The deadlock still lingered on when Buday b. Warqa’ of the tribe of Khuza’a suddenly appeared with a few of his clansmen to resolve the impasse. He asked the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him
“What have you come for?”
“We have come to perform the ‘Umra’, replied the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him, “The Quraysh are already wrecked by war.
If they agree I will make peace with them for a specified period and they should give way to my companions and me. If they want, they may merge with the group that others have joined and this would give them a respite. But if nothing is acceptable to them except war, then by Him
who holds my life, I would fight them until I lose my head or Allah makes His religion victorious.”
Budayl b. Warqa conveyed to the Quraysh what he had heard from the Messenger of God peace be and blessings upon him. Urwa b. Masud al‐Thaqafi, who happened to be present on the occasion, advised the Quraysh that they ought to accept the termsproposed by the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him for they were absolutely reasonable. He also suggested that he might personally see the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him to which the Quraysh agreed. And so, ‘Urwa went to the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him to discuss the matter with him but he also kept his eyes open to closely monitor the
Muslims’ treatment of the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him. He saw that if he asked for anything, they vied for complying with his
order; and if he spoke, everybody listened with full attention. Nobody even dared to look straight into his eyes. When ‘Urwa went back to the Quraysh, he said, “I have been to the courts of the kings and have seen the splendor of the Caesar, the Chosroes and the Negus. But never have I seen any king as revered as Muhammed was by his companions.”
(Zad al‐Ma’ad, Vol. p. 382)
He gave the details of his assessment of the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him and again advised the Quraysh to accept the terms offered to them.
THE TREATY OF PEACE
In the meantime another man of Bani Kinana, Mikraz b. Hafs, arrived in Makkah. He agreed with what the earlier emissaries had advised the Quraysh and so they decided to send Suhayl b. ‘Amr to negotiate the terms of the treaty.
As soon as the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him saw him coming, he murmured, “That they have sent this man, it seems that
they want peace.” The Prophet peace be and blessings upon him also asked to prepare the agreement.
(Ibn Hisham, Vol. Ii, p. 316; Bukhaari).
EXEMPLARY MODERATION AND PRUDENCE
The Prophet peace be and blessings upon him summoned ‘Ali and told him to write:
“I begin with the name of Allah, Ar‐Rahman ‘the beneficent’, Ar‐Raheem ‘the Merciful.”
Suhayl protested, “I do not recognize Ar‐Rahman, but write as is customary upon us.”
The Prophet peace be and blessings upon him then directed ‘Ali, “Write: I begin with Your name, O Allah.”
Some Muslims objected, ‘No We must write: I begin with the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.”
But the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him said again, “Let it be: I begin withYour name, O Allah.” Then the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him asked ‘Ali to write: “This is what Muhammed the Messenger of God peace be and blessings upon him has decided.
Suhayl again objected, “I swear by God, if we had believed that you were God’s messenger we would not have driven you away from the House of God nor fought with you; you shall write: Muhammed b. ‘Abdullah.”
“I am God’s Messenger even if you disbelieve me”, replied the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him; but still asked ‘Ali to erase out what he had written earlier.
“By God, I cannot do it”, replied ‘Ali. The Prophet peace be and blessings upon him, however, asked ‘Ali to point out the area to be effaced. ‘Ali obliged and so the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him deleted it himself.
(Muslim, Kitaab‐ul‐Jihad‐was‐siyar, Chap. Sulh Hudaybiyah).
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