Kubadilisha watu kunahitaji kuinuliwa kiakili; watu hutenda kulingana na imani wanazozibeba. Kubadilisha jamii kunahitaji mabadiliko katika imani zao, mahusiano yao na mfumo unaoziongoza. Mtume ﷺ na Masahaba wake walilenga jambo hili hasa, lakini kupata ushindi kulihitaji juhudi kubwa mno katika mazingira ya changamoto kubwa. Kupotea kwa Waislamu wengi wa mwanzo kupitia mateso na dhulma ni ushahidi wa magumu waliyokabiliana nayo.

To change a people requires an intellectual elevation; people act based upon the beliefs they carry. To change a society requires a change in their beliefs, relations and the system governing them. The Prophet (saw) and his companions targeted this specifically, but to achieve the victory would require a supreme effort against great difficulty. The loss of many early Muslims through torture and oppression bears testimony to the difficulties they faced.

Ili kuwaandaa kwa ajili ya mapambano, Mtume ﷺ aliwalea maswahaba wake kwa kina; jambo hili liliunda kile kilichojulikana kama hatua ya kiutamaduni au hatua ya kwanza. Walikuwa wakisoma usiku sana si tu itikadi, bali pia njia ya kipekee ya kujifunza na kufikiri, na kurejea Uislamu pekee katika mambo yote, pamoja na kukuza mtazamo wa kisiasa wenye ubunifu mkubwa. Kwamba Mtume ﷺ aliweza kuwalea maswahaba wengi wakubwa wenye sifa thabiti za kiungwana wa kisiasa lilikuwa ni heshima kubwa kwa kujitolea kwao na mbinu yao katika Uislamu.