Migration to Medina (II)

Upon receiving permission to migrate, the Holy Prophet (sa), taking all the necessary precautions, went to Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) house at midday, when most of the residents of Mecca would remain in their homes and not go to meet one another. The Holy Prophet (sa) took further precaution by keeping his face, head etc. covered owing to the intense heat. When the Holy Prophet (sa) reached near Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) house, someone informed Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) – according to the narration of Al-Tabrani and Fath al-Bari, it was Hazrat Asma (ra) who informed him – that it appeared as if the Holy Prophet (sa) was approaching.

Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, “May my mother and father be scarified for his sake! By God, there must be a particular reason as to why the Holy Prophet (sa) is coming at this hour of the day.” Thereafter, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), in a state of anxiousness, hurried outside in a manner of utmost devotion. When the Holy Prophet (sa) entered inside the house, Hazrat Aisha (ra) and Hazrat Asma (ra) were present inside the room. The Holy Prophet (sa) stated to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) that he should send out whoever was with him. Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Only my two daughters are here at this time and no one else.” And according to another narration, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Only the members of your household are present in the house and no one else.”

Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “Abu Bakr! I have been granted permission for migration.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) immediately submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Will I be able to accompany you?” The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “Yes.”

This is a narration from Bukhari.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Buyu, Narration 2138) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Manaqib al-Ansar, Narration 3905) (Fath al-Bari bi-Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 7, p. 277, Dar al-Riyan li al-Turath al-Qahirah, 1986)

Upon hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) began to cry out of happiness. Hazrat Aisha (ra) relates that this was the first time she realised that someone could cry out of happiness as well.

(Al-Sirat Al-Nabawiyyah, ibn Hisham, p. 343, Dikr Hijrat-e-Rasool, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)

Subsequently, the entire plan and arrangements for the migration were formulated. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, “O Messenger of Allah! I had purchased two camels for this very purpose. Take one of them.” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “I will purchase it for a price.”

Upon the Holy Prophet (sa) insistence of paying for the camel, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was left with no option but to accept. He had bought the two camels for 800 dirhams, and so the Holy Prophet (sa) bought one of them for 400 dirhams. According to one narration, the Holy Prophet (sa) bought the camel for 800 dirhams.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Manaqb al-Ansar, Narration 3905) (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra li-ibn Saad, Vol. 1, p. 382, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2012) (Sharh Zurqani Ala al-Mawahib al-Diniyyah, Vol. 2, pp. 105-106, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)

It was then settled that the first stop would be Cave Thaur, where they would spend three days. It was also decided that a person would accompany them who was an expert in all the known and unknown routes of the desert around Mecca. For this, they spoke to Abdullah bin Uraykit, who although was an idolater, was a noble and trustworthy person whom they could rely on. Biographers [of the Holy Prophet (sa)] state that he did not accept Islam, but according to one narration, he accepted Islam later on. Nevertheless, three camels were given to him and he was told to come to Cave Thaur in the morning after exactly three days. Hazrat Abdullah bin Abi Bakr (ra), who was an intelligent young man, was assigned the duty that he would go around the various gatherings in Mecca each day and assess the situation. He would then go to Cave Thaur in the evening and give the reports. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had a wise and responsible slave named Amir bin Fuhayrah, who was assigned the task that he would graze his goats around Cave Thaur and in the evening, he would milk the goats and provide them with milk. Then, after designating the time for leaving Mecca, the Holy Prophet (sa) quickly left Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) house and returned home.

(Tarikh al-Khamees, Vol. 2, p. 7, Dikr Khuroojahusa ma‘a Abi Bakr Min Mecca, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2009) (Al-Raheeq al-Makhtum, Safi-ul-Rahman, p. 165, Dar-ul-Ghada al-Jadid, 2018) (Sharh al-Zurqani, Vol. 2, p. 129, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)

After returning home, he informed Hazrat Ali (ra) of his plan to migrate and assigned him a precarious task in that he was to sleep in the Holy Prophet (sa) bed, with his green – or, according to another narration, red hadrami mantle – which the Holy Prophet (sa) used whilst sleeping. He assured this devoted servant the glad tidings of support from Allah by saying, “Do not worry. Sleep in my bed with complete contentment. The enemy will not be able to harm you in the slightest.” The Holy Prophet (sa), who was the most truthful and trustworthy, was worried about the possessions he had been entrusted with by the people of Mecca, and owing to this responsibility, he said to join him after he had returned the possessions, i.e. he told Hazrat Ali (ra) to come to Medina once he had returned the possessions. Hazrat Ali (ra) remained in Mecca for three days and gave the possessions that had been entrusted to the Holy Prophet (sa) back to their owners. When he completed this task, he joined the Holy Prophet (sa) when he was in Quba. After this, the Holy Prophet (sa) stepped out of his house, where the elect brave individuals had gathered with their bloodthirsty intentions. With their swords in their hands, they kept watch over the Holy Prophet (sa) house, waiting for nightfall when they would launch a sudden attack and finish him off with one strike. Abu Jahl, who was their ringleader, was saying in an arrogant and mocking way, “Muhammad (sa) says that if you follow him, you will become the kings of the Arabs and non-Arabs alike, and that you will be raised up after your death, and that you will receive gardens like that of Jordan. If you do not do this, then there will be bloodshed amongst you.” The Holy Prophet (sa) came outside and said, “Indeed, this is what I say, and recited the following verses of Surah Ya Sin:

يٰس۔‭ ‬وَ‭ ‬الْقُرْاٰنِ‭ ‬الْحَكِيْمِ۔‭ ‬اِنَّكَ‭ ‬لَمِنَ‭ ‬الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ۔‭ ‬عَلٰي‭ ‬صِرَاطٍ‭ ‬مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ۔‭ ‬تَنْزِيْلَ‭ ‬الْعَزِيْزِ‭ ‬الرَّحِيْمِ۔‭ ‬لِتُنْذِرَ‭ ‬قَوْمًا‭ ‬مَّآ‭ ‬اُنْذِرَ‭ ‬اٰبَاؤُهُمْ‭ ‬فَهُمْ‭ ‬غٰفِلُوْنَ۔‭ ‬لَقَدْ‭ ‬حَقَّ‭ ‬الْقَوْلُ‭ ‬عَلٰٓي‭ ‬اَكْثَرِهِمْ‭ ‬فَهُمْ‭ ‬لَا‭ ‬يُؤْمِنُوْنَ۔‭ ‬اِنَّا‭ ‬جَعَلْنَا‭ ‬فِيْٓ‭ ‬اَعْنَاقِهِمْ‭ ‬اَغْلٰلًا‭ ‬فَهِيَ‭ ‬اِلَي‭ ‬الْاَذْقَانِ‭ ‬فَهُمْ‭ ‬مُّقْمَحُوْنَ۔‭ ‬وَ‭ ‬جَعَلْنَا‭ ‬مِنْۢ‭ ‬بَيْنِ‭ ‬اَيْدِيْهِمْ‭ ‬سَدًّا‭ ‬وَّ‭ ‬مِنْ‭ ‬خَلْفِهِمْ‭ ‬سَدًّا‭ ‬فَاَغْشَيْنٰهُمْ‭ ‬فَهُمْ‭ ‬لَا‭ ‬يُبْصِرُوْنَ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The translation is: “Ya Sin [O Leader]. By the Quran, full of wisdom, thou art indeed [one] of the Messengers, on a right path. [This is] a revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, that thou mayest warn a people whose fathers were not warned, and so they are heedless. Surely, the word has proved true against most of them, for they believe not. We have put round their necks collars reaching to the chins, so that their heads are forced up. And We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and have covered them over, so that they cannot see.” [Surah Ya Sin, Ch.36: V.2-10]

The Holy Prophet (sa) then left in the midst of them and they were utterly helpless. It was the power of Allah the Almighty that not a single person saw him leave. In fact, they would constantly peer inside and become content that Muhammad (sa) was sleeping on his bed.

(Al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, p. 342, 348 Dikr Hijrat-e-Rasul, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (Muhammad (sa) Rasulullahi Walladhina Ma‘ahu, Vol. 3, p. 74, Baab Al-Hijrat, Egypt) (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra li-ibn Saad, Vol. 1, p. 176, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2012)