Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
12. Emigration—From Makkah to Madinah
~ 301 ~
pilgrimage to the Holy Ka ‘bah. During his three-
day stay in Makkah, he married a widow by the
name of Maymunah bint al Harith. She had eight
sisters, all of whom were married into distinguished
Makkan families. By marrying her, the Prophet
became related to all these eight families. Khalid ibn
al-Walid was Maymunah’s nephew, and she had
brought him up as a son. So Khalid, the Quraysh’s
greatest warrior, became the Prophet’s step-son.
After this Khalid did not join in any hostilities
against the Muslims, and before long he himself
entered the fold of Islam. After his marriage to
Maymunah the Prophet had arranged a wedding
reception for the people of Makkah, but the
Quraysh reminded him that—according to the
terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah—he was only
allowed to remain in Makkah for three days. His
period was up and he would have to leave the city
immediately. The wedding reception, which was
aimed at attracting people to the faith, could not
take place. But Khalid ibn al-Walid and ‘Amr ibn al-
’As had become Muslim together. So that on their
arrival in Madinah people exclaimed: “With these
two in the bag, Makkah has been tamed.”
