Hudaybiya

Though neither side had any intention to fight, it seemed as though the roads were leading to battle since the sides were unable to come to a mutual understanding. And so, the Quraysh decided to send three messengers to the Messenger of Allah in order to reevaluate the situation; Suhayl ibn Amr, Huwaytib ibn Abdul Uzza, and Mikraz ibn Hafs. The agreement they came to is as follows:

“There isn’t a more auspicious deed for us than to come to a peace agreement with Muhammad on the condition that they decide not to make the tawaf (circumambulation) of the House of Allah this year and return back to their homes. In this way, those who have heard the news of him and the Arabs coming here will also hear of the way that we have prevented them from entering the city. The following year, they will be able to come again and this time they will be permitted to stay in Mecca for three days and return after they have sacrificed their animals. In this way, they will not have invaded our homeland; instead, they will have spent a few days in the city.”
To Suhayl, whom they had chosen as messenger, they said, “Go to Muhammad and come to an agreement with him! But be absolutely sure that the condition of them not entering Mecca this year is in that agreement. We swear to Allah, we cannot let the Arabs speak later on, here and there, about how they entered our homeland by force.”
When Suhayl and his friends reached Hudaybiya, Suhayl immediately went over to our Prophet’s side, and they started to talk. After long discussions, they agreed on certain matters and had them written down. The agreement was named after the place they were meeting, Hudaybiya. According to this agreement, they were to not fight among each other throughout a period of ten years. People were to be safe and secure from any possible dangers from either side. Our Prophet and his Companions were going to go back this year, but, the following year, they would be able to visit the House of Allah. In this visit, they would be able to stay in Mecca for three days. Those who were to flee from the Quraysh and seek refuge in our Prophet, without permission from their guardians, were to be returned to their guardian, even if they had accepted Islam as their faith. On the other hand, if one of the Muslims were to take refuge in the Quraysh, they would not be returned. Condemnation and reproach from both sides were to be eradicated, and incidents such as treason and robbery would not be permitted whatsoever. All other tribes and communities aside from the two were free to make agreements and unite with whichever side they pleased at any time they wished.
A new period was going to begin with the Peace Treaty of Hudaybiya. In an environment void of battle, Islam could be spoken of and introduced to many more people in a much more comfortable manner. However, at that moment, the Companions were not yet able to comprehend that aspect of the agreement. Thus, they were not very much pleased with the covenant that had been made. They had come all this way to Hudaybiya with the hopes of performing the tawaf around the Ka’ba, but now they had to leave without fulfilling this dream. For that very moment, the most intense feeling they experienced was disappointment.
First our Prophet, then the Respected Companions performed their sacrifice (of their animal), cut their hair and took off their special dress of consecration. A wind blowing from Hudaybiya carried the strands of their hair towards Mecca.
Finally, after the twenty days they had spent at Hudaybiya, the Muslims started heading back to Medina. As they were travelling on the road, they were commenting on and evaluating the covenant that had just been made. While the majority of the Companions described the covenant as being a great conquest, others preferred to stay silent on the issue. Before long, Surah al-Fath was revealed and brought down by the Archangel Gabriel, and our Prophet conveyed to his Companions that Hudaybiya had, in fact, been a great victory and conquest for the believers. The fact that these happenings were being supported and reinforced through revelation had set the believers’ hearts at ease.