النص المفهرس

Talha then returned to Makkah. By Allaah! I have never met a man more
respectable than Uthmaan bin Talha." 497
The next to emigrate was Hadhrat Aamir bin Rabee'ah t, his wife Layla bint
Khutayma wie dil grib ), Hadhrat Abu Ahmad bin Jahash t and his brother Hadhrat
Abdullaah bin Jahash t, together with his entire family. They all locked their
homes and left Makkah, leaving behind everything they could not carry along
with them. As they watched Makkah starting to empty of the Muslims, Abu Jahal
and Utba sighed, "This is all on account of our own nephew Muhammad, who
has caused this division in our ranks."
Eleven years after Rasulullaah p started his call, Rasulullaah p met a group of
people from Madinah (which was then still called Yathrib) during the Hajj. They
were six or eight individuals who listened to the message of Rasulullaah p at a
place called Aqabah, which is located between Haraa and Mina. They all
accepted Islaam and returned the following year with more people from
Madinah. Including the people of the first group, they totalled 12 persons. They
again met Rasulullaah p at Aqabah and all of them pledged their allegiance to
Rasulullaah p. This was known as the first Pledge of Aqabah.
When these people returned to Madinah, the message of Islaam soon spread
throughout the city and by the following year (13 years after the call), a total of
73 men and 2 women met Rasulullaah p at Aqabah to pledge their allegiance
to him. This was known as the second Pledge of Aqabah. Rasulullaah p then
selected 12 of them as his representatives to preach the Deen to their people.
The Deen of Islaam started to gain popularity amongst the people of Madinah as
these Sahabah w preached to their kith and kin. This popularity irked the
497 Al Bidaayah wan Nihaayah (Vol.3 Pg.169).
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Mushrikeen of Makkah so much that they then started to stop the Muslims from
emigrating to Madinah. They were therefore prompted to increase their tyranny
and even force many Muslims to leave without their wealth and property.
However, the sincere Muslims withstood this and many left Makkah without
anything.
The Hijrah of Resulullah p
As the Muslims gradually emigrated to Madinah, there eventually remained
none of the eminent Muslims in Makkah apart from Rasulullaah p, Hadhrat Abu
Bakr t and Hadhrat Ali t and a handful of others who were forced to stay behind
by their tribes. The Mushrikeen leaders grew concerned about the situation and
gathered in Daarun Nadwa to decide what to do about Rasulullaah p.
As they discussed the issue, Shaytaan himself attended the meeting in the guise
of an old man. Calling himself a Sheikh from Najd, he requested permission to
join them in their discussion. They allowed him in and the meeting got
underway. The historian Suhayli , writes that Abul Bakhtari bin Hishaam
proposed that Rasulullaah p be arrested, locked in chains and then imprisoned
until he died. To this, the Sheikh from Najd commented, "This would not work
because his supporters would soon muster up their strength and attack you to
free him." All the others agreed that he was right.
Thereafter, Abul Aswad proposed that Rasulullaah p be banished from Makkah
so that the city may remain safe from his effects. Again the Sheikh from Najd
objected and said, "That would not work either because, if he is let free, it would
not be long before his sweet talk will so bewitch people that they will muster up
an army to attack you."
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It was then that Abu Jahal spoke. He said, "I cannot understand why you want to
do what you say. I believe that we should select a man from very tribe of the
Arabs and give them each a good sword. They should then all attack him at the
same time and kill him so that we may be rid of him. Each tribe may then
contribute to the blood money to pay the Banu Abd Manaaf (Rasulullaah p's
tribe) and no one will have to be executed in retaliation, since every tribe will
have a hand in the killing. The Banu Abd Manaaf will be forced to accept the
money since they will be unable to fight all the Arab tribes."
The Sheikh from Najd immediately endorsed the scheme and praised it
profusely. Everyone else in the meeting also agreed and it was decided that it
would be put into action that very night. However, Hadhrat Jibra'eel v informed
Rasulullaah p of the meeting before nightfall and also informed him that Allaah
had commanded him to leave for Madinah that night. He was to leave Hadhrat
Ali t to sleep in his bed that night and entrust him with the responsibility of
returning to the people all their valuables that they had left with Rasulullaah p
for safekeeping. Therefore, as the Mushrikeen made their arrangements for the
assassination attempt, Rasulullaah p and Hadhrat Abu Bakr t prepared to
embark on the Hijrah to Madinah.
A narration of Hadhrat Aa'isha wie al data, in Bukhaari states that it was exactly at the
time of noon that Rasulullaah p came to the house of Hadhrat Abu Bakr t and
informed him, "I have been granted permission to emigrate. "May my parents be
sacrificed for you, O Rasulullaah p!" Hadhrat Abu Bakr t replied, "Do permit me
to join you." Rasulullaah p said, "You have permission as well." This reply made
Hadhrat Abu Bakr t so jubilant that he started to weep. Hadhrat Aa'isha wie dl gente)
remarked, "Before that day, I had never imagined that a person could actually
weep out of happiness." Hadhrat Abu Bakr t had already prepared two strong
camels four months beforehand in anticipation of this journey.
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That night Rasulullaah p left Hadhrat Ali t to sleep in his bed as commanded,
while the Mushrikeen surrounded his house with swords in their hands.
Rasulullaah p calmly opened the door and threw a handful of sand at the
Mushrikeen as he recited the verse, "We have placed a barrier in front of them and a
barrier behind them, and We have enveloped them so they cannot see."4
11 498 Allaah then
placed a veil between Rasulullaah p and the Mushrikeen standing outside his
house so that he walked away safely without anyone noticing.
Rasulullaah p left Makkah on foot with Hadhrat Abu Bakr t, after which they
stopped to stay over in the cave of Thowr. When the Mushrikeen somehow
learnt that Rasulullaah p had left Makkah, they launched a massive search for
him. There were many expert trackers in Makkah at the time and they even
reached the cave of Thowr. They were so close that they only had to bend down
to look to be able to see Rasulullaah p and Hadhrat Abu Bakr t. On this occasion,
Hadhrat Abu Bakr t became very worried for the safety of Rasulullaah pbut
Rasulullaah p allayed his fears by saying, "Do not grieve, for Allaah is with us."
Allaah then caused the Mushrikeen to leave the area without looking down to
the cave.
Unverified historical reports and a narration from Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal da,
¿ (which is not too weak) tell us that a spider spun a web at the entrance of the
cave. This made the Mushrikeen assume that no one could have entered it for a
very long time and they therefore left without searching further. It is reported
that the trackers were convinced at that time that Rasulullaah p could not have
travelled further than that point.
498
Surah Yaaseen, verse 9.
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Before they left for the Hijrah, Hadhrat Abu Bakr t's elder daughter Hadhrat
Asmaa Wie al , prepared some food for them, which she hastily tied with two parts
of her scarf. It was for this reason that she became known as Dhaatun
Nataaqayn (the one with two parts of a scarf). A narration of Ibn Sa'd states
that she tied the food with one strip of the scarf and hung the water bottle upon
the other strip.499
Hadhrat Abu Bakr t's son Hadhrat Abdullaah t, who was still a youngster at the
time, used to remain in Makkah all day to hear what was being said and would
then relay the news to Rasulullaah p and Hadhrat Abu Bakr t in the cave at night.
Hadhrat Abu Bakr t's freed slave Hadhrat Aamir bin Fuhayrah t used to graze his
goats nearby and take milk to them in the cave. In this manner, they spent three
days in the cave before proceeding.500
Hadhrat Abu Bakr t had hired a guide by the name of Abdullaah bin Urayqit (who
was a Mushrik) and handed his camels over to him before he left Makkah. On
the third day, he brought the camels to the cave and they all left for Madinah. 501
As they travelled, they were spotted by an expert tracker called Suraaqah, who
soon caught up with them on horseback. However, as soon as he drew close, his
horse suddenly sunk into the sand. "This is certainly because of your curses!"
Suraaqah exclaimed, "Please pray that I be released and I promise you that I shall
tell anyone following this track that you are not here and that they must go
back."
A narration of Bukhaari states that when Suraaqah approached, Rasulullaah p
said, "O Allaah! Drop him down." Another narration states that Suraaqah sank
499
Tabaqaat (Vol.1 Pg.104).
500 Al Bidaayah wan Nihaayah (Vol.3 Pg.184).
501
Bukhaari.
1004

up to his belly in the sand. 502 When Rasulullaah p then prayed for him to be
released, the ground released him. Suraagah then said, "I know now that Allaah
will certainly grant you victory." He then informed Rasulullaah p that he was
pursuing them because the Quraysh had announced a reward of a hundred
camels to anyone who captured Rasulullaah p.
Suraaqah then offered his food to Rasulullaah p in gratitude, but Rasulullaah p
declined and asked him to rather keep their location a secret from others.
Suraaqah then asked Rasulullaah p to write him a note of amnesty, which
Rasulullaah p had Hadhrat Aamir bin Fuhayrah t write on a piece of leather.
Suraaqah later returned with the note and, whenever he saw anyone proceed
on the route towards Rasulullaah p, he would convince them to return, saying,
"There is no need to go that way, since I have already been there."503
It has also been reported in another narration that Rasulullaah p said to
Suraaqah, "O Suraaqah! What will you do when you will wear the bangles of
the Kisra (Persian Emperor)?" Suraaqah was unable to understand this
statement until the time when the Muslims conquered the Persian Empire
during the Khilaafah of Hadhrat Umar t. When the crown and jewels of the Kisra
were then brought to Madinah as booty, Hadhrat Umar t called for Suraaqah t
(who had then accepted Islaam) and placed the bangles of the Kisra on Suraaqah
t's hand. Thereafter, Hadhrat Umar t exclaimed, "Allaahu Akbar! All praise
belongs to Allaah Who has removed these bangles from the hand of the Kisra
and placed it upon the hand of the villager Suraaqah!"504
502
Fat'hul Baari (Vol.7 Pg.188).
503
Bukhaari (Vol.1 Pgs.510, 515, 557)
504
Isaabah and Isti'aab (Vol.2 Pg.120).
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This incident of the Hijrah occurred on a Monday, 13 years after Rasulullaah p
started his call. Historians write that Rasulullaah p left Makkah on Thursday the
27th of Safar. After staying for three days in the cave, he proceeded for Madinah
on Monday the 1st of Rabee'ul Awwal. They travelled by the road along the
coast and reached Quba on Monday afternoon, the 8th of Rabee'ul Awwal. In
Quba, Rasulullaah p stayed with the chief of the Amr bin Awf tribe, whose name
was Kulthoom bin Hadam t.
Rasulullaah p laid the foundations of the first Masjid in Islaam in Quba, which
has received mention in the Qur'aan. Rasulullaah p stayed in Quba for a short
while before proceeding to Madinah on a Friday. It was the time for the Jumu'ah
salaah when he passed by the settlement of the Banu Saalim tribe. Rasulullaah
p therefore dismounted there and delivered the first Jumu'ah Khutbah,
followed by the first Jumu'ah salaah. After the salaah, Rasulullaah p mounted
the camel and seated Hadhrat Abu Bakr t with him as they entered the city of
Madinah.
There was a large crowd of people waiting to receive them in Madinah. Everyone
wanted Rasulullaah p to stay with them, but he told them to leave the camel to
stop at the house in which Allaah decreed that he stay.505 Rasulullaah p then
loosened his grip on the camel's reins and it walked to the area inhabited by the
Banu Najjaar tribe, who happened to be the family of Rasulullaah p's mother.
This area is located where Baabus Salaam (the Salaam Gate) is situated in the
Masjidun Nabawi. Rasulullaah p remained seated on the camel until she
stopped and sat down at the house of Hadhrat Abu Ayyoob Ansaari t.
Rasulullaah p then alighted there and stayed at this house.
505
Fat'hul Baari (Vol.7 Pg.192).
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In the Words of the Qur' aan
The Qur'aan discusses the Hijrah in the following verses:
Verse 30 of Surah Anfaal states:
وَ إِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا لِيُتْبِتُوْكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوْكَ ﴿ وَيَمْكُرُوْنَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللهُ ﴿ وَاللهُ خَيْرُ الْمُكِرِيْنَ
(٣٠)
TRANSLATION: (O Muhammad &! Remember the time) When the Kuffaar schemed against you
to imprison you, kill you or exile you (drive you out of Makkah). They plan and Allaah plans.
Allaah is the best of planners (His plan always comes to pass regardless of what others may plan).
(When the Kuffaar decided that a person from every tribe participate in killing Rasulullaah p one night
so that the blame cannot be pinned on a single person or tribe, Allaah informed Rasulullaah p about
their plan and commanded him to leave Makkah for Madinah. This he did without the Mushrikeen
causing him any harm.)
Verse 40 of Surah Taubah states:
إِلَّا تَنْصُرُؤْهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللهُ إِذْ أَخْرَ جَهُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا ثَانِىَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ بُمَا فِىِ الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُوْلُ لِصَاحِبِمٍ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللّهَ
مَعَنَا وَّ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ سَكِيْنَتَهْ عَلَيْهِ وَآَيَّدَةً بِجُنُوْدٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْبَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلِى ٥* وَكَلِمَةُ اللهِ بِىَ
الْعُلْيَا ن ﴿ وَاللهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (٣٠)
TRANSLATION: If you do not assist him (Rasulullaah p), then indeed Allaah had assisted
him when the Kuffaar drove him out (of Makkah). He was the second of the two (the other
1007

being his bosom friend Abu Bakr t) when they were (hiding from the Kuffaar) in the cave (outside
Makkah) and he (Rasulullaah p) told his companion (Abu Bakr t, when the Kuffaar were on the
verge of capturing them), "Do not grieve (do not fear for my safety). Verily Allaah is with us (and
He will protect us from the Kuffaar)." So Allaah caused His tranquillity (serenity, mercy and
peace) to descend on him, assisted him (on various occasions) with an army (of angels and
other creation) that you had not seen. And (Allaah) placed the word of the Kuffaar (the call to
Shirk) at the very bottom while the word of Allaah (the Kalimah) is right at the top. Allaah is
Mighty, The Wise. (Therefore, if any person refuses to assist Rasulullaah p and Islaam, his
assistance is not needed because Allaah shall assist them as He did before.)
Verse 76 of Surah Israa states:
وَ إِنْ كَادُوْا لَيَسْتَفِزُّوْنَكَ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوْكَ مِنْهَا وَ إِذَا لَّا يَلْبَثُوْنَ خِلْفَكَ إِلَّ قَلِيْلًا (٧٢)
TRANSLATION: They (the Mushrikeen of Makkah) were close to uprooting (forcefully expelling)
you from this land (Makkah) to remove you from it (However, Allaah commanded Rasulullaah p
to leave by himself). If this had happened (if they had forcefully driven Rasulullaah p away from
Makkah), only a few of them would have remained behind you (because Allaah's punishment
would have destroyed them).
Verse 195 of Surah Aal Imraan states:
فَأَلَّذِيْنَ بَاجَرُوا وَأُخْرِجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِبِمْ وَأُوْنُوْا فِى سَبِئْ وَقَتَلُوْا وَقُتِلُوا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيَّأْتِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّتٍ
تَجْرِئْ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهُرُ " ثَوَابًا مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ * وَاللهُ عِنْدَةً حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ (١٩٥)
TRANSLATION: For those who emigrate (leaving behind their homes, families and wealth), who
are driven out of their homes, who suffer pain in My cause (for My Deen), who fight (in
Jihaad) and are killed, I shall most certainly remove from them (forgive) their evil actions
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and I will certainly enter them into Jannaat beneath which rivers flow." (All of this is) A
reward from Allaah. With Allaah are the best rewards.
Verses 97-99 of Surah Nisaa state:
إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ تَوَقَّهُمُ الْمَلَئِكَةُ ظَالِمِى أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيْمَ كُنْتُمْ - قَالُوْا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِى الْأَرْضِ ﴿ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ
اللهِ وَاسِعَةَّ فَتُهَاجِرُوْا فِيْهَا - فَأُولَئِكَ مَآوَبِهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ﴿ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيْرًا (٩٧) إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ
وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ حِيْلَةً وَّلَا يَهْتَدُوْنَ سَبِيْلًا (٩٨) فَأُولَئِكَ عَسَى اللهُ أَنْ يَّعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ * وَكَانَ اللهُ
عَفُوًّا غَفُوْرًا (٩٩)
TRANSLATION: Indeed those whose lives the angels seize (take away) while they oppress
themselves (by not making Hijrah when it became compulsory for them despite the ability to do so),
they (the angels) say to them, "What was your condition?" They reply, "We were oppressed
(helpless) on earth." They (the angels) say, "Was Allaah's land not vast enough for you to
make Hijrah in it?" The abode of such folk is Jahannam, and it is the worst of
destinations. (Jahannam will be the abode of all such people) Except for those oppressed
(helpless) men, women and children who were unable to devise a plan (do not have the
means to make Hijrah) and do not know the road (to a better place). These are the ones for
whom it is hoped that Allaah forgives them. Allaah is Most Pardoning, Most Forgiving. (A
Muslim who cannot practise Islaam in his country should make Hijrah as soon as he is able to.)
Verse 20 of Surah Taubah states:
الَّذِيْنَ أَمَنُوْا وَبَاجَرُوا وَجَهَدُوْا فِى سَبِيلِ اللهِ بِأَمْوَ الِمْ وَانْفُسِهِمْ نٌ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةَّ عِنْدَ اللهِ * وَ أُولَئِكَ بُمُ الْفَائِزُوْنَ
(٢٠)
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TRANSLATION: Those who have Imaan, who make Hijrah (for Allaah's pleasure) and exert
themselves in Allaah's path (to uplift the Deen) with their wealth and their lives are superior
in rank according to Allaah. These are the successful ones (for they have reached their goal).
1010

Lessons & Conclusions
Daarun Nadwa
This was the first building built in Makkah by Qusay bin Kilaab for the purpose of
holding meetings and it was always here that the Quraysh gathered for their
meetings. After the death of Qusay, the building was administered by the Banu
Abdud Daar tribe. Thereafter, it was bought by Hakeem bin Hizaam t, who later
accepted Islaam. It was during the Khilaafah of Hadhrat Mu'aawiya t that
Hadhrat Hakeem t sold the building for a hundred thousand Dirhams. When
some people criticised him for selling off something of historical and sentimental
value, thereby earning a loss, he wisely replied, "I swear by Allaah that all honour
and prestige have vanished, save for the honour and prestige of Taqwa. By
Allaah! I purchased this building during the Period of Ignorance for a mere casket
of wine and have now sold it for a hundred thousand Dirhams. I make all of you
witness that I have donated all of this hundred thousand Dirhams in the path of
Allaah. Now tell me whether this has been a loss or not?" 506
It was in this building that the chiefs of the Quraysh gathered to plot the
assassination of Rasulullaah p and were joined by Iblees himself in the guise of
an old man from Najd. The location of this building has now become part of the
506
Zurqaani (Vol.1 Pg.321).
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Masjidul Haraam and is said to be where the Ziyaadaat gate is currently
situated.
A Most Fortunate Woman
After Rasulullaah p and Hadhrat Abu Bakr t left the cave of Thowr en route to
Madinah, they passed by the tent of a woman called Ummu Ma'bad. She was a
dignified lady who regarded it an honour and privilege to be of service to
travellers. Rasulullaah p alighted at her tent and asked whether she had anything
to eat. She told them that she had nothing at that time, but perhaps her husband
would return with some food when he got back a while later. She therefore bade
them to stay awhile until he returned.
As Rasulullaah p and Hadhrat Abu Bakr t waited there, they noticed that she had
a little goat in the tent. "What is the matter with that goat?" they asked. She
replied, "She is lame and emaciated and cannot therefore go out to graze with
the others." "Does she have any milk?" Rasulullaah p asked. "How will she have
any?" Ummu Ma'bad responded. Rasulullaah p then sought her permission to
milk the goat and she gladly said, "May my parents be sacrificed for you! You are
welcome to have any milk you are able to get from her."
Reciting Bismillaah, Rasulullaah p held the teats of the goat and they instantly
filled with milk. To her utter surprise, Ummu Ma'bad watched Rasulullaah p fill a
large dish as he milked the goat. When he was done, Rasulullaah p first gave
Ummu Ma'bad to drink. When she was satiated, Rasulullaah p handed the milk
over to Hadhrat Abu Bakr t and their guide Abdullaah bin Urayqit, who both
drank to their fill as well. Rasulullaah p then drank what was left. Thereafter,
Rasulullaah p milked the goat one more time and handed the full dish of milk to
Ummu Ma'bad to give to her husband. Rasulullaah p and his companions then
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left on their journey before the evening. As the night approached and Ummu
Ma'bad's husband returned from grazing the goats, she presented the milk to
him.
"Where did this milk come from?" he asked. She replied, "A very blessed guest
passed by today. By Allaah! There was not a drop of milk in the goat's udders, so
all the milk you see was by his blessings." She then proceeded to relate the
entire incident.
It is reported that this goat continued to produce milk thereafter and that Ummu
Ma'bad served her milk to every passerby. She later became a Muslim and it was
from the same Ummu Ma'bad Khuzaa'ee wal, that Imam Abu Hanerfah il.
has reported the Hadith of Qahqaha (laughing aloud) in his Musnad.507
A Most Fortunate Youth
The day after Rasulullaah p left for the Hijrah, the chiefs of the Quraysh
announced a reward of a hundred camels for anyone who captured Rasulullaah
p dead or alive and another hundred camels for anyone who captured Hadhrat
Abu Bakr t. It was to earn this reward that Suraaqa bin Maalik set out in search
of them, as has been narrated earlier.
Another youth who set off in pursuit of this bounty was Buraydah Aslami, who
took seventy men with him. When his party caught up with Rasulullaah p, the
Nabi of Allaah p asked, "Who are you?" "I am Buraydah," he replied. Because his
name was derived from a word meaning 'cool' and 'in order', Rasulullaah p
remarked, "O Abu Bakr! It appears as if our affairs are cool and in order."
507 Fat'hul Qadeer (Vol.1 Pg.35).
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"Which tribe do you belong to?" Rasulullaah p asked. "I belong to the Aslam
tribe," he replied. Since the word Aslam means 'most peaceful' and 'most
protected', Rasulullaah p remarked, "O Abu Bakr! It seems that we are at peace
and under protection."
"Which family from the Aslam tribe do you come from?" Rasulullaah p asked
further. Buraydah replied, "The Banu Saham family." Again, Rasulullaah p used
the meaning ('a share') to symbolise good fortune and addressed Buraydah,
saying, "You shall also have a share of Islaam."
This conversation immediately caused Buraydah's heart to crave for Islaam and
he accepted Islaam. When they saw this, all his seventy companions also
accepted Islaam. Buraydah t then told Rasulullaah p that he needed to have a
flag precede him as he entered Madinah. Rasulullaah p then removed his turban
and tied it to a spear, which he handed to Buraydah t. Buraydah t was therefore
carrying this flag when Rasulullaah p entered the city of Madinah.508
The First Anthem in Islam
When the Muslims in Madinah heard that Rasulullaah p had left Makkah and
was heading to them, thousands of them went every day to a place called Harra
in eagerness to welcome him into the city. They would wait there until the
afternoon before returning home and repeating the exercise the following day. It
was one afternoon as they prepared to leave that a Jew standing on a hill
spotted Rasulullaah p arriving in the distance and shouted out, "O children of
Qayla! There comes the bearer of your good fortune!"
508
Zurqaani (Vol.1 Pg.349).
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This caused the people to rush in his direction and their simultaneous shouts of
Allaahu Akbar resonated throughout the city and was heard from as far off as
the settlement of the Banu Amr bin Auf tribe. After spending a few days in Quba,
Rasulullaah p left for the city of Madinah and, as he passed by the homes of
several settlements on the way, little girls stood upon the roofs and sang the first
anthem in Islaam. The words of the song were:
طلع البدر علينا
The full moon rose over us
من ثنيات الوداع
From the valley of Wadaa
وجب الشكر علينا
And we owe it to show gratefulness
ما دعى لله داع
Where the call is to Allaah
أيها المبعوث فينا
Oh you who were raised among us
جئت بالأمر المطاع
You have come with a word to be obeyed
جئت شرفت المدينة
You have brought to this city nobleness
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مرحبا يا خير داع
Welcome, O the best of callers
In a narration of Bukhaari, Hadhrat Baraa bin Aazib t reports that he had never
seen the people of Madinah as happy as they were the day Rasulullaah p arrived
in Madinah.
Rasulullaak p's Host
It was during the third century after Hadhrat Hadhrat Isa v that there lived a king
from Yemen known as Tubba, who is mentioned in the Qur'aan. He was
returning from somewhere when he happened to pass by the land that is now
Madinah. The 400 religious scholars with him at the time sought leave from him
to settle in this area because they had read in the scriptures of the previous
Ambiyaa (JJ) posle that the final Nabi to mankind by the name of Muhammad & will
migrate to this place. The king gladly permitted them to stay and also had homes
built for them there. In addition to this, he got them all married and gave each of
them a generous amount of wealth to live on.
Before he left, he had a house built for the final Nabi p and wrote a letter
addressed to him. In this letter, he conveyed his regards to Nabi p and
expressed his desire to meet him. He sealed the letter with his royal seal and
handed it over to the chief of the scholars with instructions to deliver it to the
final Nabi p if he met him. His instruction also stated that if the scholar could
not meet Rasulullaah p himself, he was to make over the letter to his successor
with the same instructions. The letter therefore remained with his successors
until it eventually reached Hadhrat Abu Ayyoob Ansaari t, who hosted
Rasulullaah p at his house when Rasulullaah p arrived in Madinah. In fact, the
house in which he hosted Rasulullaah p was the very same house that the king
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Tubba had built for Rasulullaah p. The other Ansaar of Madinah were also the
descendants of the 400 scholars who had settled in Madinah at the time of
Tubba.509
The Battle of Bads (The Day of Furquan)
The Arabic word Ghazwah (19 je - battle) refers to a military expedition in
which Rasulullaah p himself led the Muslim army. There were a total of 27 such
expeditions. A military expedition in which Rasulullaah p did not lead the
Muslims, but which he dispatched under the command of someone else is
called a Sariyyah (4 ). The number of such expeditions totaled between 40
and 56.510
From amongst the prominent expeditions that the Qur'aan mentions, it is the
Battle of Badr which heads the list because it was this battle that marked the
beginning of the rise of Muslim strength and power. It is for this reason that the
Qur'aan refers to the Battle of Badr as the day of Furqaan. This means that it
was the day when the truth and falsehood were clearly defined and this battle
was a deciding and decisive moment in the history of Islaam.
Badr was the name of village located approximately 80 miles from Madinah.
Some historians claim that Badr was originally the name of a well located there
and that the village was named after it. Nowadays, this town is situated along
the highway from Jeddah to Madinah. The graves of the 13 Muslim martyrs are
located there. May Allaah illuminate their graves. Aameen.
509
Rowdhul Unf (Vol.1 Pg.24).
Zurqaani (Vol.1 Pg.388).
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Prelude to the Battle
The emigration of Rasulullaah p and the Muslims to Madinah frustrated the
Mushrikeen of Makkah so much that they resolved to spare no expense to
eliminate the Muslims once and for all. They therefore launched several
offensives against the Muslims in Madinah to intimidate and loot the Muslims.
However, the skirmishes that arose from these attacks did not quell the anger
that welled within the bosoms of the Mushrikeen. Their desire was to defeat the
Muslims in a battle that will crush their power completely. It was with this intent
that they often dispatched their men to attack the Muslims so that the strength
of the Muslims should weaken.
Amongst these attacks was one led by Kurz bin Jaabir Fahri, which robbed the
Muslims of a great number of their animals. It was in response to such attacks
that Rasulullaah p launched four military expeditions against the Mushrikeen in
the first year of Hijrah. These were called Sariyya Hamzah, Sariyya Ubaydah bin
Haarith, Sariyya Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas and Ghazwatul Abwaa. The early months
of the second year of Hijrah saw another two expeditions, known as Ghazwah
Bawaat and Ghazwah Dhul Asheerah. However, these were all small skirmishes
that ended without much being gained or lost.
In the meantime, the Quraysh of Makkah wrote to Abdullaah bin Ubay in
Madinah. Abdullaah bin Ubay was to be the chief of all the people of Madinah
before the arrival of Rasulullaah p, but his hopes of being chief were dashed
when most of the Aws and Khazraj tribes became Muslim. In the letter to
Abdullah bin Ubay, the Quraysh threatened to attack Madinah, to kill all the
men and to enslave all the women and children if Abdullaah bin Ubay and his
people did not expel Rasulullaah p and the Muslims from Madinah. Abdullaah
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bin Ubay was prepared to do this, but Rasulullaah p managed to subdue his evil
scheme in time.
Sometime later, Hadhrat Sa'd bin Mu'aadh t, who was one of the leaders of the
Ansaar, went to Makkah to perform Umrah. There in the Haram he received a
threat from Abu Jahal, who said, "You are giving refuge and aid to people who
have rejected our religion and you still expect us to allow you to perform Tawaaf
in peace? I swear that if you had not been the guest of Umayyah bin Khalaf, I
would have never allowed you to return alive." In reply, Hadhrat Sa'd t said, "By
Allaah! If you prevent me or any other Muslim from performing Tawaaf of the
Kabah, we shall prevent you from something that will have much graver
consequences for you." Here he was referring to preventing them from using the
trade route to Shaam, which passed Madinah. This would have devastating
effects on the economy of the people of Makkah because they depended upon
this trade route for their survival.
This threat by Abu Jahal to stop the Muslims from Tawaaf was therefore a
declaration that their trade caravans along the road to Shaam were eligible to be
stopped likewise. At the same time, it was in the interests of the Muslims to
prevent the Mushrikeen from developing their strength because it would only be
used against the Muslims. The more the Mushrikeen were allowed to develop
economically, the better equipped they would become to direct their aggression
against the Muslims.
It was not long afterwards that Rasulullaah p received intelligence that Abu
Sufyaan was returning with a caravan from Shaam and heading back to Makkah
with plenty of wealth and goods. Rasulullaah p informed the Muslims about the
caravan and also that Allaah had promised them victory over one of two groups,
1019