THE HUDAIBIYA METHOD

one out of the two religious groups that is rightly guided” (Aljame le Ahkam al-Quran, 7/387). When the two groups went to war—and the believers were victorious and the Quraysh were defeated—the Quran, addressing the Makkans, said: If you were seeking a judgement, a judgement has now come to you. If you desist, it will be the better for you. THE QURAN 8: 19 Due to this uniqueness of the battle of Badr, it has been called “the Decisive Day” (THE QURAN 8: 41). With this clear-cut distinction between who was right and who was wrong, the Arabs, except a few leaders, had grave doubts about whether or not they were on the right path. They seriously considered that they did not have the truth on their side. The truth is that the Arabs were already potentially of the faith, thanks to their simple lifestyle. On the occasion of Badr, when their entreaties to God proved counter-productive their inclination towards Islam turned into a strong urge. They were at the threshold of Islam. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the success. Only one problem remained, and that was the obstinacy of the tribal leaders of the Quraysh. They had waged war with the Prophet of Islam only to maintain their superiority and leadership and were unwilling to end the war without putting an end to the monotheistic mission of the Prophet. It was this fear of the arrogant Makkan leaders that made the Arabs of Makkah and the surrounding areas afraid to accept Islam. The militancy on the part of the Quraysh was a floodgate preventing the river of guidance (Islam) from rushing into people’s hearts. Continuing the war would have meant continued bloodshed. Putting an end to the war would require a sacrifice, of prestige, instead of soldiers. War can never be brought to an end on a bilateral basis. The Hudaybiya Peace Treaty was a far-sighted solution based on the idea that peace was more important than prestige and gave the Arabs the opportunity to embrace Islam. The situation that prevailed at the time was that the Muslims had a genuine grudge in their hearts against the Makkan leaders, who had expelled them from their homes, appropriated their houses and