Table of Contents
Early Responders to the Call
When the revelation began and the command to convey the message came, Allah chose certain hearts to be the first to receive Islam. These early believers were not many in number, but they laid the foundation for the entire Muslim ummah. Their qualities, sacrifices, and relationship with the Prophet ﷺ are among the most important parts of the early Seerah.
The first Muslims were few, but their faith, sincerity, and patience became a model for every generation that came after them.
Khadijah رضي الله عنها, the First Believer
The very first person to believe in the Prophet ﷺ, without hesitation or doubt, was his noble wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها. When he ﷺ returned trembling from the Cave of Hira after the first revelation, uncertain about what he had experienced, it was Khadijah who calmed him, reassured him, and affirmed his truthfulness.
She said words that have been preserved in authentic hadith, showing her deep understanding of his character. In Sahih al Bukhari she said:
كَلَّا، وَاللَّهِ مَا يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا، إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ، وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ، وَتَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ، وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ، وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ
“Never, by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kin, you bear the burden of the weak, you help the poor and the needy, you serve your guests generously, and you assist in all matters of truth.”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
Her immediate acceptance of his Prophethood was not based on seeing a miracle with her own eyes, but on knowing his character over many years. She believed because she knew that a man of such truth, mercy, and justice could not be abandoned by Allah.
Khadijah did more than simply say “I believe.” She comforted him emotionally, supported him with her wealth, and used her social status to protect him as much as she could. Through her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal she helped him understand that the one who came to him in the cave was the same angel who came to Musa عليه السلام. In this way she was both the first believer and the first supporter of da‘wah.
The Prophet ﷺ remembered this loyalty for the rest of his life. In one authentic hadith he said:
آمَنَتْ بِي إِذْ كَفَرَ بِيَ النَّاسُ
“She believed in me when the people disbelieved in me.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
Her being the first Muslim from all humankind shows the honor of women in Islam from the very beginning of the message, and the special place of Khadijah رضي الله عنها as the first pillar of support in his mission.
Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه, the First Child to Accept Islam
Among the males of the Prophet’s family, the first to accept Islam was Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه, the young cousin who had been raised in the house of the Prophet ﷺ from childhood. This meant that he saw closely the manners, honesty, and worship of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ even before Islam was announced.
When the Prophet ﷺ began to pray and worship according to the new revelation, Ali noticed. One night, he saw the Prophet ﷺ and Khadijah standing in prayer. This was something new that no one in Makkah had seen before. Ali asked about it, and the Prophet ﷺ invited him to Islam, to worship Allah alone and to leave the idols of Quraysh.
Ali hesitated not because of doubt in the Prophet ﷺ, but because he was still young and felt he should consult his father, Abu Talib. The Prophet ﷺ asked him to keep it secret for the time being, and Ali spent that night reflecting. By morning he came and declared his belief, choosing the truth even before telling his own father.
Ali’s acceptance at such a young age highlights his early courage and intelligence. He did not simply follow the religion of his forefathers without thinking. He recognized the truth and followed it, even though it meant standing against the dominant ideas of his society. Many scholars mention that Ali was the first of the boys to embrace Islam, and that he remained steadfast from that moment until his death as one of the greatest Companions.
The presence of Ali in the earliest circle of Islam also shows how deeply the Prophet’s household was involved in the new faith. Islam did not begin as something strange in his home. Instead, his closest family, including his wife and his young cousin, were the ones to build the first home of faith.
Zayd ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه, the First Freed Slave to Believe
Zayd ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه had lived with the Prophet ﷺ like a son long before Islam. He had been captured as a child and sold, then became a slave in Makkah, and eventually came into the care of Khadijah, who gifted him to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ freed him and treated him as a member of his own family, to the point that people used to call him “Zayd ibn Muhammad” before Allah later forbade such naming.
Zayd had experienced the kindness, honesty, and protection of the Prophet ﷺ even before the revelation descended. When Allah sent Jibril عليه السلام with the message, and the Prophet ﷺ began to share it with those closest to him, Zayd did not hesitate. He believed in the oneness of Allah and in the Messenger ﷺ.
What is especially important about Zayd is that his previous status as a slave did not make him any less in the sight of Allah. The early community of believers included people from different social classes, and Zayd is a clear example. Before the society of Makkah had accepted Islam, Allah had already honored a man who used to be enslaved by making him one of the earliest Muslims.
The Quran states a universal principle that matched what happened with Zayd and others:
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.”
(Quran 49:13)
Zayd’s early acceptance, his closeness to the Prophet ﷺ, and later his role as a commander in battles all began with this first step of faith during the earliest, secret days of da‘wah.
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه, the First Adult Man from Outside the Household
Among the men of Quraysh who were not living in the Prophet’s household, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah رضي الله عنه was the first to accept Islam. He was already a close friend of the Prophet ﷺ before revelation. He was known in Makkah for his gentle behavior, honesty, and knowledge of people’s lineages. When the Prophet ﷺ called him to Islam, he did not argue or hesitate.
In a famous hadith, the Prophet ﷺ later described his special quality:
مَا دَعَوْتُ أَحَدًا إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ إِلا كَانَتْ فِيهِ كَبْوَةٌ وَنَظَرٌ وَتَرَدُّدٌ، إِلا مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ بْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ، مَا عَطَّلَ فِيهِ حِينَ ذَكَرْتُهُ لَهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدَ فِيهِ
“I never invited anyone to Islam except that he had some hesitation, some questioning and delay, except Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah. He did not hesitate or delay when I mentioned it to him.”
(Reported with supporting chains in various works; its meaning is widely accepted)
Because of this complete and immediate trust in the Prophet ﷺ, he was given the title “as-Siddiq”, the one who affirms the truth fully. This title became especially famous later at the time of Isra and Mi‘raj, but his very first response to the da‘wah already showed this quality.
Abu Bakr did not keep Islam to himself. From the earliest days, he began inviting those he trusted. Through his efforts, several of the greatest Companions became Muslim, including Uthman ibn Affan, az Zubayr ibn al Awwam, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, and Talhah ibn Ubaydillah, all رضي الله عنهم. The beginning of Islam among the dignified merchants and respected families of Quraysh was strongly linked to Abu Bakr’s early efforts.
The Prophet ﷺ acknowledged his unique status in a hadith found in Sunan at Tirmidhi:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَنِي إِلَيْكُمْ فَقُلْتُمْ كَذَبْتَ، وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَدَقَ، وَوَاسَانِي بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ
“Allah sent me to you and you said, ‘You are lying,’ while Abu Bakr said, ‘He has spoken the truth,’ and he supported me with himself and his wealth.”
(Sunan at Tirmidhi)
From the very first phase of Islam, Abu Bakr became not just a believer, but a caller, a protector, and later the closest Companion of the Prophet ﷺ in the Hijrah and throughout the Medinan years. All of this began in the quiet early days, in the small circle of the “first Muslims.”
The First Group of Believers Around the Prophet ﷺ
After these earliest individuals accepted Islam, others followed from different tribes, families, and social levels. The first Muslims reflected a diversity that surprised many in Makkah. Some were from noble families of Quraysh. Others were poor, freed slaves, or non Arabs who had come to Makkah. Among the earliest believers, besides those already mentioned, were people such as Uthman ibn Affan, az Zubayr ibn al Awwam, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, Talhah ibn Ubaydillah, and others رضي الله عنهم.
There were also early believers from the weak and oppressed, such as Bilal ibn Rabah, Khabbab ibn al Aratt, and others, who would later suffer severe persecution. Their presence in the very first circle of Islam showed that the new faith was not reserved for one social class. It called every human being to Allah equally.
The Quran describes the attitude of those who had believed early and remained steadfast:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
“And the first and foremost of the emigrants and the helpers, and those who follow them in excellence, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”
(Quran 9:100)
Although this verse refers broadly to the earliest Muhajirun and Ansar, its meaning certainly includes those who first believed in Makkah, bore hardship, and never turned back.
These first Muslims would gather in private, especially in the house of al Arqam ibn Abi al Arqam near Safa. There the Prophet ﷺ would teach them the Quran and guide them in worship. The meetings were secret, but the effect of this small, sincere group would one day reach the entire world.
The “first Muslims” were few in number but strong in truthfulness, trust, and patience. They believed before Islam became powerful and remained firm when it was most difficult.
Their story is not only a list of names, but a living example of what it means to recognize the truth, accept it quickly, and stand by it with full loyalty to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.