On July 16, 622, Muhammad began his journey from Mecca to Medina, fleeing persecution for teaching and spreading Islam.

The prophet Muhammad was born in the year 570 to Abd Allah bin Al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb. He was raised in Mecca, the holy city. When he was 40 years old, Muhammad received a revelation from the Quran and began spreading Islamic teachings to his followers. By 615, Muhammad had successfully converted about 100 Muslims in Mecca, the most sacred city in the religion of Islam. 

He condemned the greed and idolatry of the wealthy merchants, claiming that “There is no god but Allah.” This message was, however, not welcome to everyone. The prophet was facing hatred in Mecca, where the people would throw rocks at him and his believers. The ruling tribes of Mecca, such as the Quraysh, considered Muhammad as a possible threat to instigating tension among the people and asked him to abandon his faith. In 619, his uncle Abu Tali, head of the Hashim clan, died and was succeeded by Abu Lahib, another of his uncles. Lahib, however, refused to protect Muhammad from the increased hostilities from the tribe leaders, and the persecution of Muslims increased.

Muhammad then asked his followers to migrate to Medina in small groups. When they found out that his followers had begun an exodus, the city officials planned to have the prophet murdered. Following the threat, Muhammad slipped unnoticed and made his way to Medina using hidden routes. On September 24, 622, he completed the celebrated Hijra, a significant event in Islamic history that marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar and the establishment of the first Islamic state in Medina, thereby marking the great beginning of the history of Islam.

The completion of this journey marked the beginning of the Muslim calendar. It also allowed Muhammad and his followers to spread Islam’s teachings throughout the world without persecution, helping it grow to become the second-largest religion in the world.