“and those who shorten their hair.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you emphasize your prayer for mercy for those who shaved their heads rather than for those who shortened their hair?” He said, “Because they did not entertain doubt.” Ibn Umar said: That was because some people held back, saying, “Perhaps we will still circumambulate the House.”

Ibn Abbas said: Among the sacrificial offerings that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, brought at al-Hudaybiyyah was a camel that had belonged to Abu Jahl, with a silver nose-ring, in order to enrage the polytheists thereby.

Al-Zuhri said in his report: Then some believing women came to him, and Allah the Exalted revealed: “O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants…” until He reached: “and do not hold on to marriage ties with disbelieving women” (al-Mumtahanah 60:10). On that day, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, divorced two wives of his who were still polytheists. Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan married one of them, and Safwan ibn Umayyah married the other. Allah prohibited them from returning the women and commanded that the bridal gifts be repaid.

He continued: Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned to Medina. Abu Basir, Utbah ibn Usayd, a Muslim man from Quraysh who had been detained in Makkah, came to him. Azhar ibn Abd Awf and al-Akhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqafi wrote to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning him, and sent a man from Banu Amir ibn Luayy, accompanied by a freedman of theirs, to demand his return. They came before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “The covenant which you made with us.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Abu Basir, we have given these people what you know of, and treachery has no place in our religion. Allah will grant you and the oppressed believers with you relief and a way out.” Then he handed him over to the two men, and they departed with him. When they reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, they stopped to eat some dates they had with them.

Abu Basir said to one of the two men, “By Allah, I see that this sword of yours is an excellent one.” The other drew it and said, “Indeed, by Allah, it is excellent. I have tested it, and tested it again.” Abu Basir said, “Let me see it.” He took it and struck him with it until he was dead. The other fled until he reached Medina and entered the mosque running. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him, he said, “This man has seen something frightful.” When he came before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said, “Woe to you! What is the matter?” He replied, “By Allah, my companion has been killed, and I am as good as dead!”

133/a By Allah, it was not long before Abu Basir appeared, with his sword slung over his shoulder, and stood before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He said, “O Prophet of Allah, Allah has fulfilled your pledge: you returned me to them, and then Allah saved me from them.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “What a firebrand for war he would be, if only he had someone with him!” When Abu Basir heard this, he realized that the Prophet would return him to them, so he left until he reached the coast.

The Muslims who had been detained in Makkah heard the Messenger of Allah’s, peace and blessings be upon him, words concerning Abu Basir: “What a firebrand for war he would be, if only he had someone with him!” A group of them went out to join him, and Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl escaped and joined Abu Basir. Eventually, nearly seventy men gathered around him. By Allah, whenever they heard of a Quraysh caravan setting out for Syria, they intercepted it, killed its men, and seized its wealth.

Quraysh then sent to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, beseeching him by Allah and by the ties of kinship to send word to them that whoever came to him would be safe. So the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent word to them, and they came to him in Medina. Then Allah the Exalted revealed: “He is the One who restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah after He had given you victory over them; and Allah is All-Seeing of what you do…” until He reached: “the zealotry of the Age of Ignorance,”