Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 178
178 by the Prophet, set out on their journey to Mecca. A mounted guard of twenty went some distance ahead to warn the Muslims in case the enemy showed signs of attacking. The Meccans soon had reports of this caravan. Tradition had established the circuit of the Ka‘bah as a universal right. It could not very well be denied to Muslims. They had announced in unambiguous terms that the purpose of their march was to perform the circuit, nothing else. The Prophet had forbidden demonstrations of every kind. There were to be no disputes, no questionings or claims. In spite of this, the Meccans started preparing as for an armed conflict. They put up defences on all sides, called the surrounding tribes to their aid and seemed determined to fight. When the Prophet reached near Mecca, he was informed that the Quraysh were ready to fight. They were clad in tiger skins, had their wives and children with them and had sworn solemnly not to let the Muslims pass. The tiger skins were a sign of a savage determination to fight. Soon after, a column of Meccans marching in the van of their army confronted the Muslims. Muslims could not now advance except by drawing the sword. The Prophet, however, was determined to do nothing of the kind. He employed a guide to show the Muslim caravan an alternative route through the desert. Led by this guide, the Prophet and his Companions reached Hudaybiyyah, a spot very near Mecca. The Prophet’s dromedary stopped and refused to go any farther. "The animal seems tired, O Prophet of God. Better change your mount," said a Companion. "No, no," said the Prophet, "the animal is not tired. It seems rather that God wants us to stop here and to go no further. I propose, therefore, to camp here and to ask the Meccans if they would let us perform the Pilgrimage. I, for one, will accept any conditions they may choose to impose. " 209 The Meccan army at this time was not in Mecca. It had gone out some distance to meet the Muslims on the main road to Medina. If the Prophet wanted, he could have led his fifteen hundred men into Mecca and taken the town without resistance. But he was determined to attempt only the circuit of the Ka‘bah, and that only if the Meccans permitted. He would have resisted and fought the Meccans only if the Meccans had chosen to strike first. Therefore, he abandoned the main road and camped at Hudaybiyyah. Soon the news reached the Meccan commander, who ordered his men to withdraw and post themselves near Mecca. Then the Meccans sent a chief, Budayl by name, to parley with the Prophet. The Prophet explained to Budayl that he and the Muslims wanted only to perform the circuit of the Ka‘bah; but if the Meccans wished to fight, the Muslims were ready. Then ‘Urwah, son-in-law of Abu Sufyan, the Meccan commander, came to the Prophet. He behaved most discourteously. He called the Muslims tramps and dregs of society and said the Meccans would not let them enter Mecca. More and more Meccans came to have talks and the last thing they said was that at least that year they would not let Muslims