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Abu Bakr performs Hajj 
The pagan Arabs considered themselves followers of the 
religion of Ibraheem . Indeed they had inherited Hajj 
(pilgrimage to the Ka’bah) from Ibraheem, although they had 
added many innovations to the rites. 
When the Prophet conquered Makkah, he put Atab bin 
Usayd in charge. Everyone, Muslims, polytheists included, 
performed Hajj under his authority, but they performed it in the 
same manner as during the days before Islam. In the year 
following the conquest of Makkah (9 A.H.), the Prophet sent 
Abu Bakr to lead the pilgrims in performing Hajj. 
Abu Bakr set out for Makkah with three hundred Muslims 
from Madinah at the end of Dhul Qa’dah. He took twenty of the 

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Prophet’s camels for sacrifice. After Abu Bakr left, the opening 
verse of Surah Al-Taubah were revealed. These verses contained 
an important announcement for tribes that had covenants with 
the Muslims. Any covenant that had not been honoured would be 
broken, and any tribe that did not have a covenant with the 
Muslims would have a grace period of four months. Covenants 
that had been honoured would remain valid. 
The Prophet sent Ali to Makkah to inform every one of 
the new verses. On the day of the sacrifice, Ali recited the new 
verses to the pilgrims. Abu Bakr then sent a band of people to 
announce that from the next year, polytheists would not be 
allowed to perform Hajj, nor would anyone be allowed to practice 
the perverted tradition of circumambulating the Ka’bah in the 
nude. 
The year of delegations 
Most of the Arab tribes had watched the struggle between 
the Quraysh and the Prophet with the greatest of interest, 
believing as they did that Allah would protect the Ka’bah, and that 
the forces of Evil would not be able to conquer those of Truth. 
The Arabs had seen Allah repulse the Abraha’s army and his great 
elephant when they tried to destroy the Ka’bah. Now they 
witnessed Allah grant victory to Muhammad, and they saw it as a 
sign that Islam was the true religion. 
Convinced that Muhammad was the Prophet and 
Messenger of Allah, the various Arab tribes began sending 
delegations to meet the Prophet . Some came to ransom 
captives or to pay Jiziyah, while many others came to embrace 
Islam. Most of these delegations visited Madinah following the 
conquest of Makkah in the year 9 A.H., which became known as 
the year of delegations. 
It is important to note however, that even in Makkah, at the 
height of persecution by the Quraysh, the Prophet had become 
famous, and several tribes, including the Aus and the Khazraj, had 

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visited him in secret. After the Prophet’s migration to Madinah, 
delegations continued to arrive until the ninth year when their 
numbers swelled close to a hundred. 
The delegations that visited the Prophet were, in fact, 
instrumental in spreading Islam among the desert-dwelling 
Bedouins. Although each delegation came with different aims and 
objectives, the Prophet made the same profound impression 
upon those he dealt with, and his fame spread throughout Arabia. 
Here was a man who had defeated the greatest tribe in Arabia, 
and yet he chose faith over wealth, mercy over revenge, and work 
over luxury. Many delegations accepted Islam after simply 
meeting with the Prophet , and they would in turn, encourage 
their tribes to discard paganism and become Muslim. Some of the 
more notable delegations are mentioned below.