The correct answer is A: Next Year.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, signed in 6 AH (628 CE), was a landmark agreement between the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Quraish of Makkah. It was a complex and initially controversial treaty, but it ultimately proved to be a strategic triumph for the Muslims. One of the key provisions of this agreement stipulated that the Muslims, who had arrived near Makkah with the intention of performing Umrah, would not enter the city that year. Instead, they would return to Madinah, but they would be granted permission to perform the pilgrimage (Umrah) in the following year. This visit was to be limited to three days, and they were permitted to carry only sheathed swords for self-defense, not for combat. This clause was honored, and the Muslims performed the 'Qada Umrah' (compensatory Umrah) in 7 AH.
Let's examine why the other options are incorrect:
- B: Same Year – The treaty explicitly forbade the Muslims from entering Makkah and performing Umrah in the same year it was signed. They were required to return to Madinah.
- C: After 3 Years – The agreement did not specify a three-year waiting period; rather, it explicitly allowed for the pilgrimage to occur in the immediate next year.
- D: Never – This is incorrect. The treaty, despite its initial perceived setbacks for the Muslims, actually secured their right to visit Makkah for pilgrimage in the subsequent year, marking a significant recognition of their presence and religious rights by the Quraish.