Today, we continue to study the waning years of the life of Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Do stay with us.

Based on Hodaibieh peace agreement, Muslims were set to enter Mecca on the year 7th AH, to observe Minor Hajj Pilgrimage for three days, and thereafter leave Mecca. Meanwhile, the time arrived for Muslims to pay pilgrimage to Holy Ka’ba and observe Mino Hajj rituals. When the Prophet of Islam called on those, who were denied the pilgrimage of Holy Ka’ba the previous year, to get prepared, an unprecedented enthusiasm and fervor took shape among Muslims. The previous year, Prophet of Islam was accompanied by 1400 Muslims on their way to Mecca to observe Hajj rituals. However, on the next year, the number of Muslims accompanying the Prophet for observance of Minor Hajj Pilgrimage stood at 2,000, some of whom were prominent Muslim figures.

After covering the path leading to Mecca, for a few days, Muslims arrived in the vicinity of that city. Meanwhile, the Prophet was not at ease over the possible deceitful acts of Qoraish. The Prophet considered the possible intention of Qoraish to catch Muslims off guard and to kill them, upon arrival at Mecca. Hence, the Prophet took a number of measures. In an effort to dispel any concern, the Prophet instructed one of his officers, in the company of 200 other forces to be equipped with the armors and arrows, and to move ahead of the convoy of Muslims, and to stop at a region, which loomed over Mecca, awaiting the Prophet’s arrival.

When the leaders of Qoraish were informed of this development, they sent a representative to the Prophet, and complained over this measure. In response to the representative of Qoraish, the Prophet of Islam pointed out that Muslims would not breach the peace agreement and all would enter Mecca without any weapons. The Prophet added that the Muslim commander and his 200 troops would remain at their location and would not take a step forward.

Through this intelligent measure, the Prophet of Islam wanted to make Qoraish leaders realize that if they secretly intended to catch Muslims off guard and to attack them, reinforcements would immediately come to the assistance of Muslims to provide the necessary forces and military equipment for them.

In this manner, Qoraish realized that Prophet of Islam is committed to his vows. Then, they opened the gateways of Mecca to Muslims. The leading disbelievers and their subordinates evacuated Mecca and camped at the surrounding hills and mountains, in order to prevent any encounter with the Prophet and his followers, while at the same time monitoring the conduct of Muslims from a faraway distance.

The Prophet of Islam entered Mecca, mounted on a camel, in the company of 2,000 Muslims. The heart-soothing prayers of Muslims highly influenced the residents of Mecca and developed an interest among them toward Islam and Muslims. At the same time, the united ranks of Muslims instilled fear among the leading polytheists.

On that day, all of the sites for observance of Minor Hajj Pilgrimage such as Al-Ahram Mosque, Holy Ka’ba, Safa and Marveh were granted to Muslims. The recitation of monotheistic mottos in a collective manner by Muslims, and their heart-soothing voices, in a region which for many years was the center of polytheism and idolatry, dealt heavy blows against, and demoralized leading polytheists, while heralding the imminent victory of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny), across the Arabian Peninsula.

At midday, the Prophet and Muslims got prepared to observe congregational prayers. One of the Prophet’s disciples, Belal, upon the Prophet’s instruction went on the rooftop of Holy Ka’ba to Call for Prayers, with a loud and clear voice. Until that time, in the view of polytheists, belief in monotheism and the prophet hood of Prophet Mohammad was considered as a major crime. Belal had been subjected to cruelest tortures in Mecca, for his belief in monotheism and sacred religion of Islam. Meanwhile, his Call for Prayers echoed round Mecca and influenced polytheists.

The Prophet of Islam, after the observance of congregational prayers, started one of the Hajj rituals, which is strolling between Safa and Marveh. After observance of this Hajj ritual by the Prophet and Muslims, the camels were sacrificed and Muslims shaved their heads.

Thereafter, the Prophet instructed 200 Muslim to go to the location in which 200 Islamic troops were stationed. It was set that the new arrivals at that location would protect weapons, while the previously stationed Islamic troops would enter Holy Ka’ba and observe Minor Hajj Pilgrimage. In this manner, all Muslims observed Hajj rituals.

Meanwhile, Meccan Muslims who were forced to leave Mecca in order to liberate themselves from being subjected to torture and persecutions, once again found the opportunity to visit their homes and to meet their relatives and associates. Moreover, for the Muslims of Medina, an exceptional opportunity rose to pay pilgrimage to Holy Ka’ba and to observe Minor Hajj Pilgrimage.

Muslims stayed in Mecca for three days. In this period of time, the residents of Mecca curiously watched Muslims’ behavior and traditions. Muslims’ glorious congregational prayers in Al-Ahram Mosque and the amicable and fraternal behavior of Muslims with each other highly influenced the people of Mecca. Some Meccans realized the truth of Islam by watching Muslims’ amity toward each other. This visit changed many of the wrong prejudgments of people of Mecca toward Islam and Muslims. At this point, the leading polytheists felt threatened. They found out that the stay of the Prophet and his followers in Mecca had lowered Meccans’ tendency toward idolatry, and had established bonds between the residents of Mecca and Muslims. Hence, after three days, a representative of Qoraish approached the Prophet of Islam, urging Muslims to immediately leave Mecca. Meanwhile, the Prophet was committed to the concluded agreement and therefore Muslims left Mecca.

The observance of Minor Hajj Pilgrimage by Muslims in Mecca had major spiritual effects, leading some Qoraish figures such as Khaled son of Wallid and Amr son of Aas to convert to the divine religion of Islam.

On the year 6th AH, the Prophet had dreamt that Muslims enter Al-Ahram Mosque and observe Minor Hajj Pilgrimage. This dream certainly came true the next year.

The 27th ayah of Surat al-Fath in Holy Quran notes: “Certainly Allah has fulfilled His Apostle’s vision in all truth: You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, God willing, in safety, with your heads shaven or hair cropped, without any fear. So He knew what you did not know, and He assigned you besides that a victory near at hand.”

MR/ME