Da'wah ya Mtume wa Allah (ﷺ) huko Makkah iligawanyika katika hatua mbili. Hatua ya kwanza ilikuwa ya kufundisha, kulea, na kujenga akili na roho. Hatua ya pili ilikuwa ya kueneza Ujumbe na kupambana. Hatua ya kwanza ilikuwa ya kuhakikisha uelewa sahihi wa dhana mpya, na kuziingiza katika haiba za watu na kuwapanga kuzunguka dhana hizi. Hatua ya pili ilikuwa ya kubadilisha dhana hizi kuwa nguvu inayohamasisha katika jamii, inayoisukuma kuzitekeleza katika nyanja mbalimbali za maisha. Dhana si chochote zaidi ya wingi wa taarifa zisizo na uhai, isipokuwa zikitekelezwa katika jamii. Ili dhana hizi ziweze kupewa nguvu na kutekelezwa, ni lazima kwanza zipitie mchakato wa kubadilishwa kutoka mawazo matupu hadi kuwa nguvu inayoendesha jamii, watu wakizikubali, kuzielewa, kuzibeba na kupambana kuzitekeleza. Hatimaye, utekelezaji wa dhana hizi ungekuwa jambo lisiloepukika.

The Da’wah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in Makkah was divided into two stages. The first stage was the stage of teaching, culturing and intellectual and spiritual building. The second stage was the spreading of the Message and the struggle. The first stage was to ensure the correct understanding of new concepts and to incorporate them into personalities and to structure them around these concepts. The second stage was to transfer these concepts into a mobilizing force in the society that drives it to implement them in the different walks of life. Concepts are nothing but a mass of lifeless information unless they are implemented in a society. In order for these concepts to be energized and implemented, they first have to go through the process of being transformed from mere thoughts to becoming a driving force within the society, with people adopting them, realizing, carrying them and struggling to implement them. Eventually, the implementation of these concepts would become inevitable.

Hivi ndivyo Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alivyoendesha wito wake huko Makka. Katika hatua ya kwanza, aliwaita watu kwenye Uislamu, akawalea kwa dhana zake na kuwafundisha sheria zake. Alikusanya yeyote aliyeweza kumkusanya kwa msingi wa imani ya Kiislamu. Hii ilikuwa hatua ya kuwakusanya watu kwa siri na kuwaelekeza kwa ajili ya Da'wah. Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alifuatilia wito huo bila kuchoka, akiwa na hamu ya kuwalea wote waliosilimu. Aliwakusanya nyumbani kwa al-Arqam, au alimtuma mtu awalee katika halaqa katika nyumba zao wenyewe au katika mabonde ya milimani. Walifanya hivyo kwa siri na kukusanyika kama kikundi. Imani yao ilizidi kuimarika, mahusiano kati yao yakawa ya karibu zaidi, na ufahamu wao wa jukumu walilokabiliana nalo kila siku ukakua, hadi wakawa tayari kutoa chochote katika njia ya Da'wah. Ujumbe ulijikita sana mioyoni mwao na akilini mwao, Uislamu ukawa kama damu iliyo mishipani mwao - wakawa mifano hai ya Uislamu. Kwa hiyo, ujumbe huo haukuweza kubaki umefungiwa ndani yao wenyewe, licha ya jitihada zao za kujiweka wao wenyewe na Da'wah mbali na macho ya Quraysh.

This is how the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) went about his call in Makkah. In the first stage, he called people to Islam, cultured them with its concepts and taught them its rules. He gathered whoever he could on the basis of the Islamic belief. This was the stage of secretly grouping individuals and orienting them for the Da’wah. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) relentlessly pursued the call, eager to acculturate all those who embraced Islam. He gathered them in the house of al- Arqam, or sent someone to culture them in circles in their own homes or in the mountain valleys. They did so in secret and gathered in a group. Their belief became stronger, and relations between them closer, and their awareness of the task that they faced daily until they were ready to sacrifice anything in the way of the Da’wah. The Message took deep root in their hearts and in their minds, Islam became like the blood in their veins - they became walking examples of Islam. Therefore, the Message could never remain confined within themselves, despite their attempts to keep themselves and the Da’wah away from the eyes of Quraysh.

Walianza kuzungumza na watu waliowaamini, na na wale ambao walionekana kuwa tayari kukubali Uislamu. Hivyo watu walijua kuhusu Ujumbe wao na kuhisi uwepo wao. Katika hatua hii, da'wah ilikuwa imefikia mahali pa kuanzia na ilihitaji kuzinduliwa. Hili lilikuwa ni mwisho wa hatua ya kwanza, yaani ya kujenga jamii na kuzoeana, na da'wah kwa lazima ikahamia hatua ya pili, ile ya mwingiliano na mapambano. Ilihusisha kufafanua Uislamu na dhana zake kwa watu. Baadhi ya watu waliitikia na kukubali, na wengine walikataa na kuupiga vita. Hata hivyo, kabla ukafiri na upotofu haujashindwa, na kabla ya Iymani na uadilifu kupata nguvu, mgongano kama huo ulikuwa hauepukiki. Lakini bila kujali jinsi akili za watu zilivyo ngumu, haziwezi kamwe kuzuia kwa kudumu njia ya dhana sahihi, ingawa wanajaribu kuziepuka ili wabaki bila kuathirika.

They began talking to people they trusted, and to those in whom they felt a readiness to accept Islam. People, therefore, found out about their Message and felt their presence. At this stage, the call was positioned at the starting point and needed to be launched. This marked the end of the first stage, i.e. the collectivization and acculturation, and the call inevitably moved to the second stage, that of interaction and struggle. It involved expounding Islam and its concepts to the people. Some people responded and accepted, and others rejected and fought it. However, before disbelief and falsehood could be defeated and before Iman and righteousness could gain the upper hand, such a clash was inevitable. Yet, no matter how stubborn peoples’ minds are, they can never permanently block the path of the right concepts, although they try to avoid them so as to remain unaffected.

Kwa hiyo, hatua ya mwingiliano ilianza, ikiwa na mapambano kati ya mikondo miwili tofauti ya mawazo, yaani Uislamu na Kufr. Ilianza tangu wakati Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alipojitokeza pamoja na kundi lake la Masahaba, kwa namna ambayo Waarabu hawakuwahi kuishuhudia kabla, na pamoja wakazunguka Al-Ka'bah wakitangaza Ujumbe. Tangu wakati huo, Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ aliwaalika watu waingie Uislamu hadharani huko Makkah, akipinga mitindo yao ya maisha iliyokuwepo.

Therefore, the stage of interaction commenced, incorporating as it did the struggle between the two disparate streams of thoughts, that of Islam and Kufr. It proceeded from the time that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) emerged with his group of Sahabah, in a manner never before witnessed by the Arabs, and together they circumumbulated the Ka’bah declaring the Message. From that time on, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) publicly invited people to Islam in Makkah, challenging their existing lifestyles.

Aya za Qur-ani zinazotangaza Upweke wa Mwenyezi Mungu (SWT) ziliteremshwa kwa Mtume wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ, kadhalika aya zinazolaani kufuru na kuabudu sanamu, na aya zinazoshambulia namna watu walivyowafuata kipofu mababu zao. Aya hizi ziliteremshwa kuchukia mienendo potovu ndani ya jamii; zilishambulia riba, ufisadi, na udanganyifu katika vipimo (Tatfeef). Ili kuwafikishia watu ujumbe, Mtume ﷺ aliwazungumzia watu kuhusu Uislamu kwa makundi. Alianza kwa kuwakusanya jamaa zake wa kabila lake, akiwaalika kwenye chakula. Kisha aliwaalika kuingia Uislamu na kuomba waunge mkono, lakini walimkataa. Aliwakusanya Wamakkah katika al-Safa na kuzungumza nao, lakini hilo liliwakasirisha viongozi wa Quraysh, hasa Abu Lahab, na hivyo mgawanyiko ukazidi kati ya Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ na Quraysh, na kati yake na Waarabu wengine. Kwa hiyo, mawasiliano na umma yalifungamana na elimu iliyotolewa kwa umakini majumbani, hasa nyumbani kwa al-Arqam, na katika mabonde.

Qur’anic verses proclaiming the Oneness of Allah (swt) were revealed to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), as were the verses deploring disbelief and idol-worship, and the verses attacking the way people blindly followed their forefathers. These verses were revealed to abhor the corrupt dealings within society, they attacked interest (Riba) and corruption and cheating in the scales (Tatfeef). In order to address the people, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) talked to them about Islam in groups. He started by gathering together his clan, inviting them for meals. Then he invited them to Islam and asked them to support him, but they rejected him. He gathered the Makkans at al-Safa and talked to them, but this enraged the leaders of the Quraysh, especially Abu Lahab, thus the rift deepened between Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and the Quraysh and between him and the other Arabs. Thus, the interaction with the public was coupled with the concentrated education being delivered in houses, specifically in the house of al-Arqam and in the valleys.

Wito ulihama kutoka kuwaalika watu waliodhihirisha uwezo mzuri hadi kuwaalika watu wote. Wito wa hadharani na kuingiliana na jamii ulikuwa na athari inayoonekana kwa Quraish, kwa sababu ulifungua kutoka katika makazi yao chuki kubwa iliyoongezeka kadiri tishio la wito lilivyozidi kuenea. Quraish walianza kuchukua hatua madhubuti za kukabiliana na kupinga Da'wah baada ya kutambua kwamba hawawezi tena kumpuuza Muhammad ﷺ na Ujumbe wake. Hivyo, uadui uliongezeka dhidi ya Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ na Masahaba wake.

The call moved from inviting individuals who displayed good potential to inviting all people. The public call and acculturation had a visible effect on the Quraysh, for it unleashed from their quarters a great deal of hatred which mounted, as the threat of the call increased/became more prevalent. The Quraysh began taking serious measures to counter and resist the Da’wah after realizing that it could no longer ignore Muhammad (pbuh) and his Message. Thus, the hostilities intensified against Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and his Sahabah.

Hata hivyo, mwelekeo wa hadharani wa kundi hili ulikuwa na athari kubwa. Ulizaa maoni ya umma yaliyohitajika kwa ukuaji wa Da'wah, na hili lilisaidia kuenea kwake kwa kasi katika Makkah yote. Kila siku iliyopita idadi ya Waislamu iliongezeka; maskini, walionyimwa na walioonewa walisilimu, na vilevile watu mashuhuri, viongozi, na wafanyabiashara matajiri ambao biashara yao haikuwazuia kutafakari juu ya kile ambacho Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alikuwa akikilingania. Wale waliosilimu walikuwa ni wale ambao akili na nyoyo zao zilielewa usafi, hekima na ukweli, na wale waliojiinua juu ya ukaidi na kiburi. Walisilimu mara tu walipotambua uadilifu wake na ukweli wa yule aliyefikisha Ujumbe. Uislamu ulienea Makkah kwa njia hiyo, na wanaume na wanawake wakausilimia. Da'wah ya pamoja ilicheza nafasi kubwa katika kufikisha Ujumbe kwa hadhira pana zaidi, licha ya mitihani na mateso ambayo Waislamu walilazimika kuvumilia katika mchakato huo. Mafanikio ya Da'wah yaliwakasirisha zaidi viongozi wa Quraysh, na yalikuwa kama moto unaowaka mioyoni mwao. Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliendesha kampeni ya kiitikadi isiyokoma dhidi ya dhuluma, ukali na ukandamizaji uliotawala Makkah, akawadhihaki, akawashambulia, na kufichua dhana na desturi zao zilizolaaniwa.

The public approach of the group, however, had a massive effect. It created the public opinion necessary for the growth of the Da’wah and this asssisted in its rapid expansion throughout Makkah. Every day that passed saw a growth in the number of Muslims, the poor, the deprived and the oppressed embraced Islam so did the nobles and leaders, and the rich traders whose trading did not distract them from reflecting on what the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was calling for. Those who embraced Islam were the ones whose minds and hearts understood purity, wisdom and truth, and those who raised themselves above stubbornness and haughtiness. They embraced Islam the moment they realized its righteousness and the truthfulness of the one who conveyed the Message. Islam spread in Makkah therein, and men and women embraced it. The collective Da’wah played a major role in taking the Message to a wider audience despite the trials and suffering that the Muslims had to endure in the process. The success of the Da’wah enraged the leaders of the Quraysh still further, and was like a fire burning through their hearts. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) waged an unrelenting, ideological campaign against injustice, harshness and oppression that dominated Makkah, and he mocked, attacked and exposed their ill-fated concepts and practices.

Hii ilikuwa mwanzo wa mojawapo ya hatua kali zaidi kati ya Mtume wa Allah ﷺ na Maswahaba wake kwa upande mmoja, na makafiri wa Quraysh kwa upande mwingine. Ingawa kipindi cha kati kati ya hatua ya kuzoeana na hatua ya kushirikiana kinachukuliwa kuwa nyeti na chenye maridhiano zaidi, kwa sababu kinahitaji hekima kubwa, subira na usahihi, hatua ya kushirikiana kwa kweli ndiyo yenye ugumu zaidi kwa sababu inahitaji uwazi na kupinga bila kujali matokeo au hali zilizopo wakati huo. Hii ni kwa sababu Waislamu wangejaribiwa katika Dini yao na Imani yao.

This marked the beginning of one of the most severest of stages between the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his Sahabah on one side and the disbelievers of the Quraysh on the other. Although the intermediate phase between the stage of acculturation and the stage of interaction is considered to be the most delicate and sensitive, because it requires a great deal of wisdom, patience and precision, the phase of interaction is actually the most difficult because it requires frankness and defiance without giving any account to results or conditions of the situation at hand. This is so due to the fact that the Muslims would be tested in their Deen and Iman.

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ na Maswahaba zake walipitia kipindi hicho wakivumilia aina ya dhuluma, mateso, kuandamwa na uadui ambayo ingeweza kuulemea mlima mrefu kuliko yote.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his Companions passed through that phase enduring the kind of oppression, torture, persecution and aggression that would weigh down the highest mountain.

Baadhi yao walihamia Abyssinia, baadhi yao walifariki chini ya mateso, na baadhi yao walinusurika aina za uchokozi zilizo mbaya kabisa. Waliendelea na juhudi zao zisizokoma hadi walipoweza kuathiri jamii ya Makka kwa nuru ya Uislamu na kuanza kuondoa giza ambalo kufuru ilikuwa imelizalisha, na ambalo Makka ilikuwa imetumbukizwa ndani yake. Ingawa Mtume ﷺ alitumia miaka mitatu katika Nyumba ya al-Arqam, na kukamilisha hatua ya kwanza ya Da'wah, ilimbidi bado apigane na kufuru kwa miaka mingine nane, ingawa alikuwa ameonyesha wazi unabii wake kupitia miujiza mingi. Yote haya yalitokea bila Quraysh kuwahi kusitisha mateso dhidi ya Waislamu, wala kuonyesha dalili yoyote ya kulegeza msimamo wao mkali dhidi ya Uislamu. Kutokana na mwingiliano kati ya Waislamu na Quraysh, athari ya Da'wah ilienea katika Rasi yote na ikawa mada ya kila mdomo; mahujaji walisaidia kueneza habari ya wito kati ya kabila za Kiarabu. Hata hivyo, Waarabu hao walibaki zaidi kuwa watazamaji na hawakuwahi kupiga hatua hata moja kuelekea Imani, kwani wasiwasi wao mkuu ulikuwa kutowakasirisha Quraysh. Waliepuka kukutana na Mtume ﷺ ili wasiingie kwenye mgongano na Quraysh. Hali hii hatari ya Mtume ﷺ na Maswahaba ilidhihirisha wazi kwamba kuhamisha Da'wah hadi awamu ya tatu, ambayo Uislamu utatekelezwa, ni jambo la lazima.

Some of them emigrated to Abyssinia, some of them perished under torture and some of them survived the most atrocious types of aggression. They pursued their relentless struggle until they were able to affect the Makkan society with the light of Islam and to begin to dissipate the darkness that disbelief had engendered, and that Makkah had been plunged into. Despite the fact that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) spent three years in the House of al- Arqam, having completed the first stage of the Da’wah, he had to struggle against disbelief, even though he had clearly demonstrated his Prophethood through many miracles, for another eight years. All of this transpired without the Quraysh once giving any respite from torturing the Muslims, nor showing any signs of appeasing their harsh stance against Islam. As a result of the interaction between the Muslims and the Quraysh, the impact of the Da’wah spread throughout the Peninsula and became a subject on everyone’s lips; the pilgrims helped in spreading the news of the call amongst the Arab tribes. However, those Arabs remained mainly spectators and never moved one step towards Iman, as their main concern was not to upset the Quraysh. They avoided the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in order not to clash with the Quraysh. This dangerous situation of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the Sahabah made it evident that moving the Da’wah to the third phase in which Islam will be implemented is a must.

Hata hivyo, dalili zilizokuwepo Makkah hazikuonyesha kwamba hilo lilikuwa chaguo linalowezekana. Zaidi ya hayo, kuongezeka kwa uadui dhidi ya Waislamu kulizuia kuweka wakati wao wote katika da'wah, na kukataliwa kwa watu kuliongeza ugumu wa hali hiyo na kuifanya kuwa mbaya zaidi.

However, the signs in Makkah were not indicative towards it being a viable option. Additionally, the increase in hostilities against the Muslims prevented them from fully devoting their time to the call and the people’s rejection compounded the situation and made it worse.