THE HUDAIBIYA METHOD

Let us now consider what the Hudaybiya Method is. This method entailed the greatest of all sacrifices. The Prophet of Islam, along with his companions, decided to make a pilgrimage to Makkah. The Quraysh prevented the Muslims from entering the city, even though they wore the garb of pilgrims and bore no arms. To resolve the tension, the Prophet of Islam agreed to a treaty between the Quraysh and the Muslims that was heavily in favour of the Quraysh. He also agreed to return to Medina without completing the pilgrimage and to make the pilgrimage the next year. Accepting a clearly unfair treaty was a difficult sacrifice to make, but most of the Prophet’s companions returned with him to Medina, on his express insistence. These were the very companions who sacrificed their lives and their wealth during the battles of Badr and Uhud, without hesitation. The question is what the difference is between the issues at Badr and Uhud, and Hudaybiya. Why did these dedicated companions, who were willing to make sacrifices at Badr and Uhud, find it so difficult to make such sacrifices on the occasion of Hudaybiya? Instead of using the Prophet as an example, Muslims claim the Prophet as a symbol of pride. The answer is that during Badr and Uhud, people had to put their lives at stake, whereas at Hudaybiya, they had to sacrifice their prestige and their ego. Our entire knowledge of human history tells us that people find it much easier to give up their lives than to suspend their egos. This is because people recognize that sacrificing their lives will make them heroes, whereas sacrificing their prestige doesn’t seem to get them anything. The achievement of heroism is considered a victory, whereas the loss of it is defeat. Dying for a cause is considered a matter of honour, whereas losing ground or prestige is disgraceful. The sacrifice of life, made to further a cause believed to be just, is an act willingly undertaken, whereas the sacrifice of prestige, appearing to be an act of retreat, is balked at and not willingly undertaken. It is a matter of axiomatic knowledge that the greater the sacrifice, the greater the success. Since the Prophet and his companions made the greatest of sacrifices, they deserved the greatest of successes.