Victory of Islam

Seerah as a Movement behind this agreement. People are impatient but God is not. He lets matters take their course, until they reach the stage that He intends.” (Recorded by Ibn ‘Asakir). It is realism which brings success in this world; but people want instant success, and are unwilling to go through the lengthy stages it takes to achieve it. Now the Prophet began to make preparations for another campaign. The target he kept secret even from Abu Bakr. Only in Ramadan 8 a.h., when the Muslim army was actually directed to set out towards Makkah, did people realize where they were heading. So stealthy and discreet was their advance that they reached Murr’uz-Zahran without the Quraysh knowing that the Muslims were upon them. The Prophet had prayed before he set out that “the spies and informers of the Quraysh” should be restrained until the Muslims entered the city of Makkah. The Prophet went to amazing lengths to keep preparations for the campaign of Makkah secret. He gave orders that Madinah should be cut off from the rest of Arabia: no one was to be allowed to enter or leave the city. A party, of which Ali was in charge, was sent to guard the roads leading to Madinah. It was they who arrested Hatib ibn Abi Balta’s messenger, who was taking a letter to the Makkans to warn them of the danger to their city. As Tabarani reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, “Every tribe provided manpower and weaponry in full measure.” No one was left behind. The army of 10,000 was divided into groups of several hundred men. Each division marched in ranks, led by a commander bearing a standard. The Prophet asked his uncle Abbas to let an old opponent of his, Abu Sufyan, witness the Muslims’ march. Abu Sufyan watched from beside a narrow mountain pass as, row upon row, the Muslim army filed past. He could hardly believe his eyes. “Who has the power to confront this army?” he exclaimed. “I have never seen anything like it!” The Prophet thus went to great lengths to impress Abu Sufyan. At the same time he announced that anyone entering Abu Sufyan’s house would be safe. The result was that Abu Sufyan himself appealed to the people of Makkah to capitulate to Muhammad, for no one was strong enough to