4878 When the Prophet started from Madinah on the Makkah journey which ended in Hudaybiyah, he asked all Muslims to join him in the pious undertaking, and he had a splendid response. But some of the desert tribes hung back and made excuses. Their faith was but lukewarm, and they did not want to share in any trouble which the Makkans might give to the unarmed Muslims on pilgrimage. Their excuse that they were engaged in looking after their flocks and herds and their families was an afterthought, and in any case made after the return of the Prophet and his party with enhanced prestige to Madinah. 4879 They said this with their tongues, but no thought of piety was in their hearts. 4880 Their false excuse was based on a calculation of worldly profit and loss. But what about the spiritual loss in detaching themselves from the Prophet or spiritual profit in joining in the splendidly loyal feelings of service and obedience which were demonstrated at Hudaybiyah? And in any case they need not think that all their real and secret motives were not known to Allah.