Period 14 of 18
The Conquest of Makkah, Hunayn and Ta'if
The Prophet ﷺ returned to Makkah with a large army and entered it in peace, cleansing the Kaaba of idols.
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The march on Makkah
The sirah books record that allies of Quraysh attacked the Khuza'ah, allies of the Prophet ﷺ, and so broke the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In Ramadan 8 AH (January 630 CE) he marched on Makkah with a large army. Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported that at Marr az-Zahran, Abu Sufyan, Hakim ibn Hizam and Budayl ibn Warqa' came out and saw the army's fires. Sa'd ibn Ubadah رضي الله عنه said: “Today is the day of slaughter,” but the Prophet ﷺ said: “Sa'd is mistaken; this is a day on which Allah honours the Kaaba.” Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that he announced: “Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is safe.”
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Entering Makkah and cleansing the Kaaba
Abdullah ibn Mughaffal رضي الله عنه saw him enter Makkah on his camel reciting Surah al-Fath, lowering his head in humility. Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه said that around the Kaaba were 360 idols, and the Prophet ﷺ struck them with a stick, saying: “The truth has come and falsehood has vanished; falsehood is bound to vanish” (17:81). The sirah books record that he asked Quraysh what they expected of him and then forgave them. Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that some of the Ansar feared he would now remain in Makkah, and he reassured them: “Life is with you and death is with you.”
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The Battle of Hunayn
In Shawwal 8 AH the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif gathered against the Muslims, who marched out in great numbers. Al-Bara' رضي الله عنه described how the Muslims at first turned to the spoils and were met by a volley of arrows, but the Prophet ﷺ did not flee. He was on his white mule, with Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith holding its bridle, saying: “I am the Prophet, no lie; I am the son of Abd al-Muttalib.” Allah says: “And on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you but it availed you nothing... then Allah sent down His tranquillity on His Messenger and the believers” (9:25-26).
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Ta'if and the division of the spoils
The Prophet ﷺ then besieged Ta'if, but, as Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما said, gained nothing and decided to withdraw: “We are returning, if Allah wills.” The people of Ta'if accepted Islam the next year. He then divided the spoils, giving generous shares to new Muslims from Quraysh, which troubled some of the Ansar, and he told them, as Anas رضي الله عنه reported: “Are you not pleased that people go home with sheep and camels while you take the Prophet ﷺ to your homes?” When the Hawazin delegation came as Muslims, he returned their captives to them.
How the sources are used
Sources are chosen in this order: the Quran first, then the hadith collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and then other collections such as al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Malik. The sirah books, mainly Ibn Ishaq as transmitted by Ibn Hisham, are used only for details not found in the hadith, and these are marked as “recorded in the sirah books.” Dates in the Christian era are approximate, and hadith numbers follow the hadith library of this website.
Hadith numbers follow the hadith library on this site, and each source opens its hadith there. Details that are not in the hadith collections are marked as coming from the sirah books.
General information for learning, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.