HIS LORDSHIP THE REFUGE OF TERMINATION—U. W. B.— PROCEEDS TO THE NOBLE CITY OF MEKKAH WITH THE INTENTION OF PERFORMING THE CEREMONIES OF THE PILGRIMAGE, BUT IS HINDERED BY THE IDOLATERS. THE TREATY OF HODAYBIAH, AND ITS EVENTS.

The relater of the tradition says that the apostle of God came out from Madinah and meant to go on pilgrimage, because he had dreamt that he was doing so, holding the key of the Ka’bah in his own blessed hand, whilst some of his companions were shaving their hair, others picking it up and sojourning in A’rafat. When he narrated the dream to his friends they rejoiced, and imagined this great happiness would be realized during the year. In this year Bashyr B. Sofyân Alka’by, who had professed the Faith in Mekkah, but had not left the town, was also admitted to the honour of kissing the feet of his lordship. It was arranged that a number of camels should be taken to Mekkah, to be slaughtered there as sacrifices. These amounted to seventy, among which were also the camels of Abu Jahl, that had been taken in the fight at Bedr, and had fallen into the possession of his lordship, Nâhyah B. Jundal being appointed to take care of them. Some of the companions who were opulent slaughtered a camel, such as Abu Bakr, and O’mar, and A’bdu-r-rahman, and Ttolhah. The Musal­mâns carried no other arms except swords, despite of O’mar B. Alkhattâb’s adjuration to the prophet to do so, when he said: ‘O apostle of God, we must take arms, because we are not secure of Abu Sofyân and his companions.’ But his lordship replied: ‘I do not like to bear arms whilst on the visitation [to the holy places].’ Then Sa’d B. A’bâdah said: ‘O apostle of God, it will be better if we take arms, because the people will either offer resistance or not. In the first case we shall need arms, and in the second no harm will befall us.’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘We shall not take any arms, because we are going on pilgrim­age.’ Then he appointed Ebn Maktûm to be his lieutenant in Madinah, and having washed himself at the door of his house, and put on a robe, he mounted the she-camel Qasswy near the gate of his sacred habitation, and turning his blessed face towards the Qiblah he donned the Ehrâm,* and pronounced the words of obedience according to the formula: ‘I await Thy commands, O Allah! I await Thy commands. Thou hast no partner. Thine is the praise and the glory and the kingdom. Thou hast no partner.’ All the professors of Islâm imitated the example, and likewise put on the Ehrâm on the spot, whereby a portion of them signified their intention of performing the ceremonies connected with the pilgrimage. Concerning the number of the glorious army there is a difference among the U’lâma, but according to the most correct traditions of biographers one thousand and four hundred men attended the person of his holy and prophetic lordship. Among the mothers of the Musâlmans [i.e., wives of Muhammad] Omm Solmah—u. w. b.—was selected to accompany the apostle of God on that journey. According to the unanimous con­sensus of biographers, the army departed from Madinah in the beginning of the month Dhu-l-qa’dah, Nâhyah B. Jundal being sent in advance with the led camels, and ordered to constitute with A’bâdah B. Boshyr and twenty other men the vanguard of the army, and to march through the desert to Mekkah.

It is related that when the apostle of God arrived in Ghasfân, Bashyr B. Sofyân, who had been despatched to spy out the Qoraish, returned from Mekkah, and said: ‘O apostle of God, the Qoraish have learnt that thou art pro­ceeding to the honoured sanctuary, have put on leather garments, mounted good camels, have started, and, lo! they are halting at Dhu Taul, having made a cove­nant with each other to hinder thee from entering Mekkah.’

When the news of the approach of his lordship spread among the inhabitants of Mekkah, they held a consultation, and determined to hinder that prince from visiting the house of Allah. They accordingly asked aid from the Arab tribes that were dwelling in the environs of the sanctuary, collected a numerous army, marched from Mekkah, halted in the station of Yaldah, and appointed Khâled B. Alwolyd and A’kramah B. Abu Jahl with two hundred troopers to be outposts. When the ray of this information shone upon the illuminated forehead, his lordship held a council of war with the distinguished Mohâjer and noble Anssâr, who said: ‘It will be expedient for us to fall upon the women and children of the Arabs who are aiding the Qoraish, and to plunder them, so as to distress them, and to induce them to secede from the Qoraish for the protection of their own families. Then we may easily fight the Qoraish.’ Ssiddyq [i.e., Abu Bakr], however, said: ‘We have this year turned out with the intention of performing the visitation [to the sacred localities] and the pilgrimage to the house of the Ka’bah, without intending to meet or to fight with anyone. When the Qoraish hinder thee to visit the Ka’bah, then we shall fight them.’ His lordship approved of the words of Ssiddyq, saying: ‘Proceed [on the journey] in the name of Allah the Most High and Glorious.’ And, continuing: ‘Khâled B. Wolyd is in A’mym by way of an outpost. Avoid the beaten track, that we may come upon them unawares.’ It is said that the professors of Islâm marched in an impracticable and difficult direction, being under the necessity of traversing gorges which greatly harassed the Musalmâns. His lordship, however, said: ‘This is a path of the paths leading to paradise.’ After leaving that locality they reached soft ground, whereon that prince exclaimed: ‘Say, I ask pardon from Allah, and repent unto Him!’ The narrator of the tradition says: ‘I swear by Allah that Khâled B. Wolyd was not aware of the approach of the combatants for the religion until he perceived the dust raised by their animals, whereon he fled from fear of the victorious army, and informed the Qoraish of what was taking place.’

When his lordship reached a hill which is near Hodaybiah, the she-camel Qasswy, which he rode, knelt down, and, though the companions beat her, she would not get up, so that they said: ‘Qasswy is tired.’ But the prince of the world rejoined: ‘Qasswy is not tired; He who stopped the elephant has stopped her.’* The story of the halting of the elephant at the time when Abrahah Ssubbâh intended to destroy the house of the Ka’bah has been already nar­rated in these pages in detail. It is related that when the she-camel Qasswy knelt, bis lordship exclaimed: ‘I swear by God, in whose power the life of Muhammad is, that the Qoraish will ask from me nothing which refers to the glorification of the sanctuary without my complying there­with!’ Then he struck the camel till she rose, but deflected from the road, and again halted at a well near Hodaybiah, which contained little water. The people complained to his lordship of thirst after having consumed the water in a very short time, whereon he drew an arrow from his quiver and told them to throw it into the well. The narrator of the tradition says that in consequence of this act the water gushed forth so abundantly that one thousand four hundred men, with all their quadrupeds, drank thereof and were satisfied.

Jâber B. A’bdullah says that on the day of Hodaybiah the people complained to his lordship the apostle on account of the want of water, and said: ‘O apostle of God, there is no water at all in this station, except in thy water-bag.’ That prince had a water-bag the contents whereof he used for performing his religious ablutions. When his lordship heard these words, he placed his hands upon the bag, and the water trickled from between his blessed fingers as if it were dripping from a fountain. Jâber says: ‘We all drank of that water, and performed our religious ablution.’ Being asked how many persons had drunk of that water and per­formed their religious ablution, Jâber replied: ‘I swear that if we had been one hundred thousand it would have sufficed us!’

When the regions and environs of Hodaybiah were honoured by the presence of his holy and prophetic lordship and of his noble companions, Hodhayl B. Warqâ Khuzaa’y was, with a number of his tribe—who aspired to the amity of his lordship the best of men—u. w. b.—and whose [tribes­men’s] bosoms were the depositories of the orders of the prince of the righteous—admitted to the felicity of kissing the heaven-exalted stirrups of his lordship, and reported that the Bani Ka’b B. Lawy and A’amer B. Lawy had with several Arab tribes taken their position near the wells, with the intention to hinder his lordship from visiting the house of the Ka’bah, and to attack him in case he should refuse to withdraw. The prophet—u. w. b.—said: ‘We have not come to fight or to kill anyone, but our intention is to visit the house of Allah and to perform the ceremonies of the pilgrimage. As the Qoraish are greatly bent on war, they must be displeased with our intention; but if they are willing, we shall appoint a time for the fight. I shall con­tend against all idolaters. If I am vanquished, they will have gained their object; but if I am the victor, they will have to follow and to obey me like all other people, and thus an end will be made to discord and to war. If, how­ever, the Qoraish refuse to comply with my proposal, I swear by that God in whose power the life of Muhammad is, that I shall fight them, and God the Most High and Magnificent will grant the victory to His adherents, and will execute His purpose.’ Hodhayl replied: ‘I shall immediately report thy words to the Qoraish.’ He then departed from the noble assembly, betook himself to the camp of the idolaters, met the Qoraish, and said: ‘I have heard Muhammad’s declaration, and if you are so inclined I shall report it.’ Then Hukm B. Abu-l-a’ass and all the fools of the people said: ‘We do not want to hear his tale.’ The intelligent, however, and the discerning exclaimed: ‘Tell us what thou hast heard from him.’ Accordingly, Hodhayl first narrated what he had listened to, and then spoke as follows: ‘O ye Qoraish people, are you desirous of waging war against Muhammad when he is going on pilgrimage to the house of the Ka’bah?’ But the infidels thought that Hodhayl had agreed with the Mussttafa— u. w. b.—to deceive them; and with reference to this matter U’rwah B. Masau’d Thaqafi rose and said: ‘O ye Qoraish people, are you not in the place of fathers to me, as if I were your son?’ They replied: ‘Yes, so it is.’ U’rwah further asked: ‘Do you suspect that I would be inimical or treacherous towards you?’ They said: ‘No.’ Then U’rwah enumerated former obligations under which the Qoraish were bound to him, and said: ‘That which Muhammad proposes to you is highly acceptable and praise­worthy. You ought to agree to it, and to allow me to speak with these people.’ They replied: ‘We have no objection.’ U’rwah accordingly waited upon his lordship the prince of existences, and enjoyed the felicity [of speaking to him]. His lordship repeated the same words to him which he had said to Hodhayl, and U’rwah spoke thus: ‘O Muhammad, if thou extirpatest and annihilatest the Qoraish, of what use will it be to thee? Are they not, after all, of thy own nation and of thy blood? I never heard of an Arab acting in this way before. Woe betide thee if thou art conquered! for I see a number of men around thee who will flee and abandon thee on the day of thy calamity, and will leave thee alone.’ When the Ssiddyq heard these words of U’rwah, he began to revile and to insult him, and asked: ‘Shall we flee from him and leave him alone?’ U’rwah queried: ‘Who is the speaker of these words?’ The people said: ‘Abu Bakr.’ U’rwah then continued: ‘I swear by God, in whose power my life is, that if my pledge to thee had not hindered me, I would have answered and punished thee!’ According to Wâqidi, the pledge to Abu Bakr was that during the time of ignorance U’rwah had become liable to pay a blood-mulct, and that his friends had paid it by giving two or three oxen each, but the Ssiddyq had pre­sented U’rwah with two cows [to make up the ransom]. It is related that U’rwah was sitting near his lordship the apostle, and that during the conversation he happened to touch the blessed moustache of that prince; but Moghayrah B. Sha’bah, who was standing by the side of his lordship with a naked sabre, struck U’rwah with the flat blade of it whenever U’rwah approached the blessed beard with his hand, saying: ‘Be civil, and keep off thy hand from the blessed moustache of the apostle of God.’ After Moghayrah had several times reprimanded him, U’rwah asked: ‘Who is this man?’ They replied: ‘Moghayrah B. Sha’bah.’ Then U’rwah turned towards Moghayrah, saying: ‘Traitor! I am endeavouring to make peace and to remedy thy per­fidiousness, and thou repayest me thus!’

Wâqidi says: ‘Moghayrah went with thirteen persons to the King [sic] of Alexandria, who exalted them above himself and made them presents. On their return from Alexandria they were one night carousing, and when, being drunk with wine, they had fallen asleep, Moghayrah was so overpowered by covetousness and envy that he killed them all, took possession of their property, went to Madinah, and became a Musalmân. His lordship said to him: “Thy profession of Islâm is accepted, but I do not want to have anything to do with thy property, and shall not take the fifth of it.” When this news spread in Mekkah, and Abu Sofyân was apprised thereof, he informed U’rwah B. Masau’d Thaqafi of it. The latter then went several times to the Bani Mâlek and spoke on the subject to Moghayrah, who agreed to pay to their heirs the blood-mulct for the thirteen men he had assassinated. The Bani Mâlek [never­theless] prepared for revenge, and began to quarrel with the tribe of Moghayrah, who, however, succeeded in quelling the tumult by negotiations and flattery, so that the Bani Mâlek at last agreed to accept the ransom, to pay which U’rwah made himself responsible, whereon peace was restored, and the words spoken by U’rwah to Moghay­rah referred to this transaction.’ It is related that in the said assembly U’rwah B. Masau’d looked from the corner of his eye at the companions of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—scanning their behaviour, and witness­ing how respectfully and how reverently they dealt with the prophet in their words and acts. He took the finger of astonishment between the teeth of amazement, and said on his return to the idolaters: ‘O ye Qoraish people, by Allah! I have been in assemblies of kings, I have seen the Kesra, the Qayssar, and the Najâshi,* but have seen none of their servants honouring them as the companions of Muhammad honour him. I swear by God that when he spat, and the saliva happened to fall on the hand of one of his friends, he smeared it upon his own face, and con­sidered it as an ornament. When he wanted anything to be done, which the meanest could perform, the highest of his people made haste to do it.’

Wâqidi relates that U’rwah said: ‘I have seen men who would suffer themselves to be killed for his sake without caring for their lives. As long as one of that company has life remaining in him he will not cease to protect his friend, and will not surrender him to the enemy. Nor will this army turn away from you, except it be annihilated or takes vengeance on you. The conclusion from all this is that you are not to reject the proposal of Muhammad, which only implies your own peace and welfare, and that you ought to believe in and respect his foresight. I give you good advice, and fear that the breeze of victory and con­quest will waft in favour of our enemies, because Muham­mad has come to glorify the house of Allah.’ The Qoraish replied: ‘Do not utter words like these; for we shall not allow him to visit the house of the Ka’bah this year. We wish him to return now, and to come next year to circum­ambulate the house.’ After U’rwah had returned, a man of the chiefs of the Hâmysh, whose name was Jalys, desired to meet his holy and prophetic lordship. He obtained permission from the Qoraish, proceeded to the camp of the professors of Islâm, and when he arrived near it the apostle of God exclaimed: ‘This is a man of the nation which sacrifices camels for the glorification of the Ka’bah! Go and meet him!’ The friends obeyed, and Jalys, guess­ing that they had come on pilgrimage, and not for war, said to himself: ‘Praise be to Allah! it is not proper that anyone hinder them from encompassing the Ka’bah.’ He then immediately returned without enjoying the felicity of waiting on his lordship, and said to the Qoraish: ‘Friends, I have seen the companions of Muhammad, who have prepared camels for the sacrifices and are on their way to visit the house of God. I do not see why you should impede them from visiting the house of the Ka’bah.’ The Qoraish replied: ‘Be silent, O Jalys! Thou art but a simple Arab, and knowest nought about politics.’ Hereon Jalys became angry, and exclaimed: ‘O ye Qoraish, I do not agree with you that anyone who comes to visit the Ka’bah and to glorify the house of Allah should be hindered. I swear by that God in whose power the life of Jalys is that if you prohibit Muhammad from going round the Ka’bah I and all the Hâmysh will separate from you.’ The Qoraish thereon excused themselves, say­ing: ‘Let us alone, O Jalys, and we shall conclude peace with Muhammad according to our own wish.’

In the Maghrafatu-s-sahâbah it is recorded that his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—gave to Kharâsh B. Ommyah Khozaa’y a camel, named ‘The Fox,’ and sent him to Mekkah, to inform the inhabitants of the intention of his lordship the apostle of God—u. w. b. When Kharâsh arrived in Mekkah the Qoraish followed his camel with the intention of slaying him; but some genii liberated him from the grasp of the idolaters and sent him back to the apostle of God, who, calling O’mar B. Alk­hattâb after Kharâsh had waited on him, said: ‘Thou must go to Mekkah, and inform the Qoraish that we are not coming to fight, but to visit the house of the Ka’bah.’ O’mar replied: ‘It is evident to thy discerning mind how greatly the Qoraish are incensed against us, and how much I hate them. As soon as they catch hold of me they will undoubtedly kill me, nor is any one of the Bani A’dy at Mekkah who could protect me against their wicked inten­tions. It will be more suitable to despatch O’thmân B. O’ffân, because he is much respected among the Qoraish, and has many clansmen, as well as relatives, in Mekkah.’ The opinion of Fârûq [i.e., O’mar] having been approved of, Dhu-n-nûryn was sent to Abu Sofyân and the Qoraish chieftains, to inform them of the intentions of that prince. O’thmân accordingly started in consequence of the order he had received, and met the idolaters in a place called Yaldah, where he delivered his message, saying: ‘His lordship the prophet desires to visit the house of the Ka’bah, and not to fight neighbours nor strangers.’ The infidels, however, insisted on prohibiting the paragon of the family of Qossai and the pride of the family of A’bd Munâf to circumambulate the Ka’bah, and said: ‘This is a matter which we shall never allow. We cannot consent that he should enter Mekkah and visit the house of God.’ After that Ayân B. Sa’yd B. Ala’ass showed much respect to O’thmân, seated him on his own beast, and mounted behind him. Thus they arrived in Mekkah, where Dhu-n-nûryn delivered the message of the apostle of God to Abu Sofyân, and to a number of the Qoraish nobles who had not gone out with the people. All of them agreed, however, in refusing to admit the apostle of God [to the sanctuary of Mekkah]. The Qoraish then said to O’thmân: ‘If thou be so inclined, arise, go and circumambulate the Ka’bah.’ O’thmân replied: ‘I shall not encompass it before the apostle of God has done so.’ At these words the idolaters became so incensed that they would not allow O’thmân to depart. It is said that when O’thmân had gone to Mekkah, the professors of Islâm said in the assembly of his lordship the best of men: ‘Blessed is O’thman, who has departed to the sanctuary and will visit the Ka’bah!’ The apostle of God, however, replied: ‘We being hindered from encom­passing the Ka’bah, O’thmân will likewise not do so.’ On that occasion ten of the Mohâjer went, with the permission of his holy and prophetic lordship, to Mekkah, and their names are as follows: ‘Jâber, and A’bdullah B. Sohayl, and A’yyâsh B. Rabya’h, and Hesham B. A’bdu-l-a’ass, and Hattub B. Abu Balyghah, and Hâttub B. A’mru, and O’mayr B. Wohob Alhajamy, and A’bdullah B. Abu Khozâa’y, and A’bdullah B. Ommyah.* After O’thmân’s sojourn in Mekkah had become protracted beyond expecta­tion, it reached the august audition of his holy and pro­phetic lordship that O’thmân had been killed, together with the just-mentioned ten Mohâjer. Ebn A’bbâs— u. w. b.—says: ‘Satan proclaimed that O’thmân had been slain at Hodaybiah; and when the rumour of the murder of O’thmân became current in the army of Islâm the apostle of God leant with his back against a tree, which event God the Most High has recorded in the Qurân, say­ing: “Now Allah was well pleased with the true believers when they swore fidelity unto thee under the tree.”’* Then the professors of Islâm swore fidelity, and promised him to fight the idolaters. Sohayl B. A’mru was, accord­ing to a certain tradition, on this occasion, with a number of idolaters, honoured by being admitted into the presence of the prince of apostles and guide on the true road— u. w. b.—for the purpose of negotiating about the delivery of certain Qoraish prisoners, the details of which transaction are as follows: The apostle of God had appointed Awys B. Khauly and A’bâdah B. Bashyr and Muhammad B. Moslamah in the station of Hodaybiah, to take their turns with a number of the professors of Islâm during the night and to keep watch over the victorious army. After O’thmân had departed to Mekkah and had not yet returned, the Qoraish sent one night fifty men towards the august camp, with instructions to capture some of the companions of the prophet—u. w. b.—but Muhammad B. Moslamah, who was that night on guard over the camp, succeeded in making them all prisoners, whereon his holy and prophetic lordship placed them in durance, and said: ‘At the time when God the Most High had ordered me to receive your allegiance the first man who hastened to pay it was Abu Sanânu-l-asdy.’ A’bdu-r-razzâq, who is a biographer and chronicler, states that before the arrival of Sohayl B. A’mru permission had been given by the Qoraish to Mukraz B. Hafdzy to go to the camp of the Musalmâns. When his lordship perceived him from a distance, he said to his companions: ‘This man is a traitor! Speak not with him.’ He, however, himself conversed with him. Meanwhile Sohayl B. A’mru made his appearance with a number of men, and his lordship exclaimed: ‘Verily our business has been facilitated* to you.’ According to another tradition, he said: ‘Indeed our affair has been made easy.’ A’bdu-r-razzâq continues: ‘When Sohayl was honoured by admission into his lord­ship’s presence, he said: “O Muhammad, the capturing of thy companions was not undertaken by intelligent and wise men, but by a lot of fools, whose undertaking no prudent man approved of. We therefore request thee to liberate a number of our friends who are in the bonds of captivity.” His lordship replied: “I shall not let them go until my companions are sent back.” Sohayl rejoined: “Thy words are very just.” When the Qoraish heard of this they dismissed O’thmân with the ten men whose names have been mentioned above, whereon his lordship also liberated those whom Muhammad B. Moslamah had captured.’

It is said that when, after the covenant [under the tree], the news arrived that O’thmân was still alive, his lordship said: ‘O’thmân had departed on the business of God and of His apostle, and I do not want him to be excluded from the blessing of this covenant.’ Then he pointed to his own right hand, saying: ‘This is the hand of O’thmân,’ and to his left, saying: ‘This is my hand.’ He then placed his hands upon each other, thus symbolizing the covenant for O’thmân. Qotâdah said: ‘Blessed is the nobleness of O’thmân, whose hand is the same with that of the Master of both worlds, and a mercy to mankind.’ But the most correct tradition is that the covenant consisted in the promise not to flee from the battle-field, and it is related of Jâber—u. w. b.—that he said: ‘The covenant of content was maintained by all except by Harr B. Qays the hypocrite, and the apostle of God said: “Whoever assisted at the covenant under the tree will enter Paradise, except the possessor of the red camel.”’ Jâber continues: ‘In that desert Harr B. Qays was searching for his lost camel, and disregarding all my entreaties to swear allegiance to the lord of apostleship, he replied: “I love my camel more than the covenant of allegiance.”’ When Sohayl B. A’mru and his friends saw how joyfully the Musalmâns hastened [to pay the said allegiance], suspicion and fear overpowered their minds, and they returned to their people, whom they informed of the great harmony prevalent among the pro­fessors of Islâm. The Qoraish being also disheartened by this information, despatched Sohayl B. A’mru and Khoyttab B. A’bdu-l-u’zza and Mukraz B. Hafass to the apostle of God, for the purpose of spreading out the carpet of pacification. Sohayl represented to the discerning mind of his holy and prophetic lordship that the Qoraish would conclude a treaty of peace with him, on the condition of his returning home this year, and coming the next to perform the visitation. To this proposal his lordship assented, and the negotiations for peace were drawn up as follows: ‘During the space of ten years the Musalmâns and the Qoraish idolaters should wage no war against each other, and should be allowed to visit each other’s countries without let or hindrance; that they should injure each other’s lives and property neither openly nor secretly; that no idolater under the protection of, or professing allegiance to, the prophet—u. w. b.—be injured by the Qoraish, and likewise anyone desirous of joining the latter should not be per­secuted by the Musalmâns; that the Musalmâns should return home this year and come the next on pilgrimage to Mekkah with their arms sheathed, not remaining there longer than three days, nor taking part openly or secretly in the quarrels of their respective allies, or injuring them in any way; that every idolater coming to his lordship without the permission of his chief, and apostatizing from his religion and desiring to profess Islâm, be sent back again, but that any Musalmân wishing to renounce the Faith, and taking refuge with the Qoraish, be allowed to remain among them.’ Fârûq [i.e., O’mar], being astonished at this last clause, exclaimed: ‘O apostle of Allah, agreest thou to this proposal?’ His lordship smiled and replied: ‘Anyone who comes over to us from them, and we send him back, will be provided with deliverance and relief from Allah the Most High and Glorious, but whoever apostatizes from us, and joins the polytheists, has nothing to hope for and is more fit for their society [than for ours].’

Ebn A’mârah says: ‘His holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—sat in the meeting of pacification with A’bâdah B. Bashyr Badyi’ and Moslamah B. Aslam Masalah in his rear, and Sohayl B. A’mru was sitting opposite to the apostle of God on the two knees [or rather haunches] of civility. Sohayl sometimes talked loud and sometimes low, but whenever he spoke in the former way he was reproved by A’bâdah and Moslamah, who said: “Respect the exalted assembly, and do not speak so loud.” The professors of Islâm stood in lines opposite to his lordship the apostle, as witnesses, so that not the smallest detail of that meeting has escaped me. On this occasion Abu Jundal B. Sohayl B. A’mru, who had already become a Musalmân, but whose father had kept him prisoner, arrived with heavy fetters from the lower end of Mekkah, and, uttering the profession of Faith, threw himself among the Musalmâns. Hereon A’mru exclaimed: “Muhammad, this is the first act taking place after our negotiation. Surrender this man to me.” His lordship, however, replied: “We have not yet finished writing it.” Sohayl rejoined: “In this manner peace cannot be concluded between you and me.” His lordship continued: “Let alone this man for my sake.” Sohayl, however, refused, and the more the apostle of God insisted on this point, the more unwilling Sohayl became to comply. After that the prophet said: “O Sohayl, do not injure and persecute him after this.” Then Mukraz B. Hafass became security that no harm would befall Abu Jundal, but when the latter understood that he was to be taken back to Mekkah, he said: “O ye Musalmâns, would you surrender me—who have become one of you, and have taken shelter with you—to the idolaters? Have you not heard what misery and distress I suffered from the infidels?” These words he spake because the polytheists had tormented him in various ways. His holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. —however, said: “Be patient and rejoice. Trust in the reward of Allah, and confide in His mercy, because He will send deliverance to thee and to the other Musalmâns who are [persecuted] in Mekkah. At present we have to fulfil a condition we have granted to these people, and it is not our custom to break promises; the first of all in this matter is patience.” And, verily, handsome is the saying:

Distich:

Man is delivered of bonds by patience, For the key of fetters is patience.

It is said that when Sohayl B. A’mru took Abu Jundal away from the Musalmâns, he departed with him to Mekkah, accompanied by O’mar B. Al-Khattâb, who said to Abu Jundal: ‘Have patience; for these people are idolaters, whose blood is equivalent to that of dogs,’ holding out at the same time the hilt of his sabre to Abu Jundal, because he imagined the latter would draw it out and slay Sohayl B. A’mru; and though he explained his idea also by signs to induce him to kill his own father, Abu Jundal was prevented by his filial affection from realizing the hints of O’mar. It is related that O’mar said: ‘On that occasion I hoped Jundal would accept the sword from me and despatch Sohayl B. A’mru, but he would not slay his own father.’ In some biographical works we read that when O’mar intimated to Abu Jundal the wish that he should kill his own father, he replied to Fârûq: ‘Why slayest thou him not thyself?’ And Fârûq rejoined: ‘The apostle of God has prohibited me to kill him.’ Here­on Abu Jundal said: ‘The claims of the apostle of God to my adherence and obedience are as great as thine.’

Historians have recorded that when the conditions of peace had been enumerated, the reed, ink, and all the materials for writing were produced, whereon his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—ordered Awys B. Khauly, the Anssâri, to write the treaty of peace. Sohayl B. A’mru, however, interposed, saying: ‘O Muhammad, this document ought to be written by thy cousin A’li, or by O’thmân.’ Complying with this suggestion, his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—said to A’li—u. w. b.: ‘Write, in the name of Allah the Merciful, the Clement!’ Sohayl exclaimed: ‘I swear by Allah that we do not know who the Merciful is. Write, in the name of Allah, as thou hast been accustomed to write before!’ The Musalmâns said: ‘We shall not write anything but in the name of Allah the Merciful, the Clement!’ Then the apostle of God said: ‘O A’li, write: In thy name, O Allah!’ A’li the Com­mander of the Faithful—u. w. b.—obeyed the order of the prince of apostles—u. w. b.—whereon his holy and pro­phetic lordship—u. w. b.—continued: ‘Write: This is what Muhammad the apostle of Allah has decided.’ When A’li had written these words, Sohayl said: ‘We do not believe in thy apostleship, and if we had known that thou art an apostle of Allah we would not have prohibited thee from visiting the Ka’bah. O A’li, write: Muhammad the son of A’bdullah.’ His lordship continued: ‘Ali, blot out the “apostle” and write in lieu of that word: the son of A’bdullah’ (and not ‘Muhammad, the son of A’bdullah,’ as is stated in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb, and in some other books). When his lordship the apostle ordered A’li Murtadza— u. w. b.—to blot out the word ‘apostle of Allah’ A’li replied: ‘No, by Allah! I shall not expunge the word of thy apostleship.’ According to another tradition Sohayl B. A’mru said: ‘A’li, blot out “the apostle of Allah,” or I shall break off this negotiation of peace.’ Hereon the Com­mander of the faithful threw away the leaf, and wanted to draw his sword, but his lordship the apostle said: ‘Let it alone.’ Ali the Commander of the Faithful then said: ‘O apostle of Allah, my respect and veneration for thee prohibit me to blot out that word.’ At last his lordship the Mussttafa—u. w. b.—took the leaf, and himself blotted out the word ‘apostle.’ Some allege that, although he had never [before] written anything, he wrote, instead of the above word, ‘the son of A’bdullah’ in an abridged form; but according to others he [merely] ordered Ali to do so. The names of the Musalmâns who signed the above docu­ment were as follows: Abu Bakr B. Abu Kuhâfah, and O’mar B. Alkhattâb, and A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’wuf, and Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss, and O’thmân B. O’ffân, and Abu O’baydah Al-jurrâh, and Muhammad B. Moslamah, and Abu Jundal B. Sohayl; and of the infidels the following: Hawyttab B. A’bdu-l-u’zza, and Mukraz B. Hafass, and many others. The Bani Khozaa’h joined the prophet, and the Bani Bakr the Qoraish. When the writing of the treaty of peace was completed the apostle turned his blessed face to A’li, saying: ‘Something like this must necessarily befall thee likewise.’ In accordance with these words, it happened that when A’li the Commander of the Faithful had, for the purpose of combating Abu Sofyân, marched to Ssaffyn, and after a protracted contest peace was concluded—as will be recorded below—the clerk wrote: ‘This is the Treaty of Peace of A’li the Commander of the Faithful,’ Moa’wiah said: ‘Blot out the phrase “Com­mander of the Faithful,” and write, “The son of Abu Ttâleb”; for, if I had believed him to be the Commander of the Faithful, I would not have fought against him, but would have obeyed him.’ A’li the Amir of the true believers exclaimed: ‘The apostle of Allah has spoken the truth. Write what Moa’wiah tells thee.’

Learned biographers relate that when the treaty of Hodaybiah was concluded the friends [of the prophet] became very sad and melancholy, because they imagined that during this year the dream of his lordship the prophet would be realized, that they would conquer Mekkah, and that the Musalmâns would enter the sanctuary as friends, and would perform the ceremonies of the pilgrimage. Also the devil, driven away with stones,* inspired the pro­fessors of Islâm with doubts unbecoming to their truth and sincerity, as Fârûq himself related, saying: ‘On that day I revolved a great matter in my mind, went to the apostle of God, and said: “Art thou a prophet in reality?” He said “Yes.” I continued: “Are we not right, and our foes wrong?” He replied: “Yes.” I asked: “Then why do we put up with all this scorn and humiliation, and are returning after having submitted to this degradation and made peace?” He replied: “I am the apostle of Allah, and do not disobey Him; He is my Protector and Helper.”’ According to another tradition, however, he said: ‘I am the apostle of God, and He will not abandon me.’ O’mar continues: ‘I said: “O apostle of God, hast thou not promised me that we shall soon go to Mekkah and walk round the house of the Ka’bah?” He said “Yes.” I asked: “Will it be this year?” He answered, “No,” and added: “O’mar, be not sad; for thou shalt visit the Ka’bah and circumambulate it.”’ Fârûq says: ‘Sad and depressed as I was in the assembly of the apostle of God, I went to Abu Bakr and narrated to him the above conversation, but received the same reply from him as from the apostle of God.’ According to another tradition, Ssiddyq replied to Fârûq: ‘He is the apostle of God, and whatever he does he does by revelation, and it would have been proper for thee not to disobey or to contradict him.’ It is related that Abu O’baydah Jurrâh said to O’mar: ‘Muhammad is the apostle of God the Most High and Glorious; whatever he does is right and correct. O O’mar, beware of the snares of Satan, and take refuge with God against them.’ Fârûq says: ‘It is a long time since I have repented and asked pardon for my objections against the prince of the righteous—u. w. b.—and have devoted myself to good works, such as prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and the manu­mission of slaves, hoping that they would become a propi­tiation for my transgressions.’

It is related that on the day [of the peace] of Hodaybiah O’mar and a number of his companions said to his holy and prophetic lordship: ‘O apostle of God, hast thou not said, “I shall enter the mosque of the sanctuary, take the keys of the Ka’bah in my hands, get my head shaved in the valley of Mekkah, and shall abide in A’rafat”?’ His lordship asked: ‘Have I said that all these things will take place during this journey?’ O’mar replied: ‘No, O apostle of God.’ Then the prophet turned to O’mar, and said: ‘You have forgotten that when you were fleeing on the day of Ohod, and I called, not one of you took notice of it. Have you forgotten that on the Day of the Con­federates,* when the enemies were approaching you from above and from below, the promise of God the Most High was fulfilled?’ In the same manner he reminded the Musalmâns of many other occasions and places where they had been protected by Divine favour, so that they all said: ‘What God and His prophet declare is true. Thy pene­tration cannot be fathomed by our intellects, and thy acquaintance with God the Most High, His orders and His mysteries, is greater than ours.’ In the year of ‘the decreed pilgrimage,’ however, when his lordship entered Mekkah, he got his blessed head shaved, turned to his companions, and said: ‘This is what I have promised you;’ and when he took in ‘the year of victory’ the key of the Ka’bah into his hand, he called O’mar, and said: ‘This is what I have told you.’

It is related that during the negotiations at Hodaybiah as many infidels became Musalmâns as [had become such] from the beginning [of Islâm] till that period of time. Ssiddyq says: ‘There was no victory in Islâm equal to the Peace of Hodaybiah, but the understandings of the pro­fessors could not comprehend it, because it was a secret known only to the apostle of God and to the Creator. The pious were in haste, but the Lord God Most High is free from precipitation.’ Ssiddyq says: ‘I swear by God that in the Hajjatu-l-wodaa’ [pilgrimage of valediction] I have seen Sohayl B. A’mru bringing a camel destined for a sacrifice to his holy and prophetic lordship, and he cut the throat of it with his own blessed hand. Then Sohayl called for a barber to shave the head of that prince; and when the shaving of the head of the prophet was com­pleted, I noticed Sohayl picking up the blessed hairs, rubbing them over both his eyes, and considering them tantamount to the felicity of this and of the next world. Then I remembered [the contrast], how he had on the day of Hodaybiah demurred to the words “In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Clement” being written in the Treaty, and would not allow the words “Muhammad the apostle of Allah” to remain on that page.’

The texts of biographical works inform us that when the foundations of peace had been laid between the professors of obedience and rebellion, his lordship said to his com­panions: ‘Arise; slaughter the camels you brought for presentation! Shave your heads! Let no one budge from this place!’ The apostle of God thrice repeated the order to kill the animals and shave heads, but no one obeyed. His lordship then very angrily stepped into the tent of Omm Solmah, one of his spouses, most distinguished for her intellect and penetration. She asked: ‘O apostle of God, what has happened to thee?’ That prince replied: ‘I am astonished at the people whom I ordered to slaughter the presentation camels and to shave their own heads; not one, however, obeyed my command, although they had heard my words and looked at me.’ Omm Solmah answered: ‘O apostle of God, pardon them, for they thought they would conquer Mekkah this year, but all their wishes have been frustrated, whereas all the demands of the opponents have been complied with. If thy most noble mind is bent on slaying the camels and shaving, then go out and speak not a word to anyone until thou hast slaughtered thy own camels of presentation and hast shaved thine own head. After seeing thee do this, thy companions will have no other remedy but to follow thy example.’ His lordship acted according to the advice of Omm Solmah, and when the companions saw what was going on they cut the throats of their camels, some shaved their heads, and others picked up the hairs; but from the great depression and grief which had overpowered their minds, they were almost ready to kill each other, and on that day his lordship said: ‘O God, forgive the tardy ones!’ Some say he added, ‘And the deficient,’ repeating the last word four times. Then they asked: ‘O apostle of God, what was the reason thou hast repeatedly prayed for the deficient, and hast confined thyself only to one invocation with reference to the tardy?’ He replied with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: ‘Because they [i.e., the tardy] did not doubt.’ It is related that among the presentation camels that of Abu Jahl bad escaped and had gone to his home, the driver of his lordship pursuing it all the time. The fools among the people were unwilling to give it up, but Sohayl B. A’mru said: ‘You may keep this camel if you give one hundred others instead of it.’ The Qoraish despatched a courier to his holy and prophetic lordship, promising to give one hundred camels for that of Abu Jahl. The apostle of God—u. w. b.—replied: ‘Had that camel not been appointed for presentation I would have complied with your request.’ It is said that the apostle of God sent twenty camels, among which was also that of Abu Jahl, with Nâhyah B. Jundal to Mekkah to be slaughtered, and for their meat to be distributed among the poor and desti­tute. The policy of sending [also] the camel of Abu Jahl to Mekkah to be slain was to distress the minds of the idolaters.

All the [other] presentation camels were sacrificed at Hodaybiah and distributed among worthy persons; some, however, allege that this was done at Madinah. When the sacrifice and the shaving of heads had terminated, God the Most High sent a great wind, which carried the hairs of the Musalmâns to Mekkah, and scattered them in the sanctuary. His lordship threw the blessed hairs of his head on a tree which was near, and the companions struggled among themselves to obtain possession of them. O’mmârah says: ‘I made great efforts and got hold of a single hair, which I washed; and to whatever sick person I administered the water thereof he recovered his health.’

It is related that the greater Fârûq said: ‘When we departed from Hodaybiah I accompanied the apostle of God, and asked him something thrice, but obtained no reply. Therefore I said to myself: “May thy mother become childless, O O’mar! Thou hast been displeased with the proceedings of the apostle of God, and therefore he has given thee no reply.” After that I quickly impelled my camel so as to precede the army, fearing that on account of my having manifested displeasure to the apostle of God, with reference to the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace, a verse of the Qurân might be revealed concerning me; but after I had advanced a short distance I heard a man exclaim: “O’mar B. Alkhattâb, the apostle of God is calling thee!” My fear increased at these words. I hastened, however, to wait on that prince, proffered my salutation, which he returned, and I perceived marks of joy shining on his august forehead. He then said: “Thou hast asked me something, but I gave thee no reply, because I was absorbed with a Divine revelation; and this evening a chapter has descended which I love more than anything the sun shines upon.” After that he began to recite the chapter “Verily we have given thee a manifest victory,”* and congratulated the companions, who likewise offered their felicitations to his lordship.’ Some commentators [of the Qurân] allege that the ‘manifest victory’ signifies the Peace of Hodaybiah, because it was the first of many [subsequent] victories. After it some blessed persons, who had heretofore kept their faith secret in Mekkah, professed it openly, disputed with the idolaters, and recited the evident signs [i.e., verses of the Qurân] to them, by which means many of those who had been straying in the desert of aberration were exalted by entering the road of guidance, as has been recorded before. In those days also the Peace of Khayber, which was one of the greatest victories in Islâm, was concluded, as will be narrated in detail in these pages, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High. Other com­mentators, however, consider the ‘manifest victory’ to mean the victory of Khayber or the victory of Mekkah; but Allah the Most High knows best.