Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 161He then explained the conditions under which theProphet sa had promised peace to the Meccans. Onhearing these conditions the people of Mecca ran forprotection to the places which had been named in theProphet's sa proclamation. From this proclamation elevenmen and four women had been excepted. The offenceswhich they had committed were very grave. Their guiltwas not that they had not believed nor that they hadtaken part in wars against Islam; it was that they hadcommitted inhumanities which could not be passedover. Actually, however, only four persons were put todeath.The Prophet sa had ordered Khalid bin Walid ra not topermit any fighting unless they were fought against andunless the Meccans first started fighting. The part of thetown which Khalid ra entered had not heard theconditions of peace. The Meccans posted in that partchallenged Khalid ra and invited him to fight. Anencounter ensued in which twelve or thirteen men werekilled (Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 217). Khalid ra was a man offiery temper. Somebody, warned by this incident, ran tothe Prophet sa to request him to stop Khalid ra fromfighting. If Khalid ra did not stop, said this man, allMecca would be massacred.The Prophet sa sent for Khalid ra at once and said, "DidI not stop you from fighting?""Yes, you did, O Prophet sa of God, but these peopleattacked us first and began to shoot arrows at us. For atime I did nothing and told them we did not want tofight. But they did not listen, and did not stop. So Ireplied to them, and dispersed them."This was the only untoward incident which tookplace on this occasion. The conquest of Mecca was thusbrought about practically without bloodshed.The Prophet sa entered Mecca. They asked him wherehe would stop."Has ‘Aqil left any house for me to live in?" asked theProphet sa . ‘Aqil was the Prophet's sa cousin, a son of hisuncle. During the years of the Prophet's sa refuge at