An Outline of Early Islamic History — Page 59
59 the Muslim camp. They were taken prisoners. In the morning the Prophet set them all free. The Prophet next proposed to send Umar to speak to the Meccans. He said the Quresh were very angry with him and he had little mercy for them. The Prophet then sent Ut hman. The Meccans permitted him to make the pilgrimage. He refused. He said, he would not if the Prophet could not. The Quresh answered that they would not let him that year. News reached Muslim camp that the Quresh had killed Uthman. There was great anger among them. The Prophet called them to assemble under a tree. There they took an oath on his hand to punish Meccans for the crime. This is called the Baiat - ul - Ridhwan. The Prophet put his right hand on his left and said it was Uthman’s hand. The Hudaibia Treaty After some time peace was made. The Quresh agreed to let the Prophet visit the Kaaba the following year. The Prophet agreed to go back that year. He agreed to send back to Mecca the Muslims who escaped from Mecca. He also agreed to return to the Quresh any Muslim who gave up Islam. Both parties agreed to end war for ten years. Both were free to have friendly relations with other tribes. Medina was now a state. Islam was free. So were other religions in Arabia. The Prophet was the head of the State. Mecca had agreed to that much. The Treaty of Hudaibia was thus a great victory. But a greater one was yet to come.