Hind bint Utba (r.anha)

When the Islamic army conquered Makkah, small street fights took place. After that, the Kaaba was cleaned from idols. The vast compassion and tolerance of the Messenger of Allah was in action again; those who left their swords and took refuge in the Kaaba were forgiven.

The hard-hearted people softened when they saw the grandeur of the Islamic army and the tolerance of the Messenger of Allah; many people among whom were some notables of the polytheists saw the truth and started to become Muslims one by one. The Messenger of Allah accepted their allegiance one by one and allowed them to enter Islam as if there had been no enmity between him and them. For, Islam did not ask about the past after sincere repentance and regret.

The Muslims filled the Kaaba at night on the same day as Makkah was conquered in order to fulfill their longing that lasted for years for worshipping in the Kaaba and in order to thank their Lord, who enabled them to conquer Makkah after troubled and painful days. Some of them worshipped alone while others worshipped in congregation. Some of them were bowing down while others were prostrating or standing. The Kaaba was full of people. It was like the Gathering Place. The sounds of “Labbayk” and, “Allahuakbar” filled the earth and the sky. The prayers coming from hearts were expressed by the tongues; they became clear and reached their Lord through the hands that were opened.

There was somebody who was watching this scene from a high place. This scene increased the excitement of this observer and caused spiritual revolutions in her inner world. This observer was Hind bint Utba, the wife of Abu Sufyan, who had just become a Muslim. Hind had made Wahshi kill Hz. Hamza, the hero of Islam, during the Battle of Uhud. The holy scene in the Kaaba softened the heart of Hind and eliminated polytheism. Hind told her husband Abu Sufyan about her decision at about midnight:

“I want to pay allegiance to Muhammad.” 

Astonished by this statement of his wife, Abu Sufyan said,

“But you deny Islam.”

Hind answered her husband as follows:

“Yes, I used to deny Islam but now I definitely believe that Allah was not worshipped truly in this mosque (the Kaaba) before tonight. I swear that the Muslims spent the whole night by performing prayers, standing, bowing down and prostrating.”

When Abu Sufyan saw that his wife was determined, he said to her,

“Take one of your relatives and go to Muhammad.”

The next day, Hind, her brother Abu Hudhayfa and her sister Fatima went to the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah told them about Islam and said that he would accept their allegiance based on some conditions. While Hind was about to pay allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, she said,

“I cannot pay allegiance to you promising that I will not steal. For, you know that Abu Sufyan is very stingy. I steal from his things because he does not give me enough things and food.”

The Messenger of Allah told her to go to Abu Sufyan and ask forgiveness from him and added that he would not accept her allegiance otherwise. Hind went to Abu Sufyan and told him about the conversation between him and the Messenger of Allah. Abu Sufyan forgave her. Hind went to the Messenger of Allah joyfully. This time, she was different. She covered her body. The Messenger of Allah accepted her allegiance. Then, Hind expressed her feelings as follows:

“O Messenger of Allah! Beforehand, I did not feel hatred for any tent here more than your tent. I did not want any tent to be plundered more than your tent. However, I swear by Allah that I ask Allah to improve and bless your tent today.”

The Messenger of Allah addressed her as follows:

“I swear by Allah that you will not be regarded to have believed truly unless you love me more than your children, mother and father.”

When Hind returned home, the first thing she did was to break the idol at home into pieces. With every blow she gave to the idol, she said,

“I was deceived by you.”

She also attained the endless bliss of Islam.(Isaba, 4: 425.)