In short
- Date
- Dhul Qadah 6 AH, March 628 CE
- Place
- Al-Hudaybiyyah, at the edge of the Haram, west of Makkah
- Muslims
- About 1,400 in ihram (other reports: 1,300 or 1,500)
- Quraysh envoy
- Suhayl ibn Amr
- Result
- A ten-year truce; the Umrah made up the next year
- Fighting
- None
In short: the Prophet ﷺ saw in a dream that he entered the Sacred Mosque in safety (48:27), and set out for Umrah in Dhul Qadah 6 AH with about 1,400 Companions, in ihram and with sacrificial animals. Quraysh refused to let them in. Uthman went to Makkah as an envoy, and when a rumour spread that he had been killed, the Companions pledged under a tree to stand firm: the Pledge of Ridwan (48:18). Then Suhayl ibn Amr came and a treaty was written whose terms seemed hard on the Muslims. On the way back to Madinah Allah revealed: "Indeed, We have given you a clear conquest" (48:1).
The journey for Umrah
Six years after the Hijrah, the Muslims had not been able to visit the Kaaba. The Prophet ﷺ set out with the Companions for Umrah, not for war. At Dhul Hulayfah they put on ihram and marked the sacrificial camels.1 Hearing that Quraysh had sent Khalid ibn al-Walid with cavalry to block the road, he took a hard route through the hills. Near al-Hudaybiyyah his camel, al-Qaswa, knelt and would not move. He said: "She has been held back by the One who held back the elephant," and that he would accept any plan Quraysh offered that respected the sanctity of Allah's House.1
What happened at al-Hudaybiyyah
The Pledge of Ridwan
Envoys came and went. The Prophet ﷺ sent Uthman ibn Affan to Makkah to explain that they had come only for Umrah. When Uthman was held up, a rumour spread that he had been killed. The Prophet ﷺ called the Companions to pledge their allegiance under a tree, and they pledged not to flee. He put his own right hand forward for Uthman and said, "This is for Uthman".2 Jabir said they pledged not to flee.7 Allah was pleased with them:
لَّقَدْ رَضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَٰبَهُمْ فَتْحًۭا قَرِيبًۭا ﴿١٨﴾
Laqad radiyal laahu 'anil mu'mineena iz yubaayi 'oonaka tahtash shajarati fa'alima maa fee quloobihim fa anzalas sakeenata 'alaihim wa asaa bahum fat han qareebaa
Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest
Quran 48:18 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Fath
أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ
The Prophet ﷺ said to us on the day of al-Hudaybiyyah: "You are the best people on earth." Jabir added: "We were one thousand four hundred."
Sahih al-Bukhari 4154 · narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah · sahih
Writing the treaty
Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr. When the Prophet ﷺ dictated "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful", Suhayl objected and asked for "In Your name, O Allah", as the Arabs used to write. When he dictated "Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah", Suhayl said: if we accepted that, we would not have stopped you. The Prophet ﷺ agreed to write "Muhammad ibn Abdullah", saying: "By Allah, I am the Messenger of Allah even if you deny me".1
Abu Jandal
As they were writing, Suhayl's own son, Abu Jandal, who had become Muslim, arrived in chains, having escaped from Makkah. Suhayl demanded him back under the terms, and Abu Jandal was returned, crying out to the Muslims. It was one of the hardest moments for the Companions.1 Umar went to the Prophet ﷺ and then to Abu Bakr asking, "Are we not on the truth?" Both told him to hold firm, for the Prophet ﷺ was the Messenger of Allah and Allah would not abandon him.1
Umm Salamah's advice
The Prophet ﷺ told the Companions to sacrifice their animals and shave their heads, but, stunned, none of them moved. Umm Salamah advised him to go out without a word, sacrifice his own camel and call his barber. When they saw him do it, they all rose, sacrificed and shaved.1
The terms of the treaty
| Term | Source |
|---|---|
| No fighting between the two sides for ten years, with safety for people on both sides. | Sunan Abi Dawud 2766 (hasan); Ibn Hisham |
| The Muslims go back this year without entering Makkah, and come for Umrah the next year. | Sahih al-Bukhari 2731 and 2699 |
| Next year they may stay three days, carrying only sheathed swords. | Sahih al-Bukhari 2699, from al-Bara |
| Anyone from Quraysh who comes to the Muslims is returned, even if Muslim; anyone who goes from the Muslims to Quraysh is not. | Sahih al-Bukhari 2731 |
| Any tribe may join an alliance with either side. Khuza'ah joined the Muslims and Banu Bakr joined Quraysh. | Ibn Hisham |
The return clause was later dropped by Quraysh themselves. A Muslim named Abu Basir escaped from Makkah and, not allowed to stay in Madinah, set up camp on the coast, where others joined him and harried the Quraysh caravans. Quraysh asked the Prophet ﷺ to take them in.1 Two years later, it was Quraysh's own allies who broke the truce, which led to the Conquest of Makkah.
Surah Al-Fath: "a clear conquest"
On the way back to Madinah the Prophet ﷺ said: "Tonight a surah has been revealed to me that is dearer to me than everything the sun rises upon," and recited the opening of Surah Al-Fath.3
إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًۭا مُّبِينًۭا ﴿١﴾ لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَٰطًۭا مُّسْتَقِيمًۭا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَنصُرَكَ ٱللَّهُ نَصْرًا عَزِيزًا ﴿٣﴾
Innaa fatahnaa laka Fatham Mubeenaa Liyaghfira lakal laahu maa taqaddama min zambika wa maa ta akhkhara wa yutimma ni'matahoo 'alaika wa yahdiyaka siraatam mustaqeema Wa yansurakal laahu nasran 'azeezaa
(1) Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear conquest (2) That Allah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path (3) And [that] Allah may aid you with a mighty victory.
Quran 48:1-3 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Fath
لَّقَدْ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءْيَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ لَتَدْخُلُنَّ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَ ۖ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا۟ فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتْحًۭا قَرِيبًا ﴿٢٧﴾
Laqad sadaqal laahu Rasoolahur ru'yaa bilhaqq, latadkhulunnal Masjidal-Haraama in shaaa'al laahu aamineena muhalliqeena ru'oosakum wa muqassireena laa takhaafoona fa'alima maa lam ta'lamoo faja'ala min dooni zaalika fathan qareebaa
Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].
Quran 48:27 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Fath
Why it was a victory, and the lessons
- Peace opened the way for dawah. With the roads safe, people met Muslims and saw Islam. Al-Zuhri said more people entered Islam in the two years after Hudaybiyyah than in all the years before it (Ibn Hisham).
- Khalid ibn al-Walid and Amr ibn al-As accepted Islam during the truce.
- Trusting the Prophet ﷺ when his wisdom is not yet clear: Sahl ibn Hunayf later said, "Blame your own opinions", remembering how hard the treaty had seemed (Bukhari 3182).
- Wise counsel from a wife: Umm Salamah's advice ended the crisis.
- Flexibility in words, firmness in principle: the Prophet ﷺ gave up a title on paper, not the truth.
Where it fits in the seerah
Treaty of Hudaybiyyah took place in Dhul Qadah 6 AH (March 628 CE). For the whole life of the Prophet ﷺ in order, from his birth in Makkah to his passing in Madinah, see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ life timeline. All the battles and turning points are listed on the seerah page.
Before this: Battle of the Trench (Khandaq) · After this: Conquest of Makkah
Questions
What was the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah?
A peace treaty between the Prophet ﷺ and Quraysh, agreed at al-Hudaybiyyah outside Makkah in Dhul Qadah 6 AH (628 CE). It set a ten-year truce and let the Muslims perform Umrah the following year.
How many Companions were at Hudaybiyyah?
Jabir said 1,400 (Bukhari 4154). Other Companions reported 1,500 (Bukhari 4152) and 1,300 (Bukhari 4155). The reports differ because they counted at different times.
What is the Pledge of Ridwan?
The pledge the Companions gave under a tree at al-Hudaybiyyah when they heard Uthman had been killed. Allah said He was pleased with them (48:18), so it is called Bayat al-Ridwan, the pledge of Allah's pleasure.
Why is Hudaybiyyah called a clear conquest?
Allah called it so in 48:1. The truce let Islam spread in peace, brought leaders like Khalid ibn al-Walid into Islam, and prepared the way for the Conquest of Makkah two years later.
Who broke the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah?
Banu Bakr, the allies of Quraysh, attacked Khuza'ah, the allies of the Muslims, and Quraysh helped them with weapons. That broke the treaty in 8 AH.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2731 and 2732, the long hadith of al-Miswar ibn Makhramah and Marwan; Sunan Abi Dawud 2765 and 2766.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3698, from Ibn Umar.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4177, from Aslam, the freed slave of Umar.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4152, 4154 and 4155 (the numbers); 2699 (the terms, from al-Bara); 3182 (Sahl ibn Hunayf).
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah: the affair of al-Hudaybiyyah.
- Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, al-Raheeq al-Makhtum.
- Sahih Muslim 1856, from Jabir.
- Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, transliteration from Tanzil, English by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic is the standard wording of the collection named; gradings are given for every hadith outside al-Bukhari and Muslim.