Non-Violence and Peace-Building in Islam

news of their journey had reached the Quraysh1. Indignant at the idea of the Muslims visiting the Kabah, they had amassed an army and vowed to prevent the Prophet and his Companions from entering Makkah, although it was contrary to Arab tradition to prevent anyone from visiting the Kabah. The Prophet was acting under divine inspiration: perhaps that is why he remained calm when he heard of the Quraysh’s reaction. He learnt from informers that Khalid ibn al-Walid, intent on blocking the Muslims’ path, had advanced with two hundred cavalrymen to Ghamim. On hearing this, the Prophet changed route, deviating from a well-frequented path to a little-known and arduous route, which led him to Hudaybiyah. In this way, he avoided clashing with Khalid’s army. This is how the historian Ibn Hisham2 in his biography of the Prophet describes these events: “Who can show us a path not occupied by the Quraysh?” the Prophet asked. Someone volunteered to do so and then proceeded to guide the Muslims by a route which led through arduous, rocky and mountainous passes. The Muslims had great difficulty in crossing these passes, but when they had done so and emerged upon an open plain, the Prophet called on them to seek forgiveness of God and turn to Him. This they did, and the Prophet said that this was the word of forgiveness which the Israelites had been called upon to utter, but they had failed to do so. This was obviously a trying time for the Muslims, but they had to face their trial with patience and forbearance. This was the path laid down for 2 Abu Muhammad Abd al-Malik bin Hisham (d. 833 C.E.) edited the biography of the Prophet Muhammad written by Ibn Ishaq. 1 The Quraysh were a powerful tribe that controlled Makkah. The Prophet was born into the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh. When the Prophet began preaching Islam, many members of the Quraysh stiffly opposed him.