The letters to kings, Khaybar and the conquest of Makkah

The letters to kings Taking advantage of the truce, the Prophet ﷺ wrote to the rulers of his time to call them to Islam: Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, Chosroes, the king of Persia, Al-Muqawqis in Egypt, the Negus in Abyssinia, and others. He had a seal made, engraved "Muhammad, Messenger of Allah". His letter to Heraclius said: "Embrace Islam and you will be safe, and Allah will give you your reward twice"; Heraclius questioned Abu Sufyaan about the Prophet ﷺ, and recognised in his answers the signs of a prophet (Bukhari 7). Chosroes tore the letter up.

Khaybar At the start of year 7, the Muslims besieged Khaybar, a fortified oasis north of Madinah from which attacks on the town were launched. After several days, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love"; he gave it to 'Ali, and the fortress was taken (Bukhari 3701, Muslim 2406). The inhabitants stayed on their land in exchange for half of the harvest. In the same year, the Muslims performed the 'umra provided for by the treaty.

The breaking of the truce In year 8, the tribe of Banu Bakr, allies of Quraysh, attacked the tribe of Khuzaa'a, allies of the Muslims, by night, with the help of men from Quraysh. The truce was broken. Abu Sufyaan came to Madinah to renew it, without success.

The conquest In the month of Ramadan in year 8, the Prophet ﷺ set out with about ten thousand men [À VÉRIFIER : nombre]. He had many fires lit around Makkah to discourage any resistance. Abu Sufyaan came out to find out what was happening, was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and embraced Islam. The Prophet ﷺ had it announced: "Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyaan is safe, whoever closes his door is safe, whoever enters the Sacred Mosque is safe" (Muslim 1780). He entered the town with his head bowed on his mount, as a sign of humility before Allah, reciting Surah Al-Fatḥ [À VÉRIFIER : référence].

The idols He entered the Sacred Mosque. Around the Ka'ba stood three hundred and sixty idols; he struck them with a stick, reciting: "The truth has come and falsehood has vanished; falsehood is bound to vanish" (verse 17:81; Bukhari 4287, Muslim 1781). Bilaal, the former slave who had been tortured in Makkah, climbed onto the Ka'ba and made the call to prayer [À VÉRIFIER : référence].

The pardon The people of Makkah, who had driven him out, persecuted him and fought him for twenty years, awaited his judgement. According to Ibn Isḥaaq, he asked them: "What do you think I will do with you?" They replied: "Good: you are a generous brother, the son of a generous brother." He said: "I say to you what Yuusuf said to his brothers: 'No blame upon you today' (12:92). Go, you are free" [À VÉRIFIER : authenticité de la chaîne]. Only a few criminals were excepted, and several of them were pardoned afterwards.

Surah An-Naṣr Surah An-Naṣr (below) announces this victory and people entering the religion in crowds. Ibn 'Abbaas also understood from it the announcement that the Prophet's ﷺ mission was nearing its end, and 'Umar confirmed this explanation (Bukhari 4970).

Exercise: the Prophet ﷺ forgave those who had done him the most harm. Think of a person who has hurt you. Without denying what they did, make a sincere supplication for them today.

The text: Surah An-Naṣr (110), verses 1 to 3 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ ﴿١﴾ وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا ﴿٢﴾ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا ﴿٣﴾

Meaning: "When the help of Allah and the victory come, and you see people entering the religion of Allah in crowds, then glorify your Lord with His praise and ask His forgiveness: He is ever accepting of repentance." At the moment of triumph, the command is not to celebrate one's strength, but to glorify Allah and ask forgiveness.

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The conquest of Makkah is the high point of the Seerah, and its main lesson is not military: it is forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ enters as victor the town that drove him out, with his head bowed, and he forgives. Scholars often compare this scene to Yuusuf's words to his brothers: the same nobility, in two prophets, towards those who had harmed them. He also took every means to avoid bloodshed: an army so large that resistance was pointless, fires to impress, and places of safety announced in advance, including the house of Abu Sufyaan, his former enemy, to whom he thus offered an honour. The destruction of the idols recalls the aim of the whole mission: to restore the Ka'ba to the worship of Allah alone, as Ibraahiim had intended. And Surah An-Naṣr teaches the believer's attitude in success: glorification, praise and asking forgiveness, not pride.

Lessons to draw from it • Forgive when one has the power to take revenge. • Seek to avoid harm and violence, even when one is in the right. • Honour a former opponent to win his heart. • Stay humble in success and ask Allah's forgiveness. • Put the worship of Allah alone back at the centre of one's life.

Key points to remember • Letters to kings; Heraclius (Bukhari 7). • Khaybar, year 7; the banner given to 'Ali (Bukhari 3701, Muslim 2406). • Conquest of Makkah, Ramadan in year 8; the places of safety (Muslim 1780). • 17:81 and the idols (Bukhari 4287, Muslim 1781). • An-Naṣr (110); Bukhari 4970.

The main message On the day of his greatest victory, the Prophet ﷺ bowed his head and forgave: in success, be humble; towards those who have harmed you, be generous.