Why did the Messenger Mohammed (saw) deliver his message at Mount Safa?

When the Messenger (saw) ascended Mount Safa, he called out publicly to the tribes of Quraysh with a classic warning style "If I told you there was an army behind this hill, would you believe me?" before declaring that he was sent as a warner of a coming punishment. In the most famous narration of this event (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim), the Messenger (saw) says: "O people of Quraysh! Save yourselves from the Fire! I cannot save you from Allah's punishment. O Banu Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy, save yourselves! O Banu Murrah ibn Ka'b, save yourselves! O Banu 'Abd Shams... O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Ask me whatever you want of my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's punishment!" This isn't a da'wah invitation to Islam in the usual sense it's something else. This was not about converting individuals, rather, he was: - Striking a powerful rhetorical note: that even his beloved daughter, the person most emotionally dear to him, would not be given special treatment before God. - Emphasising accountability. No one, even those with the Prophet's blood, could claim protection without faith and righteous action. - Using his daughter's name as a shock to Quraysh as if saying: "If even my daughter isn't safe without belief, how could your tribal status save you?" This fits the Quranic pattern: "On the Day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except for one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (Qur'an 26:88-89) It is important to understand context of his standing on mount Safa. It helps to contrasting this to other messengers, as we see a similar consistent pattern: 1. Muhammad (saw) - Mount Safa - Space: Mount Safa - a sacred hill in the Haram, center of Mecca. - Context: Early da'wah, public warning. - Why here: Symbol of Qurayshi religious authority + tribal identity. - Impact: Disrupts society by using its own ritualistic space to declare its falsehood. 2. Moses (Musa) - Pharaoh's Palace - Space: The palace of Pharaoh, symbol of divine kingship and totalitarian power. - Context: Confrontation with Pharaoh; demands freedom for Israelites. - Why here: It was the heart of oppressive power, wealth, and idolatrous self-deification. - Impact: Moses flips the seat of domination into a courtroom of truth. His message: You are not God. Let the people go. "Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And say: Will you purify yourself?" Qur'an 79:18-19 3. Jesus (Isa) - The Temple in Jerusalem - Space: The Jewish Temple - center of religious authority and ritual purity. - Context: He overturned money-changers' tables, accused religious elites of corruption. - Why here: Temple was meant to be pure, but had become a marketplace + symbol of corrupted leadership. - Impact: Jesus uses their own sacred space to accuse the religious elite of spiritual betrayal. "You've turned My Father's house into a den of thieves." 4. Abraham (Ibrahim) - Smashing the Idols in the Temple - Space: The central idol-house of his people. - Context: After delivering his message against idolatry, he destroys the idols. - Why here: This is where the false gods "lived" challenging them on home turf. - Impact: Forces the people to question what they worship. "Ask the big idol who broke the rest." The Pattern: All these prophets: - Go into the symbolic core of their society. - Disrupt its false sanctity. - Use space + language + cultural forms (like warner, miracle, or confrontation) against the system from within. Conclusion Back to the Prophet (saw), when he stood on Safa he wasn't just preaching. He was subverting a public ritual space, to call for a new metaphysical order. Just like the others he challenged not just belief, but the entire social power structure.