The Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out in the year of Hudaybiyah intending to visit the House, not seeking battle. He drove along with him seventy camels as sacrificial offerings, and the people numbered seven hundred men, so each camel was offered on behalf of ten men.
خرج رسول الله ﷺ عام الحديبية يريد زيارة البيت لا يريد قتالا. وساق معه الهدي سبعين بدنة، وكان الناس سبع مائة رجل. فكانت كل بدنة عن عشرة.
Ahmad narrated it (18910) from Yazid bin Harun, who said, Muhammad bin Ishaq informed us, from Zuhri, from Urwa bin Zubayr, from Miswar bin Makhrama and Marwan bin Hakam, and they both mentioned it in a long hadith, which is documented in its proper place. Its isnad is hasan because of Muhammad bin Ishaq, for he stated explicitly in other sources, and it is also corroborated in some of its portions. However, he erred in saying that the people numbered seven hundred men, as many leading scholars of hadith have made clear. The basis of the hadith is found in the Sahih, where it states that Miswar and Marwan heard it from some of the companions.The more reliable figure is what Jabir stated, one thousand five hundred, since precedence is given to the greater number. Whoever gave a lower figure than that should be understood as relying on his own observation and reckoning, for error occurred in counting them due to their being scattered in different locations. Some scholars have preferred the view of those who said one thousand four hundred, because of the strength of its isnad. Others have gone toward reconciling these different numbers. Each exercised his own judgment, and each shall have his reward, Allah willing.