Treaty of al-Hudaybiya

De **Treaty of al-Hudaybiya** (Arabic: صُلح الْحُدَيْبِيَة, romanized: *Ṣulḥ al-Ḥudaybiya*) be an event wey take place during de lifetime of de Islamic prophet Muhammad. Na e be a pivotal treaty between Muhammad, wey dey represent de state of Medina, den de tribe of de Quraysh insyd Mecca insyd March 628 (wey dey correspond to Dhu al-Qi'dah, AH 6). De treaty help to decrease tension between de two cities, dem affirm peace for a period of 10 years, den authorise Muhammad ein followers to return de following year insyd a peaceful pilgrimage, wich dem later know as de First Pilgrimage. However, dem break dis treaty insyd two years (according to Islamic sources, de Quraysh break de treaty), wich lead Muhammad to march against Mecca insyd 630 plus an army of 10,000 men.

## Background

As a result of de rejection of ein message den de persecution of ein followers, de Islamic prophet Muhammad lef ein hometown of Mecca insyd 622 wey he migrate plus ein followers to de oasis town of Medina. Der, he get more followers wey he found a local power base. On three occasions, ein forces battle plus ein Meccan opponents, wey ein own tribe lead, de Quraysh. Mecca thus be a no-go area for de Muslims, wey ein old sanctuary of de Ka'ba. Although na e be a pilgrimage center from de pre-Islamic times, e dey seem dat de Muslims be enjoined to perform pilgrimage to de Ka'ba only insyd de Medinan period. De Muslims so far pray by facing toward Jerusalem, buh at sam point insyd Medina (Insyd de year 2 AH), Muhammad reportedly receive a divine revelation wey dey order am to face Mecca instead.

## Traditional account

Insyd March 628, dey follow a dream say he dey circumambulate de Ka'ba, Muhammad decide to set out for pilgrimage. Anticipating violent Meccan response, he invite ein Bedouin den tribal allies insyd de outskirts of Medina to join am, buh de majority decline, probably secof dem see no prospect of booty anaa anticipating hostilities. Muhammad plus a group of sam 1,500 Muslims of Medina, as well as sam tribal allies, march towards Mecca to perform de Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).Der be conflicting accounts as to whether de Muslims carry weapons. Dem be dressed as pilgrims wey dem get sacrificial animals plus dem. On getting de news, de Meccans mistake de approach as an attack wey dem send a 200-strong cavalry force to stop am. Muhammad avoid de force by taking an unconventional route wey he pitch ein tents at de place of Ḥudaybiya, on de border of de sacred territory of de Ka'ba.

De Quraysh send dema emissaries to negotiate plus am to whom he declare dat he cam to perform de pilgrimage wey e get no hostile intentions. De Quraysh nevertheless consider am weakness den a declaration of defeat to let am enter de city unconditionally. Dem be reported dem say: "*Even if he has come not wanting to fight, by God, he shall never enter [the sanctuary] by force against our will, nor shall the bedouin ever [have cause to] say that about us*". At one point, he send ein close aid Uthman to Mecca to carry out negotiations. A rumour spread say dem slay am. Muhammad vow to avenge ein death wey he take pledge of ein followers to fight de Meccans to end. De pledge cam be known as de Pledge of the Tree (*bay'at al-shajara*). De rumour turn out to be false, wey de Quraysh send dema emissary, Suhayl ibn Amr, to reach a settlement. After negotiations, de parties agree to resolve de matter peacefully wey dem draw up a treaty. De main points dem state:

* Der go be a truce between both parties for ten years.
* Whoever flee to Muhammad from de Quraysh widout de permission of ein guardian go be sent back to de Quraysh, buh whoever cams to de Quraysh from de Muslims no go be sent back.
* Whoever wishes to enter into a covenant plus Muhammad go be allowed to do so, den whoever wish to enter into a covenant plus de Quraysh no go be allowed to do so.
* The Muslims will return to Medina without performing the pilgrimage but will be allowed the following year and would stay in Mecca for three days during which time the Quraysh will vacate the city. The Muslims will carry no weapons except sheathed swords.

Ali wey wrep de document.  As na he dey wrep, "Dis be wat Muhammad, de apostle of God, agree plus Suhayl b. 'Amr", Suhayl object say he no dey believe insyd ein prophethood, hence he fi wrep ein name per, to wich Muhammad consent. After dem wrep de document, Suhayl ein son Abu Jandal convert to Islam wey he turn up to join de Muslims buh dem hand am over to Suhayl in keeping plus de treaty. Umar den sam oda Muslims no make happy about de truce plus de people whom dem regard as de enemies of God. Muhammad call on ein followers to shave dema heads den sacrifice dema animals. Na dem be reluctant to do so buh dem follow after he set an example. While Muslims then return to Medina, dem reveal de Sura 48 of de Qur'an.

## References