If the Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran

by Carla Power

Besides, fighting for justice never gets you peace, he said: “Look at the people in Palestine and Kashmir. They need space and time to do something, to build something. They need to get education. If they keep fighting for justice, they will lose more—and not even get that.” What at first appears to be weakness might ultimately prove to be strength. Take the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, he suggested. The incident occurred in 628, when the Prophet, then based with his followers in Medina, was still at war with the Quraysh of Mecca. Despite the fact that the ruling Quraysh still controlled the Kaaba, Muhammad declared that he would go to Mecca for umra. Fourteen hundred followers decided to accompany him, even when he said he would not bear arms. It was a brave decision, since the Quraysh had been trying to kill the Prophet for six years. But a few miles outside the city, at a site called Hudaybiyah, Muhammad’s camel sank to its knees, refusing to get up.