Many deputations came to Mu'awiya. This was in the month of Ramadan. We would prepare food for one another. Abu Huraira was one of those who frequently invited us to his house. I said: Should I not prepare food and invite them to my place? So I ordered meals to be prepared Then I met Abu Huraira in the evening and said: (You will have) your meals with me tonight. He said: You have forestalled me. I said: Yes, and invited them. (When they had finished with the meals) Abu Huraira said: Should I not tell yon a tradition from your traditions, O ye assembly of the Ansar? He then gave an account of the Conquest of Mecca and said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) advanced until he reached Mecca. He deputed Zubair on his right flank and Khalid on the left, and he despatched Abu Ubaida with the force that had no armour. They advanced to the interior of the valley. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in the midst of a large contingent of fighters. He saw me and said: Abu Huraira. I said: I am here at your call, Messenger of Allah I He said: Let no one come to me except the Ansar, so call to me the Ansar (only). Abu Huraira continued: So they gathered round him. The Quraish also gathered their ruffians and their (lowly) followers, and said: We send these forward. If they get anything, we shall be with them (to share it), and if misfortune befalls them, we shall pay (as compensation) whatever we are asked for. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (to the Ansar): You see the ruffians and the (lowly) followers of the Quraish. And he indicated by (striking) one of his hands over the other that they should be killed and said: Meet me at as-Safa. Then we went on (and) if any one of us wanted that a certain person should be killed, he was killed, and none could offer any resistance. Abu Huraira continued: Then came Abu Sufyan and said: Messenger of Allah, the blood of the Quraish has become very cheap. There will be no Quraish from this day on. Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Who enters the house of Abu Sufyan, he will be safe. Some of the Ansar whispered among themselves: (After all), love for his city and tenderness towards his relations have overpowered him. Abu Huraira said: (At this moment) revelation came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and when he was going to receive the Revelation, we understood it, and when he was (actually) receiving it, none of us would dare raise his eyes to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) until the revelation came to an end. When the revelation came to an end, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: O ye Assembly of the Ansar! They said: Here we are at your disposal, Messenger of Allah. He said: You were saying that love for his city and tenderness towards his people have overpowered this man. They said: So it was. He said: No, never. I am a bondman of God and His Messenger. I migrated towards God and towards you. I will live with you and will die with you. So, they (the Ansar) turned towards him in tears and they were saying: By Allah, we said what we said because of our tenacious attachment to Allah and His Messenger. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Surely, Allah and His Messenger testify to your assertions and accept your apology. The narrator continued: People turned to the house of Abu Sufyan and people locked their doors. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) proceeded until he approached the (Black) Stone. He kissed it and circumambulated the Ka'ba. He reached near an idol by the side of the Ka'ba which was worshipped by the people. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a bow in his hand, and he was holding it from a corner. When he came near the idol, he began to pierce its eyes with the bow and (while doing so) was saying: Truth has been established and falsehood has perished. When he had finished the circumambulation, he came to Safa', ascended it to a height from where he could see the Ka'ba, raised his hands (in prayer) and began to praise Allah and prayed what he wanted to pray.
The Book of Jihad and Expeditions - Sahih Muslim 1780a
This narration from Sahih Muslim describes the Conquest of Mecca, a pivotal event in Islamic history where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ peacefully reclaimed the holy city.
Context and Significance
The account begins during Ramadan with companions preparing meals for one another, demonstrating the importance of community bonds even during military campaigns. Abu Huraira's narration provides eyewitness testimony to these historic events.
Military Strategy and Divine Assistance
The Prophet ﷺ demonstrated strategic military planning by deploying commanders to different flanks - Zubair on the right, Khalid on the left, and Abu Ubaida with unarmored forces. This shows the comprehensive planning that accompanied divine assistance in the conquest.
The Ansar's Special Role
The Prophet's specific call for the Ansar (Helpers of Medina) highlights their distinguished status and the special trust he placed in them during this critical moment. Their initial misunderstanding about the Prophet's mercy toward his kinsmen demonstrates human nature even among the best companions.
Divine Revelation and Reconciliation
When revelation descended addressing the Ansar's concerns, it demonstrated Allah's immediate guidance in matters affecting the Muslim community. The Prophet's declaration "I migrated towards God and towards you" affirmed his eternal bond with the Ansar, bringing about heartfelt reconciliation.
Establishment of Tawhid
The destruction of idols around the Ka'ba while proclaiming "Truth has been established and falsehood has perished" represents the ultimate victory of monotheism over polytheism in Mecca, fulfilling the fundamental mission of prophethood.
Lessons in Leadership and Mercy
The general amnesty declared for those entering Abu Sufyan's house, despite years of persecution, demonstrates Islam's principles of mercy and forgiveness even in victory. The Prophet's prayer at Safa' culminates the conquest with gratitude to Allah rather than triumphalism.