The Secret and Public Call in Makkah

For the first years of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood, the call to Islam was conducted privately.

This was not because the Prophet ﷺ feared proclaiming Allah's message, nor because the truth of the revelation was uncertain. Rather, it was the manner in which Allah chose to establish the first community of believers. Before the message was announced publicly to the Quraysh, those who accepted it were taught, nurtured and strengthened in faith under the direct guidance of the Prophet ﷺ.

This initial period laid the spiritual and moral foundations upon which the Muslim community would later be built.

Inviting Individuals

During this period, Muhammad ﷺ invited people to Islam individually.

He spoke first to those with whom he had close relationships—family members, trusted friends and people whose character and sincerity he knew well. There were no public gatherings, no open preaching in the marketplaces and no confrontation with the leaders of the Quraysh.

Those who accepted his message did so after hearing the Qur'an, learning about the Oneness of Allah and recognising the truthfulness of Muhammad ﷺ as Allah's Messenger.

Each new believer strengthened the small community.

Among those who embraced Islam during this period were many of the Companions who would later become the leading figures of the Muslim community, including Uthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه, al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām رضي الله عنه, Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه, Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh رضي الله عنه, Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf رضي الله عنه and others who accepted Islam through the efforts of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه.

The Prophet ﷺ welcomed people from every level of society.

The earliest believers included respected merchants, young men, women, former slaves and those who possessed neither wealth nor social influence. Their standing within the community was determined not by tribal lineage or material wealth but by their faith and righteousness.

The House of al-Arqam

As the number of believers gradually increased, a suitable place was needed where they could gather away from the attention of those who opposed the message.

For this purpose, the Prophet ﷺ began meeting with the believers in the house of al-Arqam ibn Abī al-Arqam رضي الله عنه, a young Muslim from the clan of Banū Makhzūm.

His home was situated near Mount Ṣafā on the outskirts of Makkah.

Its location made it well suited for quiet gatherings, allowing the believers to meet without attracting unnecessary attention from the leaders of the Quraysh.

The House of al-Arqam soon became the first centre of learning in the history of Muhammad's ﷺ prophetic mission.

There, the Prophet ﷺ recited the newly revealed verses of the Qur'an, explained their meanings and taught the believers the principles of faith, worship and righteous conduct.

The Qur'an was still being revealed gradually.

Each new revelation was memorised immediately by the Companions, who devoted themselves to preserving the words exactly as they had been revealed. Many also wrote the verses on available materials such as parchment, leather, flat stones, shoulder blades of animals and palm stalks, ensuring that the revelation was preserved both in memory and in writing from its earliest days.

The Character of the Early Believers

The first believers understood that accepting Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood would require sacrifice.

Many came from families devoted to idol worship.

Others belonged to powerful clans whose leaders strongly opposed any challenge to the traditional religious practices of Makkah.

Yet despite these realities, the small community continued to grow.

The bond that united them was unlike the tribal loyalties upon which Arabian society had long depended.

For the first time, people of different tribes, social classes and backgrounds were united by their shared belief in Allah and in the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.

The Qur'an became the centre of their lives.

Every new revelation increased their knowledge of Allah, strengthened their faith and prepared them for the responsibilities that lay ahead.

Three Years of Quiet Preparation

According to the earliest Sīrah, this period of private invitation continued for approximately three years.

During these years, the number of believers increased steadily, although they remained a small minority within Makkah.

Allah was preparing both His Messenger and the community that had gathered around him for the next stage of the mission.

When the foundations had been firmly established, Allah revealed a new command.

The time for inviting individuals privately had come to an end.

Muhammad ﷺ was now instructed to proclaim Allah's message openly, beginning with those closest to him—his own family of Banū Hāshim—before calling the entire Quraysh to worship Allah alone.

The quiet years of preparation were over.

The public proclamation of the final revelation was about to begin.

After approximately three years of inviting individuals privately, Allah commanded Muhammad ﷺ to take the next step in his prophetic mission. The message that had until then been conveyed quietly to individuals was now to be proclaimed openly, beginning with those closest to him.

The command came through revelation:

"And warn your nearest relatives."

Qur'an 26:214

This marked the beginning of the public call to Islam.

Allah's instruction was both practical and profound. Before addressing the wider Quraysh, Muhammad ﷺ was to invite his own family, Banū Hāshim, together with their close relatives from Banū al-Muṭṭalib. Those who had known him since birth would be the first to hear his public proclamation that Allah had chosen him as His Messenger.

The First Gathering

According to the earliest Sīrah accounts, Muhammad ﷺ invited the members of Banū Hāshim and Banū al-Muṭṭalib to a meal at his home.

Approximately forty members of the family attended.

Among them were his uncles, including Abū Ṭālib, Ḥamzah, al-ʿAbbās and Abū Lahab.

The Prophet ﷺ intended to address them after they had eaten and to invite them to worship Allah alone.

Before he could speak, however, Abū Lahab interrupted the gathering.

He mocked the occasion and began speaking in such a manner that the meeting broke up before Muhammad ﷺ was able to deliver his message.

The family dispersed without hearing the purpose for which they had been invited.

A Second Invitation

Muhammad ﷺ did not allow the interruption to discourage him.

A short time later, he invited the family to gather once again.

After they had eaten, he rose and addressed them.

The earliest Sīrah records that he praised Allah before speaking plainly to his relatives.

He reminded them that he had never lied to them during the forty years they had known him.

He then declared that Allah had sent him as His Messenger and called them to worship Allah alone.

He informed them that he had come with guidance for this life and salvation in the Hereafter, and that no Arab had ever brought his people anything better than what Allah had entrusted to him.

Muhammad ﷺ then asked:

"Who among you will support me in this matter?"

The gathering fell silent.

The elders of Banū Hāshim looked at one another but offered no response.

Ali's Response

Among those present was the young Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه.

Although the youngest in the gathering, he rose and declared that he would support Muhammad ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ asked the question again.

Once more, the gathering remained silent.

Again Ali stood and offered his support.

The Prophet ﷺ repeated the question a third time.

For the third time, Ali rose and pledged his loyalty to the Messenger of Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ acknowledged Ali's devotion before the gathering.

Many of those present smiled at the enthusiasm of the young boy, while others regarded the exchange with amusement.

The majority of the family, however, did not accept the invitation at that time.

The Response of Banū Hāshim

Although most members of Banū Hāshim did not immediately embrace Islam, neither did they all become enemies of Muhammad ﷺ.

Abū Ṭālib remained committed to protecting his nephew despite not accepting his message.

His loyalty to Muhammad ﷺ and his determination to defend him would become one of the defining features of the Makkan period.

Ḥamzah رضي الله عنه had not yet embraced Islam, but his acceptance would come later and would greatly strengthen the Muslim community.

Al-ʿAbbās likewise did not openly accept Islam at this stage, although he continued to maintain close family ties with Muhammad ﷺ.

The most hostile response came from Abū Lahab.

Unlike his brothers, he refused both the message and the Messenger.

His opposition, which had begun by disrupting the family gathering, would continue throughout the Makkan period and become increasingly open and determined.

The Public Mission Begins

The invitation to Banū Hāshim marked an important transition in Muhammad's ﷺ prophetic mission.

Until this point, the message had been conveyed privately to individuals.

Now, by Allah's command, it had entered the public sphere.

Although the first public gathering did not result in widespread acceptance, it fulfilled the command revealed in the Qur'an and prepared the way for the next stage.

Soon afterwards, Muhammad ﷺ would ascend Mount Ṣafā and call not merely his own family but the entire Quraysh to gather before him.

From that moment, the message of Islam would no longer be confined to private homes and quiet meetings.

It would be proclaimed openly in the very heart of Makkah, bringing the Prophet ﷺ into direct confrontation with the religious, social and political leadership of the Quraysh.

Following Allah's command to warn his nearest relatives, Muhammad ﷺ was instructed to broaden the call beyond his own family. The message that had first been conveyed privately, and then presented to Banū Hāshim, was now to be proclaimed openly before the people of Makkah.

This marked a decisive turning point in the Sīrah.

For the first time, Muhammad ﷺ publicly declared his prophethood before the leaders and clans of the Quraysh.

Mount Ṣafā

Mount Ṣafā stands immediately to the south-east of the Ka'bah and has held significance since the time of Ibrahim (Abraham) (Ibrāhīm) عليه السلام. Together with Mount Marwah, it forms part of the rites of Hajj and ʿUmrah, commemorating the faith and perseverance of Hājar and her search for water for her son, Ismail (Ishmael) (Ismāʿīl) عليه السلام.

In the time of Muhammad ﷺ, Ṣafā also served another important function.

When an urgent matter threatened the people of Makkah, it was customary for someone to climb the hill and call loudly to summon the inhabitants. Such a call indicated that an important announcement affecting the entire community was about to be made.

It was from this familiar place that Muhammad ﷺ chose to address his people.

Summoning the Quraysh

Muhammad ﷺ climbed Mount Ṣafā and called out to the various clans of the Quraysh.

According to the authentic Hadith, he called them by name:

"O Banū Fihr!"

"O Banū ʿAdī!"

One by one, the clans responded.

People gathered at the foot of the hill, while those unable to attend immediately sent others to discover why Muhammad ﷺ had summoned them.

Among those who came was his uncle, Abū Lahab.

The gathering included many of the leading men of the Quraysh, all of whom had known Muhammad ﷺ throughout his life.

A Question of Trust

Before announcing his message, Muhammad ﷺ asked the assembled people a question.

He said:

"If I were to tell you that horsemen were behind this mountain preparing to attack you, would you believe me?"

The people replied with one voice:

"Yes."

They continued:

"We have never known you to tell a lie."

This response is of great historical significance.

The testimony did not come from his followers.

At this stage, the overwhelming majority of those present had not accepted Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood.

Yet they openly acknowledged that during the forty years they had known him, they had never found him to be dishonest.

The public recognition of his truthfulness immediately before he announced his prophethood demonstrates the esteem in which he was held by his own people.

The Public Proclamation

Having established their acknowledgement of his honesty, Muhammad ﷺ addressed the gathering.

According to the authentic Hadith, he declared:

"Indeed, I am a warner to you before a severe punishment."

He called them to worship Allah alone and warned them that neither tribal lineage nor family relationship would benefit anyone before Allah without faith and righteous deeds.

He addressed several of his relatives individually.

He called upon the Quraysh to save themselves from the punishment of Allah.

He reminded Banū ʿAbd Manāf, Banū Hāshim and others that he possessed no power to benefit them before Allah except through the ties of kinship that he would continue to honour in this world.

In another authentic narration, he addressed his beloved daughter, Fāṭimah رضي الله عنها, saying:

"O Fāṭimah, daughter of Muhammad, ask me from my wealth whatever you wish, but I cannot avail you before Allah."

This declaration established one of the central principles of Islam.

No person, regardless of family relationship, ancestry or social standing, is exempt from personal accountability before Allah.

Every individual is responsible for responding to Allah's guidance.

Abū Lahab's Hostility

Before the gathering could disperse, Abū Lahab responded with anger.

According to the authentic narration, he exclaimed:

"May you perish! Is this why you gathered us?"

His words expressed both contempt for Muhammad ﷺ and rejection of the message he had proclaimed.

Abū Lahab thus became the first person to oppose the Prophet ﷺ publicly after the open proclamation of Islam.

His hostility would continue throughout the Makkan period, and he would devote himself to discouraging others from accepting Muhammad's ﷺ message.

In response to this open rejection, Allah revealed an entire chapter of the Qur'an:

"May the hands of Abū Lahab perish, and perish he shall.

Neither his wealth nor what he earned will benefit him.

He will burn in a Flaming Fire,

as will his wife, the carrier of firewood,

around her neck will be a rope of twisted fibre."

Qur'an 111:1–5

This was one of the earliest Qur'anic revelations to identify by name an individual who openly opposed the Messenger of Allah.

A New Phase of the Mission

The proclamation from Mount Ṣafā fundamentally changed the nature of Muhammad's ﷺ mission.

Until that day, opposition to the message had been limited.

Now every clan of the Quraysh knew that Muhammad ﷺ was publicly calling them to abandon idolatry and return to the worship of Allah alone.

His message challenged the religious beliefs, social customs and moral foundations upon which Makkan society had long been built.

For many among the Quraysh, this was no longer a private family matter.

It had become a public challenge to the religious order of Makkah.

From this point onward, the opposition of the Quraysh would steadily intensify.

Ridicule would soon give way to organised hostility, persecution and attempts to suppress the message of Islam before it could spread further among the people of Arabia.

The public proclamation from Mount Ṣafā marked the beginning of a new phase in Muhammad's ﷺ prophetic mission. From that day onward, the message of Islam could no longer be confined to private gatherings or individual conversations. Every clan of the Quraysh was now aware that Muhammad ﷺ claimed to have been sent by Allah as His final Messenger.

Although some individuals accepted his message, the majority of the leaders of the Quraysh rejected it.

Their opposition was not immediate violence. Instead, it developed gradually as they recognised the far-reaching implications of the Prophet's ﷺ call.

Why the Quraysh Opposed Muhammad ﷺ

The opposition of the Quraysh arose from several interconnected reasons.

Foremost among them was the Prophet's ﷺ uncompromising call to Tawḥīd—the worship of Allah alone.

For generations, the Ka'bah had been surrounded by idols representing numerous Arabian tribes. Although the Quraysh acknowledged Allah as the Supreme Creator, they believed that these idols served as intermediaries through whom they sought nearness to Him.

Muhammad ﷺ declared that such worship was false.

He recited the revelation that Allah alone deserved worship and that no created being possessed any share in His divinity.

This message directly challenged the religious beliefs that had become deeply rooted in Makkan society.

The Prophet ﷺ also condemned practices that had become accepted among the Arabs, including social injustice, exploitation of the weak, dishonesty in trade, neglect of the poor and the killing of infant daughters.

The Qur'an repeatedly reminded the Quraysh that every human being would stand before Allah on the Day of Judgement and be held accountable for every deed.

For many among the Makkan elite, this message demanded a complete transformation of both belief and conduct.

Concern for Their Position

The leaders of the Quraysh also recognised that Muhammad's ﷺ message challenged the authority they exercised over Makkah.

The Ka'bah attracted pilgrims from throughout Arabia.

Many tribes visited Makkah because their idols were housed within the Sacred Sanctuary. Pilgrimage and trade together formed the foundation of the city's prosperity.

If the idols were rejected and removed, many among the Quraysh feared that the religious and economic position they had enjoyed for generations would be threatened.

The Qur'an records one of their concerns:

"They say, 'If we follow the guidance with you, we will be swept away from our land.' Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary to which are brought the fruits of all things as provision from Us? But most of them do not know."

Qur'an 28:57

Rather than trusting Allah to preserve the security and prosperity of Makkah, many feared that accepting Muhammad ﷺ would diminish their influence among the tribes of Arabia.

They Could Not Accuse Him of Lying

Although the Quraysh rejected Muhammad's ﷺ message, they found themselves in a difficult position.

For forty years they had known him as Al-Amīn—the Trustworthy.

They had entrusted him with their wealth.

They had accepted his judgement in disputes.

They had publicly acknowledged that they had never known him to tell a lie.

Unable to challenge his personal integrity, they searched for other ways to discourage people from listening to him.

Some described him as a poet.

Others claimed he was a soothsayer.

Still others alleged that he was a magician whose words divided families.

The Qur'an records these accusations and repeatedly rejects them.

It declares that Muhammad ﷺ neither composed poetry nor spoke as a soothsayer, but conveyed revelation sent by Allah through Jibrīl عليه السلام.

Ridicule and Mockery

Unable to refute the Qur'an itself, many of the leaders of the Quraysh resorted to ridicule.

Whenever Muhammad ﷺ recited the revelation publicly, they mocked him before others.

Some laughed at the idea of bodily resurrection after death.

Others ridiculed the concept of divine revelation or demanded that miracles be produced according to their own conditions.

The Qur'an records many of these responses, demonstrating that ridicule became one of the earliest methods used to discourage people from listening to the Prophet ﷺ.

Despite this hostility, Muhammad ﷺ remained patient.

He neither abandoned his mission nor responded with abuse.

He continued reciting the Qur'an exactly as it was revealed and called people to worship Allah with wisdom, sincerity and perseverance.

The First Persecutions

As the number of believers slowly increased, the leaders of the Quraysh recognised that ridicule alone would not prevent the spread of Muhammad's ﷺ message.

Some of those who accepted Islam belonged to powerful clans and therefore enjoyed tribal protection.

Others, however, possessed no such protection.

These included slaves, freedmen, the poor and those whose families strongly opposed the Prophet ﷺ.

The Quraysh soon turned from mockery to persecution.

Believers were insulted, threatened and subjected to increasing pressure in an attempt to force them to abandon their faith.

This marked the beginning of a long period of suffering that would test the faith, patience and steadfastness of the first followers of Muhammad ﷺ.

Among those who would soon become enduring symbols of courage and perseverance were Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ رضي الله عنه, Yāsir ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه, Sumayyah bint Khayyāṭ رضي الله عنها and ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنه. Their trials would become some of the earliest and most powerful examples of unwavering faith in the history of the Muslim community.

As the number of people accepting Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood gradually increased, the leaders of the Quraysh became increasingly alarmed. What had begun as a private call was now attracting men and women from different tribes, social classes and backgrounds. The message of Islam was no longer confined to a small circle of believers but was slowly spreading throughout Makkah.

Unable to silence Muhammad ﷺ through ridicule or persuasion, the Quraysh adopted a more severe course of action.

They began persecuting those who had embraced Islam.

Tribal Protection in Arabian Society

To understand the persecution that followed, it is important to understand the nature of Arabian society.

In Makkah, a person's safety depended largely upon the protection of his or her tribe. Every individual belonged to a clan whose honour required that its members be defended against attack. To harm a member of a powerful tribe without cause could lead to conflict between entire clans.

Muhammad ﷺ himself remained under the protection of Banū Hāshim through his uncle, Abū Ṭālib. Although Abū Ṭālib had not accepted Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood, he refused to abandon his nephew and continued to protect him according to the long-established customs of the Arabs.

Many of the earliest believers, however, possessed no such protection.

Some were slaves.

Others were freed servants.

Some belonged to weaker clans that could not defend them against the powerful leaders of the Quraysh.

It was these believers who suffered most severely.

Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ رضي الله عنه

Among the earliest Muslims to endure persecution was Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ رضي الله عنه.

Bilāl was an Abyssinian slave owned by Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the leading opponents of Muhammad ﷺ.

When Bilāl accepted Islam, Umayyah attempted to force him to renounce his faith.

According to the authentic narrations, Bilāl was taken into the open desert during the intense heat of the day.

He was laid upon the burning sand with a massive stone placed upon his chest.

As he suffered beneath the scorching sun, his master demanded that he abandon Muhammad ﷺ and return to the worship of the idols.

Bilāl refused.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, he repeatedly answered with a single word:

"Aḥad... Aḥad..."

"One... One."

With this declaration, Bilāl affirmed the central message of Islam: that Allah alone is worthy of worship.

The torture continued day after day.

Yet Bilāl remained steadfast.

His unwavering faith became one of the earliest and most enduring examples of perseverance in the history of the Muslim community.

Eventually, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه purchased Bilāl from Umayyah and immediately set him free for the sake of Allah.

Bilāl would later become one of the Prophet's closest Companions and, after the migration to Madinah, the first official mu'adhdhin (caller to prayer) in Islam.

The Family of Yāsir رضي الله عنه

Among those who endured the harshest persecution were Yāsir ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه, his wife Sumayyah bint Khayyāṭ رضي الله عنها, and their son ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنه.

The family belonged to the vulnerable members of Makkan society and possessed little tribal protection.

Because of their acceptance of Islam, they were seized by the Quraysh and subjected to severe torture.

The authentic narrations describe how they were taken into the heat of the desert, where they were abused in an attempt to force them to renounce their faith.

The Prophet ﷺ was unable to intervene physically because they remained under the authority of those who controlled them.

Passing by them during their suffering, he offered words that have been remembered throughout Islamic history:

"Patience, O family of Yāsir, for indeed your promised meeting place is Paradise."

The words did not promise immediate relief from persecution.

Instead, they reminded the believers that Allah had prepared for them an everlasting reward far greater than the suffering they endured in this world.

Their ordeal would soon culminate in an event of profound significance.

Sumayyah رضي الله عنها would become the first person to give her life for her belief in Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood, establishing a legacy of faith and steadfastness that has inspired Muslims throughout history.

Sumayyah رضي الله عنها – The First Martyr in Islam

Among the earliest believers, none demonstrated greater steadfastness under persecution than Sumayyah bint Khayyāṭ رضي الله عنها.

Despite her age and physical vulnerability, she refused to abandon her belief in Allah or deny the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.

The leaders of the Quraysh regarded the steadfastness of believers such as Sumayyah as a direct challenge to their authority. If even the weakest members of society remained firm despite torture, their efforts to suppress the message would fail.

According to the earliest Sīrah sources, Abū Jahl (ʿAmr ibn Hishām) became particularly enraged by her refusal to renounce her faith.

In a moment of fury, he struck Sumayyah with a spear, killing her.

With her death, Sumayyah رضي الله عنها became the first martyr (shahīdah) of Muhammad's ﷺ prophetic mission and the first person known to have sacrificed her life for believing in his prophethood.

Her death profoundly affected the small community of believers.

She had possessed neither wealth nor tribal influence, yet her unwavering faith became an enduring example of courage and devotion to Allah.

Yāsir رضي الله عنه

The persecution did not end with Sumayyah.

Her husband, Yāsir ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه, also continued to suffer at the hands of the Quraysh.

The early Sīrah records that he too died as a result of the persecution inflicted upon him because of his belief in Muhammad ﷺ.

Thus, Yāsir joined his wife among the earliest martyrs of the Makkan period.

The Prophet ﷺ had witnessed their suffering and had comforted them with the promise of Paradise. That promise now became a reality according to the Islamic understanding of their sacrifice.

ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنه

Unlike his parents, ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنه survived the persecution.

The torture inflicted upon him was so severe that, under extreme duress, he was compelled to utter words pleasing to his persecutors while his heart remained firm in faith.

Deeply distressed by what had happened, ʿAmmār came to Muhammad ﷺ fearing that he had failed his religion.

The Prophet ﷺ asked him:

"How do you find your heart?"

ʿAmmār replied:

"Firm in faith."

The Prophet ﷺ reassured him, and Allah revealed:

"Whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed—except for one who is compelled while his heart remains secure in faith—but those who willingly open their hearts to disbelief, upon them is the wrath of Allah, and for them is a great punishment."

Qur'an 16:106

This verse established an important principle within Islamic law: a believer who is forced under genuine coercion to utter words of disbelief does not leave the fold of faith, provided that his heart remains steadfast in belief.

The experience of ʿAmmār therefore became both a personal consolation and a lasting legal principle derived directly from the Qur'an.

Other Believers Who Suffered

The persecution was not limited to Bilāl and the family of Yāsir.

Many other believers endured hardship because of their acceptance of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood.

Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt رضي الله عنه, a skilled blacksmith, was tortured by his masters. According to authentic reports, burning coals were placed upon his back until the fire was extinguished by the flesh of his body.

Lubaynah رضي الله عنها, a believing slave woman, was repeatedly beaten in an attempt to force her to abandon Islam.

al-Nahdiyyah رضي الله عنها and her daughter likewise endured severe mistreatment before being purchased and freed by Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه.

Abū Bakr devoted a considerable portion of his wealth to purchasing enslaved believers solely in order to grant them their freedom. He sought no worldly benefit from these acts, believing that the reward for freeing those persecuted because of their faith lay with Allah alone.

The Strengthening of the Believers

The persecution inflicted by the Quraysh achieved the opposite of what its leaders intended.

Rather than extinguishing the message of Islam, it strengthened the faith of many believers.

The Qur'an continued to be revealed, comforting the Prophet ﷺ and reminding the believers that previous prophets and their followers had also faced rejection and hardship before the truth ultimately prevailed.

Muhammad ﷺ consistently instructed his followers to respond with patience rather than retaliation.

Although many possessed the courage to defend themselves, Allah had not yet granted permission to fight.

The believers therefore endured persecution while placing their trust in Allah and awaiting His command.

As the years passed, the opposition of the Quraysh became increasingly organised.

Recognising that torture alone would not stop the spread of the message, the leaders of Makkah turned their attention towards Muhammad ﷺ himself.

They would first attempt persuasion through negotiation and compromise.

When these efforts failed, they would adopt increasingly severe measures against both the Prophet ﷺ and those who believed in him.