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Q&A · Islamic History

What were the pledges of al-ʿAqabah, and why were they the turning point before the Hijrah?

At the pilgrimage season the Prophet ﷺ met a small group from Yathrib; the following year twelve men gave him the First Pledge of al-ʿAqabah — that they would not associate anything with Allah, nor steal, nor commit zinā, nor kill their children, nor slander, nor disobey him in what is right — and he sent Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr back with them to teach the Qurʾān. The year after, some seventy-three men and two women gave the Second Pledge, committing to protect him as they would protect their own families, which is why it is called the Pledge of War, and twelve of them were appointed naqībs (leaders). This gave the daʿwah a secure homeland and made the Hijrah possible, and Allah praised those who gave shelter and aid alongside the emigrants. Without al-ʿAqabah there would have been no Madinah, no Islamic state, and no Hijrah calendar.

Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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