The Prophet in Makkah

THE PROPHET IN MAKKAH The following year, six people from the Khazraj tribe came to Makkah for Hajj. They became Muslim, swore allegiance to the Prophet, and then returned to Madinah to propagate Islam there. Then, twelve people came to swear allegiance to the Prophet in the twelfth year of the Prophet’s mission. Their oath at ‘Aqabah near Makkah is famous in Islamic history as the First Oath of ‘Aqabah. In the same place, another pact followed the next year, in which 75 people participated. Contrary to what happened in Makkah, the outstanding personalities of the city of Madinah accepted Islam at the very outset. According to tribal customs, people in those days followed their leaders’ religion. Islam, then, spread quickly in Madinah. Soon there was not a single home into which Islam had not entered. So it was natural that, as the Muslims achieved a majority in Madinah, they should become the dominant force in the city’s affairs. And so it was that, as Tabarini has reported, “the Muslims were the most influential people in the city.” Factors Working in Favour of Preaching Work Some resist the corruption of their world and remain attached to their own true, primordial natures. This is true of every day and age, but it was especially true of the Arabs when the Prophet commenced his mission. Besides the simple way of life to which they were accustomed, there