7.2.1 Invitation to Islam

Setting Out from Makkah

After years of patient calling in Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ saw the doors of his own city closing one after another. Quraysh had rejected his message, ridiculed him, persecuted his followers, and used every social and economic pressure to silence the da‘wah. Following the death of Abu Talib and Khadijah رضي الله عنها in the “Year of Sorrow,” his support in Makkah was at its weakest point. Yet his concern was not for his own safety or comfort. His deepest worry was that the message of tawhid might not find hearts that would carry it forward.

In this context, the Prophet ﷺ decided to seek a new base for Islam beyond Makkah. He chose the nearby city of Ta’if, known for its fertile land, strong tribe of Thaqif, and strategic importance between Yemen and the north. His journey to Ta’if was not an escape, but a purposeful trip, with one clear intention: to invite a new people to Allah and to seek protection that would allow the da‘wah to grow.

He set out from Makkah with his adopted son Zayd ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه as his only companion. There was no large group, no armed escort, and no worldly power. He traveled as a humble messenger, relying upon Allah alone, yet also taking practical steps to present his message to those who might accept it.

A Clear Purpose and Intention

The Prophet ﷺ did not go to Ta’if to seek trade or a political alliance for worldly gain. His purpose was da‘wah, supported by the hope that the people of Ta’if might provide the protection and openness that Quraysh had denied him. The Prophet ﷺ would present Islam, call them to worship Allah alone, and if they believed, a new center for Islam might emerge.

The Quran describes the universal mission of the Prophet ﷺ:

قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
“Say, O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.”
(Surah Al A‘raf 7:158)

He carried this universal mission wherever he went. The journey to Ta’if is one of the clearest examples of his determination to search for receptive hearts, even when his own hometown opposed him.

Approaching the Leaders of Thaqif

When the Prophet ﷺ reached Ta’if, he did not begin his call randomly in streets and markets. He first approached the leading figures of the tribe of Thaqif. In Arab society, tribal leaders had great influence. If they accepted the message, their people would be more open to follow. Moreover, leaders could offer protection for the new faith.

The Seerah reports that he met three brothers from the chiefs of Thaqif. He presented his message clearly, inviting them to worship Allah alone, to abandon idol worship, and to accept him as the Messenger of Allah. Although the exact words of his speech are not fully preserved, its nature is known through his consistent pattern of da‘wah. He always began by affirming the oneness of Allah and rejecting partners with Him.

This was in harmony with the core message of every prophet that Allah mentions:

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ
“And We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him, ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’”
(Surah Al Anbiya 21:25)

So the Prophet ﷺ invited them to the same timeless truth. He also invited them to the practical ethical and social change that comes with Islam, but his main focus was the relationship between the servants and their Lord.

Style and Manner of His Invitation

Even in a foreign city, surrounded by people who did not honor him as Makkans at least outwardly did, the Prophet ﷺ maintained the same noble manner in his speech. He was neither harsh nor aggressive, nor did he use flattery or compromise in matters of faith.

Allah had already shaped his character and speech according to divine guidance:

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنْفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ
“So by mercy from Allah, you were gentle with them. And if you had been rude and harsh in heart, they would have dispersed from around you.”
(Surah Aal Imran 3:159)

Although this verse describes his interaction with the believers in Madinah, it reflects a general quality of the Prophet ﷺ. His speech in Ta’if was marked by clarity, respect, and patience, without rudeness or arrogance. He did not mock their beliefs, nor did he raise his voice in anger. The Prophet ﷺ conveyed the message and left the choice to them.

His pattern in da‘wah followed the Quranic guidance:

ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.”
(Surah An Nahl 16:125)

In Ta’if, this wisdom showed in how he approached leadership first, how he remained calm in the face of mockery, and how he persisted in calling to Allah without resorting to harshness.

A Call Based on Mercy and Concern

The Prophet ﷺ was not driven by anger toward Quraysh or by a desire to see another tribe gain power over his own people. His heart was filled with mercy for all. Even when people rejected him, he still longed for their guidance. This deep concern comes across in the Quran:

لَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلَّا يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
“Perhaps you would kill yourself [with grief] that they will not be believers.”
(Surah Ash Shu‘ara 26:3)

In Ta’if, he carried the same pain over people’s disbelief and the same hope that Allah might bring forth from them a generation that would worship Him alone. Later, when he was given the option for the people of Ta’if to be destroyed, his words revealed his original intention when he first invited them:

بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَصْلَابِهِمْ مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ، لَا يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا
“Rather, I hope that Allah will bring from their descendants those who will worship Allah alone, not associating anything with Him.”
(Sahih Bukhari)

This hadith shows that from the start, the Prophet ﷺ was inviting them with a long term vision. Even if the first generation rejected him, their children or grandchildren might believe. His da‘wah was never about short term gain or instant victory, but about planting seeds for future guidance.

Patience in the Face of Rejection

Although the details of their insults belong more to the account of the “Rejection and Abuse” that followed, it is important here to note that the Prophet’s invitation to Islam included enduring harm while continuing to present the message. When the leaders of Thaqif mocked him and rejected his call, he did not respond with threats or curses. Instead, he completed his mission of conveying the truth and bore their rejection with patience.

This patience is part of the prophetic method of da‘wah. Allah reminded him:

فَٱصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعَزْمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ
“So be patient as were those of determination among the messengers.”
(Surah Al Ahqaf 46:35)

The journey to Ta’if is a living example of this instruction. His invitation to Islam there was not only about the words he spoke, but also about how he continued to represent Islam through his conduct when his words were rejected.

Trust in Allah While Inviting

The Prophet ﷺ knew that guidance is in the hands of Allah alone. He did not measure success only by how many people immediately accepted Islam. Instead, he fulfilled his duty to convey, relied upon Allah, and moved forward, even when people rejected him. The Quran expresses this principle:

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ
“Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”
(Surah Al Qasas 28:56)

In Ta’if, he loved guidance for them, but they did not respond. Still, his trust in Allah did not weaken. This trust became even clearer in the heartfelt supplication he later made on that journey, where he turned to Allah alone with his pain and his hope. Although the text of that du‘a will be more closely related to the next section on rejection and abuse, here it is enough to note that his invitation to Islam in Ta’if was supported by deep reliance upon Allah.

Seeds of Future Guidance

Although the initial invitation of the Prophet ﷺ to the leaders of Ta’if was rejected, the journey was not without long term impact. History shows that later, the people of Ta’if entered Islam, and the tribe of Thaqif became part of the Muslim community. The same city that once turned away the message eventually embraced it.

This outcome reflects a subtle wisdom. The Prophet’s journey and invitation to Islam there became a testimony against those who rejected, and at the same time, a seed for those who would later accept. His effort in Ta’if joined his efforts in Makkah and other places as part of a wider search for a community that would carry the light of Islam.

The Quran reminds us that the task is to act, and the result rests with Allah:

وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
“And there is not upon the Messenger except clear conveyance.”
(Surah An Nur 24:54)

In Ta’if, the Prophet ﷺ fulfilled this responsibility to convey. Whether they accepted immediately or later, his invitation stood as a clear proof and a mercy from Allah.

Lessons from the Invitation in Ta’if

The specific moment of inviting the people of Ta’if to Islam carries several key lessons that are unique to this stage of the Seerah. It shows how the Prophet ﷺ searched for new lands and hearts when the doors of his own city were closing. It reveals his method of approaching tribal leaders first, his use of gentle but firm speech, and his refusal to compromise on the core of tawhid. It also demonstrates how he combined outward effort with inner trust in Allah, and how he measured success by obedience to Allah’s command to invite, not by immediate numbers.

Most importantly, the invitation in Ta’if displays a heart filled with mercy. Even while facing poverty of worldly means and the loss of closest supporters in Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ walked to another city simply to give them a chance to hear the message. His journey was not for himself, but for them. In this way, the invitation to Islam in Ta’if stands as one of the clearest signs of his truthfulness and his compassion for all humanity.