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= Muhammad's campaign against the Quraish = Muhammad's campaign against the Quraish (624–629 or 630), is the six-year-long military and religious conflict between the early Muslims led by Muhammad, and the Arab pagan Quraysh tribe.

Muslims believe Muhammad began receiving revelation around 610. He preached Islam in secret for three years, before openly preaching the religion. Subsequently, the early Muslims of Mecca faced persecution at the hands of the Quraysh. After being threatened with murder by the Quraysh, Muhammad received pledges of protection from the Ansar of Yathrib. He then allowed his followers to emigrate to the city, before leaving for Yathrib in 624 himself. Following his migration, Muhammad took to intercepting the caravans of the Quraysh as a means of retaliation and compensation for the wealth lost by his Meccan companions.

The conflict began with the Battle of Badr in March 624, when Muhammad raised an army of 313-317 men to combat the 1,000-strong army of the Quraysh which had originally come to protect a caravan from the Levant led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. The Qurayshi army at Badr was led by Amr ibn Hishām, who was later given the kunyah Abu Jahl by Muhammad. Abu Jahl, among several other leaders of the Quraish, died at Badr, which led to the leadership of the Quraish being transferred to Abu Sufyan. The Battle of Badr was followed by a failed attempt at the invasion of Madinah by the Quraysh under Abu Sufyan which culminated in the Battle of Uhud in December 624, and later by a confederation of Arab and Jewish tribes attempting to besiege Madinah in the Battle of the Trench in early 627.

After his victory in the Battle of the Trench, Muhammad set out toward Makkah in March 628 to perform Umrah but was prevented from doing so by the Quraysh. Instead, the Quraish struck the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Muhammad, effectively supposed to be a ten-year armistice between the Muslims, the Quraysh and their allies. The treaty was violated by the Banu Bakr, allies of the Quraish, who attacked the Banu Khuza'ah, allies of the Muslims, in 629. The conflict ended with the bloodless Muslim conquest of Mecca on the premises of the violation of the treaty in late 629 or early 630.

Muhammad died just two years after the Conquest of Mecca in 632. The war holds high importance and significance in the history of Islam and forms a major part of Muhammad's biography (Seerah or Seerat un-Nabi). The war also paved the way for the Early Islamic expansion throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

Background
Muhammad was born and lived in Makkah for the first 50 years of his life (570-620 CE). Proclaiming divine revelation and prophethood (nubuwwah) at the age of 40, he set out to spread the message of Islam to his people, the Quraish. Only around 70 of his people accepted his message and they were subject to torture and humiliation by the majority of the Quraish, who followed the traditional Arab religion of paganism.

Fearing for the safety of his people and after receiving two delegations from the people of Yathrib, Muhammad gave his people the permission to move to Yathrib. 70 of them promptly left, followed by Muhammad and Abu Bakr.

First Pledge of al-'Aqabah
6 men from Yathrib came to Makkah for the pilgrimage (Hajj) in the 11th year of Muhammad's prophethood (nubuwwah). Muhammad, along with Abu Bakr and 'Ali, met with these men at al-'Aqabah to whom Muhammad spread the message of Islam. They returned to Yathrib and came back to Makkah during the next pilgrimage season with 5 of the original 6 men and 7 new men, for a total 12 people who embraced Islam by reading the shahadah, and pledged to accept Muhammad into their community and physically protect him as one of themselves.

Second Pledge of al-'Aqabah
75 residents of Yathrib took this pledge at al-'Aqabah as a result of the first. 12 deputies among them were elected, 9 from the Khazraj and 3 from the Aws, to spread the message of Islam to the people of Madinah. They also invited Muhammad to Yathrib and proclaimed Muhammad as their leader if he were to move to Yathrib. After receiving these delegations, Muhammad gave his sahaba the permission to leave for Yathrib. 70 of them promptly did so and were followed by Muhammad and Abu Bakr.

Hijrah and subsequent events
Muhammad was warmly welcomed in Yathrib. Upon his arrival, he built the Masjid Quba ' and the Al Masjid an-Nabawi and renamed the city Taybah/Tabah ("The Kind"). He also drafted the Constitution of Madinah, which was adopted by all the peoples of Madinah, Arab and Jewish. Muhammad's arrival also brought an end to the wars between the Aws and Khazraj which had been taking place for more than a century before his arrival. From Madinah, Muhammad began intercepting the caravans of the Quraish that traveled close to Madinah, considering it compensation for the wealth lost by the Muhajirun in Makkah.

Battle of Badr
In March 624 (Ramadan 2 AH), Muhammad was given news of a caravan of the Quraish travelling from the Levant back to Makkah, led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. Leading a small force of 313-317 men, Muhammad led the assault against this caravan. Unbeknownst to him, Abu Sufyan had also sent spies to check over Madinah and his spies informed him of Muhammad's force. Sensing the danger his unarmed caravan faced, Abu Sufyan changed his route and sent a messenger to inform the people of Mecca of the danger their merchandise faced. Under 'Amr ibn Hishām, a Makkan force of 1,300 was raised. But as the army camped at Al Juhfah (present-day Rabigh), another messenger from Abu Sufyan informed them that their merchandise was safe and that Abu Sufyan had changed his route. Upon hearing this, 300 of the Banu Zuhrah left, leaving the Makkans numbering around 1,000.

Muhammad was not prepared for combat with an army of this size and held a council of war with his companions to decide on what to do next. His army had just 313-317 men, 2 horses and 70 camels, while the Makkans had 950-1,000 men, 70 horses and 170 camels. After receiving the approval of both the Muhajirun and the Ansar, Muhammad marched toward Badr to meet the army of the Quraish. The two armies met on 13 March. The battle began with duels between the champions of both sides, and then a shower of arrows before the Makkan army charged upon the Muslim ranks. Muhammad then gave the order to counter their charge and the Muslims quickly swept through the Makkan ranks. Several Qurayshi leaders were among the 70 Meccans killed in this battle, including 'Amr ibn Hishām and Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Historians attribute the Muslim victory to Muhammad's military genius, but Muslims believe that Allah sent down thousands of angels (mala'ikah) to help the Muslims win the battle.

Battle of Uhud
After several leaders of the Quraish were killed in the Battle of Badr, Abu Sufyan gained leadership over Makkah. He made the mourning of those who died at Badr forbidden and just nine months after the Battle of Badr, in December 624 CE (Shawwal 3 AH), commanded a 3,000-strong army in an attempt to invade Madinah and avenge the losses at Badr. Since the east and west of Madinah were protected with volcanic rocks and the south was covered with date-palms, the Makkans had to attack from the north. The Makkan forces encamped in the valley north of Mount Uhud, expecting the Muslim army to come out and fight them. Muhammad was informed of their encampment and he held another council-of-war. After raising a combined force of 700 (300 of the original 1,000 defected before the battle under 'Abdallah ibn Ubayy), Muhammad camped north of the Makkans.

The battle began the same way as the Battle of Badr, with duels, showers of stones and arrows, followed by the main combat. However,

Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
In January 628, Muhammad left Medina to perform 'Umrah but was prevented from doing so by the Quraysh. Anticipating an attack from the Quraysh north of Mecca, Muhammad changed course and took an unconventional route, camping at Hudaybiyyah. After some back-and-forth between the two parties, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed as a 9-year, 9-month and 9-day armistice between Muhammad, the Quraysh, and their allies.

However, less than two years later, the Banu Bakr, allies of the Quraysh, attacked the Banu Khuza'ah, who were allies of the Muslims. Muhammad gave the attackers 4 months

Conquest of Mecca
In Ramadan 8 AH (Dec. 629/Jan. 630), Muhammad

Muslim expansion
With the threat at Mecca quashed, Muhammad and the future Rashidun caliphs were free to expand their territory throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.