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The Muslims’ dejection over the truce 
After the peace treaty was finalised, the Prophet said to his 
Companions, “Get up and slaughter your animals.” None of them 
got up. The Prophet repeated this call thrice, but his words 
went unheeded. He then went to Umm Salamah , and described 
to her the state of affairs. She advised the Prophet to sacrifice 
his animal and get his head shaved without talking to anybody. 
The Prophet did so. Moreover, in order to enrage the 
polytheists, the Prophet also slaughtered a camel of Abu Jahl 
that had a silver ring in its nostril. This made the Companions 
take note, and they sacrificed their animals and shaved their 
heads. Cows and camels were also sacrificed on behalf of seven 
people. The Muslims were apathetic and depressed about the 
treaty, which to them was weighted heavily in favour of the 
Quraysh. However, their reverence for the Prophet kept them 
silent. 
Their depression stemmed from two main reasons. They had 
marched out of Madinah with the intention of performing Umrah, 
and here they were returning without even having entered 
Makkah. Then there was the matter of the clause which 
compelled them to return anyone coming over to them from the 
Quraysh, while the Quraysh were not bound to return any 
Muslim who had crossed over to their side. Poor Abu Jandal was 
being dragged back to Makkah against his will simply because his 
polytheistic father wanted him back. 
The Prophet tried to console them saying that they would 
perform Umrah the next year in fulfilment of his dream. 

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As for the second clause, he satisfied his men by saying that 
any Muslim who went to the Quraysh was being sent by Allah to 
live and preach there, while anyone from the Quraysh who came 
to them had come for shelter and would find it. He was right on 
this point since several Muslims were still in Abyssinia, outside 
the jurisdiction of the treaty, and any Muslim from Makkah could 
simply flee there. Despite the Prophet’s efforts to cast a 
favourable light on the situation, the treaty still seemed in favour 
of the Quraysh. Umar bin Khattab asked, “O Messenger of 
Allah, are we not on the path of truth and they on that of 
untruth?” 
The Prophet assented: Umar then asked, “Are our slain 
not in Paradise and theirs in Hell?” The Prophet affirmed it 
was so. “Why then should we accept unjust terms and leave when 
the issue has not been decided?” Umar asked, voicing what 
everyone wanted to say. The Prophet replied, “O son of 
Khattab! As Allah’s Prophet, I cannot disobey Him. He will help 
us and will not allow us to be ruined.” Still seething with 
resentment, Umar went to Abu Bakr . He recounted his 
conversation with the Prophet and got the same answer from 
Abu Bakr, who added, “Hold on to the stirrup of the Prophet
until death, for, by Allah, he is right.” 
Allah revealed the following verse concerning the treaty to 
strengthen the Prophet’s resolve and comfort the Muslims: 
“Verily, I have granted you a manifest victory.” (48: 1) 
Following this the Prophet sent for Umar and recited the 
verse before him. Umar remarked sceptically, “Is this a victory, O 
Messenger of Allah?” 
The Prophet replied, “Yes.” This firm assertion of the 
Prophet satisfied Umar, who went back silenced at last. Later, 
Umar was engulfed with guilt at having challenged the Prophet’s 
judgment, and he tried to atone for his lapse by giving charity, 

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fasting, and praying, and freeing slaves in hopes of gaining 
forgiveness.