Seerah / Treaties
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
- Date
- Dhul-Qa'dah, 6 AH · established
- Location
- Al-Hudaybiyyah
- People
- 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA)
Al-Bara' and Jabir (RA) describe in Sahih al-Bukhari the 1,400 companions, the Pledge of Ridwan, and water flowing from between the Prophet's ﷺ fingers. The treaty felt like a setback, yet Surat al-Fath called it a clear victory (48:1) — reflected in 'Umar's (RA) account.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ تَعُدُّونَ أَنْتُمُ الْفَتْحَ فَتْحَ مَكَّةَ، وَقَدْ كَانَ فَتْحُ مَكَّةَ فَتْحًا، وَنَحْنُ نَعُدُّ الْفَتْحَ بَيْعَةَ الرُّضْوَانِ يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ. كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ مِائَةً، وَالْحُدَيْبِيَةُ بِئْرٌ فَنَزَحْنَاهَا، فَلَمْ نَتْرُكْ فِيهَا قَطْرَةً…
Narrated Al-Bara:Do you (people) consider the conquest of Mecca, the Victory (referred to in the Qur'an 48:1). Was the conquest of Mecca a victory? We really consider that the actual Victory was the Ar-Ridwan Pledge of allegiance which we gave on the day of Al-Hudaibiya (to the Prophet) . On the day of Al-Hudaibiya we were fourteen hundred men along with the Prophet (ﷺ) Al-Hudaibiya was a well, the water of which we used up leaving not a single drop of water in it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed of that, he came and sat on its edge. Then he asked for a utensil of water, performed ablution from it, rinsed (his mouth), invoked (Allah), and poured the remaining water into the well. We stayed…
حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ عِيسَى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُصَيْنٌ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ عَطِشَ النَّاسُ يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ رَكْوَةٌ، فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهَا، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ نَحْوَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا لَكُمْ ". قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا مَاءٌ نَتَوَضَّأُ بِهِ،…
Narrated Salim:Jabir said "On the day of Al-Hudaibiya, the people felt thirsty and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had a utensil containing water. He performed ablution from it and then the people came towards him. Allah's Apostle said, 'What is wrong with you?' The people said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We haven't got any water to perform ablution with or to drink, except what you have in your utensil.' So the Prophet (ﷺ) put his hand in the utensil and the water started spouting out between his fingers like springs. So we drank and performed ablution." I said to Jabir, "What was your number on that day?" He replied, "Even if we had been one hundred thousand, that water would have been sufficient for…
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَسِيرُ فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ، وَعُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَسِيرُ مَعَهُ لَيْلاً، فَسَأَلَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ، ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ وَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّ…
Narrated Zaid bin Aslam:My father said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was proceeding at night on one of his journeys and `Umar bin Al- Khattab was going along with him. `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked him (about something) but Allah's Apostle did not answer him. `Umar asked him again, but he did not answer him. He asked him again (for the third time) but he did not answer him. On that `Umar bin Al-Khattab addressed himself saying, "May your mother be bereaved of you, O `Umar, for you have asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) thrice, yet he has not answered you." `Umar said, "Then I made my camel run fast and took it in front of the other Muslims, and I was afraid that something might be revealed in my connection…
What Allah revealed
إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحٗا مُّبِينٗا
Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear conquest
۞لَّقَدۡ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحۡتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَثَٰبَهُمۡ فَتۡحٗا قَرِيبٗا
Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest
Lessons
- What looks like loss may be the beginning of an opening.
- Patience and trust when outcomes are not yet visible.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4150, 4152, 4177 · primary source
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)