64/35. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4181 — Hudaybiyyah Truce and Trust in Prophetic Judgment
The Ghazwa of Al-Hudaibiya
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ} .
Hudaybiyyah Truce Hadith: Trusting the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in Hard Terms
Sahih Bukhari : 4181
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4181
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ، وَالْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ، يُخْبِرَانِ خَبَرًا مِنْ خَبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي عُمْرَةِ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا كَاتَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُهَيْلَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ عَلَى قَضِيَّةِ الْمُدَّةِ، وَكَانَ فِيمَا اشْتَرَطَ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو أَنَّهُ قَالَ لاَ يَأْتِيكَ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَى دِينِكَ إِلاَّ رَدَدْتَهُ إِلَيْنَا، وَخَلَّيْتَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ. وَأَبَى سُهَيْلٌ أَنْ يُقَاضِيَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلاَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَكَرِهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ذَلِكَ وَامَّعَضُوا، فَتَكَلَّمُوا فِيهِ، فَلَمَّا أَبَى سُهَيْلٌ أَنْ يُقَاضِيَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلاَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، كَاتَبَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَرَدَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَبَا جَنْدَلِ بْنَ سُهَيْلٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَى أَبِيهِ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، وَلَمْ يَأْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدٌ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ إِلاَّ رَدَّهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْمُدَّةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا، وَجَاءَتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ، فَكَانَتْ أُمُّ كُلْثُومٍ بِنْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ مُعَيْطٍ مِمَّنْ خَرَجَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْىَ عَاتِقٌ، فَجَاءَ أَهْلُهَا يَسْأَلُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَرْجِعَهَا إِلَيْهِمْ، حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ مَا أَنْزَلَ.
`Urwa bin Az-Zubair Narrated from:
Narrated `Urwa bin Az-Zubair: That he heard Marwan bin Al-Hakam and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama relating one of the events that happened to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the `Umra of Al-Hudaibiya. They said, "When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) concluded the truce with Suhail bin `Amr on the day of Al-Hudaibiya, one of the conditions which Suhail bin `Amr stipulated, was his saying (to the Prophet), "If anyone from us (i.e. infidels) ever comes to you, though he has embraced your religion, you should return him to us, and should not interfere between us and him." Suhail refused to conclude the truce with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) except on this condition. The believers disliked this condition and got disgusted with it and argued about it. But when Suhail refused to conclude the truce with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) except on that condition, Allah's Apostle concluded it. Accordingly, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then returned Abu Jandal bin Suhail to his father, Suhail bin `Amr, and returned every man coming to him from them during that period even if he was a Muslim.The believing women Emigrants came (to Medina) and Um Kulthum, the daughter of `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait was one of those who came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she was an adult at that time. Her relatives came, asking Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to return her to them, and in this connection, Allah revealed the Verses dealing with the believing (women).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4180, 4181In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 221USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 496
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4181
This narration repeats the event of the Hudaybiyyah truce and focuses on a condition that was hard for the believers to accept. Suhail bin Amr insisted that any man from Quraysh who came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, even after accepting Islam, had to be returned. The companions disliked it and argued about it, but the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم agreed when Suhail would not accept the treaty without that term. Abu Jandal was returned to his father, and men who came during that period were returned. Then believing women emigrants came, and the relatives of Umm Kulthum bint Uqba asked that she be sent back. The hadith points to revealed guidance for believing women, showing that matters were handled by Allah’s command.
What we learn from this hadith
- A hard treaty term may still be accepted when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم judges it right.
- The companions’ discomfort is mentioned, but the Prophet’s decision remained the guide.
- The narration separates the case of men under the treaty from the later case of believing women.
- Allah’s revelation gave direction when the matter of emigrant women arose.
