Conquest of Mecca Mecca was conquered by the Muslims on 11 January 630 AD ( 20th of Ramadan , 8 AH ) . Background . In 628 , the Meccan tribe of Quraysh and the Muslim community in Medina signed a 10 year truce called the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah . According to the terms of the treaty of Hudaibiyah , the Arab tribes were given the option of joining either of the parties , the Muslims or Quraish . Should any of these tribes face aggression , the party to which it was allied would have the right to retaliate . As a consequence , Banu Bakr joined Quraish , and Khuza ‘ ah joined Muhammad . They thus lived in peace for some time ; but ulterior motives stretching back to the pre - Islamic period , ignited by unabated fire of revenge , triggered fresh hostilities . Banu Bakr , without concern for the provisions of the treaty , attacked Banu Khuza ' a in a place called Al - Wateer in Sha ‘ ban , in 8 A . H . Quraish helped Banu Bakr with men and arms , taking advantage of the dark night . Pressed by their enemies , the tribesmen of Khuza ‘ ah sought the Holy Sanctuary , but here too , their lives were not spared , and , contrary to all accepted traditions , Nawfal , the chief of Banu Bakr , chased them in the sanctified area — where no blood should be shed — and massacred his adversaries . Khuza ’ ah at once sent a delegation to Medina to inform the Islamic prophet , Muhammad , of this breach of truce and to seek help from Muslims of Medina being their allies . After the incident , Quraysh sent a delegation to Muhammad , petitioning to maintain the treaty with the Muslims and offering material compensation . The Muslim forces had gathered in strength to settle account with Quraysh and for the final attack and the conquest of Mecca . Conquest . After Abu Sufyan ’ s departure , Muhammad immediately ordered the assembling of a large army . The objective of the operation was kept secret and even Muhammad ' s close friends and commanders did not know his plans . Muhammad intended to assemble and attack the Quraysh using the element of surprise . For further secrecy , Muhammad sent Abu Qatadah towards " Batan Izm " to give the impression that he wanted to go there . The Muslim army set out for Mecca on Wednesday , November 29 , 630 ( the 6th of Ramadan , 8 hijra ) . Volunteers and contingents from allied tribes joined the Muslim army on the way swelling its size to about 10 , 000 strong . This was the largest Muslim force ever assembled . The army stayed at Marr - uz - Zahran , located ten miles northwest of Mecca . Muhammad ordered every man to light a fire so as to make the Meccans overestimate the size of the army . Meanwhile , Abu Sufyan travelled back and forth between Muhammad and Mecca , still trying to reach a settlement . According to the sources , he found assistance in Muhammad ' s uncle Al - Abbas , though some scholars consider that historians writing under the rule of Abbas ' descendants , the Abbasid Dynasty , had exaggerated Abbas ' role and downplayed the role of Abu Sufyan , who was the ancestor of the Abbaside ' s enemies . Mecca lies in the Valley of Ibrahim , surrounded by black rugged hills reaching heights of at some places . There were four entry routes through passes in the hills . These were from the north - west , the south - west , the south , and the north - east . Muhammad divided the Muslim army into four columns : one to advance through each pass . The main column in which Muhammad was present in person was commanded by Abu Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah . It was tasked to enter Mecca through the main Madina route , from the north - west near Azakhir . Muhammad ’ s cousin Az Zubayr commanded the second column and it would enter Mecca from the south - west , through a pass west of Kuda hill . The column entering from south through Kudai was under the leadership of Muhammad ’ s cousin Ali . The last column under Khalid ibn al - Walid was tasked to enter from the north - east , through Khandama and Lait . Their tactic was to advance simultaneously from all sides targeting a single central objective . This would lead to the dispersion of enemy forces and prevent their concentration on any one front . Another important reason for this tactic was that even if one or two of the attacking columns faced stiff resistance and became unable to break through , then the attack could continue from other flanks . This would also prevent any of the Quresh to escape . Muhammad emphasized on refraining from fighting unless Quresh attacked . The Muslim army entered Mecca on Monday , December 11 , 630 ( 18th of Ramadan 8 hijrah ) . The entry was peaceful and bloodless entry on three sectors except for that of Khalid ’ s column . The hardened anti - Muslims like Ikrimah and Sufwan gathered a band of Quresh fighters and faced Khalid ’ s column . The Quresh attacked the Muslims with swords and bows , and the Muslims charged the Quresh ’ s positions . After a short skirmish the Quresh gave ground after losing twelve men . Muslim losses were two warriors . Aftermath . On the eve of the conquest , Abu Sufyan adopted Islam . When asked by Muhammad , he conceded that the Meccan gods had proved powerless and that there was indeed " no god but Allah " , the first part of the Islamic confession of faith . In turn , Muhammad declared Abu Sufyan ' s house a sanctuary because he was the present chief , and that all the others were gathered over his territory , therefore : He also declared : Then , along with his companions Muhammad visited the Kaaba . The idols were broken and their gods were destroyed . Thereupon Muhammad recited the following verse from the Quran : " " Say , the Truth has come and falsehood gone . Verily falsehood is bound to vanish . " " ( ) The people assembled at the Kaaba , and Muhammad delivered the following address : Then Muhammad turning to the people said : " O Quraish , what do you think of the treatment that I should accord you ? " And they said , " Mercy , O Prophet of Allah . We expect nothing but good from you . " Thereupon Muhammad declared : " I speak to you in the same words as Yūsuf spoke to his brothers . This day there is no reproof against you ; Go your way , for you are free . " Muhammad ' s prestige grew after the surrender of the Meccans . Emissaries from all over Arabia came to Medina to accept him . Ten people were ordered to be killed : , Ikrimah ibn Abi - Jahl , Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abi Sarh , Habbar bin Aswad , Miqyas Subabah Laythi , Huwairath bin Nuqayd , Abdullah Hilal and four women who had been guilty of murder or other offences or had sparked off the war and disrupted the peace . However , they were not all killed ; Ikrimah lived to adopt Islam and fight in future battles among Muslim ranks . Of the two singing girls who were outlawed by Mohammad , one were slain but the other spared because she converted to Islam . Ibn Abi Sarh had been granted protection under Uthman ibn Affan and when he initially refused to take the mandatory oath of allegiance to Mohammad , the bystanders still did not kill him , much to the regret of Mohammad . The conquest of Mecca was followed by Battle of Hunayn .