Seerah | Lecture 12 | Migration to Madinah Munawwarah

The migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah, known as the Hijrah, was initiated following divine permission conveyed by Jibreel. Upon receiving this command, the Prophet instructed his companions to depart Makkah in small, discreet groups to avoid the hostility of the mushrikeen, who had gathered at Darun-Nadwa to plot his assassination. The plot involved selecting a representative from each tribe to strike the Prophet simultaneously, thereby diffusing the responsibility for his death and preventing the Bani Hashim from seeking retribution.

The Prophet remained in Makkah until the final moment, entrusting Ali ibn Abi Talib to sleep in his bed, covered by his green shawl, to deceive the assassins and return the belongings held in trust to their rightful owners. After miraculously escaping the house, the Prophet joined Abu Bakr Siddiq, and together they sought refuge in the cave of Ghar-e-Thawr. They remained there for three days, supported by the efforts of Asma bint Abu Bakr and the servant Ibn Fuhayra, who provided food and supplies. Following their departure from the cave, they traveled along an unconventional route toward Madinah, eventually arriving at Quba, where the Prophet stayed for approximately two weeks before entering Madinah.

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Key topics & takeaways

The Hijrah of the Companions

• Departure of the Sahaba — the Prophet ordered the companions to leave Makkah in small, secret groups to escape the persecution of the kuffar (▸2:33
• Hijrah of Umar-e-Farooq — unlike others who left secretly, Umar performed his migration in broad daylight, armed and announcing his departure at the Kaaba, challenging anyone to stop him ▸3:30
• Abu Bakr’s companionship — Abu Bakr was instructed by the Prophet to remain in Makkah, as the Prophet intended for him to be his companion during the migration ▸6:11

The Plot and Departure

• The conference at Darun-Nadwa — the enemies of the Prophet gathered to discuss how to stop the propagation of Islam, and Shaitan appeared in the form of a sheikh from Najd to advise them ▸6:32
• The assassination plan — the mushrikeen decided to have one strong man from each tribe strike the Prophet at once to prevent the Bani Hashim from claiming qisas ▸7:50
• Ali’s role — the Prophet instructed Ali to sleep in his bed and remain in Makkah for three days to return the items entrusted to the Prophet by others ▸9:45
• Escape from the house — the Prophet exited his home while the assassins were waiting, reciting verses from Surah Yasin and throwing sand upon them, rendering them unable to see him ▸10:34

The Journey to Madinah

• Protecting the Prophet’s footprints — Abu Bakr carried the Prophet on his back during the initial stage of the journey to ensure the Prophet’s footprints did not reveal their path to trackers ▸12:41
• Abu Bakr’s vigilance — during the trek, Abu Bakr constantly shifted his position around the Prophet—walking in front, behind, and on both sides—to shield him from potential threats ▸14:18
• Events in Ghar-e-Thawr — while in the cave, the Prophet rested his head on Abu Bakr’s lap; by divine command, spiders wove webs and pigeons nested at the entrance to conceal them ▸15:40
• Abu Bakr’s sacrifice — when a snake bit Abu Bakr’s foot inside the cave, he refused to move, fearing he would disturb the Prophet’s sleep ▸16:28
• Divine reassurance — when Abu Bakr expressed fear for the Prophet’s safety, the Prophet comforted him by stating that Allah was the third with them ▸20:36
• Suraqa ibn Malik’s pursuit — Suraqa attempted to capture the Prophet for a reward, but his horse’s feet sank into the earth by the Prophet’s command; he eventually requested a letter of protection and abandoned the pursuit ▸22:44
• The miracle of Umm-e-Ma'bad — the Prophet blessed a dry, barren goat at the tent of Umm-e-Ma'bad, which immediately produced an abundance of milk, leading her to accept Islam ▸28:01
• Burayda Aslami’s conversion — Burayda arrived with 70 men to capture the Prophet, but upon seeing the Prophet’s face, he immediately accepted Islam and led the group toward Madinah with his turban as a flag ▸30:53

Arrival in Madinah

• The welcome at Quba — the people of Madinah waited daily for the Prophet’s arrival; when he finally appeared, they recognized him when Abu Bakr provided shade for him with his shawl ▸33:16
• The song of the Ansar — upon the Prophet’s entry, the residents sang Tala'al badru alayna, declaring it a duty to thank Allah for his arrival ▸36:44
• The drought miracle — during a Friday sermon in Madinah, a man requested the Prophet to pray for rain; the Prophet raised his hands, and clouds immediately appeared, causing rain to fall for a week until he was asked to stop it ▸39:03
• Prophetic power — the Prophet demonstrated his authority by drawing a circle in the sky, causing the rain to fall only around Madinah and not within the city itself ▸41:15