Al-Haram, the Sacred Area, is a Safe Area
Allah said,
﴿ζσγσδ ΟσΞσασευ ίσΗδσ ΑσΗγφδΗπ﴾
(whosoever enters it, he attains security,) ﴿3:97﴾ meaning, the Haram of Makkah is a safe refuge for those in a state of fear. There in its vicinity, they will be safe, just as was the case during the time of Jahiliyyah. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "(During the time of Jahiliyyah) a man would commit murder, then wear a piece of wool around his neck and enter the Haram. And even when the son of the murdered person would meet him, he would not make a move against him, until he left the sanctuary.'' Allah said,
﴿Γσζσασγϊ νσΡσζϊΗϊ ΓσδψσΗ ΜσΪσαϊδσΗ ΝσΡσγΗπ ΑΗγφδΗπ ζσνυΚσΞσΨψσέυ ΗαδψσΗΣυ γφδϊ Νσζϊαφεφγϊ﴾
(Have they not seen that We have made (Makkah) a secure sanctuary, while men are being snatched away from all around them) ﴿29:67﴾, and,
﴿έσαϊνσΪϊΘυΟυζΗϊ ΡσΘψσ εσάΠσΗ ΗαϊΘσνϊΚφ - ΗαψσΠφμ ΓσΨϊΪσγσευγ γψφδ ΜυζΪς ζσΑσΗγσδσευγ γψφδϊ Ξζϊές ﴾
(So let them worship (Allah) the Lord of this House (the Ka`bah). (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear) ﴿106:3-4﴾.
It is not allowed for anyone to hunt in the Haram or to drive game out of its den to be hunted, or cut the trees in its vicinity, or pick its grass, as the Hadiths of the Prophet and the statements of the Companions testify. The Two Sahihs recorded (this being the wording of Muslim) that Ibn `Abbas said, "On the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah said,
«ασΗ εφΜϊΡσΙσ‘ ζσαάάίφδϊ ΜφεσΗΟρ ζσδφνψσάΙρ‘ ζσΕφΠσΗ ΗΣϊΚυδϊέφΡϊΚυγϊ έσΗδϊέφΡυζΗ»
(There is no more Hijrah (migration to Makkah), only Jihad and good intention. If you were mobilized, then march forth.)
He also said on the day of the conquest of Makkah,
«Εφδψσ εσΠσΗ ΗαϊΘσασΟσ ΝσΡψσγσευ Ηααευ νσζϊγσ Ξσασήσ ΗαΣψσγσζΗΚφ ζσΗαϊΓσΡϊΦσ‘ έσευζσ ΝσΡσΗγρ ΘφΝυΡϊγσΙφ Ηααεφ Εφαμ νσζϊγφ ΗαϊήφνσΗγσΙφ‘ ζσΕφδψσευ ασγϊ νσΝφαψσ ΗαϊήφΚσΗαυ έφνεφ αΓσΝσΟς ήσΘϊαφν‘ ζσασγϊ νσΝφαψσ αφν ΕφαψσΗ έφν ΣσΗΪσΙς γφδϊ δσεσΗΡς‘ έσευζσ ΝσΡσΗγρ ΘφΝυΡϊγσΙφ Ηααεφ Εφασμ νσζϊγφ ΗαϊήφνσΗγσΙφ‘ ασΗ νυΪϊΦσΟυ Τσζϊίυευ‘ ζυασΗ νυδσέψσΡυ ΥσνϊΟυευ‘ ζσασΗ νσαϊΚσήφΨυ αυήσΨσΚσεσΗ ΕφαψσΗ γσδϊ ΪσΡψσέσεσΗ‘ ζσασΗ νυΞϊΚσασμ ΞσασΗεσΗ»
(Beware! Allah made this town (Makkah) a sanctuary when He created the heavens and earth, and it is sacred by Allah's decree until the Day of Resurrection. Fighting in Makkah was not permitted for anyone before me, and it was made legal for me for only a few hours or so on that day. No doubt it is at this moment a sanctuary by Allah's decree until the Day of Resurrection. It is not allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs, hunt its game, pick up its lost objects, except by announcing it, or to uproot its trees.)
Al-`Abbas said, `Except the lemon grass, O Allah's Messenger, as they use it in their houses and graves.' The Prophet said:
«ΕφαψσΗ ΗαϊΕφΠϊΞφΡ»
(Except lemongrass).''
The Two Sahihs also recorded that Abu Shurayh Al-`Adawi said that he said to `Amr bin Sa`id while he was sending the troops to Makkah (to fight `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr), "O Commander! Allow me to tell you what Allah's Messenger said on the day following the conquest of Makkah. My ears heard it and my heart memorized it thoroughly, and I saw the Prophet with my own eyes when he, after glorifying and praising Allah, said,
«Εφδψσ γσίψσΙσ ΝσΡψσγσεσΗ Ηααευ‘ ζσασγϊ νυΝσΡψφγϊεσΗ ΗαδψσΗΣυ‘ έσασΗ νσΝφαψυ αφΗγϊΡφμ νυΔϊγφδυ ΘφΗααεφ ζσΗαϊνσζϊγφ ΗαϊΒΞφΡφ Γσδϊ νσΣϊέφίσ ΘφεσΗ ΟσγπΗ‘ ζσασΗ νσΪϊΦφΟσ ΘφεσΗ ΤσΜσΡσΙπ‘ έσΕφδϊ ΓσΝσΟρ ΚσΡσΞψσΥσ ΘφήφΚσΗαφ ΡσΣυζαφ ΗααεφΥαμ Ηααε Ϊανε ζΣαψγ έφνεσΗ έσήυζαυζΗ ασευ: Εφδψσ Ηααεσ ΓσΠφδσ αφΡσΣυζαφεφ ζσασγϊ νσΓϊΠσδϊ ασίυγϊ‘ ζσΕφδψσγσΗ ΓσΠφδσ αφν έφνεσΗ ΣσΗΪσΙπ γφδϊ δσεσΗΡς‘ ζσήσΟϊ ΪσΗΟσΚϊ ΝυΡϊγσΚυεσΗ Ηαϊνσζϊγσ ίσΝυΡϊγσΚφεσΗ ΘφΗαϊΓσγϊΣφ έσαϊνυΘσαψφΫφ ΗαΤψσΗεφΟυ ΗαϊΫσΗΖφΘ»
(Allah, not the people, made Makkah a sanctuary. Therefore, anybody who has belief in Allah and the Last Day, should neither shed blood in it nor cut down its trees. If anybody argues that fighting in it is permissible on the basis that Allah's Messenger fought in Makkah, say to him, `Allah allowed His Messenger and did not allow you.' Allah allowed me only for a few hours on that day (of the conquest), and today its sanctity is as valid as it was before. So, those who are present, should inform those who are absent of this fact.).''
Abu Shurayh was asked, "What did `Amr reply'' He said that `Amr said, "O Abu Shurayh! I know better than you in this respect; Makkah does not give protection to a sinner, a murderer or a thief.''
Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,
«ασΗ νσΝφαψυ αφΓσΝσΟφίυγϊ Γσδϊ νσΝϊγφασ ΘφγσίψσΙσ ΗαΣψφασΗΝ»
(None of you is allowed to carry a weapon in Makkah.) Muslim recorded this Hadith.
`Abdullah bin `Adi bin Al-Hamra' Az-Zuhri said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say while standing at Al-Hazwarah in the marketplace of Makkah,
«ζσΗααεφ Εφδψσίφ ασΞσνϊΡυ ΓσΡϊΦφ Ηααεφ‘ ζσΓσΝσΘψυ ΓσΡϊΦφ Ηααεφ Εφασμ Ηααεφ‘ ζσασζϊασΗ Γσδψφν ΓυΞϊΡφΜϊΚυ γφδϊίφ γσΗ ΞσΡσΜϊΚ»
(By Allah! You are the best of Allah's land and the most beloved land to Allah. Had it not been for the fact that I was driven out of you, I would not have left you.)
Imam Ahmad collected this Hadith and this is his wording. At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah also collected it. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.''