Ta'if
The fortified plateau-city of Thaqif; of the stoning and of the later siege.
A fortified plateau-city in the mountains southeast of Makkah, home of the tribe of Thaqif and their idol al-Lat — Makkah’s ancient rival, and the setting of two very different episodes of the seerah: the stoning of the Prophet ﷺ (c. BH 3) and the Siege of Ta’if (8 AH).
Geography
Set high on a green, well-watered plateau — vineyards, fruit and running water, unlike the barren valley of Makkah — and heavily fortified with thick walls and stored supplies for nearly a year. Its natural defences made it nearly impregnable to a besieging army.
Significance in the Seerah
- The stoning — the city that expelled and pelted the Prophet ﷺ during the Year of Sorrow, eliciting his famous du’a and the conversion of Addas.
- The Siege — after Hunayn, the Muslims besieged it unsuccessfully; the Prophet ﷺ prayed for Thaqif rather than against them.
- The surrender — Thaqif embraced Islam the following year (9 AH, the Year of Delegations), and their idol al-Lat was destroyed. The Prophet’s ﷺ mercy toward the city that tortured him is a defining theme.
Key events here
- The Incident of Ta’if (c. BH 3 / 619 CE).
- The Siege of Ta’if (Shawwal 8 AH / 630 CE).
Cross-references
The Incident of Ta'if · The Siege of Ta'if · The Battle of Hunayn · Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri · Mecca · The Year of Sorrow ('Am al-Huzn) · Muhammad ﷺ · Seerah Timeline
Sources
- S011 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 083, 086 (and EP 020 / The Incident of Ta'if for the stoning). Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, al-Waqidi.