The dust swirled around my sandals as we waited in Hudaybiyyah, just outside Mecca — the sacred city where the Kaaba stands. I was part of the Muslim group that had journeyed with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, hoping to perform Umrah, the minor pilgrimage. You won’t find my name in any surah of the Qur’an — I was just a humble trader back then, barely understanding the weight of what was unfolding.
I remember the tightness in my chest, the way my hand clutched the waterskin even though I wasn’t thirsty. Tension buzzed in the air. We had come peacefully. No weapons. No threat. Just hope — hope to worship at the Kaaba, just like the Prophet Ibrahim — known to Christians and Jews as Abraham — once did.
But the Quraysh, the powerful tribe that ruled Mecca, refused to let us in. They sent messengers back and forth, each one more stubborn than the last. I saw the hurt in the eyes of the older companions. And the younger ones clenched their fists.
I was torn inside. Part of me wanted to fight, to defend our right. But the Prophet ﷺ didn’t come to fight. He came to honor Allah — and so we waited.
Then the Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr, one of their respected leaders, to make peace. The Prophet ﷺ agreed to write a treaty, even though some of its parts were painful.
I stood close enough to hear bits of the treaty being written:
“No Umrah this year.”
My heart sank.
“Next year you can return — for only three days.”
Murmurs began around me.
“If anyone from Quraysh joins the Muslims, we’ll send them back.”
A gasp broke from someone nearby. How could we agree to that? How could we hand our brothers and sisters back to those who hurt them?
But the Prophet ﷺ didn’t waver. He signed the treaty.
I won’t lie. I felt crushed. Like we had lost something. Some companions, like Umar ibn al-Khattab — one of the Prophet’s closest supporters — openly questioned it.
But later, something changed in me.
When the Prophet ﷺ recited the new verse that had been revealed — Surah al-Fath, the Chapter of Victory — I froze.
“Indeed, We have given you a clear victory...” (Qur’an 48:1)
Victory? But we hadn’t even set foot in Mecca.
That’s when I realized. This wasn’t about one trip or one year. It was about showing the world that Muslims chose peace whenever possible. It was about trusting Allah more than our emotions.
And it worked. In less than two years, many people in Mecca came to Islam — after seeing that the Muslims kept their word, even when the terms were hard.
Some say that the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was the beginning of the greatest expansion of Islam. I believe that.
Because I saw it with my own eyes — how patience, trust in Allah, and wise leadership opened hearts in a way that swords never could.
That day taught me what true strength looks like. And I carry that lesson with me still.
Story Note: Inspired by the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, as recorded in authentic Seerah and referenced in Surah al-Fath (48:1).
The dust swirled around my sandals as we waited in Hudaybiyyah, just outside Mecca — the sacred city where the Kaaba stands. I was part of the Muslim group that had journeyed with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, hoping to perform Umrah, the minor pilgrimage. You won’t find my name in any surah of the Qur’an — I was just a humble trader back then, barely understanding the weight of what was unfolding.
I remember the tightness in my chest, the way my hand clutched the waterskin even though I wasn’t thirsty. Tension buzzed in the air. We had come peacefully. No weapons. No threat. Just hope — hope to worship at the Kaaba, just like the Prophet Ibrahim — known to Christians and Jews as Abraham — once did.
But the Quraysh, the powerful tribe that ruled Mecca, refused to let us in. They sent messengers back and forth, each one more stubborn than the last. I saw the hurt in the eyes of the older companions. And the younger ones clenched their fists.
I was torn inside. Part of me wanted to fight, to defend our right. But the Prophet ﷺ didn’t come to fight. He came to honor Allah — and so we waited.
Then the Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr, one of their respected leaders, to make peace. The Prophet ﷺ agreed to write a treaty, even though some of its parts were painful.
I stood close enough to hear bits of the treaty being written:
“No Umrah this year.”
My heart sank.
“Next year you can return — for only three days.”
Murmurs began around me.
“If anyone from Quraysh joins the Muslims, we’ll send them back.”
A gasp broke from someone nearby. How could we agree to that? How could we hand our brothers and sisters back to those who hurt them?
But the Prophet ﷺ didn’t waver. He signed the treaty.
I won’t lie. I felt crushed. Like we had lost something. Some companions, like Umar ibn al-Khattab — one of the Prophet’s closest supporters — openly questioned it.
But later, something changed in me.
When the Prophet ﷺ recited the new verse that had been revealed — Surah al-Fath, the Chapter of Victory — I froze.
“Indeed, We have given you a clear victory...” (Qur’an 48:1)
Victory? But we hadn’t even set foot in Mecca.
That’s when I realized. This wasn’t about one trip or one year. It was about showing the world that Muslims chose peace whenever possible. It was about trusting Allah more than our emotions.
And it worked. In less than two years, many people in Mecca came to Islam — after seeing that the Muslims kept their word, even when the terms were hard.
Some say that the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was the beginning of the greatest expansion of Islam. I believe that.
Because I saw it with my own eyes — how patience, trust in Allah, and wise leadership opened hearts in a way that swords never could.
That day taught me what true strength looks like. And I carry that lesson with me still.
Story Note: Inspired by the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, as recorded in authentic Seerah and referenced in Surah al-Fath (48:1).
