Aug 12
Hijrat-e-Madina (From Mecca to the Cave of Thawr~ south of Mecca)
Wednesday 27 Safar, 1448
Aug 12
Wednesday 27 Safar, 1448
Hijrat or Hijrah (هجرة) translates to "to migrate to" or "to move away" or "to depart to." In the Islamic perspective, it primarily refers to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ and his followers from Mecca to Medina. In that context, it is popularly remembered as “Hijrat-e-Medina.” It is one of the most significant events in the history of Islam. Another Muslim migration, known as Hijrat-e-Habshah (migration to Africa), also took place a few years earlier; however, it was a partial migration, and more importantly, the Prophet himself did not participate in it. Hijrat-e-Medina is more momentous as it marked the complete migration of Muslims from Mecca to Medina. The process of migration was completed when the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ also left Mecca. This event took place in the year 622 CE.
Hijrat-e-Medina proved a turning point in early Islamic history. It resulted in the establishment of an Islamic State in Medina. From here, the Message of Islam started spreading at a faster pace. Within a span of a few years, the Islamic State of Medina transformed into a strong political reality. Another critical historical relevance of Hijrat-e-Medina is the introduction of the Islamic Calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar. It was formally adopted by the second Rashidun Caliph, Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, in 638 CE, taking the day of Hijrat-e-Medina as the reference date of the Islamic calendar. Accordingly, the corresponding Julian calendar date is determined as Friday, July 16, 622 CE, as the starting date of the Islamic calendar.
Hijrat-e-Medina was not a spontaneous happening; it had a background of continued oppressive actions against the new Muslims of Mecca, spanning over more than a decade. The migration was, in fact, the last resort for Muslims in the wake of an unending state of persecution and oppression at the hands of Quraysh of Mecca.
Initially, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ began inviting his family and close friends to the Message of Islam, which initially went unnoticed by the Quraysh of Mecca. However, when the Prophet began preaching publicly, they saw it as a threat to their authority not only in Mecca but also outside of it. They also viewed it as a challenge to their religious practices, which were primarily polytheistic. At that stage, they started opposing the Prophet. During the earlier stages, most of the new Muslims belonged to the poor and suppressed segment of Meccan society. Hence, they were an easy target for Quraysh. They used to torture them. The influential Meccans even killed some of the new Muslims.
The oppression continued. They even started targeting the Prophet as well. The Prophet advised his followers to migrate to Habshah, where the King was known for his generosity. Around 70 to 80 people migrated to Habshah, which is remembered as the “First Migration”. However, the atrocities of the Quraysh continued, and life became harder and harder for the poor Muslims in Mecca.
While the oppression persisted, the notables of the Quraysh tried to bargain with the Prophet. They offered him many incentives to discontinue his preaching. All such offers were categorically rejected by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. They also involved Hazrat Abu Talib, the beloved uncle of the Prophet, but he flatly refused and stood firm in favor of his nephew. During this phase of hardship, the Prophet had a remarkable and unwavering moral support of his beloved wife Hazrat Khadija رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا. But then came the “year of sorrow”, (aam-al huzn, عام الحزن). It was the year when the Prophet lost both of them, his uncle Abu Talib and his wife Hazrat Khadija رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا. Both of them died, one after the other, in the same year. This was the saddest period for the Prophet.
However, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ stood firm on his mission and kept spreading the divine message, without fear. Side by side, he also continued to seek support from different Arab tribes. In this context, a group of more than 70 men and two women from Medina (then Yathrib) visited Mecca to meet the Prophet. After detailed discussions, the Yathribites reached an agreement with the Prophet to extend their cooperation and support for Muslims if they migrated to Medina. Meanwhile, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ had a dream, which he shared with his followers, where he was shown a place where the Muslims would live peacefully. Later on, it was revealed that this place was Medina. The Prophet advised his followers to secretly start migrating to Medina. Within a short span of time, almost the Muslim community of Mecca secretly migrated to Medina.
But the Prophet stayed back, as he was waiting for the divine permission for that. The Muslims left in Mecca included Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, his close friend Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, and his cousin Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ. The Prophet told Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ that he was waiting for Allah’s سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ permission to migrate to Medina, so he should also stay back till that time. In view of that, Hazrat Abu Bakr managed to prepare for the expected migration. He managed two camels for this purpose.
Meanwhile, the Quraysh of Mecca were in a state of shock over the migration of Muslims from Mecca. They thought that if the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ were also to go to Medina, Muslims would become stronger. Hence, they conspired to prepare a group of young and strong men, one from each clan, to kill the Prophet. The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ got this news and simultaneously got the express divine permission to migrate to Medina, for which he had been waiting for quite some time.
When the Prophet got the information about the planning of Quraysh to assassinate him, he told Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ to get ready for the journey during the night. Meanwhile, he asked Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ to sleep on his bed in his home and cover himself with the Prophet's cloak. Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ obeyed his instructions. On the other side, the group of assassins gathered around the place of the Prophet, waiting for him to come out. The Prophet managed to leave his house secretly, with the Will and Command of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, without the knowledge of the people waiting for him to come out.
The Prophet reached the house of Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, and both of them started their journey towards Mount Thawr, situated some 8 kilometres south of Mecca. The Cave of Thawr (غَار ثَوْر) is located on top. Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ had already prepared two camels for this journey. The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ paid the cost for the Camel, which he was supposed to use for this journey.
They reached the Cave of Thawr before sunrise and planned to stay there for three nights. The reason behind this decision was that the Quraysh were searching for them so that they might be assassinated. Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr was a strong young man who helped them hide in the cave. He also took responsibility for providing them with food and milk during the night and would return to Mecca before sunrise.
While hiding in the Cave of Thawr, they handed over their camels to a trusted guide, who was from the pagans of Mecca, but the Prophet trusted him as a guide. He was advised to bring the two Camels back after three nights so that they may start their journey towards Medina. This was an important strategic decision by the Prophet, as the Quraysh were in dire search of them.
During their stay in the Cave, they were protected from everything by the will and command of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. A spider wove its web on the entrance of the cave, whereas a pigeon laid eggs in its nest on the mouth of the cave. Hence, the cave was divinely concealed from the people's sight, while the men of Quraysh were roaming around in search of the Prophet. This is believed to be a miracle in itself.
The events that took place before and during the journey to the Cave of Thawr are narrated in complete detail in Hadith 3905 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
As planned, the guide came back with two camels after three nights. The Prophet and his companion started their journey from the cave of Thawr towards Medina, which is situated around 260 miles from Mecca. Soon, the news of the Prophet's journey towards Medina reached them. People of Medina, popularly titled "Ansar", the Helpers, were waiting for this historic moment enthusiastically. Each morning, they would gather at the entrance of the city and wait till evening for his arrival. After a few days, when they returned to their homes in the evening, a Jew, standing on the roof for personal reasons, saw the Prophet and his companion riding their camels, coming towards Medina. He shouted and informed the Ansar that their guests had arrived.
The entire city rushed towards the site, with men, women, and children coming together to welcome the Prophet. Both the Prophet and his Companion were wearing white clothes. The Prophet stopped on the outskirts of Medina, at the place of Bani Amr Ibn Awf. Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ stood up and greeted the Ansar, while the Prophet remained seated and silent. The Prophet stayed at that place for ten nights. Meanwhile, he laid the foundation of the first ever Islamic Mosque at this place, known as Masjid Quba. The Prophet offered Prayer in this Mosque.
Then the Prophet again rode his Camel and moved forward. Eventually, his camel knelt down in a yard that belonged to two orphans. The Prophet offered to sell this place for the Islamic Mosque. They refused to accept payment, but the Prophet paid for this location, and the well-known Masjid-e-Nabvi (the Prophet’s Mosque) was subsequently founded there. These events are mentioned in complete detail in Hadith 3906 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
The historic migration of the Prophet to Medina is the most significant event in the history of Islam, which facilitated the emergence of a new Islamic State in Medina, marking the beginning of an era of Muslim dominance, not only in the Arab world but also worldwide.
The Quraysh of Mecca were planning to kill the Prophet. When the Prophet decided to migrate to Medina, it was necessary for him to protect himself from the Quraysh, who were in search of him. The Cave of Thawr was situated south of Mecca, on the top of the mountain. So, the Prophet decided to hide in it, along with his companion, Abu Bakr. Another reason was that the cave was very near Mecca, where they could easily reach at night, before the rising of the sun.
He stayed in the Cave of Thawr for three nights.
The purpose of staying in the cave was to hide themselves from the Quraysh. With the Divine Command, a spider spun its web on the mouth of the cave. A pigeon laid eggs in its nest at the entrance of the cave. With that, the cave remained out of sight. These are considered the miracles that protected the Prophet and his companions for three nights.
Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr helped them, while the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ and Hazrat Abu Bakr were hiding in the cave of Thawr. He used to bring food and milk for them during the night and would go back to Mecca before sunrise. This continued for three nights.
The event of Hijra is the most significant point in the history of Islam. It paved the way for the foundation of the first-ever Islamic State, which ultimately resulted in the dominance of Islam, not only in the Arab world but also outside the Arabian Peninsula. The day of Hijrah was then made the reference date for the inception of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar.