Table of Contents
Background to the Breaking of the Treaty
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed between the Prophet ﷺ and Quraysh in the 6th year after Hijrah. One of its main clauses was a pledge of peace for ten years between the two sides, and that every tribe in Arabia could join either side and be included in that alliance. This condition was crucial, because what happened later in the breaking of the treaty did not begin directly with Quraysh, but through their allies.
Allah alludes to the security that this treaty and its like brought, and how later violation of such covenants placed the violators under divine censure, in verses revealed about the people of treaties:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدْتُمْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْقُصُوكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا
فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
“Except those of the polytheists with whom you made a treaty, then they did not fail you in anything nor did they support anyone against you. So fulfill your treaty with them until their term. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous.”
(Surah at-Tawbah 9:4)
This verse shows the principle that as long as the other party remains completely faithful to the pledge, the Muslims are commanded to honor it to its appointed term. The breaking of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah came about when Quraysh and their allies failed in exactly this.
A treaty in Islam must be honored fully as long as the other side does not break it or aid those who oppose the Muslims.
The Tribal Alliances under the Treaty
According to the treaty, each tribe in Arabia could join one of the two sides. The tribe of Khuza‘ah allied themselves with the Prophet ﷺ, while the tribe of Banu Bakr allied themselves with Quraysh.
These alliances were not merely symbolic. In the tribal world of Arabia, joining a side meant that an attack on an ally was considered an attack on the whole camp. Therefore, it was understood that:
- Khuza‘ah enjoyed the protection of the Muslim state in Madinah.
- Banu Bakr enjoyed the protection of Quraysh in Makkah.
- Neither side would commit aggression against the other or help anyone who did.
By accepting these alliances, Quraysh took upon themselves a responsibility that directly connected their future actions with the treaty. The Quraysh leadership knew that, and at the time of the signing they were keen to secure peace, considering the Muslims too strong to face in open battle.
The Attack of Banu Bakr on Khuza‘ah
The incident that broke the treaty began with a desire for revenge that Banu Bakr held against Khuza‘ah from old pre-Islamic hostility. The peace of Hudaybiyyah limited open warfare, but it could not erase old grudges from every heart.
After some time had passed, a group from Banu Bakr decided to take advantage of a perceived opportunity and attacked Khuza‘ah. They chose a time when they thought they could strike without full consequences. However, what turned aggression between two tribes into a breach of the treaty was the role Quraysh chose to play.
Reports in the books of Seerah mention that some leaders from Quraysh secretly aided Banu Bakr. They supplied them with weapons and, according to many reports, some Quraysh individuals even joined in the night attack. The fighting took place near the sanctuary of the Haram, close to Makkah, and some of it occurred in the sacred area, something even pre-Islamic Arabs considered a grave crime.
Members of Khuza‘ah, realizing their alliance with the Prophet ﷺ, shouted in the middle of the attack reminding their enemies, “We have a covenant with Muhammad.” Yet their appeals did not stop the assault. Blood was spilled, people of Khuza‘ah were killed, and the attackers withdrew after having taken their revenge.
Here, the violation was twofold. First, there was aggression against an ally of the Muslims. Second, Quraysh supported this aggression with weapons and participation, against a tribe protected by the covenant of Hudaybiyyah.
Why This Incident Broke the Treaty
The treaty had not only forbidden direct war between Quraysh and the Muslims, but also prohibited giving support to those who fight the other side. This is the exact scenario that Allah mentioned in the verse quoted earlier, “nor did they support anyone against you.”
By their assistance to Banu Bakr, Quraysh crossed that line. In the logic of the tribal and treaty system of the time, helping an ally to attack the other camp’s ally was understood as hostile action against the camp itself. Therefore, this act was not just misbehavior by individuals, but a direct weakening of the very covenant that had granted peace.
The Prophet ﷺ had fully honored his part of the treaty. He had accepted painful conditions at Hudaybiyyah, returned Muslims who fled from Makkah as the agreement demanded, and refrained from any aggression toward Quraysh. So when Khuza‘ah was attacked, it was clear that the fault lay with those who had supported the aggressors.
Allah mentions in a later verse how the breaking of covenants after having strength and clarity is a serious sin:
وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَٱنۢبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْخَائِنِينَ
“And if you fear treachery from a people, then throw [their covenant] back to them on equal terms. Indeed, Allah does not love the treacherous.”
(Surah al-Anfal 8:58)
This verse describes the principle that if one side shows signs of betrayal, the other may end the treaty openly and fairly. Quraysh did not follow such a principle. Instead of openly canceling the truce, they tried to harm the Muslims indirectly through allies. That is why their action carried the description of treachery.
Helping others to fight those you have pledged to protect or to live in peace with is considered a betrayal of the covenant in Islamic law and in the ethics of the Seerah.
The Appeal of Khuza‘ah to the Prophet ﷺ
The tribe of Khuza‘ah, bleeding and shaken after the attack, knew that they were not alone. They were under the protection of Muhammad ﷺ by the terms of the treaty. So they sent a delegation to Madinah to seek justice and to ask the Prophet ﷺ to stand for his ally.
Among those who came, the narrations mention a leader of Khuza‘ah named ‘Amr ibn Salim al-Khuza‘i. He arrived in Madinah and entered upon the Prophet ﷺ in the masjid, and he recited lines of poetry describing what had happened. These lines have been preserved in the Seerah, and through them he reminded the Prophet ﷺ of their alliance and pleaded for help.
He described the wrongdoing of Banu Bakr, the help of Quraysh, and the fact that some of the killing took place in the sacred area. He appealed to the Prophet ﷺ with words that acknowledged his status as a man of truth, justice, and protection of the oppressed.
Hearing this, the Prophet ﷺ responded with calm firmness. He assured the envoy of Khuza‘ah that their plea would not be ignored and that their right would be restored. This moment showed the political and moral weight of the treaty. The Muslims were not only defending their own interests, but also the safety of those who had chosen to live under their protection.
Quraysh’s Attempt to Repair the Damage
News of Khuza‘ah’s appeal and the Prophet’s response reached Quraysh, and they understood that they had placed themselves in a dangerous position. Some leaders realized that their support of Banu Bakr had jeopardized the entire treaty, which until then had actually worked in their favor by preventing large scale war.
In order to limit the consequences, Quraysh decided to send a respected figure to Madinah to renew the treaty and apologize indirectly, hoping to avoid war. They chose Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, who at that time was still one of the main chiefs of Quraysh and not yet a Muslim.
Abu Sufyan traveled to Madinah and went to the Prophet ﷺ. He tried to speak in general terms about strengthening the treaty and extending it, but he did not bring with him a clear admission of guilt or a genuine new agreement from the Quraysh council. The Prophet ﷺ did not accept vague talk as a repair to a clear act of betrayal.
Abu Sufyan then went to several of the senior Companions, including his daughter Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها, who was a wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and also to Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما. He asked them to intercede or to speak in favor of renewing the treaty, but each of them refused to give him any guarantee or to speak on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ in this matter.
The presence of Abu Sufyan in Madinah, moving from house to house and meeting with different Companions, only highlighted the weakness of Quraysh’s position. He returned to Makkah without any clear renewal of the treaty and without any promise that the Muslims would overlook what had happened.
This visit showed that Quraysh understood they had broken the treaty, even if they did not state it openly. It also showed that the Muslim community was united under the leadership of the Prophet ﷺ and would not be swayed by emotional or tribal pressure away from justice.
The Moral Nature of the Breach
The breaking of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was not just a strategic excuse for the Muslims to march on Makkah. It had a clear moral dimension that the Seerah writers emphasize.
First, it was an unprovoked assault on Khuza‘ah during a time of pledged peace. Second, it was assisted by Quraysh, who supplied the attackers and, by some reports, fought beside them. Third, it involved fighting near and in the Haram, despite the long standing Arab recognition of the sacredness of that area.
The Prophet ﷺ had accepted in Hudaybiyyah a treaty that seemed, at first glance, to give many outward advantages to Quraysh. He had agreed to turn back Muslims who came from Makkah, and to delay ‘Umrah until the following year, all for the sake of greater peace and future openness for the message of Islam. His side had not done anything similar to what Quraysh did through Banu Bakr.
This moral clarity is important, because it explains why the later conquest of Makkah was not a sudden act of aggression, but a response to a sustained treachery. The Muslims did not initiate war without cause. Rather, the ground of peace that had been agreed upon was cut from under them by the very party that had demanded its terms.
Allah reminds the believers, in language that fits such moments in history:
أَلَا تُقَاتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَّكَثُوا۟ أَيْمَٰنَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
“Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths, and who determined to expel the Messenger, and who began [hostility] against you the first time? Do you fear them? But Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.”
(Surah at-Tawbah 9:13)
The “breaking of oaths” and “beginning of hostility” described in this verse fit the behavior of those who violated their covenants and initiated aggression after having sworn to live in peace.
In the Seerah, military action against Quraysh after Hudaybiyyah came only after they clearly broke their oaths and began hostility through their support of aggression, not as an unprovoked initiative by the Muslims.
The Psychological Turning Point
Although the conquest of Makkah belongs to a later chapter, the breaking of the treaty was the real psychological turning point in the balance between Quraysh and the Muslims.
For years, Quraysh had tried to crush Islam, from persecution in Makkah to organizing coalitions against Madinah. Hudaybiyyah was the first open recognition that they could not simply destroy the Muslims by force. The treaty brought a pause to direct conflict and allowed Islam to spread throughout Arabia through da‘wah and peaceful contact.
When Quraysh chose to side with treachery instead of honoring the peace that was actually benefiting them, they revealed a deep fear and short-sightedness. Instead of adapting to the new reality, they tried once more to weaken the Muslims indirectly, and in doing so they removed the last legal and moral barrier preventing the Prophet ﷺ from marching on Makkah.
The Muslim community, on the other hand, saw in this moment another test of their commitment to justice. They did not rush into revenge. They waited until the matter became clear, until Khuza‘ah’s complaints had been heard, and until Quraysh’s half hearted attempt at repair failed.
The breaking of the treaty therefore marks the end of one phase of the Seerah, the phase of patient treaty-based coexistence with Quraysh, and the beginning of another, in which Makkah would soon come under the banner of Islam.