In Hope and Prayer

Message of Peace - Justice P K Shamsuddin

The Muslim march to Mecca has been a turning point in the history of Islam. All the Muslims except Mohammed were doubted their easy entry into Mecca. The Muslims had left Medina in a state of ihram, a premeditated spiritual and physical state which restricted their freedom of action and prohibited fighting. This, along with the paucity of arms carried, indicated that the pilgrimage was always intended to be peaceful. They were dressed as pilgrims, and brought sacrificial animals, hoping that the Quraish would honor the Arabian custom of allowing converts to enter the city. They openly declared that they have not come to fight anyone, but to perform the 'Umra.

In the meanwhile, the Meccans heard about the Muslim march. After wide discussions they finally decided to fight out the Muslims though it was the holy month. The previous wars with the Muslims had weakened the morale of the tribes and only very few joined the Meccans to fight the Muslims. The Meccans also had heard that the Muslims were unarmed and ritual garbs of pilgrims. Most of the Meccans who came forward thought this to be a golden opportunity to finish Mohammed.  Finding that the Quraish were prepared to offer armed resistance to his entry into Mecca, even though it was simply with the object of performing a religious obligation, he had to stop at about nine miles from the sacred city, at a place called Hudaibiya. Here once again Mohammed reminded his people that Allah wants them to enter the city and told them surrender to the will of God and proceed in confidence.

Emissaries were sent to find a peaceful solution, but they were maltreated, and at last a man of the high position of Uthman, deputed to negotiate, was arrested by the Quraish. The situation was critical; the Muslim envoy had been taken into custody and there was a rumour that he had been murdered. The Muslims were unarmed except for sheathed swords, which they carried as a necessity when journeying in a country like Arabia, but they, were determined not to turn their backs. The Prophet took pledge from them, and they pledged afresh one and all, that they would fight to the last man in defence of the Prophet, whom the enemy wanted to put to death. This pledge is known as Bai'a al-Ridzwan (Pledge of Divine Pleasure) in the history of Islam.

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