Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
5. Lessons of the Prophet’s Life
~ 109 ~
treaty that paved the way for a great Muslim
victory.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah appeared to be a
capitulation before the enemy; but in fact it gave the
Muslims an opportunity to strengthen themselves,
and consolidate their position. The Prophet
accepted all the Quraysh’s demands, in return for a
single assurance from them, namely, that they
would cease all hostilities against the Muslims for
ten years. Continual raids and threats of warfare
had prevented the Muslims from pursuing
constructive missionary work. As soon as the
Prophet returned from Hudaybiyyah, he intensified
missionary work in and around Arabia, the
groundwork having been done beforehand. Now
that peace prevailed, the message of Islam started
spreading like wildfire.
People in their thousands, tribe after tribe, thronged
to join the fold of Islam. Islam began spreading
beyond the borders of Arabia too. Safe from the
idolators of Makkah, the Prophet was able to take
action against, and drive out, the Jews of Khaybar,
who had missed no opportunity of helping the
