Chapter Two

he reached Madinah. This journey is known in Islamic history as the Hijrah. The Hijrah clearly exemplifies the choice of a peaceful method as opposed to a violent one. 3. The ‘Battle of the Trench’, also known as the Battle of Ahzab, is another illustration of this sunnat of the Prophet. On this occasion, a vast number of the Prophet’s opponents assembled and marched towards Madinah. This was an open challenge to war on their part. However, in order to avoid war, the Prophet arranged for a trench to be dug around the town. This served as a buffer against the attackers. And so, the Quraysh army, having spent just a few days on the other side of the trench, retreated. The trench, too, was, as it were, an example of the Prophet’s choosing a peaceful option as opposed to a violent one. 4. Likewise, the Treaty of Hudaybiya also exemplifies this sunnat of the Prophet. The Prophet and his Companions wanted to enter Makkah and perform the Umrah, but they were stopped by the chiefs of the Quraysh at a place called Hudaybiya and were told to go back to Madinah. The Quraysh said that they would not allow them to enter Makkah at any cost. On their part, this was, as it were, a challenge to do battle. If the Prophet had proceeded towards Makkah in accordance with his plan of performing the Umrah, it was certain that armed confrontation with the Quraysh would have broken out. However, the Prophet ended his journey at Hudaybiya. Accepting the one-sided conditions of the Quraysh, he entered into a peace treaty with them and returned to Madinah. This is yet another clear prophetic example of choosing a peaceful method over a violent one. 5. This sunnat of the Prophet was also exemplified by his victory over Makkah. On this occasion, he was accompanied by 10,000 devoted Companions. They could certainly have successfully fought the Quraysh.