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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Truce of Al-hudaybiyah Makkah was the ancestral town and the birthplace of the Prophet of Islam (a.s). He spent fifty-three years of his life here and it was here that he got his first Revelation from Allah. For thirteen years the Revelations of the Holy Book continued coming here only.

Although he had to leave the home and hearth because of the troublesome attitude of the people of Makkah, he always liked to mention and hear about his home town. Love for ones own place of birth is quite natural Whether one had a comfortable life or had to face hardships in his home town, its memories will ever live in his mind.

Besides this natural affinity, the Prophet (a.s) had a spiritual attachment with the place because it has located in it the Ka`bah and other places of religious importance. This urge for Makkah was not only in the heart of the Prophet (a.s) but all the had the same attachment for the place. Now it was six years since they had Migrated and now they were all eager to visit Makkah and circumambulate the Ka`bah. Once the Prophet (a.s) related about a dream of his.

He saw in the dream that they had entered the Haram of Ka`bah and were doing the circumambulation. Hearing of this dream the eagerness of the to make a visit too increased. They insisted on the Prophet (a.s) to plan a visit. From the Quraysh they expected some resistance in allowing the Muslims to come there. However after the ignominious defeat at al-Ahzab, it was conjectured that their spirit of battle had cooled and that they might not hinder the visit by the Muslims.

Considering the keenness and pressure from the , the Prophet (a.s) planned a visit and invited people from the neighborhood of al-Madinah too to join. Some people avoided going because it crossed their minds that the Quraysh might think it a good opportunity to start a battle. The number of persons who made up their minds to travel was around one thousand and four hundred to one thousand and five hundred. Along with this entourage, the Prophet (a.s) started from al-Madinah on I Dhul-Qa`dah 6 A.H.

They had seventy camels for the ceremonial sacrifice, and all the members of the party were dressed in the loincloth prescribed for the pilgrimage and carried no arms to give confidence to the Quraysh that they had no warlike intentions!