The Dream of the Umra (Minor Pilgrimage)

It was the sixth year after the Emigration. The Messenger of Allah and his Companions had missed the Ka’ba greatly. At around the same time, our Prophet had seen a dream which he had shared with his Companions. Our Prophet had gone to the House of Allah in his dream, and they had fulfilled their duty of umra, or minor pilgrimage. In the continuation of that same dream, Allah’s Messenger had been presented with the keys to the Ka’ba. When it was morning and our beloved Prophet shared the dream with his Companions, Medina filled with joy. The thought of fulfilling their longing to the Ka’ba pleased everyone very much.

Preparations were tended to right away. Because their goal was not to fight but to worship they only took their tiny swords with them in order to protect themselves from the wild animals. They also had sheep and camels with them, which they were bringing along as sacrificial animals. They set off on the road on a Monday. When they reached DhulHulayfa they dressed in their garments of consecration and continued towards Mecca whilst chanting the talbiya, meaning glorification and acceptance of servitude. The Meccans had been informed that the Messenger of Allah was coming towards Mecca with his Companions in order to perform their umra. A state of fear and panic took over them. Even if they were not coming to fight, the Meccans had no intention of letting the Muslims enter the city.
The believers had reached a place called Hudaybiya. The weather was quite hot and the people had grown thirsty. Allah’s Messenger found a well with a bit of water in it and settled there. There was no other water well near there any way. It was time for the Afternoon Prayer, and the Messenger of Allah was making ablution using the ewer he held in his hand. His Companions had gathered around him as he was making ablution and were watching him. The Messenger of Allah asked, “What is going on?”
“O Messenger of Allah! We have no water to drink or make ablution with except the water you hold in your hand,” they replied.
Hearing this, our Prophet asked for them to first pour the water in the ewer into one big container. Then he dipped his blessed fingers into the container and started praying. Then he said, “Go on, take it! In the Name of Allah.”
Allah the Almighty had granted a miracle to His Messenger.
Water was flowing from the tips of his fingers. Grabbing their canteens, everyone rushed to our beloved Prophet’s side. They quenched their thirst, they made their ablution, and they watered their animals. Our most beloved Prophet opened his hands, praised and thanked his Lord.
“I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and that I am His Messenger,” he confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Quraysh were firmly set on not allowing the Messenger of Allah and the believers to enter Mecca. They had no intention of comprehending the fact that the believers had not come to fight. They had come here only to perform their minor pilgrimage. Our Prophet had sent a messenger to clarify the situation, but the non-believers had mistreated him also.
This time, Uthman was going to go to Mecca as messenger. The Messenger of Allah said to him, “Go to the Quraysh and tell them that we are not here for battle. Let them know that we have come only to perform our umra. At the same time, invite them to the religion of Islam once more.”
Uthman was also going to go and see the believers that had embraced faith but hadn’t been able to emigrate to that day and also the ones who had become Muslim in Mecca after the Emigration. He was going to give them the glad tidings of the conquest that was to take place very soon. He was going to announce the wonderful news that soon Allah was going to make His religion dominant over Mecca, and they would no longer have to feel the need to hide themselves. They would soon be able to openly fulfill their religious duties.
Upon arriving in Mecca, without wasting any moment, Uthman started visiting the leaders of the Quraysh. He went to each of them one by one and delivered the message of the Messenger of Allah. However, every one of them exclaimed, “By no means can Muhammad push us around like this!” and closed up their doors completely. On the other hand, to Uthman, they said, “If you want to, you can come and make the tawaf, or circumambulation, of the House of Allah.” His response was, “I will not circumambulate the House of Allah until the Messenger of Allah is also able to do so,” as he rejected their offer. Uthman had understood the intention of the Quraysh very well. Now, he started knocking on the doors of every believing man and woman in order to fulfill the second duty that our Prophet had given him. The believers were overjoyed when they saw Uthman standing at their door with good news from the Messenger of Allah. As Uthman departed from each of their homes, the believers said, “Send our greetings to the Messenger of Allah,” as tears streaked down their faces.