Conditions of the Treaty

After much disagreement and trouble, this treaty was concluded at last. In almost every stipulation, the Holy Prophet(sa) forfeited his term and accepted the demand of the Quraish. Furthermore, in accordance with Divine Will, the Holy Prophet(sa) fulfilled his oath with complete loyalty in that he should accept whatever the Quraish demanded for the sake of the Baitullāh and in order to safeguard the reverence of the Ḥaram at all costs. The conditions of this treaty were as follows:

  1. The Holy Prophet(sa) and his companions would return (to Madīnah) this year.1

  2. Next year, they would be permitted to enter Makkah and fulfil the rite of ‘Umrah, but except for a sheathed sword, they would not be permitted to bring any arms. Furthermore, they would not remain in Makkah for more than 3 days.2

  3. If any man from among the people of Makkah went to Madīnah, even if he be a Muslim, the Holy Prophet(sa) should not grant him protection in Madīnah and should return him. In this relation, the words of Sahih Bukhārī are:

  1. “If a man from among us comes to you, you shall return him.”3

    If however, a Muslim were to leave Madīnah and come to Makkah, he would not be returned.4 In another narration it is mentioned that if any man from the people of Makkah came to Madīnah without the permission of his Walī or guardian, he should be returned.5

  2. Among the tribes of Arabia, whichever tribe wished to ally with the Muslims could do so and whichever tribe wished to ally with the people of Makkah could do so.6

  3. For the time being, this treaty would be for 10 years and during this period, war would be suspended between the Quraish and the Muslims.7

Two copies8 of this agreement were transcribed and as witnesses, many esteemed people put down their signatures. From the Muslims were Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr(ra), Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra),9 Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān(ra) (who had returned from Makkah by that time), ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Auf(ra), Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqās(ra) and Abū ‘Ubaidah(ra).10 After the agreement had been concluded, Suhail bin ‘Amr took one copy of the agreement and returned to Makkah, while the other copy remained with the Holy Prophet(sa).11

5 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 687, Amrul-Ḥudaibiyyati Fī Ākhiri Sanati Sittin/‘Aliyyun Yaktubu Shurūtaṣ-Ṣulḥi, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)

9 Let it be noted that despite his strong difference of opinion, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra) did not at all hesitate in putting down his signature.