6.1 Public Preaching in Makkah

The Opening of the Public Call

When revelation first came, the message of Islam was taught quietly and privately. After a period of secret da‘wah in Makkah, a new command came from Allah: the Prophet ﷺ was ordered to proclaim openly what had been revealed to him and to confront the idolatry and injustice of his people in public. This moment marks a clear transition in the Seerah from a private circle of believers to a visible community carrying a message for all.

Allah says in Surah al-Hijr:

فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
“Then proclaim openly what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.”
(Quran 15:94)

This command required immense courage. Makkah was the religious, social, and economic center of Arabia, built upon tribal honor and the worship of many idols. To stand in that environment and declare one God alone, and to criticize the false beliefs around the Ka‘bah, meant challenging the entire system that supported Quraysh’s power.

The Prophet ﷺ, already known for his truthfulness and trustworthiness, did not delay in obeying this divine order. He moved from teaching individuals quietly to calling families, clans, and then the whole city. The way he did this, and the reactions that followed, form the heart of public preaching in Makkah.

The Call to the Closest Family

Before addressing the wider society, the Prophet ﷺ was instructed to start with those nearest to him in blood ties. Allah revealed:

وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ
“And warn your closest kindred.”
(Quran 26:214)

In obedience to this command, the Prophet ﷺ gathered the men of his clan, Banu Hashim, and some other close relatives. Different narrations describe that he invited them to a meal, then addressed them directly about his mission.

Among the narrations is the hadith reported by Imam Muslim, where he ﷺ warned his own family in deeply personal terms:

يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ اشْتَرُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ، لَا أُغْنِي عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا … يَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ، سَلِينِي مِنْ مَالِي مَا شِئْتِ، لَا أُغْنِي عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا
“O people of Quraysh, save yourselves from the Fire, for I cannot avail you at all against Allah … O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, ask me of my wealth whatever you wish, but I cannot avail you at all against Allah.”
(Sahih Muslim)

This shows a fundamental principle of his public preaching. He did not build his call upon family privilege or tribal favoritism. Instead, he taught that every soul is responsible before Allah. Even his beloved daughter could not rely on her relationship to him for salvation. What was needed was faith, obedience, and sincere worship of Allah alone.

Some of his relatives accepted, while others rejected or mocked. This early reaction within his own family was a sign of what would follow in wider Quraysh. The mission of Islam was not a family project to grow the honor of Banu Hashim. It was a universal call that would cut through tribal and blood ties when necessary.

The Call from Mount Safa

One of the most famous moments of public preaching in Makkah took place at Mount Safa. The Prophet ﷺ used a method that the Arabs recognized. In times of danger, a man would climb a high place and call his people with a loud urgent cry to warn them. The Prophet ﷺ used this familiar form and filled it with a new and eternal message.

The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim describes that he ﷺ climbed Mount Safa and called out:

يَا صَبَاحَاهْ
“O people, come at once!” (an alarm cry used to summon people to an urgent warning)

The clans of Quraysh gathered and surrounded him. He appealed first to their trust in his character:

أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلًا بِالْوَادِي تُرِيدُ أَنْ تُغِيرَ عَلَيْكُمْ، أَكُنْتُمْ مُصَدِّقِيَّ؟
قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، مَا جَرَّبْنَا عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا صِدْقًا
“If I were to inform you that horsemen are in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?”
They replied, “Yes, we have never experienced anything from you but truth.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Only after securing this admission did he present the reality of his mission:

فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ
“Then I am a warner to you before a severe punishment.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

In some narrations, he called the tribes by name, saying:

يَا بَنِي فِهْرٍ، يَا بَنِي عَدِيٍّ
“O sons of Fihr, O sons of ‘Adi”
and he urged them to save themselves from the punishment of Allah.

The first open rejection from his own clan occurred here. His uncle Abu Lahab responded with harsh words:

تَبًّا لَكَ أَلِهَذَا جَمَعْتَنَا
“May you be ruined. Is this why you gathered us?”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Allah then revealed a surah that would be recited until the Day of Judgment, condemning Abu Lahab’s stance:

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
“Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he.”
(Quran 111:1)

This scene on Safa shows the foundation of public preaching in Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ relied upon his known honesty as evidence, then called people to think about the unseen reality. The message was not entertainment or poetry. It was a serious warning of accountability before Allah. The very first public response included insults and rejection, yet he ﷺ did not retaliate with abuse. He continued his mission with patience and clarity.

Content of the Public Message

Once the call became open, the Prophet ﷺ began to recite the Quran publicly and to explain its meanings. The central themes of his preaching in Makkah were always consistent.

He called his people to worship Allah alone without any partner. He announced:

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
“Say, O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.”
(Quran 7:158)

He reminded them that their Lord was One:

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
“Say, He is Allah, the One.”
(Quran 112:1)

He recited verses that challenged the worship of idols and the blind following of forefathers:

أَئِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ
“Is there any god with Allah?”
(Quran 27:60)

He recited warnings about the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and Hellfire:

إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَآتِيَةٌ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهَا
“Indeed, the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt in it.”
(Quran 22:7)

Alongside this, he called to moral reform. He condemned burying daughters alive, injustice to the poor, cheating in trade, and arrogance. These issues were already known in Makkan society, but now they were tied to belief in Allah and the Last Day. Doing good was no longer only about tribal honor or reputation. It was about standing before Allah and answering for every action.

The public preaching of the Prophet ﷺ therefore combined three inseparable elements. It affirmed the Oneness of Allah and rejected all idols. It confirmed that Muhammad ﷺ was the Messenger of Allah to all humanity. It called to a complete way of life based on justice, mercy, and accountability in the Hereafter.

Methods of Public Teaching

In Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ used several places and occasions to reach people openly. Each method was gentle in style, yet firm in message.

One place was the area around the Ka‘bah. He would stand by the Ka‘bah, especially during times when people gathered, and recite the Quran aloud. These recitations moved the hearts of some, and angered others who feared the impact on their traditions. The Quran describes the reactions:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ
“And those who disbelieve say, ‘Do not listen to this Quran, and speak noisily during (the recitation of) it so that you might overcome.’”
(Quran 41:26)

He also spoke to people individually in public spaces, inviting them to Islam while they were in markets, gatherings, or on the streets of Makkah. When the pilgrimage season came, he took the opportunity to address visiting tribes. Although many details of his outreach to tribes relate to later years, the beginning of this outreach approach started in Makkah. He would ask about their people, explain his message, and invite them to faith.

His speech in public was marked by clarity. He did not use complicated language or secret codes. People understood exactly what he was calling them to, which is why Quraysh saw him as a real threat to their idols and way of life. At the same time, he avoided insulting language, even when talking about their false gods. The Quran instructed:

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
“And do not insult those they invoke besides Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge.”
(Quran 6:108)

So his public da‘wah attacked falsehood as a concept and system, without descending into personal abuse or vulgar mocking of individuals.

In his public preaching, he also used questions that stirred thought. At times he would say things like:

مَنْ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ؟
“Who is my Lord and your Lord?”

He would then explain that their true Lord is the Creator who feeds them, gives them drink, and controls life and death. This questioning method helped people move from blind habit to conscious reflection.

Firmness and Gentleness Combined

The public preaching in Makkah teaches a careful balance. The Prophet ﷺ was extremely gentle in his manner, yet unshakeable in his message. The Quran described his character:

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ
“So by mercy from Allah, you were gentle with them.”
(Quran 3:159)

At the same time, when Quraysh demanded compromise, he refused. They suggested that he worship their gods for a time, and they would worship his Lord for a time. In response, Allah revealed a clear surah:

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ
لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ
… لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
“Say, O disbelievers,
I do not worship what you worship,
Nor are you worshippers of what I worship …
For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”
(Quran 109:1–3, 6)

Publicly reciting such verses in Makkah drew a clear line. There could be no mixture of tawhid with shirk, even if this meant the loss of safety, support, and wealth. His gentleness did not lead to compromising the message. Nor did his firmness lead to harshness in character.

The famous hadith describes his general principle in calling to Allah:

إِنَّ الرِّفْقَ لَا يَكُونُ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا زَانَهُ، وَلَا يُنْزَعُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا شَانَهُ
“Gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it, and it is not removed from anything except that it makes it defective.”
(Sahih Muslim)

This balance of firm belief with gentle delivery defined his public preaching in Makkah. It helped sincere hearts draw near, and it left no excuse for those who rejected him out of pride.

Early Public Responses

The moment the message went public, people’s positions became more visible. Some poor and weak individuals heard the Quran in public and accepted Islam. Others from powerful families believed but kept their faith hidden for a time. Many, however, opposed the message fiercely.

Quraysh tried a range of strategies to stop or weaken the Prophet’s influence in public. They labeled him with various accusations, which the Quran records and answers. They said he was:

سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ
“A magician or a madman.”
(Quran 51:52)

They said he was a poet, or that he had copied the tales of previous peoples. Allah responded:

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ
وَلَا بِقَوْلِ كَاهِنٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
تَنزِيلٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“And it is not the word of a poet, little is it that you believe,
Nor the word of a soothsayer, little is it that you remember.
It is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.”
(Quran 69:41–43)

They also tried to shame those who listened by calling them foolish or weak. One of their strategies was to follow behind the Prophet ﷺ and warn people not to listen to him. Some of the leaders took it upon themselves to walk in his footsteps at public gatherings and say: “He is a liar, do not believe him.” This shows how effective his public preaching was, because the enemies of Islam felt the need to publicly discredit him.

Yet despite the insults and pressure, the Prophet ﷺ continued to recite the Quran, to call people to Allah, and to show patience. He did not stop his mission, nor did he hide indoors. The streets, markets, and gatherings of Makkah continued to hear the verses of the Quran during those years.

The Significance of Public Da‘wah in Makkah

Public preaching in Makkah established that Islam is not a private belief locked in the heart. It is a message for all of society. Secret faith was only a temporary stage. Once the order came from Allah, the Prophet ﷺ stood with open clarity.

This public phase shaped the identity of the early Muslims. They learned that Islam would not always be welcomed, that truth must sometimes be spoken in hostile environments, and that trust in Allah is greater than fear of people. The Quran strengthened them with verses like:

الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ
“Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone except Allah.”
(Quran 33:39)

The years of public preaching in Makkah also exposed the reality of Quraysh to the wider region. Their persecution, boycotts, and plots (which will be detailed in their own chapters) came as a response to open da‘wah. This public conflict, between a small community holding firmly to tawhid and a powerful society defending its idols, paved the way for later migrations, treaties, and eventual victory.

The Prophet ﷺ, through his example in those years, showed that the message of Islam must be declared with wisdom, patience, and full reliance on Allah, even when it costs one’s comfort and safety. His voice on Mount Safa, his recitation by the Ka‘bah, and his conversations in the streets of Makkah still echo in the Quran we recite today.