PART 4 · THE MADINAN PERIOD · الْعَهْدُ الْمَدَنِيُّ
STAGE 3 · TRUCE AND VICTORY
فَتْحُ مَكَّةَ
Chapter 25: The Conquest of Makkah
Ten thousand march in Ramaḍān — and the Prophet ﷺ returns home in humility
Sheikh Mohamed Fawzyالشيخ محمد فوزي
© 2026 Sheikh Mohamed Fawzy. All rights reserved. Version 1.7
8 AH نَقْضُ الْعَهْدِ
Quraysh break the treaty
Two alliances
Under the treaty of al-Ḥudaybiyah, the tribe of Khuzā‘ah joined the Muslims’ side, and Banū Bakr joined Quraysh.
A night attack
Banū Bakr attacked Khuzā‘ah, and men of Quraysh helped them with weapons. The peace was broken.
Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm: the attack took place in Sha‘bān, 8 AH. Khuzā‘ah sent to the Prophet ﷺ asking for help, and he prepared to march on Makkah in secret.
The broad events are agreed in the books of Seerah. Some famous details (such as the poem of ‘Amr ibn Sālim and Abū Sufyān’s visit to Madinah) come through chains outside the Sahihs, so they are not taught on the slides.
A secret كِتَابُ حَاطِبٍ
“Perhaps Allah looked at the people of Badr…”
The Prophet ﷺ kept the march secret. But Allah informed him that a woman was carrying a letter to Makkah, and he sent ‘Alī, al-Zubayr and al-Miqdād, who caught her and brought the letter (al-Bukhari 3007):
عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: ... فَإِذَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى أُنَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ، يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «يَا حَاطِبُ، مَا هَذَا». قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيَّ، إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا، وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ بِمَكَّةَ، يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ، فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ النَّسَبِ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي، وَمَا فَعَلْتُ كُفْرًا وَلَا ارْتِدَادًا وَلَا رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الْإِسْلَامِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «لَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ». قَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ. قَالَ «إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ، فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ» ...
‘Alī said: “…It was from Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Balta‘ah to some idolaters of Makkah, telling them about some of the Messenger of Allah’s plans. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘O Ḥāṭib, what is this?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do not be hasty with me. I was a man attached to Quraysh, not one of them by birth, and the Emigrants with you have relatives in Makkah who protect their families and property. Since I had no such family ties, I wanted to do them a favour so they would protect my relatives. I did not do it out of disbelief, nor leaving my religion, nor accepting disbelief after Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘He has told you the truth.’ ‘Umar said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, let me strike the neck of this hypocrite.’ He said: ‘He was present at Badr. And how do you know? Perhaps Allah looked at the people of Badr and said: Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3007Sahih
A mistake by a good man was judged with fairness: the Prophet ﷺ listened, believed him, and remembered his good past.
Ramaḍān, 8 AH الْمَسِيرُ إِلَى مَكَّةَ
The march of ten thousand
A secret march
The Prophet ﷺ kept the destination secret, to take Quraysh by surprise — the story of Ḥāṭib’s letter shows how carefully the secret was guarded.
Dates (Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm): the army left Madinah on 10 Ramaḍān, 8 AH (January 630 CE), and, according to Ar-Raḥīq, entered Makkah on 17 Ramaḍān; other reports say 20 Ramaḍān.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَرَجَ فِي رَمَضَانَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَمَعَهُ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ، وَذَلِكَ عَلَى رَأْسِ ثَمَانِ سِنِينَ وَنِصْفٍ مِنْ مَقْدَمِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَسَارَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ، يَصُومُ وَيَصُومُونَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ الْكَدِيدَ وَهْوَ مَاءٌ بَيْنَ عُسْفَانَ وَقُدَيْدٍ أَفْطَرَ وَأَفْطَرُوا ...
Ibn ‘Abbās said: “The Prophet ﷺ set out from Madinah in Ramaḍān with ten thousand men, eight and a half years after he had come to Madinah. He and the Muslims with him marched towards Makkah, he fasting and they fasting, until he reached al-Kadīd — a watering place between ‘Usfān and Qudayd — and then he broke his fast and they broke theirs.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4276Sahih
Marr al-Ẓahrān أَبُو سُفْيَانَ يَرَى الْجَيْشَ
“This is a day on which Allah will honour the Ka‘bah”
Near Makkah, at Marr al-Ẓahrān, the Prophet’s guards caught Abū Sufyān, the leader of Quraysh, and he accepted Islam. The Prophet ﷺ had him stand where he could watch the army pass, tribe by tribe (al-Bukhari 4280; Muslim 1780):
عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ: ... حَتَّى أَقْبَلَتْ كَتِيبَةٌ لَمْ يَرَ مِثْلَهَا، قَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَنْصَارُ عَلَيْهِمْ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ مَعَهُ الرَّايَةُ. فَقَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ يَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمُ الْمَلْحَمَةِ، الْيَوْمَ تُسْتَحَلُّ الْكَعْبَةُ. فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ يَا عَبَّاسُ حَبَّذَا يَوْمُ الذِّمَارِ. ثُمَّ جَاءَتْ كَتِيبَةٌ، وَهْيَ أَقَلُّ الْكَتَائِبِ، فِيهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، وَرَايَةُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ، فَلَمَّا مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِأَبِي سُفْيَانَ قَالَ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ مَا قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ قَالَ «مَا قَالَ». قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا. فَقَالَ «كَذَبَ سَعْدٌ، وَلَكِنْ هَذَا يَوْمٌ يُعَظِّمُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ الْكَعْبَةَ، وَيَوْمٌ تُكْسَى فِيهِ الْكَعْبَةُ» ...
‘Urwah said: “…Then came a battalion the like of which he had never seen. He said: ‘Who are these?’ He said: ‘These are the Anṣār, led by Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah, who holds the banner.’ Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah said: ‘O Abū Sufyān, today is the day of the great battle; today the Ka‘bah will be made lawful [for fighting]!’ Abū Sufyān said: ‘‘Abbās, what a day to defend [one’s people]!’ Then came a battalion — the smallest of them — in which were the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions, and the Prophet’s banner was with al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed Abū Sufyān, [Abū Sufyān] said: ‘Do you not know what Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah said?’ He [the Prophet ﷺ] said: ‘What did he say?’ He said: ‘Such-and-such.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Sa‘d is wrong. Rather, this is a day on which Allah will honour the Ka‘bah, and a day on which the Ka‘bah will be covered [with its cloth].’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4280Mursal
Safety for all مَنْ أَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ
Safety — and loyalty to the Anṣār
قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: ... وَصَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّفَا وَجَاءَتِ الْأَنْصَارُ فَأَطَافُوا بِالصَّفَا فَجَاءَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُبِيدَتْ خَضْرَاءُ قُرَيْشٍ لَا قُرَيْشَ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ. قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «مَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ وَمَنْ أَلْقَى السِّلَاحَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ وَمَنْ أَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ». فَقَالَتِ الْأَنْصَارُ أَمَّا الرَّجُلُ فَقَدْ أَخَذَتْهُ رَأْفَةٌ بِعَشِيرَتِهِ وَرَغْبَةٌ فِي قَرْيَتِهِ. وَنَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ «قُلْتُمْ أَمَّا الرَّجُلُ فَقَدْ أَخَذَتْهُ رَأْفَةٌ بِعَشِيرَتِهِ وَرَغْبَةٌ فِي قَرْيَتِهِ. أَلَا فَمَا اسْمِي إِذًا - ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ - أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ هَاجَرْتُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَيْكُمْ فَالْمَحْيَا مَحْيَاكُمْ وَالْمَمَاتُ مَمَاتُكُمْ». قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا قُلْنَا إِلَّا ضِنًّا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ. قَالَ «فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُصَدِّقَانِكُمْ وَيَعْذِرَانِكُمْ».
Abū Hurayrah said: “…The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went up al-Ṣafā, and the Anṣār came and gathered around al-Ṣafā. Abū Sufyān came and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the mass of Quraysh has been destroyed; there will be no Quraysh after today!’ Abū Sufyān said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever enters the house of Abū Sufyān is safe; whoever lays down his weapon is safe; and whoever locks his door is safe.’ The Anṣār said: ‘As for the man, kindness to his clan and love for his town have taken hold of him.’ Revelation came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said: ‘You said: As for the man, kindness to his clan and love for his town have taken hold of him. No! What would my name be then? — three times — I am Muḥammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger. I emigrated to Allah and to you: my life is your life, and my death is your death.’ They said: ‘By Allah, we only said it because we wanted to keep Allah and His Messenger with us.’ He said: ‘Allah and His Messenger believe you and excuse you.’”
Sahih Muslim 1780Sahih
The famous words “Go, you are free (al-ṭulaqā’)” to the people of Makkah are not authentically reported: al-Albānī graded the report weak (al-Silsilah al-Ḍa‘īfah 1163; it is mu‘ḍal in Ibn Hishām). The forgiveness itself is clear from authentic reports like this one, so the course teaches it from here. The word ṭulaqā’ for those freed at the Conquest is itself authentic (al-Bukhari 4337); only the speech is weak.
Humility دُخُولُهُ ﷺ مَكَّةَ
The conqueror enters — reciting Qur’an
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُغَفَّلٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ، وَهْوَ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفَتْحِ يُرَجِّعُ ...
‘Abdullāh ibn Mughaffal said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, on his camel, reciting Sūrat al-Fatḥ, reciting with tarjī‘ [a gentle wavering of the voice].”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4281Sahih
Eight years after leaving Makkah in secret, he returned as its conqueror — not boasting, but reciting Sūrat al-Fatḥ.
The Ka‘bah purified تَحْطِيمُ الْأَصْنَامِ
“The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished”
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَكَّةَ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ وَحَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ سِتُّونَ وَثَلَاثُمِائَةِ نُصُبٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَطْعُنُهَا بِعُودٍ فِي يَدِهِ وَيَقُولُ «جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ، جَاءَ الْحَقُّ، وَمَا يُبْدِئُ الْبَاطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ».
‘Abdullāh [ibn Mas‘ūd] said: “The Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah on the day of the Conquest, and around the House there were three hundred and sixty idols. He began striking them with a stick in his hand, saying: ‘The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin anything nor bring anything back.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4287Sahih
وَقُلۡ جَآءَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُۚ إِنَّ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقٗا ٨١
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."
Surat al-Isrā’ 17:81سورة الإسراء: ٨١
The speech حُرْمَةُ مَكَّةَ
“Allah made this land sacred”
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: ... وَقَالَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ «إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَهْوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَحِلَّ الْقِتَالُ فِيهِ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَلَمْ يَحِلَّ لِي إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ، فَهْوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، لَا يُعْضَدُ شَوْكُهُ، وَلَا يُنَفَّرُ صَيْدُهُ، وَلَا يَلْتَقِطُ لُقَطَتَهُ إِلَّا مَنْ عَرَّفَهَا، وَلَا يُخْتَلَى خَلَاهُ» ...
Ibn ‘Abbās said: “…And he said on the day of the Conquest of Makkah: ‘Allah made this land sacred on the day He created the heavens and the earth, so it is sacred by Allah’s sacredness until the Day of Resurrection. Fighting in it was not allowed for anyone before me, and it was allowed for me only for one hour of one day. So it is sacred by Allah’s sacredness until the Day of Resurrection: its thorn-bushes are not to be cut, its game is not to be chased, its lost things are not to be picked up except by one who will announce them, and its fresh grass is not to be cut.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3189Sahih
The result يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا
“Every people hurried to accept Islam”
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلِمَةَ: ... وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ تَلَوَّمُ بِإِسْلَامِهِمِ الْفَتْحَ، فَيَقُولُونَ اتْرُكُوهُ وَقَوْمَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَهْوَ نَبِيٌّ صَادِقٌ. فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ وَقْعَةُ أَهْلِ الْفَتْحِ بَادَرَ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ بِإِسْلَامِهِمْ ...
‘Amr ibn Salimah said: “…The Arabs were waiting for the Conquest before accepting Islam. They used to say: ‘Leave him and his people: if he defeats them, then he is a true prophet.’ When the Conquest happened, every people hurried to accept Islam…”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4302Sahih
إِذَا جَآءَ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡفَتۡحُ ١ وَرَأَيۡتَ ٱلنَّاسَ يَدۡخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ ٱللَّهِ أَفۡوَاجٗا ٢ فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابَۢا ٣
1 When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest 2 And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes 3 Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
Surat al-Naṣr 110:1–3سورة النصر: ١–٣
Lessons دُرُوسٌ وَعِبَرٌ
What we learn
1
Victory with humility
He entered Makkah reciting Qur’an, and declared safety for its people.
2
Faithful to promises
“My life is your life, and my death is your death” — he kept his word to the Anṣār.
3
Tawḥīd first
One of his first acts in Makkah was to clear the House of Allah of idols.
Review مُرَاجَعَةٌ
Quick quiz
Score: 0 / 4
1.How many men marched with the Prophet ﷺ to Makkah?
Correct (al-Bukhari 4276).
Ten thousand (al-Bukhari 4276).
2.Who was safe on the day of the Conquest?
Right (Muslim 1780).
Whoever entered Abū Sufyān’s house, laid down his weapon, or locked his door.
3.What did the Prophet ﷺ say while striking the idols?
Yes (al-Bukhari 4287).
“The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished.”
4.Why did Ḥāṭib write to Quraysh?
Correct — and the Prophet ﷺ forgave him (al-Bukhari 3007).
To protect his relatives in Makkah (al-Bukhari 3007).
The House of Allah is purified
ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ﷺ
NEXT · Chapter 26: Ḥunayn and Ṭā’if · غَزْوَةُ حُنَيْنٍ وَالطَّائِفِ