Intention of Migrating to Abyssinia
Once, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) also intended to migrate to Abyssinia. In this regard, it is mentioned that when the Muslim population had grown and the religion of Islam became manifest, the disbelievers amongst the Quraish began to torment and inflict pain to those who had accepted Islam from among their tribes. Their objective was to cause them to deviate from their faith. Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) instructed the believers, “You all should spread across the land. Surely, Allah will bring you back together.” The companions submitted, “Where shall we go?” The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “This way” and pointed toward the land of Abyssinia. This took place in 5 Nabawi, in the month of Rajab. In accordance with the Holy Prophet (sa) instruction, 11 men and four women migrated toward Abyssinia.
(Sharh al-Zurqani ala al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah, Vol. 1, al-Hijrah al-Ula ila al-Habashah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1996], pp. 53-54)
After the Muslims had migrated to Abyssinia, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was also persecuted, due to which he, too, intended to migrate to Abyssinia. In this regard, there is a narration of Bukhari. Hazrat Aisha (ra) relates:
“When the Muslims were afflicted with hardships, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) set out to migrate to Abyssinia. When he reached a place called Bark al-Ghimad – a city in Yemen, situated near the coast and is a five-nights’ journey from Mecca – he met Ibn Daghna, who was the chief of the tribe of Qarah. He asked, ‘O Abu Bakr, where are you travelling to?’ Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) answered, ‘My people have exiled me. Thus, I wish to travel the land and worship my Lord.’ Ibn Daghna replied, ‘A man like you does not leave his land on his own accord, nor should he be forced to leave. You embody such virtues that have been long lost; you honour your family ties, carry the burden of the tired and weary, host guests and help those in difficulties.’”
In another place, this is translated as follows: “You earn and provide for the poor, treat your close relatives kindly, care for the vulnerable, host guests and help those afflicted because they speak the truth.”
[Hazrat Aisha (ra) says:]
“Ibn Daghna then said, ‘I will grant you protection under my authority. Return to your land and continue to worship your Lord there.’ Ibn Daghna accompanied Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) back to Mecca and met the chieftains of the Quraish. He said to them, ‘Abu Bakr is such an individual who should neither leave his homeland, nor should he be exiled. Are you people exiling such an individual who embodies virtues that have been forgotten? He honours his family ties, carries the burden of the tired and weary, hosts guests excellently and helps those facing difficulties.’ Upon this, the Quraish honoured the protection granted by Ibn Daghna and allowed Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) to live in peace. They then told Ibn Daghna, ‘Tell Abu Bakr to worship his Lord within the confines of his home. He should offer his prayers there and anything else that he desires, but he should not cause any hindrance to us through his prayers and his recitation of the Quran. He should not recite aloud because we fear that he will lead our children and women astray.’
“Ibn Daghna conveyed this to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), and consequently, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) started worshipping his Lord only in his home and ceased to pray or recite the Quran openly other than within his home. After some time, a thought occurred to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), due to which he made a mosque – or a place of prayer – in an open area in his courtyard. There, he would offer his prayers and recite the Holy Quran, while the women and children of the idolaters would crowd around him. They would be astonished”, i.e. they were astonished to see Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) while he worshipped.
“They would observe that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) would weep a lot. He could not hold back his tears whilst reciting the Holy Quran. This state of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was of great concern to the chieftains of the Quraish. They sent for Ibn Daghna, and when he arrived, they said to him, ‘We offered Abu Bakr protection on the condition that he would worship his Lord in the confines of his home; however, he did not respect this condition and has established a mosque in his courtyard where he prays and recites the Quran aloud. We fear that he will place our sons and our women in a trial. Go to him and tell him that if he wishes, he can worship while remaining inside his home. On the contrary, if he is insistent on offering his worship openly, then inform him that he should renounce the protection he was given under your authority because we would not like to breach your authority. However, we will never permit Abu Bakr to worship openly.’”
Hazrat Aisha (ra) continues, “Ibn Daghna came to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and said, ‘You are aware of the condition upon which I made this covenant with you. Accordingly, you must either abide by these conditions or renounce the protection you have under my authority because I would not like that the Arab people come to know that I have been disloyal to the covenant I made with someone.’ Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘I renounce the protection I have under your authority, and I am content under the protection of Allah.’”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Kafalah, Bab Jiwar Abi Bakr (ra) fi Ahd al-Nabisa wa Aqdih, Hadith 2297) (Sahih al-Bukhari mutarjam, Vol. 4, p. 276, Nazarat Ishaat Rabwah) (Farhang-e-Sirat, p. 57)