Dream of the Holy Prophet (sa) & the Journey to Hudaibiyyah — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 3
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Dream of the Holy Prophet (sa) & the Journey to Hudaibiyyah.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: IV – The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah & its Magnificent Outcomes
Pages: Book pp. 118–121 (PDF pp. 136–139)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Significance of the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah] | Next: [Suffering of the Muslims Lacking Water & the Miracle of the Increase of Water] »
Historical Account
announced to the companions that since this journey was free from any intentions of violent confrontation, rather, it was merely for the purpose of performing peaceful religious worship, the Muslims should not take their weapons along with them. Albeit, as per the custom of Arabia, swords could be kept in their sheaths in the manner of a wayfarer. The Holy Prophetsa also encouraged the Bedouin people in the surrounding areas of Madīnah who were apparently with the Muslims, to participate in the performance of the worship of ‘Umrah. Unfortunately, very few, i.e., except for a nominal number of people, these so called Bedouin Muslims of weak faith, who lived in the close proximity of Madīnah, held back from setting out with the Holy Prophetsa. It was their idea that although the Muslims had no other intentions than that of ‘Umrah, the Quraish would stop the Muslims either way and so a state of confrontation would arise. Furthermore, they thought that since this confrontation would erupt close to Makkah and far from Madīnah, for this reason, no Muslims would be able to return alive. In any case, the Holy Prophetsa departed from Madīnah on a Monday morning in the beginning of Dhū Qa‘dah 6 A.H. with a group of just over 1400 companions. During this journey, Ḥaḍrat Ummi Salmahra, the honourable wife of the Holy Prophetsa, rode alongside the Holy Prophetsa. Numailah bin ‘Abdullāh was appointed the Amīr of Madīnah and ‘Abdullāh bin Ummi Maktūm who was a blind man, was appointed Imāmuṣ- Ṣalāt.
[Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 297, Ghazwatu Rasūlillāhisa Al- Ḥudaibiyyata, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 681, Amrul- Ḥudaibiyyati Fī Ākhiri Sanati Sittin/Wa Dhikri Bai‘atir-Riḍwāni…, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, pp. 123/133, Dhikrul-Aḥdāthillati Kānat Fī Sanati Sittim-Minal-Hijrah/Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An ‘Umratin-Nabiyyisa Allati Ṣaddahul-Mushrikūna Fīhā ‘Anil-Bait, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) *Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, p. 170/172, Amrul-Ḥudaibiyyah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
When the Holy Prophetsa reached Dhul-Ḥalīfah, which is situated approximately 6 miles from Madīnah en-route to Makkah, he ordered everyone to stop. After offering the Ẓuhr prayer, he instructed that the sacrificial camels which equalled 70 in number, be marked and that the companions assume the special attire of the pilgrims known as Iḥrām. The Holy Prophetsa also assumed the Iḥrām himself as well. Then, in order to ensure that the Quraish were not up to mischief, the Holy Prophetsa sent ahead a messenger named Busr bin Sufyān from the Khuzā‘ah tribe, who lived near Makkah and slowly proceeded towards Makkah. Moreover, as further caution the Holy Prophetsa appointed a cavalry of 20 riders under the command of ‘Abbād bin Bishr, to travel ahead of the larger body of Muslims. After a journey of a few days, when the Holy Prophetsa neared a place called ‘Usfān, which is situated at approximately two day’s journey on the road to Makkah, the messenger of the Holy Prophetsa informed him that that Quraish were furious and firmly determined to stop him to the extent that in the expression of their rage and barbarity, they had put on cheetah skins and were fully bent on war, in order to stop the Muslims in all instances. It was also ascertained that the Quraish had sent forth a cavalry unit of a few daring riders under the command of Khālid bin Walīd who had not yet become Muslim, and that this cavalry had reached near the Muslims and that ‘Ikrimah bin Abī Jahl was also a part of it. When the Holy Prophetsa heard this news, he instructed the companions to divert from the known route to Makkah and proceed from the right in order to prevent conflict. So, the Muslims began to move forward from a very difficult
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, p. 173, Amrul-Ḥudaibiyyah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) *Mu‘jamul-Buldān, By Shihābuddīn Abī ‘Abdillāh Yāqūtubnu ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 177, Under Al-Ḥulaifātu/Al-Hulaifatu, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon]
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwatil-Ḥudaibiyyah, Ḥadīth No. 4178-4179 *As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, pp. 681-682, Amrul- Ḥudaibiyyati Fī Ākhiri Sanati Sittin/Wa Dhikri Bai‘atir-Riḍwāni…, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) (Publishers)]
and burdensome route near the coast.
Following this new route, when the Holy Prophetsa neared Ḥudaibiyyah, which is one day’s journey, i.e., only nine miles from Makkah (whereas the valley of Makkah starts from the pass of Ḥudaibiyyah), the camel of the Holy Prophetsa which was known by the name of Al-Qaṣwā’ and had accompanied the Holy Prophetsa in many Ghazwāt, suddenly stretched out her feet and sat down. Despite many attempts to stand her up, she would not move. The companions said, “Perhaps she is tired,” but the Holy Prophetsa said, “Nay, Nay, she has not tired, nor is it in her nature to tire out and sit in this manner. The truth is, that the same Supreme Being Who prevented the elephant of the Aṣḥābul-Fīl from proceeding to Makkah, has also stopped this camel as well. Therefore, I swear by God, that I shall accept whatever the Quraish of Makkah ask of me for the respect of the Ḥaram.” After this, the Holy Prophetsa called out to his camel to stand and by the power of God, this time, it stood up immediately and prepared to move forward. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa took her to the far corner of the valley of Ḥudaibiyyah and settling her near a water well, he dismounted his camel. It is here, that upon the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, the companions set up camp.
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābush-Shurūṭ, Bābush-Shurūṭi Fil-Jihādi…, Ḥadīth No. 2731-2732]
Suffering of the Muslims Lacking Water
& the Miracle of the Increase of Water Not much time had passed, when a party of the companions presented themselves before the Holy Prophetsa and said, “The water well being used up, has dried, and now men and animals are in extreme suffering, so what should
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Section: IV – The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah & its Magnificent Outcomes | Navigation: « Previous: [Significance of the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah] | Next: [Suffering of the Muslims Lacking Water & the Miracle of the Increase of Water] »