Sacrifice During the Hijra [Migration]

We find in narrations how Hazrat Ali (ra) offered sacrifice during the Holy Prophet’s (sa) migration. It is stated that when the Meccans had unanimously agreed to kill or capture the Holy Prophet (sa), they gathered around his house. The Holy Prophet (sa) was informed about this plot of the enemy through divine revelation. Allah the Almighty permitted the Holy Prophet (sa) to migrate to Medina and thus he made the necessary preparations. He instructed Hazrat Ali (ra) to sleep in his bed for that night. Hazrat Ali (ra) slept in the same red hadrami sheet that the Holy Prophet (sa) would use to sleep in.

*(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 1, Dhikr Rasul-Allah (sa) … [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1990], 176) * In the morning, when the group of idolaters that were waiting in ambush entered the home of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Ali (ra) was getting of bed. When they moved nearer to him, they realised who he was and asked where his friend was – i.e. they asked the whereabouts of the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Ali (ra) replied, “I do not know where he is; am I his guardian? You ordered him to leave Mecca and he did as you ordered him.” The idolaters rebuked Hazrat Ali (ra) and beat him. They took him to the vicinity of the Ka‘bah and detained him for a while, but then released him.

(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2, Dhikr al-Khabar amma kana min Amr Nabi Allahsa … [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Fikr, 2002], 256)

In another biography of the Holy Prophet (sa), it is stated that Hazrat Ali (ra) remained in Mecca for three days in order to return the possessions and belongings the Meccans had left with the Holy Prophet (sa) for safe keeping. He then migrated and met the Holy Prophet (sa) when he was staying with Kulthum bin Hidam in Quba.

(Ibn Kathir, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Bab Hijrah al-Rasulsa [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], 348)