Migration to Abyssinia (Hazrat Musleh Maud’s (ra) Narration)

Whilst mentioning this incident and in relation to Hazrat Umar’s (ra) fierce opposition to Islam, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra)has narrated this incident in his own style:

“Despite Hazrat Umar’s (ra) intense hostility towards Islam, he also possessed a spiritual capacity, i.e. despite his severe temper and his afflictions upon the Holy Prophet (sa) and his companions, he still possessed kindness and compassion. When the first migration to Abyssinia was taking place, the Muslims had prepared to depart from Mecca before the Fajr prayer, lest the idolaters halted and harassed them. There was a custom in Mecca where some of the chieftains would go around the city at night to prevent any theft etc.”; they would patrol in the streets. “In accordance with this custom, Hazrat Umar (ra) was walking about at night when he saw some household luggage tied up in one place. He proceeded forward and there was a female companion standing by the luggage. The husband of this companion was perhaps a relative of Hazrat Umar (ra) which is why he addressed the female companion saying, ‘O lady! What is all this? It seems to me as though you are about to embark on a long journey.’ Her husband was not present at the time. Had he been there, after hearing this from Hazrat Umar (ra) and due to the persecutions of the idolaters of Mecca, he could have perhaps made an excuse”, i.e. an excuse as to whether they were going or not, or that it was perhaps a short journey, or that the place they were going to was nearby.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:

“This woman did not think in this way”; this thought did not cross her mind, or if it did she chose to speak the truth. “This female companion said, ‘O Umar (ra), we are leaving Mecca.’ He replied, ‘You are leaving Mecca?’ She answered, ‘Yes, we are leaving Mecca.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) then asked, ‘Why are you leaving Mecca?’, to which she replied, ‘Umar (ra), we are leaving because you and your brethren do not wish us to stay here and we are not free to worship the One God here. For this reason, we are leaving our homeland and going to another land.’ Despite Hazrat Umar (ra) being a staunch enemy of Islam; despite the fact that he himself was ready to persecute Muslims, when he heard this answer of that female companion in the darkness of the night that they were leaving their homeland because he and his kinsmen disliked for them to remain there, and because they were unable to freely worship the One God; Hazrat Umar (ra) turned his face the other way, saying to the female companion, ‘Alright then, go. May God be your Protector.’ It is evident from this that Hazrat Umar (ra) was overcome with such emotion whereby he thought that if he had not turned his face the other way he would have begun to weep. The husband of the female companion then arrived. Knowing Umar (ra) to be a fierce opponent of Islam he thought that Umar (ra) might hinder them in their journey. Thus, he asked his wife as to why he had come there. She told him why Umar (ra) came and what he had asked. Her husband thought he may perhaps be causing some kind of mischief.”

The husband may have seen Hazrat Umar (ra) just as he was leaving or perhaps Hazrat Umar (ra) left after meeting the husband as well. In any case, the husband said he feared he might cause some mischief.

“The female companion said, ‘O son of my uncle’”, Arab women in those days would often call their husbands the son of their paternal uncle, “‘you say that he might cause some trouble, but I feel as though one day he will become a Muslim. This is because when I said, “O Umar (ra), we are leaving because you and your kinsmen do not allow us to freely worship the One God here,” he turned his face saying, “Alright go. May God be your Protector.” There was a trembling in his voice and I believe that his eyes were filled with tears. So, because of this, I believe that one day he will become a Muslim.’”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 6, pp. 140-141)