Departure from the Cave of Thaur

At the same time, since three days had passed, Abdullah bin Urayqit brought the camels according to the agreed plan.

A narration of Sahih al-Bukhari mentions that it was settled with Abdullah bin Urayqit that after three days had passed, he would bring the camels with him the next morning.

(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, p. 344, Hijrat al-Rasul, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah Beirut, 2008) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Manaqib al-Ansar, Bab Hijrat al-Nabi (sa), Hadith 3905) (Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajr Asqalani, Vol. 7, p. 238, Dar al-Ma‘rifah, Beirut)

From this narration, it seems that the journey from Cave Thaur to Medina began in the morning; however, from another narration of Bukhari, it is clarified that the journey, in fact, started in the evening. Whilst mentioning Abdullah bin Urayqit, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) writes:

“The Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had entrusted their camels to him, and explained that after three nights, on the morning of the third day, to reach the Cave of Thaur with their camels. Therefore, as per the agreement, he reached there. This is a famous narration of Bukhari, but historians write that the Holy Prophet (sa) left during the night time, and this itself is supported by another narration of Bukhari. Moreover, the idea that the Holy Prophet (sa) departed at night seems to be the most believable notion as well.”

(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 239-240)

The Holy Prophet (sa) left the cave on the night of Monday, 1 Rabi‘ al-Awal and continued the journey. According to Ibn Saad, the Holy Prophet (sa) left the cave on the night of Monday 4 Rabi‘ al-Awal.

(Tarikh al-Khamis, Vol. 2, p. 15, Dhikr Khurujihsa ma‘a Abi Bakr (ra) min Makkah, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2009)

The first date was narrated by Khamis and the commentator of Sahih al-Bukhari, Allamah Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani writes that Imam Hakim states that there are numerous narrations which state that the Holy Prophet (sa) left Mecca on Monday and arrived in Medina on Monday as well, except for Muhammad bin Musa Khwarizmi. He stated that the Holy Prophet (sa) left Mecca on Thursday.

In order to reconcile these different narrations, Allama Ibn Hajar writes that the Holy Prophet (sa) left Mecca on Thursday and after spending three nights in the cave, i.e. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, he left for Medina on the night of Monday.

(Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajr Asqalani,Vol. 7, p. 299, Qadimi Kutub Khana Maqabil, Arambagh, Karachi)

The camel which the Holy Prophet (sa) mounted himself upon is said to be Al-Qaswa. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) mounted a camel along with Aamir bin Fuhairah, while Urayqit mounted on a camel of his own. The total wealth that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had at the time in his home was five to six thousand dirhams and he brought this with him. According to some narrations, Aamir bin Fuhairah and Hazrat Asma (ra) came with the food which consisted of roasted goat meat. Upon reaching there they realised that they had no cloth to tie the food and water vessel with. Hazrat Asma (ra) loosened her girdle and ripped it into two pieces. With one of the pieces, she tied the food and with the other piece, she tied the water vessel. Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) gave Hazrat Asma (ra) the glad tidings of two girdles in Paradise. He then told everyone to leave and started his journey with the following prayer:

اللّٰهُمَّ‭ ‬اصْحَبْنِيْ‭ ‬فِيْ‭ ‬سَفَرِيْ‭ ‬وَاخْلُفْنِيْ‭ ‬فِيْ‭ ‬أَهْلِيْ

“O Allah! Become my Companion in this journey of mine and become the Guardian of my family.”

(Abdul Hameed Jaudah al-Sahhar, Muhammad (sa) Rasulullah walladhina ma‘ahu, Vol. 3 [Egypt: Maktabah Misr], p. 61)(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, p. 345, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)