Opinion

Reflections On The Liberation Of Makkah

Zafar Bangash

Rabi' al-Thani 09, 14472025-10-01

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Muslims liberated Makkah from the clutches of the mushrikeen in the year 8 AH. The circumstances that led to Muslims marching on Makkah will be discussed shortly but it is important to first clarify that while the Makkans were physically subdued, it is open to question.whether they fully accepted the message of Islam.

Only Allah knows the condition of one’s heart but in hindsight and from Muslim history, we can safely deduce that the Makkan elite can at best be described as Muslims of convenience. This is not to suggest that every Makkan fell into this category. Again, Muslim history shows that some of them proved their sincerity by sacrificing their lives in battles the Muslims waged against their enemies.

What led the Prophet (ﷺ) to march on Makkah? The Banu Bakr, a clan of the Kinanah tribe, attacked the Banu Ka‘b, a clan of the Banu Khuza‘ah that were allied with the Muslims. A member of the Banu Ka‘b was killed. Compounding the crime was the fact that the attack occurred within the precincts of the Haram.

Some Makkan mushriks also joined in the crime, in clear violation of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah that was signed two years earlier. Not surprisingly, the Banu Khuza‘ah sought help from the Prophet (ﷺ) for this gross injustice.

The Prophet (ﷺ) gave them a patient hearing and advised them that he would address their grievances. Always preferring to resolve disputes through negotiations, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent a message to the Makkan mushriks telling them that they should punish the offending persons of the Banu Bakr clan because of a clear breach of the treaty. If they would not do so, then they must withdraw their protection of the Banu Bakr and Muslims would deal with them directly. If even this was not acceptable, then the Makkans should consider the Treaty of Hudaybiyah to be null and void.

In their arrogance, the Makkan mushriks rejected the Prophet’s (ﷺ) very reasonable proposals and sent word that the treaty was null and void. They thought the Prophet (ﷺ), residing some 300 km away in Madinah, could not do much. They did not imagine that he would actually march on Makkah. In all previous encounters, it was the Makkans who had attacked Madinah.

One of the leading figures of Makkah—Abu Sufyan—was away from the city at the time the treaty violation occurred. When he returned and heard what had transpired, he realised that it was a grave mistake to reject the Prophet’s proposals. He was aware that the Makkans could not face the power of the Muslims now. In the eight-year period after the Prophet’s forced migration from Makkah, a great deal had changed.

Under the inspiring leadership of the Prophet (ﷺ), Muslim power had expanded considerably. The Treaty of Hudaybiyah had allowed other tribes to align themselves with Muslims. Further, in 7AH, Muslims had marched on the Jewish stronghold of Khyber and convincingly defeated them.

Abu Sufyan was not oblivious of these developments and understood the risks involved in antagonizing the Prophet (ﷺ), especially after the Makkans and their allies had violated the treaty. He immediately rushed to Madinah to make amends. He wanted to meet the Prophet (ﷺ) but was refused permission. He tried to approach several of the Prophet’s companions including Abu Bakr but they all refused including the Prophet’s wife and Abu Sufyan’s daughter Um Habiba.

It was in these circumstances that the Prophet (ﷺ) mobilized a force of 10,000 to march on Makkah. However, he kept the plan secret so that the Makkans would not get a chance to organize their forces. It was the month of Ramadan and the 300-km journey under a blazing sun took about seven days.

The Muslims set up camp outside Makkah and the Prophet (ﷺ) told his companions to climb up the hills surrounding Makkah with each person lighting three or four fires at night. This was a psychological tactic to instill fear in the Makkans.

It worked. Upon seeing so many fires, they thought tens of thousands of Muslims had gathered to attack Makkah. It was futile to resist such a force.

At night, the Prophet’s uncle Abbas brought Abu Sufyan to see the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) was reluctant but Abbas persisted and requested that Abu Sufyan be granted audience. The Prophet (ﷺ) told him to take Abu Sufyan to his tent for the night and bring him back in the morning. When Abu Sufyan was brought before the Prophet (ﷺ), he was asked whether he was willing to submit to Allah and accept that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the messenger of Allah.

Abu Sufyan said he accepted Allah but was reluctant about the Prophet’s (ﷺ) position as Allah’s messenger. He finally relented in his opposition to the Prophet’s role but his reluctance was evident. It was clear that clannish tendencies borne of an assumed superiority were getting in the way of his accepting the truth.

The Prophet (ﷺ) and his 10,000-strong Muslim army entered Makkah without a fight. The Makkan mushriks, now trembling in fear, appealed to the Prophet’s noble lineage and noble character and sought mercy. It would have been perfectly acceptable to have executed them because they had tortured the Muslims for 13 years and then pursued them to wage wars against them even in Madinah.

Some early Muslims were tortured to death (Sumayyah and her husband, Yasir, for instance). They even plotted to kill the Prophet (ﷺ) but Allah protected him. He was able to leave his house despite members of the various Makkan clans surrounding his house to carry out the criminal act.

Despite their past crimes, the Makkans were shown mercy by the Prophet (ﷺ). He told them that he was granting them amnesty. The word he used for them was ‘tulaqa’, meaning that while they were offenders (or prisoners), he was setting them free.

Some questions must be asked regarding the Makkans’ “acceptance” of Islam. Was it genuine? Did the light of Islam penetrate their hearts instantly after they were physically subdued?

Only a few weeks earlier, they had rejected the Prophet’s (ﷺ) very reasonable proposal to punish the violators of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. It is clear that when they were left with no choice after witnessing the power of Islam that they entered the fold. The Makkans’ arrogance and prejudices did not disappear instantly.

Forced to accept Islam at this late stage did not elevate them to the level of Imaan that those who were with the Prophet (ﷺ) from the earliest days possessed. Their sacrifices for Islam are well documented. The Makkan latecomers’ hostility to Islam and in particular to the Prophet’s family is also well known.

Unfortunately, it was people from among the tulaqa who not only subverted the khilafah, the system of governance established after the Prophet (ﷺ) left this earthly abode, but also massacred his family led by Imam Husain in Karbala. Sincere Muslims must take these historical facts into account when assessing the role of the latecomers to Islam. Sugar-coating their disruptive role will not do.

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