🔒 Secret Dakwah (3 Years)

• After the Prophet (pbuh) received his first revelation, he told his wife Khadija and later her cousin Waraqa bin Nawfal about the event.

  • Khadija was the first to accept the message.

• After verses from Surah Mudaththir were revealed to him, the revelation came frequently and regularly.

  • The main message at this point was to reject idols and believe in one God.

• For three years the Prophet (pbuh) preached and practised in secret.

  • Initially only a handful of Muslims accepted Islam, the main ones being:
    • Khadija, Zayd ibn Harith, ‘Ali and Abu Bakr, who in turn brought many people to Islam including, ‘Uthman, Zubair ibn Awwam, and Talha. Other early converts were Bilal, Abu ‘Ubaida, Abu Salamah.

• The Prophet (saw) started to meet his companions at Dar al-Arqam, the home of the companion al-Arqam, a few months after revelation.

  • The Prophet taught the fundamentals of Islam, giving da'wah, and the leading of the future Muslim state.

• The Prophet (pbuh) would meet and teach these new converts in secret from the revelations he was continuing to receive.

• The Muslims prayed twice a day, in the morning and evening. They would pray and practise their faith in secret, often praying in the mountains.

• After there were more than 40 or so converts it could not be kept a secret any more.

• He called his own clan to dinner;

  • Abu Lahab rejected the message while Abu Talib promised protection.

• After the revelation to warn his nearest relatives (26:214), the Prophet (pbuh) took to Mount Safa and invited the Quraysh to believe in one God and reject idol worship.

  And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred. (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:214)

• The Quraysh rejected the Prophet’s message after open preaching, and being threatened by the new message, started to persecute the Muslims.

  • After this persecutions started on the early converts but Makkans continued to convert to Islam.

Was it significant that the Prophet began preaching the message in secret?

• It was significant because the message was new and so the Prophet and his closest followers needed time to get used to it.
• Also, they did not know how the Quraysh would react so it was better to wait until they had some strength in numbers before openly preaching.
• It was also better to wait until they were guided by God to preach Islam openly.

What do the Prophet’s struggles in these early years teach Muslims about dealing with their own difficulties?

• The Prophet (pbuh) was not able to preach his message openly, and even when he did, he was rejected and treated badly.
• Some lessons could be that Muslims should realise that they should stick to what they believe in even if they are finding it hard to do so - especially if they believe what they are doing is good and is what God asks of them.
  • For example, colleagues may not want a Muslim to pray openly or wear hijab, but they should try their best to stick to it and keep their belief strong.
• They could also learn that there are times when they do not have to tell people what they are doing, especially if they fear they will come to harm, and so it is acceptable for them to do their good actions in secret.
  • An example could be when moving to new a country a person can keep their faith hidden to avoid persecution.
• Essay Plan: