The Migration to Abyssinia
As Muslims continued to face difficulties put in their way
by the Quraysh, the Qur’an impressed upon them to counter
these with fortitude and firm belief, and predicted rewards in
exchange for their sacrifices, far in excess of any
expectations and dreams. The Qur’an also asked them not to
despair even if they found that their own country had been
made tough for them to live in. God’s earth was extensive, and
if conditions were intolerable for them in that city, God
would guide them towards another place where they might live
in peace, and worship Him without fear, and where He would
provide for them and for their safety. Did they not see how so
many other living beings did not carry their provisions with
them, but God gave them sustenance wherever they went, and
they returned to their nests at night? Thus they should also
rely upon God Who would make their trials easier to bear.
يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ
أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ
ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُم مِّنَ
الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ الَّذِينَ
صَبَرُوا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ وَكَأَيِّن مِن
دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا
وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (٢٩:
٥٦-٦٠)
My servants who have believed, indeed
My earth is spacious, so worship only Me. Every soul will
taste death. Then to Us will you be returned. And those who
have believed and done righteous deeds, We will surely assign
to them of Paradise [elevated] chambers beneath which rivers
flow, wherein they abide eternally. Excellent is the reward of
the [righteous] workers, who have been patient and upon their
Lord rely. And how many a creature carries not its [own]
provision. Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the
Hearing, the Knowing. (29:56-60)
When the oppression by the Quraysh became so severe that
the faithful could no longer bear it, Makkah’s space began to
shrink for the latter in reality. Anyone who mentioned Islam
could no longer protect himself against the terrible onslaught
from society. During this period, the Prophet (sws) made a
request to God to strengthen Islam either through ‘Amr ibn
Hisham or ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. ‘Amr ibn Hisham was the real
name of Abu Jahal, who was always in the forefront when
opposing the Prophet (sws); ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was well
known for his strength and bravery, and enjoyed taunting weak
Muslims. When the latter would complain to the Prophet (sws),
he consoled them by saying: “Be patient, God will find a way
out for us. Before you, nations have been oppressed by their
opponents to the extent that they have had their heads cut
off, but they did not give up their faith.”
When the situation became untenable, the Prophet (sws)
allowed those who had been particularly targeted by the
Quraysh, to migrate to Abyssinia, because the Christian ruler,
Ashama was well known for his kind heartedness and sense of
fair play and justice, and peace reigned in his country. The
country was also close to Arabia, just west of the Red Sea. It
was strange that almost all the Muslim youth of the Quraysh
tribes were eager to migrate. The first group that did so
included 11 men and five women. They were:
Banu Ummayyah Uthman ibn ‘Affan (rta), with wife
Ruqayyah, daughter of the Prophet (sws)
Banu ‘Abd Shams Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah (rta), with wife
Sahlah, daughter of Suhayl ibn ‘Amr
Banu Makhzum Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad (rta), with
wife Umm Salamah (rta)
Banu Asad Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam
(rta)
Banu ‘Abd al-Dar Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr (rta)
Banu Zahrah ‘Abd Rahman ibn
‘Awf
Banu Jumh ‘Uthman ibn
Maz‘un (ra)
Banu ‘Adi ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah (rta), with wife
Layla bint Abi Hathmah (rta)
Banu ‘Amir Abu Sabrah ibn Abi Rahm (rta), with
wife Umm Kulthum bint Suhayl (rta) Hatib ibn ‘Amr (rta)
Banu Harith Suhayl ibn Bayda’
(rta)
We learn, therefore, that while these young people suffered
the pain of separation from their relatives for the sake of
their faith, several tribes of the Quraysh, too, were
affected. According to the biographers of the Prophet (sws),
this migration took place during the month of Rajab, the fifth
year of prophet hood.
When the first group reached Abyssinia safely, and word got
around that they had been received well, many people started
to move out of Makkah. Some known names are:
Banu Hashim Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib (rta) with wife
Asma’ bint ‘Umays (rta)
Banu Umayyah Khalid ibn Sa‘id ibn
al-‘As (rta)
‘Urwah ibn Sa‘id ibn al-‘As (rta) with wife Fatimah bint
Safwan ibn Umayyah (rta)
Banu Asad ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahash (rta), with
wife Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan (rta)
Banu ‘Amir Sakran ibn ‘Amr (rta) with wife
Sawdah bint Zam‘ah (rta)
‘Abdullah ibn Suhayl ibn ‘Amr
(rta)
Banu Harith Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn
al-Jarrah (rta)
Other than these, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (rta), ‘Utbah ibn
Mas‘ud (rta) and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (rta)’s names are also
mentioned. The total exceeded 80 people who had migrated at
this time. Only those migrated who had suffered greatly at the
hands of the Quraysh. The others remained behind with the
Prophet (sws) to continue to gain spiritual benefit from their
closeness to him.
Pursuit by the
Quraysh
When the Quraysh saw that Muslims had found refuge in
Abyssinia and were leading a peaceful life there, they decided
to follow them and prepared two men, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and
‘Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi‘ah to present their case in front of
Ashamah. They went there, fully instructed, but also with
presents for Ashamah and his religious leaders. They first met
with the latter, to elicit their support, and then appeared
before Negus, the king. They said: “O King, a few silly young
men have come to your country. They have left the faith of
their ancestors, and have not accepted your faith. They
present a new religion which neither we, nor you are familiar
with. Their elders have sent us to you, to request you to send
them back to them, because only they can keep an eye on them.”
Negus took counsel from his courtiers, all of whom agreed with
the men from the Quraysh, but Negus hesitated. His argument
was that when a group of people had come to him for
protection, and chosen him and his country in preference to
all others, how could he hand them over without listening to
their point of view?
The king sent his steward asking the Muslims to come to his
court. The Muslims decided that come what may, they would
speak the truth, as they had been taught by God’s Prophet (sws).
When Negus put forward the situation as described by the
Quraysh, Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib (rta), speaking on behalf of the
Muslims, said: “O’ King, before we accepted this new faith, we
were idol worshippers, consumed dead meat, cut off connections
with our blood relations and were engaged in obscene
activities. We were in such a poor condition that God sent His
messenger toward us. We were already well aware of his
dignified lineage, his truthfulness, his piety and honesty. He
gave us a call to worship one God and to stop praying to
manmade idols. He taught us to speak the truth, deal with
others with honesty, have mercy on our fellow human beings, be
kind to our neighbours, perform our prayers, pay zakah and
stay away from polytheism. He instructed us to abstain from
all forms of lying, cheating, usurping the rights of orphans
and obscene acts, and all other actions that could obstruct us
from living a pious life. We witnessed that what he said was
the truth, confirmed our faith in his message and are
following his instructions. Our country men brought great
tribulations upon us; they tortured us, penalized us and tried
their utmost to turn us away from our faith. When it became
impossible to live in our own country, we came to yours,
selecting your country as a safe haven. We hope that we shall
not find any injustice here.” On hearing this, Negus rejected
the plea of the Quraysh.
When ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi‘ah returned
unsuccessful from the court, they decided to incite Negus’
religious sentiments. They requested permission to come back
the next day to his court and submitted to him that the new
prophet presented wrong ideas about Jesus (sws), son of Mary.
Negus again called the Muslims to clarify the situation.
Ja‘far (rta) began to recite Surah Maryam, which contains the
entire story of Jesus (sws) as well as the Qura’nic
instructions related to him. Tears rolled down Negus’ cheeks
as he heard the recitation. When it had ended, Ja‘far (rta)
said: “According to this, Jesus (sws) was God’s servant, His
prophet, His spirit and His word, which were entrusted to
Mary.” Negus said: “By God! What you have just recited, and
the guidance that Jesus had brought are light emanating from
the same source.”
The Quraysh delegation had to return without meeting their
objectives. The Muslims in Abyssinia had inspired the light of
Islam within Negus, who accepted Islam soon after. Negus, it
seems, belonged to the group of Christians who were against
the innovations introduced by Paul and who had adopted the
actual Jesuit faith. These were the same people about whom the
Qur’an states that when they received the message from the
Prophet (sws), they would start to cry, because they would
instantly recognize the truth of Jesus’s prediction in it.
They were the ones who accepted Islam by and large.
The acceptance of
Islam by the Abbyssinian delegation
Those who were believers in the original form of
Christianity did not accept Jesus (sws) to be the son of God,
or one of the trinity elements. They awaited the fulfillment
of Jesus’ (sws) prediction about the last prophet, so that
they would accept him when he gained prophethood. The arrival
of the Muslims in Abbyssinia confirmed Jesus’ (sws)
predictions. The Christians questioned the Muslims further
about the Prophet (sws)’s prophet hood and his teachings,
heard about what they had suffered at the hands of the Quraysh
and observed the character of the Muslims themselves. A group
of 20 individuals visited Makkah to make their own assessment
and meet the Prophet (sws) in person. After questioning him in
a meeting, they satisfied themselves that he met the criteria
that had been conveyed to them in their books and by scholars
through the ages. After answering their queries, the Prophet (sws)
recited Qur’anic verses according to the situation. This
convinced them even further. The truth was now clear to them.
The fortunate group did not wish to waste a single moment.
They immediately accepted Islam and returned to Abbyssinia,
since their purpose was not to stay in Makkah. It is obvious
that they must have gained further knowledge of Islam from the
Muslims who were already living in Abbyssinia. This was such a
fruitful result from the migration that the Quraysh would
never have dreamt of it. The Prophet (sws) wrote to Negus
after this, inviting him to come within the fold of Islam, and
the latter gladly accepted the invitation. The Prophet (sws)
always prayed for him.
The disbelievers of Makkah were livid with anger when the
Christians of Abbyssinia accepted Islam. Abu Jahal and his
friends called them fools, to have come to review the
situation, and gone back having converted to the same faith.
This event caused much agitation among the Quraysh. If
people went to Makkah and became impressed by Muhammad (sws),
his message would spread to other tribes, and if it reached
beyond Makkah, it was likely to create even greater problems
for them. They began to keep an eye on anyone coming from
outside and if there was any attempt to meet the Prophet (sws),
they did not hesitate to beat him up.
‘Amr ibn ‘Absah al-Sulami’s
Acceptance of Islam
‘Amr ibn ‘Absah was one of the Hanafis. He believed that
those who worshipped idols were wrong and that this practice
had no logical basis. When he heard that a person was
preaching a new faith in Makkah, he was curious to know more,
and arrived in Makkah. On arrival, he found that no one was
allowed to meet the person concerned because his countrymen
were his enemies. He recounted that he found a way to meet the
Prophet (sws) in secret, and asked him: “Who are you?” He
answered: “I am God’s messenger.” I asked: ‘”Who is a
messenger?” He answered: “God has sent me with a message.” I
asked: “What message is this?” He said: “The message to
worship one God, keep good relations with relatives and
destroy idols.” I asked: “Who is with you in this?” He
answered: “Both the free and the slaves.” I wanted to become
his follower, but he told me to wait because I was not strong
enough. He said: “Do you not see how people behave? You should
go back now. When you hear that I have gained the upper hand,
come back to me.” ‘Amr says that he returned to his tribe, but
kept himself informed of what was happening in Makkah.
Finally, some people came from Madinah and told him that the
Prophet (sws) had migrated to Madinah and that people were
flocking to him and converting to Islam in large numbers. His
nation had tried to kill him, but was unsuccessful. ‘Amr went
to Madinah and met the Prophet (sws) who recognized him
immediately. The former obtained knowledge of prayer and
ablution from the Prophet (sws) on this occasion.
This shows that it had been made extremely difficult for
anyone to meet the Prophet (sws) in Makkah. ‘Amr ibn ‘Absah
may have wished to stay with him in Makkah, but he was advised
to return to his tribe and wait for Islam to rise to power.
Acceptance of Islam
by Abu Dharr (rta) Ghifari
Abu Dharr (rta) of the tribe of Banu Ghifar had come to
know that someone in Makkah claimed prophethood. He sent his
brother Anis to Makkah to gather information. Anis returned
after conducting research, having found out that the man
taught morality and good dealings with others, and presented a
text that was neither poetry nor a story. Abu Dharr,
dissatisfied with these details, travelled to Makkah to see
for himself. He got down in the Ka‘bah, and looked for the
Prophet (sws), but could not locate him. He did not think it
appropriate to ask anyone. ‘Ali (rta) took him to his house,
as a mark of hospitality to a traveler. He returned to the
mosque early in the morning, and repeated the routine the
second and third day. Finally ‘Ali (rta) asked him what he was
looking for and promised that he would not share this
information with anyone else. When Abu Dharr (rta) finally
divulged the reason for his arrival in Makkah, ‘Ali (rta)
confirmed that the Prophet (sws) was indeed the prophet of
God. He took him to meet the Prophet (sws) the next morning,
at which time Abu Dharr (rta) accepted Islam, and was
instructed by him to return to his tribe and instruct them
accordingly and remain there until he heard otherwise. Abu
Dharr (rta) took an oath upon God that he would make a public
declaration of his new faith before departing. He went to the
mosque and proclaimed loudly: “I am a witness that there is no
God but Allah and that Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah.” As
soon as he had spoken, people attacked him and began to beat
him up. ‘Abbas ibn Muttalib warned the crowd that he was a
member of the Banu Ghifar that lived on their trade route
towards Syria. On hearing this, the attackers moved away and
Abu Dharr (rta) was allowed to leave safely.
This incident also shows that the Quraysh had created such
an environment of fear and intimidation for outsiders that no
one could pronounce the Prophet’s name or meet him. If, by
chance, anyone did meet him, he would be thrashed without any
hesitation. During this period, the Prophet (sws) had advised
people to stay away, and to make contact only after they had
heard news of the Muslims gaining power over the disbelievers.
God’s Acceptance of
the Prophet’s Prayer and Conversion of ‘Umar (rta)
The migration of Muslims from Makkah in large numbers
merely so that they could practice their faith in peace,
leaving the comfort of their homes in a manner as if they were
thorns in their backs, was such an extraordinary event that it
shook the core of the Quraysh who were forced to re-examine
the emotional approach they had been taking so far. Among
these people was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (rta) who came within
the fold of Islam in the 6th year of prophethood, after the
migration to Abyssinia.
There are two versions of his conversion narrated in
history.
The first version that has gained the most currency is that
‘Umar (rta) left his home intending to kill the Prophet (sws).
He met Na‘im ibn ‘Abdullah (rta) on the way, who asked him
where he was going. ‘Umar (rta) told him that he wished to
decide about Muhammad. Na‘im ibn Abdullah (rta) asked him to
take care of his household first, as his own sister and
brother in law had accepted Islam already. ‘Umar (rta)
enraged, went to his sister’s house, where she and her husband
were studying the Qur’an from Khabab ibn al-Art (rta). When
they heard him enter, they hid the papers. Since ‘Umar (rta)
had heard them recite the verses, he insisted that they recite
them to him too. When they refused, he beat them mercilessly.
Their answer was to say that he could do whatever he wanted;
he could never remove the love of Islam from their hearts. As
‘Umar (rta) calmed down, his sister placed the papers of Surah
Taha, (according to some narratives, it was Surah Hadid) in
front of him. As soon as he had read these, his heart went
through a complete change. He asked Khubab (rta) where the
Prophet (sws) was, and was told that he was in a house close
to the Mount of Safa’. Putting his sword in its sheath, ‘Umar
(rta) went across to the place. Someone inside the house saw
him coming and warned the Prophet (sws), who asked for the
door to be opened for him. On entering, he immediately
accepted Islam. This version was passed on from the people of
Madinah to Ibn Ishaq.
Despite the fact that this version is the more commonly
accepted one, several questions arise about its authenticity.
1. It was a matter of far reaching consequences in the
tribal life in Arabia if a person belonging to another tribe
were to be killed. Had this been easy, the Quraysh tribes
would not have impressed upon the Banu Hashim to restrain the
Prophet (sws) from preaching. They were afraid that if they
were to take any action against him directly, a long battle
would begin within Makkah, and it would then be difficult for
anyone to disentangle from it.
2. ‘Umar (rta) was a wise and far sighted man. He was
aware of what might happen if he were to attempt the murder of
the Prophet (sws), because his own tribe, Banu ‘Adi was weak
as compared to the Banu Hashim.
3. Sa‘id ibn Zayd (rta) and Fatima bint al-Khattab (ra)
belong to the earliest group of companions, and were among the
first to accept Islam after prophet hood. Their faith was not
hidden, and their family members must have known about it.
Every Muslim became known within a period of five years. This
is the reason why the entire Quraysh were bent upon teaching a
lesson to the Muslims, and the latter were ready to migrate to
Abyssinia. The story seems to indicate that they had just
recently accepted Islam, in the 6th year of prophet hood.
4. ‘Umar’s (rta) insistence that his sister read out to
him what they were reciting indicates that he was unfamiliar
with the Qur’an. Yet, it was the responsibility of the Prophet
(sws) to recite the Qur’an to his people. He had read it out
to the Quraysh several times, and when offering the salah next
to the Ka‘bah, would read its verses loudly so that people
would hear them. The version as stated, therefore, contradicts
this fact.
5. It is also difficult to accept that Fatimah (rta)
would read from the papers and hide them. In those days when
Muslims were in a particularly repressed state, it was
impossible for them to arrange for the Qur’anic verses to be
available in a written form, and then to read from them. Very
few people from within the Quraysh knew how to read and write,
and there were hardly any women amongst these. Similarly,
Khubab (rta) was a slave. His literacy is questionable.
6. Surah Hadid is a Madani surah. It had not been
revealed in the 6th year of prophet hood.
7. Dar Arqam was a house that had become a centre for
the Muslims and was known to all Makkans. The narrative
mentions it as if it was an unknown place and ‘Umar (rta) was
hearing about it for the first time.
8. The story gives an impression that the Prophet (sws)
was hiding inside the house. To the contrary, he moved freely,
not only to the Ka‘bah, but also to the meetings of the
Quraysh. According to several narratives, the Prophet (sws)
recited the Qur’an loudly in his prayers, and members of the
Quraysh listened to him from behind curtains. This also
happened when resistance against the Prophet (sws) was at its
peak. It was never difficult for anyone to meet the Prophet (sws).
God’s apostles always did their work openly. They were
assigned to their responsibilities by God and He took care of
their safety. They were not required to protect themselves.
The second version is narrated from Umm ‘Abdullah bint Abi
Hathmah (rta). ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah was a supporter of ‘Umar’s (rta)
family. His family was preparing for migration to Abyssinia
when ‘Umar (rta) came and saw what was happening. Until now,
his attitude had been very harsh towards them and he had
caused then great pain. ‘Umar (rta) asked: “Umm ‘Abdullah, are
you leaving?” She answered: “Yes, your people have hurt us and
tortured us. We will now spread out on Allah’s earth, until He
opens a way out for us.” ‘Umar (rta) answered: “May Allah be
with you,” and in so saying, his voice had faltered, and he
left. It was clear that the departure of that family had hurt
him deeply. Umm ‘Abdullah told her husband that if he had seen
‘Umar (rta), he would have noticed the signs of sorrow and
pain on his face. She felt that it was very likely he would
accept Islam soon.
This narrative appears true and natural. Here was a family
with which one had had years of close relations, and with
whose members one was emotionally attached. On what one judged
as a temporary matter, one was excessively cruel and unfair,
and the family decided to leave home and country, rather than
give up on its new beliefs. The most hard hearted man would be
forced to rethink his attitude, and wonder if he was not the
one who was wrong, and the others who were on the right path?
Events such as these change the course of our lives. It seems
this is what happened to ‘Umar (rta), and after some thought,
he accepted Islam.
According to a narrative from ‘Ata’ and Mujahid, ‘Umar (rta)
went to the Ka‘bah one night and found the Prophet (sws)
reciting the Qur’an in his prayers. He approached the Ka‘bah
from the hatim, hid behind its cover, and listened to him.
When the salah ended, the Prophet (sws) proceeded towards his
home. As he came close, ‘Umar (rta) made himself known. When
the Prophet (sws) asked him his reason for being there, he
answered that he had come to accept Islam. The Prophet (sws)
prayed for steadfastness in his faith, and this great hero of
Makkah became a servant of Islam.
The next day he announced in the mosque that he had become a
Muslim and that he would offer his salah publicly. He dared
anyone to stop him from doing so.
Thus the supplication of the Prophet (sws) made in ‘Umar’s
(rta) favour was accepted by God. The Muslims were greatly
reassured, and the Quraysh felt defeated.
‘Umar’s (rta) acceptance of Islam soon after the migration
to Abyssinia is proof of the fact that the latter had shaken
the Quraysh, as well as most of the youth. Contrary to their
expectations, conversions to Islam continued at a rapid pace
and the numbers of Muslims increased exponentially.
Revelation of Power
to Muslims
The migration to Abyssinia affected the Quraysh in another
way. The manner in which Muslims had been accepted by
Abyssinians, and the bent of their King towards Islam had
created hatred and resentment in the hearts of the Quraysh for
the Christians. Muslims, on the other hand, were deeply
grateful to Christians and spoke well of them.
Outside the Arab world, but adjacent to them were the great
empires of the Persians and Romans. The Persians were
polytheists, but the Romans, despite the introduction of
Paul’s new concepts of the holy trinity, were believers in the
Oneness of God. The Quraysh were not interested in the
controversies between various sects of the Christians. They
considered them to belong to the same religious group. The
Persians and Romans often had skirmishes along the borders of
Syria, which at times reached the level of a full scale war.
In 616 A.D, Persia invaded a part of what was Rome and gained
a strong foothold there. The Persian ruler, Khusru Parvaiz
started dreaming of overpowering the whole of Rome. When this
news reached Makkah, the Quraysh taunted the Muslims about the
fate of their co-religionists. They made fun of the Prophet (sws)
who had spoken of the power of the Muslims, saying that were
he right, why would God have given victory to the polytheist
Khusru over the monotheist Caesar? Now the situation was that
the Romans could not find a place to live, and the Persian
army was invading deep into their land. The Muslims, according
to the Quraysh, were bound to suffer a similar fate. Since
Muslim sympathies were with the Romans, they were embarrassed
and had little to say. It was then that Surah Rum was
revealed:
الم غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِي أَدْنَى
الْأَرْضِ وَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ فِي
بِضْعِ سِنِينَ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن بَعْدُ
وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنصُرُ
مَن يَشَاء وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ لَا
يُخْلِفُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا
يَعْلَمُونَ (30: 1-6)
This is Surah Alif Lam Mim. The
Byzantines have been defeated. In the nearest land. But they,
after their defeat, will overcome. Within three to nine years.
To Allah belongs the command before and after. And that day
the believers will rejoice. In the victory of Allah. He gives
victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the
Merciful. [It is] the promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in
His promise, but most of the people do not know. (30:1-6)
These verses reassured the Muslims that the victories
gained by the Persians were temporary. The situation would
change soon and in a few years, the Romans would gain
dominance over their enemies. That would be the time when
Muslims would rejoice and the polytheists of Makkah would be
thwarted.
The Arabic term used for a few years is
بِضْعِ سِنِينَ which means nine or less years. In
reality, this is what happened. In the second year after
migration to Madinah, the Romans overpowered the Persians
completely. At the same time, in the battle of Badr, a mere
300 Muslims defeated the 1000 iron clad army of the
disbelievers. The key leaders of the Quraysh who led the
enmity campaign against the Prophet (sws) were slain. Thus,
the prediction made at the time of the migration to Abyssinia
came true and the faithful were given several reasons to
celebrate their victory.
Return of Migrants
from Abyssinia
After staying in Abyssinia for some time, 33 Muslims,
including some wives, returned to Makkah. According to Ibn
Ishaq, this return was caused by misinformation they had
received. On coming back, they were worried on whose
responsibility could they enter the city. The doors of their
own home had been closed on them. Unless they gained the
protection of some strong individuals, they would be
vulnerable if they attempted to live on their own. Some
Muslims, therefore, took protection of tribes other than their
own. ‘Uthman ibn Maz‘un (rta) took refuge with Walid ibn
Mughirah. When he saw that he was enjoying full safety because
of Walid’s protection, while the Prophet (sws) and other
Muslims remained in difficulty, he wanted to return his
protection. Walid said that since he had given him protection
in the mosque, it could be returned in the same place. ‘Uthman
went to the mosque, and while appreciating Walid’s protection
and his kindness, announced that he was returning it, and that
from now on, he would be relying on God’s protection alone.
Abu Salamah took protection from Abu Talib, at which Abu
Lahab was very angry and resisted it. Abu Talib answered that
Abu Salamah was his nephew and therefore under his protection.
Those who had migrated forever to Abyssinia, migrated again
to Madinah, and gained blessings from God for a double
migration in the way of God. It is probably only among Muslims
that some companions of the Prophet (sws) have been blessed
twice through two successive migrations.
(Translated from
Hayat-i Rasul-i Ummi by Nikhat Sattar)
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