The companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reported practically all his statements and actions. When reporting an incident that required a ruling or an advice by the Prophet, they did not only report the incident and what the Prophet said about it, they also took care to mention other details, such as the place, the time and other circumstances. Thus we learn more about the Prophet and his character appears clearly. This is certainly needed, because the Prophet must remain, to all generations of Muslims, a man they can identify. He is not seen as a historical figure who belonged to a distant age, but a man they can see among them and recognize in their own community. A report by Umar, for example, tells us that “the Prophet entered Makkah when it fell to Islam riding his she-camel, Al-Qaswa’.” (Related by Abu Al-Shaykh and Ibn Saad.) Thus we learn that the Prophet, who commanded a large army at the time, rode a she-camel, ready to fight should the people of Makkah choose to fight him. Other reports of the occasion tell us that there was little fighting and that Makkah mostly surrendered without a fight. The Prophet lowered his head as much as he could, humbling himself before God for giving him Arabia’s main city, from where he escaped a carefully planned assassination attempt only eight years earlier. Although its people subsequently launched several attacks on his community in Madinah, he pardoned them all when they were at his mercy after their surrender.
Apparently the Prophet kept this she-camel with him to the end of his blessed life. When he performed his pilgrimage two years later, he used this same she-camel to travel to Makkah. It is well known that the Prophet passed away only three months after his pilgrimage. Jabir reports: “The Prophet informed people that he would be performing the pilgrimage. We traveled with him. When he was at Dhul-Hulayfah, he offered two rak‘ahs of voluntary prayer in the mosque there. He then mounted his camel, Al-Qaswa’, and when it rose up and began to move through the desert, he started the talbiyah, declaring his intention to do the pilgrimage.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others.)
The place named Dhul-Hulayfah in this Hadith is the point of meeqat for the people of Madinah. It is known today as Abyar Ali. It is only about 10 kilometers from Madinah. This is where people traveling to Makkah for the pilgrimage or the Umrah should enter into the state of consecration, or ihraam. This is marked by repeating the phrases of talbiyah, which pilgrims chant throughout the days when they are in consecration. When the Prophet traveled for his pilgrimage, all the people of Makkah were Muslims. The place was purged of the practices that crept into this act of worship during the days of ignorance when the Arabs were idolaters. Therefore, the Prophet could go on pilgrimage without being offended by such practices.
That the Prophet pardoned the people of Makkah despite all they did against Islam over a period stretching more than 20 years was only to be expected from him. He was the most forbearing and the kindest of people. Even when people deliberately tried to take advantage of him or assault him, he would forgive them, hoping that such kindness would open their hearts to his message. What he would not forgive was that the bounds set by God should be transgressed. If the offence was against him personally or involved his property, his forgiveness was invariably extended.
Salamah ibn Al-Akwa relates: “I went out before the first prayer was called. A number of camels belonging to the Prophet were grazing at a place called Dhu Qarad. A servant of Abd Al-Rahman ibn Awf met me and said: ‘The Prophet’s camels have been taken away.’ I asked him who took them, and he said: ‘The tribe of Ghatafan.’ I made three very loud cries for help, making sure that the whole of Madinah heard me. I then ran fast after the people until I caught up with them when they were drawing water to drink. Being a good marksman, I started to aim my arrows at them, chanting poetry (to encourage myself). I managed to rescue the camels from them and I also took away 30 garments from them. Then the Prophet came up with a number of people. I said to him: ‘Messenger of God! I prevented them access to the water and they are thirsty. You may send some people to bring them before you now.’ The Prophet said: ‘Ibn Al-Akwa‘! You have gained the upper hand, so show magnanimity and pardon them.’ We then returned and the Prophet placed me behind him on his she-camel until we entered Madinah.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Reports of this encounter make clear that when Salamah made his loud cries, a number of people came to the Prophet ready to give support. When they were eight, he sent them after Salamah, appointing Saad ibn Zayd as their commander, and telling them that he would be following them soon with more people. However, Salamah showed heroics on the day, attacking the raiders alone and killing a number of them with his arrows. When they realized that he was alone, they turned against him, trying to either kill or capture him, but he was too clever for them, hiding when they drew near, and then attacking them when they turned back. He did this several times and was able to take back the looted camels as well as the garments he mentioned.
This incident led to a battle, even though the numbers involved did not constitute armies. A number of the idolaters of Ghatafan were killed while two Muslims were martyred. It is not surprising, therefore, that Salamah, who did most of the fighting on his own, should urge the Prophet to send a force to chase them and punish them further. The Prophet, on the other hand, was all for pardoning them. The Muslims gained the upper hand, regaining what was taken away and managing to take further booty. A pardon was more valuable in the circumstances than any further gains. The Prophet was looking to a day when the tribe of Ghatafan, a major Arabian tribe, would become Muslim. A few years later, this took place.
