The refugee who created a great nation

There is another example for the influence of refugee concept on life of people in the history of Islam. In last page I explained how refugee respect provide big help for spreading Islam as new heavenly religion. Here is another example:

After the unbelievers failed to confess the king of Al Abyssinia to deliver the believers and the story of the court that had been held for the Moslem refugees in Al Abyssinia, with the decision and the statement of the Christian king about Islam. In this way Quraish's malicious intentions recoiled on them and their machination met with utter failure. They came to fully realize that the grudge they nursed against he Muslims would not operate but within their realm of Makkah. They consequently began to entertain a horrible idea of silencing the advocate of the new Call once and for all, through various channels of brutality, or else killing him.

At that time Islam was in critical point of it's history. The unbelievers decided to use maximum degree of violence against the new religion, even if they need to kill all the Moslems including the prophet (SA) himself! As a result of the oppressive atmosphere in Mecca and the unbridled persecution of the Muslims that threatened them constantly with imprisonment, torture and death, and in recognition of the fact that the Muslim warriors were not yet ready for battle.

At that practical point the Islam had very important needs:

A safe place for the prophet (SA) and his followers where they could work safely to spread Islam.
More believers and supporters to face and balance the force of unbelievers (Quraishians).
Financial resources.
More moral support.

The Moslems found some of these points (1,4) in Al Abyssinia, but not all what the Moslems need. There still 2 points was missing in Al Abyssinia refuge (2,3). The prophet (SA) with his wisdom and his heavenly vision saw in Yathrip (Al Madinah Al Munawwarah recently, located 447 kilometers northern from Holy Mecca) the best place for the Moslems for find good refuge will provide all the needs of the Moslems.

The Prophet (SA) had perhaps covertly referred to this very aspect of Yathrip when he said before his migration: "I have been shown the goal of your migration - a land of palm-trees lying between two tracts strewn with black, rugged stones." All those who resolved upon migration proceeded thereupon to Yathrip.

So what characters that Yathrip had made it to be better refuge for Islam?

Here is the answers:

(I’m speaking this just to give you an example about what the refugees need.)

from a strategic point of view brought about by its geography and defense, impregnable like a fortified city. No other town of the Arabian Peninsula enjoyed the same advantage. Lying in a lava plain, surrounded on all sides by chains of high mountains, Western side of the city is protected by the lava and extremely uneven hilly terrain known as Harrat-al-Wabra, while Harra-al-Waqim surrounds it on the eastern side. Yathrip lies unprotected and open to military advance only in the north (where, in 5 A.H., the Prophet (SA)) ordered to dig trenches on the occasion of the battle of clans). Thickly clustered plantations of date-palm groves encompassed the town on the remaining sides. An army taking this route would have had to maintain communications through deep valleys and ravines. Thus, it would have been difficult to attack Yathrip in full force from these sides while the defenders could have easily conquered the invaders through small outlying pickets.

The two Arab tribes of Yathrip that composed the majority of the population, the Aus and the Khazraj, were well known for their passionate, chauvinistic spirit of the clan; self-respect, boldness and valor while riding horses was one of the manly skills in which they excelled. Freedom of the desert was in their blood: neither had they ever submitted to any authority nor paid impost to a sovereign. The Jews of Yathrip lived compact settlements where they had erected fortifications and citadels. They were however, not independent but lived as confederate clans of the stronger Arab tribes that guaranteed them immunity from raids by the nomads. Predatory incursions by the nomadic tribes being a perpetual menace, the Jewish tribes had to always seek the protection of one or more chieftains of the powerful Arab tribes. Those characters will provide more believers and good warriors for Islam.

Yathrip was a veritable oasis. The soil warranted a systematic cultivation and hence, its population was given over to farming and gardening. Spinning and weaving were popular domestic endeavors from which women find solace with in their spare-time at Medina. Sewing and dyeing of clothes, house-building, brick-laying and stone crafts were some of the manual arts already known to the city folks before the Prophet (SA) emigrated there. That gave Yathrip good industrial and merchant position in the area, which will provide good financial resources.

Yathrip contained the largest Jewish community in Arabic peninsula. The Jewish live in Yathrip as Arabic citizens with full rights to practice their own religion freely. They were speaking Arabic and they were monotheists where the rest of the habitat of Yathrip and the rest of the area were polytheists. That gave example for the religious lenience that exists only in that city.

During the season of hajj every year the Prophet (SA) was busy offering the new faith to the tribes. In the eleventh year after his rise to prophet (SA) hood (A.D. 620), Deciding that to continue his mission with the Meccans would bear him no fruits, he discontinued his preaching in Mecca. Instead, he started paying attention, for quite a while, to those nomadic tribesmen and strangers who visited Mecca on pilgrimage or on trade. Eventually, this diversion also proved to be unsatisfactory, for, in spite of his best efforts, he had failed to elicit positive responses from those pilgrims whom he approached for quite some time. The more he thought about his predicaments, the more constrained he felt.

At that year (A.D. 620) the prophet (SA) met some pilgrims from Yathrib and took the opportunity to engage them in a conversation. A group of seven or eight persons belonging to both the tribes of Aus and Khazraj was impressed by what he had told it about the Oneness of God and the futility of paganism. The Khazrajites thought he was the same Messiah whom the Jews of Yathrib were expecting, while others considered the possibility of using him as a mediator or peacemaker in their volatile oasis. Both groups of those people were, however, of the identical impression that they should use the man and his abilities to further their neglected causes. They returned to Yathrib, exploring and debating all possibilities.

First Aqaba…

The following year, (A.D. 621) a group of twelve men, including those of the previous year, came back to Mecca to perform their hajj. Muhammad met them in a little valley of the mountains and read them some of the verses he told them he received from God. All the twelve Yathribis declared themselves convinced, and made a final profession of faith. Since the converts were the most influential among the members of an otherwise powerful tribe. They suggested that he send a man along with them to instruct and strengthen the faith of those Yathribis who, under their influence, had converted to Islam a year ago. Muhammad agreed and sent Musab Ibn Omar, one of the most learned and able of his disciples, not only to teach the neo-Muslims the tenets of Islam, but also to propagate it among other Yathribis, who practiced paganism, Judaism and Christianity. In this way, the seed of Islam began to sprout in the oasis of Yathrib.

Musab Ibn Omar often faced threats to his life, yet he persisted in his preaching. His tenacity paid off and he succeeded in converting some of the city's principal inhabitants. Among them were Saad Ibn Maad, a chief of the Ausites, and Osaid Ibn Hedheir, a man of great authority. During this period of time, some Muslims of Mecca, driven out by the pagan harassment and hunger, also arrived and took refuge in Yathrib. They joined Musab and helped him in taking the propaganda of Islam to the footsteps of almost all inhabitants of Yathrib. A large number of the city's inhabitants saw their economic emancipation in Islam and felt inclined to embrace its doctrines for their own good. Thus, in a short period of two years, those people achieved in Yathrib what Muhammad, in Mecca, could not achieve over a period of almost thirteen years.

second Aqaba…

The next year, being the thirteenth of the mission (A.D. 622) Mus’ab returned from Yathrib accompanied by seventy-three men and two women of that city who had adopted Islam, besides others who were as yet unbelievers. On their arrival, these Yathribites immediately sent to the Prophet (SA) and invited him to their city. The Prophet (SA) was now in great need of such assistance, for his opponents had by this time grown so powerful in Mecca that he could not stay there much longer without imminent danger. He therefore accepted their proposal and met them one night by appointment at AlAqaba, attended by his uncle Al-‘Abbas, who, though he was not then a convert, wished his nephew well. Al Abbas made a speech to those of Yathrib wherein he told them that, as the Prophet (SA) Muhammad was obliged to quit his native city and seek refugr elsewhere, and they had offered him their protection, they would do well not to deceive him; and that if they were not firmly resolved to defend and not to betray him, they had better declare their minds and let him provide for his safety in some other manner. Upon their professing their sincerity, the Prophet (SA) swore to be faithful to them, on condition that they should worship none but Allah, observe the precepts of Islam, obey the Prophet (SA) in all that was right, and protect him against all insults as heartily as they would their wives and families. They then asked him what would be their return, if they should happen to be killed in the cause of Allah; he answered: "Paradise," whereupon they pledged their faith to him and his cause.

The Prophet (SA) then selected twelve men out of their number to act as his delegates. Thus was concluded the second covenant of AlAqaba. The Yathribites returned home leaving the Prophet (SA) to arrange for the journey to their city. The Prophet (SA) directed his followers to seek immediate safety at Yathrib, which they accordingly did. About one hundred families silently disappeared from Mecca and proceeded to Yathrib, where they were received with enthusiasm and much hospitality. Finally, all the disciples had gone to Yathrib. The Prophet (SA) alone remained at Mecca, keeping with him only his young cousin Ali, and his devoted friend Abu Bakr.

Holy Prophet's (SA) Migration to Medina...

When the infidel Quraish became aware of the situation, they gathered in Dar-ul-Nadwa for consultation regarding the next step about the Prophet (SA). Some one suggested to imprison him while another one advised to exile him. But the crafty persons among them did not consider it proper because, they thought, in case of his imprisonment his tribesmen and helpers would attack them and snatch him from their possession. And in case of exile, they thought, it would go entirely against them because all the Arabs living around the boundaries of Mecca would be greatly influenced by his noble conduct and sweet conversation. And he might invade them (the Quraish) with their active support. In view if this discussion. the wretched Abu Jehl suggested the he should be murdered and man from each tribe should participate in that murder so that Banu Abd-e-Manaf (Holy Prophet's (SA) tribe) could not get revenge. Everyone agreed with this suggestion and a youth from each tribe was appointed to do the needful on the fixed might.

Almighty Allah apprised the Holy Prophet (SA) of their conspiracy and enjoined upon him to migrate. At that night, when many a youth from each tribe and besieged his house to accomplish their evil design, the Holy Prophet (SA) made up his mind to migrate. He asked Hadrat Ali to sleep in his bed by covering himself with his bed-sheet so that the infidels could not know that the he was not in the house.

When the Prophet (SA) came towards the gate of his house, three was a crowd of the Quraish as if it were a fair. Holy Prophet (SA) came out of the house reciting Surah Yasin and when he reached the verse "Fa-Aghshaina hum fhaum la yubsiroon. "And (thus) We have covered them so that they seen not." prophet's it several time till a covering was laid upon their eyes by Almighty Allah and they could not see him while going out He straightaway reached the house of Siddiq-e-Akbar who was already waiting for him and had arranged a guide to the passage to accompany them. Siddiq-e-Akbar and the Holy Prophet (SA) came out through a window at the back of the house and went toward Thaura( a mountain near Mecca)

Cave of Thaur...

Now both of them were staying in cave of Thaur, whereas the youth of the Quraish were still waiting for the Prophet (SA) to come of his house. At last they came to know that there was Ali in his place and it disturbed them too much. They immediately sent the messengers to all the four sides in search of the Holy Prophet (SA) and fixed a reward of one hundred camels for arresting him. Many person set out in search of him and some foot-print experts were able to reach the end of the cave, so near to them that if they had cared to see kneeling a bit inward they could clearly see them. At that moment Siddiq-eAkbar felt grieved, but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him : "Don't feel disturbed. Allah is with us." By the will of Allah, the searching eyes were turned away from the cave and no on cared to see kneeling toward the cave. Even Umayyah bin Khalf, the cleverest among them, told them that his presence in the cave was not possible. He said so because by the command of Allah a spider had woven a web at the entrance of the cave during on night and wild pigeon had made its nest there.

The Holy Prophet (SA) and Siddiq-e-Akbar remained hidden in that cave for three consecutive night till their chasers got disappointed. During these three night Abdullah son of Siddiq-e-Akbar used to come, passed on them the news of the Quraish, he used to listen during the day time, and used to return to Mecca before dawn. His sister Asma bint Abu Bakr also used to provide them food each night. Since the Arabs were experts in recognizing the foot-prints, Abdullah had advised his slave to daily graze the sheep up to that cave.

On Monday of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the 1st A.H., and the third day of their stay in the cave of Thaur, Aamir bin Fuhairah the liberated slave of Siddiq-e-Akbar, reached the cave with two she-camels for the journey to Medina. Aamir was accompanied by Abdullah bin Arqalit, who was engaged on payment to guide them to the route. The Holy Prophet (SA) mounted on the one she-camel while Siddiq-e-Akbar rode the other one. Siddiq-e-Akbra asked Aamir bin Fuhara to ride behind him for service. Abdullah bi Arqlait led them to guide them to the way.

Since the trustworthiness of the Holy Prophet (SA) was well recognized even by the infidels, most of them used to keep their valuables with him as a trust. At the time of his migration, the Holy Prophet (SA) had left Hadrat Ali behind, in order to return the valuables, kept with the Prophet (SA), to the persons concerned before migrating to Medina. Hadrat Ali complied with the prophet's instructions and then joined him at Quba.

The Muslims of Mecca, who had arrived and taken refuge some time before in Yathrib, hearing that Muhammad was at Quba, came out to meet him there. The Ansars, who had made their compact with him in the preceding year, also came forward to greet him and to renew their pledge of fidelity.

Having obtained from his converts a confirmed report of the Yathribis favorable disposition towards him, Muhammad entered Yathrib on Friday, the twenty-second of September in the Christian era of 622. From the time Muhammad entered Yathrib, his disciples renamed it as Madinat al Nabi, the city of the Prophet (SA), abbreviated to Madina, a name by which we shall refer to it in future.

Arrival at Quba...

There from the Holy Prophet (SA) reached Quba, asuburb of Medina. Eversince the Ansar (The Helpers) and heard about the arrival of the Holy Prophet (SA) they used to go out of their locality daily to welcome him. That day, as a routine, they had also come back after waiting for him, but suddenly they heard someone saying: " He, who was being awaited, has come." When they was the Holy Prophet (SA) coming, they were all jubilant and welcomed him enthusiastically. The Holy Prophet (SA) and companions stayed at Quba for fourteen days. During these days, the Holy Prophet (SA) laid the foundation of a mosque at Quba. while building it, the Holy Prophet (SA) himself worked with others. And this is the first mosque in the history of Islam.
Since the trustworthiness of the Holy Prophet (SA) was well recognized even by the infidels, most of them used to keep their valuables with him as a trust. At the time of his migration, the Holy Prophet (SA) had left Hadrat Ali behind, in order to return the valuables, kept with the Prophet (SA), to the persons concerned before migrating to Medina. Hadrat Ali complied with the prophet's instructions and then joined him at Quba.

Holy Prophet's Entry in Medina...

It was Friday of Rabi-ul-Awwal, when the Holy Prophet (SA) departed from Quba for Medina. On his way the Ansar were joyously and enthusiastically walking around the she-camel he was riding. A number of them were accompanying the Holy Prophet (SA) on their own beasts. Everyone was trying to have the honour of holding the reins of his dromedary. Each and every one desired from the core of his heart that the Holy Prophet (SA) were his guest. The women and children were reciting the poems of joy and happiness. When he reached near the houses of Banu Salim bin Auf, it was tine for Jumuah Prayer. The Holy Prophet (SA) got down of his she-camel offered the Jumuah prayer and again mounted his dromedary. On his route, everyone standing before his own house requested the Prophet (SA) to honour him to be his guest, but the Holy Prophet (SA) replied: " My dromedary be left alone: She is appointed by Allah Almighty. She will stop of her own where she is ordained to stop. " The dromedary, therefore, kept moving on till the houses of Banu Adi bin Najaar, the parental tribe of the Holy Prophet's (SA) mother, were before them. Here the dromedary sat down in front of the house of Abu Ayyub Ansari. So the Holy Prophet (SA) was the guest of Abu Ayyub, in whose house Prophet (SA) stayed for a fair period of time.

Next page we will read about the lessons of that story...