الحديبية
al-Ḥudaybiya
Event
A treaty of 628 between the Prophet and Quraysh, which the Quran calls “a clear victory” (48:1).
What it means
In 628 the Prophet set out with about 1,400 men for the lesser pilgrimage, and was stopped at al-Hudaybiya outside Mecca. The Muslims pledged allegiance under a tree (48:18). The treaty provided for a ten-year truce, a return of the Prophet and the Muslims the next year to perform the pilgrimage, and that Quraysh men who joined Muhammad without permission be returned. At the signing, the Quraysh envoy objected to “Muhammad, messenger of God” and the Prophet agreed to write “son of Abdullah”.
What the sources say
Many of the Companions were distressed at the terms. The Quran, revealed on the way back, called it a clear victory (48:1), and the truce allowed the Muslims to spread their message freely, so that two years later Mecca opened to them without a battle.