8.1 Madinah before the Hijra

City of Yathrib and Its New Role

Before the Prophet ﷺ migrated, Madinah was known as Yathrib. It lay to the north of Makkah on a major caravan route, with fertile land compared to the harsh valleys of Makkah. Its climate, water wells, and palm groves made it a natural settlement area. Yet, long before it became “al-Madinah al-Munawwarah”, the illuminated city, it was a place of division, bloodshed, and deep social wounds.

Yathrib was not a political or religious center like Makkah. Quraysh in Makkah held the guardianship of the Kaabah and the leadership of Arabian trade. Yathrib was more of an agricultural town, known for dates, fields, and scattered forts, with power shared and contested between different tribes. This background is essential to understand why Yathrib was ready to welcome the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when others rejected him, and how Allah prepared this city to become the cradle of the first Islamic state.

Allah hinted to this future honor when speaking about those who would support His Messenger ﷺ:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ﴾
“And [also for] those who, before them, had settled in the Home and [adopted] the faith…”
(Surah al-Hashr 59:9)

The “Home” here was Madinah, and its people were being prepared through many trials and changes before they ever saw the Prophet ﷺ.

The People of Yathrib: Aws, Khazraj, and the Jews

Before the Hijra, the population of Yathrib consisted mainly of two large Arab tribes, Aws and Khazraj, and several Jewish tribes.

The Arabs of Aws and Khazraj traced their lineage back to the southern Arabs of Yemen. They had settled in Yathrib generations earlier, gradually gaining control over its lands and water sources. The two tribes were closely related in origin, yet became bitter rivals in practice. Each tribe was further divided into clans and families, which often meant that loyalties could be complicated and alliances could shift, but the central rivalry of Aws and Khazraj remained.

Alongside them lived Jewish tribes, most prominently Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayzah. These tribes possessed knowledge of the earlier scriptures, and they had fortified settlements, economic influence, and a tradition of scholarship. Although political power in Yathrib was contested, the Jews held a strong position in trade, craftsmanship, and in controlling some of the fortified quarters around the city.

The Arabs of Yathrib were mostly idol worshippers, like many Arabs elsewhere. They honored various idols and engaged in the common pre-Islamic religious customs. The Jewish tribes, however, followed their own scripture and law, though not all of them were equally religiously committed. This coexistence of idol worshipping Arabs and scripture-bearing Jews in one small city created a unique religious environment, different from Makkah where true People of the Book were rare.

Long History of Conflict: The Wars of Aws and Khazraj

Life in Yathrib before the Hijra was marked by a long series of wars between Aws and Khazraj. Old arguments, tribal pride, and cycles of revenge led to repeated outbreaks of violence. Generations grew up with the memory of close relatives killed in battle, which fueled new rounds of revenge.

The most important of these conflicts was the Battle of Buath, a major confrontation that took place only a few years before the Prophet ﷺ migrated. In this battle many leaders from both sides were killed, especially from Khazraj, and the city was left exhausted and weakened. The war did not end with a clear, unified leadership. Instead, it left bitterness, grief, and a desire in many hearts for a new way of living that could end these cycles of bloodshed.

Although tribal bravery and loyalty were admired, the people of Yathrib increasingly saw that tribalism alone could not bring lasting peace. They needed a figure and a system that all could accept, someone above the rivalries of Aws and Khazraj, who could unite them and judge fairly.

Allah later described His favor in transforming these very hearts:

﴿وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا﴾
“And remember the favor of Allah upon you when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together, so you became, by His favor, brothers.”
(Surah Ali Imran 3:103)

This verse was revealed later in Madinah, but it is describing exactly what Aws and Khazraj had been before Islam. They were bitter enemies, and their city was a place of constant fear and uncertainty.

Conditions That Prepared Yathrib for Islam

Several specific conditions in pre Hijra Yathrib helped open the hearts of its people to the message of the Prophet ﷺ.

First, the repeated wars, especially Buath, left the people tired of conflict. They had seen firsthand the destruction that tribal rivalry brought. Many of their bravest warriors and wisest leaders had died. This created a psychological readiness for a new vision of community based not only on tribal blood, but on a higher identity.

Second, the presence of the Jewish tribes meant that talk of prophets, revelations, and a coming messenger was part of the city’s conversation. The Jews possessed the Torah and stories of earlier prophets. They would sometimes remind the Arabs that a final prophet was expected, and that when he came, they would support him and defeat the Arab idolaters. Some reports mention that the Jews used to threaten the Arabs by saying that a prophet was about to appear and that they would follow him and overpower their enemies through him.

Although not all such reports reach the level of the most authentic hadith, the general idea that the Jews spoke about future prophets is supported by the Quran itself, which speaks of some People of the Book recognizing the truth of Muhammad ﷺ:

﴿الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ﴾
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons.”
(Surah al Baqarah 2:146)

Even before meeting the Prophet ﷺ, some people in Yathrib had already become curious about this idea of a final prophet, because of what they heard from the Jews. When they eventually heard the Quran from the lips of the Prophet ﷺ, they felt that this message fit with what they had been hearing and expecting.

Third, Yathrib did not have a single unquestioned chief or ruling tribe. Power was divided, and many smaller chiefs existed. This meant that the city was more open to seeking a new arbiter and leader from outside, someone who was not involved in their inherited rivalries. Makkah, by contrast, had a strong, unified leadership in Quraysh, who were not willing to allow an external religious authority over them.

These conditions did not automatically make Yathrib an Islamic city, but they made its people more open to listen, to reflect, and to hope for a new beginning.

The First Contacts with the Prophet ﷺ

The real turning point for Yathrib came during the seasons of Hajj in Makkah. Arab tribes would travel to Makkah during these sacred months, not only to perform their inherited rites, but also to trade, meet other tribes, and share poetry and news. The Prophet ﷺ, after he was commanded to make his call public, began to meet different tribes during these seasons to present Islam to them.

Among those who came one year were a small group from Yathrib, from the tribe of Khazraj. They met the Prophet ﷺ and listened to his recitation of the Quran. What they heard spoke directly to their experience. They heard a message that called to the worship of one God, called to justice, honesty, and kindness, and condemned oppression and injustice. It also called them away from tribal hatred and towards brotherhood in faith.

They said to one another words to the effect: This is the very prophet about whom the Jews have been threatening us. Let us not allow them to precede us in following him. So they believed in him and returned to Yathrib as early carriers of the message. They invited their families and clans to Islam and spoke about the Prophet ﷺ with admiration and hope.

The next year more people from Yathrib came and met the Prophet ﷺ. These early meetings are known as the Pledges of Aqabah, and they will be studied in detail in the following chapter. Here, it is enough to see that, step by step, the hearts of Yathrib’s people were turning towards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, even before he set foot in their city.

The Quran describes the special quality of such people who prepare a home and support for the believers:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَنَصَرُوا أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا﴾
“And those who believed and emigrated and strove in the cause of Allah, and those who gave shelter and aided, it is they who are the true believers.”
(Surah al Anfal 8:74)

The people of Yathrib would soon become those “who gave shelter and aided.” Before the Hijra, the first seeds of that role were being planted in these quiet meetings during Hajj.

Social and Economic Life in Yathrib

Yathrib’s economy before the Hijra was very different from that of Makkah. While Makkah relied heavily on trade caravans that traveled long distances to Syria and Yemen, Yathrib primarily depended on agriculture. Palm groves, fields, and orchards surrounded the city, and many of its inhabitants were farmers. Dates were the main crop, and they were both a food staple and a trade item.

Because of this agricultural base, control over water sources, wells, and fertile land was a constant concern. Disputes over land and water could quickly become tribal confrontations. This material background fed into the larger tribal rivalries.

Jews in Yathrib often engaged in trade, crafts, and sometimes money lending. Some of them owned land as well, but they were particularly known for their economic skills and for having fortified dwellings and strongholds. This gave them both physical and economic security.

Social life was heavily shaped by tribal affiliation. Honor, bravery, generosity, and loyalty to one’s tribe were central values. At the same time, practices like drinking, revenge killing, and boasting were widespread. Yet, amid all this, many individuals felt the emptiness of idolatry and the pain of constant conflict. Some among them were already searching for something better. When they heard the Quran, they recognized in its words the justice, mercy, and balance that their society lacked.

Religious Atmosphere before Revelation Reached Yathrib

Religiously, Yathrib combined three main elements. First, Arab polytheism was the dominant belief among Aws and Khazraj. Idols were respected, and people engaged in typical pre-Islamic rituals. Oaths were taken by these idols, and sacrifices were sometimes made to them.

Second, Jewish belief and practice were visible. Synagogues, learning circles, and recitation of revealed scripture were part of the city’s religious scene. The Jews had their own laws regarding food, purity, marriage, and worship. Some Arabs admired this sense of law and revelation, even if they did not adopt the Jewish religion themselves.

Third, there were individuals who leaned toward belief in one God without fully joining Judaism or clinging to idols. Although most of the famous Hanifs are mentioned in connection with Makkah, the general idea of turning away from idols and looking for pure monotheism was not limited to one city only. The mixture of cultures in Yathrib made such questions about truth and guidance quite natural.

When the verses of the Quran later addressed the People of the Book in Madinah, this was not in a vacuum. It responded to a living environment where scripture, tradition, and expectations of a coming prophet were already part of daily conversation:

﴿لَّيْسُوا سَوَاءً ۗ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ﴾
“They are not all alike. Among the People of the Book is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating.”
(Surah Ali Imran 3:113)

These words, revealed in Madinah, point to the fact that among the People of the Book there were sincere individuals, even before Islam reached them fully. Yathrib was a place where such people could be found.

Madinah’s Unique Readiness Compared to Makkah

To understand “Madinah before the Hijra,” it is important to notice how different its situation was from Makkah. In Makkah, Quraysh enjoyed religious prestige as custodians of the Kaabah and economic strength through caravan trade. They feared that accepting the Prophet ﷺ would threaten both their religious status and their business. Their unity around their idols and their economic interests made them resistant to his message.

In Yathrib, the situation was almost the opposite. The city had no central religious sanctuary like the Kaabah, and it had no single ruling tribe with overwhelming power. Instead, it had internal divisions and the presence of scripture bearing communities that spoke of prophets and revelation. Its economy, although stable in agriculture, did not give it a position of dominance over other Arab cities. In short, Yathrib had more problems than privileges and more reasons to seek a new path.

This contrast explains why, when the Prophet ﷺ was searching for a safe place where Islam could grow, Makkah closed its doors while Yathrib opened its arms. Allah chose for His Messenger ﷺ a city that was materially modest but spiritually ready. The Quran reminds us that success and honor are not tied to worldly power alone:

﴿وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.”
(Surah al Munafiqun 63:8)

That honor would soon shine from Yathrib, turning it into al Madinah al Munawwarah, the illuminated city.

From Yathrib to “Madinah”: A City Awaiting Transformation

By the time the Prophet ﷺ received the pledge of loyalty from the people of Yathrib at Aqabah, the city had already traveled a long path of preparation. Its people had tasted the bitterness of civil war, heard the promise of a coming prophet from the Jews, and listened to the Quranic message brought to them by the first Muslims from among Aws and Khazraj.

What remained was for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to arrive and, by Allah’s command, transform this wounded town into the capital of a new community of faith. The change from the name “Yathrib” to “al Madinah” was more than a change of words. It represented a shift from a place known for division to a city known for faith, brotherhood, and law.

Yathrib before the Hijra was a city full of problems, but also full of potential. Allah chose it to be the home of Hijra and the base of Islam’s early growth. In the next chapters, we will see how the pledges of Aqabah formalized this relationship and how the Hijra itself turned this prepared ground into the heart of the Muslim ummah.