Long before the coming of the Last Prophet (SA‘AS) of God, Prophet Joseph (Yusuf, ‘AS) had been ill-treated by his brothers. They had even tried to murder him by throwing him into the deep dark well. However, while they were doing the mischief, God had thus consoled Yusuf (‘AS) through revelation: “And We put into his heart (this Message): Of a surety you shall (one day) tell them the truth of this affair of theirs while they do not know (you).” (Qur’an, 12:15) Quite contrary to the design designed by his brothers, Yusuf (‘AS) was elevated by God to lofty heights of power and honour and the mischievous brothers had to bow before him finally!
Here, Yusuf (‘AS) had, however, forgiven them outright, saying: “This day let no reproach be (cast) on you.” (Qur’an, 12:92) The Prophet Muhammad (SA‘AS), together with his Companions, likewise had been compelled to ‘leave Makkah’ by his tribe, the Quraysh. God had taught him to invoke his Lord on this occasion through these words: “O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit be by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Your Presence an authority to aid (me).” (Qur’an. 17:80) As such, the Makkans had locked up or sealed his native City for him. So, here goes the story of his ‘re-opening or unlocking or re-entering’ the City which he had been born in and which had been so much close to his heart!
I have avoided to use the oft-used title ‘Conquest of Makkah’ for that decisive moment in the history of Islam when on 21st of Ramadān, 8 A.H. the Apostle (on whom be peace and blessings of God) of Allah ‘opened’ or ‘unlocked’ Makkah for it had been ‘closed’ for the upholders of monotheism for whom the House of God at Makkah had really been built or rebuilt by the progenitor of both the Banu Isra’il (Israelites) as well as the Banu Isma‘il (the Arabs), Prophet Ibrahim (‘AS). The term fath in Arabic means ‘to open up’ and fath al-Makkah is quite different from the concept of ‘conquest’ usually understood and recorded through the annals of human history. The usual understanding and expression of the term ‘conquest’ is aptly elaborated by the Qur’anic verse which reads: “Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it and make the noblest of its people its meanest. Thus do they behave.” (Qur’an, 27:34) However, the story of this fateful day when the Prophet (SA‘AS) and his Companions (R‘A) re-entered the City which they had been compelled to leave is quite different and interesting also.
The Prophet’s (SA‘AS) preparations for this campaign were quite extra-ordinary. Companions (R‘A) most close to the Prophet (SA‘AS) were making arrangements for an unknown destination. A zigzag course was taken which kept everyone unaware of the fact that they were marching towards Makkah. According to Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (R‘A), a noted Companion, the Prophet (SA‘AS), instead of proceeding south towards Makkah, took to the north, creating the impression that a war with Byzantine was imminent (Sahih Bukhāri). And when they reached to the outskirts of Makkah, the Companions (R‘A) were ordered to light fire at different places.
On seeing this, the Makkans thought that they had to face some 50,000 Muslims because the individual kitchen fires magnified the numbers. This strategy had a grand purpose behind. It never meant that the Makkans had to be utterly crushed. The plan was aimed at to take them unawares so as to avoid face-to-face confrontation thereby to minimize the loss of life and property. The plan worked properly. Except a few skirmishes there was no bloodshed at all.
Announcements were made that whosoever entered Ka‘bah, the house of Abu Sufyan or closed the gate of his premises would be safe. This was indeed a grand gesture towards peace and reconciliation. Abu Sufyan, although a staunch adversary of the Prophet (SA‘AS) and his mission, was still a respectful person of his tribe. So, contrary to the ‘war ethics’ he was respected and his house was made a post of peace. Sovereigns and kings would usually display arrogance when they ran through the conquered cities. However, the case of the Prophet (SA‘AS) was quite different. He was as humble as one could think of a Prophet (SA‘AS) of mercy. His beard touched the hump of the camel he rode!
The Prophet (SA‘AS) straightaway rode to the House of God and ‘Uthman ibn Talha, the key-bearer (gate-keeper) of Ka‘bah was called. It is pertinent to note here that this man once had not let the Prophet (SA‘AS) enter the House of God. At that moment the Prophet (SA‘AS) had told him that one day he would be holding those keys and he would provide them to the rightful man. So, this man trembled not for the keys but for his life.
However, the Prophet (SA‘AS) gave the keys back to him and told him that ‘the keys would remain with his tribe forever!’ This key-episode carries a great lesson. It means that Islam teaches us to ‘open’ things whether ‘locks’, ‘hearts’ or ‘cities’ with the ‘keys of mercy’! For if the right key is not used for opening it would be gate-crashing and Islam quite against gate-crashing. We can easily see how the lock of the city of Makkah, the lock of the heart of Abu Sufyan and the lock of the House of God were opened. Then the Prophet (SA‘AS) cleared the remnants of polytheism off Ka‘bah and restored it on the Abrahimic lines of monotheism. This is what is meant by: “Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.” (Qur’an, 17:81)
This state of affairs appeased the Makkans and they started approaching the Prophet (SA‘AS). When they had assembled, the Prophet (SA‘AS) asked them whether they knew how he was going to treat them. They replied that he was a kind brother and the son of a kind father. He said: “Go you are all free!” Even Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan who had mutilated the corpse of Hamzah (R‘A), the Prophets (SA‘AS) uncle at the Battle of Uhad, was forgiven. Out of the seventeen persons who were sentenced death penalty because of their heinous crimes eleven were given mercy. ‘Ikramah, the son of Abu Jahl fled away. He was called back and given mercy. He proved to be a great asset for the Islamic cause against the demagogues. The Prophet (SA‘AS) thus acted like Prophet Yusuf (‘AS, Joseph).
Fath al-Makkah is thus a yard-stick to check the efficacy of any Islamic mission because mercy should be the bedrock for the upholders of Islam to stand on so that they could reflect the virtues of Islam so as to play that role which they have been raised for as an Ummah. As the Ummah is celebrating ‘the event (month of Ramadān) of the Qur’anic Revelation’, it is incumbent upon it to relate the Revelation with the events of the establishment of this Revelation and Fath al-Makkah is one of these great events!
( The Author is Sr. Assistant Professor, Higher Education Department, J&K UT)
