The adhan at the Ka'bah

Makkah, 8 AH, on the day the Muslims entered the city.

Moment 2 of 2Makkah8 AH1 min read

Well over a decade after Bilal was dragged through the streets of Makkah for saying there was one God, the Muslims entered the city.

There was no massacre and no settling of scores; the sources describe a general amnesty. The idols in and around the Ka'bah were removed.

And when the time for prayer came, the Prophet ﷺ told Bilal to call the adhan — at the Ka'bah, in Makkah, in front of the city.

Every part of that is deliberate. The place was the centre of the old order. The city was where he had been enslaved. The man chosen to stand up and call was the one that order had treated as property.

It is one of the most quietly complete reversals in the whole period, and it was done with a voice rather than a weapon.

In this moment: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Quick recall

Why was Bilal's call to prayer at the Ka'bah in 8 AH significant?

He had never been to Makkah beforeHe was made caliph the same dayIt was the first adhan ever calledMakkah was the city where he had been enslaved and punished for his belief

Sources & review

In review

Based on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.

As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd

References follow the citation detail available in the source material.

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