The Qur'an in the order it was revealed

PHASE 1

The Cave of Ḥirāʾ — the first revelation

The Prophet ﷺ was alone in a cave outside Makkah when the angel Jibrīl brought him the first words of the Qur'an.

c. 13–11 BH · Makkah

PHASE 2

Going public — and the persecution

He ﷺ began calling openly to worship of one God, and the leaders of Makkah turned on him and on the weakest believers.

c. 10–8 BH · Makkah

PHASE 3

The boycott and the Year of Sorrow

His whole clan was cut off from food and trade for about three years, and soon after it ended he lost his wife and his uncle.

c. 7–5 BH · Shiʿb Abī Ṭālib, Makkah

PHASE 4

The journey to Ṭāʾif and the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ)

Driven out of the nearby town of Ṭāʾif, he ﷺ was then taken by night to Jerusalem and raised through the heavens.

c. 5–1 BH · Ṭāʾif, Makkah, Minā

PHASE 5

The Hijrah — migration to Madinah

The believers left Makkah for the city of Madinah, where they were finally free to build a community of their own.

1–5 AH · Madinah

PHASE 6

Conquest, completion and farewell

Makkah was won back without a battle, the religion was declared complete, and the Prophet ﷺ gave his final sermon.

6–11 AH · Ḥudaybiyah, Makkah, ʿArafah