He took hold of the pillars of the door and made the now famous speech.

He took hold of the pillars of the door and made the now famous speech. The Apostle of God began his speech by praising and extolling God, and said: 'There is no deity but God, no partner has He. He fulfilled His promise and aided His servant and He alone defeated the confederates.' Then he said: 'Every great deed, or wealth, or claim of blood, or foul deed or feud that existed in the Age of Ignorance are beneath my two feet now.

As for the custodianship of the House and the task of watering of the pilgrims, they are returned to their rightful owners. Mecca is sacred by the sanctification of God. None other before me has been allowed free reign therein, and I have only been allowed free reign for a short time on one day. Mecca is sacred until the final hour comes. Trees therein are not to be cut and animals are not to be hunted . .

.' Then he said: 'O people, let those present inform those who are absent that with Islam, God has taken away the arrogance of the Jahiliyyah and the boasting about lineage and tribe. All of you are from Adam and Adam is from clay.' Then he recited the Qur'anic verse: eO people, We have created you of male and female and made of you peoples and tribes so that you might know one another.

Surely the most noble amongst you in the sight of God is the most pious f 144 Then he said: 'The best of the servants of God are those who fear God. Arabic is not a father and sire but is a tongue which speaks and if a person's actions do him down, his lineage will not save him.' Then he turned to the people of Mecca and said: 'What foul neighbours to a Prophet you were. You belied and expelled and tortured [me and my followers]. Then you were not satisfied until you came to my lands to fight me.

Now, O people of the Quraysh, what do you say? What do you think I shall do with you? 144 The Holy Qur'an, (49): 13. They said: 'We think only good and we say only good.

You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother and you have defeated us.' The Prophet said: 'I will say to you what Joseph peace be upon him said to his brothers: eThere is no blame upon you this day, God will forgive you and He is the Most Mercifulf145 Go for ye are at liberty.' The people left as if they had been raised from their graves, and entered into Islam.

God had put the people of Mecca under the Apostle of God's power but because he freed them, the people of Mecca were to become known as the Tulaqa' or "those who have been freed".