The Quraysh Break Their Treaty

Banu Bakr also sought help from Quraysh. The leaders of Quraysh accepted their request and provided them with both men and weapons for their assistance.

Then, together, they suddenly attacked Banu Khuza‘ah one night. At that time, the people of Banu Khuza‘ah were sleeping peacefully, unaware of what was about to happen. They began killing the people of Banu Khuza‘ah mercilessly.

Some members of Banu Khuza‘ah fled in order to save their lives and entered a house. Quraysh pursued them there as well, entered the house, and killed them.

In this way, while helping Banu Bakr, Quraysh completely violated the terms of the treaty.

After doing all this, they realized what they had done. They gathered together and went to their leader, Abu Sufyan. After hearing the whole incident, he said:

“This is an incident in which, although I was not a participant, I have not remained completely uninvolved either, and it has turned out very badly. By Allah! Muhammad ﷺ will certainly fight us now.

And I tell you something: My wife, Hind, has seen a very frightening dream. She saw that a river of blood came flowing from the direction of Hajun and reached Khindamah. People were becoming extremely worried and terrified upon seeing this river.”

Upon this, Quraysh said to him:

“What was going to happen has already happened. Now you should go to Muhammad ﷺ and make a new treaty with him. No one other than you can do this.”

So Abu Sufyan set out toward Madinah Munawwarah with one of his slaves.

Meanwhile, before him, a delegation from Banu Khuza‘ah reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and informed him in detail about everything that had happened.

Upon hearing the painful account of Banu Khuza‘ah, tears came to the eyes of the Noble Messenger ﷺ, and he said:

“If I do not help Banu Khuza‘ah with the very means by which I help myself, then may Allah Almighty not help me.”

At that very moment, a cloud appeared in the sky and began moving across it. The Noble Messenger ﷺ looked at it and said:

“This cloud has risen to help Banu Khuza‘ah.”

Umm al-Mu’minin Hazrat Maymunah رضي الله عنها says that one night the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was with her. During the night, he got up and performed ablution in order to pray.

In that state, she heard him saying:

“Labbayk, Labbayk, Labbayk.”

That is: “I am present, I am present, I am present.”

Along with this, the Prophet ﷺ also said:

“I will help, I will help, I will help.”

There was no one else there. Therefore, she asked:

“O Messenger of Allah! I heard you say ‘Labbayk’ three times and ‘I will help’ three times. What is the matter?”

In reply, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Something has happened to Banu Khuza‘ah.”

Three days after this, Banu Khuza‘ah came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

It was as though Allah Almighty had already informed the Prophet ﷺ, while Abu Sufyan was trying to reach the Messenger of Allah ﷺ before anyone else, so that the Muslims would not learn about the incident before he arrived.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had already informed his Companions رضي الله عنهم of this matter in these words:

“Just understand it this way: Abu Sufyan is about to come to renew the treaty and extend its period.”

Then, before Abu Sufyan, the delegation of Banu Khuza‘ah reached Madinah Munawwarah.

When these people met the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and departed, they encountered Abu Sufyan on the way.

Abu Sufyan tried to ask them about something, but they moved ahead without telling him anything.

However, Abu Sufyan realized that they had gone to Madinah Munawwarah regarding this very matter.

As soon as Abu Sufyan reached Madinah Munawwarah, he went directly to his daughter, the respected wife of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها.

After entering the house, when Abu Sufyan wanted to sit on the bedding, Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها folded it away.

Seeing this, Abu Sufyan was astonished and said:

“Daughter, what is this? When a guest comes, one spreads the bedding rather than putting it away.”

Hazrat Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها replied:

“This is the bedding of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you are still a polytheist.”

Hearing this, Abu Sufyan said:

“By Allah! Since you left me, faults have developed in you.”

Upon this, Hazrat Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها said:

“That is not the matter. Rather, the matter is that I have been granted guidance to Islam, while you worship stones and idols that can neither hear nor see.

How strange it is that you are the leader and elder of the Quraysh, a sensible man, yet you are still immersed in polytheism.”

In reply, Abu Sufyan said:

“Should I then abandon the religion of my forefathers and adopt the religion of Muhammad ﷺ?”

Then Abu Sufyan left from there and presented himself before the Noble Messenger ﷺ.

However, the Prophet ﷺ refused to renew the treaty.

He then went to Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, but he too did not listen to him.

He repeatedly went to all the prominent people, but no one spoke to him.

Finally, Abu Sufyan became disappointed and returned to Makkah.

He made it clear to Quraysh that he had returned completely unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, immediately after Abu Sufyan departed, the Noble Prophet ﷺ ordered the Muslims to prepare for departure.

The Noble Messenger ﷺ also instructed his family members to prepare, but he did not explain where they were going.

He sent messages to the surrounding villages, instructing the people there to spend the month of Ramadan in Madinah Munawwarah.

Immediately after this announcement, people began arriving from all directions.

On this occasion, the Prophet ﷺ prayed:

“O Allah! Prevent the spies and informers of Quraysh, so that we may suddenly reach their territory.”

The Noble Messenger ﷺ was taking every precaution so that Quraysh would not somehow learn about their preparations.

Meanwhile, one of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, Hazrat Hatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah رضي الله عنه, wrote a letter addressed to three prominent leaders of Quraysh.

In this letter, he informed them about the preparations of the Noble Messenger ﷺ.

He gave the letter to a woman and said to her:

“If you deliver this letter to Quraysh, you will receive a great reward.”

She agreed to deliver the letter.

Upon this, Hazrat Hatib رضي الله عنه gave her ten dinars and a valuable cloak and said to her:

“Keep this letter concealed as much as possible and do not travel by the usual routes, because people are keeping watch at various places.”

The woman avoided the usual route and set out toward Makkah al-Mukarramah by another path.

Her name was Sarah. She was a singer from Makkah. She had come to the Noble Messenger ﷺ in Madinah Munawwarah and accepted Islam.

She had complained to him about her difficult circumstances, so the Prophet ﷺ had also helped her.

Then she went to Makkah, but after reaching there, she abandoned Islam.

Afterward, she began reciting insulting poetry about the Noble Prophet ﷺ there.

In those days, Sarah had once again come to Madinah.

When Hazrat Hatib رضي الله عنه gave her this letter, she agreed to carry out this task.

She concealed the letter in the hair on her head and departed from Madinah Munawwarah.

As soon as she departed, Allah Almighty informed His Messenger ﷺ about the matter.

Upon receiving this information from the heavens, the Prophet ﷺ sent some of his Companions رضي الله عنهم to pursue her.

The Prophet ﷺ said to them:

“You will find that woman at such-and-such a place. She has a letter with her, and the letter contains information about our preparations against Quraysh.

Take the letter away from her. If she refuses to hand over the letter, then kill her.”

These Companions were Hazrat ‘Ali, Hazrat az-Zubayr, Hazrat Talhah, and Hazrat al-Miqdad رضي الله عنهم.

As soon as they received the command, they set out toward that place.

Exactly as the Noble Prophet ﷺ had foretold, they encountered the woman at that very place while she was traveling toward it, and they surrounded her.