or agreement. The weaker individuals or sections were placed in the custody of a Makkan family while those of strong descent were made allies of an Arab family. His objective was to place new Muslims in a safe ambience, away from hostility and such forces that attacked their faith. Further discussion on this issue follows in the chapter on the construction of the society.20
The Prophet (peace be upon him) followed all the prevailing norms and practices in preaching Islam. The following are some of the most important ones adopted in the Makkan phase:
| a. | Reciting the Qur’ān and instructing people who visited him. |
| b. | Joining non-Muslim gatherings and reciting the Qur’ān and instructing them there. |
| c. | Having discussions with the local chiefs with a view to conveying the message of Islam to them. |
| d. | Arranging for meals for his kith and kin and community leaders for teaching them about Islam. |
| e. | Winning people’s good will by presenting them gifts and endearing himself to them. |
| f. | Engaging in public welfare acts for bringing home the excellence of Islam. |
| g. | Bringing them closer to Islam by acts of mutual cooperation and interaction and presenting Islam as the faith of peace and amity. |
| h. | Professing and practising high moral standards in trade and business and social relations for persuading them of the truth of Islam and the moral superiority of Muslims. |
| i. | Removing the objections against Islam and issuing rejoinders to the queries and charges about Islam. |
| j. | Convincing non-Muslim chiefs about the goodness of Islam and persuading them of their own success on accepting Islam.21 |
Right to Practise Faith
The Prophet (peace be upon him) set a glowing example during his Makkan phase on how to live in a non-Muslim majority society while adhering to Islam and its sharʿīah and observing all Islamic commands related to its moral, religious and legal system. Muslims are entitled to profess their faith notwithstanding the opposition and hostility against them. By the same token, non-Muslims are free to follow their faith. ‘For you your faith and for me my faith.’22 That is the standing principle valid for all time and place. No civilized society can dare deny it.23
Performance of Prayer
After the Prophet’s advent and revelation of the Qur’ān, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and all Muslims were obliged to offer prayer. Wuḍū’ (ablution) was prescribed as a prerequisite for prayer. Gabriel instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) in both of these, a point borne out by ḥadīth and sīrah studies.24Regarding the obligatory duty of prayer Ibn Isḥāq and Ibn Hishām clarify that Gabriel instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) in prayer and wuḍū’. The latter then taught the same to Khadījah. Prior to his acceptance of Islam, ʿAlī had observed the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying inside the home and asked him about the same. As already noted, at the appointed hours of prayers the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions would go to a valley in Makkah and pray there. We will revert to this point later.
As in the case of preaching, initially the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed privately at home or at a secluded spot. As Muslims grew into a small group, they went to a Makkan valley and offered prayer there in congregation. The Companions had the standing instruction to pray privately.25 Prior to the night journey only Fajr and ʿAṣr prayers were obligatory. Later on, five obligatory prayers were prescribed. In the Makkan period only two rak‘ahs were prescribed for ʿAṣr prayer. The rationale was not to provoke undue hostility on the part of the opponents.26
Yet the Muslims had the right to worship and pray in their own way which they held very dear. For them it was a religious duty which served as the dividing line between faith and unbelief. This explains when ʿUqbah ibn Abī Muʿīṭ, an utterly hostile Quraysh member sought to prevent Muslims from praying in a valley, a Muslim youth Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ al-Zuhrī took him to task and made him concede his mistake in denying Muslims their basic right. ʿUqbah did try to mobilize the Quraysh chiefs for preventing them from offering prayers. He was, however, reprimanded by them. Thus the non-Muslim dominated society and its chiefs acknowledged this right of the Muslim minority.27
Praying Together
Another wise step taken by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was that at the time of praying together he offered Ẓuhr prayer in the Kaʿbah courtyard inside the Sacred Place of worship.28 The Quraysh also prayed at that hour and did not object to the Prophet’s prayer. According to a report, Muslims initially offered only Ẓuhr and ʿAṣr prayers, the former together with the Quraysh and the latter at a secluded place lest the Quraysh might object. Ẓuhr prayer was one of the remnants of the Abrahamic faith and was performed with all its components by the Quraysh. It may thus be called as the joint prayer of the Makkans. It was a peculiar situation. Some other rituals of the Abrahamic faith were common to the Muslim minority and the Makkan Quraysh. Of these, Ẓuhr prayer was quite marked.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) offered Ẓuhr prayer in congregation. Another rite was the fast on 10th Muḥarram. The same may be said of Ḥajj rituals. Ḥajj was the annual worship of not only the Makkan Quraysh but all Arabs. Under the Prophet’s guidance and leadership Muslims performed pilgrimage according to their capacity. In so doing, however, they observed the dictates of morality and nature and shunned the innovations committed by the Quraysh. They avoided going around the Kaʿbah in a naked state or not staying at ʿArafāt, and returning to Makkah without going there or entering their houses by the back door etc. They shunned these unethical practices as a matter of principle.29 This establishes the principle that in a multi-faith society the Muslim minority may join festivals and rituals of other faith, provided these do not impair morals.30
Avoiding Polytheism and its Manifestations
On the important issue of social interaction and praying together the Prophet (peace be upon him) laid down the basic principle that Muslims must avoid polytheism and its manifestations. Included amid these are idolatry, making offerings to these, vows for them, and participating in any polytheistic ritual etc. He illustrated this through his practice. It was obligatory for Makkans, the Muslim minority and by extension for all Muslim minorities. They must keep away from polytheistic worship and its rituals. It is the religious duty of Muslims which the majority community cannot take away. It is antithetical to monotheism to make any adjustment with polytheism and bear with it.31
Building and Managing Place of Worship
1. The first place of worship in upper Makkah:
Soon after the revelation of the Qur’ān in the Makkan period, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked to offer prayers. Gabriel instructed him in wuḍū’, and purification in that these are prerequisites for prayer. He taught the Prophet (peace be upon him) how to offer prayer and gave him detailed instructions about two rakʿah and four rakʿah prayers, its postures and its beginning and end timings. He told also how to select a place for saying prayer. The first spot where the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed after receiving Gabriel’s extensive instructions was a corner of the valley in upper Makkah.32
2. The Prophet’s domestic Place of worship:
It emerges from the sīrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had selected a spot inside his house for prayer. Soon after accepting Islam Khadījah started praying as the Prophet (peace be upon him) led prayers. A little later, ʿAlī joined the Prophet’s prayer. It was the beginning of congregational prayer and of the place of worship inside the house. Reports clearly indicate that the Prophet (peace be upon him) offered prayers inside his house. He directed Khadījah and ʿAlī how to purify and do wuḍū’. It was again he who identified qiblah. Ibn Isḥāq reports that three Quraysh chiefs – Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb, Abū Jahl ibn Hishām al-Makhzūmī and al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq al-Thaqafī went out at night separately to listen to the Prophet’s recitation of the Qur’ān while hiding themselves. They did so near the Prophet’s domestic place of worship. For three nights they listened to him.33 Ibn Isḥāq further reports that when