On screen

Abu Lahab· Film, 1953 · Set in · historical drama

The Message· Film, 1976 · Set in · historical drama

Bilal: A New Breed of Hero· Animation, 2015 · Set in · for children

Dawn of Islam· Film, 1971 · Set in · historical drama

The Life of Muhammad· Documentary series · Set in · documentary

Islam: Empire of Faith· Documentary series · Set in · documentary

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet· Documentary, 2002 · Set in · documentary

Muhammad: The Last Prophet· Animation, 2002 · Set in · for children

Salman the Persian· Series · Set in · historical drama

Omar· Series · Set in · historical drama

Reading levelSprouts (4–6)Explorers (7–9)Scholars (13+)Read it in the Kids' Wing

A blessed era when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions lived in Mecca and Medina, spreading the light of the Qur'an, mercy, and peace.

The Prophetic Era is the foundational epoch of Islamic history, spanning twenty-three years from the first revelation in the Cave of Hira to the Prophet ﷺ's passing. Historians divide it into the Meccan period, focusing on monotheism, patience, and character, and the Medinan period, which built the first commonwealth of justice, brotherhood, and divine law.

Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.

The foundational epoch of Islamic history and law, encompassing the twenty-three years of the Prophet ﷺ Muhammad's mission (610–632 CE / from the first revelation in Hira until his passing in 11 AH). Formatively structured into two complementary phases: the Meccan period (13 years), dedicated to cultivating monotheism, personal moral agency, and resilience under persecution; and the Medinan period (10 years) following the Hijra, marked by institutional foundation, the Prophet's Mosque, the Constitution of Medina, and the comprehensive development of civil, ethical, and ritual laws culminating in the Farewell Pilgrimage, establishing the primary normative paradigm for Islamic thought.

Summary

The years of the Prophet Muhammad's mission in Mecca and Medina, from the beginning of the revelation to his death in 632 CE. The museum roughly bounds it from about 610 CE to 632 CE. These boundaries are the museum's own organising convention and are not absolute.

Overview

The museum's holdings for this era today include: notable events: 214, groups: 48, most frequently appearing figures: 456, works: 20, concepts: 40, buildings: 6, journeys: 5, routes and exhibitions: 5.

Notable events

The Pledges of Aqaba (c. 621 CE to c. 622 CE)
The Prophetic Migration (Hijra) (c. 622 CE)
The Battle of Badr (624 CE)
The Battle of Uhud (625 CE)
The arrival of the Abyssinian emigrants with Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (c. 628 CE)
The Battle of Mu'ta (629 CE)
The Battle of Hunayn (c. 630 CE)
The Conquest of Mecca (the Great Conquest) (c. 630 CE)

Groups

Most frequently appearing figures

Works

Concepts

Buildings

Journeys

Routes and exhibitions

What this page covers

The lists above are the most prominent and most frequently appearing items in the museum, not everything it holds. Items for this era are being added gradually from primary sources with each new batch.

Notes for researchers

The era's boundaries are the museum's own organising convention and are approximate. For the wider history of this period, see ¹ ².

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The Prophetic Era

At a glance

In time