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Stage 1 of 8

Before the Prophethood

Arabia before Islam, the Year of the Elephant, and forty years in which Makkah came to know him as al-Amin, the trustworthy.

c. 570–610 CE 7 chapters Chapters coming soon
See the chapters All eight stages

Where you are on the road

All stages
  1. 1Before the Prophethoodyou are here
  2. 2The Revelation610–613 CE
  3. 3The Call in Makkah613–619 CE
  4. 4Sorrow & the Night Journey619–622 CE
  5. 5The Hijrah1 AH
  6. 6Building Madinah1–5 AH
  7. 7Treaty & Victory6–8 AH
  8. 8The Final Years9–11 AH

Seven chapters

The chapters of this stage

Read them in order, or open the one you need. Each chapter is short, sourced and reviewed.

0 of 7 ready
01Coming soon

Arabia before Islam

Makkah, its tribes and the Kaaba in the years before Islam.

02Preview

The Year of the Elephant & his birth

An army turned back from Makkah, and a child born in the same year.

c. 570 CEOpen
03Coming soon

Childhood in the desert with Halimah

His early years in the open desert with the Banu Sa’d.

04Coming soon

An orphan: Aminah, Abdul-Muttalib & Abu Talib

Losing his mother, then his grandfather, and growing up with his uncle.

05Coming soon

Al-Amin: youth and trade

Shepherding, trade journeys, and a name for honesty.

06Coming soon

Marriage to Khadijah

A trusted merchant, and a marriage of love and support.

07Coming soon

Rebuilding the Kaaba

The Kaaba rebuilt, and a dispute over the Black Stone settled with wisdom.

Next stage · 02

The Revelation

610–613 CE · the Cave of Hira and the first believers.

Continue

The map

Where the stage happened

Makkah and the land around it: the open desert of the Banu Sa’d, and the trade road north to Ash-Sham.

  • Makkah his birthplace
  • Banu Sa’d the desert years
  • Ash-Sham the trade road

A detailed illustrated map arrives with the chapters.

Stylised map: Makkah near the Red Sea coast, the desert of the Banu Sa'd to the south-east, and the trade road north past Yathrib towards Ash-Sham. Red Sea BANU SA’D TO ASH-SHAM Yathrib later Madinah Makkah N
Stylised map, not to scale.Full map coming soon