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Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb ( History

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was the leader of Mecca, commercial hub of all Arabia where Muhammad began to spread the message of Islam. The Quraysh, the most powerful clan of Mecca immediately tried to suppress this message since it repent the idea that men are equal before God and that none can govern freely in another: a sense of all the more unbearable for the Quraysh that they fully engaged in slavery. This is one reason that motivated the leaders of Mecca Abu Sufyan which to persecute Muslims, although the latter show some less cruel than his counterparts.

The disciples of the new religion were finally forced into exile ( Hegira ) to Medina ( 622 ). Shortly afterwards, Abu Sufyan decided to confiscate all property that the Muslims had left Mecca in order to resell them to Damascus. Cons-Muslims attacked and made the choice to reclaim their property by plundering the caravan route to Damascus was already led by Abu Sufyan. Nevertheless, he was kept informed of the next attack Muslims, and when the other leaders of Mecca informed him they would help him, it validates this plan ... However, without accepting to join the battle. The battle that followed was called Battle of Badr ( 624 ). Badr is a place near Mecca. It was a victory for the Muslims against Meccan Quraysh chiefs and many died. Abu Sufyan was left virtually alone to supervise Mecca and the fight against the new religion. His wife, Hind, who had lost both his father and brother during the battle, fiercely criticized him for not having participated in the battle.

The following year, Abu Sufyan decided to take his revenge at the Battle of Uhud at the gates of Medina ( 625 ). It was a defeat for the Muslims but failed to exploit their victory Mecca.

In the fifth year of the Hegira, the Jews decided to take revenge and asked Abu Sufyan to finally give the assault to Medina. he had met several times between tribes to help fight Islam, like Ghatafan and Kinana. Muhammad, on the advice of a Persian convert to Islam, dug a ditch around the camp where Muslims are hiding to stop the attackers. A sandstorm forced the attackers to retreat to Mecca.

In ( 628 ), Muhammad decided to enjoy his latest victory to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. He was arrested on the outskirts of the city, but instead of attacking he accepted a non-aggression treaty with the Meccans, the Treaty of Hudaybiya.

Shortly after, Muhammad married the daughter of Abu Sufyan, Umm Habiba, who had converted to Islam.

Muslims took advantage of the truce signed with the Meccans in order to spread Islam across Arabia, so that by the year 629 , they could march on Mecca without encountering serious resistance. When they reached the outskirts of the city, Abu Sufyan, overtaken by events, and before the spate of conversions of his countrymen came to the Prophet and converted to Islam.

One of the greatest enemies of the new religion came from converting.

Bedouins around Mecca gathered to retake the city to Muslims. The Meccan army under the command of Abu Sufyan, this time organized an ally of the Muslims against attack. Muhammad to ensure the fidelity of his new allies promised them an increased share of the spoils. Muhammad's troops won the battle of Hunayn ( 630 ). Abu Sufyan also participated in a battle fought by Muhammad before his death in 632, to Taif.

After Muhammad's death and the accession of Abu Bakr in the Caliphate ( 632 ), Abu Sufyan did not appear involved in the repression of the Bedouin tribes who seceded from the death of Muhammad or the battles with the neighboring Persian and Byzantine. His son Mu `awiyah bin Abi Sufyan and Yazid bin Abi Sufyan participating Arab conquests in Syria and in particular the Battle of Yarmuk (636). Abu Sufyan died in 652 , during the caliphate of Uthman.