Further Details of the Migration

According to one narration, when they reached Juhfa, which is situated approximately 82 miles from Mecca, the following verse was revealed:

اِنَّ‭ ‬الَّذِيۡ‭ ‬فَرَضَ‭ ‬عَلَيۡكَ‭ ‬الۡقُرۡاٰنَ‭ ‬لَرَآدُّكَ‭ ‬اِلٰي‭ ‬مَعَادٍ

“Most surely, He Who has made [the teaching of] the Quran binding on thee will bring thee back to [thy] place of return.” (Surah al-Qasas, Ch.28: V.86)

(Abdul Hameed Jaudah al-Sahhar, Muhammad (sa) Rasulullah walladhina ma‘ahu, Vol. 3 [Egypt: Maktabah Misr], p. 64)(Sharh al-Zurqani ala al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1996], p. 172)

They continued the journey through the entire night and as midday approached, they took some rest in the shade of a large rock. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) prepared a place for the Holy Prophet (sa) to lay down and then requested him to take some rest and the Holy Prophet (sa) then laid down. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then left to see whether anyone was coming in pursuit of them. During this time, a shepherd came towards them in search of some shade. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) relates, “I asked him, ‘Young boy, whose servant are you?’ He replied that he was the servant of one the members of the Quraish. He said a name which I recognised. I then asked him if his goats had any milk, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then asked him if he could draw some milk for us, to which he agreed. And so, I asked him to draw out some milk for us. The young boy took hold of one of his goats’ leg and placed it between his calf and thigh. I told him to first properly clean the udders and then under my supervision I had the milk drawn out into the bowl. He then added some water to cool the milk and I then presented it to the Holy Prophet (sa).”

According to some narrations, when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came to present the milk to the Holy Prophet (sa), he was still asleep. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) did not deem it appropriate to disturb the Holy Prophet (sa) whilst he was resting and so waited until the Holy Prophet (sa) woke up. When the Holy Prophet (sa) woke up, he presented the milk and submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Please drink this.” The Holy Prophet (sa) drank so much that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) states that his disposition was filled with happiness. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! The time for our departure has come.” The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “Yes”. In another narration, it states that the Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “We should continue on with our journey.” Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, “Yes, my master!” and following this they continued on with their journey.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fadail Ashab al-Nabi (sa), Bab Manaqib al-Muhajirin wa Fadlihim, Hadith 3652) (Mustafa Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-Ibad, Vol. 3, Jama abwab al-Hijrah ila al-Madinah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1993], pp. 243-244)