09/09/2025
In 622 CE, the leaders of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca convened at Dar al-Nadwa (the assembly hall for tribal elders and chiefs) to address the growing influence of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his message of monotheism, which threatened their polytheistic traditions and economic interests tied to idol worship at the Kaaba. On or around 24 Safar (corresponding to approximately September 7, 622 CE, though some sources vary slightly by a day or two), they decided to assassinate him by having one man from each major clan strike him simultaneously, ensuring collective responsibility and avoiding blood feud retaliation from his Banu Hashim clan. This plot, revealed to the Prophet through divine revelation, effectively positioned him as an existential threat and outsider to their society—analogous to excommunication—prompting his migration (Hijra) to Medina shortly thereafter on 1 Rabi' al-Awwal (around September 11-12, 622 CE). The decision marked a pivotal escalation in persecution against early Muslims.
This historical event bears a noted parallel to the situation of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at in Pakistan. On September 7, 1974, the National Assembly of Pakistan unanimously passed the Second Constitutional Amendment, explicitly declaring members of the Ahmadiyya community (referred to as Qadianis in the amendment) as non-Muslims for constitutional purposes. This was driven by religious and political pressures, including riots earlier that year, and it stripped Ahmadis of certain rights associated with being Muslim under Pakistani law, such as using Islamic terminology or proselytizing. The amendment remains in force today, leading to ongoing discrimination and persecution.