1. The life of our beloved Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)

2. Private invitation to Islam Holy Prophet had received the message from Allah and his job was to spread this message to others. Holy Prophet knew about the magnitude of this message and the difficulties he would receive in calling people to Islam. However, the enormous difficulty of the task did not deter him from attempting it.

3. Private invitation to Islam Holy Prophet was directed by Allah to keep this message secret for a while and only to approach those who were closer to the Prophet. The first person to accept Islam was Hadrat Khadijah, the first wife of the Holy Prophet. However, Muslims group the first people to accept Islam into different categories, and then select the first person from each categories. We do this in order to praise all the individuals who accepted Islam at first. Therefore, the first people to accept Islam were: –Female – Hadrat Khadijah –Male – Hadrat Abu Bakr [the first caliph] –Child – Hadrat Ali [the second caliph] –Male Servant – Hadrat Zaid bin Harithah

4. Hadrat Khadijah – The first female to accept Islam The first female to accept Islam was Hadrat Khadijah. She knew her husband really well and had full trust in him. She knew Holy Prophet would never lie and make a false claim of prophethood and thus she accepted Islam instantly. During the early years of Islam, Hadrat Khadijah provided unwavering support to Holy Prophet.

5. Hadrat Khadijah – The first female to accept Islam When Holy Prophet preached Islam in Makkah, Makkans insulted and ridiculed him. When he would return home, Hadrat Khadijah comforted and provided support and encouragement to him. Due to her firm support for the Holy Prophet, once angel Gabriel came to the Holy Prophet and asked him to convey Allah’s greeting to Khadijah. Angel Gabriel said: ‘O Holy Prophet, convey Salam [greetings] to Hadrat Khadijah from your Lord and from me. And give her good news that Allah has constructed a palace made of diamonds for her in heaven.’

6. Hadrat Khadijah – The first female to accept Islam Holy Prophet loved Hadrat Khadijah for the support and help that she had provided him during the early days of Islam. Hadrat Aisha [the youngest wife of the Holy Prophet] narrates that Holy Prophet often remembered and praised Hadrat Khadijah. Once Hadrat Aisha said to Holy Prophet: ‘Why do you keep praising Khadijah? She was an old woman. Allah has given you wives who are better than her.’ On hearing this, Holy Prophet became very angry and upset. He said: ‘This is very untrue. My no other wife can be better than Khadijah. –She believed in me when people rejected me. –She trusted me when people neglected me. –She supported me with her wealth when people withdrew from me. –Allah gave me children from her when my no other wife has born any living child.’ Hadrat Aisha says that she decided never to mention Hadrat Khadijah in a negative manner anymore

7. Hadrat Ali – The first child to accept Islam The first child to accept Islam was a ten years old cousin of the Holy Prophet, Ali bin Abu Talib. Ali was raised-up in the Prophet’s home. Although, Hadrat Ali’s father, Hadrat Abu Talib was the chief of the Makkah, he did not have much income and could not look after his large family. Holy Prophet wanted to help his uncle.

8. Hadrat Ali – The first child to accept Islam Holy Prophet went to see another of his uncle, Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib and suggested to him that they both should take one child from Abu Talib to look after them. In this way it will reduce the burden on Abu Talib as he would not have to provide for a large family. Hadrat Abbas agreed with this suggestion. They went to see Abu Talib and proposed to him that they would look after two of his children. Hadrat Abu Talib agreed with this proposal. Holy Prophet took Hadrat Ali and Hadrat Abbas took Hadrat Jaafar to their homes. Hadrat Ali was still living with Holy Prophet when the Holy Prophet received his first message and was one of the first few ones to accept Islam in its early days.

9. Hadrat Zaid – The first male servant to accept Islam The first male-servant to accept Islam is Hadrat Zaid bin Harithah. He had been living with Holy Prophet for more than 10 years. Over the years, Zaid learnt enough of Holy Prophet’s integrity and kindness to prompt him to accept the message of Islam without any hesitation.

10. How did Zaid became a slave? When Zaid was eight years old, his mother took him to see her family. On the way, a group of men attacked them and kidnapped Zaid. Later, he was sold as slave in Arabian markets. When the nephew of Hadrat Khadijah, Hakim bin Hazam, was in Syria, he bought Zaid and brought him to Makkah. He then gave Zaid to Hadrat Khadijah. Hadrat Khadijah presented Zaid to Holy Prophet who instantly freed him. But because Zaid was young and did not know where his parents were, he stayed with the Holy Prophet. Holy Prophet treated him really well.

11. How did Zaid became a slave? On losing Zaid, his father was very upset. He started searching for Zaid in different parts of Arabia. Once some pilgrims came to Makkah and recognised Zaid. When they went back to their homeland, they informed Zaid’s father. Zaid’s father, along with his brother, came to Makkah to seek Zaid. They went to see Holy Prophet and said: –‘You are the grandson of Abdul Muttalib, the old master of the city; –you have a great reputation for feeding the hungry and helping those who are in need. –We have come to you to seek Zaid, so be kind to us and sell Zaid back to us. Holy Prophet replied: ‘Shall I offer a better proposal?’. Holy Prophet said: ‘I will call Zaid and give him a choice. If he chooses to go with you, he will be free to do so. But if he chooses to stay with me, then I cannot let him go.’

12. How did Zaid became a slave? Zaid’s father was happy to hear this proposal. He thought Zaid was living a life of slavery with Holy Prophet and he would not want to live with him. Zaid’s father was quick to agree with this offer. Then Holy Prophet called Zaid and gave him the two options. Without any hesitation, Zaid said that he wanted to stay with Holy Prophet. Zaid’s father was shocked to hear this. He said: ‘Zaid, do you prefer to stay in slavery over joining your parents, your home and your tribe.’ Zaid replied: ‘What I have seen with Holy Prophet, I would never leave him to go anywhere else.’ It was the kindness and affection of the Holy Prophet that Zaid was willing to leave his parents for him.

13. How did Zaid became a slave? After this incident, Holy Prophet officially adopted Zaid by declaring to the people: –‘Bear witness that this boy is my son. –He inherits me and I inherit him’. This was the formal method of adoption practised in Arabia. From that onwards, Zaid was known as ‘Zaid bin Muhammad’. People continued calling him Zaid bin Muhammad until adoption was forbidden. Allah has ordered Muslims to call their adopted children by their own parents’ names.

14. Hadrat Abu Bakr – The first male to accept Islam The first male person to accept Islam outside of Prophet’s immediate family was his closest friend, Hadrat Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr had spent much time with the Holy Prophet and they had a very good friendly relationship. They also had travelled together on many business trips. Abu Bakr had a first-hand experience of the character of the Holy Prophet. He knew he had never lied and was full of honesty and fairness. Thus when Holy Prophet invited Abu Bakr to Islam, he accepted this message instantly and without hesitation.

15. Hadrat Abu Bakr – The first male to accept Islam Hadrat Abu Bakr had also seen a dream prior to accepting Islam. In his dream he saw: –the moon being split into many pieces and falling into the different houses in Makkah. –Then all the moon-pieces came together in the laps of Abu Bakr and formed a moon again. Hadrat Abu Bakr was puzzled by this dream so he went to Christian and Jew scholars for the interpretation. They said that a prophet would soon appear and you will be the luckiest one to follow him. Hadrat Abu Bakr was excited by this dream and was eagerly waiting for the appearance of the last prophet. Thus when Holy Prophet invited him to the message of Islam, he accepted it without questioning.

16. Hadrat Abu Bakr – The first male to accept Islam Holy Prophet has praised Hadrat Abu Bakr in these words: ‘Whomsoever, I invited to Islam, he hesitated and thought about it before accepting it, except Abu Bakr. He accepted Islam without hesitation and questioning about it.’ People who accepted Islam instantly where those who were the closest to Prophet Muhammad: his wife, his male-servant, a ten- year old child and his closest friend.