Today, we study the conduct of Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny), after the conquest of Mecca by Muslims.

It was said that Prophet Mohammad entered the city of Mecca with a 10,000-strong Islamic army. Muslims conquered this city without any bloodshed. A large crowd of onlookers watched the arrival of Islamic forces. Some of them were dumbfounded, while others expressed joy upon the arrival of Islamic troops. The Prophet of Islam arrived at Al-Ahram Mosque and chanted “God is the Greatest”. Muslim troops, who had gathered round the Prophet, followed suit. The voices of Muslims who were chanting God is the Greatest were heard by polytheists of Mecca, who had remained indoors, or had ran away to mountainous regions. At this point in time, the Prophet calmly circled Holy Ka’ba, while observing small and large idols, which were 360 in numbers. In the first circle round Holy Ka’ba, the Prophet saw large idols, such as Hobal, that were installed over the gate of Ka’ba, which polytheists offered sacrifices to. The Prophet hit those idols with his spear, and they fell on the ground. Then, he recited the 81st ayah of Surat al-Isra in Holy Quran which noted: And say, ‘The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed falsehood is bound to vanish.’

Then, upon the Prophet’s instruction, the idol, Hobal, which was known as the symbol of polytheists’ main deity, was shattered into pieces, before the very eyes of Prophet Mohammad.

The Prophet circled round Holy Ka’ba, and sat down at a corner of Al-Ahram Mosque for a moment. Then, he sent his disciple, Belal, to the house of Ka’ba’s custodian, Ottoman son of Talhe, to get the key to Holy Ka’ba. Although Ottoman’s mother opposed this call, Ottoman calmed her down, and headed for Holy Ka’ba, opening its door upon Prophet’s instruction. The Prophet entered Holy Ka’ba, and closed its door. Then, he instructed the destruction of all pictures which were installed on Ka’ba walls. According to a number of historians, the Prophet personally wiped out all these pictures and washed the walls of Holy Ka’ba with Zam Zam water. Upon the Prophet’s instruction, the First Infallible Imam of the Prophet of Islam’s Household, Imam Ali (Peace be upon him), threw down some idols, including the idol, Khozaaeh. Then, the Prophet instructed his followers to open the door of Ka’ba, while noting: “The one and only creator of the world is God Almighty. He fulfilled his vow; assisted His servant; and suppressed His servant’s enemies.”

A large crowd had gathered round Holy Ka’ba. Muslims, polytheists, friends, and enemies stood next to each other, while the grandeur of the Prophet of Islam was sensed by all. The time had arrived for the Prophet to introduce the truth of Islam to people. All held their breaths. In those moments, the polytheists of Mecca remembered the injustices that they had imposed on Muslims. Given the severity of their crimes, they thought that some of them would be killed and/or imprisoned. They were deep in thoughts, while the Prophet of Islam broke the silence and declared general amnesty. The Prophet of Islam, noted: “You were inappropriate compatriots. You denied my prophet hood and drove me out of my home and even confronted me in the furthest distance, in which I had sought refuge. However, I forgive you and call on you to carry on with your daily lives.”

The Prophet of Islam presented a number of important recommendations to people, upon announcement of general amnesty. At first, he delivered a keynote speech to make his relatives and associates realize that their association with the Prophet would not allow them to violate Islamic rules and regulations.

Moreover, the Prophet of Islam knew that the Meccans boasted about their Arab race. The Prophet put emphasis on equality of all human beings, noting: “All people, in the past and present time, are born equal. The criterion is virtue, piety, and devoutness.”

The Prophet of Islam, via adopting this approach, negated wrongful concessions, boastfulness, and any sense of superiority. Parts of the keynote speech of Prophet Mohammad on that day revolved round the unity and solidarity of Muslims, and the rights that Muslims maintained. The Prophet made these points in order to establish a bond between non-Muslims and sacred religion of Islam, thereby inclining them to convert to Islam.

Throughout the days of residence of Prophet Mohammad in Mecca, two thousand youths of Mecca converted to the divine religion of Islam and joined the Islamic troops. Hence, Muslims maintained a 12,000-strong army. These resounding victories were the outcomes of patience and steadfastness of Muslims and their compliance with Prophet Mohammad’s instructions. After 21 years of hard work, the Prophet was observing the result of Muslims’ efforts. One day, the Prophet and Muslims were driven out of their homeland, Mecca, while some Muslims were killed and tortured, and others became homeless, with their belongings pillaged.

Meanwhile, the Prophet was pleased because of liberating the holy city of Mecca from the yoke of polytheism and idolatry and hoisting the flag of monotheism in that holy city.

MR/ME