The Holy Qur’an says;

The Muslims thought the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was going to Makkah for battle. When he was asked about it, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, "No. We are going to Makkah only to offer Umrah". Thus in 628 AD., or the sixth Hijrah year, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) with two thousand companions left for Makkah. This time several hundred camels were included in the Muslim caravan.

Although the Muslims were more than two thousand some Bedouin Muslims had not come with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for this journey. They knew that the Muslims and the Quraysh were at war. They thought that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) intended confrontation with the Quraysh. Therefore they hesitated from going along. They did not want to attack the sacred city, where bloodshed was forbidden. These Bedouins had recently entered Faith. Their faith was not deep and strong enough to let them surrender before every commandment of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). It was winter and the days were of the sacred months during which the Bedouins did not engage in battle with anyone. The Mohajirs were extremely joyous at the prospect of going to Makkah with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). They had bid farewell to the city, their families and their houses when they migrated with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to Madinah six years ago.

Makkah was a sacred city for all Arabs. HERE ADAM BUILT THE FIRST PLACE OF WORSHIP ON EARTH. He laid the foundations of the House of Holy Ka’bah so that Allah Almighty, could be worshipped. Makkah was also the native city of Mohajirs. In their hearts they yearned to return to it. They had long wished to be laid to rest in their native soil and among their relatives. The worst oath of Arabia was to curse someone a death of penury outside one’s tribe.

Religiously, Makkah was an international city having in its vicinity chambers for all religions where idols and sketches of their gods and deities were kept. Irrespective of the religion one followed, one was at freedom to circumambulate the Holy Ka’bah. Islam was, like other religions, a religion for the Makkans, therefore the Quraysh could not deny the Muslims their right to enter Makkah and offer pilgrimage. If the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had not opposed idolatry and had not called it a falsehood, he would not have faced the stiff opposition of the Quraysh. The enmity between the Quraysh and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) actually arose when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) negated their religions.

When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) left for Makkah, Abu Sufyan was not in the city and the elders of the city were in a fix. They did not know how to deal with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his people. They knew it was a norm for Makkans to allow the pilgrims freedom to move about in Makkah, irrespective of the faiths they followed. Pilgrims normally offered sacrificial meat in the name of their deities. Fighting was forbidden in these months and it was thus economically unproductive to resist the entrance of two thousand Muslims. Besides, every person had the right to enter Makkah in the sacred months and to deny the Muslims to this right was an open violation of the contemporary constitution. Such an action would undoubtedly bring them under censure by other Arabs.

On the other hand the Quraysh could not allow those people to freely move about in their city, as they had been humiliated by these Muslims in various battles? The Quraysh chiefs were unable to reach a decision. If they segregated the Muslims from the followers of other religions by not allowing them to enter Makkah, it would affect Makkah’s universality, and the trade of Makkan markets and its international status as a religious city. If the Muslims were allowed to enter with several hundred camels and thousands of men, they could capture Makkah. Also if the Muslims entered Makkah, the number of Muslims could go much beyond two thousand as more might come from Madinah later on.

Amidst such fears the Quraysh formed a council. Their enmity against Islam won over other concerns and they decided to obstruct the Muslims from entering Makkah. Hence forty horsemen were assigned to intercept the Muslims. These men were soon arrested by the Muslims and their weapons confiscated. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) ordered that they should be released without acquiring Fidyah and their weapons returned. In Arabia prisoners were released either after recovery of Fidyah or in exchange of another prisoner. That is why some among the Muslims asked, "O Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) of Allah! Why have you set free these prisoners and returned their weapons without acquiring Fidyah?"

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, "Because we are only pilgrims going towards Holy Ka’bah and the one who is on his way to pilgrimage does not take prisoners. A few days after this incident, another party of two hundred horsemen left in the pursuit of the Muslims. They had also been sent by the Quraysh for the same purpose. It was being led by Abu Jahal’s son Ikrimah. When he reached the Muslim camps, the Muslims were busy offering prayers. He saw that they drew up in ranks facing the Holy Ka’bah.

The sight was so magnificent that it held Ikrimah in an awe and he dared not attack them. He however stayed close to their camp so that he could intercept them later on.

To alleviate the fears and suspicions of the Makkans and to inform them that the Muslims had come to perform pilgrimage, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent an emissary to Makkah to tell them that the Muslims had no weapons with them. If the Muslims had come for a battle, they would have come armed. The emissary could not reach Makkah as Ikrimah intercepted him in the way and cut off the legs of all the camels that were with him. The emissary and his companions lost their way in the desert but were able to join the Muslims again.

In his efforts to pursue the emissary, Ikrimah moved far away from the Muslims. This allowed them to continue their journey without hindrance. When the caravan reached a place that was considered to be the Makkan boundary where rites of "branding" the sacrificial camels were performed they stopped. Branding of the sacrificial animals was an institutionalised custom among the Arabs and at this time performing such a custom by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was intended to make clear to the Makkans that the Muslims had come only to offer pilgrimage and not to indulge in fight or capture Makkah. It would be of interest to note that some rites that are offered today at Hajj and Umrah

Islamic historians such as Ibn-e-Hasham, Hameed Ullah, Sirkhasi, Tibri, Abu Daud and Saheeli, state that when the camels were being branded, and prepared for sacrifice, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent some of the Muslims to invite the neighbouring Bedouin tribes to witness the event. This was done so that the Quraysh could be assured that the Muslims had come only to offer pilgrimage and nothing else. The place where the Muslims had offered the rite of branding the camels is called "Zulhaleefah". At this place, the Muslims wore Ahram and left for Makkah. The ritual of branding the camels, or according to the Arabs, "Saleeqah", was carried out by hanging a piece of rope around the camel’s neck to mark that he had been chosen for sacrifice.

"Saleeqah" in today’s Arabic language, means social manner, or "Etiquette". It is the manners of civilised eating or particular style of learning and craft. In addition, it is commonly associated with accomplished taste, but in the ancient Arabic language, Saleeqah was the spot or symbol which appeared on the body of a camel by the friction of leather-laces or wooden saddle. Whenever a camel was required to be branded, the sign (or mark) was called Saleeqah, as the symbol resembled the mark of abrasion on a camel’s body.

A dromedary was quite a precious animal in Arabia. The dromedary that took part in races was extremely dear, and she was called "Sheehanah". During this pilgrimage, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) endowed many such Sheehanah for sacrifice. This was done to show the Bedouin Arabs that in execution of the Hajj rites, the Muslims could even excel them.

After carrying out the ritual of Saleeqah on the camels, the Muslim caravan started to proceed towards Makkah. The caravan was obstructed by Abu Jahal’s son Ikrimah.

The renowned historian Ibn-e-Hasham states in the words of Ikrimah, "When we reached near the Muslims, they had their swords unsheathed".

By this statement of Ikrimah and other traditions, it seems that the Muslims had swords when they were going to Makkah. It should not be forgotten that in those times, swords were not a war-arsenal but an armoury kept by all the men of the period. Even today some Arabs and Sheikhs of Arabian countries tie a dagger by their waists. Such a dagger is part of their dress.

If the Muslims had drawn up their swords, it must have been after seeing Ikrimah and his men. There is no doubt that an occasion did not arise to use them as the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not want to shed a single drop of blood during this journey.

To avoid any possible strife, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had chosen the mountainous region of Zulhaleefah to brand the camels. Due to this the Muslims continued on their journey towards Makkah. After crossing this region, they entered a very narrow and difficult rocky terrain from where the passage of camels was extremely difficult and dangerous. The Muslims suffered from thirst and heat but somehow managed to cross the area and entered a region named Hudaybiyyah.

Hudaybiyyah was eleven kilometres away from Makkah. The silhouettes of the city were clearly visible from this place. On seeing the city of Makkah from distance the Mohajirs were overcome with emotions and had tears in their eyes. Their hearts were throbbing as immolate birds. They were sure that they would reach Makkah and kiss their native soil. Some even wished they could fly and reach Makkah. Suddenly, the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) camel, whose name was "Sal’ab" stopped and gently sat down.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) tried to raise his camel but, instead of walking ahead, the camel receded a step and sat down again. This time the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) climbed down the camel and addressed the Muslims, "It is Allah’s will that we stay here". Then all the Muslims also climbed down their camels. They were vehemently dejected and aggrieved, as they did not expect a sudden stop at the doors of Makkah.

The place where they encamped was situated in the contours of Hudaybiyyah and was called "Ghadeer-Ul-Ashtat". Water could be easily found here during spring. When the Muslims halted water was nowhere to be found, hence the Muslims went to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said, "O Prophet of Allah! We are two thousand in number and several hundred camels are also with us and the place we have stopped is devoid of even a single drop of water. You know it well that without water not even a moment can be spent in such dry wilderness. We request that we move ahead to a place where we can at least find water".

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) realised that taking one step further could cause a fight between them and the Makkans, and blood will spill in Makkan territories. This would also violate the sanctity of the Hajj. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) told the Muslims that they would not move from that place forward as it was Allah’s Decree to remain there.

The Muslims inquired, "How can we do without water?"

It is narrated that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) raised his hands towards the sky and prayed with great intensity before Allah for water. He said, "O Allah! The Muslims will be forced to enter the Haram if they cannot find water here. No sooner than he stopped praying, one of the Muslims, who probably was expert in locating subterranean water, came to him and said, "O Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) of Allah, water lies under your feet!". Instantly the Muslims began to dig the place where the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was standing. The water sprouted in great volume from this area.

When the problem of water was solved and the Muslims were relieved, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) commanded Umar^R.A bin Khatab to go as an emissary to Makkah to let the Quraysh know that we have come only to offer pilgrimage and not to fight, therefore we should be allowed to enter Makkah.

Umar was surprised and said, "O Prophet of Allah! Why should I perform such a task? As in my opinion you can surely enter Makkah and offer pilgrimage. Why do you seek the permission of the Quraysh?"

Umar was tall and robust and broad-shouldered. He was a truthful and a very straight forward person. He could not understand the problem. He was among the "Purists" and that is why the commonality recognised him as a "Zaki". Such truthful and high characterised people were called "Zaki" by the Arabs.

In the eyes of Umar^R.A, Islam was a true and righteous religion and the Muslims had Allah’s patronage, therefore, in his view there was absolutely no need to seek permission from the Quraysh to enter Makkah. He refused to go to the Quraysh as an emissary.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) then handed over this responsibility to Uthman^R.A. He was son-in-law of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and was among those who migrated first from Makkah to Abyssinia and then to Madinah. He had been married to the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) daughter Ruqayyah^R.A. When she died, he was married to the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) second daughter, Umm-e-Kalthoom^R.A and is thus also called "Zul Naurain" - or the "Possessor of two lights"..

Uthman^R.A was fond of fine dress and attending gatherings. He was well-versed with social manners. During conversations he did not refute anyone specifically, but rather exercised prudence. Uthman^R.A was a social person. He talked in a way so as not to hurt anyone. On listening to the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) suggestion, he immediately rode his camel and left for Makkah.

When Uthman^R.A did not return after sometime, rumour spread that Uthman^R.A had been imprisoned in Makkah or worse assassinated. When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) received this news, he decided to change his conduct. He had come to perform pilgrimage to Makkah and possibly to restore friendly and co-operative relations between the Muslims and the Makkans. He had wanted to alleviate Madinah from the economic siege, which had been imposed by the Quraysh. He also wanted the Makkans to become aware that Islam was not an enemy of the Arab nation. The Muslims also venerated the Holy Ka’bah; even more than the Quraysh. However when the news of Uthman^R.A’s death spread, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) commanded all Muslims to gather under a tree. This tree stood in the contours of Hudaybiyyah, in the area of Ghadeer-ul-Ashtat. Such trees, which are old and massive with roots spread deep and far underneath, do not require watering like ordinary trees. Their roots, get water from depths and always sustain themselves as strong and thick trees. The tree under which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had commanded them to gather was so huge and thick that all the Muslims assembled under its shade.