We can identify three early and decisive stages in Islamic history : the beginning of 'wahi' (God's direct message to the Prophet) ; the beginning of 'D'wah (proclaiming Islam and calling on people to accept it) ; and finally the 'Hijra', or migration of the Prophet and his early Makkan followers to Madinah. The Hijra naturally signaled the beginning of Madinah's Islamic and meaningful history, a turning point in the life of a small town that within a few decades became a universal city.

The Hijra began thirteen years after the prophecy. The Prophet had been in touch with people from Madinah who had come to Makkah and shown interest in the new religion. After they converted, those people went back to Madinah and spread the word. As more Madinah people became Muslim, in July 622 the