LIFE OF PROPHET ‫ ﷺ‬AT MAKKAH 606 – 622 AD

CALL TO PROPHETHOOD: [First year of Prophethood] 610 AD

https://youtu.be/Tli0BLdc9Uk
▪ When he reached to the age of 40 years and once he was sitting in Cave Hira, meditating on the
conditions of Arabia, an angel (Hazrat Gabriel AS) came before him and asked to Read, he replied that
he was ummi (a person who did not get formal education in a school).
▪ The third time, angel hugged him and asked him to read as: “Read in the name of
Allah………………………” (96:1-5)
▪ Forms of Angel shown
▪ Holy Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬was frightened and wanted to know about the actual fact of the incident, therefore,
Hazrat Khadijah RAH (RAH) took him to her cousin Warqah Bin Naufal, a Christian Scholar.
▪ Warqah Bin Naufal acknowledged that the Messenger was Hazrat Gabriel AS and Holy Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
was nominated as the Last Messenger of God.
START OF PREACHING: [1st to 3rd years of Prophethood] 610-612 AD:
★ A few months later, Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬received another set of revelation containing the message to ‘preach’
Islam & Quranic teachings by starting from the kinsfolk as said in 26:214, 15:94 and 74:1-3
respectively.
★ Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬Starts Preaching: According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad's wife Khadijah RAH was
the first to believe he was a prophet.
★ According to Islamic belief, in the fourth year of Muhammad's Prophethood, around 613, he was
ordered by God to make his propagation of this monotheistic faith public.
★ Islamic theology says that all of God's messengers preached the message of Islam—submission to the
will of God. The Quran mentions the names of numerous figures considered prophets in Islam,
including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, among others.
★ The first vision was followed by a considerable period, during which Muhammad suffered much
mental depression.
★ The angel spoke to the grieved heart of hope and trust and of the bright future when he would see
the people of the earth crowding into the one true faith.
★ His destiny was unfolded to him when, wrapped in profound meditation, melancholy and sad, he felt
himself called by a voice from heaven to arise and preach.
★ 0 you (Muhammad) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Allah magnify! Surah 74: 1-3.
★ He arose and engaged himself in the work to which he was called.
★ Khadijah RAH was the first to accept his mission.
★ She was to believe in the revelations, to abandon the idolatry of her people and to join him in purity
of heart and in offering up prayers to Allah the Almighty.
PUBLIC PREACHING: [4th Year of Prophethood] 613 AD:
★ After three years of constant but quiet struggle, only thirty followers were secured.
★ An important change now occurred in the relations of the Prophet with the citizens of Mecca.
★ His compatriots had begun to doubt his sanity, thinking him crazy or possessed by an evil spirit.
★ Hitherto he had preached quietly and unobtrusively.
★ He now decided to appeal publicly to the Meccans, requesting them to abandon their idolatry.
★ For this he arranged a gathering on a neighboring hill and there spoke to them of their folly in the
sight of Allah in worshipping pieces of stone which they called their gods. 15:94
★ He invited them to abandon their old impious worship and adopt the faith of love, truth, and purity.
★ He warned them of the fate that had overtaken past races who had not heeded the preaching of
former prophets.
★ But the gathering departed without listening to the warning given them by the Prophet.

Years of Bitter Opposition and Persecution [4th-6th Year of Prophethood] 613-615 AD:
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▪ Pagans of Makkah assumed that the Muslim believers were against the faith of their forefathers and
were insulting their idols by rejecting their worship.
▪ Therefore, they raised their opposition and persecution in the 4 th year of Prophethood.
▪ Once when the Prophet (P.b.u.h) was praying, a Quraish threw intestines of a camel on his back while
he was prostrating. They threw dirt and filth on him, his path was strewn with thorns and brambles
and he was even pelted with stones.
▪ Abu Lahab told his sons to divorce their wives who were the prophet’s daughters just to add to his
worries.
▪ During the time when there was a gap between the revelations, Makkans used to mock the Prophet
(P.b.u.h) that his God has abandoned him. They wrote poems to ridicule the Prophet (P.b.u.h) and
called him a magician, madman. They also offered him bribes through Utba bin Rabia like making him
king or marrying him to the prettiest girl so that he would stop preaching Islam.
▪ When both of the prophet’s son passed away in infancy, they called him “Abtar”- he who has no male
descendants.
▪ The cruelties of pagans for the followers of Islam become unbearable due to which Holy Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
advised his followers’ delegation of 15 [headed by Hazrat Jaffar Taiyyar (RA)] and another delegation
of 64 followers [headed by Hazrat Usman (RA)] to migrate to Abyssinia respectively.
YEAR OF MUSLIM STRENGTH: [6th year of Prophethood] 616 AD:
▪ The Muslims have got courage and strength with the consecutive events of embracing Islam by Hazrat
Hamza Radi Allahu Anhu (Uncle of Holy Prophet ‫ )ﷺ‬and Hazrat Umar Radi Allahu Anhu.
▪ They claimed & invited Muslims to offer prayer in Ka’abah and started to offer it by themselves first.
▪ Migration to Abyssinia: According to the traditional view, members of the early Muslim community in
Mecca faced persecution, which prompted Muhammad to advise them to seek refuge in Abyssinia.
▪ When the apostle saw the affliction of his companions, [...] he said to them: "If you were to go to
Abyssinia (it would be better for you), for the king will not tolerate injustice and it is a friendly country,
until such time as Allah shall relieve you from your distress."
▪ Thereupon his companions went to Abyssinia, being afraid of apostasy and fleeing to God with their
religion. This was the first Hijra in Islam.
▪ Hazrat Jaffar Taiyyar Radi Allahu Anhu (brother of Hazrat Ali Radi Allahu Anhu) gave a sensational
religious speech supported by the recitation of Surah Maryam ( 19: 1-21 and 3:45-51) before the King
of Abyssinia, Najashi (who was a Christian Emperor).
▪ After a detailed dialogue, Najashi favoured the Muslims and ordered pagans to go back and did not
return the Muslims.
YEARS OF BOYCOTT: [7th _ 9th year of Prophethood] 616-619 AD:
▪ All tribes of Quraysh proclaimed a social and economic boycott of Banu Hashim in Makkah.
▪ It was announced in 7th year and lasted by them at the end of 9th year of Prophethood.
YEAR OF GRIEF: [10th year of Prophethood] 619-620 AD:
▪ In the 10th year of Prophethood, Hazrat Khadijah RAH Razi-Allahu-Anha (first wife of Holy Prophet ‫)ﷺ‬
and Hazrat Abu Talib (dear uncle of Holy Prophet ‫ )ﷺ‬died one by one.
▪ Later, Hazrat Sawdah Razi-Allahu-Anha and Hazrat Aisha Razi-Allahu-Anha got married with Holy
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬one by one.
TAIF MISSION:
▪ People of Ta’if invited Holy Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬for preaching but when he reached there they tried to insult
him and injured him but Holy Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬did not curse them and asked guidance for them.
▪ On this occasion, Allah (SWT) gave him an option to curse the people of Ta’if. But Holy Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
prayed for their guidance and forgiveness.
▪ Almighty Allah liked his piety and called him for the holy journey of Mai’raj as it is partly described in
different Quranic passages such as worldly earth journey is indicated in Surah Isra.

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 Event of Mai’raj, Pledges of Aqabah and Migration to Yathrab
ISRA JOURNEY
▪ Event is proved by Certified Ahadith of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari and the Holy Qur’an especially 17:1.
▪ Event was held on 27th Rajjab al Murrajab12th year of Prophethood. Hazrat Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬was
awakened by Hz. Jibraaiyl (AS) and told him that Allah had conferred on him the unique honour of invitation
to His Own Presence. Hz. Jibraaiyl (AS) opened the Holy Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s breast, took out his heart, washed it
with Zamzam and filled it with the Light (Noor) of Allah and then re-placed it in his body. Then took him on
Buraq a unique bird qualitative animal brought from the heavens especially for this auspicious holy journey.
▪ Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬proceeded to Masjid-e-Aqsa from Masjid–e-Haram accompanied by Hazrat Jibraaiyl (AS) on
Buraq. He said that the journey was of two steps only [it was recorded that a person could travel that
journey in almost 90 days]. Reaching at Al Aqsa, he was welcomed by Angels and Former Prophets and they
offered 2 Rakah prayer lead by Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. Hence, he was declared Imam al Ambia on earth. Then, the
journey towards sky/heavens was started*.
JOURNEY TO SKIES/MAI’RAJ
▪ Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬met with the leader of the Angels, Hazrat Ismail (AS) at the First Sky with his staff warmly.
( )

▪ He met with Hazrat Adam (AS) there as well. He saw there an angel having half of his body of Fire and half
of ice, on query, Jibraaiyl (AS) explained that the Angel was known as Mahter Ra’ad who has a duty to start
and stop rainfall and snowfall. He saw that some people were busy in agricultural activities, Jibraaiyl (AS)
explained that they were they people of earth who always earned uprightly in the world and spent their
wealth as per Allah’s Commands. Then he saw that some Angels were stoning the heads of    humans;
Jibraaiyl (AS) explained that they were the negligent of daily prayers. Then he saw that humans, male &
female had blessings of Allah to eat but they were eating Dead bodies of prohibited; Jibraaiyl (AS) described
that they were those who were dealt in adultery (Zina), deceiving others, and were in usury.
▪ PROPHET MUHAMMAD ‫ ﷺ‬saw different scenes of the Heaven and Hell where the grant of blessings and
( )

punishments were carried out.  

▪ Then, he moved towards the 2nd Sky where he met with Hazrat Yahya (AS) and Hazrat Issa (AS) and with
an angel Mahter Qasim (AS) who assists Hazrat Mikhail (AS) in distributing food to the creatures of Allah.
Here, the leader in charge of the 2nd sky was Hazrat Jibraaiyl (AS).
▪ Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬reached to the 3rd Sky and met with the in charge angel Mahter Ma’ayl (AS) and Hazrat Yousuf
( )

(AS) who give him an advice of patience to face problems.

▪ Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was, then, transported to the 4th Sky where he met with Hazrat Idrees (AS). He was also
( )

introduced with Hazrat Izrael (AS). Prophet (AS) asked him the reasons of having his 4 faces. Hazrat Izrael
(AS) replied that with front face that is made of NUR, he possess the soul of Momineen; with the face of the
right side (made of anger);, he possess the soul of sinners; with the face of the left side (made of Qahr), he
possess the soul of hypocrites; with the face of the back side (made of fire of hell), he possess the soul of
disbelievers/unbelievers and Mushrikeen.
▪ When he reached to the 5th Sky, he met with Mahter Amayl (A.S) who was introduced as the leader in
charge of the angels there. He also met with Hazrat Haroon (A.S) who gave him some tips of public
speeches.
▪ Then, he was transported to the 6th Sky where he was welcomed by the leading in charge angel Mahter
Haayl (A.S) and by Hazrat Mussa (A.S). Hazrat Mussa (A.S) advised him to be very careful while accepting
any duty owe to Allah assigned to his Ummah as the Ummah would have weak in physic and in senses’
control (spiritually) and also with a short length of age to live their worldly lives. There, Holy Prophet
(SAWS) saw another Leading Angel on 19,000’s angels’ staff named “Mahter Maalik (A.S)”- the In charge of
the Hell.
▪ Then, he met with another angel Mahter Ridwan (A.S) who was the in charge of the Heavens. He was
offered 3 types of cups by him; first of Milk, second of Wine; and the third of Water, Prophet (SAWS)
selected the cup of Milk. Hazrat Jibraaiyl (A.S) appreciated and clarified that because of right choice of cup
your Ummah is secured from Aafaat and destructions (Azaab).
▪ After wards, he was transported to the 7th Sky till Sidrat-il-Muntaha, Hazrat Jibraaiyl (A.S) requested
Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to continue the journey on Rafraf but he would not accompany him as he was not permitted for
( )

any single step ahead. From there (Sidrat-il-Muntaha on Rafraf), he was called by Allah, the Almighty on the
ARSH-E-ULLAA for one to one meeting. THERE both, the Creator and His Best creature well conversed for
each every secret and common matters. At return, he was gifted with SALAT and unlimited glade tidings.

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▪ Next morning, he discussed the event with Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) who second his statement without any
hesitation.=======
Pledges of Aqabah
⮲ Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made great efforts in the first years of his Prophethood to invite those
people who came to Mecca for pilgrimage to Islam, as well as those who came to the emporiums
for trade purposes.
⮲ The most prolific contacts among these were the Prophet's contacts with the people of Yathrib
(Medina). He came across a delegation of six people who came from Yathrib in the 11th year of
the Prophethood (620) in Aqabah, a desolate place in Mina.
⮲ The Prophet spoke to them about Islam. These people accepted Islam.
⮲ One of them, As'ad ibn Zurarah promised that he would turn back to Yathrib and convey the new
religion to both his tribe and to the Aus tribe and that he would meet with the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬again in
Aqabah one year later.
⮲ These six people, who formed the core of the Ansar tribe, carried out great services for Islam and
as a result many people became Muslim.
⮲ In the following year (the 12th year of the Prophethood, Dhu al-Hijjah/July 621), twelve people
secretly met with Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬in Aqabah. The people of Yathrib affiliated themselves
with him and promised "not to associate any other with Allah, not to steal or perform adultery,
not to kill their children, not to slander each other, and to obey the orders of Prophet
Muhammad." This pledge is called "The First Pledge of Aqabah."
⮲ After concluding this pledge, the prophet (pbuh) said: “If you fully comply with these promises,
you will have the right to paradise; but if you fault, you will not have the right to paradise. Allah
may punish you or He may forgive you.” The new Muslims asked the prophet to send them a
Muslim who could teach the Qur’an and Islamic injunctions.
⮲ The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬sent Musab ibn Umair with them to teach them the Holy Quran and Islam, to
invite non-Muslims to Islam, and to lead them in prayer. In one year, the activities of Musab ibn
Umair, who was staying in As'ad ibn Zurarah's house, ensured the acceptance of Islam by the
leading figures of Yathrib, including the leaders of the Aus tribe, Sa'd ibn Muaz and Usaid ibn
Hudayr, and the city became a place of immigration.
⮲ As a matter of fact, in the pilgrimage season of the 13th year of the Prophethood (622), seventy-
five Yathrib Muslims (two of them women) came to Mecca with the pilgrimage caravan; the
people in the caravan were not all Muslims. Again, they secretly met the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in Aqabah.
⮲ The people of Yathrib invited the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to their city, and he read some verses from the Holy
Quran, and reminded them that they must devote themselves to Islam.
⮲ Then he listed the terms of the second pledge of Aqabah: the Prophet told them to pledge that
if he were to come to their city they would protect him and all the Meccans Muslims as if they
were protecting their own children, wives or property, that they would remain obedient to the
Prophet during the good times and the bad times, that they would provide financial help during
times of affluence and times of hardship, that they would order what is good and prevent what is
bad, and that they would fear no one and remain righteous.
⮲ All of the Yathrib people accepted these terms and gave their pledges. The Prophet chose twelve
representatives (naqib) among them.
⮲ The Prophet assigned As'ad ibn Zurarah as the head of other eleven representatives.
⮲ The second Aqabah Pledge is sometimes referred to as the bay‘atul-harb (battle pledge), as it
contains points concerned with warfare.
⮲ Yathrib (Medina) is located at a strategic point that could have led to encounters with the
Quraish; caravans going to Syria, Palestine and Iraq from the north had to pass through this area.
Pledge of Aqabah included the following:

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1. We shall not associate anyone with Allah (The One God): whether in worship, His attributes, His
power or His authority.
2. We shall not indulge in adultery, fornication, and practice or propagate any other indecency.
3. We shall not steal or rob anyone’s property in any manner or under any pretense.
4. We shall not practice the custom of killing children.
5. We shall not falsely accuse or backbite anyone.
6. We shall not disobey you in good deeds and just cause.
7. We shall always follow you, be it hard or easy, to our liking or not, and we shall act according to
your commands.
8. We shall follow and obey your decisions even if it be against ourselves and in favor of others.
9. We shall not participate in opposing the deserving persons of authority or positions.
10. We shall support the truth and justice and stand firm under all circumstances.
In matters of Allah’s religion, we shall not be afraid for our name, disrepute, disgrace, or blame
Migration to Yathrab
◻ The Hijra is the migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, 320 kilometers
(200 miles) north, in 622 CE.
◻ Muhammad instructed his followers to immigrate to Medina until nearly all of them left Mecca.
◻ According to tradition, Meccans, alarmed at the departure, plotted to assassinate Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬
◻ In June 622, when he was warned of the plot, Muhammad slipped out of Mecca with his
companion, Abu Bakr.
◻ On the night of his departure, Muhammad’s house was besieged by the appointed men of
Quraish.
◻ It is said that when Muhammad emerged from his house, he recited a verse from the Quran and
threw a handful of dust in the direction of the besiegers, which prevented them seeing him.
◻ When the Quraish learned of Muhammad’s escape, they announced a large reward for bringing
him back to them, alive or dead, and pursuers scattered in all directions.
◻ After eight days’ journey, Muhammad entered the outskirts of Medina, but did not enter the city
directly.
◻ He stopped at a place called Quba, some miles from the main city, and established a mosque
there.
◻ After a fourteen-days stay at Quba, Muhammad started for Medina, participating in his first
Friday prayer on the way, and upon reaching the city was greeted cordially by its people.
✵ When Quraish redoubled their persecution on Holy Prophet (SAWS) and his followers, he advised
his followers to migrate to Yasrab in small groups and families. But he waited for the permission
of Almighty Allah.
✵ Meanwhile, pagans plotted a killing plan for the Prophet & his followers which Allah Almighty
disclosed before His last messenger in Surah al-Anfaal (8:30) and advised him to migrate to
Yasrab.
✵ Holy Prophet (SAWS), after assigning the duty to Hazrat Ali Razi-Allahu-Anha to return the
valuables of the people of Quraish, migrated to Yasrab with his closest companion Hazrat Abu
Bakr Radi-Allahu-Anhu.
BETWEEN MAKKAH AND MADINAH: [13th Year of Prophethood] 622 AD
✵ Cave Saur: Jabal Thawr (Mount Bull) is the name of a mountain in Saudi Arabia, located in the
lower part of Mecca to the south of the district of Misfalah. Height of the mountain is 1,405 m
(4,610 ft.)
✵ The cave of Saur is a symbol of the migration to Madina. The prophet (saw) lived in it with Abu
Bakr (RA) for three days.
✵ The pagans were very close to them but a spider made its web and the pigeons also lay eggs
which prevented the pagans to see into the cave.
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✵ If Mohammad (SAWS) had failed in escaping from Makkah, Islam could not survive. He could not
establish a model Islamic state in Madina without this migration.
✵ In the cave, the enemies were so close that both Abu Bakr (RA) and Mohammad (SAWS) could be
caught easily but Mohammad (SAWS) said to Abu Bakr (RA):  “Don’t worry, Allah is with us”.
✵ He and his companions always trusted God.
✵ Saur also teaches us that fighting is not the only solution to every problem. Intelligent strategy is
also important in life.
✵ The occasion is so important that the Quran talks about it: “The two were in the cave, and he said
to his companion, ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with us”.  (9:40)
✵ The experience of Thawr is a symbol of migration to Madina.
✵ In Madinah, the Prophet (SAWS) established the Islamic model state where the Muslims were safe
to practice Islam. From Madinah, Islam became an international religion.
✵ Hazrat Muhammad (SAWS) accompanied with Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) stayed at Quba on 8 th Rabi ul
Awwal of 622 A.D.
✵ Quba is situated 3 miles away from Madinah (Yasrab). This place was also known as quarters of
Bani Salem.
✵ Hazrat Ali (RA) joined him at this place and then they laid the foundation of the first Masjid of
Islam on earth named “Masjid-e-Quba”. Holy Prophet (SAWS) led the First Friday’s Congregational
Prayer and then left Quba for Yasrab.
==================================================
3.1 Give an account of the events of the Prophet’s night journey [Isra wal Mai’raj]. [10]
3.2 Trace the events that led up to the Prophet’s migration (Hijra). [10]
Questions
1. How old was the Holy Prophet when his father died?
2. How did Abu Talib and his wife treat the Prophet?
3. Why did people call the Holy Prophet Sadiq and Amin?
Exercises
3.1(a) Give an account of the Prophet's first experience of receiving revelation. [10]
(b) Explain the meaning of the title ‘Seal of the Prophets’. [4]
3.2(a) Write about the life of the Prophet up until the first revelation. [10]
(b) Why was his relationship with his wife Khadijah RAH important for him? [4]
3.3(a) Trace the events that led up to the Prophet’s migration (Hijra). [10]
(b) Explain the importance of the Pledges of ‘Aqaba to the Prophet in the
period leading up to the migration. [4]
3.4(a) Describe the events relating to the Prophet’s experiences in caves. [10]
(b) Explain the significance of one of these experiences for the development of Islam. [4]
3.5(a) Describe the main difficulties encountered by the Prophet himself during
his time in Makkah after his call to Prophethood. [10]
(b) How does his conduct in one of these difficulties provide an example for Muslims today? [4]
3.7(a) Give an account of the events of the Prophet’s night journey [Isra wal Mai’raj]. [10]
(b) Explain the importance of this event to the Prophet himself. [4]

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