The Prophet’s Preaching at Ta’if & Hijrah to Abyssinia – JSS2 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

The journey to Ta’if was Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) visit to a town near Mecca to invite its people to Islam, and the Hijrah to Abyssinia was the first migration of Muslims to escape persecution in Mecca.

Behavioural objectives

1. State why Prophet Muhammad went to Ta’if.
2. Describe how the people of Ta’if treated him and how he responded.
3. Explain why some Muslims migrated to Abyssinia.
4. Describe the part played by the Negus and by Ja’far.
5. List the lessons from the journey to Ta’if and the Hijrah to Abyssinia.

What are the key terms in this topic?

• Ta’if: a town south-east of Mecca, home of the tribe of Thaqif.
• Hijrah: migration from one place to another to protect one’s faith.
• Abyssinia: the old name for the Christian kingdom in the region of present-day Ethiopia.
• Negus: the title of the king of Abyssinia.
• Quraysh: the leading tribe of Mecca, which opposed early Islam.
• Persecution: cruel treatment of people because of their beliefs.

Why did Prophet Muhammad go to Ta’if?

Prophet Muhammad went to Ta’if to invite its people to Islam and to seek their support, because life in Mecca had become very hard.

• Hardship in Mecca: the Quraysh were unkind to Muslims and troubled the Prophet.
• Loss of protectors: his uncle Abu Talib and his wife Khadijah had died, so he had less protection.
• New place for the message: he wanted a place where people might listen to Allah’s message.
• Hope for help: he hoped the leaders of Ta’if would accept Islam and protect the Muslims.

What happened at Ta’if?

The people of Ta’if rejected the Prophet and drove him out of the town, but he stayed patient.

What did Muhammad do in Ta’if?

1. He travelled to Ta’if with his adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah.
2. He met the leaders of the town.
3. He asked them to listen to the message of Islam.
4. He asked them to help and protect the Muslims.

How were they treated?

• Rejection: the leaders did not welcome him or accept the message.
• Mockery: some young people and townspeople made fun of him.
• Stoning: some threw stones at him as he left, and he was hurt.
• Zayd’s help: Zayd tried to shield the Prophet from the stones.
• Sadness: Muhammad was hurt and sad, but he did not give up.

How did Muhammad respond?

• No anger: he did not get angry or curse the people.
• Prayer: he made a special prayer to Allah, asking for His mercy and help.
• Patience: he bore the pain calmly.
• Trust: he continued to trust in Allah.
• Hope for the people: he hoped that their children would one day worship Allah alone.

What lessons do we learn from Ta’if?

• Calmness: stay calm in difficult times.
• Hope: never give up hope.
• Trust: depend on Allah.
• Kindness: be kind even when others are not kind to you.
• Faith in good: believe that good will come after hardship.

What was the Hijrah to Abyssinia?

The Hijrah to Abyssinia was the migration of a group of early Muslims from Mecca to the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia to escape persecution.

Why did Muslims go to Abyssinia?

• Ill-treatment: Muslims, especially the weak and the poor, were badly treated in Mecca.
• No freedom to worship: they needed a safe place to practise their religion.
• A fair ruler: the king of Abyssinia was known to be just.
• Advice of the Prophet: Prophet Muhammad advised them to go there for safety.

Who were the emigrants?

• First group: a small group of about 15 Muslims made the first trip.
• Later groups: more Muslims followed, so the community in Abyssinia grew larger.
• Sacrifice: they left their homes and property behind.
• Faith: they were willing to suffer to keep their faith.

Who was the Negus?

• Religion: he was a Christian king.
• Character: he was known for fairness and kindness.
• Listening: he listened carefully to the Muslims.
• Protection: he protected them from their enemies.
• Refusal: he did not send them back to Mecca.

What happened when they arrived?

1. The Muslims were welcomed and lived in safety.
2. The Quraysh sent men with gifts to ask the king to return them to Mecca.
3. The Negus called the Muslims and asked about their beliefs.
4. He listened to their story and understood they were good people.
5. He refused to hand them over and promised to protect them.

What did Ja’far do?

• Spokesman: Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, a Muslim leader, spoke to the king for the Muslims.
• Teaching: he explained what Islam teaches.
• Values: he spoke about truthfulness, kindness, respect and worship of one God.
• Result: the king was impressed by the message.

What lessons do we learn from the Hijrah to Abyssinia?

The Hijrah teaches courage, kindness and trust in Allah.

Courage in difficult times

• Bravery: be brave when things are hard.
• Faith: protect your beliefs.
• Justice: stand up for what is right.

Kindness to others

• Respect: respect people who are different from you.
• Fairness: be fair to everyone.
• Protection: help those who need protection.

Trust in Allah

• Patience: Allah helps those who are patient.
• Belief: good things come to those who believe.
• Hope: never lose hope.

How do the two events compare?

Both events happened when Muslims faced hardship in Mecca, but each ended in a different way.

What do the two events show?

• Patience: they show Prophet Muhammad’s great patience.
• Strength: they show the strength of the early Muslims.
• Calmness: they show the power of staying calm.
• Faith: they show the importance of believing in Allah.
• Kindness: they show how kindness can overcome difficulty.

Evaluation

1. Why did Prophet Muhammad go to Ta’if?
2. How did the people of Ta’if treat him?
3. How did he respond to their treatment?
4. Why did some Muslims migrate to Abyssinia?
5. Describe how the Negus treated the Muslims.

Assignment

Write a short paragraph on what Prophet Muhammad did and said after he was ill-treated in Ta’if, then list three lessons we learn from the Hijrah to Abyssinia.