Migration to Medina – Direction

Narration 1

There are also various narrations with regard to which direction the Holy Prophet (sa) went when he left his home. From one of the narrations, it seems that the Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) left their homes respectively and met at one place and then headed towards the Cave Thaur.

(Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 1, p. 568, Tarikh Qabal Al-Hijrat, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1987)

Narration 2

In another narration, it states that the Holy Prophet (sa) left his house and headed towards the Cave Thaur. After a short while, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came to the Holy Prophet (sa) house and Hazrat Ali (ra) informed him that the Holy Prophet (sa) had already left and that he should go behind him. And so, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) followed after him.

(Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, p. 47, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008)

This narration seems very weak. It seems from this that the Holy Prophet (sa) waited for Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and he got late. Furthermore, [it seems from this] that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had no knowledge of where the Holy Prophet (sa) went and it was Hazrat Ali (ra) who had to tell him. It is not possible at all that such an important and confidential event as the migration took place and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), who was extremely wise and responsible would show such carelessness.

Thus, in comparison to this, the other narration which is more commonly found in the [Islamic] literature seems to be more correct and accurate. According to the other narration, the Holy Prophet (sa) left his house and went straight to the house of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). From there the Holy Prophet (sa) along with Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went to Cave Thaur.

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