The Mission and Revelation

When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) turned forty, he often spent time alone in reflection at the Cave of Hira, just outside Makkah. It was there that the angel Gabriel came to him for the first time with a message from Allah — marking the beginning of his mission as a prophet.

The angel told him:

“Read! In the name of your Lord who created —
Created man from a clinging substance.
Read, for your Lord is the Most Generous,
The One who taught by the pen,
Taught humans what they didn’t know.”
(Qur’an 96:1–5)

This was the first revelation of the Qur’an. More verses came gradually over time, guiding both the Prophet and his followers.

At first, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was told to share the message privately, starting with his close family, then his wider community, and eventually, the entire world.

He began calling people to Islam quietly, inviting them to believe in one God and live righteously. For the first thirteen years in Makkah, he focused on teaching his people about faith, compassion, and justice. Some accepted the message and embraced Islam, while others resisted and became hostile.

Because of the growing persecution, the Prophet sent some of his followers to Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) for safety. Later, many Muslims migrated to Medina, where they could finally practice their faith freely.

Once in Medina, the Prophet continued spreading Islam with patience, strength, and wisdom. He lived the message he preached, showing mercy, fairness, and humility in everything he did.

He shared Islam not only with the Arabs but also with other nations by sending messages to their leaders and rulers. He defended the Muslim community when necessary, but his mission was always about truth, peace, and freedom of belief.

In Medina, he built a strong and balanced society based on faith, equality, justice, and brotherhood, a community that cared for one another and lived by moral principles.

When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed away in the tenth year after the Hijrah (around 632 CE), almost the entire Arabian Peninsula had accepted Islam. What started as one man alone in a cave had become a movement that changed hearts, lives, and history forever.