Reality of the Return of the Migrants from Abyssinia to Mecca

Then, mentioning his own analysis of the incident, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) states:

“However, there is another fact which makes the entire tale of this rumour and the return of the immigrants altogether incredulous. The beginning date of the migration to Abyssinia is mentioned as Rajab 5 Nabawi and the date of ‘the prostration’ has been mentioned as Ramadan 5 Nabawi and historical accounts state that as a result of this rumour, the return of the immigrants to Abyssinia occurred in Shawwal 5 Nabawi. Therefore, the gap in time-periods between the first migration and the return of the immigrants is merely two to three months.

“If the time period is calculated from the date of ‘the prostration’, the time is only one month. Now, in accordance with the circumstances of that era, it is categorically impossible for three trips to have been undertaken between Mecca and Abyssinia in such a small time period. In other words, first the Muslims travelled from Mecca to Abyssinia, after which an individual from Mecca brought news to Abyssinia regarding the Quraish’s acceptance of Islam. Then the Muslims once again set off from Abyssinia and reached Mecca. The completion of these three trips”, excluding the additional time that is consumed in various affairs, preparation for example, “were absolutely impossible in such a short time frame.

“Furthermore, it is unpragmatic that two trips could have been completed between the time of ‘the prostration’ and the time of the alleged return of the immigrants to Abyssinia. At that time, in order to travel from Mecca to Abyssinia, one was required to first go south, then, from there, cross the Red Sea and reach the coast of Africa by ship”, which was not always present. “Then from the coast, further on to Aksum, the capital of Abyssinia, which was situated at quite a distance from the coast. And as per the slow mode of travel in that era, a trip of this magnitude could not have been performed in less than one and a half to two months.

“From this vantage point, the entire incident in itself turns out to be fabricated and baseless. If, hypothetically, there was some underlying truth, then it is no more than that which has been mentioned above. Allah knows best.”

(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), pp. 146-152)