After the Conquest of Makkah
When the keys arrived, the door was opened, and the Noble Messenger ﷺ entered the Kaaba.
Before this, the Prophet ﷺ had instructed Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه to erase the pictures that had been made inside the Kaaba. Therefore, before the Prophet ﷺ entered, the pictures had already been erased.
However, among these pictures there was also a picture of Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام. Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه had not erased it.
When the Prophet ﷺ saw it, he said to Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه:
“‘Umar! Had I not commanded you not to leave any picture remaining inside the Kaaba?”
On this occasion, the Prophet ﷺ also said:
“May Allah destroy those people who make pictures of things that they cannot create. May Allah destroy them. They know very well that Ibrahim عليه السلام was neither a Jew nor a Christian; rather, he was a true and sincere Muslim.”
After this, that picture was also erased.
Then the Prophet ﷺ offered two units of prayer between two pillars there.
When the Prophet ﷺ and a few of his Companions had entered the Kaaba, Hazrat Khalid ibn al-Walid رضي الله عنه stood at the door to guard it. He continued preventing more people from entering.
Then the Noble Messenger ﷺ came outside and reached Maqam Ibrahim.
At that time, Maqam Ibrahim was attached to the Kaaba.
The Prophet ﷺ offered two units of prayer there. After that, he had Zamzam water brought to him, drank it, and performed ablution.
The Companions began eagerly collecting the water from the Prophet’s ﷺ ablution and rubbing it over their faces.
In other words, they did not allow even the water from his ablution to fall to the ground.
When the polytheists of Makkah saw this scene, they exclaimed:
“We have neither seen nor heard of such a sight before. We have never heard of any king reaching such a level.”
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and sat in the Haram, people gathered around him.
At that time, Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه got up, went away, and brought his father, Abu Quhafah, holding his hand.
Abu Quhafah’s eyesight had become very weak.
As soon as the Noble Messenger ﷺ saw Hazrat Abu Quhafah, he said:
“O Abu Bakr! Why did you not leave your respected father at home? I would have gone to him myself.”
Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه replied:
“O Messenger of Allah! He has more right to come to you himself.”
Then Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه seated Abu Quhafah before the Noble Messenger ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ placed his blessed hand upon his chest and said:
“Accept the path of honor and safety by becoming a Muslim.”
He accepted Islam immediately.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ said:
“Abu Bakr! Congratulations to you.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said:
“By the One Who sent you with truth and righteousness, I would have been happier if your uncle Abu Talib had accepted faith than that my father Abu Quhafah accepted Islam.”
At that time, Hazrat Abu Quhafah’s hair had become completely white because of old age.
The Prophet ﷺ said to him:
“Dye this hair with henna, but do not use black dye.”
The historians have written that Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام was the first person to notice the whiteness of his hair.
When his hair began to turn white as he grew older, he said to Allah Almighty:
“O Lord! What is this ugliness by which my appearance has become unattractive?”
Allah Almighty said:
“This is dignity upon the face and the light of Islam.
By My honor! By My majesty! Whoever testifies that there is no deity except Me and that there is no partner with Me, and whose hair becomes white because of old age, I would feel ashamed on the Day of Judgment to establish the Scale of Justice for him, to bring his record of deeds before him, or to punish him.”
Upon this, Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام prayed:
“O Lord! Then increase this whiteness for me even more.”
Thus, after this, his head became white like snow.
From this it became known that the whiteness of old age, and old age itself, is a great blessing from Allah Almighty, and for a believer, this stage of life is also a place of gratitude.
The household of Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه also had the distinction that his entire household became Muslim.
Not a single member remained who had not accepted Islam.
‘ Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl was one of the eleven people whom the Noble Messenger ﷺ had ordered to be killed.
The reason for this order was that he and his father, Abu Jahl, had committed many injustices against the Muslims.
As soon as ‘Ikrimah heard this order, he fled toward Yemen.
By that time, his wife, Hazrat Umm Hakim bint Harith, had already accepted Islam.
She requested the Noble Messenger ﷺ to grant protection to ‘Ikrimah and went after him.
Hazrat ‘Ikrimah had already boarded a ship so that he could travel to another country.
She brought him back from the ship and said to him:
“I have come to you from the presence of a person who is the most considerate of family relationships and the best of all people.
Do not throw your life into destruction, because I have obtained protection for you.”
In this way, Hazrat ‘Ikrimah رضي الله عنه came with his wife into the presence of the Noble Messenger ﷺ and accepted Islam.
Hazrat ‘Ikrimah رضي الله عنه proved to be an excellent Muslim.
He was also a very courageous warrior. He fought extensively in the way of Allah and became one of the great Companions.
He was martyred while fighting against the Romans in the Battle of Yarmuk.
In this way, the remaining people were also granted protection.
Among them was Hind bint Harith.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ had also ordered her to be killed.
She was the wife of Hazrat Abu Sufyan رضي الله عنه.
The order for her to be killed had been given because during the Battle of Uhud she had mutilated the body of Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه.
However, she too was forgiven and accepted Islam.
The order for Safwan ibn Umayyah to be killed had also been given.
He too was forgiven and accepted Islam.
Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr was also granted forgiveness.
He used to insult the Prophet ﷺ in his poetry, but he too accepted Islam.
Likewise, Wahshi had martyred Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه during the Battle of Uhud.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ had also ordered that he be killed, but he too accepted Islam.
Then, on that very day—the day of the Conquest of Makkah—the Noble Messenger ﷺ went and sat upon the hill of Safa.
People came to him in groups and accepted Islam.
Men of all ages came, both young and old, and women also came.
All of them continued announcing their acceptance of Islam.
Another man came into the presence of the Noble Messenger ﷺ.
He began trembling because of the awe of the Prophet ﷺ and became terrified.
Seeing his condition, the Noble Messenger ﷺ said:
“Do not be afraid! I am not a king. Rather, I am the son of a woman from Quraysh who used to eat simple food.”
Among those who accepted Islam at that time was Hazrat Amir Mu‘awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan رضي الله عنه.
Hazrat Amir Mu‘awiyah رضي الله عنه says that the love of Islam had already found a place in his heart at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
He mentioned this to his mother, and she said:
“Beware! Do not disobey your father.”
Despite this, he accepted Islam but kept it hidden.
Then, somehow, his father Abu Sufyan came to know about it.
He said to him angrily:
“Your brother is much better than you because he remains firm upon my religion.”
Then, on the occasion of the Conquest of Makkah, I openly declared my faith and met the Noble Messenger ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ welcomed me.
Afterward, I became a scribe of revelation; that is, whenever verses of the Qur’an were revealed, the Noble Messenger ﷺ would have me write them down.
On that same day, Hind رضي الله عنها, the wife of Hazrat Abu Sufyan رضي الله عنه and the mother of Hazrat Amir Mu‘awiyah رضي الله عنه, also accepted Islam.
Besides her, countless women accepted Islam that day and pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ.
However, the Prophet ﷺ did not shake hands with women.
Hazrat ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها says that the Noble Messenger ﷺ never shook hands with any woman.
That is, he ﷺ would take the pledge of allegiance from women verbally.
On the occasion of the Conquest of Makkah, the Noble Messenger ﷺ said:
“My Lord had promised me this very victory and triumph.”
The key of the Kaaba was with ‘Uthman ibn Talhah.
It was obtained from him, and the Kaaba was opened.
Then the door was locked again, and the Prophet ﷺ returned the key to ‘Uthman ibn Talhah.
At that time, he had not yet accepted Islam.
However, seeing this conduct of the Noble Messenger ﷺ, he too accepted Islam.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ said:
“O Banu Talhah! This key has been given to your family forever, and generation after generation it will remain within your family.”
At this point, it is also worth remembering that before the Migration, one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to enter the Kaaba with some of his Companions.
However, ‘Uthman ibn Talhah became very angry and clearly refused to give him the key.
He even spoke disrespectfully to the Noble Messenger ﷺ.
At that time, the Prophet ﷺ had said:
“‘Uthman! Soon, one day you will see that this key will be in my hand, and I will give this key to whomever I wish.”
Upon this, ‘Uthman ibn Talhah had said:
“Will Quraysh have been destroyed and ruined by that day?”
The Noble Messenger ﷺ replied:
“No. Rather, on that day they will have become prosperous and honored.”
All these words came back to Hazrat ‘Uthman ibn Talhah’s mind when the Prophet ﷺ handed the key back to him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“‘Uthman! Did I not tell you that one day you would see this key in my hand, and I would give this key to whomever I wished?”
Hearing this, Hazrat ‘Uthman ibn Talhah رضي الله عنه said:
“I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.”