THE HUDAYBIYYAH APPROACH

The well-known book The 100 by Dr. Michael Hart was likely introduced to the Muslim world for the first time in Al-Risala (October 1978). In this book, the American author selected the hundred most influential individuals in history and wrote essays about them. At the top of his list, he placed the Prophet of Islam, whom he described as the most supremely successful man in history.
After this article appeared in Al-Risala, we received numerous letters from Muslim readers asking where they could find the book and whether it had been translated into Urdu. However, it became clear from these letters that readers were interested only in the claim that the Prophet of Islam was a supremely successful individual; none showed a desire to explore the deeper question—what was the secret of that supreme success?

This reflects a widespread mindset among contemporary Muslims, rooted in the psychology of hero-worship. Modern Muslims have come to see the Prophet of Islam and his companions more as heroic figures than as practical models to follow. This mindset is often found in communities that have failed to achieve anything significant themselves. For such people, recounting the greatness of historical personalities becomes a source of comfort. As someone rightly said, history is often the refuge of those who have not done much themselves to celebrate.
When the Muslim community is in a state of awakening, its Prophet serves as a model of conduct. But when the Muslim community is in a state of decline, it begins to treat its Prophet as merely a symbol of pride. Muslims of the present age are caught in this second state. Contemporary Muslims have made the Prophet of Islam a symbol of pride for themselves. And the desire for pride is satisfied by referring to him as “supremely successful.” In the Quran, however, the Prophet of Islam is presented as a model to follow, not as a symbol of pride. The Quran states: “Indeed, in the Messenger of God you have an excellent example.” (33:21) But present-day Muslims, in effect, have rewritten this verse in their interpretation as: “Indeed, in the Messenger of God you have a noble source of pride.”

According to the Quran’s message, the most important task is to understand the secret of the Prophet’s supreme success. Only by uncovering that secret can we hope to restore Islam to its former heights. When we reflect on the Quran with this question in mind, the first chapter that comes to the forefront is chapter 48. In this chapter, a historical event is described in these words: “Indeed, We have given you a clear victory.” (48:1) What Dr. Michael Hart described as “supreme success,” the Quran refers to as “clear victory.”

How did the Prophet of Islam attain this “clear victory” or supreme success? According to the verse, it came through the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and what followed. This verse was revealed specifically in the context of that event, making it clear that the method used at Hudaybiyyah was the secret to that success. We may refer to this method as the Hudaybiyyah approach.
At the time of the treaty, it appeared that the Prophet of Islam was returning without achieving his goal. On the return journey to Madinah, when chapter 48 was revealed, someone remarked, “This was no victory—they stopped us from entering the Sacred Mosque.” To this, the Prophet of Islam replied, “Rather, it is the greatest of all victories.” (See: Al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Quran, Vol. 16, p. 260)

The Companion Al-Bara ibn Azib later told people that while they considered the conquest of Makkah to be a victory, the Prophet’s companions saw Hudaybiyyah as the true victory. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 4150) Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (58–124 AH), one of the foundational figures in Islamic scholarship after the companions—especially in Hadith and early Islamic history—stated that in Islam, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah holds the status of the greatest victory. (Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 3, p. 324)

All of this makes it clear that the remarkable success of the Prophet of Islam and his companions was rooted in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Islam’s journey to its greatest success passed through this event. Therefore, it is correct to say that for Muslims today to reach a similar level of success, they must adopt the Hudaybiyyah approach.

So, what is the Hudaybiyyah approach? It is, in essence, the greatest form of sacrifice. The proof lies in the fact that even a group as dedicated as the Prophet’s companions initially hesitated in accepting it. These were the same companions who had no hesitation in sacrificing their lives at Badr and Uhud. But at Hudaybiyyah, when the Prophet of Islam agreed to return without performing Umrah and signed a peace treaty, all the companions—except for Abu Bakr—expressed dissatisfaction. It was only after strong insistence from the Prophet of Islam that they accepted it.

Why was it that these same people willingly sacrificed their lives at Badr and Uhud, but found it so difficult to accept Hudaybiyyah? The reason is that at Badr and Uhud, the sacrifice was one of life, whereas at Hudaybiyyah, it was a sacrifice of dignity. History shows that while many people have sacrificed their lives, very few have been willing to sacrifice their pride and dignity. Giving one’s life often earns one the status of a hero, while sacrificing dignity can make one appear defeated.

In giving up one’s life, one sees themselves moving toward glory. In giving up one’s dignity, one feels as though they have chosen defeat. The former is publicly respected; the latter is often misunderstood. That’s why sacrificing dignity is harder—and greater. And the greater the sacrifice, the greater the success. Supreme success is reserved for those willing to make the supreme sacrifice. The Prophet and his companions reached that level because they were willing to give up not just their lives, but their pride and dignity as well.

So what was the unique power in the Hudaybiyyah approach that opened the doors to such success? At the time of the treaty in 6 AH, the Prophet had fewer than 1,500 followers. Less than two years later, in 8 AH, he marched on Makkah with 10,000. On the first journey, he was forced to turn back; on the second, his presence was so commanding that the Quraysh surrendered without resistance.

This shows that Hudaybiyyah was a model of winning hearts, not bodies. Whereas war aims to destroy enemies physically, the Hudaybiyyah approach aims to transform them into allies. War puts your hand on their necks; Hudaybiyyah puts your hand on their hearts. War relies on domination; Hudaybiyyah achieves success through inclusion and reconciliation. War spreads hatred; Hudaybiyyah spreads love.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah took place nearly 20 years after the Prophet’s mission began. Why did it take that long for this method to be used? The answer lies in chapter 48. The wisdom behind this was that, at that time in Makkah, there were many men and women whose hearts were inclined toward Islam. But since they had not yet openly declared their faith, you did not know who they were. In other words, they were potentially Muslims. If war had broken out between the two sides, these individuals would have been killed in the fighting. In your unawareness, you would have crushed both the people of denial and those who had actually affirmed faith. And without doubt, that would have been a great loss. (48:22-25)

Then it is said: “God knew what you did not know.” (48:27) Based on this knowledge, the instruction was given at the time of Hudaybiyyah that even if the conditions seemed one-sided, they should be accepted in order to make peace with the leaders of Makkah. This would give those inclined towards Islam the opportunity to become true devotees of God.

The background to this situation is that the Arabs (the descendants of Ishmael) were generally simple-minded people who remained close to their natural disposition. Their deviation was superficial; it had not deeply taken root within them. This is why, in the early period of Islam, we find many cases where a person would come to the Prophet of Islam, ask simple questions, and then either acknowledge his truthfulness or recite the declaration of faith and embrace Islam on the spot.

For instance, Amr ibn Abasah once visited the Prophet and asked, “Teach me something of what God has taught you.” The Prophet shared teachings about monotheism, kindness, and good character. Amr immediately responded, “How excellent are the things with which God has sent you.” (Al-Tabqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa’d, Vol. 4, p. 204)

Such examples are found throughout the Prophet’s life. They show that while the Arabs’ behaviour had deteriorated, their inner nature remained intact. With just a small push, they were ready to embrace the truth. It was due to the simplicity of the early Arabs that—apart from a few tribal leaders—their denial of the Prophet of Islam was, for the most part, the result of misunderstanding rather than deliberate rebellion. Because of this same disposition, they had the confidence to make a prayer before the Battle of Badr as mentioned below, for which they received an answer as mentioned in chapter 8, verse 19.

History tells us that when the people of Makkah, numbering about a thousand, set out toward Badr to fight the Prophet of Islam and his companions, they first went to the Kaaba. Holding on to its coverings, they offered a prayer. In that prayer, they said: “O God, whichever of the two groups is more rightly guided, and whichever of the two religions is superior, grant it Your help and victory.” (Dalail al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi, Vol. 3, p. 75)

After this, when the two sides met in battle, the believers were granted victory, and the polytheists were defeated. Accordingly, the Quran addressed the people of Makkah: “If you were seeking a decision, the decision has now come to you. And if you desist, that will be better for you.” (8:19)

It was due to this special feature of the Battle of Badr that it was referred to as the Day of Distinction (8:41). After the clear outcome of Badr, the Arabs—aside from a few tribal leaders—were deeply shaken. They came to believe that the truth was not on their side, but with Muhammad and his followers. As a result, the majority of Arabs became inclined towards the religion of monotheism. However, out of fear of certain oppressive and defiant leaders, each person kept their faith hidden.

In reality, the early Arabs (the descendants of Ishmael), due to their simplicity and natural disposition, were, from the very beginning, believers in potential. Then, at the time of Badr, when their prayer for divine judgment resulted in the opposite of what they expected, their initial leaning turned into a stronger inclination.
At that point, only one obstacle remained: the leaders of Quraysh. In order to preserve their leadership and dominance, they had waged war against the Prophet of Islam. Outwardly, they were not prepared to end their hostilities unless they could put an end to both him and his monotheistic mission. It was the fear of these opposing leaders that made the people of Makkah and its surrounding areas hesitant to become followers of the Prophet.

It was as though a dam had blocked the flow of water. On one side was a reservoir of faith; on the other, people ready to receive it. All that was needed was to remove the barrier. Once the dam was lifted, the water would flow freely. The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was that removal of the barrier. Continuing the conflict would have required the sacrifice of blood. Ending it required the sacrifice of pride. Peace cannot be achieved through mutual stubbornness. It requires one side to bend. At Hudaybiyyah, the Muslims did just that. The Hudaybiyyah model is this: when the other party does not remove the barrier to peace, the one calling to truth should take the initiative and remove the barrier themselves.

In that moment, the Muslims were overwhelmed with grief and righteous anger. They had been exiled from their homeland, stripped of their homes and wealth, and torn from their families. Every circumstance seemed to call for retribution. Yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged them to restrain their pain for the sake of a higher mission. Through this profound act of discipline, they cultivated an atmosphere of peace—one in which Islam could truly flourish. Many who had long been drawn to its truth now found both the courage and the freedom to live by its teachings.

Armed struggle involves the sacrifice of life and blood in defence of the faith. Hudaybiyyah, by contrast, is the sacrifice of honour and pride to pave the way for God’s message to reach His creation. This stark contrast alone proves that the latter sacrifice exceeds the former in significance; the second is greater than the first.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet of Islam said, “I long to see our brothers.” The companions asked, “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of God?” He replied, “You are my companions. Our brothers are those who have not yet come.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 249)

Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah said to the Prophet of Islam, “O Messenger of God, is there anyone in the community better than us? We believed in you and did jihad alongside you.” The Prophet replied, “Yes—people who will come after you, who will believe in me without having seen me.” (Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani, Hadith No. 3538)

The phrase “without having seen me” in this hadith cannot be understood in a purely literal sense. For a Prophet who would later become the most prominent figure in history—whose greatness would be universally recognized—believing in him alone would not constitute a unique distinction. Therefore, this statement must be understood in a deeper and more meaningful way.

This means that the will of the Prophet—which the companions of the early period understood directly by seeing and hearing him—must now be discovered by the Prophet’s later “brothers” without having seen or heard him, through personal reflection and understanding. This matter can be clearly illustrated with an example.

The companions of the Prophet faced religious persecution and were compelled to fight in battles like Badr and Uhud in self-defense. These were situations that demanded the sacrifice of life. The companions of the Prophet, without hesitation, offered that sacrifice.

Those very same companions were later faced with another trial, known in prophetic biography as the Expedition of Hudaybiyyah. This too was a test of sacrifice—but of a different kind. In this second test, all the companions—except Abu Bakr—fell into confusion. The same people who had shown firm belief in the earlier battles now experienced deep hesitation. It was only through the Prophet’s personal insistence that they finally accepted it.

Today, this same history has returned for Muslims. Across the world, some souls genuinely seek to find God. Their nature is restless in its search for God’s religion. However, in the present age, Muslims—acting in the name of God and His religion—have created an atmosphere of conflict and confrontation across the world. This climate of hostility has destroyed the peaceful environment in which such sincere individuals could approach God’s religion with an open mind and embrace it.

Now, once again, Muslims must offer the same kind of sacrifice that the companions of the Prophet made at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. They had to set aside their personal grievances. Today as well, the situation demands that Muslims let go of their personal and communal grievances so that God may be found among those who are sincerely seeking Him.

The Companions, having seen the Prophet and received his direct, personal guidance, embraced the sacrifice of patience. Today, Muslims must embody that same patience—guided not by his presence, but by the enduring light of his life and example. If they can do this, then, according to the earlier hadith, they will be counted among the Prophet’s brothers. And without a doubt, for any Muslim, there can be no greater honour than to be welcomed on the Day of Judgment as one of the Prophet’s brothers.