The Muslims going for pilgrimage had no weapons, except swords. The sword was part and parcel of their dress. When the Muslims entered Makkah, the Quraysh became frightened and left for the hills situated in front of Holy Ka’bah to watch the Muslims from a distance. They were afraid that the Muslims might attack them. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) observed precautions, before entering Makkah. He appointed a cavalry of one hundred soldiers led by Muhammad bin Muslimah at Miraldohran, in the vicinity of Makkah and ordered them to stay vigilant all the time.

Muhammad Muslimah and his companions climbed a hill situated in Miraldohran from where they could watch Makkah. The Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) final instructions to Muhammad Muslimah were, "If you see the unbelievers attacking us, then come to our assistance, otherwise stay here till our return".

When Bilal^R.A’s voice reverberated in the air of Makkah, "Allah is Great, Allah is Great". "There is no Allah but Allah", the idolaters standing at the nearby hills, writhed with rage and fury. They had expected that the huge idols of Holy Ka’bah would crash the skies onto the Muslims or would turn them to a heap of chaff by showering them with stones. Nothing undesirable happened to the Muslims. Not even a single speck or stone fell from the skies. Instead the atmosphere of Makkah was purified with the echoes of the heathen-shattering words of "Allah is Great".

The sketch showing inner structure of the Holy Ka’bah.

Dimensions of the Holy Ka’bah

When the Muslims started circumambulating the Holy Ka’bah in company of their Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), their eyes became wet with passion. Umar^R.A bin Khatab, who was with the strongest of heart and a resolute man, started crying loudly. The Muslims had been craving for the Holy Ka’bah since long remembering how the Quraysh had restricted their entry into the Holy Ka’bah after they had come into faith. It was unbelievable for Muslims that they were offering pilgrimage at the Holy Ka’bah.

At the end of Hajj rites, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) decided to marry a very reputed lady of Makkah named Maimoona^R.A bint Haris. She entered into matrimony with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). She was sister-in-law to Abbas^R.A - the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) uncle. Maymunah^R.A had eight sisters who were wives of influential and prominent men of Makkah. This important step taken by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was to enhance natural ties with the Quraysh.

By this marriage the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was also able to invite the elders of Makkah to a feast to eat alongside the Muslims at the same table. This wedding feast was the best source of a mutual sitting.

On the second day after Hajj, arrangements for this feast began. The Makkans were still occupying the adjacent hills. They could not muster up the courage to come down and enter Makkah. They were gripped by a strange feeling. The religious fervour of the Muslims, the call for prayer given by Bilal^R.A and the disciplined lives of believers at prayer times, overwhelmed the Makkans. The effect of this was so great that Khalid bin Walid, standing at the top of the mountain, said, "This religion, whose followers are so sincerely devoted to it, cannot be a deception" If their religion had even an iota of deceit, these people would not have attached themselves to him with such devotion.

On the third day of his stay at Makkah the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent a messenger to the Quraysh inviting them to the wedding-feast, but before the messenger could reach them, a Qurayshi delegation entered Makkah and made their way straight to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Abdul Aza was leading the delegation.

Aza was the name of one of the three greater idols of Holy Ka’bah. Names like Abdul Aza, Abdul-Lat and Abdul-Manat, were common. The Makkans knew Allah as Allah. They worshipped him like Lat and Manat. Before Islam, the name of the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) father was Abdullah. In the eyes of the Makkans Allah had no supremacy over other gods. They considered Allah as the Allah of Ibrahim^R.A, and thus they respected Him as well.

When Abdul Aza and his delegation reached, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), they saw him and his companions busy arranging the feast. When Abdul Aza came to know that the feast would be given as the wedding-party and the Quraysh would also be invited, he said, "O Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), you with your companions must leave Makkah instantly, as, according to the pact your stay is coming to an end today".

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) honouring the Pact, cancelled the feast, and left for Madinah with his companions the very same day. The Muslims had not gone far when Khalid bin Walid joined the Muslim caravan, his heart had been deeply moved by their unity, faith and discipline. He longed to become a Muslim and enter Faith. Afterwards, as a Muslim commander, he demonstrated such feats of valour and bravery that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) bestowed upon him the title of "Saif Ullah" - the sword of Allah. Ali^R.A was honoured by the title of "Asad Ullah" - the lion of Allah after the battle of Khaybar but none of the Muslims came to be honoured as Saif Ullah. This unique honour and title was bestowed upon Khalid bin Walid only.

When Khalid bin Walid was going towards the Muslim caravan to become a Muslim, he met in the way a person coming from Abyssinia. His name was Umroah bin Al’as. He too was in search of the Muslim caravan to accept Faith.

According to the pact of Hudaybiyyah, if a Makkan citizen joined the Muslims without the permission of the Quraysh, the Muslims were to deliver the person back to the Quraysh. When a person as Khalid bin Walid joined the Muslims, the Quraysh dared not recover him, as they had come to realise that Islam was becoming stronger and more popular than ever before.