In short
- Date
- Set out 10 Ramadan 8 AH; entered Makkah about 20 Ramadan, January 630 CE
- Muslims
- About 10,000
- Cause
- Quraysh's allies, Banu Bakr, attacked the Muslims' allies, Khuza'ah, breaking the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
- Fighting
- Only at one point, against Khalid ibn al-Walid's column; 2 Muslims martyred
- Result
- Makkah entered, idols destroyed, a general pardon
In short: in 8 AH the tribe of Banu Bakr, allied to Quraysh, attacked Khuza'ah, allied to the Muslims, and Quraysh helped them. The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was broken. The Prophet ﷺ set out in Ramadan with ten thousand men, keeping the march secret.1 Abu Sufyan, the leader of Quraysh, accepted Islam before the army reached Makkah. The Muslims entered the city from four sides with almost no fighting. The Prophet ﷺ broke the 360 idols around the Kaaba, reciting "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed" (17:81),2 and pardoned the people of Makkah.
Why it happened
Under the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, tribes could ally with either side. Khuza'ah joined the Muslims and Banu Bakr joined Quraysh. In Shaban 8 AH Banu Bakr made a night raid on Khuza'ah at a water called al-Watir and killed some of them, and men of Quraysh helped them with weapons, some fighting in disguise. A man of Khuza'ah, Amr ibn Salim, rode to Madinah and asked the Prophet ﷺ for help. Abu Sufyan came to Madinah to repair the treaty, but went home with nothing.3 See the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah for the terms.
What happened
The march in secret
The Prophet ﷺ prepared without saying where he was going. Hatib ibn Abi Baltaah, a man of Badr, sent a woman to Makkah with a letter warning Quraysh. The Prophet ﷺ sent Ali, al-Zubayr and al-Miqdad, who caught her at Rawdat Khakh and brought the letter back. Umar asked to punish Hatib, but the Prophet ﷺ accepted his excuse because he had fought at Badr, and the opening of Surah Al-Mumtahanah was revealed.4 The army set out in Ramadan, fasting, and the Prophet ﷺ broke his fast on the way, at al-Kadid, and the people broke theirs.1
Abu Sufyan
At Marr al-Zahran, near Makkah, the army lit its campfires. Abu Sufyan, Hakim ibn Hizam and Budayl ibn Warqa came out to see what the fires were, and the Prophet's ﷺ guards caught them. Abu Sufyan accepted Islam. The Prophet ﷺ had al-Abbas keep him on a narrow pass to watch the tribes go by, one battalion after another.5 Then the Prophet ﷺ announced:
مَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ
"Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is safe." He also said that whoever laid down his arms was safe, and whoever closed his door was safe.
Sahih Muslim 1780 · narrated by Abu Hurayrah · sahih
The entry
The army entered Makkah from four sides. Khalid ibn al-Walid's column met resistance, and two of his men, Hubaysh ibn al-Ashar and Kurz ibn Jabir, were martyred.5 The Prophet ﷺ entered riding his camel and reciting Surah Al-Fath.6 A few men who had committed grave crimes were excluded from the pardon by name, and some of them were later pardoned when they came to him.3
The Kaaba
There were 360 idols around the Kaaba. He struck them with a stick in his hand, saying: "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed".2 He would not enter the Kaaba until the idols and the pictures were taken out of it, and then he prayed inside it.7 Bilal climbed the Kaaba and called the adhan.3
وَقُلْ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًۭا ﴿٨١﴾
Wa qul jaaa'al haqqu wa zahaqal baatil; innal baatila kaana zahooqaa
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."
Quran 17:81 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Isra
The pardon
The Prophet ﷺ stood at the door of the Kaaba and spoke to Quraysh, the people who had mocked him, boycotted him, killed his Companions and driven him from his home. He forgave them. Ibn Ishaq reports that he quoted Yusuf's words to his brothers, "No blame will there be upon you today" (12:92), and said, "Go, you are free". That wording comes without a connected chain, but the general pardon itself is reported by all the sources.3 He also declared that Allah had made Makkah sacred from the day He created the heavens and the earth, and that "there is no hijrah after the conquest, but jihad and intention".8 He stayed in Makkah nineteen days, shortening his prayers.9 From there he went on to the Battle of Hunayn.
The numbers, and where the sources differ
| What the sources say | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Muslims | About 10,000 | Sahih al-Bukhari 4276, from Ibn Abbas |
| Idols around the Kaaba | 360 | Sahih al-Bukhari 4287, from Ibn Masud |
| Muslims martyred | 2 men from Khalid's column | Sahih al-Bukhari 4280; Ibn Hisham adds a third who took a wrong road |
| Quraysh killed | About 12 at al-Khandamah | Ibn Hisham; other reports give more |
| Date | Entered on about 20 Ramadan; some reports give the 17th or 18th | Ibn Hisham; al-Raheeq al-Makhtum |
| Stay in Makkah | 19 days | Sahih al-Bukhari 4298 |
Verses revealed about the Conquest
Surah An-Nasr speaks of "the victory of Allah and the conquest", and of people entering Allah's religion in crowds, which is what happened after Makkah: the tribes of Arabia had been waiting to see whether he would win over his own people, and after the conquest they hurried to Islam.10
إِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْفَتْحُ ﴿١﴾ وَرَأَيْتَ ٱلنَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِى دِينِ ٱللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًۭا ﴿٢﴾ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابًۢا ﴿٣﴾
Iza jaa-a nas rullahi walfath Wa ra-aitan naasa yadkhuloona fee deenil laahi afwajah Fa sab bih bihamdi rabbika was taghfir, innahu kaana tawwaaba
(1) When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, (2) And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, (3) Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
Quran 110:1-3 · Sahih International · Read Surah An-Nasr
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِى مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ ٱلْفَتْحِ وَقَٰتَلَ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَقَٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ وَكُلًّۭا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ ﴿١٠﴾
Wa maa lakum allaa tunfiqoo fee sabeelil laahi wa lillaahi meeraasus samaawaati wal-ard; laa yastawee minkum man anfaqa min qablil fat-hi wa qaatal; ulaaaika a'zamu darajatam minal lazeena anfaqoo mim ba'du wa qaataloo; wa kullanw wa'adallaahul husnaa; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Khabeer
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allah has promised the best [reward]. And Allah, with what you do, is Acquainted.
Quran 57:10 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Hadid
Lessons from the Conquest
- Forgiveness at the moment of power. He pardoned the very people who had harmed him most.
- Humility in victory: he entered reciting Quran, not boasting.
- Tawheed first: the first act of the conquest was to clear the House of Allah of idols.
- Keeping covenants: the Muslims kept the treaty until the other side broke it.
- Mercy wins hearts. Abu Sufyan, Hind, Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and many others became Muslims. Read the life of Khalid ibn al-Walid, who led a column that day.
Where it fits in the seerah
Conquest of Makkah took place in Ramadan 8 AH (January 630 CE). For the whole life of the Prophet ﷺ in order, from his birth in Makkah to his passing in Madinah, see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ life timeline. All the battles and turning points are listed on the seerah page.
Before this: Treaty of Hudaybiyyah · After this: Battle of Tabuk
Questions
When was the Conquest of Makkah?
In Ramadan 8 AH, January 630 CE. The army left Madinah on 10 Ramadan and entered Makkah about ten days later.
How many Muslims were at the Conquest of Makkah?
About ten thousand, as Ibn Abbas reports (Bukhari 4276).
Why did the Prophet ﷺ conquer Makkah?
Because Quraysh and their allies, Banu Bakr, broke the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah by attacking Khuza'ah, who were allied to the Muslims.
Was there fighting at the Conquest of Makkah?
Very little. Only Khalid ibn al-Walid's column met resistance, at al-Khandamah. Two Muslims were martyred there (Bukhari 4280).
What did the Prophet ﷺ say to Quraysh after the conquest?
He pardoned them. Ibn Ishaq reports the words "Go, you are free" and Yusuf's words "No blame upon you today", though that wording has no connected chain. The pardon itself is certain.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4275, 4276 and 4279, from Ibn Abbas.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4287, from Ibn Masud.
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, from Ibn Ishaq: the Conquest of Makkah.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3007 and 4274, from Ali.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4280, from Urwah.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4281, from Abdullah ibn Mughaffal.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4288 (Ibn Abbas) and 397 (Ibn Umar, from Bilal).
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1834, from Ibn Abbas.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4298, from Ibn Abbas.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4302, from Amr ibn Salimah.
- Sahih Muslim 1780, from Abu Hurayrah.
- Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, al-Raheeq al-Makhtum.
- Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, transliteration from Tanzil, English by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic is the standard wording of the collection named; gradings are given for every hadith outside al-Bukhari and Muslim.