The Prophetic Method

the incentive for a popular revolutionary movement. But the Prophet did not capitalize on the economic issues of his people in any way. On one occasion, the Makkan gentry gathered before the Ka’bah after sunset and summoned the Prophet. When he laid the basic teachings of Islam before them, this is how they reacted to his message: Muhammad, you know that no country is poorer or drier than ours. You know how hard it is for us to make a living. So pray to your Lord on our behalf that He should remove these dry mountains that have made life so difficult for us; that He should make our land fertile and make rivers, like those of Syria and Iraq, flow in its valleys.78 To understand what made the leaders of the Quraysh speak to the Prophet in this manner, one has to understand the geographical situation of Arabia. A chain of mountains stretching along the coastline of Hijaz as far as Najd prevented sea winds from penetrating inland, resulting in rainfall in the Arabian Peninsula, in contrast to that of Iraq and Syria, which was minimal. This geographical situation was at the root of Arabia’s economic problems. Any budding leader could instantly attract people’s attention by exploiting these problems. The Prophet, however, did not choose this path. He did not pay any direct attention to issues of this nature and devoted his efforts entirely towards preaching the oneness of God. History shows that the Prophet’s struggle in the field of missionary activity had far-reaching effects, opening up new opportunities for the Arabs in political and economic areas. But it is essential