The Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makkah)

The Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makkah), in Ramadan 8 AH (January 630 CE), was the culmination of the Prophet Muhammad's mission. Eight years after being driven from his homeland, the Prophet returned with an army of 10,000 believers and reclaimed Mecca with virtually no bloodshed. It was an event of mercy, forgiveness, and justice that stands as one of the most remarkable episodes in military and religious history. The Quran foretold: "When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, and you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes" (Quran 110:1-2).

The Cause

The Quraysh had violated the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah by supporting the Banu Bakr tribe in attacking the Banu Khuza'ah, who were allies of the Muslims. The Khuza'ah appealed to the Prophet for help. Abu Sufyan traveled to Medina to renew the treaty but was turned away. The Prophet quietly prepared a massive military expedition, asking Allah to prevent the Quraysh from receiving intelligence. When Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah attempted to warn the Quraysh, his message was intercepted. The Prophet showed mercy to Hatib, recognizing that he was a veteran of Badr who had acted out of fear for his family in Mecca.

The March and Entry

The Prophet ordered each division to light a fire upon approaching Mecca, so that the 10,000 campfires would demonstrate the overwhelming force. Abu Sufyan, who came to observe, was shown the spectacle and accepted Islam on the spot. The Prophet declared: "Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is safe, whoever shuts his door is safe, and whoever enters the Sacred Mosque is safe." The army entered from four directions. Only minor resistance was encountered at one point, where Khalid ibn al-Walid's division faced armed opposition and dealt with it swiftly.

The General Amnesty

The Prophet entered Mecca on his camel, his head bowed in humility and gratitude to Allah. He went directly to the Kaaba and circled it, then destroyed the 360 idols within and around it, reciting: "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed, falsehood is bound to depart" (Quran 17:81). He then addressed the gathered Quraysh, who had persecuted, tortured, and fought the Muslims for over two decades. He asked: "What do you expect me to do with you?" They said: "You are a noble brother, son of a noble brother." He said: "Go, for you are free" (al-Bayhaqi). This unprecedented act of general amnesty converted former enemies into sincere Muslims.

Legacy

The Conquest of Mecca marked the end of polytheism in Arabia and the beginning of Islam's ascendancy. Nearly all of Mecca accepted Islam. The Prophet stayed fifteen days, during which he sent expeditions to destroy idol shrines in the surrounding areas. He appointed Attab ibn Asid as governor of Mecca. The conquest demonstrated Islam's principle that mercy triumphs over vengeance, and that the goal of jihad is not domination but the removal of barriers to truth. The people the Prophet forgave at the conquest, including Hind (who had mutilated Hamzah), Abu Sufyan, and Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, became sincere Muslims and defenders of Islam.