Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
12. Emigration—From Makkah to Madinah
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to him on behalf of the Quraysh. When he returned
to his people, this is what he had to say to them:
Leave this fellow to carry on with his work
for, God knows, he is never going to give it
up. Do not prevent him from preaching to the
Arabs. If he wins them over, then his honour
will be your own. If they prevail over him,
then, thanks to others, you will be free of
him.
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The Prophet thus appealed to the Quraysh in the
very terms of which they themselves had been
thinking; consequently, he was able to find
supporters of his peace initiative within the enemy
camp itself.
The Prophet sent the Quraysh this message, and at
the same time initiated various procedures aimed at
influencing them. One of the Banu Kinanah came
from Makkah to Hudaybiyyah to ascertain the
Muslims’ intentions. When the Prophet heard about
his impending arrival, he told his followers of the
Banu Kinanah’s reverence for sacrificial camels, and
directed them to take the camels with them when
they went out to meet him. They did so, chanting
