One, and Muhammad as His Messenger. Many tribes around Makkah were still heathen, and
the Prophet wanted to invite them to Islam. Also, there were other tribes which had
accepted Islam but had not paid their taxes to the State treasury, and he wished to remind
them to pay those dues. He, therefore, sent missionaries and tax-collectors in various
directions, with specific instructions on their duties, responsibilities and powers. One of these tax-collectors was Khalid bin al-Walid.
The Prophet sent him to the tribe of Banu Jadhima to collect unpaid taxes but he
overstepped his authority, and stained his hands with innocent Muslim blood! Muhammad ibn Ishaq Khalid's expedition after the conquest of Makkah to
the B. Jadhima of Kinana and Ali's expedition to repair Khalid's error. Hakim told me that the Apostle summoned Ali and told
him to go to these people and look into the affair, and abolish the practices of the pagan
era. So Ali went to them with the money the Apostle had sent and paid the bloodwit and
made good their monetary loss. When all blood and property had been paid for he still had
some money left over. He asked if any compensation was still due and when they said it was
not, he gave them the rest of the money on behalf of the Apostle. Then he returned and
reported to the Apostle what he had done and he commended him. Then the Apostle arose and
facing the Qibla, raised his arms, and said: O God! I am innocent before Thee of what
Khalid has done. This he did thrice. Khalid and Abdur Rahman b. Auf had sharp words about
this matter. The latter said to him: "You have done a pagan act in Islam."
Khalid said that he had only avenged Abdur Rahman's father. He answered that he was a liar
because he himself had killed his father's slayer; but Khalid had taken vengeance for his
uncle so that there was bad feeling between them. Hearing of this the Apostle said (to Khalid):
"Leave my companions alone, for by God if you had a mountain of gold and spent it for
God's sake, you would not approach the merit of my companions." (The Life of the
Prophet) Washington Irving On a certain mission (on his way to Tehama) Khalid
bin Waleed had to pass through the country of the tribe of Jadsima. He had with him 350
men and was accompanied by Abdur Rahman, one of the earliest proselytes of the faith. His
instructions from the Prophet were to preach peace and goodwill, to inculcate the faith,
and to abstain from violence, unless assailed. Most of the tribe of Jadsima had embraced Islam but
some were still of the Sabean religion. On a former occasion this tribe had plundered and
slain an uncle of Khalid, also the father of Abdur Rahman, as they were returning from
Arabia Felix. Dreading that Khalid and his host might take vengeance for those misdeeds,
they armed themselves on their approach. Khalid secretly rejoiced at seeing them ride forth
to meet him in this military array. Hailing them with an imperious tone, he demanded
whether they were Moslems or infidels. They replied in faltering accents,
"Moslems." "Why then come ye forth to meet us with weapons in your
hand?" "Because we have enemies among some of the tribes who may attack us
unawares," they said. Khalid sternly ordered them to dismount and lay by
their weapons. Some complied, and were instantly seized and bound; the rest fled. Taking
their flight as a confession of guilt, he pursued them with great slaughter; laid waste
the country, and in the effervescence of his zeal even slew some of the prisoners. Mohammed, when he heard of this unprovoked outrage,
raised his hands to heaven, and called God to witness that he was innocent of it. Khalid
when upbraided with it on his return, would fain have shifted the blame on Abdur Rahman,
but Mohammed rejected indignantly any imputation against one of the earliest and worthiest
of his followers. The generous Ali was sent forthwith to restore to the people of Jadsima
what Khalid had wrested from them, and to make pecuniary compensation to the relatives of
the slain. It was a mission congenial with Ali's nature, and he
executed it faithfully. Inquiring into the losses and sufferings of each individual, he
paid him to his full content. When every loss was made good, and all blood atoned for, he
distributed the remaining money among the people, gladdening every heart by his bounty. So
Ali received the thanks and praises of the Prophet, but the vindictive Khalid was rebuked
even by those whom he had thought to please. "Behold!" said he to Abdur Rahman,
"I have avenged the death of your father." "Rather say," replied the
other indignantly, "thou hast avenged the death of thine uncle. Thou has disgraced
the faith by an act worthy of an idolater." (The Life of Mohammed) Sir John Glubb After the occupation of Mecca, emissaries were sent
to the surrounding tribes to urge them to destroy their local idols and pagan shrines. One
such party was commanded by Khalid bin Waleed, the victor of Uhud. Khalid was a highly
successful fighter but a headstrong, violent and bloodthirsty man. He was sent to Beni
Jadheema clan of Beni Kinana, on the coastal plain south-west of Mecca. By a tragic coincidence, these Beni Jadheema had
killed Khalid's uncle many years before, when he was returning from a business trip to the
Yemen. The Apostle, who was probably unaware that Khalid had a private feud with the
people he was sent to convert, had told him to avoid bloodshed. When he reached Beni
Jadheema, Khalid told them to lay down their arms as the war was over and everyone had now
accepted Islam. When they had done so, however, he suddenly seized a number of the men,
tied their hands behind their backs, and gave orders that they be beheaded, as
satisfaction for the murder of his uncle. An Arab horseman who was with Khalid's force,
subsequently told how a young man of Beni Jadheema, his hands tied, asked him to allow him
to speak to some women who were standing a little way apart. The Muslim agreed and led the
prisoner across to the women. "Goodby, Hubaisha," the youth said to a girl among
them, "my life is at an end now." But she cried out, "No, no, may your life
be prolonged for many years to come." The prisoner was led back and immediately
decapitated. As he fell, the girl broke away from the group of women and ran to him.
Bending over him, she covered him with kisses, refusing to let go until they killed her
also. The Apostle was genuinely horrified when he heard of
Khalid's action. Standing in the courtyard of Kaaba, he raised his hands above his head
and cried aloud: "O God! I am innocent before Thee of what Khalid has done." Ali
was sent immediately with a large sum of cash to pay blood-money for all who had been
killed, and generous compensation for any losses of property. (The Life and Times of
Mohammed, 1970, p. 320) Muhammad Husayn Haykal Muhammad resided in Makkah fifteen days during which
he organized its affairs and instructed its people in Islam. During this period, he sent
forth delegations to call men peaceably to Islam to destroy the idols without shedding any
blood. Khalid ibn al-Walid was sent to Nakhlah to destroy al-Uzza, goddess of Banu
Shayban. His task accomplished, ibn al-Walid proceeded to Jadhimah. There, however, the
people took up arms at his approach. Khalid asked them to lay down their arms on the
grounds that all people had accepted Islam. One of the Jadhimah tribesmen said to his
people: "Woe to you, Banu Jadhimah! Don't you know that this is Khalid? By God,
nothing awaits you once you have laid down your arms except captivity, and once you have
become captives, you can expect nothing but death." Some of his people answered:
"Do you seek to have us all murdered? Don't you know that most men have converted to
Islam, that the war is over, and that security is reestablished?" Those who held this
opinion continued to talk to their tribesmen until the latter surrendered their arms.
Thereupon, ibn al-Walid ordered them to be bound, and he killed some of them. When he
heard the news, the Prophet lifted his arms to heaven and prayed:"O God! I condemn
what Khalid ibn al-Walid has done." The Prophet gave funds to Ali ibn Abi Talib and sent
him to look into the affairs of this tribe, cautioning him to disregard all the customs of
pre-Islam. Upon arrival, Ali paid the blood-wit of all the victims and compensated the
property owners for their damages. Before leaving, he surrendered the rest of the money
which the Prophet had given him to the tribe just in case there were any other losses
which may have escaped notice at the time. (The Life of Muhammad, Cairo, 1935) The demarche that Muhammad Mustafa, the Messenger of
God, made toward Banu Jadhima, through Ali, was absolutely essential. Khalid had killed
people who were not only Muslim but also were innocent of all guilt. Failure to make
amends for his crimes would have earned for the Muslims a reputation not only for
senseless cruelty and wanton abuse of power but also for treachery. The pagans and those
Arabs who could be called Muslims, at this early date, only by courtesy, would,
inevitably, have linked the foul deeds of Khalid with the Prophet himself. There was even
the danger that they would have repudiated Islam and relapsed into idolatry, just to spite
Khalid. The Prophet, therefore, went into Kaaba, and thrice denounced Khalid's act, and
called upon Heaven to be a Witness that he bore no responsibility for it. The Banu Jadhima were left stripped and utterly
broken by Khalid. The Prophet wanted not only to comfort them and to rehabilitate them but
also to win back their confidence and love. It was a most difficult and delicate task, and
he chose Ali to carry it out. Khalid had tarnished the image of Islam, and the Prophet
knew that no one among his companions except Ali had the ability to restore to it its
pristine sheen. Ali proved once again that his master could not have
chosen anyone better than him for this sensitive assignment, and he demonstrated once
again that if he was the first in war, he was also the first in peace. He astonished and
enchanted the Banu Jadhima with his sincerity, his generosity, his friendliness, and his
genuine solicitude for their happiness and welfare. With his quality of address, Ali recaptured the
hearts of Banu Jadhima for his master, Muhammad Mustafa, and for Islam. This was a role
that was "custom-designed" for him to play. He loved this role more than any
other. He loved to dress the psychological wounds of other people, and he loved to bring
cheer and comfort to broken hearts. He was endowed with a very special flair to carry
through a role like this.
