Early Propagation of Islam
1 Who was the first person to accept Islam according to the mainstream Seerah tradition?
(a) Abu Bakr (b) Ali ibn Abi Talib
(c) Khadijah (d) None of these
2 Which adult male is commonly identified as the first free adult male to accept Islam?
(a) Abu Bakr (b) Umar ibn al-Khattab
(c) Uthman ibn Affan (d) None of these
3 Which young member of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ household was among the earliest believers?
(a) Ali ibn Abi Talib (b) Hasan ibn Ali
(c) Husayn ibn Ali (d) None of these
4 Which freed person and close companion was among the earliest believers?
(a) Bilal ibn Rabah (b) Zayd ibn Harithah
(c) Salman al-Farsi (d) None of these
5 During the earliest stage, the Prophet ﷺ initially propagated Islam:
(a) Privately and discreetly (b) Through military campaigns
(c) Through foreign embassies (d) None of these
6 For approximately how long is the initial private preaching commonly described as lasting?
(a) One year (b) Three years
(c) Ten years (d) None of these
7 Which house became an important early center for teaching and gathering of Muslims?
(a) Dar al-Arqam (b) Dar al-Nadwah
(c) Bayt al-Maqdis (d) None of these
8 Dar al-Arqam was associated with:
(a) Early Muslim education and gathering (b) The Roman administration
(c) The treasury of Madinah (d) None of these
9 Which Quraysh location did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ use for an early public call?
(a) Mount Safa (b) Mount Uhud
(c) Mina (d) None of these
10 Which group became increasingly hostile to the early Muslims?
(a) Quraysh (b) Ansar
(c) Muhajirun (d) None of these
11 What was one major reason for Quraysh opposition to the Prophet’s ﷺ message?
(a) Its call to abandon polytheism and worship Allah alone (b) Its promotion of tribal idols
(c) Its rejection of moral accountability (d) None of these
12 Which Companion’s acceptance of Islam strengthened the Muslim community significantly?
(a) Umar ibn al-Khattab (b) Abu Lahab
(c) Abu Jahl (d) None of these
13 Which other prominent Companion accepted Islam in the early Makkan period and was known for his courage?
(a) Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib (b) Abu Sufyan
(c) Amr ibn Hisham (d) None of these
14 What was the first migration of Muslims outside Arabia?
(a) Migration to Abyssinia (b) Migration to Syria
(c) Migration to Egypt (d) None of these
15 The ruler of Abyssinia at the time of the first migration is commonly called:
(a) Heraclius (b) Najashi
(c) Kisra (d) None of these
16 What was a major reason for the migration to Abyssinia?
(a) To escape persecution and practice Islam safely (b) To conquer Abyssinia
(c) To establish a commercial colony (d) None of these
17 Which region received some of the earliest Muslim migrants?
(a) Abyssinia (b) Persia
(c) Byzantium (d) None of these
18 What does the term “Hijrah” literally refer to in the Islamic historical context?
(a) Migration (b) Pilgrimage
(c) Consultation (d) None of these
19 Which of the following was NOT an early center of Muslim activity in Makkah?
(a) Dar al-Arqam (b) Mount Safa
(c) Madinah (d) None of these
20 Which Quraysh leader was among the strongest opponents of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
(a) Abu Jahl (b) Abu Bakr
(c) Hamzah (d) None of these
21 What was the central message of the Prophet’s ﷺ early preaching?
(a) Tawhid and accountability before Allah (b) Tribal superiority
(c) Worship of idols alongside Allah (d) None of these
22 The early Muslims faced:
(a) Persecution and social pressure (b) Complete political protection
(c) Immediate acceptance by Quraysh (d) None of these
23 Which Companion was tortured because of his faith and became famous for saying “Ahad, Ahad”?
(a) Bilal ibn Rabah (b) Abu Hurayrah
(c) Salman al-Farsi (d) None of these
24 Which early Muslim was from a wealthy Makkah family and became known for his sacrifice?
(a) Mus’ab ibn Umayr (b) Khalid ibn al-Walid
(c) Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (d) None of these
25 The first migration to Abyssinia occurred before:
(a) The Hijrah to Madinah (b) The conquest of Makkah
(c) The Farewell Pilgrimage (d) None of these
26 Which Surah contains the command associated with publicly warning close relatives?
(a) Al-Shu’ara (b) Al-Fatihah
(c) Al-Kawthar (d) None of these
27 What happened after the period of private preaching?
(a) Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began public preaching (b) He abandoned Makkah
(c) He stopped teaching Islam (d) None of these
28 Which location became famous for the early public proclamation to the Quraysh?
(a) Mount Safa (b) Cave Thawr
(c) Mina (d) None of these
29 Who was among the earliest people to support Prophet Muhammad ﷺ financially and emotionally?
(a) Khadijah (b) Abu Jahl
(c) Abu Lahab (d) None of these
30 What was the response of many Quraysh leaders to the Prophet’s ﷺ public call?
(a) Opposition (b) Immediate conversion
(c) Political appointment of Muhammad ﷺ (d) None of these
31 The persecution of early Muslims included:
(a) Physical torture, social pressure and economic restrictions (b) Only intellectual debates
(c) Only military battles (d) None of these
32 Which early Muslim was an Abyssinian formerly enslaved person?
(a) Bilal ibn Rabah (b) Zayd ibn Thabit
(c) Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (d) None of these
33 Which person was among the earliest believers and later became the first caliph?
(a) Abu Bakr (b) Umar
(c) Uthman (d) None of these
34 The early Muslim community in Makkah was generally:
(a) Small and persecuted (b) Large and politically dominant
(c) Allied with all Quraysh leaders (d) None of these
35 What was the significance of the acceptance of Islam by Umar ibn al-Khattab?
(a) It strengthened the confidence of the early Muslims (b) It ended all persecution immediately
(c) It caused the Hijrah to Madinah immediately (d) None of these
36 Which Companion was known as the first mu’adhdhin of Islam?
(a) Bilal ibn Rabah (b) Abu Hurayrah
(c) Ibn Abbas (d) None of these
37 Which migration took place under the protection of the Christian ruler of Abyssinia?
(a) The first migration of Muslims to Abyssinia (b) The Hijrah to Madinah
(c) The migration to Ta’if (d) None of these
38 Which event involved the Quraysh imposing a social and economic boycott on Banu Hashim and their supporters?
(a) The boycott in Shi’b Abi Talib (b) The Battle of Badr
(c) The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (d) None of these
39 The boycott of Banu Hashim took place during:
(a) The Makkan period (b) The Madinan period
(c) The period after the conquest of Makkah (d) None of these
40 Which event followed the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah and was marked by profound grief?
(a) The Year of Sorrow (b) The Year of Delegations
(c) The Year of the Elephant (d) None of these
41 After the Year of Sorrow, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ travelled to:
(a) Ta’if (b) Jerusalem
(c) Abyssinia (d) None of these
42 The Pledges of Aqabah were important because they:
(a) Prepared the way for the migration to Madinah (b) Established the Roman Empire
(c) Ended the boycott immediately (d) None of these
43 The people who made the Pledges of Aqabah were primarily from:
(a) Yathrib/Madinah (b) Ta’if
(c) Abyssinia (d) None of these
44 Which city was called Yathrib before its later association with the Prophet ﷺ as Madinah?
(a) Madinah (b) Makkah
(c) Ta’if (d) None of these
45 What was one of the principal aims of the early Makkan mission?
(a) Establishing belief in the oneness of Allah (b) Establishing a tribal monarchy
(c) Abolishing all commerce (d) None of these
46 Which of the following was an early Muslim who later became a major teacher in Madinah?
(a) Mus’ab ibn Umayr (b) Abu Lahab
(c) Abu Jahl (d) None of these
47 Mus’ab ibn Umayr was sent to Yathrib primarily to:
(a) Teach Islam and prepare the people for the new faith (b) Lead a military conquest
(c) Establish a trade route (d) None of these
48 Which event represented a major transition from private to public preaching?
(a) The command to warn publicly (b) The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
(c) The Farewell Pilgrimage (d) None of these
49 The early propagation of Islam emphasized:
(a) Tawhid, revelation, moral responsibility and the Hereafter (b) Tribal nationalism
(c) Worship of multiple deities (d) None of these
50 Which statement best describes the early Makkan Muslim community?
(a) It developed gradually under intense opposition and persecution (b) It began as a large political government
(c) It was immediately accepted by the Quraysh elite (d) None of these
Answer Key
1 (c) Khadijah
2 (a) Abu Bakr
3 (a) Ali ibn Abi Talib
4 (b) Zayd ibn Harithah
5 (a) Privately and discreetly
6 (b) Three years
7 (a) Dar al-Arqam
8 (a) Early Muslim education and gathering
9 (a) Mount Safa
10 (a) Quraysh
11 (a) Its call to abandon polytheism and worship Allah alone
12 (a) Umar ibn al-Khattab
13 (a) Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib
14 (a) Migration to Abyssinia
15 (b) Najashi
16 (a) To escape persecution and practice Islam safely
17 (a) Abyssinia
18 (a) Migration
19 (c) Madinah
20 (a) Abu Jahl
21 (a) Tawhid and accountability before Allah
22 (a) Persecution and social pressure
23 (a) Bilal ibn Rabah
24 (a) Mus’ab ibn Umayr
25 (a) The Hijrah to Madinah
26 (a) Al-Shu’ara
27 (a) Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began public preaching
28 (a) Mount Safa
29 (a) Khadijah
30 (a) Opposition
31 (a) Physical torture, social pressure and economic restrictions
32 (a) Bilal ibn Rabah
33 (a) Abu Bakr
34 (a) Small and persecuted
35 (a) It strengthened the confidence of the early Muslims
36 (a) Bilal ibn Rabah
37 (a) The first migration of Muslims to Abyssinia
38 (a) The boycott in Shi’b Abi Talib
39 (a) The Makkan period
40 (a) The Year of Sorrow
41 (a) Ta’if
42 (a) Prepared the way for the migration to Madinah
43 (a) Yathrib/Madinah
44 (a) Madinah
45 (a) Establishing belief in the oneness of Allah
46 (a) Mus’ab ibn Umayr
47 (a) Teach Islam and prepare the people for the new faith
48 (a) The command to warn publicly
49 (a) Tawhid, revelation, moral responsibility and the Hereafter
50 (a) It developed gradually under intense opposition and persecution