Setting out
Sirat p. 530, Tabari VIII p. 133
When Muhammad returned to Medina from Khaybar, he stayed there the months of Rabi I, Rabi II, Jumada I, Jumada II, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, and Shawwal [July 9th 628 to March 1st 629], sending out expeditions and raiding parties during the period.
While the Zakat tax provided income for Muhammad and his extended family, the rest of the Muslims had to be taken care of as well. Raiding the surrounding settlements was the fastest and easiest way to provide them with income, as well as expanding the number of Muslims. We notice that no exception from fighting seems to be made in the holy months.
Then in Dhu al-Qadah, the month in which the polytheists had turned him back [in the previous year], he set out to perform the "Lesser Pilgrimage of Fulfillment" in place of the lesser pilgrimage from which they had turned him back. The Muslims who had been with him on that lesser pilgrimage of his set out with him. It was the year 7.
The pilgrimage referred to is the Umrah, which, in contrast with the Hajj, can be performed at any time of the year, not only in the holy months. If all Muslims who participated the previous year went along, they number over a thousand in total and make quite an entourage. Quite possibly it is meant that those close to him went along.
The pilgrimage
Sirat p. 530, Tabari VIII p. 134
The Quraysh spoke among themselves of how Muhammad and his companions were in difficulty, distress and want.
The Quraysh seem to have abandoned the fear of occupation that made them turn back the Muslims in the earlier year, and instead have pity with the trouble the Muslims are having. They cause no trouble for Muhammad and his companions, though they observe the situation with caution:
The Quraysh stood in rows at the House of Assembly to look at Muhammad and his companions with him. When Muhammad entered the mosque, he put his cloak under his right arm and threw the bottom of it over his left shoulder, leaving his right arm uncovered. Then he said: "May Allah have mercy on a man who today has shown them his own strength." He touched [kissed, wiped] the stone at the corner [the black stone representing Allah] and sent out at a quick walk, his companions going at the same pace with him. He went at a quick walk in a similar fashion for three circuits. He walked the remainder [4] of the circuits.
The Quraysh are probably watching with a certain satisfaction that Muhammad performs the pilgrimage in proper fashion.
People used to think that it [the quick walk] was not incumbent upon them - that Muhammad had done it only because of those people of Quraysh, on account of what had been repoted to him about it. However, when he performed his Farewell Pilgrimage in AH 10, he trotted [those circuits], and it became sunnah to do so.
Muhammad did not explain the exact reasons for doing the Umrah in the classical, pagan fashion. The Muslims, knowing probably that inquiring about it might be unwise, adopted the ritual verbatim.
Various events and parting
Sirat p. 531, Tabari VIII p. 135
When Muhammad entered Mecca on the lesser pilgrimage, he entered it while Abdallah b. Rawahah was holding his camel's nose-ring and reciting:
Make way, ye sons of unbelievers, for him: I am a witness that he is His Messenger.
Make way: for all good is in His Messenger. Oh Lord, I believe in what he says.
I know that Allah's truth is in accepting it.
We have killed you in accordance with its interpretation.
As we have killed you in accordance with its revelation,
with striking that removes the head from its resting place and makes friend forget his friend.
The Muslims might have worried that worshipping the Ka'aba traditionally might look a bit too pagan. This reminder should suffice to explain the Quraysh that here comes something quite new and different.
Muhammad married Maymunah bt. al-Harith on his journey while he was in a state of ritual purity.
The journey also provides opportunity for Muhammad to enter another marriage. It is not known exactly how many wives he had at this point.
Muhammad stayed in Mecca three nights. On the third day, Huwaytib b. Abd al-Uzza came to him with a group of Quraysh: Quraysh had deputed Huwaytib to make Muhammad leave Mecca. They said to him: "Your alloted time is up; so depart from us!" Muhammad said to them: "How would it harm you if you left me and I celebrated the wedding feast among you? We would prepare food for you, and you would attend it." They said: "We do not need your food; so depart from us!"
The Quraysh are sticking to their agreement from the previous year that Muhammad can be on pilgrimage for exactly three days. When Muhammad attempts to bend the agreement, he gets a polite, yet firm, rejection. And he obliges:
Muhammad departed, leaving behind Abu Rafi his mawla to take charge of Maymuhah. Abu Rafi brought her to him at Sarif, and Muhammad consummated his marriage with her there. Muhammad commanded that they should find a substitute for the sacrifical camels - he himself also found a substitute with them. Camels being scarce for them, he permitted them to sacrifice cattle.
Animal sacrifice was routine within the ancient Arab society, in particular as part of the pilgrimage. Since the meat of the sacrificed animals would be used for food anyway, it is not the waste one might easily believe.
Muhammad returned to Medina in Dhu al-Hijjah and stayed there the remainder of Dhu al-Hijah (the polytheists where in charge of the pilgrimage that year), Muharram, Safar and both months of Rabi. In Jumada I he sent out his expedition to Syria, which came to grief at Mutah.
It is amusing how the sentence 'the polytheists were in charge of the pilgrimage that year' appears in various places. They had been in charge of the pilgrimage for centuries, something that eventually changed in AH 8. A variant report reads:
He carried arms, helmets, and spears and led a hundred horses. He appointed Bashir b. Sad to be in charge fo the weapons, and Muhammad b. Maslamah to be in charge of the horses. When Quraysh received word of this, it frightened them. They sent Mikraz b. Hafs, who met them at Marr al-Zahran. Muhammad said to them: "Young or old, I have never been known but for keeping a promise. I do not want to bring in weapons against them, bu thte weapons will be close to me." Mikraz returned to Quraysh and informed them.
In this account, it seems that the memory of the 1000+ armed force from the previous year is still a clear memory and warning to the Quraysh. As for the keeping of promises, Muhammad is bending the truth a bit here. When revelation came to him that it was acceptable to break treaties, he did so. Likewise, percieved threachery from infidels is considered sufficent reason to break treaties with them. Possibly, since these exceptions are based on revelation from Allah, Muhammad sees no reason to assume personal responsibility for them.
