The Commercial Crisis in Makkah after the Prophet’s Hijra

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the economic effects of the Hijra of the Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh ) on the economy of Makkah until the conquest of Makkah in year ah 8/630 ce . Attention is given to the importance of commercial life in Makkan society from the fifth century ce , emphasizing the two mercantile journeys of the Makkan Quraysh to the north and the south, as well as the īlāf pacts between the Quraysh and the tribes whose lands their merchant caravans passed through. The important roles played by the tribes in facilitating Makkah commerce was studied, and examples are given of prominent Makkan merchants and Makkan markets before Islam. This is followed by a discussion of the reaction of Quraysh to the mission of the Prophet ( pbuh ), the Hijra, and the beginning and development of the commercial crisis in Makkah until the conquest of the city in ah 8/632 ce .