THE WISDOM OF SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in Islamic history is a great example of collective wisdom. Although the Quraysh of Makkah fiercely opposed the message of the Prophet Muhammad from the very beginning there were some among them who wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with him. Instead, they wanted to divert his attention toward other Arab tribes. The Prophet made wise use of this mindset to his advantage.
Among the chiefs of Makkah, one prominent leader was Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah. Before the Hijrah, the Quraysh once sent him as their representative to the Prophet (ﷺ). A detailed account of this meeting is found in the books of seerah (biography). After his conversation with the Prophet, Utbah returned and said to the Quraysh:
“O people of Quraysh, accept my proposal. Do not interfere between this man and what he is pursuing; instead, withdraw from him. If the Arab tribes deal with him, you will be spared any involvement. And if he prevails over them, then his rule will be your rule, and his honour will be your honour.” (Sirah Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 294)
Similarly, after the Hijrah, when the Quraysh set out to fight the Prophet at Badr, they consulted among themselves along the way. At that time, Utbah spoke on behalf of one group of the Quraysh and said:
“O people of Quraysh, by God, you will gain nothing by confronting Muhammad and his companions. By God, if you meet them in battle, each of you will be facing someone he would hate to fight—his cousin, his nephew, or a man from his own clan. So return, and keep away from Muhammad and the other Arab tribes. If the Arabs defeat him, then that is exactly what you want. And if the outcome is different, you will still be safe, without having risked anything.” (Seerat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 623)
The world we live in is a place of tests and challenges. It is not possible to force the other side to accept terms exactly as we wish. In most situations, we must accept some of the other side’s conditions. Such acceptance is not surrender; it is wisdom—a way to create a starting point for progress.
This is where true wisdom and strategy are tested. One must carefully examine the other side’s conditions and see where there is room that can be accepted, so that the path for building the future can be opened. This is exactly what the Prophet (ﷺ) did at Hudaybiyyah. With great insight, he understood this particular mindset of the Quraysh and used it very wisely. When the Quraysh blocked him at Hudaybiyyah, the message he sent to them included these words:
“We have not come to fight anyone; we have come only to perform ‘umrah. The war has already exhausted the Quraysh and caused them great harm. If they wish, I will set a truce for a fixed time, and they can step aside between me and the other Arab tribes. If I prevail, then they may choose to enter this religion as others have done. And if I do not prevail, then their goal has been achieved.” (Al-Seerah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 3, p. 330)
