In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
A Abridged Seerah of the Prophet
Authored by Sheikh Musa ibn Rashid Al-Azmi,
May Allah preserve him.
The Expedition of Al-Hudaybiyyah
The Expedition of Al-Hudaybiyyah took place
By consensus, in Dhul-Qa'dah of the sixth year of the Hijrah.
Imam Al-Bayhaqi reported in *Dala'il al-Nubuwwah*
On the authority of Nafi', the freed slave of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"Al-Hudaybiyyah took place in the year six,
After the arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Madinah,
In the month of Dhul-Qa'dah."
Imam Al-Bayhaqi said:
"This is the correct view,
And it is the position held by Al-Zuhri, Qatadah,
Musa ibn 'Uqbah,
Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, and others."
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
"The Expedition of Al-Hudaybiyyah
Took place in Dhul-Qa'dah of the year six without any disagreement."
The Reason for This Expedition
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had been shown in a dream
That he and his Companions entered Makkah,
In safety, with their heads shaved and hair shortened.
He informed his Companions of this while he was in Madinah,
And the Companions rejoiced at the news.
He called upon them to set out for Makkah to perform 'Umrah.
Allah Almighty mentioned this vision in His Noble Book,
Where He, the Exalted, said:
"Allah has truly fulfilled His Messenger's vision in truth:
You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, in safety,
With your heads shaved and hair shortened, having no fear."
“Allah hath fulfilled the vision for His messenger in very truth. Ye shall indeed enter the Inviolable Place of Worship, if Allah will, secure, (having your hair) shaven and cut, not fearing. But He knoweth that which ye know not, and hath given you a near victory beforehand.” (48:27)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
"His statement, the Exalted: 'having no fear,'
Is an emphatic circumstantial clause in meaning,
Confirming security for them at the moment of entry,
And negating fear from them while residing in the city—
Fearing no one.
And this came to pass during 'Umrat al-Qada'
In Dhul-Qa'dah of the seventh year.
For when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
Returned from Al-Hudaybiyyah in Dhul-Qa'dah,
He returned to Madinah,
Remaining there through Dhu al-Hijjah and Al-Muharram.
Then, in Dhul-Qa'dah of the seventh year,
He set out for Makkah to perform 'Umrah,
Accompanied by those who had been at Al-Hudaybiyyah.
He entered ihram from Dhul-Hulayfah and brought the sacrificial animals with him."
The Number of Those Who Set Out with the Prophet (peace be upon him)
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out
From Madinah on a Monday,
At the beginning of Dhul-Qa'dah in the sixth year of the Hijrah,
Accompanied by his wife Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Set out with him from the Muhajirun and the Ansar
Were fourteen hundred, according to the majority opinion.
For the two Sheikhs reported in their *Sahih*s
On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"We were fourteen hundred on the day of Al-Hudaybiyyah."
The Prophet's Assuming Ihram
From the Miqat
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not bring
Any arms with him except the arms of a traveler,
Which are swords in their sheaths.
He brought along seventy sacrificial camels,
Among which was a camel that had belonged to Abu Jahl—may Allah curse him—
Having a silver nose-ring in its head or nose,
In order to enrage the idolaters thereby.
He sent them ahead with Najiyah ibn Jundub Al-Khuza'i Al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him).
When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reached
The miqat of Dhul-Hulayfah,
He garlanded his sacrificial animal, marked its hump, and assumed ihram for 'Umrah.
Imam Al-Bukhari reported in his *Sahih*
On the authority of Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah and Marwan,
Who said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out at the time of Al-Hudaybiyyah
With fourteen hundred of his Companions,
Until, when they reached Dhul-Hulayfah,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) garlanded
The sacrificial animal, marked its hump, and assumed ihram for 'Umrah."
Imam Ahmad reported in his *Musnad*, as did Abu Dawud
And Al-Hakim with a good chain of transmission,
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
Had offered as a sacrifice the camel of Abu Jahl,
Which he had taken as booty on the day of Badr,
Having a silver ring in its nose,
In the year of Al-Hudaybiyyah among his sacrificial animals,
In order to enrage the idolaters thereby."
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent
Ahead of him
Busr ibn Sufyan Al-Khuza'i
As a scout to Quraysh
To bring him news of them.
The Hosts of Quraysh Confront the Muslims
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued journeying
Until, when he reached Dahr Al-Ashtat,
His scout Al-Khuza'i came to him
And said: "Quraysh have gathered large forces against you,
And they have assembled the Ahabish tribes against you;
They intend to fight you, bar you from the House, and prevent you."
In a narration by Imam Ahmad in his *Musnad*
With a good chain of transmission,
On the authority of Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah
And Marwan ibn Al-Hakam,
Who said: "When he reached 'Usfan,
Busr ibn Sufyan Al-Ka'bi (may Allah be pleased with him) met him
And said: 'O Messenger of Allah,
These Quraysh have heard of your march,
So they have come out bringing along nursing mothers and their children,
Clad in leopard skins,
Swearing by Allah that you shall never enter it upon them by force.
And here is Khalid ibn Al-Walid among their cavalry,
Whom they have sent ahead to Kura' Al-Ghamim.'"
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Woe to Quraysh!
War has devoured them!
What harm would it cause them if they left me and the rest of the people alone?
If they defeat me, it will be what Quraysh desired;
And if Allah grants me victory over them,
They could enter Islam in large numbers.
Even if they do not,
They could fight while retaining their strength.
So what do Quraysh think?
By Allah, I shall not cease striving for that with which Allah has sent me
Until Allah grants it victory or this side of the neck is severed!"
The Prophet's (peace be upon him) Consultation with His Companions
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his Companions:
"Advise me, O people!
Do you think we should attack the dependents and offspring of these people
Who wish to bar us from the House?
For if they come to us,
Allah Almighty will have cut off a detachment of the idolaters;
Otherwise, we leave them in a state of loss."
In another narration by Imam Ahmad in his *Musnad* with an authentic chain:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Advise me:
Do you think we should attack the offspring of those who assisted them, and strike them?
If they stay behind, they remain bereaved and ruined;
And if they come, it will be a detachment that Allah cuts off.
Or do you think we should head straight for the House, and fight whoever bars us from it?"
Al-Hafiz said in *Fath al-Bari*:
"The meaning is that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) consulted his Companions
As to whether they should march against those who supported Quraysh at their dwellings
And take their families captive.
If they came to assist their people, they would be preoccupied with them,
Leaving him and his Companions alone with Quraysh.
This is what was meant by his saying: 'it will be a detachment that Allah cuts off.'"
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
You set out intending only this House,
Not desiring to kill anyone or wage war on anyone.
So proceed toward it,
And whoever bars us from it, we shall fight him."
In a narration by Imam Ahmad in his *Musnad* with an authentic chain,
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"O Prophet of Allah,
We came only to perform 'Umrah,
We did not come to fight anyone;
But whoever stands between us and the House, we shall fight him."
Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"By Allah, we shall not be like the chiefs of the Children of Israel,
When they said to their Prophet:
“They said: O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here.” (5:24)
'We are sitting right here,'
'Go, you and your Lord, and fight!
Indeed, we are fighting alongside you.'"
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Proceed in the name of Allah!"
A Abridged Seerah of the Prophet
Though the longing of the worlds for one another grows long,
The longing for you knows no bound.
May Allah send blessings upon you as long as the call to prayer is raised
And lips move with the rest of the words.