The Meccan Period: From the Cave to the Hijra
العهد المكي: من الغار إلى الهجرة
A chronological trail through the years of the call in Mecca, from the descent of the revelation in the cave of Hira to the Hijra, in twelve events ordered as they unfolded.
At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
The aim of this trail
To know how the call moved from secrecy to openness, what it faced in Mecca, and how that ended in the Hijra.
What you will know at the end
- Order the main events of the Meccan period from the revelation to the Hijra.
- Name who protected the Prophet, who harmed him, and who joined him at each stage.
- Explain how the two pledges of al-Aqaba paved the way for the Hijra.
How to read this trail
A chronological trail: every step is an event on which the next stands. Read each page's summary then move on, and you will see the differing accounts presented where they exist, attributed to their transmitters. Approximate duration: 45 minutes; 12 steps. This is an experimental trail within "Tour and Learn".
Before you begin
It is best to start with Islam in Thirty Minutes.
The steps
1. The Descent of the Revelation
The beginning of the revelation in the cave of Hira: the starting point — the cave of Hira.
2. The Call to the Kinsfolk
The call to the nearest kin: the move to open preaching as the page explains, and who protected it.
3. Harm and Torture
The persecution of the vulnerable: what befell the weak among the believers, and the names of those who held firm.
4. The First Emigration to Abyssinia
The first emigration to Abyssinia: the first departure from Mecca in search of safety.
5. Hamza's Conversion
The conversion of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib: how Hamza entered Islam, and what that changed.
6. Umar's Conversion
The conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab: days after Hamza's conversion, and how the Muslims' standing changed.
7. The Boycott of Banu Hashim
The boycott of Banu Hashim in the ravine of Abu Talib: the document and the siege in the ravine.
8. The Year of Sorrow
The Year of Sorrow: the Prophet lost his protector and his wife in a single year.
9. The Journey to al-Ta'if
The Prophet's journey to al-Ta'if: seeking support outside Mecca.
10. The Two Pledges of al-Aqaba
The two pledges of al-Aqaba: the two that paved the way to the house of emigration in Medina.
11. Dar al-Nadwa
The Dar al-Nadwa meeting and the decision to assassinate the Prophet: what Quraysh plotted in the Prophet's last days in Mecca.
12. The Hijra
The Prophet's Hijra: the end of the Meccan period and the beginning of the Medinan phase.
When you finish
Sources
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The Meccan Period: From the Cave to the Hijra”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/exhibits/path-meccan-period/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.