Significant Events, 8–10 AH

Maria the Copt & Death of Ibrahim

The Prophet's ﷺ Letter to the Muqawqis of Egypt

Around the 8th year of the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ sent a letter inviting Jurayj ibn Mina, the Muqawqis (governor) of Egypt, to Islam. Though often referred to as a “ruler,” Jurayj was actually a Byzantine-appointed patriarch, most likely Cyrus of Alexandria, a Melkite Christian and the final Byzantine prefect before Egypt was conquered by the Muslims.

Unlike other rulers, Jurayj did not reject the invitation. Though he did not accept Islam, he responded with great courtesy and sent many expensive gifts, including a thousand mithqals of gold, garments, honey, a donkey named Duldul, a servant Ma’boor, and two Christian slave sisters: Maria and Sirin. Maria bint Sham’un would later become the mother of the Prophet’s ﷺ son, Ibrahim.

The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said, "This evil person has preserved his kingdom through politeness, but his kingdom will not last"—a prophecy fulfilled when Cyrus died a natural death and Egypt was later conquered by Amr ibn al-As رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ.

Maria and the Incident with Ma’boor

Maria and her sister were noted for their beauty. The Prophet ﷺ gave Sirin to Hassan ibn Thabit رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, and they had a son named Abd al-Rahman. The Prophet ﷺ kept Maria, and she later gave birth to his son Ibrahim.

After Maria’s arrival in Madinah, rumors spread that Ma’boor was visiting her. Some reports mention they were distant relatives. A hadith in Sahih Muslim mentions that the Prophet ﷺ commanded Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  to investigate. When Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  found Ma’boor, he discovered that Ma’boor was physically mutilated and thus incapable of what was being accused. This cleared Maria’s name, and the Prophet ﷺ was informed accordingly. Scholars differ on whether the Prophet ﷺ originally intended for Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  to execute Ma’boor or just frighten him. Some argue the Prophet ﷺ alone had the right to do so, while others say the command was meant for investigation.

Ibrahim ibn Muhammad

In Dhul-Hijjah of the 8th year of Hijrah, Maria gave birth to the Prophet’s ﷺ son, Ibrahim. The Prophet ﷺ was overjoyed and named him after his ancestor, Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ . According to Islamic law, Maria became Umm al-Walad, a mother of a child born to her owner, which gave her permanent protection and status.

A woman from the Ansar volunteered to be the wet nurse, and the Prophet ﷺ gave her a stipend, showing how community support and foster care were common practices. Ibrahim lived for about 16–18 months before passing away in early 10 AH. His death deeply saddened the Prophet ﷺ, who wept while holding him during his final moments. The Prophet ﷺ reported to have said:
“The eyes shed tears and the heart feels sorrow, but we only say what pleases our Lord.”

Ibrahim was given Salat al-Janazah and buried in Jannat al-Baqi’. The Prophet ﷺ used four takbirs, indicating that janazah prayer is valid for children as well.

A solar eclipse occurred on the same day as Ibrahim’s death. People began to speculate that even the sun was grieving. However, the Prophet ﷺ immediately clarified in a khutbah that the sun and moon do not eclipse for the death or birth of any person. He ﷺ instructed people to use the eclipse as a time for dhikr and salah.

Incident of Hafsa's Jealousy and Revelation of Surah al-Tahrim

The incident of Hafsa's رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا jealousy centers around Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا. On a day when Hafsa رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ was away, the Prophet ﷺ invited Maria رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ to her house. However, Hafsa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا unexpectedly returned and saw Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا leaving. Upset and hurt, she confronted the Prophet ﷺ, questioning how he ﷺ could meet Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا in her house and on her day. In an attempt to calm her, the Prophet ﷺ promised not to see Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  again and requested Hafsa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا keep the matter private, especially from Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا.

Despite the request, Hafsa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا told Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا, seemingly to boast that she had caused the Prophet ﷺ to give up Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا. Both women were known to have felt jealous of Maria's beauty. This breach of trust led to the revelation of Surah al-Tahrim (66:1–5). In these verses, Allah rebukes the Prophet ﷺ for making something lawful (Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا) forbidden to himself in order to please his wives. The verses also allow for the expiation of such oaths and warn Hafsa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا and Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا for conspiring against the Prophet ﷺ. Allah affirms His protection and support for His Messenger and reminds the wives of their need for repentance.

As a result of this revelation, the Prophet ﷺ performed kaffarah (expiation) and resumed his relationship with Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا.

Maria رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  passed away just 4–5 years after the Prophet ﷺ, during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ personally led her funeral prayer, and she was buried in Jannat al-Baqi'. Her janazah indicates that she had embraced Islam, likely even before the birth of her son, Ibrahim.

Marital Dispute With the Wives

The incident of the Prophet ﷺ abstaining from his wives for a month is widely known as the marital dispute. While the exact timing of the event is not clear, scholars suggest various years, ranging from the 4th to the 9th year of the Hijrah. We know that during this time, the Prophet ﷺ was married to all nine of his wives: Sawda, Aisha, Hafsa, Ummi Salama, Juwayriyya, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Ummi Habiba, Safiyyah, and Maymunah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُنَّ. However, some scholars believe the event may have occurred before the verses of hijab were revealed, leading to uncertainties about whether the Prophet ﷺ was married to all nine at the time.

The cause of the dispute stems from the Prophet’s ﷺ humble lifestyle. From his early life as an orphan with little means to his later years, the Prophet ﷺ consistently chose a simple existence. Even after the Muslim community acquired wealth from the battles of Badr, Khaybar, and Hunayn, the Prophet ﷺ continued to live a life of modesty, choosing not to claim wealth that was rightfully his. A pivotal moment came when an angel asked him if the Prophet ﷺ preferred to be a king-prophet or a slave-prophet. The Prophet ﷺ chose the latter, reflecting his commitment to humility. His wives, however, requested a higher standard of living, likely influenced by the wealth now available to the community.

The dispute intensified when Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا and Hafsa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا led a collective effort among the wives to press the Prophet ﷺ for a better lifestyle. This internal matter was kept private, but it led to the Prophet ﷺ abstaining from his wives for a month in a loft which was in the Masjid of the Prophet ﷺ. This action, known as an "Ila" (oath of abstinence), was a way of signaling the gravity of the situation. 

The Prophet ﷺ's decision to abstain lasted for a month, and during this period, rumors spread that the Prophet ﷺ had divorced his wives. Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ , deeply concerned, went to check on the Prophet ﷺ and was moved by the simplicity of his living conditions, finding only basic necessities in the Prophet’s ﷺ loft. Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ cried when he saw the sparse environment and compared it to the opulence of the rulers of Persia and Rome. The Prophet ﷺ, however, emphasized that Allah had chosen the Muslims for the next life, not the material wealth of this world.

After the month of abstinence, which lasted 29 days, the Prophet ﷺ went to Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  and asked her to reflect on her future. He ﷺ presented her with a choice: whether she desired the worldly life and its luxuries, or the Hereafter with its rewards. The Prophet ﷺ told her to consult her parents, knowing they would support his decision. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا , however, chose to follow Allah and His Messenger, reaffirming her commitment to the afterlife. The same choice was given to the other wives, and all of them chose to stay with the Prophet ﷺ.

First Hajj by small group of Muslims - 8 AH

Although the Conquest of Makkah took place in Ramadan of the 8th year of Hijrah, making it technically possible for the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims to perform Hajj that year, there was no organized effort to do so. The reason was not due to preoccupation with delegations or battles, as that would imply delaying an obligation for worldly matters. Instead, the real concern was security. Makkah was not entirely stable yet, particularly because the neighboring city of Ta'if, home to the hostile Thaqif tribe, remained a significant threat. As such, Hajj was not feasible at that time from a safety standpoint.

Despite this, a small number of Muslims did perform Hajj in the 8th year. Attab ibn Asid رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, a member of the Banu Abd Shams and a recent convert who had been appointed governor of Makkah by the Prophet ﷺ, led a modest group of local Muslims to perform Hajj publicly. This marked the first time Muslims had done so since the advent of Islam.

The Death of Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul (Leader of the Hypocrites) - 9 AH

Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul was a well-known leader in Madinah who showed hypocrisy after reluctantly accepting Islam following the Battle of Badr. Throughout his life, he caused trouble for the Muslims, he abandoned them at Uhud, tried to spread fear during the Battle of Ahzab, and even slandered Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا . 

When he was dying, he asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to visit him and seek forgiveness for him. Despite Umar ibn Khattab’s رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ strong objections, the Prophet ﷺ went to see him, hoping to soften the hearts of his followers. Following Abdullah’s death, his son asked the Prophet ﷺ for his shirt to serve as a shroud. The Prophet ﷺ granted the request and led the funeral prayer himself. This led to concerns from the companions, especially Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, who questioned praying for a known hypocrite. 

Shortly after, Allah revealed Surah At-Tawbah (9:84), forbidding the Prophet ﷺ from praying over hypocrites or standing at their graves. This moment clearly marked the line between true believers and hypocrites in the community.

Hajj led by Abu Bakr RA - 9 AH

In the 9th year, with the threats from Tabuk, Najran, and Thaqif resolved, the Prophet ﷺ sent Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ as the leader of the first official Hajj delegation from Madinah. However, the Prophet ﷺ himself did not go. He ﷺ explained the reason explicitly: the mushrikun still practiced tawaf around the Ka'bah in a naked state, and he did not wish to perform Hajj until such indecency was abolished. This showed the Prophet’s ﷺ deep concern for the sanctity and dignity of worship.

Pre-Islamic Pagan Practice: Naked Tawaf

This practice of circumambulating the Ka'bah naked was widespread among the pagan Arabs and is condemned in the Quran. Surah al-A'raf (7:28) refers to this as a fahisha—a shameful, lewd act. The Quraysh justified it with two main arguments:

1. “We were born this way” – They claimed it was more ‘pure’ and ‘natural’ to worship in the nude, mimicking how they were born.

2. “We sinned in our clothes” – They argued that it was inappropriate to worship in garments they had sinned in. While this may seem pious, it shows how, without divine guidance, human reasoning can justify even gross indecency.

Despite its perversity, this act was seen as a sign of religiosity among the non-Qurayshi tribes. The Quraysh, however, considered themselves elite and exempt from such customs. During Hajj season, when tribes from outside Makkah arrived, this practice became more visible. Some pilgrims would avoid naked tawaf by either purchasing new clothes or borrowing garments from a Qurayshi, whose clothing was deemed "sacred."

Shocking as it sounds, some women also took part in this practice. Although they were allowed to wear a lower garment, they covered the rest of their bodies with their hands while chanting a poem claiming that their exposure was involuntary and others should not gaze at them. These tawafs often occurred under the cover of darkness. Given the deeply offensive nature of this custom, the Prophet ﷺ rightly refused to perform Hajj until it was eradicated.

The Prophet ﷺ sent Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  along with 300 Muslims to lead the preparations for what would be his first and final pilgrimage. Although the idols in Makkah had been removed, many pagan tribes from across Arabia continued to participate in Hajj, bringing with them pre-Islamic rituals and customs. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ was tasked with overseeing the removal of these pagan practices and ensuring that, going forward, Hajj would be exclusively for Muslims.

Revelation of Surah al-Tawba

Shortly after Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ departed from Madinah, Allah revealed the first two and a half pages of Surah al-Tawba. These verses were a direct message to the pagan tribes of Arabia. When someone suggested that the Prophet ﷺ send these newly revealed verses to Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, the Prophet ﷺ responded that only someone from his own household should deliver them. He then dispatched Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ to fulfill this task. Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ caught up with Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ at Dhu al-Hulayfah. When Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ saw him, he asked if he was being replaced. Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ assured him that he remained the leader of the Hajj caravan, and that Ali's role was only to recite and announce the newly revealed verses.

Four Major Announcements

During this Hajj, Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and Abu Hurairah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ first recited the opening verses of Surah al-Tawba, and then delivered four important public proclamations in Mina:

1. Only Muslims will enter Paradise.

2. No one is permitted to perform tawaf (circumambulation of the Kaʿbah) in a state of nudity.

3. Mushriks (idolaters) are no longer allowed to perform Hajj after that year.

4. Any existing treaty with a pagan tribe will remain valid for only four more months, unless a different end date had already been agreed upon.

This was the only Hajj in which the rites were performed according to pre-Islamic practices. Since the Prophet ﷺ had not yet demonstrated the correct method of Hajj, Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  conducted it following the old traditions

Sending Governors and Religious Teachers in 9–10 AH

Toward the end of the 9th year AH, the Prophet ﷺ began sending companions as governors and Islamic teachers to various regions across Arabia, particularly in the north and south. Among them was Mu'adh ibn Jabal رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, who was sent to Yemen, where the people readily accepted Islam.

Another significant event occurred in Najran, a region just north of Yemen and south of the Hejaz. At the beginning of the 10th year AH, the Prophet ﷺ sent Khalid ibn al-Walid رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ with an army, instructing him not to fight but to first give the people three days to either (i) accept Islam, (ii) pay the jizya if they were People of the Book, or (iii) leave. The entire province of Najran accepted Islam peacefully, leaving Khalid رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ confused about what to do next. He informed the Prophet ﷺ, who then requested a delegation be sent to him for further confirmation.

When the Najran delegation arrived, the Prophet ﷺ initially didn’t recognize them and remarked that they resembled people from Hind (India). He ﷺ engaged them in a probing conversation to test their sincerity in Islam. Though some of the exchange was stern, the delegation impressed the Prophet ﷺ with their genuine faith. When asked about the secret to their consistent victories in battle, they attributed their success to two values: unity after making a decision, and refraining from wronging others. The Prophet ﷺ appointed Amr ibn Hazm al-Ansari رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ as the religious leader and governor of Najran after its people accepted Islam. About a month before the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, he sent Amr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ a detailed letter guiding him on how to lead and teach the people. This letter is one of the most famous in the Seerah, as it was the last letter the Prophet ﷺ ever dictated.