Islamiyat · May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Question 3

Outline the growth of Islam in Makka from the first revelation until the migration to Madina.

Use the AO1 Levels of Response.

Candidates should include some of the following points. All other relevant points must be credited.

After the Prophet (pbuh) received his first revelation, he told his wife Khadija and later her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal about the event. Khadija was the first to accept the message. After verses from sura Mudaththir were revealed to him, the revelation came frequently and regularly.

Some of the first converts to Islam were Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s friend, ‘Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and Zayd ibn Haritha his adopted son, who both lived in his household.

In the first three years the message was not taught openly. There were already people in Makka who did not believe in polytheism, and it was they who came to be amongst the early converts. Abu Bakr spoke to a number of them, including ‘Uthman, Zubayr ibn Awwam and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf. In the third year of prophethood, the Prophet (pbuh) got revelation to ‘arise and warn your nearest kinsmen’, after which the Prophet (pbuh) spoke to the Quraysh on the hill of Safa. They rejected his message, but there were others who were interested in it. The Quraysh were initially not interested in the conversions, but once they saw an increase in the number of Muslims and changes to the way people were doing things, they started to take notice. At this point the Muslims were still meeting and learning about Islam in secret. They would retreat at Dar al-Arqam.

After public preaching the Quraysh started to persecute the Muslims, and so some of them migrated to Abyssinia. Here there was some potential to spread Islam, and some Muslims stayed there in peace for a long time.

In Makka, prominent Makkans became Muslim such as Hamza and ‘Umar and this changed the way that Muslims practised Islam – they were now emboldened and were able to pray and practise their faith in the open. With the increasing of persecutions on the Muslims the number of

conversions slowed down, and it became difficult for Islam to be practised. The Prophet (pbuh) then started to speak to pilgrims coming to Makka from outside, and this led to the Pledges of Aqaba and eventual migration to Madina.

Early Muslims faced difficulties in establishing their faith. How can their actions guide Muslims today in practising their own faith?

Use the AO2 Levels of Response.

Candidates can give other examples and all relevant answers should be credited.

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.