Prophet in Madinah
News of the Prophet's departure from Makkah spread fast. Eagerly expecting his arrival,
the Ansaars used to go out after morning prayers to the outskirts of the city and await his
arrival until there was no more shade and the Sun became unbearable. Then, as it was the
hot season, they returned to their homes, sad and disappointed.
At last, the Prophet (r) arrived. The Ansaar had already returned to their houses but a
Jew who happened to see him, cried aloud announcing his arrival. Everybody rushed out to
greet the Prophet (r) whom they found sitting beneath a tree with Abu Bakr (t) who was
of like age. Many of them had never seen the Prophet (r) and did not know which of the
two was he. They crowded round both, but now, Abu Bakr realized their difficulty. He rose
up, stood behind the Prophet (r) shielding him with a piece of cloth from the sun, and thus
the doubts of the people dissipated. (Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, p. 492)
More or less five hundred Ansaars rushed to pay their respects to the Prophet of Allah
(r); they requested him to enter the city, saying, “Ride on! You two are safe and we shall
obey you!”
The Prophet (r) went on, accompanied by his companions and the welcoming crowd. The
inhabitants of Madinah stood in front of their doors, the women lined up on the roofs in-
quiring one another about the Prophet (r). Anas said that he never came across a happier
day in his life.
The people thronged in the way at their doors and windows and on the roofs of the hous-
es. The slaves and lads cried excitedly, “Allahu-Akbar, the Prophet (r) of Allah is come!
Bara b. Azib, who was then in his youth, had said: “I never saw the people of Madinah dis-
play warmth so great as the happiness they expressed on the arrival of the Prophet (r) of
Allah where even the slave-girls were shouting that the Prophet (r) of Allah hath arrived!”
The faithful greeted the arrival of the Prophet (r) with the joyful cries of Allahu Akbar. No
other welcome wore that festive glance to gladden their hearts. Madinah appeared to be
jubilant and beaming into a smile. The young maidens of Aus and Khazraj felt elated and
sang in chorus:
"On the hillside whence caravans are given a sendoff, The full moon comes up this day. All
the while Allah is praised, We had better return our thanks The Holy One, O You sent us,
Yours has brought binding commands.
Anas b. Malik had not come of age when the Prophet (r) came to Madina. He was present
on the occasion and he says, “I never saw a day more graceful and radiant than the day
when the Prophet (r) came to us.” (Darimi, On the authority of Anas)