Sirah: The Makkan Period and the Prophet as Individual
The Sirah is the recorded life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) — biography in the strict sense, but also a model for personal conduct, leadership and reform. CSS papers ask candidates to draw out lessons from the Sirah for contemporary life; doing this well requires mastering both the chronology and the moral structure of his life.
The literary and scholarly tradition of recording the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) biography — his ancestry, character, mission, sayings, battles, diplomacy and personal conduct — drawn from authentic hadith, early biographies (Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Hisham, al-Tabari, al-Waqidi) and Quranic context.
Before prophethood: the man of trust
Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born in Makkah in 570 CE, often called the Year of the Elephant for Abraha's failed attack on the Ka'bah. Orphaned young — his father died before his birth, his mother when he was six — he was raised by his grandfather Abdul Muttalib and then his uncle Abu Talib.
By his twenties he had earned the title al-Sadiq al-Amin — the Truthful, the Trustworthy — among Makkans of all clans. This was no minor reputation in a tribal society where character determined one's standing.
- Worked as a shepherd in his youth and later as a merchant.
- Travelled to Syria with trade caravans; encountered Christian monks who recognised in him signs of prophethood.
- Married Sayyida Khadija (RA) at age 25 — a successful businesswoman 15 years his senior.
- At about age 35 mediated the famous Hajar al-Aswad dispute among Qurayshi clans during the rebuilding of the Ka'bah.
He was known to retreat for contemplation in the cave of Hira on Jabal al-Nur, troubled by the moral state of Makkan society — its idolatry, female infanticide, tribal feuds and oppression of the weak.
The first revelation
At about age 40, in 610 CE, he received the first revelation through the angel Jibril:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
"Read in the name of your Lord who created..." (Sura Al-Alaq, 96:1)
The first call was not to ritual or conquest but to reading, knowledge and the dignity of the Creator. After three years of private preaching, Allah commanded public proclamation on Mount Safa.
The pattern of opposition
Quraysh tolerated private faith but turned hostile when the message threatened their economic and social order — the pilgrimage trade, idol custodianship, slave economy, tribal hierarchy.
| Phase | Years (CE) | Quraysh tactic |
|---|---|---|
| Mockery | 613–615 | Ridicule, social pressure |
| Persecution | 615–619 | Beating of weak Muslims (Bilal, Sumayya, Yasir, Ammar) |
| Boycott | 617–619 | Total social and economic boycott of Banu Hashim at Shi'b Abi Talib |
| Direct threat | 619–622 | After Abu Talib's and Khadija's deaths in the "Year of Sorrow" |
In 615 CE the Prophet (PBUH) sent the first hijrah to Abyssinia — a small group of persecuted Muslims who found refuge with the Christian king Najashi (Negus). This is the first recorded instance of Muslim asylum-seeking and the first Muslim-Christian diplomatic encounter.
Ta'if and the night journey
In 619 CE, after the death of Abu Talib and Khadija, the Prophet (PBUH) travelled to Ta'if seeking support. He was rejected, mocked and pelted with stones until his sandals filled with blood. His response was not curse but prayer for their future generations.
Soon after came the Isra and Mi'raj — the Night Journey to Jerusalem and the Ascension to the heavens, during which the five daily prayers were prescribed.
The Hijrah: a new community
In 622 CE, after the pledges of Aqaba with the people of Yathrib, the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Bakr (RA) migrated to the city — which became Madinah al-Munawwarah. The Hijrah marks the start of the Islamic calendar, instituted by Umar (RA) during his caliphate, because it signified the birth of a Muslim community, not just a faith.
"And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you... they plan, but Allah also plans, and Allah is the best of planners."
Lessons of the Makkan period
The Makkan years model how to build a movement from nothing against a hostile establishment:
- Character first — the credibility of a movement begins with the integrity of its messenger.
- Patience under persecution — never responded to violence with disproportionate violence.
- Strategic relocation — sending Muslims to Abyssinia, accepting Madinan invitation; movement, not surrender.
- Inclusive welfare — early converts included slaves, women, the elderly, the wealthy and the poor.
For a CSS essay on "The Prophet (PBUH) as an Individual," weave together personal character (Sadiq, Amin), social conduct (mediator, employer of trust, husband, father), and resilience under hardship (Ta'if, the boycott). Avoid retelling well-known stories without drawing out the lesson.
Next
The next lesson covers the Madinan period — the Prophet (PBUH) as statesman, diplomat, military strategist and peace-maker.