Detailed Account

According to the terms of the Hudaybiyah Treaty, Muslims were permitted to perform Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) one year after being prevented from entering Makkah. Exactly one year later, the Prophet ﷺ led approximately 2,000 Muslims (including those who had been at Hudaybiyah) to perform this compensatory Umrah (Umrah al-Qada). As stipulated in the treaty, the Makkans evacuated the city for three days, watching from surrounding hills as Muslims performed the rituals. The Prophet ﷺ instructed his companions to demonstrate strength and vigor while performing the tawaf (circumambulation), so they uncovered their right shoulders and walked briskly during the first three circuits—a practice that became Sunnah for male pilgrims. This physical display countered Qurayshi propaganda that Madinah's climate had weakened the Muslims. During this visit, the Prophet's ﷺ cousin Ja'far ibn Abi Talib returned from Abyssinia with the remaining emigrants, and three prominent Makkans embraced Islam: Khalid ibn al-Walid (military genius), Amr ibn al-As (future conqueror of Egypt), and Uthman ibn Talhah (keeper of the Ka'bah key). The Prophet ﷺ also married Maymunah bint al-Harith during this visit, though the marriage was consummated outside Makkan territory after the agreed three-day period had elapsed. This visit had profound psychological and strategic impacts: Muslims emotionally reconnected with the sacred city they had been forced to abandon; Makkans observed the Muslims' discipline, devotion, and growing strength; tribal representatives from across Arabia witnessed Islam's increasing influence; and many Makkans were impressed by the Muslims' character and conduct, leading to more conversions. The successful implementation of the treaty terms also built confidence between the parties, though tensions remained as the power balance was clearly shifting in favor of the Islamic state.