M. Asım Köksal – Islamic History (Book 1: Meccan Period) – Summary
M. Âsım Köksal's Islamic History (The Prophet of Prophets: Hz. Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and Islam) is a definitive reference work that narrates the life of the Prophet with unwavering fidelity to the Quran, hadith, and primary siyar (prophetic biography) sources. Written in a straightforward, documentary style free from personal interpretation, the work was composed as a direct rebuttal to the claims of the Italian Orientalist Leone Caetani. Originally spanning 18 volumes, this monumental study has also been published by Işık Yayınları in a more accessible 8-volume edition, physically compiled into 4 books, with two volumes bound together in each to enhance readability. In this post, you will find my personal review of the work, along with a detailed 14-part summary of the first two volumes, which cover the Meccan period—from the Prophet's birth and childhood through his youth and the events preceding and following his prophethood.
Book Review: Asım Köksal – Islamic History
Asım Köksal states that the primary motivation behind writing this work—titled Islamic History: The Prophet of Prophets, Hz. Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and Islam—was the errors and fabrications he identified in the 10-volume History of Islam by the Italian Orientalist Leone Caetani. He explains:
"After spending five years meticulously examining the 10-volume work written by the Italian Orientalist Caetani with the assistance of various orientalists, professors, and priests—and later translated into Turkish by Hüseyin Cahid under the title Islamic History—we documented countless errors, baseless accusations, and slanders. Following the publication of our 'Refutation' addressing these issues—without which we might never have found the resolve, courage, and strength to compile and disseminate authentic information about our Prophet and Islam directly from our own sources, foremost among them the Holy Quran and the hadith and sunnah collections—we took the first step toward writing this book, which we titled Hz. Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and Islam. That step was retiring from our post at the Directorate of Religious Affairs, where we had served for 31 years."
The book is, in essence, a source-text. Köksal refrains from inserting his own opinions or interpretations, instead choosing to transmit information directly from the classical sources. As a reader, you will immediately notice that it is a densely informative work. For those wishing to conduct their own research, the extensive footnotes and comprehensive bibliography provide invaluable guidance.
Because the author opted for a direct transmission of source material to produce a reference work, he includes multiple—and at times divergent—accounts found across different sources regarding a single event or piece of information. To illustrate, here is the passage concerning the dating of the Isra and Mi'raj (the Night Journey and Ascension):
"The Isra and Mi'raj event took place in the twelfth year of prophethood, occurring either eighteen months, sixteen months, fourteen months, or one year before the Prophet's migration to Medina. Some narrations place it eight months before the Hijra, in the month of Rajab, on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab. Other narrations also exist."
Işık Yayınları has published Köksal's original 18-volume siyar work in an 8-volume format, physically combined into 4 books. The publisher merged two volumes per book to improve the work's readability and accessibility.
M. Asım Köksal – Islamic History (Volumes 1-2) Book Summary
Chapter 1: The Birth, Childhood, and Youth of the Prophet
The book opens with the birth, childhood, and youth of the Prophet. The first piece of information provided concerns his lineage:
"Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdulmuttalib, son of Hashim, son of Abdi Manaf, son of Kusayy, son of Kilab, son of Murrah, son of Ka'b, son of Lu'ayy, son of Ghalib, son of Fihr, son of Malik, son of Nadr, son of Kinanah, son of Khuzaymah, son of Mudrikah, son of Ilyas, son of Mudar, son of Nizar, son of Ma'add, son of Adnan. All sources agree unanimously on both the names and the sequence of the Prophet's ancestors up to Adnan. They also concur that Adnan is a direct descendant of Ishmael, son of Abraham, peace be upon them both. The Prophet's nineteenth-generation ancestor, Ma'add ibn Adnan, was a contemporary of Jesus, peace be upon him."
This is his lineage on his father's side. His known maternal lineage is as follows:
"The mother of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is Aminah bint Wahb, son of Abdi Manaf, son of Zuhrah, son of Kilab, son of Murrah."
If you examine both lineages carefully, you will notice a common name: Kilab, son of Murrah. Aminah's lineage converges with that of her husband, Abdullah son of Abdulmuttalib, at Kilab, son of Murrah. Zuhrah and Kusayy were brothers, both sons of Kilab ibn Murrah. The Prophet descends from Kusayy's line, while Aminah descends from Zuhrah's line.
Abdullah, the father of Muhammad (peace be upon him), passed away before his son was born, leaving him only the following inheritance:
"1. A slave woman named Umm Ayman (Barakah),
2. Five camels,
3. A few sheep and goats,
4. A sword,
5. A small amount of silver coins."
"Our Prophet, peace be upon him, was born in the Year of the Elephant, on Monday, the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, at the break of dawn, in their home at Shi'b. According to astronomers, his birth corresponded to the 20th of April in the solar calendar. Mahmud Pasha al-Falaki of Egypt confirmed through calculation that this date corresponds to Monday, April 20, 571 CE."
It was a custom among the Quraysh and other Arab nobility to entrust their newborn children to foster mothers. The purpose was to ensure that children grew up among the Bedouin Arabs in regions known for their pure air, low humidity, and sweet water—particularly among honorable tribes—so they would develop strong bodies, firm physiques, courage, and acquire fluent, unblemished speech.
"After Suwaybah, the Prophet was taken and nursed by Halimah, from the tribe of Banu Sa'd ibn Bakr. Halimah was the daughter of Abu Dhu'ayb Abdullah ibn Harith, from the tribe of Qays ibn 'Aylan, and the wife of Harith ibn Abdul'uzza, from the tribe of Sa'd ibn Bakr ibn Hawazin. The Prophet's foster siblings through this nursing were Abdullah ibn Harith, Unaysah bint Harith, and Shayma bint Harith."
After staying with his foster mother for two years, the Prophet was returned to his biological mother. While Halimah was taking him back to his mother in Mecca, she encountered some Ethiopian Christians in the valley of Sirar. They recognized him through certain signs and even pressured Halimah to take him to their country, knowing he was destined to be a prophet. Halimah managed to rescue him from their grasp with great difficulty and delivered him to Aminah. However, fearing an epidemic in Mecca, the Prophet was sent back to his foster mother's homeland.
It was during his time with his foster family that the event of the chest-splitting by angels occurred. According to some sources, this took place when the Prophet was around four or five years old.
"The Prophet himself explained this as follows: 'I was nursed and raised among the Banu Sa'd ibn Bakr. At that time, I was out in the pastures behind our houses, tending to our small lambs with my foster brother. Two men dressed in white garments came to me, carrying a golden basin filled with snow. They took hold of me, opened my abdomen, and extracted my heart. They split it open and removed a black, clotted blood clot from within it, casting it aside. Then they washed my heart and my abdomen thoroughly with that snow.'"
After this incident, a concerned Halimah brought the Prophet back to his mother in Mecca when he was five years old. However, at the entrance to Mecca, she lost track of the child. After searching for some time, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was found by his grandfather, Abdulmuttalib.
"It is narrated that the verse from Surah Ad-Duha: 'Did He not find you lost and guide you?' (93:7) refers to this incident."
When the Prophet was six years old, his mother Aminah took him to Medina on two camels, accompanied by his nursemaid Umm Ayman, to visit her paternal relatives from the Banu Adiyy ibn Najjar tribe. According to narration, this journey was specifically intended to visit the grave of her husband Abdullah. Aminah used to travel to Medina every year to visit his grave. They stayed at the house of Nābigah. After Aminah had completed the visit with her relatives, she set out to return to Mecca with the Prophet. Along the way, she fell ill and stopped at the village of Abwa, where she passed away and was buried there. She was thirty years old at the time of her death. Following Aminah's death at Abwa, the nursemaid Umm Ayman brought the Prophet back to Mecca and reunited him with his grandfather.
Thus, having lost both his father and mother, the Prophet was not left without a guardian. First, his grandfather embraced him, and later his uncle Abu Talib. The verse from Surah Ad-Duha: "Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?" (93:6) reminds us of this reality.
The Prophet remained under his grandfather Abdulmuttalib's care until he was eight years old, when Abdulmuttalib passed away.
Several sections in the book describe how, even in his childhood, learned individuals recognized the Prophet and understood that he was destined for prophethood. These include:
- The Yemeni ruler Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan revealing to Abdulmuttalib the written news about the Prophet kept in his possession.
- The identification of the Prophet by the tribe of Mudlij.
- The identification of the Prophet by the bishop of Najran.
When Abdulmuttalib fell ill on his deathbed, he gathered all his sons and enjoined them to care for the Prophet. Zubayr and Abu Talib were brothers to the Prophet's father Abdullah through the same mother. These two uncles drew lots for the honor of taking the Prophet into their care, and the lot fell to Abu Talib.
Abu Talib Takes the Prophet to Busra with the Trade Caravan
When Abu Talib set out for Busra with his trade caravan, he took the Prophet along with him. At the monastery in Busra, there was a monk named Bahira. Upon seeing the Quraysh caravan, he invited them to a feast. According to the narration, while Bahira was at the monastery, he observed that as the caravan approached, a cloud was shading the Prophet among the travelers. When they stopped near the monastery under the shade of a tree, the cloud shaded the tree, and the branches of the tree bent toward the Prophet, taking him under their shade.
As soon as Bahira saw the Prophet, he began to study him carefully, examining his physical features. The more he looked at the Prophet, the more he recognized in him the characteristics described in his scriptures. He then said to Abu Talib: "Take your brother's son back to his homeland immediately! Beware of the Jews harming him! By God, if the Jews see him and recognize in him what I have recognized, they will certainly attempt to kill him! Your brother's son is destined for a great station. Hurry and take him back to his country. We have found in our books and in the traditions handed down from our forefathers that he will be the final prophet."
The Prophet was raised by Abu Talib, yet he remained aloof from the pagan customs of the pre-Islamic era. These matters are discussed in the section titled "The Prophet's Upbringing and Protection from All Evils."
The Alliance Against Injustice: Hilf al-Fudul
A man from the Yemeni tribe of Zubayd had brought merchandise to Mecca for sale. One of the Quraysh nobles, 'As ibn Wa'il, purchased the goods but refused to pay for them. The Zubaydi man sought help from various people but found no one willing to assist. The Prophet's uncle Zubayr was the first to act, gathering several tribes together to oppose such injustices, and an agreement was established among them.
The Quraysh named this new initiative "Hilf al-Fudul," meaning "The Alliance of the Virtuous," due to its similarity in form and purpose to an earlier pact of the same name. The first action of Hilf al-Fudul was to confront 'As ibn Wa'il, recover the Zubaydi's goods from him, and return them to the rightful owner. The Prophet participated in this effort alongside his uncles.
When the Prophet was sixteen years old, he accompanied his uncle Zubayr ibn Abdulmuttalib on a trade caravan to Yemen. Later, the Prophet undertook two trading expeditions to the market of Jirash on behalf of the wealthy Quraysh woman, Khadijah. Subsequently, the Prophet carried Khadijah's merchandise to Syria. The caravan reached Busra in Syrian territory. There, the Prophet attracted the attention of the monk Nastur, who resided in a monastery. Upon recognizing the Prophet's characteristics, Nastur exclaimed: "This is he! He is the final prophet! How I wish I could live until the time when he is commissioned as a prophet!"
Chapter 2: The Prophet's Marriage to Khadijah
Khadijah was known as "Tahirah" (the Pure) during the pre-Islamic period. She had been married twice and widowed. Nafisah bint Munyah (of the Umayyah clan) relates:
"Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, son of Asad, son of Abduluzza, son of Kusayy, was a capable, prudent woman of strong character and honor. After Muhammad (peace be upon him) returned from the trade journey to Syria, Khadijah sent me to him to discreetly ascertain whether he would be interested in marrying her."
Following Khadijah's initiative, the Prophet's uncles proposed marriage to Khadijah's uncle, and the marriage contract was concluded. The marriage took place two months and twenty-four or twenty-five days after the Prophet's return from Busra. At that time, the Prophet was twenty-five years old, and Khadijah was forty.
The Prophet's Care for Ali
Among the great favors that Allah bestowed upon Ali and the goodness He willed for him was that, during a severe famine and drought afflicting the Quraysh, the Prophet took Ali into his home and raised him. The Prophet's uncle Abbas also took another of Abu Talib's sons, Ja'far, into his care. In this way, they relieved Abu Talib's burden by taking two members of his household into their own homes. Ali remained in the Prophet's care until Allah commissioned him as a prophet.
The Children Born to the Prophet from Khadijah
The first child born from Khadijah was a son named Qasim. The Prophet was known by the kunya (patronymic) "Abu al-Qasim" (father of Qasim) on account of him. Qasim passed away when he was two years old, at the age when he had just begun to walk.
During the Islamic period, Khadijah gave birth to a second son, who was named Abdullah. He was also known as Tayyib and Tahir. He too passed away at a young age.
Following Qasim, the first daughter born from Khadijah was Zaynab. She was the eldest of the Prophet's daughters. When Zaynab was born, the Prophet was thirty years old. After Zaynab, his daughter Ruqayyah was born, when the Prophet was thirty-three. After Ruqayyah came Umm Kulthum, and after her, Fatimah. Fatimah's birth coincided with the year the Quraysh rebuilt the Kaaba, which was five years before the Prophet received his prophetic mission. At that time, the Prophet was thirty-five years old.
The Rebuilding of the Kaaba
The book then details the rebuilding and repair of the Kaaba. When the Quraysh decided to demolish and rebuild the House of Allah, they were forced to shorten and narrow the structure due to insufficient building materials, leaving the old foundation on the Hijr side outside and drawing the wall inward. They intended to mark the area as part of the Kaaba by constructing a semicircular wall over the old foundation using any leftover materials.
Chapter 3: The Arrival of Revelation
Before prophethood came to him, whenever Muhammad (peace be upon him) left his home and wandered away from the houses of Mecca into the secluded valleys, he would encounter no tree or stone that did not greet him with the words: "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!" He would look around him—to his right, to his left, and behind him—but would see nothing other than the trees and stones. This occurred two years before he was commissioned as a prophet.
The Description of the Prophet
Ali described the appearance and physical features of the Prophet as follows:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) was neither tall nor short; he was of medium height, closer to tall. His fingers and toes were thick. His head was large, proportionate to his build. His shoulders, knees, and wrists were prominent. He had a line of fine hair extending from his chest down to his navel, with no other hair on his abdomen or chest. His hair was neither curly nor straight. His beard was thick. His face was slightly round, not perfectly circular. His neck was long, pure and shining like silver. His complexion was white mixed with a rosy hue. His eyes were large; the black of his pupils was intensely black, and there was a slight reddish tint in the whites. His body was neither slender nor obese. He would turn his entire body toward whatever he wished to look at. The space between his shoulder blades was broad, and the Seal of Prophethood was located between his shoulder blades."
The Beginning of Revelation
When Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached the age of forty, and Allah willed to honor him and bestow mercy upon humanity through him, the first signs of revelation came in the form of true dreams during sleep. He would see no dream that did not manifest with the clarity of the morning light. He remained in this state for six months, as Allah willed. During those six months, Allah revealed to His Prophet first in sleep, and later while he was awake.
Every year during the month of Ramadan, the Prophet would retreat to the cave of Hira (Mount Nur) for a month of spiritual seclusion (i'tikaf), following the custom of the Quraysh, and he would also feed the poor who came to him. Upon completing his retreat, his first act before returning home would be to circumambulate the Kaaba seven times—or as many as Allah willed—and then he would go home. Sometimes Khadijah accompanied him to Hira.
The First Revelation in Sleep
On the night of the fifteenth Saturday and sixteenth Sunday of Ramadan, while sleeping in the cave of Hira, the angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) appeared to him in a dream, carrying a book in a satin vessel, and said to him:
"Read!"
The Prophet replied:
"I do not know how to read!"
Gabriel pressed him until his breath was almost gone, and the Prophet thought he would die. Then Gabriel released him and said:
"Read!"
The Prophet again said:
"I do not know how to read!"
Gabriel pressed him a second time until his breath nearly gave out. The Prophet thought he would die. Then Gabriel released him and said once more:
"Read!"
The Prophet, seeking to escape the pressure, asked:
"What shall I read?"
At that, Gabriel recited the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq:
"Read in the name of your Lord who created—created man from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous—who taught by the pen—taught man that which he knew not." (Al-Alaq 96:1-5)
When Gabriel departed and the Prophet awoke, the verses were as if written upon his heart.
The First Revelation in Wakefulness
Soon after this event, Asım Köksal writes that Gabriel came to the Prophet while he was awake. The same event that had occurred in a dream now took place while he was fully conscious—the dream served as a preparation for the greater event.
On the seventeenth of Ramadan, a Monday, at the break of dawn, while the Prophet was awake in the cave of Hira, the command of the Truth came to him. Gabriel appeared in the form of a man, in the most beautiful image, adorned with the finest fragrances.
He said to the Prophet:
"Read!"
The Prophet replied:
"I do not know how to read!"
Then the angel took hold of him and pressed him until his strength gave out. Then he released him and said:
"Read!"
Again the Prophet said:
"I do not know how to read!"
The angel pressed him a second time until his strength gave out, then released him and said:
"Read!"
The Prophet said once more:
"I do not know how to read!"
The angel pressed him a third time, then released him and recited:
"Read in the name of your Lord who created—created man from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous—who taught by the pen—taught man that which he knew not." (Al-Alaq 96:1-5)
Gabriel then said:
"O Muhammad! Allah sends His greetings to you and says: 'You are My Messenger to all jinn and mankind. Call them to the declaration of faith: La ilaha illallah—There is no god but Allah.'"
The Prophet returned home and told Khadijah what had happened, informing her that what he had previously experienced in a dream had now occurred while awake. They both went to Waraqah ibn Nawfal and related the event. He confirmed that the visitor was the angel Gabriel, Allah's messenger, and further told the Prophet that he would face hardships and would be driven out of his homeland.
On the day revelation came openly, Gabriel also taught the Prophet how to perform ablution (wudu) and how to pray (salat). The Prophet went home and taught these to his wife, and led her in prayer.
The Nature of Revelation
The book then provides detailed examples of the various ways revelation descended upon the Prophet. Whenever verses of the Quran were revealed, the Prophet would summon one of the scribes of revelation and instruct him: "Write!" He would then dictate where the verses belonged—which surah and which part of it—as this had been conveyed to him by Gabriel.
The first memorizer of the Quran was the Prophet himself. Gabriel would come every night during Ramadan and recite the Quran with the Prophet in a session of mutual recitation (mukabalah)—Gabriel would recite and the Prophet would listen, then the Prophet would recite and Gabriel would listen. In the year of the Prophet's death, this session was conducted twice.
Zayd ibn Thabit relates:
"I used to write down the revelation in the presence of the Messenger of Allah. When I finished, he would say to me: 'Read back what you have written.' If anything was missing, he would have me add it; if there was anything extra, he would have me remove it."
Thus, the Quran was written down from beginning to end in the Prophet's presence, recorded on palm fronds, flat stones, shoulder bones, and other materials suitable for writing. Since revelation continued until close to the Prophet's death, these written pages were not yet compiled into a single bound volume (mushaf).
The Quran as a Miracle
Every prophet was given a miracle as proof of their prophethood. The Prophet Muhammad's miracle was the Quran. While the miracles of other prophets were limited to their own time and to those who witnessed them, the Quran remains as a miracle accessible to all until the Day of Judgment.
According to the people of truth, the Quran encompasses all realities and is the summary of divine knowledge. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, whom Umar praised as "a vessel filled with knowledge," said:
"Whoever seeks knowledge should study the Quran, for it contains the knowledge of the former and the latter peoples."
Abdullah ibn Abbas, praised by Ibn Mas'ud as "the finest interpreter of the Quran" and known as "Bahr" (the Ocean) for his vast knowledge, and whom Umar would consult on difficult matters, said:
"If I were to lose my camel's hobble, I would surely find mention of it in Allah's Book."
The Compilation of the Quran
Following the Battle of Yamamah, in which many memorizers of the Quran were killed, Abu Bakr and Umar decided to compile the Quran into a single book. They entrusted this task to Zayd ibn Thabit, one of the scribes of revelation. The compiled pages remained with Abu Bakr until his death, then with Umar during his lifetime, and afterward with Hafsa bint Umar, one of the Prophet's wives.
During Uthman's caliphate, copies of the Quran were multiplied. The primary reason was that disputes over recitation had arisen among the army on campaign. Uthman therefore obtained the copy preserved with Hafsa and had multiple copies produced.
Following these sections on the Quran, the book provides detailed information on the origins of idolatry: how it spread, and when and how the Arabs began to worship idols.
Chapter 4: The Secret Spread of Islam in Mecca
The very first to believe was the Prophet himself. After him, the first woman to believe in Allah and His Messenger was the Prophet's wife, Khadijah. When Khadijah embraced Islam, her daughters Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah also became Muslims and pledged their allegiance to the Prophet upon Islam.
The sixth to believe was Ali. He saw the Prophet praying and asked about it. The Prophet explained it to him, and he accepted Islam. Fearing his father Abu Talib, Ali kept his faith secret for a while. He was ten years old at the time he became Muslim.
The seventh was Zayd ibn Harithah, whom the Prophet had freed from slavery and adopted as a son.
The eighth was Abu Bakr, who had been the Prophet's companion and friend even before Islam.
The Early Converts
Among the early converts were:
Bilal al-Habashi and his mother Hamamah, who were slaves.
Abu Fukayhah, a slave of the Abduddar clan or Safwan ibn Umayyah, who became Muslim early on alongside Bilal.
Khalid ibn Sa'id and his wife Umaynah.
Amr ibn Sa'id, who became Muslim shortly after his brother Khalid, followed by his wife Fatimah.
Through the encouragement and guidance of Abu Bakr, the following also embraced Islam:
Uthman,
Zubayr ibn al-Awwam,
Abdurrahman ibn Awf,
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas,
Talhah ibn Ubaydullah.
This list continues in the book up to number 52. All of these individuals became Muslim before the Prophet began secretly calling people to Islam in the House of al-Arqam. The book then states: "According to the sources, the following male and female Companions—listed below—also became Muslim in the early period or at the House of al-Arqam," and the list extends from number 53 to 120.
The Prophet's Entry into the House of al-Arqam and the Continuation of the Call
In Islamic history, the House of al-Arqam—known as "Dar al-Islam"—was the home of al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, located in Mecca near the hill of Safa, within the precincts of the Kaaba. The Prophet would conceal himself in this blessed house to avoid the Quraysh polytheists and invite those who came to him to Islam. He and his companions gathered secretly there. The Prophet would recite and teach the Quran to them, and they would pray together in congregation. The Prophet continued his work in secret for three years, until Allah commanded him to proclaim the religion openly.
The Five Stages of the Call
The book outlines five stages of the prophetic call:
The Prophethood Stage – the initial period of receiving revelation.
Warning the Nearest Kin – the stage of warning close relatives of the punishment of the Hereafter.
Warning His Own Tribe – the stage of warning his own people of the punishment of the Hereafter.
Warning the Arab Tribes – the stage of warning all Arab tribes who had not previously received a warner.
Warning All of Mankind – the stage of warning all jinn and humans who could be reached with the message until the end of time.
The first three years of prophethood were spent secretly calling people to Islam.
The Public Invitation to the Family and the Quraysh
The first public step was to invite his own relatives. He gathered his uncles and close kin at his home. While Ali gave him the greatest support, Abu Lahab voiced the strongest opposition. Abu Talib, though he did not believe, provided his fullest support.
Later, on another day, the Prophet ascended the hill of Safa and called out to the Quraysh tribes, inviting them to Islam. He addressed each family of the Quraysh individually, saying:
"Allah has commanded me to warn my nearest kin of punishment. I can bring you no benefit in this world nor any share in the Hereafter unless you say: La ilaha illallah—There is no god but Allah."
At that time, all of the tribes turned away from him.
Those Who Spread Islam in Mecca and Declared Their Faith Openly
When the Prophet and the Muslims with him declared Islam openly, there was no one in Mecca who had not heard of it. Abu Bakr in one corner, Sa'id ibn Zayd in another, Uthman in another, and Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah in yet another began inviting and encouraging people to Islam.
The following seven warriors, risking every danger, were the first to publicly declare their Islam:
- The Messenger of Allah,
- Abu Bakr,
- Bilal al-Habashi,
- Miqdad ibn al-Aswad,
- Suhayb ibn Sinan,
- Ammar ibn Yasir,
- Sumayyah—Ammar ibn Yasir's mother.
Some of Those Who Became Muslim After Islam Was Declared Openly in Mecca
- The Prophet's paternal aunt, Safiyyah,
- His paternal aunt, Atikah,
- His uncle, Abbas,
- Abbas's wife, Umm al-Fadl,
- Abbas's freed slave, Abu Rafi',
- Amr ibn Abasah,
- Abu Dharr al-Ghifari.
The book provides more detailed accounts of conversions such as those of Amr ibn Abasah and Abu Dharr al-Ghifari.
Chapter 5: The Hostility and Torture of the Quraysh
Although his uncle Abu Talib protected the Prophet, his enemies among the Quraysh continued to multiply. The book provides a list of these individuals by name.
The Main Reasons for the Quraysh Leaders' Enmity Toward the Prophet and Islam
1. Idolatry: The Quraysh were polytheists, and the Prophet openly condemned their idol worship. He did not hesitate to declare that their fathers and forefathers who had died in a state of disbelief and polytheism were destined for Hell—without exception or regard for status.
2. Economic and Political Interests: Mecca and the Kaaba were major pilgrimage sites, and certain families derived both profit and influence from this. Islam threatened to dismantle this system. Thus, the polytheist leaders saw it as a matter of self-interest to oppose any movement that could undermine their religious and commercial standing.
3. Exposure of Evil: The Prophet recited verses that exposed the wrongdoing of the most hardened polytheists among the Quraysh.
4. Egalitarianism: The Quraysh leaders could not accept a religion that granted no special privilege to the elite—one that declared all people equal "like the teeth of a comb" and proclaimed: "The most honored among you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most righteous."
5. Tribal Rivalry: There had long been jealousy and competition among the Quraysh clans. The emergence of a prophet from the Banu Hashim caused concern among other families, who feared that the Hashimites would gain overwhelming superiority over them. Abu Jahl, in particular, openly expressed this sentiment.
6. Jealousy Over Prophethood: The Quraysh leaders reasoned: "If the Quran was to be revealed, why was it not sent down to one of the elder or wealthier men of the Quraysh?"
Attempts to Pressure the Prophet via Abu Talib
The Quraysh polytheists did everything in their power to stop the Prophet. They repeatedly went to Abu Talib, demanding that he restrain his nephew. They threatened him. But Abu Talib always stood by the Prophet. On one occasion, they made a ludicrous offer: "Hand him over to us so we may kill him, and in return, we will give you the finest of our sons to be a son to you." Abu Talib gave them the fitting response they deserved.
The Prophet's Illiteracy
The Prophet did not know how to read or write. This fact is also mentioned in the Quran:
"You did not read any book before this, nor did you write one with your right hand." (Al-Ankabut 29:48)
For this reason, it was impossible for the Prophet to have known the many stories mentioned in the Quran through prior reading. His knowledge of the accounts of previous prophets came solely through the revealed verses.
The Torture of the Muslims
Allah protected the Prophet through his uncle Abu Talib, and He protected Abu Bakr through his tribe and people. As for the other Muslims, the polytheists would seize them, dress them in iron coats of mail, and lay them down under the scorching sun until the fat of their bodies melted away!
Some could not endure the torture and renounced their faith. Others would merely claim to have left Islam just to escape the torment, only to return to monotheism later. There were those, like Bilal al-Habashi, who remained steadfast despite the torture. And there were those, like Ammar's parents, who were martyred under torture.
Direct Harassment of the Prophet
Though the polytheists could not attack the Prophet directly, they subjected him to all sorts of harassment and insults. Foremost among them were Abu Lahab and his wife, about whom Surah Al-Masad was revealed. The book details the various torments inflicted upon the Prophet and provides extensive accounts of the torture and oppression suffered by the other Muslims.
Chapter 6: The Migration to Abyssinia
When the Prophet saw that the Quraysh polytheists were imprisoning those who had believed from their own tribes, subjecting them to torture, and intensifying their persecution, he said to the Muslims:
"Now disperse across the earth. Allah will bring you together again."
The Muslims asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Where shall we go?"
The Prophet pointed with his hand toward the direction of Abyssinia and said:
"There—go to that land. It would be good for you to go to Abyssinia, for there is a king there who does not wrong anyone, and it is a land of righteousness."
The First Migration to Abyssinia
The first migration to Abyssinia took place in the fifth year of prophethood, during the month of Rajab. The first to migrate included Uthman ibn Affan and his wife Ruqayyah—the Prophet's daughter. The group consisted of twelve men and five women, totaling seventeen people. This was the first migration to Abyssinia in Islamic history.
The Incident of Surah An-Najm
In the fifth year of prophethood, during the month of Ramadan, the Prophet began reciting Surah An-Najm openly at the Kaaba, in the presence of some of the polytheists. When he reached the verses:
"Have you considered Al-Lat and Al-Uzza, and Manat, the third one?" (An-Najm 53:19-20)
Since the 62nd verse of Surah An-Najm contains a prostration (sajdah), the Muslims prostrated along with the Prophet. The polytheists present also prostrated—because the names of their idol-gods had been mentioned.
This incident has been incorrectly narrated in some sources with embellishments. False fabrications claim that the Prophet praised these idols, that Satan cast these words upon his tongue, and that Gabriel later came to correct the verses. These are baseless and unfounded.
The Return to Mecca and Renewed Persecution
The Muslims who had sought refuge in Abyssinia during Rajab of the fifth year remained there through Sha'ban and Ramadan. When the Meccans heard that the polytheists had prostrated alongside the Prophet and assumed they had become Muslim—believing that the Muslims in Mecca were now safe—a group of thirty-eight people, including Uthman, returned to Mecca. However, upon learning the true nature of the incident, they became fearful again and did not wish to enter Mecca. Some managed to enter under the protection of certain individuals, but the persecution of the Muslims continued.
The Second Migration to Abyssinia
When the Quraysh polytheists learned that the returning migrants were being well protected by the Negus of Abyssinia, they began subjecting any of them they could capture to the severest tortures. Upon this, the Prophet permitted them to migrate once more to Abyssinia. Ja'far ibn Abi Talib approached the Prophet and said: "Allow me to go to a place where I can worship Allah without fear of anyone." Permission was granted. Thus, a group of Muslims, including Ja'far, fled and migrated to Abyssinia to protect themselves from the danger of being forced to renounce their faith. This second migration also took place in the fifth year of prophethood.
The Negus's Refusal to Return the Migrants
After the second migration, the polytheists sent two envoys to the Negus, the king of Abyssinia, bearing gifts for both him and all his commanders. Their sole request was for the Negus to hand over the migrants without even hearing them out. However, that is not what happened. The Negus decided to hear both sides. Despite all the efforts of the envoys, the Negus allowed the Muslims to remain in his land.
Abu Bakr also attempted to migrate but turned back halfway.
Chapter 7: Hamza and Umar
Hamza was the Prophet's uncle. Since Suwaybah had nursed Hamza first and then the Prophet, Hamza was also the Prophet's foster brother. Hamza embraced Islam in the sixth year of prophethood. His conversion was triggered by hearing Abu Jahl insult the Prophet. Hamza went to Abu Jahl and struck him for what he had done, then went to the Prophet and declared his faith. When Hamza became Muslim, the Quraysh polytheists ceased some of the torments they had been inflicting upon the Prophet.
The Conversion of Umar
Umar's mother, Hantamah, was the daughter of Abu Jahl's uncle, making Abu Jahl a maternal relative of Umar. Before becoming Muslim, Umar was one of the harshest people toward the Prophet and the Muslims. He embraced Islam three days after Hamza's conversion, also in the sixth year of prophethood.
The book provides a detailed account of how Umar became Muslim. With the conversions of Hamza and then Umar, Islam began to be heard in the surrounding tribes as well.
The Quraysh Plot and the Protection of the Prophet
The polytheists gathered and conspired to kill the Prophet. In response, his uncle Abu Talib assembled the sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib to protect him. They all pledged to defend the Prophet. The believers did so for the sake of their faith, while the other relatives who had not yet embraced Islam did so out of tribal loyalty, following Abu Talib's command. The sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib were from the same lineage. Among the sons of Hashim, only Abu Lahab sided with the polytheists.
Chapter 8: The Quraysh Imposes a Boycott
When the Quraysh polytheists and the Kinanah saw that the sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib—both Muslims and non-Muslims—had gathered in the valley of Shi'b and were determined to protect the Prophet, they assembled at Muhassab, known as "Kinanah's Hayf," near the graves in the upper part of Mecca.
The Terms of the Boycott
They agreed among themselves upon the following terms against the sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib:
- No peace offer from the sons of Hashim would be accepted until the Prophet was handed over to them to be killed.
- They would not be shown any mercy.
- They would not give their daughters in marriage to them, nor accept their daughters in marriage.
- They would sell nothing to them.
- They would buy nothing from them.
- They would not sit, meet, or speak with them.
- They would not enter their homes.
They wrote these agreed-upon terms on a document, sealed it with three seals, and hung it inside the Kaaba to ensure the commitments would be upheld.
The Three-Year Siege and Economic Blockade
The Quraysh polytheists besieged the Prophet and his clansmen—the sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib—in Shi'b for three years, imposing a strict social and economic embargo. They cut off the roads leading from the markets to Shi'b and prevented food and supplies from reaching them. The polytheists would intercept any food or goods coming from Mecca and buy them themselves, hoping to starve the residents of Shi'b to death and thus succeed in spilling the Prophet's blood.
The Suffering of the Besieged
To support the residents of Shi'b, the Prophet spent all of his wealth. Khadijah and Abu Talib also spent all of their wealth in this cause. Some people died of starvation because no food could be found or purchased. Others ate tree leaves. Some would soak dry pieces of leather in water, toast them over a fire, and manage to survive on them for three days.
The Drought and the Prophet's Prayer
Eventually, the polytheists themselves suffered greatly from drought and famine. They came to the Prophet and asked for his help, promising to embrace Islam in return. The Prophet prayed, and rain fell. However, the polytheists did not keep their word.
The Splitting of the Moon
The miracle of the Splitting of the Moon (Inshiqaq al-Qamar) occurred in the ninth year of prophethood, five years before the migration to Medina, at the request of the Quraysh polytheists—by Allah's permission. The Prophet split the moon and brought each half over two different mountains. The polytheists had promised to believe if this were done. But when the event took place, they broke their word and said: "This is sorcery."
The End of the Boycott
After the sons of Hashim and Al-Muttalib had remained under siege in Shi'b for three years, Allah sent a termite (or moth) upon the document hung inside the Kaaba. The insect consumed everything on the document except the parts bearing the name of Allah. The Prophet informed Abu Talib of this through divine revelation. Abu Talib went to the Kaaba and made a pact with the polytheists: If the Prophet's words proved true, the boycott would end; if the insect had not eaten the document as he said, they would hand the Prophet over to them. It was ultimately proven that the Prophet had spoken the truth. With the efforts of a group of people, the boycott agreement was finally brought to an end.
Chapter 9: The Year of Sorrow
Abu Talib passed away in the tenth year of prophethood, three years before the Prophet's migration to Medina, in the middle of the month of Shawwal, after they had emerged from Shi'b.
The Prophet's wife, Khadijah, also passed away in the tenth year of prophethood, three years before the migration to Medina, in the month of Ramadan, after they had emerged from Shi'b.
Khadijah had been a faithful advisor, a confidant, and a source of tranquility for the Prophet in the cause of Islam. Abu Talib had been the Prophet's support, his refuge, his defender against the polytheists, and his helper. The two calamities coming one after the other weighed so heavily upon the Prophet that he said:
"I do not know which of these two calamities that have gathered upon me in these days grieves me more."
The Prophet named this year the "Year of Sorrow."
The Prophet's Journey to Ta'if
After Abu Talib's death, the persecution and oppression of the Prophet by the polytheists intensified. Seeking a way out, the Prophet traveled to Ta'if, about a day's journey from Mecca. He sat with the people there and spoke to them, informing them that he was a prophet sent by Allah. He complained of the afflictions and trials inflicted upon him by the Quraysh polytheists and invited them to believe in Allah. He told them that he had come to seek their help in spreading Islam and to ask them to stand with him against the opposition of his people, the Quraysh. However, the people of Ta'if refused. They insulted him and had him stoned.
Covered in blood, the Prophet took refuge in a garden. There, he spoke briefly with a Christian slave named Addas, who embraced Islam after their conversation.
The Prophet's Outreach to the Tribes
After this, the Prophet began visiting the surrounding tribes to invite them to Islam. He would go to the marketplaces where tribes gathered and call people to the faith. In one such incident:
Rabiah ibn Abbad al-Dili relates:
"I saw the Prophet at the market of Dhu al-Majaz. He was saying: 'O people! Say: La ilaha illallah—There is no god but Allah—and you will be saved!' Wherever he went, the people would gather around him, crowding upon one another. I neither saw anyone say anything to him, nor did I see him remain silent. He kept saying: 'O people! Say: La ilaha illallah—There is no god but Allah—and you will be saved!' A man with a squint, a handsome face with a prominent forehead, and hair parted in two, followed him wherever he went, saying: 'O people! Do not let this man deceive you and turn you away from your religion and the religion of your fathers. He is a lying apostate!' I asked: 'Who is this man?' They said: 'This is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. He claims to be a prophet.' I asked: 'And who is the man following him, denying him—the one with the squint?' They said: 'That is his uncle, Abu Lahab.'"
The Encounter with Banu Abdullah
The Prophet also visited the encampments of the Kalb tribe and went to a subgroup called Banu Abdullah. He presented himself as the messenger of Allah and invited them to believe. However, the Banu Abdullah rejected all his offers. An elder among them remarked:
"What a fine thing this young man is calling to! What a pity that his people have driven him away. If only he had reconciled with his people—the Arabs would have followed him entirely."
The Prophet's Marriage to Sawdah
In the tenth year of prophethood, during the month of Ramadan, the wife of Uthman ibn Maz'un, Hawlah, came to the Prophet's house and said: "O Messenger of Allah! When I enter your house, I feel as though I sense Khadijah's absence." The Prophet then asked her if he should consider marrying someone. Hawlah mentioned Sawdah. After receiving the Prophet's permission, she spoke with both Sawdah and her father and facilitated the marriage.
Sawdah was the first woman the Prophet married after Khadijah. This marriage took place in the tenth year of prophethood, during the month of Ramadan. Sawdah was a widow with young children.
The First Meeting with the People of Medina
In the eleventh year of prophethood, during the Hajj season at Aqabah, the Prophet encountered a small group from the Khazraj tribe of Medina—people whom Allah had willed to guide to goodness. In other words, Allah directed the Prophet to some Medinians who had shaved their heads and completed their pilgrim rites. They were:
- As'ad ibn Zurarah,
- Awf ibn Harith,
- Rafi' ibn Malik,
- Qutbah ibn Amir,
- Uqbah ibn Amir,
- Jabir ibn Abdullah.
The Prophet invited them to believe in Allah, presented Islam to them, and recited the Quran. Allah granted the Medinians the honor of Islam.
The Jews were people of the Book and of knowledge. The native Medinians—the Aws and Khazraj—were polytheists. They would frequently clash with the Jews in their lands. Whenever disputes arose, the Jews would say to them:
"A prophet is about to be sent. The time of his coming is at hand. When that prophet comes, we will follow him, and together with him we will destroy you just as the peoples of Ad and Iram were destroyed."
When the Prophet spoke with the Khazrajites of Medina and invited them to believe in Allah, they said to one another: "O our people! Know that this is surely the prophet with whom the Jews have been threatening us. Do not let the Jews overtake you in believing in him and following him." They responded to the Prophet's call and immediately accepted and affirmed what he presented to them of Islam.
The Medinian group said:
"We have left our people behind in a state of enmity and evil among themselves—both with one another and with the Jews. We hope that Allah will unite them through you. We will return to them and invite them to this matter of yours, to Islam, and we will present to them what we have accepted of this religion. Promise to meet us again next year during the Hajj season."
Chapter 10: The Miracle of Isra and Mi'raj
The Isra and Mi'raj event took place in the twelfth year of prophethood, occurring either eighteen months, sixteen months, fourteen months, or one year before the Prophet's migration to Medina. Some narrations place it eight months before the Hijra, in the month of Rajab, on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab. Other narrations also exist.
Although some narrations suggest that the Isra and Mi'raj occurred in spirit only, according to the consensus of both early and later scholars of hadith and theology, the Prophet was taken on the Night Journey (Isra) from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to the Aqsa Mosque while awake—not in a dream or in spirit alone, but in both body and spirit, riding the Buraq. He was then ascended (Mi'raj) from there to the heavens—again not in spirit alone, but in both body and spirit while awake.
The Journey to Masjid al-Aqsa
The Prophet mounted the Buraq brought to him by Gabriel. Together, they set out toward Masjid al-Aqsa, never parting from one another. The Prophet entered the mosque, where a number of prophets—including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus—had gathered for him. Gabriel moved the Prophet forward, and he led them in prayer, performing two rak'ahs.
The Ascension Through the Heavens
The Prophet said:
"After finishing what I had to do in Jerusalem, I was taken up to the heavens. I have never seen anything more beautiful than what I saw there."
He ascended to the first heaven, where he met Adam, then continued to the second, third, and so on through all seven heavens, meeting different prophets on each level. Together with Gabriel, he ascended through all seven heavens.
Gabriel took him beyond the seventh heaven to stations known only to Allah, up to the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary (Sidrat al-Muntaha). Then Gabriel parted from him. The Prophet was brought near and raised to his Lord, the Almighty and All-Compelling.
The Divine Meeting
The Prophet began to hear the command of his Lord: "Do not fear, O Muhammad! Draw near!" Finally, he attained the Station of Nearness—a closeness, honor, and grace never before attained by any being. According to Ibn Abbas, the Prophet said: "I saw my Lord."
On the night of Mi'raj, Allah revealed to the Prophet whatever He willed to reveal. Allah distinguished Abraham with His close friendship, Moses with His direct speech, and Muhammad with the vision of Him.
The Gifts of Mi'raj
At the conclusion of the Mi'raj, the Prophet was given three things:
- The five daily prayers, with the reward of fifty prayers.
- The final verses of Surah Al-Baqarah.
- Forgiveness for the major sins of those from his ummah who do not associate partners with Allah.
After Allah had revealed what He willed to the Prophet, Gabriel took him to Paradise, and then he was shown Hell. He witnessed the punishments of thirst, chains, snakes, scorpions, and other torments. The Prophet said in a hadith:
"If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much."
The Return to Mecca
The Prophet mounted the Buraq—tied at the gate of Masjid al-Aqsa—and returned to Mecca. The entire Isra and Mi'raj took place within a single night, between the night prayer and the dawn prayer.
When the Prophet told the people of Mecca what had happened, they refused to believe him, saying such a thing was impossible. Abu Bakr, however, affirmed it. They asked him to describe Masjid al-Aqsa. The Prophet described it, and Abu Bakr confirmed it, as he had been there before and recognized it. The polytheists also questioned him, and the Prophet answered all of them correctly.
According to one narration, the five daily prayers were made obligatory on the night of Mi'raj, one and a half years before the Prophet's migration to Medina. On the morning after the Mi'raj night, Gabriel descended and led the five prayers at their proper times, demonstrating them to the Prophet.
Chapter 11: The First Pledge of Aqabah
In the eleventh year of prophethood, six people from the Ansar (the people of Medina) met the Prophet at Aqabah, embraced Islam, and promised to return the following year.
A year later—in the twelfth year of prophethood, during the Hajj season—a group of twelve from the Ansar met the Prophet at night at Aqabah. Five of the six who had embraced Islam the previous year were among them.
The Terms of the Pledge
The Prophet asked them to pledge their allegiance. Ubadah ibn al-Samit, one of those present, described the terms they agreed upon:
"We pledged not to associate anything with Allah,
not to steal,
not to kill our children,
not to take a life unjustly—which Allah has made sacred,
not to fabricate slander between our hands and feet (i.e., not to commit adultery or bear false witness),
not to engage in plunder,
and not to disobey you in what is right."
Those Present at the First Pledge of Aqabah
- As'ad ibn Zurarah,
- Awf ibn Harith,
- Uqbah ibn Amir,
- Qutbah ibn Amir,
- Rafi' ibn Malik,
- Mu'adh ibn Harith,
- Zakwan ibn Abdi Qays,
- Ubadah ibn al-Samit,
- Yazid ibn Tha'labah,
- Abbas ibn Ubadah,
- Abu al-Haytham Malik ibn Tayyihan,
- Uwaym ibn Sa'idah.
After the pledge, they left the Prophet's presence and returned to Medina.
Islam Spreads in Medina
As Islam began to spread among the Aws and Khazraj tribes of Medina, they requested that the Prophet send someone to teach them. The Prophet sent Mus'ab ibn Umayr, commanding him to recite the Quran to them, teach them Islam, and explain the religion to them.
The conversion of Usayd ibn Hudayr and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh is then detailed. When these two embraced Islam, their entire tribes also became Muslim.
Chapter 12: The Second Pledge of Aqabah
Jabir ibn Abdullah, one of the Ansar, relates:
"During the Hajj seasons, the Messenger of Allah would go to the encampments of the people at Ukaz, Majannah, and Mina, calling out: 'Who will shelter me so that I may convey the message of my Lord? Who will help me so that he may be granted Paradise?' But he would find no one to shelter or help him. Finally, Allah sent us from Yathrib (Medina) to him, and we believed in him and sheltered him.
Later, all the Muslims of Medina gathered together and discussed: 'How long shall we leave the Messenger of Allah wandering in the mountains of Mecca, driven away, frightened, and afraid?' So during the Hajj season, seventy of us went to him."
The Arrival of the Medinian Delegation
In the thirteenth year of prophethood, during the Hajj season—approximately three months before the Prophet's migration to Medina, in the month of Dhu al-Qi'dah—Mus'ab ibn Umayr arrived in Mecca with a caravan of about five hundred people. Among them were roughly seventy Muslims from the Ansar: forty elders and leaders of the Ansar, and thirty younger men, accompanied by the polytheist pilgrims of Medina.
This group of approximately seventy Muslims invited the Prophet to Medina and pledged to protect and obey him.
The Second Pledge of Aqabah
At night, under a tree at Aqabah, Abbas took the Prophet by the hand and had the Medinian Muslims pledge their allegiance to him one by one. It is narrated that the Prophet said during the pledge:
"I take from you the pledge:
That you will not associate anything with Allah,
That you will not steal,
That you will not kill your children,
That you will not bring slander or false accusation against anyone,
That you will not disobey me in any matter that is right.
Whoever among you fulfills his pledge and keeps his word, his reward is with Allah. Whoever breaks his word and commits any of these sins and is punished in this world, that punishment will serve as an expiation and purification for him. As for the one whose sin is concealed by Allah, his matter rests with Allah—if He wills, He punishes him, and if He wills, He forgives him."
The book then lists, one by one, the names and tribes of the seventy-three men and two women from the Medinian tribes of Aws and Khazraj who pledged their allegiance to the Prophet at Aqabah.
Chapter 13: The Migration of the Meccan Companions to Medina
After the Second Pledge of Aqabah, when the seventy-three men and two women from the Ansar had pledged their allegiance and departed from the Prophet's presence—and Allah had granted His Messenger peace and tranquility through a brave, warrior-like, prepared, and protective people—the polytheists realized that a protective people and a land of migration had been prepared for the Prophet. They also understood that the Muslims in Mecca would one day leave for Medina. So they stirred one another up, intensifying the persecution they had been inflicting upon the Prophet and the Muslims. They subjected them to every form of torture imaginable in an effort to force them to renounce their faith.
When the Muslims could no longer endure these unbearable torments, they informed the Prophet of their situation and sought his permission to migrate.
The Prophet then commanded the Meccan migrants who had returned from Abyssinia, along with the Muslims who were still with him in Mecca, to migrate to Medina and join their Ansari brothers. Thus, the migration began.
The Physical Description of the Prophet
According to Ali's description, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was:
Neither tall nor short, but of medium height, closer to tall.
His fingers and toes were thick.
His head was large, proportionate to his build.
His shoulders, knees, and wrists were prominent.
His hair was neither curly nor straight.
His beard was thick.
His face was slightly elongated.
His neck was long, pure and shining like silver.
His complexion was white mixed with a rosy hue.
His eyes were large.
The black of his pupils was intensely black.
There was a slight reddish tint in the whites of his eyes.
His eyelashes were thick and long.
His body was neither slender nor obese.
The space between his shoulder blades was broad.
The Seal of Prophethood was located between his shoulder blades.
The Quraysh Plot to Kill the Prophet
By this time, only a few Muslims—aside from the Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Ali—remained in Mecca. The rest had already migrated to Medina.
When the Quraysh polytheists saw that the Prophet had gained supporters and helpers from other places, and that the Meccan Companions had migrated to Medina with their families to join the warrior-like and well-prepared Aws and Khazraj tribes, they realized that the Prophet would soon join them and fight against them. They became afraid and gathered at Dar al-Nadwah (the Assembly Hall) to deliberate.
Abu Jahl proposed:
"My view is this: let us take from every tribe among us a strong, powerful, brave, honorable, and noble young man. Let us give each of them a sharp sword. Let them all strike him together with one blow as if by a single man, and kill him. In this way, we shall be rid of him and find relief. When the young men do this, his blood will be divided among all the tribes. The sons of Abdi Manaf will not be able to fight all the tribes, and they will accept blood-money from us. And we will pay the blood-money to the sons of Abdi Manaf."
Thus, they resolved to assassinate the Prophet.
Chapter 14: The Prophet's Migration to Medina
On the very day the assassination plot was finalized, Allah granted the Prophet permission to leave Mecca and migrate to Medina.
The Prophet commanded Ali to sleep in his bed that night, wrapped in his cloak. The chosen assassins from the various tribes gathered at the Prophet's doorstep after one-third of the night had passed. They mistook Ali—who lay sleeping in the Prophet's cloak—for the Prophet himself. They waited at the door until morning, expecting him to come out.
The Prophet, however, slipped out past the polytheists who were watching for him. He scattered dust over them, and Allah took away their sight—they could not see him. When morning came, they realized the Prophet had gone. They then saw that the one lying in his bed was Ali.
The Quraysh polytheists demanded of Ali: "Where is your companion? Where is your cousin?"
Ali replied: "I do not know. I have no knowledge of this matter. I am not a guardian over him. You were the ones who ordered him to leave. You said: 'Leave us! Go!' So he left."
The polytheists then scolded and manhandled Ali, took him to the Kaaba, detained him there for a while, and then released him.
The Cave of Thawr
Meanwhile, the Prophet and Abu Bakr went to the Cave of Thawr on Mount Thawr to hide. By Allah's command, a tree grew at the entrance of the cave, covering the Prophet's face. A spider immediately came and spun a thick web between the tree and the Prophet, concealing his face. Two doves also came and nested at the cave's mouth.
The Quraysh polytheists searched everywhere—throughout Mecca, high and low—for the Prophet. On two occasions, the pursuers followed the tracks to the Cave of Thawr. But each time, seeing the two layers of spider webs and the nesting birds, they concluded that no one could possibly be inside and left.
Inside the cave, Abu Bakr grew anxious. The Prophet reassured him:
"Do not fear, O Abu Bakr! Surely, Allah is with us."
When the polytheists failed to find the Prophet or Abu Bakr at Mount Thawr, they returned in despair.
The Reward for Capturing the Prophet
The Quraysh announced throughout Mecca that whoever brought the Prophet and Abu Bakr back—dead or alive—would receive one hundred camels as a reward.
The Prophet and Abu Bakr had entered the Cave of Thawr on Thursday night. They remained there through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The Prophet had been commissioned at the age of forty. After receiving revelation and remaining in Mecca for thirteen years, he was commanded by Allah to migrate to Medina.
On their journey, Abdullah ibn Urayqit served as their guide. The book then provides a detailed account of their route and the events that occurred along the way.
The Encounter with Suraqah
On the road, a man named Suraqah caught up with them. His intention was to capture them and claim the reward of one hundred camels offered by the polytheists. However, when the Prophet prayed, Suraqah's horse became stuck in the sand. He eventually embraced Islam, turned back, and intercepted others who were pursuing the Prophet, turning them away as well. His full name was Suraqah ibn Malik ibn Ju'shum.
Arrival in Quba
The Prophet arrived in Quba on Monday, the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, in the fourteenth year of prophethood—which corresponds to the first year of the Hijri calendar—during the hottest part of the morning, when the sun was at its peak. He descended at the home of Kulthum ibn Hidm, from the tribe of Amr ibn Awf. It has been reported that Rabi' al-Awwal of that year corresponded to September in the Roman calendar, and it has been calculated to correspond to September of the year 622 CE.
Author: M. Âsım KÖKSAL
Book: The Prophet of Prophets: Hz. MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM, AND ISLAM - 1
Islamic History 1 – 2 (The Meccan Period)
Published: Işık Yayınları
Istanbul
2008
705 pages
