Prophet's Journey to Ta'if

Study Notes

The Prophet Muhammad, facing rejection in Mecca, travelled to Ta'if, a town about 60 miles southeast of Mecca.
Ta'if was known for its fruit and agriculture.
This decision followed the tradition of other prophets like Moses and Jesus, who also sought new audiences when challenged.

Upon arrival, the Prophet met with local leaders, but none accepted his message, as Ta'if, like Mecca, was deeply rooted in polytheistic beliefs and practices.
Importantly, the idol al-Lat was located in Ta'if.
The common people, obeying their leaders, rejected the Prophet's teaching.
The Prophet and his companion, Zaid, were pelted with stones, forcing them to leave the town.
Zaid was injured, and the Prophet also suffered injuries, pursued for several miles out of Ta'if.

An angel offered to destroy the persecutors, but the Prophetsa refused, hoping to convert them instead.
Exhausted, the Prophet took shelter at a vineyard owned by two Meccans.
The Meccans showed kindness, sending a tray of grapes with a Christian slave, 'Addasra, from Nineveh.
'Addasra, upon hearing the Prophet's invocation of God's name ("In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful"), became intrigued.
The Prophet shared his message of the one true God with Jonah , and 'Addasra believed at that moment.

The Prophet turned to Allah, expressing his weakness, lack of resources, and the disdain of his people.
He sought refuge from strangers, oppressors, and enemies, instead seeking refuge in God's mercy.
The Prophet's prayer affirmed his faith in the power of God, recognizing him as the ultimate source of power.

After his prayer, the Prophet headed back to Mecca.
En route, he stayed in Nakhla for a few days.
The Prophet, since he was no longer recognized as a Meccan citizen, requested permission from a leading Meccan, Mut'im bin 'Adi, for safe passage back to Mecca.
Despite being an enemy, Mut'im led his armed supporters to escort the Prophet back to Mecca, granting him permission to return.

Some consider the Prophet's journey to be a heroic feat of faith.
Despite initial hostility in Mecca, the Prophet continued spreading his message of "God is One" with love, regard, and persistence.
Muslims who had returned from Abyssinia were spreading the message secretly to their community.

During the annual Hajj, the Prophet met a small group of people from the Khazraj tribe of Medina who expressed initial interest in his message.
After hearing Jewish prophecies about a coming prophet, people in Medina became receptive to the Prophet's message.
Subsequently, 12 men from Medina declared their faith in the Prophet during the next Hajj and returned to Medina to spread the message, which led to a growing number of followers.
The Prophet then sent the first missionary to Medina to teach the rising number of followers.

The Prophet had a vision in Jerusalem of prophets joining him in congregational worship, symbolizing Medina as the center of worship and Islam's universality.
During this time, the Chosroes of Iran was involved in war. Iranian forces were successful in overpowering several territories including Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and parts of Asia Minor.
Meccans celebrated the Iranian successes, which was interpreted as judgment against the People of the Book.
The Prophet received a revelation of victory and the eventual triumph for the believers.

The Prophet received multiple revelations of coming victory for those who followed faith.
The revelations contrasted with the Meccans' seeming powerlessness and confused the Meccans, who focused on the current powerlessness of the Muslims.
The Quran affirmed teachings not of poets but revelations from God, while also cautioning ineffectiveness of opposition.
The Prophet's focus increasingly shifted toward migration to Medina as a place of refuge.