The Noble Prophetic Biography

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all creation. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, sent as a mercy to all worlds, and upon his family, companions, and those who call to his message and follow his guidance with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed:
Indeed, Allah the Exalted chose Muhammad ﷺ as a trustworthy messenger and a clear teacher. He selected for him a straight religion and guided him, through His Book, to a straight path. Allah made him a leader for all of humanity and the seal of all prophetic legislations, bringing the series of prophethood to a close. Allah, Most High, said:
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And Allah is ever, over all things, Knowing.” (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:40)

The Lineage and Birth of the Prophet ﷺ

Speech becomes eloquent, conversation turns delightful, and gatherings are blessed when speaking about the master of creation ﷺ. In this blessed meeting, we will discuss the purity of his lineage, the nobility of his origins, and the honor of his ancestry. He ﷺ is the most noble of creation, the most perfect in character, and the most excellent in form.
Qadi Iyad said: “There is no dispute that he is the most honored of humanity, the master of the children of Adam, the most favored of people in the sight of Allah, the highest in rank, and the closest to Allah in proximity.”
Shaykh Abdullah Al-Basnawi remarked: “His noble, pure body was created from the purest of human lineages, the finest of noble ancestries, and the most precious essence of genealogies, descending from the best of generations, the most honorable tribes, and the noblest clans.”
Imam Al-Busiri alluded to this in his famous poems:
In the Burda, he said:
“His birth revealed the purity of his origin—how blessed the beginning and the end!”
And in the Hamziyyah, he stated:
“In the depths of existence, mothers and fathers were chosen for you from the best of creation.”
Wathila b. al-Asqa’ reported: “I heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ saying: Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Isma’il, and he granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana, and he granted eminence to Banu Hashim amongst the Quraish, and he granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the most exalted lineage and the highest status. He is Muhammad, bin (son of) Abdullah, bin Abdul Muttalib, bin Hashim, bin Abd Manaf, bin Qusayy, bin Kilab, bin Murrah, bin Ka‘b, bin Lu’ayy, bin Ghalib, bin Fihr, bin Malik, bin Al-Nadr, son of Kinanah, bin Khuzaymah, bin Mudrikah, bin Ilyas, bin Mudar, bin Nizar, bin Ma‘ad, bin Adnan.
The Prophet’s father, Abdullah, married Amina bint Wahb. The Prophet ﷺ was born on a Monday, the 12th of Rabi’ Al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant, the year when Abraha attempted to destroy the Ka‘bah. However, the Arabs stood against him, and Abdul Muttalib famously declared, “The House has a Lord who will protect it.” Abraha marched with his elephants (that refused to comply to them even after being tortured), but Allah sent birds carrying stones of fire that annihilated his army, protecting the Sacred House from harm.
“Have you not seen ˹O Prophet˺ how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant? * Did He not frustrate their scheme? * For He sent against them flocks of birds * that pelted them with stones of baked clay * leaving them like chewed up straw.” (Surah Al-Fil)
Before his marriage to Amina bint Wahb, Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib (the father of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) passed by a soothsaying Jewish woman who had studied the scriptures. Her name was Fatimah. She saw in his face the light of Prophethood and hoped to conceive this noble Prophet ﷺ, but he refused.
Then, Abdul Muttalib took Abdullah to Wahb ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah, who was a man of noble lineage and honor, and married him to his daughter Amina, who was, at the time, the most distinguished woman in Quraysh in both lineage and status. Abdullah consummated the marriage with her on a Monday, during the days of Mina, in the valley of Abu Talib, and she conceived the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Afterward, Abdullah left her and passed by the woman who had previously made him the offer. He said to her, “Why do you not make the same offer to me today as you did yesterday?” She replied, “The light that was with you yesterday has left you, so I have no need for you today. I only wished for the light to be in me, but Allah willed for it to be placed where He chose.”
Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn ‘A’idh reported that the Prophet ﷺ remained in his mother’s womb for a full nine months, during which she did not experience any pain, cramps, discomfort, or any of the usual ailments that affect pregnant women. She used to say, “By Allah, I have never seen a pregnancy lighter nor more blessed than this one.”
When she had completed two months of her pregnancy, Abdullah passed away in Madinah while visiting his maternal relatives from Banu Najjar and was buried in Al-Abwa. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ was born an orphan. Allah says: “Did He not find you an orphan and give you refuge?” (Surah Ad-Duha, 93:6).

His Life in the Forty Years Before Prophethood

Abdullah bin Umar and Ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that there was a monk in Marr al-Zahran from the people of Sham (Syria) named ‘Ays, who used to say, “It is about to happen that a child will be born among you, O people of Mecca, to whom the Arabs will submit and the non-Arabs will be ruled. This is the time of his birth.” He would inquire about every newborn in Mecca. So, when the morning came on the day the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born, Abdul Muttalib went out and called ‘Ays, who appeared and said, “Be his father, for that child has been born whom I have been telling you about. He will be born on a Monday, will be sent as a prophet on a Monday, and will die on a Monday.”
‘Ays then asked, “What did you name him?” Abdul Muttalib replied, “I named him Muhammad.” ‘Ays said, “By Allah, I had hoped that this child would be born among you, the people of this house, for three reasons: his star appeared last night, he was born today, and his name is Muhammad (peace be upon him).”
Among the wonders of his birth (peace be upon him) is what has been narrated about the trembling of the palace of Kisra, the fall of fourteen turrets from its towers, the drying up of Lake Tiberias, and the extinguishing of the fire of Persia, which had burned for a thousand years without going out, as narrated by many. Among these signs also was the increase in the guarding of the heavens with shooting stars, the halting of the monitoring by the devils, and their being prevented from eavesdropping. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was born circumcised and with his umbilical cord cut, as narrated by Ibn Umar and others. And Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Among the honors I have from my Lord is that I was born circumcised, and no one saw my private parts.”
This narration emphasizes the divine signs and miracles surrounding the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), said: A Jew had settled in Mecca, and when the night the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was born came, he said, “O Quraysh, has a child been born among you this night?” They replied, “We do not know.” He said, “Look, for a prophet of this nation has been born this night; there is a mark between his shoulders.” So they left and asked, and it was told to them that Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib had a son born. The Jew went with them to his mother, and she brought the child out to them. When the Jew saw the mark, he fell unconscious. He then said, “Prophethood has gone from the Children of Israel, O Quraysh! By Allah, a great fate will befall you, and its news will spread from the east to the west.”
This narration was reported by Ya’qub ibn Sufyan with a good chain of transmission, as found in Fath al-Bari.
Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was nursed by Halimah As-Sa‘diyyah. Halimah said: I arrived in Makkah with a group of women from Banu Sa’d bin Bakr, seeking children to nurse in a year of severe drought. I came on my she-donkey, and with me was my son and a she-camel. By Allah, we did not have a single drop of milk, and we couldn’t sleep that night because of our child. We found nothing in my breast to nourish him, nor anything in the she-camel to nourish him. When we reached Makkah, I swear by Allah, there was not a single woman among us who was not offered the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to nurse, but they all refused when they were told that he was an orphan. By Allah, none of my companions took him, and when I found no other child to nurse, I said to my husband, “I dislike returning from the homes of my companions without a child to nurse. I will go to that orphan and take him.” So, I went, and when I saw him, he was wrapped in a white woolen cloth, with the fragrance of musk emanating from him. He was lying on his back, sleeping. I hesitated to wake him because of his beauty and perfection. I approached him slowly, placed my hand on his chest, and he smiled, laughing. He opened his eyes and looked at me. From his eyes, a light emerged and ascended to the heavens as I looked on. I kissed him between his eyes, then offered him my right breast, and he drank as much milk as he wished. I moved him to my left breast, but he refused. This remained his condition afterward.
She continued: ‘So, I took him, and as soon as I brought him to my tent, my breasts began to produce milk as much as Allah willed, and he drank until he was full. His brother drank until he was full too. Then, my husband went to our she-camel, and she was full of milk. He milked her, and we drank until we were full. That night we spent in the best of conditions. My husband said, “By Allah, Halimah, I can see that you have taken a blessed child. Didn’t you notice how we spent the night in goodness and blessing since we took him?” Allah kept increasing us in goodness.’
Halimah continued: ‘I then bid farewell to the mother of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and mounted my she-donkey, carrying him in front of me. I outpaced all the other animals with my companions, and they were amazed at how fast I was. When we reached the dwellings of Banu Sa’d, I didn’t know of any land more barren than it, but my sheep would return to me full of milk. We would milk them, drink, and no one else could get a drop of milk from their sheep. The people of our tribe would say to their shepherds, “Let your flocks graze where the flock of the daughter of Abu Dhuyb grazes,” and their sheep would return hungry, without a drop of milk, while mine would return full of milk.’
This narration highlights the great blessings and miracles associated with the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), particularly the abundant blessings that Halimaha and her family received after taking him as a child to nurse.
Muhammad ﷺ grew up remarkably different from other youths in strength, resilience, and character.
When the Prophet ﷺ reached the age of two, Halimah returned him to his mother, Amina. Concerned about his health and the conditions in Makkah, she requested to keep him a while longer, and Amina agreed. During this time, a significant event occurred.
One day, Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was playing with other children. Jibril laid him down, opened his chest, removed a portion from his heart, and said, “This is Satan’s portion in you.” He then washed the heart with Zamzam water in a golden basin, sealed it, and returned it to its place. This incident, known as the “Splitting of the Chest,” was pivotal and marked the moment Halimah decided to return him to his mother. Imam Muslim narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was playing with the boys when Jibril came to him, laid him down, split his chest, took out his heart, extracted a clot, and said, ‘This is Satan’s portion in you.’ Then he washed it with Zamzam water in a golden basin, sealed it, and returned it to its place.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Then he took my hand and gently helped me up from my place. He then said to the first (angel), ‘Weigh him against ten of his Ummah.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them. (in merit) Then he said, ‘Weigh him against a hundred of his Ummah.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them. Then he said, ‘Weigh him against a thousand.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them.”
Then he said, “Leave him, for if you were to weigh him against his entire Ummah, he would outweigh them all.”
Then they embraced me against their chests, kissed my head and between my eyes, and said, “O beloved, do not fear. If you knew the good that is destined for you, your eyes would be filled with joy.”
This event reflects the divine care and preparation for the Prophet ﷺ’s future mission.
After this incident, Halimah feared that harm might befall him, so she returned him to his mother and told her the story. However, Amina was not afraid and said to her, “I saw a light emerge from me that illuminated the palaces of Sham.”

His Guardianship

The Prophet’s mother, Amina bint Wahb, passed away when he was six years old. She was returning with him from Al-Abwa, a region located between Makkah and Madinah, where she had visited his maternal uncles from the Banu Adiyy clan of Banu Najjar.
After her passing, he came under the care of his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, who looked after him with great affection, believing in his remarkable future. However, Abdul Muttalib passed away when the Prophet ﷺ was only eight years old.
The Prophet ﷺ then came under the guardianship of his uncle, Abu Talib, who took on the responsibility of raising him. Abu Talib would often take him along on his trade journeys. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reached twelve years of age, he went with his uncle, Abu Talib, to Syria until they reached Busra. There, they met a monk named Buhaira, whose real name was Jirjis. Buhaira recognized him by his description and, while holding his hand, said, “This is the leader of the worlds. This is the one whom Allah will send as a mercy to the worlds.” He was asked, “How do you know this?” He replied, “When you reached the hilltop near the pass, every tree and rock prostrated before him. Nothing prostrates except for a prophet. I recognize him by the Seal of Prophethood, which is located beneath the joint of his shoulder, resembling an apple. We find this description in our scriptures.”
Buhaira then asked Abu Talib to take him back, fearing for his safety from the Jews. At that time, seven Romans approached, intending to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). Buhaira met them and asked, “What brings you here?” They replied, “This prophet is going to appear this month, and we have sent people to every road to search for him.” Buhaira asked, “Do you think anyone can stop what Allah has willed to happen?” They replied, “No.” Bahira then said, “So, pledge allegiance to him,” and they stayed with him. Abu Talib then took the Prophet (peace be upon him) and returned him.
This narration refers to the incident when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was recognized by the Christian monk Buhaira and highlights the early signs of his prophethood.

His Work as a Shepherd

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ worked as a shepherd, tending to the sheep of the people of Makkah. He ﷺ once said:
“Allah did not send any prophet except that he tended sheep.” His companions asked, “Even you?” He replied, “Yes, I used to tend them for a few qirats (a portion of a dinar or dirham) for the people of Makkah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Through this work, the Prophet ﷺ exemplified the dignity of earning a livelihood through honest labor and served as a role model in striving for sustenance.

His Work in Trade

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her) was a wealthy woman of noble lineage who was engaged in trade. When she learned of Muhammad ﷺ’s honesty, trustworthiness, and noble character, she entrusted him to travel as a merchant with her wealth, accompanied by her servant Maysarah, in return for a wage.
The Prophet ﷺ traveled to the lands of Sham (Greater Syria) for trade. During the journey, he rested under the shade of a tree near a monk. The monk told Maysarah that no one had ever rested beneath that tree except a prophet. Maysarah relayed the monk’s words to Khadijah upon their return.
Impressed by his character and the monk’s observation, Khadijah proposed marriage to the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ married her, and she was known in the pre-Islamic period as “At-Tahirah” (the Pure One). She was previously married to Abu Halah ibn Zurarah At-Tamimi, with whom she bore two sons, Hind and Halah. Then she married Atiq ibn A’idh Al-Makhzumi, and she bore him a son named Hind.
When the Prophet ﷺ married her, she was forty years old or slightly older. She had offered herself to him in marriage, and he mentioned this to his uncles. So Hamzah went with him to Khuwailid ibn Asad and proposed on his behalf, and thus he ﷺ married her.

His Participation in Rebuilding the Ka‘bah

The Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka‘bah to protect it from collapse caused by flooding. They agreed to use only pure and lawful wealth, free from usury or injustice, for its construction. Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah was the first to begin the demolition, after which the Quraysh gradually worked on rebuilding it.
When they reached the placement of the Black Stone, a dispute arose among the tribes over who would have the honor of placing it in its position. To resolve the conflict, they agreed to accept the judgment of the first person to enter the area. That person was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ proposed a solution: he placed the Black Stone on a cloth and asked representatives from each tribe to hold a corner of the cloth and lift it together. Once it was brought to its place, the Prophet ﷺ himself positioned it.
Through his wisdom and fairness, the Prophet ﷺ prevented a major dispute among the tribes of Quraysh and maintained peace and harmony.

The Beginning of Revelation

Al-Bukhari narrated in the section on interpretation that Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), said: “The first thing with which the revelation began for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the true vision in sleep. He would not see a vision except that it would come as clear as the break of dawn.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to retreat alone to the Cave of Hira during the month of Ramadan, distancing himself from falsehood and reflecting deeply on the creation and magnificence of Allah. During one such retreat, the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) appeared to him and said, “Read!” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I am not a reader.” The command was repeated three times, and each time the Prophet ﷺ gave the same response. Finally, the angel said:
“Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know.” (Surah Al-‘Alaq: 1-5)
The Prophet ﷺ, overwhelmed by the experience, returned with his heart trembling, until he entered upon Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, “Cover me, cover me!” So they covered him until his fear subsided. Then he said, “O Khadijah, what is happening to me?” and he informed her of what had occurred, saying, “I fear for myself.” She replied, “Never! Rejoice, for by Allah, He will never disgrace you. Indeed, you uphold the ties of kinship, speak the truth, bear the burdens of others, honor the guest, and assist in all matters of truth.”
It has also been narrated that Jibril appeared to the Prophet ﷺ in the most beautiful form and with the purest fragrance. He said, “O Muhammad, Allah sends you His greetings of peace and says to you: You are His Messenger to the jinn and mankind, so call them to say: ‘There is no god but Allah.’”
Then Jibril struck the ground with his foot, and a spring of water gushed forth. He performed wudu from it and then commanded the Prophet ﷺ to perform wudu as well. Jibril then stood to pray and commanded the Prophet ﷺ to pray with him, thus teaching him wudu and prayer.
After comforting him, Khadijah took him to her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a learned man who had embraced Christianity and used to write the Gospel in Hebrew. After hearing the Prophet’s account, Waraqah said:
“This is the same angel who was sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live to see the day when your people will expel you.” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Will they expel me?” Waraqah replied, “Yes, no one has ever brought what you have brought without facing opposition. If I live to see that day, I will support you with all my strength.”
Shortly after, Waraqah passed away, and revelation temporarily ceased. This pause in revelation served to calm and prepare the Prophet ﷺ for the great mission ahead.
One day, while in solitude, the Prophet ﷺ heard a voice from the sky. It was Jibreel descending with the words of Allah:
“O you who are wrapped up [in garments], arise and warn, and glorify your Lord, and purify your garments, and shun the idols.” (Surah Al-Muddathir: 1-5) With this command, Allah instructed the Prophet ﷺ to begin his mission of calling people to the worship of Allah alone.

The Meccan Period: The Secret Phase of the Prophetic Mission

The conditions in Makkah were not conducive to openly preaching Islam, as idol worship and polytheism were deeply entrenched in society. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began his mission in secrecy. He first invited his close family and those he saw as truthful and eager to seek the truth.
The first to accept his call were his wife Khadijah, his servant Zayd ibn Harithah, his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib, and his close friend Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them all). Abu Bakr, in turn, played a significant role in supporting the Prophet ﷺ and spreading the message. Through his efforts, several notable figures embraced Islam, including Uthman ibn Affan, Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam, Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, and Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with them).
Gradually, Islam began to spread in Makkah, gaining a small but devoted group of followers. After three years of secrecy, the Prophet ﷺ was commanded by Allah to proclaim the message openly, marking a new phase in his mission.

The Beginning of the Public Prophetic Mission

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began openly inviting his tribe to Islam, following the command of Allah: “And warn your closest kindred” (Surah Ash-Shu‘ara: 214). He ascended Mount Safa and called upon the clans of Quraysh, urging them to worship Allah alone and abandon idolatry.
However, his message was met with mockery and rejection from many. Despite their ridicule, the Prophet ﷺ remained steadfast in his mission, continuing to call people to the truth with patience and determination.
Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah accused him of sorcery, and his people followed him in that accusation. Quraysh harmed him, calling him a poet, a soothsayer, and insane. Some of them would throw dust on his head, while others would smear blood on his door ﷺ.
‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt stepped on his noble neck while he was prostrating near the Ka‘bah, pressing down until his eyes nearly bulged out. They strangled him violently until Abu Bakr intervened, but they pulled Abu Bakr’s head and beard so forcefully that most of his hair fell out. Abu Bakr then said, “Will you kill a man just because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?” ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt later grabbed the shoulder of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, wrapped his garment around his neck, and strangled him violently.
According to Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ was praying near the Ka‘bah while a group of Quraysh were gathered in their usual seats. One of them said, “Do you not see this pretender? Who among you will bring the entrails and blood of the slaughtered camel of so-and-so, wait until he prostrates, and then place it on his back?” The most wretched among them got up and, when the Prophet ﷺ went into prostration, placed it between his shoulders. The Prophet ﷺ remained in prostration, while they laughed so hard that they fell over one another.
Someone went to inform Fatimah, the Prophet’s ﷺ daughter, who was still a young girl. She came running and removed it from his back, then turned to rebuke them. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished his prayer, he supplicated: “O Allah, deal with Quraysh!” He then named them: “O Allah, deal with ‘Amr ibn Hisham, ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt, and ‘Umara ibn al-Walid.”
Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud said, “By Allah, I saw them all lying dead on the day of Badr, and they were dragged to the pit of Badr.” The Prophet ﷺ then said, “The curse followed the people of the pit.” This applied to most of them, though ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt was not killed at Badr but was executed after they had traveled a short distance beyond it. Umayyah ibn Khalaf was not thrown into the pit, and ‘Umara ibn al-Walid perished in Abyssinia.
Then, Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib embraced Islam in the sixth year of Prophethood. He was the most honored and resolute young man of Quraysh. With his conversion, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gained strength, and Quraysh refrained somewhat from harming him.
Quraysh then approached the Prophet ﷺ and said, “If you seek honor among us, we will make you our leader. If you seek kingship, we will make you our king. If what comes to you is a spirit that has overpowered you, we will spend our wealth to seek a cure for you until you are healed or until we have done all we can.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I am not afflicted with what you say. Rather, Allah has sent me as a Messenger and revealed a Book to me. He has commanded me to be a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to you. I have conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you sincerely. If you accept what I have brought, it will be your success in this life and the Hereafter. If you reject it, I will remain patient with Allah’s decree until He judges between me and you.”
As the number of Muslims increased and faith became more apparent, the disbelievers of Quraysh began torturing and harming those who had embraced Islam, trying to force them to abandon their religion. Abu Jahl once passed by Sumayyah, the mother of ‘Ammar ibn Yasir, while she was being tortured and stabbed her with a spear, killing her.
Whenever Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by any enslaved person being tortured, he would purchase them and set them free. Among those he freed were Bilal and ‘Amir Ibn Fuhairah.
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “The first to openly declare Islam were seven: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ‘Ammar, his mother Sumayyah, Suhayb, Bilal, and al-Miqdad. As for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah protected him through his uncle Abu Talib. As for Abu Bakr, his people defended him. But the rest were seized by the polytheists, who tortured them, made them wear iron coats, and left them to bake under the sun. Bilal endured this for the sake of Allah, and his people considered him insignificant. They gave him to the youth, who dragged him through the streets of Makkah while he kept repeating, “Ahad! Ahad! (Allah is One! Allah is One!)”
His uncle, Abu Talib, took it upon himself to protect the Prophet ﷺ, shielding him from the hostility of Quraysh. Abu Talib’s support was unwavering, and he refused to succumb to the pressures of Quraysh to hinder the Prophet’s mission.

The Boycott

The Quraysh tribes agreed to impose a boycott on the Prophet ﷺ and those who believed in him, isolating them in the valley of Banu Hashim. The boycott included prohibiting trade, buying, or selling with them, as well as forbidding marriages between them and others. The terms were documented on a parchment and hung on the wall of the Kaaba.
The siege lasted for three years and caused immense suffering. It ended when Hisham ibn Amr, Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah, and others conspired to terminate the boycott. They went to tear the document and found it had been destroyed except for the phrase “In Your Name, O Allah.” This miraculous event marked the end of the boycott.

The Year of Sorrow

In the Year of Sorrow, Khadijah, who had been a great support to the Prophet ﷺ, passed away three years before his migration to Medina. In the same year, Abu Talib, who had been protecting the Prophet from the harm of the Quraysh, fell seriously ill. The Quraysh took advantage of his illness and began to intensify their persecution of the Prophet.
A group of Quraysh leaders went to Abu Talib during his illness, asking him to stop the Prophet from spreading his message. Abu Talib spoke to the Prophet ﷺ about their demands, but he did not yield to them. Before Abu Talib’s death, the Prophet ﷺ tried to urge him to recite the shahada (testimony of faith), but he did not respond, passing away in his previous state.
The Prophet ﷺ was deeply saddened by the deaths of both Abu Talib and Khadijah, as they were his main sources of support, protection, and care. This year became known as the Year of Sorrow.

The Call Outside Makkah

Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to Ta’if because of the harm he had suffered from Quraysh after the death of Abu Talib. He was accompanied by Zaid ibn Haritha. He stayed there for a month, inviting the leaders of Thaqif to Allah. However, they did not respond to him and incited their foolish people and slaves to insult him. They threw stones at him until his sandals were soaked in blood. When he was struck by the stones, he would sit on the ground, and they would lift him by his arms. Once he stood up, they would stone him again while laughing. Zaid ibn Haritha protected him with his own body, even to the point that I saw him injured on his head.
In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, from the narration of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Was there a day more difficult for you than the Day of Uhud?” He replied, “I met great harm from your people, and the most difficult day I faced from them was the Day of Al-Aqaba” when I offered myself to Ibn Abd Ya’lel ibn Abd Kulal, but he did not accept what I wanted. I left, feeling dejected, he said, along the way, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made a famous supplication (dua), saying:
“O Allah, I complain to You of my weakness, my lack of resources, and my humiliation before the people. O Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. You are the Lord of the weak. To whom do You entrust me? To a distant enemy who will oppress me, or to a close friend to whom You have given authority over me? As long as You are not angry with me, I do not mind, but Your mercy is more expansive for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your face, through which the heavens and earth are illuminated, and through which the darkness is dispelled. Through it, the affairs of this world and the Hereafter are set right. I seek refuge in You from Your anger or from Your displeasure. To You belongs all the praise until You are satisfied, and there is no power or strength except through You.”
“And walked until I was at the place called Qarn al-Thalib. I raised my head, and suddenly a cloud shaded me. I looked, and in it was Jibril (Gabriel) who called out to me, saying: “Indeed, Allah has heard the words of your people and their rejection of you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so you may command him as you wish.”
The Angel of the Mountains called out to me, greeted me, and said: “O Muhammad, indeed, Allah has heard the words of your people and their rejection of you. I am the Angel of the Mountains, and I have been sent by your Lord to you so you may command me. If you wish, I can cause the two mountains to collapse upon them.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “No, I hope that Allah will bring out from their descendants those who worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stayed in Ta’if for ten days.
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) left the people of Ta’if, he passed by the garden of Utbah and Shaybah, the sons of Rabi’ah. When they saw what he had suffered, their compassion was stirred. They sent him with their Christian servant, Addas, a bunch of grapes. When the grapes were placed before him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed his hand in the bunch and said, “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah). Then he ate.
Addas looked at his face and said, “By Allah, this is not the way the people of this land speak.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, “Where are you from, and what is your religion?” Addas replied, “I am a Christian from Nineveh.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “From the village of the righteous man, Yunus ibn Matta.” Addas replied, “How do you know about him?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “He is my brother; he was a prophet just like me.” Then, Addas fell to the ground, kissing the hands, head, and feet of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and embraced Islam.
Then he ﷺ set out back to Makkah. When he reached Nakhlah, he stood in the middle of the night to pray. At that moment, a group of jinn—nine in number, or as some say, seven—passed by him. They were from Nasibin, a blessed city in Sham, and they were among the leaders and most numerous of the jinn. They were the first group sent by Iblis when he dispatched his troops to investigate why they had been prevented from eavesdropping on the heavens. When they heard the recitation of the Prophet ﷺ, they immediately turned back to their people as warners, having believed and responded to what they had heard. Allah ﷻ informed His Prophet ﷺ about them in His words:
“And [remember] when We directed a group of jinn towards you, listening to the Qur’an…” (Surah Al-Ahqaf: 29).
The correct view is that the Prophet ﷺ did not see them that night. Ibn Ishaq narrated this, and others followed him in stating that the jinn’s listening at Nakhlah occurred when the Prophet ﷺ was returning alone from Ta’if.
However, Sahih Al-Bukhari records a report from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that this event happened when the Prophet ﷺ was traveling with a group of his companions toward the Ukaz market, where the jinn heard him leading them in Fajr prayer. This authenticated narration takes precedence over others.
This is further supported by the narration in Jami‘ At-Tirmidhi, also from Ibn Abbas, which was graded authentic. He reported that when the jinn saw the Prophet ﷺ praying with his companions, who followed him in prayer and prostration, they were amazed at their obedience to him. They then said to their people:
“And that when the servant of Allah stood up calling upon Him, they almost crowded upon him in masses.” (Surah Al-Jinn: 19).
Allah ﷻ mentioned in the holy Quran this incident:
Say, [O Muhammad], “It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, ‘Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur’an [i.e., recitation] * It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone. * And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son * And that our foolish one [i.e., Iblees] has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression. * And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allah a lie. * And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden [i.e., sin]. * And they had thought, as you thought, that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger].

The Migration to Abyssinia

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions to migrate to the land of Abyssinia due to the torture and harm they were facing in Makkah. He informed them that there was a king there under whom no one would be wronged. Consequently, they migrated, marking the first migration in Islam, and their number was eighty-three men and eighteen women. When the Quraysh learned about the migration, they sent Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi’ah and Amr ibn al-As with gifts and offerings to the Negus, the king of Abyssinia, asking him to return the Muslim migrants, arguing that they had abandoned their faith. However, the Negus did not comply with their request. The Negus asked the Muslims to explain their stance, and Ja’far ibn Abi Talib spoke on their behalf. He explained to the Negus that the Prophet ﷺ had guided them to the path of righteousness and away from immorality and vices, which led to them facing harm and persecution. Ja’far also recited the beginning of Surah Maryam, and the Negus wept deeply. He informed the Quraysh envoys that he would not hand over any of the Muslims and returned their gifts to them. However, the envoys returned the following day, claiming that the Muslims had misinterpreted the teachings about Jesus, son of Mary. Upon hearing their view of Jesus, the Muslims explained that he was a servant and messenger of Allah. The Negus then affirmed their belief and sent back Abdullah and Amr.