LIFE IN MAKKAH [TOPIC 1]

[SESSION 1]

The Life of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H)

Early Life:

Birth:

Holy Prophet was born in the year of Elephants 12th Rabi ul Awwal, 570 AD, that was when Abraha the
vicegerent of Abyssinia was admant to change Makkah as the place of Pilgrimage with San’a. He built a
church so that people could visit the church as the place to perform the pilgrimage. A man from Kinana
tribe got to know his evil moves and caused some damage in Abraha’s church. In fury he vowed to
demolish Makkah and set out with an army of sixty thousand and around thirteen Elephants. Upon
reaching close to Makkah, Abraha chose the biggest elephant (Mahmud) for himself. It so happened
that all the elephants refused to go forward and knelt down. It was the decision of Allah that he sent
down birds in order to protect the Holy city. These birds were very much like swallows and sparrows,
each carrying three stones; one in its peak and two in its claws. The stones hit Abraha’s men and cut
their limbs and killed them. A large number of Abraha’s soldiers were killed in this way and the others
fled at random and died everywhere. Abraha himself had an infection that had his fingertips amputated.
When he reached San‘a he was in a miserable state and died soon after.Holy Quran mentions this
incident in Surah Al-Fil in the following words “O beloved! Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with
the men of the Elephant? Did He not cause their device to be ruined? And He sent against them flocks
of birds. Striking them against stones of baked clay. And thus made them like broken straw eaten up”

After the battle of Fihl was over, the birth of Holy Prophet took place at the house of Abdullah ibn
Mutalib and Amina bint Wahb. Abdullah at the time of the birth of his son had passed away and now the
new born was under the care of his beloved mother. Holy Prophet was born in Bani Hashim lane in
Makkah on Monday morning, the ninth of Rabi‘ Al-Awwal.

Care of Bibi Halima:

Arabia, at that time had a tradition that they used to give new born babies to Bedouin women who
could take care of them. The care by the Bedouin was done for two reasons a) The Bedouin women
would earn money through this and b) the children would learn pure Arabic dialect. Much like everyone,
Bibi Amina also wanted a Bedouin woman to take her baby so as to keep him away from the busy life of
the city of Makkah. It was during this time that a fare took place where babies were put up for adoption
and Bedouin women came to collect them. Holy Prophet was also present as a baby there but none of

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the women took him because he was an orphan and all the women that came eyed on the amount of
wealth they would get by taking care of the child. Since, the Holy Prophet was an orphan, getting a good
amount for care would be nearly impossible. Until, a woman named Halima bint-e Dhu’yab took the
Holy Prophet with him as she was unable to find any other child to foster to. She is reported to have said
“Every woman who came with me got a baby and when we were about to depart, I said to my
husband: "By Allah , I do not like to go back along with the other women without any baby. I should
go to that orphan and I must take him." He said, "There is no harm in doing so and perhaps Allah
might bless us through him." So I went and took him because there was simply no other alternative
left for me but to take him.”

Bibi Halima did an initial contract of 2 years with the mother of the Holy Prophet. With the coming of
Prophet, the fortune of Bibi Halima changed, her camels and goats which were not giving milk had now
started giving milk and overall her life standard had improved. She also saw that the grass around her
house had turned greener when the neighborhood still had yellow grass. This did strike her as odd but
she kept on taking care of the baby.

The young baby Muhammad SAW had to be returned to his mother at the tender age of two, as per the
rules of the contract. Bibi Halima took him back to his mother in Makkah which was undergoing a plague
(a disease). Therefore, Bibi Halima requested Bibi Amina that Muhammad SAW should be given in her
custody for two more years. Bibi Amina agreed and Holy Prophet started living with Bibi Halima once
again.

Towards the end of the second year, something strange happened which made it inevitable for Bibi
Halima to keep the baby in her custody. It so happened that the Holy Prophet was in a room alongside
his foster brother when two men in white come to Holy Prophet. They opened his chest and removed
his heart, washed away a black clot (which in Ahadith, is stated as the Shaytan part), cleaned it in a gold
platter and put it back in its place. Imam Muslim narrates from Sayyiduna Malik bin Anas that: “Jibrail
came to the Beloved RasulAllah while he was playing with other boys . He took hold of him and laid
him down on the ground, then he opened his chest and took out his heart, from which he took out a
clout of blood and said: “This was the Shaytan’s part in you” Then he washed it with Zamzam in a
Golden tray. Then he put it back together and returned it to its place . The boys went running to his
mother and said: “Muhammad has been killed.” They went to him and his color had changed.”
Sayyiduna Anas said: “I used to see the mark of that stitching on his chest!” {Sahih Muslim)

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The foster brother ran to his mother Bibi Halima, who upon hearing this story was so shocked that she
sent away Prophet to his mother. It is also stated that the Prophet Muhammad learnt pure Arabic
dialect during his stay in Banu Saad. The Holy Prophet said “Verily I am the most perfect Arab amongst
you; my descent is from Quraish and my tounge is the tounge of Banu Saad” (Ibn Hisham)

Custody of His mother and Grandfather:

The Holy Prophet aged around 4 years was now in custody of his mother Bibi Amina. When the Holy
Prophet was at the age of six Bibi Halima took him, their maid Umm-e-Aiman and her father-in-law,
Abdul Muttalib to visit the grave of her husband in Yathrib, some 500 kilometers away from Makkah.
They stayed there for a month and on the journey back, Bibi Amina fell ill and passed away in a place
called Abwa.

Holy Prophet was brought back safely by his grandfather who then took his custody. ‘Abdul-Muttalib,
the grandfather of the Holy Prophet, had a special love for his grandson, more than his own children. He
never allowed the boy to feel lonely and always treated him with preference. There was a mattress
placed in the shade of the Ka'bah, where ‘Abdul-Muttalib would sit. While his other children gathered
around it to honor their father, the Holy Prophet would sit on the mattress. Despite attempts by his
uncles to move him, ‘Abdul-Muttalib insisted that his grandson remain seated. He had a strong belief
that the Holy Prophet would hold a significant position in the future. ‘Abdul-Muttalib would pat his back,
showing his affection and joy for everything the Holy Prophet did. Abdul Muttalib was able to take care
of the Holy Prophet for two years as he also passed away when the Holy Prophet was of age eight.

Custody of Abu Talib:

After the death of his grandfather, Prophet moved on with his uncle, Abu Talib who then started taking
care of him. Abu Talib was a poor man who earned his livelihood through the pasturing of sheep and
would often take his nephew on travels. It was during one of the travels to Syria that they met a
Christian monk Bahira (his real name was “Georges”) at a place known as Bostra. Bahira, in his
safekeeping, had manuscripts which predicted the coming of a Prophet and his belief was that he would
come during his lifetime. Upon the arrival of the caravan, Bahira noticed some signs. As the caravan
moved closer, he could see a small cloud moving over the caravan and where the caravan stopped, the
cloud stopped as well. Moreover, where the caravan rested, the branches of the tree lowered to offer
more shade. Upon the arrival of Holy Prophet, Bahira saw the signs in him of being a Prophet, the most
prominent one being the marks between his shoulders about which Bahira said, “I can recognize him

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also by the seal of Prophethood which is below his shoulder, like an apple. We have got to learn this
from our books.". Seeing them, he told Abu Talib of protecting the Prophet as was to become a Prophet.

Harb-ul-Fijar (sacrilegious wars) and Hilf-ul-Fudul:

Upon their return, the tribes in Makkah had a clash amongst them in the year when fighting was
forbidden. This war is known as Harb-al-Fijr (the sacrilegious war). This battle happened at the fair of
Ukaz which a custom in Arabia. During this fair the Quraish alongside the Kinanah tribe came in conflict
with the Qays-Ailan tribe. Holy Prophet was also present during this war but did not fight, he just
collected fallen arrows for his uncle to shoot later.

Harb-ul-Fijr led to the signing of a peace treaty and this is known as the Hilf-ul-Fudul. During the sacred
month of Dhul-Qadah, several tribes called for this treaty. The tribes were Bani Hashim, Bani Al-
Muttalib, Asid ibn Abdul-Uza, Zahra ibn Kilab and Taym ibn Murah. They gathered in Abdullah ibn
Jud’an house. There they agreed on and wrote up a covenant that stated that any oppressed person in
Mecca, whether he was from Mecca itself or from any other city, would be supported against the one
who oppressed him until the oppressor gave the oppressed his rights. Prophet Muhammed (peace be
upon him) witnessed this covenant. Holy Prophet, talking about Hilf-ul-Fudul said “In Abdullah ibn
Jud’an’s house, I witnessed a covenant which is more beloved to me than a prized red camel. If I was
called to uphold it after Islam came, I would have agreed (to do so)”

Marriage with Hazrat Khadija:

Holy Prophet then started trading and his honest and truthful natured earned him the title of “Sadiq”
and “Amin”. It was during those days that he started trading for a woman named Khadija who belonged
to the tribe of Banu Asad. She, after the death of her second husband took over his business. She heard
of Muhammad’s great reputation that she hired him for a trade trip to Syria. She sent her servant
Maysara alongside to help Prophet with his task. Upon their return Maysara told her how wonderfully
Prophet did the business and how a Monk named Nestor claimed that he was a Prophet of Allah. When,
Hazrat Khadija heard of it all, she sent a proposal of marriage to Prophet Muhammad through her friend
Nafeesa. After consultation with his uncles, Prophet Muhammad got married at the age of twenty-five
with Hazrat Khadija. Together, they had four daughters and two sons (both of whom died in infancy)

Rebuilding Kaabah:

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After the marriage, an incident occurred which had a lasting impact on the history of Makkah. It was
during the time of floods that Kabah was being renovated and the issue of replacing the black stone
occurred. The tribal chiefs present fought over as to who would place the stone in its place because of
the huge importance it had. It was then decided by the elder most chief, that whoever, in the morning
will walk into the vicinity of Kabah first will replace it. The first person to enter was none other than the
Holy Prophet and he used a technique which made it easy for the stone to be replaced and also ended
the fight. He asked for a big cloak, and on that he placed the stone, he then asked all the chiefs to hold it
from one end and take it to the area where it had to be placed. He then placed the stone and the fight
was resolved as well.

Holy Prophet’s character till age 40:

To sum it all up, the Holy Prophet had a sharp mind and a pure nature, which helped him understand
and relate to different ways of life and people, both as individuals and as a community. He stayed away
from superstitious practices and instead engaged in constructive and useful activities. When he needed
time alone, he would retreat to solitude. He avoided drinking alcohol, eating meat sacrificed to idols,
and participating in idolatrous festivals. He strongly disliked and rejected the worship of idols, and he
couldn't tolerate anyone swearing by false gods. He was protected by God's providence from engaging
in any evil or abominable practices. Whenever he was tempted to indulge in worldly pleasures or follow
questionable traditions, God intervened and prevented him from doing so. The Prophet once tried to
join a wedding party in Makkah with music being played, but he fell into a deep sleep in the middle of
it and was awakened by the sun's heat. He realized it was a sign from God, and he never repeated that
mistake again.

The Call to Prophethood:

When Prophet Muhammad was around forty years old, he would spend a lot of time alone, thinking and
reflecting on the world around him. It is commonly stated that this is the time when the Prophets were
always ordered to disclose their message. This was the time when the signs of Prophethood became
evident to the Holy Prophet. These signs included the greeting of the stones everytime the Holy Prophet
passed through them and his dreams becoming a reality.

Holy Prophet’s start of the revelation occurred with his dreams becoming a reality and then seclusion
became dear to him. In order to seclude himself he would go to cave Hira to engage himself in Tahanuth
(devotion), for a couple of nights before reuniting with his family. He would bring some simple food

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(Sawiq which is barley porridge) and water and go to a cave called Hira' (a small cave 4 yards long and
1.75 yards wide) in the Mount Al-Nour. It was a small cave, and he would often invite travelers passing
by to share his food with him. During this time, especially in the month of Ramadan, he would focus on
worshipping and thinking about the world. He was troubled by the wrong actions and idol worship that
were common among his people, but he didn't know what to do about it yet. This period of solitude and
contemplation was important for him because it prepared him for the important role he would have
later on. It helped him develop a strong connection with the unseen power behind the universe.

The holy month of Ramadan was his traditional month of retreat, and during the end of Ramadan in 610
AD (evidence states it was Monday, 21st of Ramadan) he experienced something unique. He was
shocked by a voice which woke him from his sleep and said “Read”. Holy Prophet at this time was
shocked and as reported by Hazrat Aisha (from what she heard from the Holy Prophet) “I said: I cannot
read! The Angel then took me and pressed me tightly” Then he repeated the words “Read”, “I cannot
Read.” Said I; and once again he squeezed me and let go me until I was exhausted. The he said,
“Read”, “I cannot Read.” Said I; and he squeezed me for a third time and then let me go and said
Recite in the name of your Lord Who created, created man from a clot of congealed blood. Recite: and
your Lord is Most Generous. Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know. As soon as the
Holy Prophet heard it he started saying it out as well as if it had been imprinted on his mind.

Upon being shaken by this experience and running out, he started tripping on the rocks, afraid of what
had happened to him. He then looked at the sky and it was filled with stars and on the sky he saw Angel
Jibraeel hanging over calling him out: “I am Jibraeel, and you are Muhammad the Messenger of Allah”.
Then onwards he ran to his house and upon reaching he asked his wife, Hazrat Khadija “Cover me, cover
me.” They covered him until he restored security. He told Hazrat Khadijah of the incident of the cave
and added that he was horrified. His wife tried to soothe him and reassured him saying, “Allah will
never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin; you bear the burden of the weak;
you help the poor and the needy, you serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-
afflicted ones.”

She then told him that she will be visiting her cousin, Warqa bin Nawfal, who had embraced Christianity
in the pre-Islamic period, and used to write the Hebrew Scriptures. She took the Holy Prophet alongside
and when they reached his residence, Hazrat Khadija said, “My cousin, listen to your nephew!” Warqa
then said, “O my nephew! What did you see?” Holy Prophet told him what had happened. He replied,
“This is ‘Namus’, i.e. (the angel who is entrusted with divine secrets) that Allah sent to Hazrat Musa.
I wish I were younger. I wish I could live up to the time when your people would turn you out.”

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Muhammad asked, “Will they drive me out?” Waraqah answered in the affirmative and said, “Anyone
who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should
be alive till that day, then I would support you strongly.” But after a few days Waraqah died.

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LIFE IN MAKKAH

Call to People (Preaching):

Secret Preaching:

Holy Prophet after the first revelation started to invite his closest friends and family members to Islam.
Makkah was an important city for the Arabs, and it was where the people who took care of the Ka'bah
and worshipped idols lived. The challenge of bringing about positive change in a city deeply rooted in
idol worship was significant. To avoid angering the people of Makkah, the call to Islam was initially kept
secret and done quietly. It required a strong will and determination to work in such an environment. The
first convert was Hazrat Khadija and her acceptance of Islam came after the revelation of Surah-e-
Mudassir. It so happened, that the Holy Prophet got the message to warn the people in Surah-e-
Mudassir so he got up while Hazrat Khadija told him to rest. He told Hazrat Khadija that the time for rest
is now over and that he needs to warn people. Upon hearing this, Hazrat Khadija stated that if this is the
case then she will be the first one to convert.

The other converts were Hazrat AbuBakar (a close friend of the Holy Prophet about whom he stated
“Except Abu Bakr, everyone I have invited to Islam has experienced some period of hesitation. But Abu
Bakr accepted my invitation without any hesitation" (Bukhari, 870)),Hazrat Ali (The cousin of the Holy
Prophet who accepted Islam at age 10), Hazrat Zayd ibn Harith (The freed slave and adopted son of Holy
Prophet), These four people professed Islam on the very first call. The others included, Hazrat Usman (A
friend of Hazrat AbuBakar), Hazrat Abd-al Rehman bin awf, Hazrat Talha, Hazrat Zubayr, Hazrat Saad
bin Abi Waqas, Hazrat Hamza, Hazrat Ammar bin Yasir, Hazrat Jaffar and Hazrat Khalid bin Said (His
dream of being saved from fire by the Holy Prophet was decoded by Hazrat AbuBakar and then he
accepted Islam), Hazrat Abu Ubayadah ibn al Jarah, Hazrat Bilal bin Rabah, Fatimah bint-e-Khatab and
several others.

The Secret preaching went on for a period of 3 years. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) guided all the people at
that time to pray 2 times (before sunrise and after sunset) in a day and that too in the mountains as the
Makkans had a habit of meddling in the affairs of others. Ibn Hisham reported that when it was time
for prayers, the Holy Prophet and his Companions went into a mountain valley to pray secretly. Abu

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Talib once saw the Holy Prophet and Hazrat Ali praying, he asked them what they were up to. When
he got to know that it was obligatory prayer, he told them to stay constant in their practice.

Moreover, they also used to meet at Dar ul Arqam (the house of Hazrat Zaid bin Arqam) where they
would meet and discuss about the new religion. Once the total number of people reached 40, the call
could not be a kept a secret.

Preaching to Banu Hashim:

After the number of converts reached 40, the Holy Prophet got the revelation of Surah-Ash Shuara
where he was guided by Allah to guide his closest family in the following words: “And warn thy family
who are thy nearest of kin” Holy Prophet then called up Hazrat Ali and asked him to arrange a dinner
for the family of his grandfather (Banu Hashim). Hazrat Ali arranged a dinner for a total of 40 people and
after the meal before Holy Prophet could speak, his uncle, Abu Lahab stated “Your host has cast a spell
upon you” and said, “These are your uncles and cousins, speak on to the point, but first of all you have
got to know that your kinspeople are not in a position to withstand all the Arabs. Another point you
have got to bear in mind is that your relatives are sufficient unto you. If you follow their tradition, it
will be easier for them than to face the other clans of Quraish supported by the other Arabs. Verily, I
have never heard of anyone who has incurred more harm on his kinspeople than you." The Holy
Prophet kept silent and said nothing in that meeting” after which people dispersed.

Not giving up on his call, Holy Prophet again, with the help of Hazrat Ali called his family. This time he
changed the strategy and before anyone could speak, he stated” O Sons of 'Abdu 'l-Muttalib! By Allah, I
do not know of any person among the Arabs who has come to his people with better than what I have
brought to you. I have brought to you the good of this world and the next, and I have been
commanded by the Lord to call you unto Him. Therefore, who amongst you will support me in this
matter so that he may be my brother (akhhi), my successor (wasiyyi) and my caliph (khalifati) among
you?.” Hazrat Ali immediately responded and stated "I will be your helper, O Prophet of Allah.". The
response of Hazrat Ali led to others coming in support, this included Holy Prophet’s aunt, Hazrat Safiyah
and the sisters of Hazrat Khadija. Alongside her, the wife of Hazrat Abbas (uncle of Holy Prophet) and
her sisters accepted Islam.

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At this meeting, Abu Talib said “I swear by Allah to protect him (the Holy Prophet) as long as I am
alive."

Open Preaching:

After giving the message to his family, Holy Prophet received instructions from Allah in Surah Hijr where
he was guided to declare the message of Islam openly in the following words “Preach openly and turn
away from the pagans”.

Holy Prophet then climbed on the mount of Safa and invited the people to gather around him. Once they
had gathered around him the Prophet said to them, “If I told you that horsemen were advancing to
attack you from the valley on the other side of this mountain, will you believe me?”. “Yes”, they
replied, “We have always found you truthful.” The Prophet said, “I am a plain warner to you of a
coming severe punishment.”

After this vivid analogy the Prophet asked them to save themselves by declaring that Allah was one and
that he, Muhammad, was his messenger. He tried to make them understand that if they clung to
polytheism and rejected the message he had brought to them; they would face Allah’s punishment. Abu
Lahab (his uncle) said, “May you perish! You gathered us only for this reason? “. Then Abu Lahab went
away. Upon this ‘Surah al-Lahab’ (May the hands of Abu Lahab perish) was revealed.

Soon after, Holy Prophet began to criticize and expose the superstitious practices of idol worship,
proving that it was false and powerless. The people of Makkah were furious and disapproved of his
words. They saw his teachings as a threat to their traditions and heritage, so they tried to stop the
spread of his message and protect their own authority. They believed following the Divine Message
meant giving up their control over their lives and wealth. They would have to treat others fairly and
avoid committing sins. They resisted accepting this new way, not because of dignity or honor, but
because it challenged their power and way of life. Hence, they started using ways to silence the call to
Islam by force.

Persecutions on the Prophet:

Holy Prophet was adamant that he will be spreading the religion without backing out. Makkah was the
center where people used to come for their annual pilgrimage and this was also the source of trade for

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them. Makkans were now insecure that people accepting Islam would back out from the pilgrimage in
turn affecting the annual trade. Holy Prophet, during the time of Hajj went to people and gave them the
message which some of them readily accepted. Quraysh, therefore planned on persecuting the Prophet
and made sure that he suffered in every way. They first approached his uncle Abu Talib and told him "O
Abu Talib! Your nephew curses our gods; finds faults with our way of life, mocks at our religion and
degrades our forefathers; either you must stop him, or you must let us get at him. For you are in the
same opposition as we are in opposition to him; and we will rid you of him.". Abu Talib went to Holy
Prophet and warned him about the threat posed upon which the Prophet paid no heed and continued
preaching his religion. Meanwhile, Abu Talib assured him that he will always help him.

The Quraysh sought a three-way persecution method where they planned to persecute the Prophet
physically, emotionally and mentally. The following were the methods used by him:

1- Abu Lahab, an uncle of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), led a series of persecutions against him. He
started by throwing stones at him. He would follow the Prophet during pilgrimage and other
gatherings to spread lies about him and turn people against him. Abu Lahab's wife, Umm
Jameel, was equally hateful and showed that she was no less than her husband. She would lay
traps of thorns in the Prophet's path, hoping to harm him physically. She was known for her
abusive language and ability to create discord, therefore, she is termed as” the carrier of
firewood” in the Holy Quran. On hearing this term, she immediately came to the Mosque with a
handful of pebbles, intending to throw them at the Prophet, but Allah caused her to lose her
sight, and she could only see Abu Bakr, who was sitting next to the Prophet. She threatened Abu
Bakr and said "We have disobeyed the dispraised one, rejected his Call, and alienated
ourselves from his religion.", but did not see the Prophet due to her loss of sight, which was a
divine intervention.
2- Once Holy Prophet was praying in a mosque and while he was in Sujood, Abu Jahl asked to bring
the dirty foetus of a she-camel and place it on the back of the Holy Prophet. The man who did
this heinous act was Uqbah bin Mu’ait. After the act was done laughter spread amongst the
infidels. The foetus was later removed by Hazrat Fatima. She started crying on how the non-
Muslims treated her father but Holy Prophet consoled her that they should remain steadfast as
Allah is there for their help. Holy Prophet invoked the wrath of Allah upon them, especially upon

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Abu Jahl, ‘Utbah bin Rabi‘a, Shaibah bin Rabi‘a, Al-Waleed bin ‘Utbah, Umaiyyah bin Khalaf and
‘Uqbah bin Mu‘ait. It is recorded that all of them were killed in the battle of Badr.
3- Abu Lahab sons were married to the daughters of Holy Prophet. Upon knowing that he was
preaching the message of Islam, Abu Lahb made his sons (Utbah married to Hazrat Ruqqaya and
Utaibah married to Hazrat Umm-e-Kulsum) divorce the Prophet daughters causing him
emotional pain.
4- ‘Urwa bin Az-Zubair narrated: I asked Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As to tell me of the worst thing
that the pagans did to the Prophet [pbuh] . He said: "While the Prophet [pbuh] was praying in
Al-Hijr of Al-Ka‘bah, ‘Uqbah bin Al-Mu‘ait came and put his garment around the Prophet’s neck
and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him
away from the Prophet [pbuh] and said: "Do you want to kill a man just because he says, My
Lord is Allah”
5- Uqbah bin Al-Mu‘ait once attended an audience of the Prophet [pbuh] and listened to him
preaching Islam. A close friend of his, Ubai bin Khalaf, heard of this. He could not tolerate any
act of this sort, so he reproached ‘Uqbah and ordered him to spit in the Prophet’s holy face, and
he shamelessly did it. Ubai did not spare any thinkable way to malign the Prophet [pbuh] ; he
even ground old decomposed bones and blew the powder on him
6- Abu Jahal wanted to debar the Prophet [pbuh] from the Noble Sanctuary. It happened once that
the Prophet [pbuh] was praying within the precinct of the Sacred House, when Abu Jahl
proceeded threateningly and uttering abusive language. Prophet [pbuh] rebuked him severely
to which Abu Jahl answered back defiantly claiming that he was the mightiest in Makkah; Allah
then revealed: "Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers)."
7- Holy Prophet sons when born died as infants and this caused him great amount of grief. On top
of it the Quraysh started calling him an “Abtar” but Allah reassured him in Surah Kauthar with
the following words “He who hates you will be cut off”.
8- The enemies of the Holy Prophet Muhammad spread false rumors, distorted his teachings, and
accused him of slander. They said the following about the Quran “Tales of the ancients, which
he (Muhammad [pbuh]) has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and
afternoon." [Al-Qur'an 25:5]

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9- They also raised another baseless allegation against the Holy Prophet which distorted the minds
of people by saying "Why does this Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) eat food and walk about
in the markets (like ourselves)?" [Al-Qur'an 25:7]. The Quran strongly rejected the false
accusations made against the Holy Prophet Muhammad. It affirms that his words are revelations
from God and challenges those who claim that his expressions come from a mere human origin,
such as the imaginings of a visionary reformer, the ramblings of a mad poet, or the incoherent
babbling of a deranged person. They used to denounce the Prophet [pbuh] as a man possessed
by a jinn, or an insane person, the Quran states: "And they say: O you (Muhammad [pbuh]) to
whom the Dhikr (the Qur’?) has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad man." [Al-Qur'an 15:6]
10- An-Nadr bin Harith, a man from the Quraish tribe, tried to divert people's attention from the
Quran by making false accusations against the Prophet Muhammad. He acknowledged that the
Prophet had been trustworthy and honest in the past, but when the Prophet began preaching a
new faith, An-Nadr called him a sorcerer, soothsayer, poet, or insane. However, he later
returned from Heerah and continued to follow the Prophet, narrating stories about Persian
kings to compete with the Prophet's teachings. He even used songstresses to attract people
away from Islam.
11- Holy Prophet was also offered to marry the most beautiful woman in Makkah if he gave up his
religion and preaching. An offer which he rejected.
12- His followers were persecuted which caused him extreme grief. He also had to send followers to
migrate to a new area and then had to undergo a boycott as well (Details given below)

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Persecutions on the followers of the Prophet:

As soon as the Prophet gave his preaching on the mount of Safa, Quraysh got really offended and
started persecuting the newly converted Muslims. The infidels took to various tortures, they would
inwardly laugh at the Faith of Muslims, because they felt themselves so superior. In public places, when
the righteous passed, they used to insult and wink at them. In their own houses, they would run them
down. Whenever and wherever they saw them, they reproached and called them fools who had lost
their way.

The first people to get attacked were the closest companions of the Holy Prophet which included the
following:

Hazrat AbuBakar: He was a hairy man and was involved in converting others to Islam, therefore, the
Quraysh got really offended by him. They used to drag him by his hair and beard on the roads of
Makkah, hurting his body in the process but he never gave up.

Hazrat Usman: His uncle was really angry on his conversion and used to tie him with a date palm tree. In
order to torture him he used to burn hay near him so that the burning of the fumes would make him
renounce his religion.

Hazrat Ammar bin Yasir: He was a newly converted Muslim who was persecuted by the Quraysh. His
parents Summaya and Yasir were also persecuted. Sumaya was killed by Abu Jahl and Yasir succumbed
to his wounds and passed away.

Hazrat Bilal bin Rabah: He was an Abyissinan slave of Ummayah bin Khalaf and he accepted Islam in his
early days. Hazrat Bilal was tortured by his master every day and on one occasion he was made to lie on
hot sand with a big stone placed on his chest. He was then asked to renounce faith, but Hazrat Bilal
claimed that Allah is One. His master’s efforts went into vain and then Hazrat Bilal was bought and freed
by Hazrat AbuBakar.

Hazrat Musab bin Umair: When Umm Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair heard of her son’s conversion, she put him to
starvation and then expelled him from her house. He used to enjoy full luxurious easy life, but in the
aftermath of the tortures he sustained, his skin got wrinkled, and he assumed a horrible physical
appearance.

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Hazrat Khabab bin-al Arat: He was a blacksmith who was severely persecuted to the extent that he was
thrown into burning coal. He was later rescued by the Holy Prophet.

Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas: He was tortured by Makkan pagans and they did not allow him to pray
inside Makkah for which he had to go outside. It was there that he drew his first blood for Islam as well.

Suhaib bin Sinan: He had been captured and was sold as a slave by the Greeks. When he became a
Muslim, the Quraysh beat him up savagely but could not shake his faith.

Nahdiyya and Umm Unays were two other female slaves who became Muslims. Their masters tortured
them for accepting Islam. Abu Bakr bought them and gave them their freedom.

Abu Fukaiha was the slave of Safwan bin Umayya. He accepted Islam at the same time as Bilal. Like Bilal,
he was also dragged by his master on hot sand with a rope tied to his feet. Abu Bakr bought him and
emancipated him.

Zunairah Al-Rumiyah was a slave of the Banu Makhzum tribe and she lost her eyesight because of the
persistent torture. After Hazrat AbuBakar freed her she regained her eyesight, a miracle of Allah SWT

Muslims migrated to Abyssinia and also faced a boycott imposed on them (Details given below)

Migration to Abyssinia:

Seeing the persecutions happening on Muslims, the Holy Prophet was extremely worried and was
looking for help from Allah SWT. After the revelation of Surah az-Zumar which stated "Good is (the
reward) for those who do good in this world, and Allah’s earth is spacious (so if you cannot worship
Allah at a place, then go to another)! Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full
without reckoning." [Al-Qur'an 39:10]., Holy Prophet got the instruction to allow his followers to
migrate and he instructed some of the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia, a decision he arrived at after
careful consideration. Abyssinia was headed by King Ashamah Negus who after Abraha had took charge
of the place and was a just man.

The first group of Muslims who migrated included twelve men and five women which also included
Hazrat Usman and his wife Hazrat Ruqayya. With respect to these two emigrants, the Prophet [pbuh]
said: "They are the first people to migrate in the cause of Allah after Abraham and Lut [AWS]." Holy
Prophet did not migrate himself as instructions for him to migrate had not yet come. The Muslims

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sneaked out of Makkah under the heavy curtain of a dark night and headed for the sea where two boats
happened to be sailing for Abyssinia (Ethiopia), their destination. News of their intended departure
reached the ears of Quraysh, so some men were dispatched in their pursuit, but the believers had
already left Shuaibah Port towards their secure haven and after an 8-day travel they reached there
where they were received warmly and accorded due hospitality.

During Ramadan, the Prophet Muhammad entered the Holy Sanctuary where many polytheists from the
Quraish tribe were present, including important and famous individuals. Suddenly, the Prophet started
reciting Chapter 41 of the Quran, called "The Star." The powerful words of Allah came down upon them
unexpectedly, leaving them astonished and speechless. It was the first time they experienced the truth
of divine revelation. When the Holy Prophet read out "So fall you down in prostration to Allah and
worship Him (Alone)." [Al-Qur'an 53:62], they all fell down in prostration as they were so mesmerized
by the words of the divine revelation.

The news was falsely conveyed to the immigrants in Abyssinia and it was told to them that all the people
in Makkah had accepted Islam. Upon hearing the news these people migrated back to Makkah in the
hopes of living safely in their homeland. When they were at a distance of an hour from Makkah they got
to know that the news delivered to them was false and upon reaching back, the persecutions on them
doubled.

Seeing the condition of Muslims, Holy Prophet allowed the Muslims a second migration. This time the
migration participants increased, there were a total of eighty-three men and nineteen women who
were led by the cousin of Holy Prophet, Hazrat Jaffar. They all made their journey secretly to Abyssinia.

Migration this time was not as easy as it was the previous time, for Quraysh was on the alert to the least
suspicious moves of the Muslims. Quraysh got to know about the move of the Muslims migrating and
sent two of their men (Abdullah ibn Abi Rabia and Amr ibn al Aas) alongside loads of expensive gifts to
Abyssinia. These two men were sent to tell Negus that these men are here to spread a new religion and
plague Makka. Upon reaching Abyssinia both these men entered the kingdom of Negus and told him
that some people have come over to his city to spread a new religion and that they have destroyed
religion back in Makka. They stated it in the following words “A group of our young men have rejected
the faith of their forefathers and have invented a religion which is opposed to our religion as well as
yours. They are now residing in your country. The elders and chiefs of Quraysh earnestly request the

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king of Abyssinia to expel them as soon as possible.” When Negus heard of it he was not pleased as he
stated

Hazrat Jaffar led all these Muslims to the court where he was asked by Negus to present his narrative.
Hazrat Jaffar told how these people were living under darkness and used to worship multiple gods while
being involved in ill practices. He also told that Holy Prophet guided them towards the right path and
told them about one Allah rather than worshipping stones. He said this in the following words “We were
people steeped in ignorance, worshipping idols, eating unsacrificed meat, committing atrocities…..
Thus were we until Allah sent us a Messenger of our own, whose lineage, trustworthiness, honesty
and chastity we knew…”

Negus asked him for an example of the religion Hazrat Jaffar presented upon which Hazrat Jaffar recited
verse 17 to 26 of Surah Maryam. As Negus was a Christian, he was moved to tears and told the Muslims
that his and their religion have very minute differences. He drew a line on the floor and stated that the
thinness of the line represents the differences we have in our religion. He also exclaimed: "It seems as if
these words and those which were revealed to Jesus are the rays of the light which have radiated from
the same source." He offered them to stay in Abyssinia for as long as they wished and sent back the two
men of Quraysh along with their gifts. Next day again the Muslims were summoned and asked what
they thought of Jesus. Hazrat Jaffar again stood up and replied: "We speak about Jesus as we have been
taught by our Prophet [pbuh] , that is, he is the servant of Allah , His Messenger, His spirit and His
Word breathed into Virgin Mary." The king at once remarked, "Even so do we believe. Blessed be you,
and blessed be your master."

This was also the time that back in Makka, the two strongest men, Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Hamza had
accepted Islam.

Antics of the Quraysh:

The pagans of Makkah angry at what had happened in Abyssinia, decided to approach Abu Talib for the
second time and insisted that he put a stop to his nephew’s activities, which if allowed unchecked, they
said, would involve him into severe hostility. Abu Talib was deeply distressed at this open threat and the
breach with his people and their enmity, but he could not afford to desert the Messenger too. He sent
for his nephew and told him what the people had said, "Spare me and yourself and put not burden on
me that I can’t bear." Upon this the Prophet [pbuh] thought that his uncle would let him down and

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would no longer support him, so he replied: "O my uncle! by Allah if they put the sun in my right hand
and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this course, until Allah has made me victorious, or
I perish therein, I would not abandon it." The Prophet [pbuh] got up, and as he turned away, his uncle
called him and said, "Come back, my nephew," and when he came back, he said, "Go and preach what
you please, for by Allah I will never forsake you."

They also offered the Holy Prophet that he worships their gods for a year and they would worship Allah
for a year. On this account, Allah revealed Surah-Al-Kafirun, clearly stating “..I worship not that which
you worship, nor will you worship that which I worship…”

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Boycott of Banu Hashim:

Quraysh were angered by how Negus had sent their companions back to Makka and how he gave refuge
to Muslims. Moreover, Hazrat Umar was also angry as to how the Quraysh could easily follow their
religious practices and Muslims were not allowed to do so. He used to call and motivate Muslims to
openly practice their faith. Seeing all of this, the Quraysh held a meeting at Wadi Al-Muhassab and
thought of imposing the ban on the clan of Banu Hashim and Bani-Al-Mutalib except for Abu Lahab. Abu
Jahal put pressure on all the Qurayshities to take action against the Muslims as Islam was growing in
popularity. He wanted to show the Muslims that the Quraysh were still the strongest for in the region.
The ban was placed inside of the Holy Kaaba and it stated:

1- No one would marry a Hashimi woman or give their daughter in marriage to a Hashimi man
2- No one would sell or buy or anything with the Hashimis
3- The ban would only be revoked unless all people give up their religion

The articles of this ban were written by an idolater who went by the name of Bagheed bin Amir and the
Holy Prophet cursed this man for writing down such a ban. History has it that the hands of Bagheed later
got paralysed.

Muslims, upon the imposition of ban, went to the abandoned property of Abu Talib known as Shibi-e-
Abi Talib (a narrow pass). Holy Prophet himself went over there along with Hazrat Khadija. The ban
started in the beginning of Muharram and went on for three years.

The ban was extremely difficult for the Muslims as the supply of food had been totally cut off and the
people in Shib were restricted to eating leaves and skins of animals. The cries of children could be heard
as no food was available. The idolaters would buy all food that came to Makkah so that none could be
sent to those in Shib. But, there were some compassionate Makkans who would secretly smuggle food
inside. One such example is that of Hakim ibn Hazim who secretly smuggled a sack of wheat to his aunt,
Hazrat Khadija. He was caught by Abu Jahl who planned to stop him from doing it but an intervention by
another Makkan let him continue his job.

Holy Prophet’s beloved uncle, Abu Talib would take care of his nephew. It so happened that when
everyone would go to sleep at night, Abu Talib would ask the Holy Prophet to switch sides with him so
that no potential assassin could reach him. Despite all of this, the Holy Prophet would go outside to
Kaabah to pray and would invite visitors to Islam.

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This imposition of ban was something which the non-muslims also realized as wrong and therefore
called for an end to it. Three years after the ban, in the month of Muharram, two people started the
movement to end the ban, Hisham (the man who secretly smuggled food inside the Shib to Hashimities)
and another member of Quraysh whose name was Zuhayr (A cousin of the Holy Prophet). They wanted
ban to end and garnered support from three other men. In total, there were five of them now, namely,
Hisham bin ‘Amr, Zuhayr bin Abi Omaiya, Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi, Abu Al-Bukhtari and Zam‘a bin Al-
Aswad. Zuhayr and his men circumambulated the Kabaah seven times. After which, they exclaimed that
they feel sorry for their people who are living in miserable conditions in the Shib while they are enjoying
their lives. They asked for the end of the ban but Abu Jahl refused. Zam’a accused him of being a liar and
the other supported his words. While this discussion was going on, Abu Talib stated that his nephew has
received a revelation which states that nothing of the ban remains except for the words “In the name of
Allah”. In order to check the authenticity of the claim, Mut’im bin Adi stepped forwad and did verify that
the entire vellum on which the ban was written had been eaten up by termites and only the words “in
the name of Allah” remain. Seeing this, the Quraysh thought of freeing the Holy Prophet and his tribe.
The longstanding ban of 3 years was now finally over.

The leaders of the Quraysh now wanted a solution to end the growth of Islam. They tried out a trick and
called the Holy Prophet stating that they should practice both the religion. Shortly after their claim,
Surah-e-Kafirun was revealed stating “Say: “O unbelievers!” I do not worship those that you worship
neither do you worship Him Whom I worship; nor will I worship those whom you have worshipped; nor
are you going to worship Him Whom I worship. To you is your religion, and to me, my religion.

Year of Grief:

In the 10th year of Prophet hood, Holy Prophet lost his beloved wife and his uncle both of whom were
pillars of strength for him. They both had stood with him when he was preaching and suffering from the
persecutions of the Quraysh.

Six months after the boycott had ended, Abu Talib succumbing to his illness passed away and now the
Holy Prophet had lost his biggest support. Just a few months before his death, the Quraysh had arrived
to make amends with the Holy Prophet. They offered him through Abu Talib that everyone moves
forward with some concessions. Hearing this, the Holy Prophet said, “I will give you something that will
help you gain sovereignity over Arabs and Non-Arabs”. They inquired as to what it was and the Holy

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Prophet replied that he will be giving them the word of Allah. Hearing this, they all got angry and left the
meeting. Regarding this incident, Allah (SWT) stated “…Go on, and remain constant to your gods!
Verily, this is a thing designed (against you)!..”

Two months after the death of Abu Talib, the death of Hazrat Khadija happened who was a blessing of
Allah for him. Regarding Hazrat Khadija the Holy Prophet said “She believed in me when none else did.
She embraced Islam when people disbelieved me. And she helped and comforted me in her person and
wealth when there was none else to lend me a helping hand. I had children from her only.”

Now, the Holy Prophet was alone and the persecutions of the Quraysh intensified as Abu Lahab had
now become the tribal chief after Abu Talib. The rapid succession of misfortune led the Holy Prophet to
state that year as the year of sorrow and grief.

Visit to Taif

Seeing these persecutions, Prophet thought of visiting a nearby town known as Al-Taif and seeking their
help. The people of Taif used to worship the Goddess of Al-Lat and this had a lot of significance for
them.

Holy Prophet took his foster son, Hazrat Zayd bin Harith to the walled town so that they could meet the
three brothers (Masud, Habib, Abd Yalil) who were the caretakers of the temple of Al-Lat. As soon as
they were introduced to Islam, they got offended and started humiliating the Prophet. One of the
brothers said: “God did not find anyone else for His message except you?” Another said: “I must be
naive or a thief if I believed you to be a prophet.” And so it went on. They then drove both the Holy
Prophet and Hazrat Zayd out of their place and set small children with rocks in their hands to chase
them down. These children threw stones on them and both of them started bleeding heavily when
finally, they found refuge in an orchard which was walled from all ends. Holy Prophet, while bleeding
prayed to Allah in the following words “To You, my Lord, I complain of my weakness, lack of support,
and the humiliation I am made to receive….”

This orchard belonged to the sons (Utbah and Shaibah) of a person (Rabi’a) who belonged to the
Quraysh and when they found out how one of their own tribesman had been insulted and humiliated,
they sent their Christian slave who went by the name of Addas with a handful of grapes.

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After saying, Bismillah (‘in the name of Allah’), the Holy Prophet began eating. The words caught the
attention of Addas. He had never heard anyone utter those words before. “Nobody around here knows
or says that word”, he mumbled, which he followed up by asking, “You are different from those around
here. May I ask who you are?” The Holy Prophet replied with a question “Where are you from? And
what is your religion?” Addas replied “I am from Nayanvah and I am a Christian”. The Holy Prophet
stated “So you are from the town of the righteous Yunus ibn Matta…” Addas was now all the more
amazed and said “How do you know Yunus?” The Holy Prophet replied: “Yunus is my brother. He was a
prophet and so am I”.

Thereupon, the founts of faith began bursting out from the heart of Addas, and excitedly getting up at
his feet, he seized the hands of the Prophet -upon him blessings and peace- and pronounced the words
of tawhid.

Later, Holy Prophet started walking forward and when he reached Qarn-al-Manazil there Angel Jibreel
came to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) along with Angel of Mountains. Angel Jibraeel told
the Holy Prophet “Allah has heard your people's saying to you, and what they have replied back to
you, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you
wish to these people”. The Angel of the mountains after greeting the Holy Prophet said "O Muhammad!
Order what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akh-Shabain (i.e. two mountains) fall on them." . The Holy
Prophet replied "No but I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah Alone,
and will worship None besides Him."

Holy Prophet now was concerned about his visit back to Makkah as he had no protection over their now.
He moved away from Taif and settled in a place called Nakhla. Here he recited Quran and a group of
Jinns came to hear him. They went back to their clan and told them about how they heard the word of
Allah and invited their kinsmen to testify to the faith. This has been discussed in the Quran in the
following words "And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad [pbuh]) Nafran(three to
ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Qur’ân, when they stood in the presence thereof,
they said: ‘Listen in silence!’ And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners…”

Later, in order to go back, he needed protection. Therefore, he asked a man from Banu Khuzah to go to
Makkah and tell Al-Akhnas that he needed protection. Al-Akhnas refused stating that he is an ally of the
Quraysh. Later, the messenger went to Suhayl bin Amr who also refused. Finally, Holy Prophet called out

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for Mut’im, the man who was also one of the persons who helped uplift the boycott of Banu Hashim. He
immediately responded to Holy Prophet’s request and came out fully armed along with his sons and
cousins helping Holy Prophet move back to the Kaaba.

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ISRAA and MIRAAJ [THE NIGHT JOURNEY]

Holy Prophet was once called by her cousin, Umm-e-Hani who was the daughter of Abu Talib to give the
message of Islam to his husband. Holy Prophet went to their house and after the night prayer when it
was time to sleep, he was offered to sleep there which he accepted.

During midnight he went to visit the Kaaba which he usually did and during that visit slept in the Hijr (the
semi-circle also known as hateem). While he was asleep, he was awakened by Angel Jibraeel who led
him to a milky white winged shaped creature was standing. The name of the creature was Burraq and it
was there to take the Prophet to Jerusalem and then to the Heavens. Allah mentions this incident in
Surah Isra where it is stated: “Glory to Allah, who did take His servant for a journey by night from the
Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque”

Holy Prophet rode on Burraq and was shown different sites, the first was Madinah, the second was
Mount Sinai (The mountain where Torat was revealed to Hazrat Musa), the third was Bethlem (the place
where Hazrat Isa was born). Then he was taken to the site of Masjid-Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) where there
was a great assembly of Prophets. He tied Burraq over a rock which was broken down by Angel Jibraeel
and the other Prophets had also tied their animals nearby. All of these Prophets were led in prayer by
the Holy Prophet. After the prayer was over, Angel Jibraeel brought two vessels to the Prophet, one of
them contained Milk and the other one had Wine inside of it. He was asked to choose one, and drink
from it. Holy Prophet chose the one containing Milk, upon which Angel Jibraeel said that “You have
been guided by the fitrah”. This first part of the journey is known as Isra.

Holy Prophet then again rode on Buraaq and went to the heavens. While going on this journey, he saw a
caravan who had lost their camel. This part of the Journey is known as Al-Miraaj. Holy Prophet met
different Prophets at different levels of Heavens in the following ascending order:

1- Hazrat Adam (It is reported that Hazrat Adam was sitting with a large group of people on both of
his sides. It is stated that when he looked on his right he smiled, and while looking on left he
wept. It was later told that the ones on right are inhabitants of heaven and the ones on left are
inhabitants of hell)
2- Hazrat Yahya and Hazrat Isa
3- Hazrat Yousuf
4- Hazrat Idris

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5- Hazrat Haroon
6- Hazrat Musa (It is reported that at Hazrat Musa began to weep. He asked about the reason.
Hazrat Musa answered that he was weeping because he witnessed a man sent after him as a
Messenger (Muhammad) who was able to lead more of his people to the Paradise than he
himself did.)
7- Hazrat Ibrahim

The seventh heaven led to a place from where onwards Angel Jibraeel said that he cannot go. This place
is known as the “Sidrat-ul-Muntha” and it is where the Mystical Lote Tree is and he was shown Al-Bait-
al-Ma‘mur [(the much frequented house) which is like the Ka‘bah (Sacred House) encompassed daily by
seventy thousand angels, so that the angels who once encompassed it would not have their turn again
till the Resurrection].Holy Prophet then went alone and was granted a sublime version of his Creator.
Here he was directly revealed with verse 285-286 of Surah Baqarah and both these verses represent the
binding principles of Islam. Moreover, the command for prayer was given over here. Initially the prayers
were fixed at fifty and were later reduced to five when Hazrat Musa commanded Holy Prophet that his
nation will not be able to pray fifty prayers a day much like the nation of Hazrat Musa. Holy Prophet also
saw Malik, the gate keeper of hell and Ridhwan, the gatekeeper of heaven. He also was shown the two
rivers of Paradise, “kauthar” being one of them.

Holy Prophet then returned back to Kaaba where his bed was still warm. In the morning he told those at
Kaaba about his night journey which no one believed in. Hazrat AbuBakar was then asked by these
people as to what his remarks were about his friend. He replied that if Hazrat Muhammad is saying that
then it is true. Thereupon, he was given the title of Al-Siddiq (Testifier to the truth). Later, the Holy
Prophet was asked by Qurayshites to prove his journey and that is when he told them about the caravan
that had lost his camel. Upon researching, it proved to be true that the caravan did lose their camel.

The night journey proved to be vital for the Holy Prophet as he was undergoing persecutions at the
hands of Makkans but this strengthened his faith and now he was even more determined to spread the
word of Allah as he had been called upon by His Lord Himself.

As for the night journey, the Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬mentioned that he during his visit he saw two well-
known rivers, the Nile and the Euphrates, as well as two hidden rivers. The visible rivers, the Nile and the
Euphrates, symbolically represent the regions where the message of Islam will take root. The people

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living in these fertile areas will embrace Islam and continue to follow its teachings from one generation
to another

The Pledges of Aqabah:

It was a practice of Holy Prophet that he used to spread the message of Islam to those who came every
year for the annual Pilgrimage at Makkah. It was during the year 620 that six men from Yathrib (4 from
Khazraj and 2 from Aws), coincidentally met the Prophet, listened to him and vowed to bring back more
people the next year.

As promised, they did go back and gave the message to their fellow city men and seven others agreed to
accept Islam. Next year (621 AD), 12 men (Five of the initial six and seven new) marched towards a place
called as Aqabah and accepted Islam at the hands of the Holy Prophet. There they pledged to associate
no partners with Allah, not stealing, not committing adultery, not killing their children, not slandering or
disobeying the Prophet. After this allegiance was made, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said to them: “God has
prepared Paradise and guarantees rewards for those of you who fulfill his pledge. If someone commits
one of these misdeeds out of human error and is punished in this world, that punishment will be
considered punishment. And whoever commits one of these out of human error and conceals what he
has done and does not reveal it, then it is left to God to decide to forgive or punish him.” Furthermore,
these Muslims made the following agreement with our Holy Prophet (PBUH): “Obedience and
submission come first and foremost during times of distress, pressure, prosperity, and happiness. We
are under your command. We will not disobey you in any way.”

These men then told the Holy Prophet that from where they belong, there are arrogant tribal chiefs who
would not accept their message. Therefore, they would require somebody from the Muslims to come
alongside them so as to give them the message. Holy Prophet, then on their request sent Hazrat Musab
bin Umair who stayed with them for a year and gave the message of Islam. Hazrat Musab returned
before the second pledge of Aqabah and gave the news about how most of the people were happy on
receiving the message of Islam.

Within the next few months in 622 AD, seventy-three men and two women came to Aqabah to accept
Islam. They had brought a tribal chief with them whose name was Bara. The tribal chief invited the
Prophet to come to their lands as the leader and Prophet told him that as soon as he gets permission
from Allah, he would definitely come. a man named 'Abul Haitham At-Taihan spoke up and said, "O

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Prophet of Allah! We have agreements with the Jews that we might break if Allah grants you power
and victory. Will you leave us and join your own people, the Quraish?" The Prophet (peace be upon
him) smiled and replied: "No,it would never be; your blood will be my blood. In life and death I will be
with you and you with me. I will fight whom you fight and I will make peace with those with whom
you make peace."

These people pledged that they will listen and obey the Prophet, to spend in plenty as well as scarcity, to
enjoin good and forbid evil, fear no one but Allah, and defend the Prophet if he needs it. After this Holy
Prophet (PBUH) declared, “Choose 12 individuals from among yourselves who will stand by me in
every matter as the representatives of their tribes. Moses also had 12 representatives from the Sons
of Israel.” The Muslims of Madina chose nine representatives from the Khazraj tribe and three from the
Aws. Furthermore, after the 12 representatives were chosen, Holy Prophet (PBUH) appointed Hazrat
As’ad bin Zurara (The man in whose house Hazrat Musab bin Umair stayed) as the head of the 12
representatives. These representatives spoke to the groups they represented, explained the importance
of the allegiance, and prepared their respective groups to also pledge their allegiance to our Holy
Prophet (PBUH.)

With this the ties of Prophet with Makkans weakened and these pledges changed the history of Islam.

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Migration to Madina:

The Holy Prophet had permitted the Muslims to migrate after the pledges whereby Muslims had to face
numerous tortures while they tried to flee.

The protector of Holy Prophet, Mutim, had now passed away after the second pledge of Aqabah and
this made the Prophet more vulnerable to attack from the Quraysh. Abu Lahab was now the leader of
Banu Hashim and posed serious threats to the safety of the Holy Prophet. Abu Jahal along with the other
men of Quraysh met at “Dar ul Nadwa” and started looking at options to deal with the growing
influence of Islam. They pondered over three options, the first one being expulsion which was put down
because he might influence others outside of Makkah. The second one was imprisonment for life but
the men were worried that the followers of Holy Prophet will gather and free him by force. The third
option was assassination which was to be done by a man from each tribe. These men of Quraysh were
strong warriors who were all skilled in their respective tasks of assassinating people. Abu Jahal
concluded the meeting and stated that he would be sending the strongest man from each tribe (total
11) to go and kill the Holy Prophet. The plot was set and the Qurayshities started preparing.

Angel Jibraeel came to the Holy Prophet and told him of the plans to Quraysh and of Allah’s permission
to him for migration that night. Here the Angel revealed the verses of Surah Anfal which state:
“And recall how those who disbelieved schemed against you to take you captive, or kill you, or drive
you away. They schemed and Allah did also scheme. Allah is the best of those who scheme.”

Holy Prophet, after listening to the news went to the house of Hazrat AbuBakar to inform him about the
plan of leaving for Madina. He also instructed Hazrat Ali to sleep on his bed and join him in migration
once he had returned the goods to people who had entrusted Prophet with them. Hazrat Abu Bakar on
the other end prepared his son and freed slave (Amir bin Furhaya) to follow them on the journey so as
to know their whereabouts.

The men of Quraysh chosen to kill the Holy Prophet gathered outside the house of the Prophet at night
waiting for Prophet to come out. Prophet gave his cloak to Hazrat Ali and left the house reciting verses
of Surah Yasin (“And We have put before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them,
so they do not see.”) which protected him from the Quraysh. The Quraysh waited till dawn after which
they got in the house, only to find out Hazrat Ali lying on the bed of Holy Prophet. This made the
Quraysh really angry and they announced a reward of 100 camels to whoever catches the Prophet.

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Prophet left with Hazrat Abu Bakar and with them were Hazrat Abu Bakar’s son and his freed slave
(Amir). The son and slave followed behind with a flock of sheep so that no one would be able to notice
them. Midway, these men reached Mount of Thawr where they planned to get inside Cave of Thawr to
take rest. At this point Hazrat Abu Bakar sent back his son and freed slave with camels and instructed
them to return with food and news of Makkans. Hazrat AbuBakar went inside the cave alone first so as
to clean it. He made sure that it was hospitable for the Holy Prophet, and once it was done he called him
Inside. During their stay in the cave, Prophet slept on the lap of Hazrat AbuBakar due to which he was
unable to move his leg. At night, an insect/snake bit on the foot of Hazrat AbuBakar but he did not move
so as to not disturb the Holy Prophet from his sleep. When the Prophet woke up, he asked Hazrat
AbuBakar as to why he did not tell him to which AbuBakar replied that he did not want to disturb him.

Next day Hazrat AbuBakar son along with his daughter (Asma) returned with the news that Quraysh are
on their lookout and have promised a reward of 100 camels to whoever catches them.

That night, Prophet and Hazrat AbuBakar heard footsteps approaching the cave of thawr but these men
returned without checking the cave because a pigeon had laid its eggs over there, an acacia tree had
grown up which was not there earlier and a spider had woven its web. All of these were the blessings
on the Holy Prophet by Allah. Hazrat AbuBakar got afraid at this point and the Prophet reassured him
that he need not worry as Allah’s help is with them. This incident has been mentioned in Surah Al-
Tawbah in the following words “….Allah surely helped him when the unbelievers drove him out of
his home and he was but one of the two when they were in the cave, and when he said to his
companion: "Do not grieve. Allah is with us."

After staying in the cave for 3 nights, the Holy Prophet and Hazrat AbuBakar planned to move ahead
with their journey. Hazrat AbuBakar’s son, daughter and slave came with three camels and a guide who
went by the name of Abdullah bin Uraqyuit (the man responsible to take them to Yathrib). Hazrat
AbuBakar offered the Prophet the best of them and that camel was known as “Qaswa”.

While they continued their journey, they came across the best horseman of Makkah who went by the
name of Suraqa bin Maalik. Greedy of the bounty, he approached to kill the Holy Prophet and when at a
distance of 6 feet his horse stumbled causing him to fall down. He made 2 more futile attempts, after
which he went back. Later, the Holy Prophet visited the the area of Qudaid and he stopped at the tent of
a woman named Umm-e-Ma’bad. Here the Prophet of Allah saw a weak goat and Hazrat Abu Bakar

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asked for its milk. Umm-e-Ma’bad replied in negative stating the goat as weak to give milk. Holy Prophet
then rubbed his hand over the goat and it started giving milk. The milk was enough for Hazrat AbuBakar
and the entire family of Umm-e-Ma’bad.

They then set off to a town where most of the emigrants were staying before reaching Yathrib and it
was known as Quba. In Quba, Prophet built his first mosque known as Masjid e Quba. Hazrat Ali joined
the Prophet in Quba and so did the 80 people from Banu Aslam. After staying in Quba for 4 days they
set of towards Yathrib.

Before their entry into Yathrib, the Holy Prophet stopped at the area of Banu Salaim and offered the
first Friday prayer there in the Ranuna Valley. Everyone in Yathrib was impatiently waiting for the Holy
Prophet to come and it is stated that a jew saw him first who then went on to tell the others. This
fulfilled the Prophecy that a jew will first see the Holy Prophet entering Yathrib.

Once in Yathrib, the decision as to where the Prophet would be staying had to be taken. The Prophet
told everyone that his she camel had been guided and wherever it would sit, the mosque and house of
the Prophet would be built. Qaswa, the she camel stopped at the plot which belonged to two orphans
(Sahl and Suhayl) and they insisted the Prophet to take the land from them. Prophet, instead asked
Hazrat AbuBakar to pay for the cost of the land, which he duly did. Till the time the mosque was being
built it was decided that Prophet will be living with Hazrat Ayub Al-Ansari (the person Holy Prophet had
acquainted well with during the pledges of Aqabah)

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