Table of Contents
Trials as a Path to Allah
When persecution in Makkah increased, the Muslims did not possess armies, wealth, or political protection. What they did possess was a heart deeply attached to Allah and a remarkable level of patience and perseverance. The Makkan period created a generation that could carry the message of Islam to the world because it had been purified through hardship and trained to endure for the sake of Allah alone.
Allah revealed many verses in the Qur’an during this time that did not promise immediate worldly relief, but instead strengthened hearts, corrected expectations, and redefined success. The believers learned that trials are not a sign of Allah’s anger, but often a sign that Allah wants to raise a person’s rank.
Allah said:
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say, ‘We believe,’ and that they will not be tested? And We certainly tested those before them, so Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.”
(Surah al‑‘Ankabut 29:2–3)
The early Muslims were taught that tests are part of the Sunnah of Allah in His creation. No prophet and no sincere believer is left without trial. Their patience became the foundation for the later strength of the Muslim community.
Patience in times of hardship is not passive weakness. It is active steadfastness upon obedience, avoidance of sin, and acceptance of Allah’s decree without rebellion.
The Prophet ﷺ as the First Model of Patience
The Prophet ﷺ himself was the clearest example of patience in Makkah. His own people insulted him, called him a poet, a magician, a liar, and possessed. They threw dust and entrails on him, pressured his family, and attacked those who believed in him, yet he stayed firm upon his mission.
Allah comforted him with verses that later became a source of comfort for all believers:
فَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ ٱلْغُرُوبِ
“So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.”
(Surah Qaf 50:39)
His patience was not only in facing insults, but also in controlling any desire for revenge or harshness. When his people rejected him again and again, he did not give up on them. This steadfastness in calling to Allah, despite all difficulties, is one of the greatest aspects of his Seerah.
He taught his companions that this path was not unique to them, but had been walked by the prophets before. Khabbab ibn al‑Aratt رضي الله عنه said:
شَكَوْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ مُتَوَسِّدٌ بُرْدَةً لَهُ فِي ظِلِّ الْكَعْبَةِ، فَقُلْنَا: أَلَا تَسْتَنْصِرُ لَنَا؟ أَلَا تَدْعُو اللَّهَ لَنَا؟
فَقَالَ: «قَدْ كَانَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ يُؤْخَذُ الرَّجُلُ، فَيُحْفَرُ لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، فَيُجْعَلُ فِيهَا، ثُمَّ يُؤْتَى بِالْمِنْشَارِ، فَيُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، فَيُشَقُّ بِاثْنَتَيْنِ، وَيُمَشَّطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا دُونَ لَحْمِهِ وَعَظْمِهِ، مَا يَصُدُّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَاللَّهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ ... وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ»
“We complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was reclining on his cloak in the shade of the Ka‘bah. We said, ‘Will you not seek help for us? Will you not pray to Allah for us?’ He said, ‘Among the people before you, a man would be seized and a pit would be dug for him in the ground. He would be put in it, then a saw would be brought and placed on his head and he would be sawn into two halves. His flesh would be combed with iron combs between his bones and nerves, yet that would not turn him away from his religion. By Allah, this matter will be completed, until a rider will travel from San‘a to Hadramawt fearing none but Allah and the wolf for his sheep. But you are hasty.’”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari)
This hadith shows the Prophet’s method of building perseverance. He reminded them that they were part of a long history of believers who stood firm under severe persecution, and he promised them that the future belonged to the truth, while warning against impatience.
The Companions’ Steadfast Hearts
In the Makkan years, the companions were few, weak in worldly means, and surrounded by a hostile society. Yet their hearts grew stronger with every verse revealed and every test they passed.
Young and old, men and women, slaves and nobles resisted enormous pressure. They were offered wealth, status, and marriage to abandon Islam. They were threatened with torture, social isolation, and death. Still, many of them said words similar to what the magicians of Pharaoh once said:
فَٱقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
“So decide whatever you are going to decide. You only decide concerning this worldly life.”
(Surah Ta Ha 20:72)
The Qur’an presented earlier believers as models so that the companions could see themselves in a continuous chain of faith. Their patience was not random stubbornness, it was rooted in certainty about Allah, belief in the Hereafter, and love for the Prophet ﷺ.
Their perseverance was also collective. They supported one another in secret gatherings, recitation of the Qur’an, and quiet support for those who were being tortured. The strength of one would raise the morale of many. This brotherhood, built in fear and hardship, later became the backbone of the community in Madinah.
Types of Patience in the Makkan Period
Scholars often mention that patience in Islam appears in three main forms. All three were present in Makkah and were clearly visible in the conduct of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.
The three core forms of patience in Islam are:
- Patience in obeying Allah.
- Patience in avoiding disobedience.
- Patience over what Allah decrees of trials.
In Makkah, to pray, recite Qur’an, or sit with the Prophet ﷺ could invite hostility. Yet the Muslims remained patient in obedience. They continued to worship in Dar al‑Arqam and in hidden corners despite fear.
Avoiding disobedience was also a great test. Many were tempted to join in idol rituals, swear by the idols, or compromise parts of their faith to relieve the pressure from family and tribe. Their refusal required inner strength. When Quraysh tried to suggest a compromise of worship, part of the reply came in the clear words:
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ
“For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”
(Surah al‑Kafirun 109:6)
The third type, patience over trials, was perhaps the most visible. Loss of wealth, status, safety, and sometimes life itself were common. Yet the believers submitted to the decree of Allah while continuing to hope in His reward.
Patience Without Retaliation
In the Makkan years, the Prophet ﷺ did not permit the companions to fight back, even though some of them were strong and capable. This was not from fear, but from revelation and wisdom. Allah had not yet given the command to fight, and the community was still in a fragile stage.
Allah described the appropriate response in that period:
فَٱصْفَحِ ٱلصَّفْحَ ٱلْجَمِيلَ
“So, overlook [their faults] with gracious forgiveness.”
(Surah al‑Hijr 15:85)
and He said:
ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةٌۭ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌ
“Repel [evil] by that which is best, and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity will become as though he were a devoted friend.”
(Surah Fussilat 41:34)
The companions had to learn how to restrain the urge to respond with violence. This restraint is a very high level of patience. It proved that they were not driven by tribal pride or anger, but by obedience to Allah.
When ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه recited the Qur’an aloud near the Ka‘bah and was beaten until his face bled, he wanted to repeat it the next day. His companions said, “Enough, you have done what you could,” but his heart burned with eagerness to carry the message, not with desire for retaliation. This is perseverance on the truth, even when it brings pain.
The Consolation of the Qur’an
Throughout the period of persecution, the Qur’an functioned as a constant source of consolation. Verses were revealed that addressed the Prophet ﷺ directly, as if speaking to his heart, and through him, to the believers.
Allah said:
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ
وَٱعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ ٱلْيَقِينُ
“And We certainly know that your breast is constrained by what they say. So glorify the praise of your Lord and be among those who prostrate. And worship your Lord until certainty [death] comes to you.”
(Surah al‑Hijr 15:97–99)
In these verses, the cure for the pain of insults and rejection is mentioned. It is dhikr of Allah, prostration, and continued worship. The Qur’an did not promise an immediate change in the external situation, instead it strengthened the inner world of the believers.
Another verse that shaped their perspective is:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient, those who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’ They are those upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is they who are the guided.”
(Surah al‑Baqarah 2:155–157)
These words were not abstract for the Makkan Muslims. Fear, hunger, and loss were their daily reality. The promise of “blessings” and “mercy” for the patient turned their pain into a means of closeness to Allah.
Patience as a Condition for Victory
One of the essential lessons engraved in the Makkan period is that real victory, whether in this world or the next, comes with patience. The relief in Madinah and the later victories on the battlefield were prepared in the hearts during those difficult years in Makkah.
Allah repeatedly joined patience with taqwa (God‑consciousness) and made them a condition for help from Him. He said:
بَلَىٰٓ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ ءَالَافٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ
“Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah, and the enemy comes upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks.”
(Surah Al ‘Imran 3:125)
Although this verse was revealed regarding a later event, the principle was already being trained in Makkah. Patience was not just a way to survive persecution, it was the key to future divine support. The Makkan years taught that the equation for support from Allah is based on inner qualities, not outward power.
In a simple way, this can be expressed as:
$$
\text{Divine help} \propto \text{Patience} + \text{Taqwa}
$$
The more the believers remained firm and God conscious, the more they became deserving of Allah’s help.
Reward for the Patient
The Makkan revelations constantly reminded the believers that whatever they lost in this world for the sake of Allah was not truly lost. The reward for patience is abundant and often beyond human measurement.
Allah said:
إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ
“Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without measure.”
(Surah az‑Zumar 39:10)
“Without measure” means beyond normal calculation. A person could lose his wealth, family, or even his life, but in exchange Allah promises a reward that is not confined by any scale. The companions believed this promise with certainty, which made their sacrifice possible.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ لَهُ خَيْرٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
“How amazing is the affair of the believer. All of his affair is good, and that is for no one except the believer. If something pleasing befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him. If something harmful befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him.”
(Sahih Muslim)
In Makkah, this hadith was not just theory. It described the daily life of those who were insulted, beaten, or boycotted for no reason other than saying, “Our Lord is Allah.” Their patience turned every painful event into a means of elevation in the sight of Allah.
Perseverance as Staying the Course
Perseverance is patience extended over time. It is not only staying calm at the first moment of hardship, but continuing on the straight path year after year without giving up. The Makkan period lasted more than a decade, which meant that believers had to sustain their commitment through changing circumstances.
Some companions emigrated to Abyssinia and began a new life there. Others remained in Makkah under intense pressure. Those who stayed with the Prophet ﷺ saw the number of Muslims increase slowly, then saw periods where it seemed that opposition grew faster than their own strength. Perseverance required that they keep their eyes on the ultimate goal, not on temporary ups and downs.
The Prophet ﷺ used to remind them of the end result, not just the present moment. In the hadith of Khabbab quoted earlier, he described a future time of security in the land. This long view prevented the companions from becoming hopeless.
Perseverance also meant that they did not abandon their identity as Muslims to please the society around them. They remained distinct in their belief in one God, their rejection of idols, and their loyalty to the Prophet ﷺ even when it cost them social ties and economic opportunities.
Lessons for the Believer from Makkan Patience
The patience and perseverance shown in Makkah are not only historical events. They provide a model for Muslims in every age who face ridicule, pressure, or hardship because of their faith.
From this period, a believer can learn several core truths. The path to Allah includes tests. Patience is a form of worship that brings a person close to Allah. Real strength is shown not only in victory, but in staying firm when weak. The Qur’an is the main source of comfort and stability in times of trial. Support from Allah is connected to patience and taqwa. The reward for the patient is beyond human calculation.
The Makkan Muslims did not know exactly when relief would come, but they trusted the One who promised it. Their story shows that the one who holds firmly to Allah in hardship will eventually see the fruits in this life or the next. Their patience and perseverance are a central thread running through the Seerah, preparing the ground for every success that came afterward.