The Prophet ﷺ then said to him, ‘On the condition that you give us unimpeded access to the House so that we may perform the circumambulation.’ Suhayl replied, ‘By Allah, the Arabs shall never say that we yielded under pressure; you may come next year instead.’ So this was written down.

Suhayl added, ‘On the further condition that if any man from our side— even though he follow your religion—comes to you, you will return him to us.’ The Muslims exclaimed, ‘Glory be to Allah! How can he be sent back to the idolaters when he has come as a Muslim?’

While they were in this exchange, Abū Jandal, the son of Suhayl ibn ʿAmr, appeared, shuffling in his fetters. He had escaped from the lower part of Mecca and hurled himself into the midst of the Muslims. Suhayl said, ‘This is the first matter on which I strike a bargain with you: that you hand him back.’

The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘We have not yet completed the document.’ Suhayl retorted, ‘By Allah, then I will never make any treaty with you at all.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Then grant him to me.’ Suhayl replied, ‘I will not grant him to you.’ The Prophet ﷺ insisted, ‘Yes—do so.’ Suhayl said, ‘I will not.’ Mikraz interjected, ‘Indeed, we have granted him protection.’

Abū Jandal cried out, ‘People of Islam, am I to be returned to the idolaters after coming to you as a Muslim? Do you not see what I have suffered?’ He had been cruelly tortured for Allah’s sake.

ʿUmar said, ‘By Allah, I had never doubted since I became Muslim except on that day. I went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “Messenger of Allah, are you not truly the Prophet of Allah?” He replied, “Indeed.” I said, “Are we not upon the truth, and is not our enemy upon falsehood?” He replied, “Indeed.” I said, “Then why are we accepting humiliation in our religion?” He said, “I am the Messenger of Allah. I do not disobey Him, and He is my Helper.”

I said, “Did you not tell us that we would come to the House and circumambulate it in truth?” He replied, “Indeed—but did I tell you that you would come to it this very year?” I said, “No.” He said, “You will surely come to it and will circumambulate it.”

ʿUmar continued, ‘I then went to Abū Bakr and said, “Abū Bakr, is he not truly the Prophet of Allah?” He said, “Indeed.” I said, “Are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?” He said, “Indeed.” I said, “Then why are we accepting humiliation in our religion?” He answered, “Man, he is the Messenger, and he does not disobey …”