Life of the Prophet

opposing it. But very soon they realized that their opposition was ineffective. In the meantime, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, died. He had been a leader of the Quraysh, and the Prophet’s guardian and supporter. After the death of Abu Talib, the Makkan leaders intensified their opposition. They began openly indulging in hostile activities. At that time the Prophet, feeling that the situation in Makkah was not favourable for spreading his message, allowed his companions to temporarily leave Makkah and migrate to Abyssinia, a neighbouring country. As for himself he decided to go in search of supporters in an Arabian town, called Taif. He was accompanied only by his servant Zayd. This journey did not yield any positive result. The leaders of Taif, turning against him like the Makkan leaders, treated him very badly. Therefore, the Prophet returned to Makkah. However, the support of a Makkan leader was necessary if he was to stay in the city. So when he was still on the outskirts of his hometown, he sent his servant to the Makkan leader Mutim ibn Adi, still an idolater, with the request that he extend his patronage so that he might stay in Makkah. This protection was necessary according to the ancient Arab system. Only when Mutim ibn Adi agreed to do so was the Prophet able to enter the city. But now the opposition of the Makkan leaders had so greatly intensified that it had become impossible for him to stay there. Therefore, after thirteen years of Prophethood, he quietly left Makkah for Madinah. After reaching Madinah the first sermon he gave at the Friday prayer has been recorded in full by his biographer, Ibn Hisham: After praising God, the Prophet said: O people, prepare yourself for the Hereafter. You must know that the hour of death is sure to come to everyone. Then you will leave your herds without a herdsman. Then surely the Lord will speak to you. And then there will be no mediator, no veil to come between him and his Lord. The Lord will ask: Did My messenger not come to you? Did he not convey My message to you? I gave you wealth, and blessed you. Then why did you not prepare yourself for this day? Then that person will look towards his left, and towards his right, but he will not see anything. Then he will look in front of him, but he will see nothing but hell. Therefore, if anyone of you is eager to save his face from the fire of hell he ought to do so, even if it is by giving a piece of a date (by spending in charity for those who are really in need). One who does not possess even that should try to save himself by speaking a good word. For each good action will be rewarded from tenfold to 700 fold. May God bless you. May God’s mercy be upon you. (Seerah ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, pp. 500-501) During the thirteen years that the Prophet lived in Makkah after he received prophethood, prayer in congregation had not been made obligatory. It was in Madinah, after his emigration, that congregational prayer was made a religious duty. Therefore, on reaching Madinah, the first of the most important tasks in which the Prophet engaged himself was to find a piece of land on which to build a mosque. The mosque he built has seen several extensions since then and is now