In this manner the message of Islam would reach all those...

In this manner the message of Islam would reach all those places where the Prophet could not send missionaries, and would have its effect there. The Prophet reminded the people in Madina of the sacred months and said: "We are going for the pilgrimage of the House of Allah". He also ordered the Muslims not to carry any arms with them, except a sword which a traveller usually carries while performing a journey.

These actions of his made many non-Muslims inclined towards Islam, because, as opposed to the propaganda which Quraysh had been carrying on against Islam, they observed that, like others, the Prophet also considered fighting in these months to be unlawful and was in favour of treating them as sacred months of peace. The Prophet thought that if the Muslims were successful at that time they would be achieving one of their ardent desires (i.e.

performing the ceremonies of 'Umrah and Haj) and those who had been away from their homes would be able to meet their relatives and friends.

And in case of obstruction Quraysh would lose their position in the Arab World, because the representatives of neutral tribes would see as to how they behaved towards the Muslims, who wished to perform 'Umrah and Haj and were not carrying any weapons except the weapons of a traveller, although Masjidul Haram and the ceremonies of Haj are common for all Arabs, and Quraysh are only the custodians of the sanctuary.

Hence the righteousness of the Muslims and the oppression by Quraysh would become evident, and it would not be possible for Quraysh to join other tribes against Islam and form an alliance, because they would have prevented the Muslims before thousands of pilgrims from enjoying their lawful right. The Prophet considered the pros and cons of the matter and ordered the people to move.

He put on ehram at a place named Zul-Hulayfah along with 1400[^2] or 1600[^3] or 1800[^4] persons and specified seventy marked camels for slaughtering and thus made the purpose of this journey clear. The intelligence organization of the Prophet proceeded in advance so that if they encountered the enemy on the way they should immediately inform the Prophet.

At a place near Asfan a Khuza'i, who was a member of the intelligence organization of the Prophet, came to him and reported thus: "Quraysh have become aware of your journey. They have collected their forces and have sworn by Lat and Uzza that they will obstruct your arrival in Makkah.