Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 145followers entered the Sacred Enclosure, wearing onlysheathed swords; Returning to Mecca after seven years'externment, it was no ordinary thing for two thousandpersons to enter Mecca. They remembered the torturesto which they had been subjected during their days atMecca. At the same time, they saw how gracious Godhad been to them in letting them come back and make acircuit of the Ka‘ba in peace. Their anger was only equalto their joy. The people of Mecca had come out of theirhouses and perched themselves on the hill-tops to seethe Muslims. The Muslims were full of zeal andenthusiasm and pride. They wanted to tell the Meccansthat the promises which God had made to them had allcome true. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha ra started singing songsof war, but the Prophet sa stopped him saying, "No warsongs. Only say, There is none to be worshipped exceptthe One God. It is God Who helped the Prophet sa andraised the believers from degradation to dignity and Whodrove off the enemy" (Halbiyya, Vol. 3, p. 73).After circuiting the Ka‘ba and running between thehills of Safa and Marwa, the Prophet sa and hisCompanions stopped in Mecca for three days. ‘Abbas rahad a widowed sister-in-law, Maimuna ra , and heproposed that the Prophet sa should marry her. TheProphet sa agreed. On the fourth day the Meccansdemanded the withdrawal of the Muslims. The Prophet saordered the withdrawal and asked his followers to startback for Medina. So religiously did he carry out theagreement and so careful was he to respect Meccansentiments that he left his newly-wed wife behind inMecca. He arranged that she should join him with thepart of the caravan carrying the personal effects of thepilgrims. The Prophet sa mounted his camel and wassoon out of the limits of the sacred precincts. For thenight the Prophet sa camped at a place called Sarif, andthere in his tent Maimuna ra joined him.We might have omitted this insignificant detail froma short account of the Life of the Prophet sa , but theincident has one important interest, and it is this. The