After Muhammad had preached publicly for more than a decade, the opposition to him reached such a high pitch that, fearful for their safety, he sent some of his supporters to Ethiopia, where the Christian ruler extended protection to them, the memory of which has been cherished by Muslims ever since. But in Makkah the…

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj took place during a time when the Prophet (saw) was facing intense hardship, the Prophet (saw) had just faced the Year of Sorrow, during which he lost his beloved wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. Having gone through so much grief, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was given a truly beautiful and comforting…

In the tenth year of Prophethood, the Prophet’s uncle Abu Talib, who had given him constant support, and his wife Khadija, with whom he had shared a happy life for twenty-five years, passed away only three days apart from one another (10 Ramadan/19 April 620). Their demise deeply saddened the Prophet and the Muslims. Thus,…

In the sixth year of Prophethood, Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle and Umar ibn al-Khattab both embraced Islam. The Quraysh were greatly upset at the conversion of Hamza and Umar, since both of them were known for their strength and courage. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had specifically prayed to Allah, asking Him, to guide…

On an economic, social and judicial level the ruling class felt vulnerable by the emerging form of religion. During the time of the initial emergence of the Prophet, the city of Makkah was enjoying a relative period of peace and prosperity. With the Quraysh firmly in control of the pagans that were drawn to the…

Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was forty years old – in the year 610 AD when the Divine Call came to him in his retreat in Hira, the cave to which he was in the habit of retreating to for prayer and contemplation. He beheld a gracious Presence, the…

When the Messenger of Allah S reached thirty-five years of age, the Quraysh wanted to demolish the Ka’bah to rebuild it again, as its walls had cracked and it was just about to fall down. Moreover, it did not have a roof so a group of thieves stole the treasures kept inside it. Therefore, the…

Muhammad S was born around 570 AD in Makkah, His father died before he was born and he was raised first by his grandfather and then his uncle. He belonged to a poor but respectable family of the Quraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and trade. Many of the tribes living in…

One of the major cultures that dominated the Arabian Peninsula just before the rise of Islam was that of the nomadic Bedouin people. The polytheistic Bedouin clans placed heavy emphasis on kin-related groups, with each clan clustered under tribes. The immediate family shared one tent and can also be called a clan. Many of these…